Sarah of SmartBitches wondered if you can follow an editor like you would an author, or maybe I can take that a bit further, and ask whether you can follow an editor like another reader who you trust. I initially thought that there was no correlation between an editor’s output and reader taste, but [...]

We hosted a giveaway for 15 copies of Kresley Cole’s delicious upcoming May release, Dark Needs at Night’s Edge. The winners are as follows. Please send me (jane @ dearauthor. com) your snail mail address.
# 92 Little Lamb Lost
# 36 Miss Kitty
# 14 Ana
# 50 Emily
# 107 Josie
# 97 Dani
# 67 Shreela
# [...]

Late Friday, AP reporter, Hillel Italie reported that Signet/NAL has severed its relationship with Cassie Edwards. Since we made a bit deal, here on the blog, about how appalling Signet/NAL’s initial response was, I thought it would be fair to give over our Sunday to say how awesome I think its final response is.
For [...]

Sarah just sent me the link to the news release that Signet and Cassie Edwards are no longer in business together.
“Signet has conducted an extensive review of all its Cassie Edwards novels and due to irreconcilable editorial differences, Ms. Edwards and Signet have mutually agreed to part ways,” the publisher said in a statement Friday.
“Cassie [...]

Penguin will be releasing a new book “Wolf Totem” that was first written and published in China. The book sold nearly 6 million copies in China. What did Penguin pay for these rights? The rights were acquired in 2005 and the estimated cost was $100,000. Seems like a good investment. [...]

Penguin Group (publisher of authors like Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, Meljean Brooks, Nalini Singh and the like) are releasing a number of classics in E form. The ebooks are called Penguin Enhanced e-Book Classics and will contain a number of features to induce a reader to buy the ecopy. [...]

Many of you may have heard of this book “And Tango Makes Three”.  It is a children’s book based on a real story about two penguins in the Central Park Zoo in New York.  I guess what happened in real life was that two penguins were observed trying to “hatch” a rock.  When the zoo [...]

From: xxxx.penguingroup.com
Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 1:02 PM
To: Jane Litte
Subject: New Cassie Edwards statement
Dear Jane,
Please find below a new statement from Signet re: the Cassie Edwards’ situation.
Our original comments were based on Signet’s review of a limited selection of passages. We believe the situation deserves further review. Therefore we will be examining all of [...]

Dear Mr. Shanks, CEO of Penguin, and Susan Peterson Kennedy, President of Penguin:
I am writing to share with you my disilllusionment with your publishing house after the response you gave to the allegations of plagiarism against Signet author, Cassie Edwards.
As a reader, when I buy a book, I assume that my money is spent paying [...]

Edited to add my inquiry: Apparently some are taking umbrage that I posted the Signet response but not my own email inquiry. I will say that I had permission to post the Signet response but I don’t mind adding my inquiry:
Dear Mr. [name redacted at the request of the responder]:
I was writing to [...]

Author Ian Spector wrote “The Truth About Chuck Norris” based on an internet chainmail of mythical facts featuring Norris. I.e., factoid no. 1 is “Guns don’t kill people. Chuck Norris kills people.”
Norris is unhappy about the publication of this book and has sued Penguin, the publisher of the book, because it portrays [...]

Penguin’s blog is going to do a series of Imprint focuses blog posts starting with Ace/Roc. The next four weeks on the Penguin blog will be dedicated to showcasing the Roc/Ace imprints. In addition to introductions to the editors and authors, exclusive information on the books and the publishing process will be [...]

Good news, neighbors to the North, Penguin will be selling books in Canada at US price points starting in 2008.
A couple of weeks ago, there was an article about Canadians becoming increasingly unhappy with the price disparity on books, with the Canadian retail price being significantly higher than the US retail price even though the [...]

Earlier this year, the copyright/plagiarism suit brought by Stuart Silverstein went to trial. Yesterday, the trial judge found in favor of Penguin (pdf link to ruling) and against the author holding that there simply wasn’t any creativity in the work that Silverstein compiled since ALL of the uncollected poems were included in [...]

One step forward and two steps back can describe Penguin’s path toward digital media. Last month, eMusic launched a DRM free audiobook program. Penguin Audio was participating to the tune of 150 titles. This month, its withdrawn from the program due to “concerns about digital piracy.” Penguin doesn’t state that there [...]

Anne Sowards is a senior editor at Penguin Group (USA) Inc. She has worked on Ace science fiction & fantasy since 1996, and on Roc science fiction & fantasy since December 2003. She edits a number of great authors, including (but not limited to) Jim Butcher, Patricia Briggs, Anne Bishop, and Karen Chance. When she’s [...]

I had great news in my inbox today. Penguin is lowering its retail price for eBooks to match the print retail price. The price decrease is already in effect or going to be in effect soon. This means that instead of Lover Unbound selling for a retail price of $9.99, it should [...]

Gathers.com, Simon & Schuster and Borders collaborated to run a writing contest that resulted in two well received mystery novels published in September 2007. Currently, the same three companies are running a writing competition for romance novels.
Amazon must have seen the benefit of this and joined with Penguin and Hewlett-Packard to host “Amazon’s Breakthrough [...]

Penguin has recently been releasing more ebook versions of its products. Penguin has lagged behind the digital market compared to the other NY publishers such as Harper Collins, Random House, Simon & Schuster and Harlequin. In April, it announced that Genevieve Shore would be the global digital director for Penguin worldwide. Penguin’s [...]

Penguin is asking all booksellers to place orders and return requests electronically. The new e-business policy takes place on January 1, 2008. Book Industry Communication has been the driving force behind the move toward e-commerce for book businesses. Many of the agents that I spoke to and interviewed indicated that they wished [...]

Fictionwise uses a rebate system whereby you are given back dollars for purchases which you can then use for future purchases. Each Monday they offer three books with a 100% micropay rebate, meaning if you buy the book, you get the entire amount back to be used on a book in the future. [...]

Publisher’s Weekly reported that The Penguin Group, publisher of books by Nora Roberts, Jayne Ann Krentz, JR Ward, Nalini Singh and Meljean Brook, has finally created a digital director position and named someone to (wo)man it. Genevieve Shore is now the global digital director for Penguin worldwide. She reports [...]

The e-backlist has been a long time in coming. Readers, particularly romance readers, are big glommers and they often are searching for the one book their reading buddy says is a must find. Unfortunately, these books are often difficult to find and very expensive. Publishers are being more responsive by making backlist titles [...]

Starting July 17, 2007, Penguin will be in court to defend itself from allegations of copyright infringement by Stuart Silverstein. For anyone not familiar with how slowly the wheels of justice churn, Silverstein’s case is illlustrative. The story begins in 1994 when Silverstein shopped around a compilation of 122 Dorothy Parker poems, many [...]

Happy Feet won the Oscar on Sunday night for the “Best Animated Feature Film” over Pixar’s Cars and Penguin, the publishing house, announced record profits. Penguin identified strong sales of mass market paranormal fiction and the premium paperback. President David Shanks confirmed that the premium paperback is here to stay.
Sales through [...]

Pearson, the parent corporation of Penguin Publishing (Berkley, NAL, Jove, Signet imprints), reported that its fourth quarter earnings were on track with its expectations and that 2006 would show a record profit. I can’t help but wonder how much the stock would fall if Nora Roberts left that publishing house.

Cindy Hwang is an executive editor at Berkley Publishing Group. Her first job was as an assistant to the editor-in-chief at Berkley. Ms. Hwang is the editor for some of the best known names in romance today: Christine Feehan, Lori Foster and Emma Holly to name a few. She also edits some [...]