Latest book news from The Bookseller

LATEST NEWS EC to reveal plans for 'digital single market' The European Commission is today (6th May) set to reveal plans for the “digital single market”, to remove barriers to online services across Europe. The plans would mean that customers across the European Union could all access the same digital services and products, including e-books and on-demand TV services, regardless of which country they are in. The European Commission has also said that as part of the plans for a digital single market a “more modern copyright law is needed so that the interests of creators harmonise with those of consumers”. HC posts 14% quarterly revenue rise The inclusion of Harlequin and strong sales of Chris Kyle’s memoir American Sniper (William Morrow) helped HarperCollins to a 14% increase in revenues in the three months to 31st March, compared to the year before. But e-book revenues declined 3% year-on-year, HarperCollins’ parent company News Corp has said, in its latest quarterly results. Pratt and Green on Branford Boase shortlist Books by YA Prize-shortlisted authors Non Pratt and Sally Green are on the seven-strong shortlist for this year’s Branford Boase award. The award is given jointly to the author and editor of the most outstanding debut novel for children, and Pratt is shortlisted for Trouble, published by Walker Books and edited by Annalie Grainger and Denise Johnstone-Burt. Green is on the list for Half Bad (Penguin), which is edited by Ben Horslen.   Standing ovation for Charlie Hebdo at PEN Gala The editors at French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo were given a standing ovation when collecting an award at the PEN America Gala last night (5th May), according to news reports, despite the absence of a number of prominent authors in protest. Global E-book Report highlights unequal markets International e-book markets continue to develop at different rates, with growth in some continental digital marketplaces appearing to have stalled despite increasing activity from global tech companies and local players. Changes for Flammarion as Cremisi steps down Teresa Cremisi has been under the spotlight of the French book industry since she announced in an interview with the French trade publication Livres Hebdo last Friday (1st May) that she would step down from her post as chairperson of Flammarion on 2nd June. Botswana partnership for JS JS International has partnered with Botho University in Botswana to provide students with textbooks and e-textbooks. JS International, an arm of the JS Group which runs John Smiths Bookshops, will establish student stores at the university's Gaborone and Francistown campuses and a Botho University online store which will sell e-textbooks, university merchandise and other resources. Sainsbury's reports first loss in a decade Sainsbury's supermarket has made a full-year loss for the first time in 10 years, with new boss Mike Coupe warning that the UK marketplace was changing faster than "at any time in the past 30 years." The retailer reported a £72m loss in the year to March, with underlying pre-tax profits falling 14.7% to £681m, compared with £798m the year before. The retailer was hit by a number of one-off costs, including a write down in the value of some of its stores, and its share price fell 1.3% in early morning trading. Patterson donates $100k to ANZ indies James Patterson has extended his support of indies to Australia and New Zealand, offering bookshops $5,000 each from a pool of $100,000 to spend on initiatives to get children reading. The best-selling American author has already given indies in the US and the UK grants and he has also donated to school libraries in both countries. Amazon Publishing buys Russell trio Amazon Publishing has acquired three books by Leigh Russell, who has previously been published by independent No Exit Press. Russell’s Journey to Death and two further titles will be published by Thomas & Mercer, Amazon Publishing’s crime imprint. Senior editor Emilie Marneur bought world rights to the books from Annette Crossland at A for Authors Ltd. Launch of Bookbub India BookBub, an e-book promotion company, has launched in India. The US-based business is a daily deal site for e-books which allows publishers and authors to submit price promotion ideas for titles, which Bookbub then reviews and chooses which to feature in its daily emails. The deals include offering books for free, or at discounted rates. Atlantic's London debut optioned for TV Debut novel Post Mortem by former police officer Kate London, to be published in August by Atlantic, has been optioned for a television series. Newly-formed Sly Fox Productions, in collaboration with Acorn Productions, has acquired a TV option for the crime novel from Anne-Marie Doulton of The Ampersand Agency. It is the first novel optioned by Sly Fox.