Monday, September 28, 2009

Byker Books Moves Into Full Length Crime Fiction With Danny King

Byker Books are pleased to announce that they have signed the latest novel from the hugely popular Danny King. 'More Burglar Diaries' Follows on from the critically acclaimed 'The Burglar Diaries' and is based on the BBC comedy series Thieves Like Us. Narrator Bex takes us on another tour of Tatley's rooftops and drainpipes, and through lock-ups, cock-ups and jobs as he recounts More Burglar Diaries. Featuring a full novelisation of all six episodes of the show, plus an all new and final adventure for literature's least favourite burglars.

With a release date in November '09 'More Burglar Diaries' is sure to be on everyone's Christmas wish list.

Also, Danny is well known for his witty take on life and the good copy he always gives so if you wish to interview or do a feature on him then he'd be happy to oblige. Please contact Ed at Byker Books for further details.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story Behind the Song

Musicians love to say that every song tells a story, but they are usually tight-lipped about the story behind the song. Was it really scribbled on a napkin? What love interest was the real inspiration? If we knew the real story behind our favorite songs, would we ever listen to them the same way again?

Chicken Soup for the Soul(R) has partnered with veteran Hollywood publicist, talent manager, and celebrity booker Jo-Ann Geffen for the first all-celebrity book from the top-selling brand. Geffen peels back the curtain on 101 songs, songwriters, and artists with the upcoming release of Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story Behind the Song (Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC, November 10, 2009, 978-1-935096-40-5, $14.95). Jo-Ann Geffen is credited as editor along with Chicken Soup for the Soul co-founders Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. The foreword is by Lamont Dozier, who is credited as an architect of the Motown sound.

The book reflects on many of our favorite songs that trace our lives through all genres of music. Some of those who tell their very personal stories include hitmakers Richie Sambora, Christina Aguilera, Melissa Etheridge, John Legend, the Backstreet Boys' Howie Dorough, Kanye West, Jewel and classic rock performer/songwriters like Chicago's Robert Lamm, Foreigner's Mick Jones, and Daryl Hall and John Oates; and alternative rockers Aaron Lewis of Staind and Corey Taylor of Slipknot. Readers will learn the story behind pop classics by Barry Manilow, Hal David, Diane Warren, and Paul Anka, rockers Jerry Cantrell of Alice In Chains and Joan Jett, as well as from R&B songmasters including Nathan Morris on the Boyz II Men/Mariah Carey hit "One Sweet Day," Walter Orange of the Commodores, Smokey Robinson, and Earth Wind and Fire's Philip Bailey and country singer/songwriters Tracy Lawrence, Ray Stevens, and Pam Tillis.

Some bring laughter, others bring tears, but all are insightful and great reading for music fans, aficionados or people who just like a good story. Each of the tales is accompanied by a photo and the lyrics for the song that is discussed.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC, publishes all the latest titles in the famous Chicken Soup for the Soul book series, which are distributed through Simon and Schuster, Inc. Since 1993, books in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series have sold more than 112 million copies, with titles translated into more than 40 languages. Website: http://www.chickensoup.com/

Creative Byline and Bowker Team Up to Support Publisher Decision-Making

Creative Byline, Inc., has partnered with Bowker, to provide book-buyer demographic information for editors and writer members of its site.

"Partnering with Bowker for PubTrack data lets us give our editor clients direct and immediate access to industry trends and buyer demographics within the context of a manuscript they're reviewing," says Brad MacLean, CEO of Creative Byline, Inc (http://www.creativebyline.com/). "This kind of information 'mash-up' can provide unexpected insights, and it demonstrates the value for a publisher to have a pre-acquisition digital strategy."

Kelly Gallagher, Bowker vice president of Publisher Services, explains, "Typically, editors are tasked with finding books in a specific genre (like romance). Now, for the first time, with the partnership between Creative Byline and PubTrack Consumer, editors can view profiles of the consumers who are actually buying these books. Rather than publishing a book for a genre, the combination of these services allows editors to publish a book for the consumer and increase its chances of success."

Bowker's PubTrack Consumer service is the publishing industry's exclusive resource for understanding consumer book buying behavior. Moving beyond basic book-sales data, PubTrack™ Consumer shows who today's book buyer is, what they buy, where they buy books, and what motivates their purchase. Actionable reports provide the entire publishing team the information needed to create, market and sell in today's dynamic publishing environment.

Creative Byline's introduction of this service for editors coincides with its offer of new capabilities for writer members. In addition to genre-specific buyer data through Bowker's PubTrack, writer members can choose from three levels of review and feedback, submit to as many editors as are interested, develop a complete online portfolio showcasing their work, and save money on writing-related purchases through the WriteGoods program.

"As the place where editors can connect with content creators," MacLean says, "we'll continue to add capabilities for both audiences on the Creative Byline platform."

Creative Byline's online service leaves the paper-based submission process behind. Publishers subscribe to connect their editors with content creators, without needing to invest in proprietary technology. Editors set their own acceptance criteria, review manuscripts electronically, and can search for qualified writers for their own projects, as well. All manuscripts are screened by Creative Byline first readers to assure they are ready for editor review. Over a dozen publishers and imprints currently participate, including Dutton's Children's Books, Globe Pequot Press, St. Martin's Press, and, most recently Chicago Review Press.

Capstone Press Publishes New Nonfiction Graphic Novel Series With Social Studies Focus

Capstone Publishers imprint Capstone Press, publisher of accessible, innovative children's nonfiction for beginning, struggling, and reluctant preK-8 readers, announces the release of Graphic Expeditions, a new graphic novel format series for elementary students with a social studies focus. Graphic Expeditions launches this fall with six titles and introduces readers to archaeologist Dr. Isabel "Izzy" Soto.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Ingram Publisher Services Signs VeloPress, the Leader in Endurance Sports Publishing

Ingram Publisher Services Inc. (IPS), the full-service book distribution company of Ingram Content Group Inc., today announced an agreement to assume trade distribution for VeloPress, publisher of multiple best-selling endurance sports titles, including the The Time-Crunched Cyclist by Chris Carmichael, the personal cycling coach to Lance Armstrong.

"Endurance sports is the fastest-growing category in outdoor sports and recreation, and VeloPress has seen steady sales increases for the past five years," said Ted Costantino, Publisher for VeloPress. "Our new agreement with IPS for trade sales and fulfillment is going to boost our visibility and market presence even more, and we are thrilled to be joining the many successful publishers already working with IPS."

The Time-Crunched Cyclist, which sold over 3000 copies in its first month of publication, is a new addition to the VeloPress frontlist, which includes the best-selling titles The Triathlete's Training Bible, by Joe Friel (over 200,000 copies sold), and Zinn & the Art of Road Bike Maintenance, by Lennard Zinn (over 120,000 copies sold), both of which have enjoyed record sales in their new editions this year.

"VeloPress is a tremendous publisher and a great addition to Ingram Publisher Services. They truly understand their customer and their category and execute the publishing program at a very high level," said Mark Ouimet, General Manager of Ingram Publisher Services. "VeloPress is also a customer of Lightning Source Inc., our print on demand, sister company. We're proud that VeloPress has selected the Ingram Content Group companies and the services we provide."

VeloPress will continue to manage direct sales to specialty retailers and distributors within the endurance sports industry.

VeloPress, founded in 1987, is headquartered in the sports mecca of Boulder, Colorado, and lists 75 titles on endurance sports, fitness, and training, covering topics in cycling, triathlon, running, strength training, yoga, diet and nutrition. In addition, VeloPress has produced a number of titles on the histories of famous athletes and other sports figures.

New Book of Flash Fiction Targets Time-Challenged Readers

Maureen Sherbondy's short-story collection, The Slow Vanishing, targets the time-challenged reader. Sherbondy, a Raleigh, North Carolina poet with two published poetry collections, has written a short-story collection that includes flash fiction and traditional-length stories.

Flash fiction usually contains fewer than one thousand words, is image-driven and often surreal in nature. Sherbondy says of this form, "Flash fiction is also referred to as 'sudden fiction' and 'micro fiction'. Though short, these stories often linger in the same way that a poem does." She adds, "This is the perfect creative outlet for busy writers, and the ideal reprieve for busy fiction lovers."

Sherbondy is an award-winning poet and fiction writer. Her stories have appeared in Stone Canoe, the North Carolina Literary Review, Southeast Review, and the Sierra Nevada College Review. She is a previous winner of the Piccolo Spoleto Fiction Open, as well as a finalist in Southeast Review's Best Short-Short Story Contest. Included in The Slow Vanishing is "The Final Simcha," a 2007 runner-up in the prestigious William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Contest.

North Carolina novelist Joanna Catherine Scott describes Sherbondy's debut short story collection: "Off-beat stories with unexpected endings. Life's ordinary problems intruded on by the bizarre. The Slow Vanishing has a mesmerizing, magical effect."

Karen Quinn, bestselling author of The Ivy Chronicles, says of The Slow Vanishing, "The writing is very evocative and interesting to read. I enjoyed each piece tremendously."

The Slow Vanishing is now available through Main Street Rag Publishing Company (Charlotte, NC), ISBN 13: 978-1-59948-186-9. The book is $13.95 and can be ordered directly from the publisher at http://www.mainstreetrag.com/ and also at select independent booksellers.