Latest book news from The Bookseller

EC white paper aims to level digital playing field The European Commission has a grand plan to create a single market for digital content across all the member states of the EU, so it can be bought and sold without barriers such as the administrative burden of different VAT rates.  The creation of that market will help entrepreneurial start-up businesses trade across the whole of Europe, and create up to €415bn in additional growth, while saving consumers €11.7bn each year, the commission calculates.

Nielsen calls for debate over crediting illustrators The trade has welcomed a debate over the lack of recognition for illustrators, but Nielsen — the global measurement company that supplies the charts to The Bookseller — has warned that the issue of gathering data is not clear-cut.

Healey, Bray and Fuller on Desmond Elliot shortlist Three female authors will compete for The Desmond Elliott Prize 2015. All three authors shortlisted for this year’s £10,000 award, which is for debut novels, are published by Penguin Random House. Emma Healey is shortlisted for Elizabeth is Missing (Viking), Carys Bray for A Song for Issy Bradley (Hutchinson), and Claire Fuller for Our Endless Numbered Days (Fig Tree).

Industry seconds Franklin’s fears for further cuts to libraries Libraries, publishers and bookshops will suffer under a Conservative government, a leading independent publisher has warned. When collecting the Independent Publisher of the Year trophy at the Bookseller Industry Awards on Monday (11th May), Profile Books m.d. Andrew Franklin gave a strong speech expressing his views about last week’s general election result, which enabled the Conservatives to form a majority government.

Galley Beggar presses into non-fiction Galley Beggar Press (GBP) will launch a non-fiction list in early 2016 with a memoir by novelist Toby Litt and a title from début writer Megan Dunn.

Octopus to launch food and drink festival Octopus Publishing Group is to launch a food and drink festival at London’s Southbank Centre this year, featuring authors including Marco Pierre White, Sabrina Ghayour and Gizzi Erskine. Cookbook Confidential: The Food & Drink Festival will be held on Saturday 5th September and feature discussions, classes, demonstrations and tastings with food and drink authors from Octopus’ list. Foyles will be the official bookseller and partner for the festival.

Aardvark Bureau signs Self assistant Scott Pack has announced his latest acquisition for Aardvark Bureau. Self & I (May 2016) is a memoir by Will Self’s former personal assistant, novelist Matthew De Abaitua.

Allen Lane wins double for Wolfson History Prize Two Allen Lane books have won this year’s annual Wolfson History Prize. National Service: Conscription in Britain, 1945-1963 by Richard Vinen and Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary at War, 1914-1918 by Alexander Watson were announced as the winners of the prize at a reception at Claridge’s in London yesterday (Thursday 14th May), with both authors receiving a prize of £25,000.

Scribner UK signs American Housewife The newly-launched Scribner UK is to publish a collection of stories by Helen Ellis, the creator of the ‘American Housewife’ parody Twitter account. Clare Hey, editorial director at Simon & Schuster UK, bought UK and Commonwealth rights to American Housewife from Sandy Hodgman of Hodgman Literary, acting on behalf of Einstein Literary Management.

Cowgirl wins Welsh book award Author Giancarlo Gemin has won a Welsh book award for his debut children’s novel Cowgirl (Nosy Crow). The English language Tir na n-Og award, organised by the Welsh Books Council, and sponsored by Cilip Wales, is for the best English-language title with an authentic Welsh background.

Canongate signs more Pilkington Canongate has signed the latest book from Karl Pilkington, planned for released in summer 2016. The Worldly Wisdom of Karl Pilkington will be Pilkington's fourth book with Canongate, and will see him share his thoughts on a range of topics, from art to pollution and identity. Canongate publisher Jenny Todd and senior editor Jenny Lord signed world rights from Tiffany Agbeko at John Noel Management.

Audio deal for Jahn's YA trilogy Specialist digital publishing company Creative Content has signed a three-book deal with Amalie Jahn, author of the YA Clay Lion trilogy, to publish audio editions of the series. The self-published time travel series consists of The Clay Lion, published in 2013, followed by Tin Men, which was released in July 2014, and A Straw Man, to be released in June 2015.