Latest News from The Bookseller

BAMB sales up 30% in 'most successful' campaign yet Sales were up by an average of 30% during this year’s Books Are My Bag celebration, making 2015 the “most successful” year for the campaign yet.

Book chain founder Philip Joseph dies Bookseller Philip Joseph, who co-founded UK bookshop chain Books Etc with his son Richard Joseph, has died.

Bloomsbury sales up 13% boosted by children's Bloomsbury Publishing's sales grew 13% in the first half of the year, boosted by a particularly strong performance from the children’s and educational department. For the six months ending 31st August 2015, turnover totalled £52.7m, 13% higher than £46.6m for the same period in 2014. Adjusted profit before taxation increased 11.8% to £1.9m, although profit before taxation was £0.3m, compared to £0.5m in 2014.

Jane Friedman on bringing books 'back to life' Jane Friedman, c.e.o. of Open Road Integrated Media, on e-books, backlist and drinking "the Kool-Aid very early on digital".

Hachette restructures international sales team Hachette has restructured its international sales department to provide “greater focus” to each of its key international markets. The changes follow Ben Wright's appointment as Hachette's group international sales director in August from his position as director of digital sales and channel development for Penguin Random House.

Taurel appointed Pearson's new chairman Sidney Taurel, former c.e.o and chairman of pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly, has been appointed as Pearson’s new chairman.

Creative Access to continue with 'alternative funding' Creative Access will “continue to operate as usual” after its current method of funding runs out next June, its c.e.o has said.

Audible signs Rastamouse deal Audible is offering its customers exclusive Rastamouse audio programmes, after signing a deal with licence holders The Rastamouse Company. The Amazon-owned company now has ‘Da Big Carnival’, a 60-minute adventure story featuring Rastamouse, Scratcy and Zoomer that is free to download, amongst its offerings.

Nielsen partners with Germany's GfK Nielsen is to partner with Germany's largest market research institute GfK (Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung, Society for Consumer Research) for "targeted" future co-operation within the book sector. Industry information from Nielsen on the US and UK markets, including on bestsellers, hot topics and successful authors in different genres, will be integrated into the GfK databases in a collaboration intended to help customers identify multinational trends.

Curtis Brown and Conville & Walsh join forces Curtis Brown has bought a 50% stake in fellow agency Conville & Walsh. Conville & Walsh will retain its name and operating independence, with Curtis Brown chief executives Jonny Geller and Ben Hall joining its board. The smaller agency will move into Curtis Brown's Haymarket offices in November. The two will share resources and combine areas of expertise, plus author services such as Conville & Walsh's speaker's bureau Hire Intelligence and Curtis Brown Creative's writing courses.

Usborne acquires two novels from Williamson Usborne has acquired two middle-grade novels by Lara Williamson and will publish the first, The Boy Who Was Ace, in autumn 2016. The Boy Who Was Ace is about an adopted boy called Adam Butters, whose birth name was Ace. One day he decides to find his birth mother, although when things don’t go to plan, his adoptive family has to pick up the pieces. Usborne secured the English language rights from Madeleine Milburn of the Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV and Film Agency.

MacIntyre scoops Edinburgh's First Book Award Scottish author and musician Colin MacIntyre has won the 2015 Edinburgh International Book Festival’s First Book Award for his debut novel The Letters of Ivor Punch (Weidenfeld & Nicolson). The First Book Award encourages the book festival audience to discover the "wealth" of debut fiction featured in the festival programme each year and vote for their favourite.