Lastest news from The Bookseller

Indie bookshop presence in the UK contracts for an 11th consecutive year The number of independent bookshops in the UK has fallen for the 11th year in a row, according to the Booksellers Association’s annual membership figures, but the rate of closure has slowed.

Manuscripts by Jacobson, Horowitz and Crace in LBF briefcases Manuscripts from Howard Jacobson, Salman Rushdie, Anthony Horowitz and Chimamanda Adichie are among those agents are taking to London Book Fair (LBF).

Blackwell's pension 'milestone' Blackwell’s has completed an “all risks buy-in” of its defined benefit pension scheme with the Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC). The company said the move would take it “one step closer” to its long-term goal of becoming an employee-owned partnership, similar to that operated by retailer John Lewis.

Miranda Hart turns children's book author Actress and comedian Miranda Hart has won a publishing deal with Hachette for a children’s book about a girl who loses her smile.

Guardians at the gate Agent Jonny Geller asks whether publishers should remain neutral in the current political climate.

YA Book Prize shortlist announced Three début authors are up against children’s book heavyweights Malorie Blackman and Francesca Simon on the 10-strong YA Book Prize 2017 shortlist.

ABCD crowns 2016 cover design champions The Academy of British Cover Design, better known as ABCD, hosted its fourth annual awards last night (2nd March) in Hoxton, east London, with Vintage creative director Suzanne Dean and Simon & Schuster’s Jack Smyth taking home two awards apiece.

Netflix appoints Maria B Campbell as exclusive global literary scouts Netflix has appointed Maria B Campbell Associates UK Ltd in London and Maria B Campbell Associates Inc in New York to be its exclusive global literary scouts.

Hay Festival celebrates 30th anniversary with 'ambitious' new projects Hay Festival has today (3rd March) unveiled four "ambitious" new projects to mark its 30th festival in Hay-on-Wye, including an international call to crowd source a library of 30 “essential” books from the last 30 years.

Hodder scoops Arsenal player Mesut Özil's memoir Hodder has scooped the memoir of Arsenal Football Club player Mesut Özil.

Melissa Cox pre-empts Wicked debut in first deal for Hodder Editorial director Melissa Cox's first acquisition at Hodder & Stoughton is a fiction debut, The Wicked Cometh, by Laura Carlin.

Crime Scene magazine killed off Crime Scene, the quarterly magazine devoted to crime TV, film and books, is to close, subscribers have been told.