Latest from The Bookseller including 'Record breaking' sales for Grey on first day & Short story writers lament profile problem

'Record breaking' sales for Grey on first day Cornerstone has claimed that the first day sales of ‘Grey’ have been “record-breaking” for an adult paperback in the industry. The latest edition of E L James’ bestselling series – Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian went on sale around the world last Thursday 18th June, just 18 days after the publisher first announced its existence.

PRH denies Grey theft report was publicity stunt Penguin Random House has said it is “categorically and absolutely untrue” that it reported a copy of E L James' novel Grey stolen as part of a “publicity stunt.” Following a statement from Kent Police that there was “no evidence… to suggest an offence has been committed”, several articles have appeared in the national press,  implying that Penguin Random House reported the book had been stolen as part of a publicity stunt to generate hype for the release on 18th June.

Short story writers lament profile problem Short stories are gaining ground in the UK, but authors working within the format are finding it more difficult to break into the public consciousness than novelists, writers have told The Bookseller. Awards that cover all forms of fiction such as The Folio Prize, won in 2014 by George Saunders’ short-story collection Tenth of December (Bloomsbury), have helped the form to gain exposure, but it is still difficult to flourish as a short story writer, according to author Kirsty Logan (pictured), who is appearing at this week’s London Short Story Festival.

James Salter dies Pan Macmillan has paid tribute to the American writer James Salter, who died on Friday (19th June) at the age of 90. Salter's last book, All That Is,  was published to  acclaim by Picador last year. Baggaley described publishing the book "one of the greatest privileges I've had at Picador."

Waterstones Summer Book Club titles revealed Two novels from Pushkin Press have made it onto the Waterstones Summer Book Club collection. The chain retailer has revealed the 10 titles it will champion by recommending to customers over the summer, with Pushkin Press’ One Night Markovitch by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen and The Brethren by Robert Merle among them.

PRH adds to ‘A Puffin Book’ list Penguin Random House Children’s is adding books by Noel Streatfeild, Erich Kastner and Anne Fine to its A Puffin Book list of classic children’s titles. PRH launched A Puffin Book last year to replace Puffin Modern Classics and is adding 20 further titles to the list in July.

Children's sector booms but review space falters Authors and book reviewers have hit out at national newspapers for shrinking the amount of editorial space given over to children’s books, despite huge growth in the market. In the UK, the children’s sector (including teen and YA titles) is the fastest-growing area of the market: sales grew 9.1% last year, against an overall book market decline of 1.3%, according to Nielsen BookScan. The first part of 2015 has levelled off but is still in growth—up 3.1% to £89.5m to the period ending 18th April.

Iran memoir is reading group choice The Temporary Bride by Jennifer Klinec (Virago) has been voted reading groups’ favourite read by a debut author following a poll to celebrate National Reading Group Day. The Reading Agency and The Booksellers Association revealed on Saturday (20th June), National Reading Group Day, that Klinec had topped a UK-wide online poll as the debut reading groups' most wanted to read and champion this year.

Armitage voted Oxford poetry professor Simon Armitage has been appointed professor of poetry at Oxford University, after winning 1,221 of the 3,340 votes cast. Armitage, who will hold the position for four years, beat off competition from Nigerian playwright Wole Soyinka (who came second with 920 votes), A E Stallings, Ian Gregson and Sean Haldane. He replaces Geoffrey Hill.

Gaitskill novel to Serpent's Tail Serpent’s Tail has acquired a new novel by Mary Gaitskill in what the publisher has described as the author’s “most ambitious work yet.”

Virago's youthful take on feminism Virago is publishing a collection of essays from women under 30 explaining why they see themselves as feminists, I Call Myself a Feminist (November, £13.99). The book is edited by five women: ex-Virago editor and literary scout Victoria Pepe; editor and author Rachel Holmes; Amy Annette, comedy producer and daughter of Virago publisher Lennie Goodings; Women’s Aid media officer Alice Stride; and artist Martha Mosse, daughter of novelist Kate Mosse.

Agency puts it own spin on design Tony Brook and Patricia Finegan founded Spin in 1992 as a design studio working across physical and digital. Spin’s projects encompass typography, identities, art direction and moving images, among other disciplines.