Morning briefing from The Bookseller

JS Group reports 6% revenue drop for 2016 Academic retailer JS Group has reported a 6.2% year-on-year revenue drop to £38.1m in its annual results covering the financial year ending 31st May 2016.

World Book Day campaigns from Blackwell's and others More initiatives to mark World Book Day (WBD) have been announced ahead of the 20th anniversary event on 2nd March.

Norwich's Book Hive 'astounded' by Susan Hill's 'anti-Trump bias' claim The Book Hive in Norwich has said it is "astounded" by author Susan Hill's claim of anti-Trump bias.

S&S buys four Graham Swift backlist titles Scribner UK has acquired the rights to four backlist titles from Booker Prize winner Graham Swift.

Funke reunites with Chicken House on Dragon Rider sequels Chicken House is "joyous" to be reuniting with fantasy author Cornelia Funke on two titles, following a split in 2015 over an editorial disagreement.

Hutchinson to publish Patrick McGrath's The Wardrobe Mistress Hutchinson is publishing Patrick McGrath's The Wardrobe Mistress, a novel about the London theatre in 1947.

Baillie Gifford to sponsor Borders Book Festival Investment manager Baillie Gifford - sponsor of the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction - is to become the title sponsor of The Borders Book Festival in Melrose, Scotland.

Fig Tree wins auction for Alderton début Penguin General imprint Fig Tree has acquired debut Everything I Know About Love at auction, a series of interconnected stories from journalist Dolly Alderton.

Former commando Johnny Mercer MP writes autobiography for Pan Mac Pan Macmillan has acquired We Were Warriors, the autobiography of former commando-turned-MP Johnny Mercer, comprising an account of life on the frontline during the Afghanistan war.

Virago and The Pool launch new crime writer award Virago deputy publisher Sarah Savitt and The Pool c.e.o. Sam Baker have launched a competition to find a new female crime writer for Virago.

Kerry Wilkinson does global rights deal with Bookouture Publisher Bookouture has snapped up global print, e-book and audio rights to two psychological thrillers by author Kerry Wilkinson, who has been a bestselling self-published author on Amazon as well as publishing conventionally with Pan Macmillan.

Paris Book Fair looks to new initiatives to boost numbers The annual Paris book fair, Livre Paris, will open for four days on 24th March with several new and revamped features as the organizers try to halt the slide in visitor numbers.