Latewst News from The Bookseller

Booksellers ready to relive midnight madness for Potter play Retailers are plotting a range of spellbinding evenings across the UK ahead of the release of JK Rowling’s "eighth Harry Potter book”, the play script for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Little, Brown).

Poetry Book Society winds down activities The Poetry Book Society (PBS) is winding down after more than 50 years supporting and encouraging the art of poetry and the sale of poetry books, with all staff made redundant.

Max Mosley leads Cross Sports Book Awards winners Sky Sports pundit Guillem Balague, former women’s UFC champion Ronda Rousey and former president of Formula One’s governing body Max Mosley were among the winners at the Cross Sports Book Awards.

'Biggest-selling' self-published book of 2016 lands Amazon deal Self-published author Adam Croft has been snapped up for a publishing deal by Amazon imprint Thomas & Mercer after releasing what he says is the biggest-selling book by a self-published author in 2016.

Peter Hain's anti-apartheid memoir optioned for film Labour politician Peter Hain’s AD & WAL (Biteback Publishing) has been optioned for a feature film by Fifty One Productions.

Independents strong on Betty Trask shortlist Debut novels by four independent presses have made it onto the Betty Trask Prize shortlist, including two by Bloomsbury.

DK Readers relaunches DK has re-launched its children’s reading scheme with a new programme built for children aged three-11, which will see 10 new titles released this year.

Rankin, Cole and Billingham lined up for Bloody Scotland Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Martina Cole and Mark Billingham are among the stellar names lined up for the fifth Bloody Scotland festival in Stirling.

Piatkus to publish two by Ashley Antoinette Piatkus has struck a deal for a novel and its sequel with New York Times bestselling author Ashley Antoinette.

Robin Stevens is stopping school events Children's author Robin Stevens has announced that she is to stop visiting schools “for the forseeable future”, citing exhaustion and an overloaded work schedule.

BBC producer's The Elephant Thief to Chicken House Chicken House has acquired a debut novel, The Elephant Thief, by Jane Kerr following a three-way auction.

WH Smith doubles donations for Readcycle 2016 Marie Curie and WH Smith have partnered to launch their second Big Readcycle to help support people living with a terminal illness.