News from The Bookseller

Granta buys Lacey story collectionGranta Books editor Anne Meadows has acquired a “darkly funny, whip-smart” novel and a collection of short stories from Catherine Lacey, whose debut novel Nobody is Ever Missing will be published - also by Granta - this week. Meadows acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, including Australia New Zealand, from Alba Ziegler-Bailey at the Wylie Agency. Lacey’s debut, published on 5th February in the UK, is about a young woman who runs away from her stable life in Manhattan to New Zealand.

HC's Killer Reads makes 'open submission' buys Killer Reads, HarperFiction’s new digital-first crime and thriller list, has made its first acquisitions through an open submission process it held last summer. Sarah Hodgson, deputy publishing director and Kate Stephenson, editor, have acquired three new titles from the hundreds of submissions, as well as a further three titles through literary agents.

Faber buys 'lost' horror from William GayFaber and Faber will publish a "lost" horror novel by the late American writer William Gay. Editorial director Angus Cargill bought the UK rights from Clare Conville at Conville & Walsh.

Harris joins Bonnier in children's fiction roleJane Harris is to join the Bonnier Publishing Fiction division as executive director for children's fiction. Harris will report to recently appointed Bonnier Publishing Fiction c.e.o. Mark Smith, and will be responsible for all the company's children's fiction output, including imprints Hot Key Books and Piccadilly Press.

Booksellers given role in prison book deliveryThe government has relaxed the prison book ban, but said inmates can only receive parcels from four named booksellers – Waterstones, Blackwell’s, Foyles or WH Smith. The prison book ban was relaxed from 31st January, The Bookseller understands, following a High Court ruling that the ban, brought in in November 2013, was unlawful in December. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said the new rules on sending in books to prisons were to “ensure the protection and safety of prisons”.

Six jobs go as Ripley closes London officeSix people have been made redundant following the closure of the London office of publisher Ripley. The publisher moved its editorial functions to Orlando in America from the start of this month (1st February). The change means half a dozen people have been made redundant, with the redundancies taking effect on 31st January.

Zoella's brother signs with H&SHodder & Stoughton has acquired a graphic novel by YouTuber Joe Sugg, the younger brother of Zoella. Senior editor Briony Gowlett bought world rights to the book from Lucy Lendrem at Gleam Futures. Sugg runs the ThatcherJoe YouTube channel, which has more than 3.6m subscribers, and announced his book deal in a video on the channel.

Quarto: 'steady progress in 2014' Illustrated book publisher Quarto made “steady progress in 2014 despite a tough first half to the year”, c.e.o. Marcus Leaver has said in a trading update. Reporting on the year ending 31st December 2014, the publisher said that it had reduced debt and had seen “organic growth”.

Susan Hill to launch children’s imprintAuthor Susan Hill will this summer launch a children’s imprint to publish books for readers aged seven to 11. Hill said she decided to launch Little Barn Books after the successful relaunch of her children’s Christmas poem Can It Be True? last year under the adult publishing imprint she runs – Long Barn Books.

France overhauls its book industry subsidies The French culture ministry’s National Book Centre (Centre National du Livre, CNL) will overhaul its system of financial support for the book industry in order to simplify and update it. The reform, which was approved by the CNL’s board last week, reduces the number of interest-free loans and subsidies by about a third from 38 to 26 and should take effect later in the year.