Latest News from The Bookseller

Oyster to shut down E-book subscription service Oyster is to shut down.

Samuel Johnson Prize 2015 longlist has 'something for everyone' The Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-fiction announces its 2015 longlist, with independent publishers taking seven of the 12 spots.

Christine Ozden to head Oxford International AQA Examinations Christine Ozden has been appointed as m.d. of Oxford International AQA Examinations – the new joint venture between Oxford University Press (OUP) and exam board AQA. Oxford International AQA Examinations was created in May 2015, and will support the growing number of students studying at schools outside the UK that teach a British curriculum. Oxford University Press brings “international reach as well as knowledge of the needs of students and teachers globally”, while AQA will design the new international qualifications and manage their distribution and delivery.

Audible 'abusing' market position in Germany Amazon is abusing its dominant position in the audiobook market, the German booksellers association has alleged, while lodging complaints with German competition authorities and the European Commission. The trade body says Amazon is using its 90% share of the audiobook market in Germany to force publishers to accept “unreasonable conditions” for the marketing of audiobooks, according to Reuters.

McDonald’s to distribute Roald Dahl stories Fast food chain McDonald’s is set to distribute 14 million books featuring extracts from Roald Dahl’s novels over the next six weeks as part of its Happy Reader scheme. The deal, announced today (22nd September) by McDonald’s, the National Literacy Trust (NLT), Penguin Random House Children’s UK and the Roald Dahl Literary Estate, will mean any parents buying happy meals for children in the UK will receive extracts from novels such as The BFG and George’s Marvellous Medicine.

Walker reports 'satisfactory' 2014 Walker Books Ltd said it had a “satisfactory” 2014, after profits for the year totalled £815,000, up 30% from £625,000 in 2013. For the year ending 31st December 2014, turnover grew slightly (2.5%) to £57m, whilst gross profit increased 1% to £22m. The gross profit margin remained constant at 38.3%. Turnover in the UK was £12.6m, up 5% from £12m in 2013.

Carmen Balcells dies Literary agent Carmen Balcells has died, Spanish newspaper El Pais has reported. Balcells, whose agency, founded in 1956, represented writers including Nobel Prize winners Mario Vargas Llosa, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Pablo Neruda, as well as Isabel Allende and Javier Cercas, is said to have passed away in Barcelona at the age of 85.

Lost My Name sends book into space A NASA-endorsed project that champions science educational activities in the US is sending Lost My Name’s new book into space. The Incredible Intergalactic Journey Home, the new personalised picture book from Lost My Name, will be the first UK book sent into space on the 3rd December as part of the ‘Story Time From Space’ project, organised by the Global Space Education Foundation.

Romanian novel sparks pre-Frankfurt auctions Literary agency PFD will this week hold auctions in Germany and the UK for Romanian novel The Book of Mirrors by EO Chirovichi.

RSL appoints Robertson as new director Tim Robertson will join the Royal Society of Literature as their new director. The RSL is an independent charity and society for “all who love literature”. They run events and campaign on issues that affect writers. For the last nine years Robertson has been chief executive of the Koestler Trust, Britain foremost charity for arts from prisons. Robertson was also the elected chair of the National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice, commissioning research and representing the sector to government and in the media.

New lifestyle website from PCR Piatkus, Constable and Robinson are to launch a new lifestyle website, The Improvement Zone.

CUP puts dictionary app on Amazon Underground Cambridge University Press has made its Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary available as an app through Amazon’s Underground. Android users can download the app version of the dictionary free on Underground, Amazon’s new mobile shopping experience. The app is the first to be put out by a book publisher through Underground. Jamie retains top chart spot while Booker shortlistees bounce Jamie Oliver has held onto the UK Official number one for a second week running while Anne Tyler led the Man Booker Prize shortlist charge.