Latest News from The Bookseller

Print up as booksellers put digital 'threat' behind them Bricks-and-mortar booksellers have a “fantastic opportunity to seize the moment”, with year-to-date print sales up for the first time in eight years. Figures from Nielsen Bookscan show sales of print books for the first 36 weeks of 2015 are up by 4.6% (worth £739.5m) when compared to the same period in 2014, the first time the print market has seen year-on-year growth at this stage of the calendar year since 2007.

Richard Mollet to leave The PA Richard Mollet is to leave The Publishers Association after five years.

Vince crowned first female solo winner of Winton Science prize The Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books has crowned its first ever female solo winner in Gaia Vince for her close-up look at pressing ecological issues facing the planet. Vince’s Adventures in the Anthropocene (Chatto & Windus) was given the £25,000 science prize at a ceremony hosted by Professor Brian Cox OBE, at a ceremony tonight (24th September), fending off competition from five other shortlisted titles.

Dahl centenary goes global The Roald Dahl Estate is gearing up to celebrate the children’s author’s centenary next year with a range of publishing, licensing, broadcast and events projects planned. The estate hopes to double the number of children who read his stories worldwide. Managing director of the estate Luke Kelly said Roald Dahl 100 was a massive project encompassing 60 publishers worldwide and “hundreds, if not thousands” of partners involved in events, licensing, merchandise and broadcast projects.

New Graham Swift novel from S&S in February Simon and Schuster is to publish a new novel from Graham Swift in February next year. Mothering Sunday: A Romance will be out on February 25th as a Scribner hardback at £12.99.

Morrissey novel is 'unfocused' and 'verbose' reviewer says The release of Morrisey’s first novel today (24th September) has sparked a strong reaction on social media after the work received two damning reviews by The Guardian.

CILIP votes overwhelmingly against ‘amateurisation' of library service CILIP members have voted "overwhelmingly" in favour of actively opposing the ‘amateurisation’ of the public library service in England at an a.g.m in London yesterday (24th September). CILIP member Andy Richardson had previously proposed a motion calling on CILIP to oppose the "amateurisation" of the public library service caused by the library buildings and contents being run by the local community with little or no funding for professional or paid library staff.

Caroline Michel to chair Hay Festival board Hay Festival has appointed Caroline Michel, c.e.o. of literary and talent agency Peters Fraser + Dunlop, as its new board chair. She succeeds Revel Guest. Michel will take on her new role at October’s board meeting when Lord Terence Burns, chair of Santander, Channel 4 and The Royal Academy of Music, becomes vice-chair of the festival.

William Hill prize 2015 longlist revealed Fourteen books including one on the trial of Paralympian Oscar Pistorius, and another on the recent FIFA scandals make up the longlist of the 27th William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award.

Scholastic results 'in line' with expectations Scholastic Corp said the first quarter of 2016 was in line with expectations, with sales increasing slightly (0.4%) compared the same period of 2015. International sales fell due to unfavourable foreign exchange rates. For the period ending 31st August 2015, revenues were to $191.2m (£125.6m), compared to $190.5m (£125.1m) one year previously. Operating profit declined 8.4% to $79.5m (£52.2m) from $86.8m (£57m) – a drop of 8.4%.

Costa Book Awards' judges named The judges for the Costa Book Awards have been announced, and include authors Matt Haig, Louise Doughty and Julia Copus. The shortlists for the five categories that make up the awards – First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry, and Children’s – will be announced on 17th November, with the winners announced on 4th January 2016. The five category winners will then compete for the overall Costa Book of the Year award, which will be announced on 26th January 2016.

Blink signs titles from Gibson and Grant Blink Publishing has acquired a new cookbook from Big Brother 2010 winner Josie Gibson and an astrology colouring book from media personality Russell Grant. Clare Tillyer, acquisitions director at Blink, bought World English rights to Popular: Love Food by Gibson and Russell Grant's Art of Astrology - Discover Your Inner Self Through Colour.