Baker & Taylor Prepares Plan to Shut Down
publishersweekly.com – Wednesday October 8, 2025
At a town hall meeting yesterday, Baker & Taylor owner and CEO Aman Kochar said that while he had hoped to find another way forward for the company after its acquisition deal with ReaderLink was called off, he now does not see a sustainable path to keep the library wholesaler in business.
As a result, B&T let go about 520 employees yesterday and plans to wind down the business by January. Employees who were laid off had their severance plans canceled as well. B&T had undergone some layoffs earlier this year, but recently had as many as 1,500 full-time and part-time employees.
A story in the Shaw Local, a business journal for Northern Illinois, said that of the 318 employees in the B&T distribution center in Momence, IL., 253 were let go on October 6. Sixty-two employees will remain until December 22 and a “post–wind down” group of three employees will be let go on Jan. 3.
Princeton University Press acquires Island Press
press.princeton.edu – Wednesday October 8, 2025
Princeton University Press (PUP) and Island Press are thrilled to announce that Island Press will become an imprint of PUP, effective January 1, 2026. The unification of these two mission-driven, nonprofit publishers will support the future sustainability of Island Press’s esteemed list as well as their founding ethos that “knowledge is power.”
PUP will assume all publishing and rights responsibility for Island Press publications, including its distinguished backlist and its current and future publishing program of titles, which focus on ecosystems, conservation, and biodiversity; food systems, water, and health; and the built environment. Island Press’s commitment to “elevate voices of change, shine a spotlight on crucial issues, and focus attention on sustainable solutions” will remain integral to its identity as a PUP imprint. PUP will begin marketing and publicizing Island Press titles in January, with the vendor of record changeover April 1.
Princeton University Press Director Christie Henry comments, “Island Press has since its origin been an inspiration in catalyzing change with knowledge. Island Press books have influenced policy, informed global public debate, and empowered individuals and organizations to take action toward a more sustainable, healthier future. Princeton University Press is incredibly grateful and excited to now be a part of that future, and to unite the missions of PUP and Island Press in symbiotic support of the ongoing resilience of ecosystems of knowledge.”
Write Michigan contest open for entries
schoolnewsnetwork.org – Monday October 6, 2025
Education Everywhere — Students are invited to enter their unpublished work in the 14th annual Write Michigan Short Story Contest.
Offered by Kent District Library since 2012, the short story contest has three categories:
- Adult, ages 18 and older
- Teen, ages 13-17
- Youth, ages 12 and younger
There is no entry fee for students ages 17 and younger. Any entrants who are 18 or older pay a $10 entry fee. Three cash prizes are awarded in each category:
- Judges’ Choice – $500
- Judges’ Runner-Up – $250
- Readers’ Choice – $250
Murder One, Ireland’s International Crime Writing Festival returns once again to Dublin from 17th – 19th Oct
newsfour.ie – Saturday October 4, 2025
Featuring some of the most well-known and internationally renowned crime-writing stars, Murder One, Ireland’s International Crime Writing Festival, returns to Dublin from the 17th – 19th October 2025 for its 8th year with a whole host of not to be missed events, readings and masterclasses taking place in Dun Laoghaire’s DLR Lexicon Library & Cultural Centre.
If you’ve seen the recent press coverage about Sam Blake and the Sam Fake AI books, this is your chance to see real authors who write real books! Supporting authors has never been more important and Murder One gives you a chance to meet them, and get your books signed!
Supported by the Arts Council and DLR Libraries, the festival features international crime writing talent, including global sensation and international bestselling author Chris Whitaker on his first visit to Ireland, as well as Ruth Ware, Steve Cavanagh, Gillian McAllister, Jane Casey, Andrea Mara, A.J. West, Amanda Cassidy, Conor McAnally and Catherine Ryan Howard to name but a few!
Whether you are an avid crime reader, a budding writer with an exciting idea for a thriller of your own, or a book club looking for a new read, Murder One has something for everyone to enjoy this October.
Founded by best-selling crime author, Sam Blake, after a day of school events on Thursday 16th, the masterclass programme kicks off on Friday, 17th October at 10am, with Sam Blake (also founder of Writing.ie) giving insider tips on how to get published. This is followed by a session with Professor Henry Sutton, who will guide writers through the art of storytelling, from creating a compelling plot that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, to choosing the perfect point of view to bring your characters to life. Henry heads up the UEA Crime Fiction Masters, the leading course of its kind in the UK with some of the world’s most successful writers as alumni. Then, literary agents Simon Trewin (Simon Trewin Creative) and Jade Kavanagh (Darley Andersen Literary Agency) will discuss how to make your submission stand out, and what agents and publishers are really looking for.
Bournemouth’s Romance Writing Festival attracts international audience
dorsetview.co.uk – Thursday October 2, 2025
Bournemouth’s Romance Writing Festival, which takes place on Saturday 18 October, will welcome attendees from across England and Wales as well as from California, Toronto, Belgium and Germany.
Taking place at the Royal Bath Hotel, it will bring together bestselling authors, literary agents and publishing professionals for a day of talks, workshops, networking and book signings.
The mayor of Bournemouth will join writers at an evening reception to honour two distinguished guests and to celebrate the growing literary influence enjoying a renaissance in Bournemouth.
The programme includes 10 panels with Sunday Times bestselling authors such as Paige Toon, Milly Johnstone and Sue Moorcroft, as well as one-to-one sessions with literary agents and editors, and a lively Author Marketplace where published writers will showcase their work. Five authors will also celebrate the launch of their new books at the festival, offering attendees the chance to be among the first to pick up signed copies.
Beyond the hotel, festivalgoers can join beach walks to meet fellow writers in an informal setting, or take part in literary walks of Bournemouth, highlighting the town’s rich heritage as the home and inspiration for writers including Mary Shelley and J R R Tolkien. Afternoon tea with publishing editors will take place at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum
Private Equity Firm Acquires Two Leading Hybrid Publishers
publishersweekly.com – Thursday September 25, 2025
Greenleaf Book Group and Amplify Publishing Group, two of the country’s oldest and best-known hybrid publishing companies, have been acquired by Civica Media, a new publishing company formed by the private equity firm BlackBern Partners.
Civica is headed by CEO Laura Albero, whose background includes leading business development for Lezen Holdings, the publishing company anchored by Arcadia Publishing, and has done strategic advisory, financial modeling, and investor material development for a number of publishing houses and literary agencies. “Greenleaf and Amplify are two of the strongest independent publishing brands in the market today,” Albero said in a statement. “They exemplify the potential of the hybrid model, and we’re excited to provide the resources and platform to help them scale.”
Greenleaf was founded by Clint Greenleaf in 1997 and has been led in recent years by Tanya Hall. It has seven imprints including Wonderwell Press and Kiplinger Books and also provides distribution services. Originally known as Mascot Books, Amplify was cofounded in 2003 by Naren Aryal, who remains CEO and publisher. Amplify has six imprints, including RealClear Publishing.
BBC 500 Words creative writing competition returns for children across the UK
bbc.co.uk – Tuesday September 23, 2025
The Royal celebration of children’s creativity invites young writers to submit original short stories, showcasing the best in homegrown storytelling
The UK’s most successful writing competition for children, BBC 500 Words, opens today, Tuesday 23 September.
The competition, supported by BBC Bitesize for Teachers, encourages children of all abilities to dive deep into their imagination and write the story they would love to read in 500 words or fewer, without fear of spelling, grammar or punctuation errors.
Open to ages 5–7 and 8–11, the competition’s return was revealed by Alex Jones on Monday’s episode of The One Show, where she also revealed that the grand final will be held at the iconic Windsor Castle.
The judging panel are Malorie Blackman, Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Sir Lenny Henry, Charlie Higson and Francesca Simon, and, chaired by Alex Jones.
Alex Jones, The One Show presenter and 500 Words judging panel chair said: “We are so excited to be back for 500 Words! It’s a highlight in The One Show calendar and being invited to Windsor Castle for the Grand Final feels really special. I can’t wait to read the brilliant stories and celebrate reading, writing and imagination!”
New Hilary Mantel prize to help emerging writers
bbc.co.uk – Monday September 22, 2025
A new literary prize in memory of author Dame Hilary Mantel has been set up to champion new writers.
The Hilary Mantel Prize for Fiction is being launched on the third anniversary of her death after her private correspondence revealed she had mentored aspiring writers throughout her life.
Organisers of the new biennial prize said it was open to unpublished writers without an agent living in the UK or Ireland, and the winner would get a cash prize, mentoring from an agent and a place on an Arvon Foundation residential writing course.
Devon-based Dame Hilary herself won the prestigious Booker Prize twice and is probably best known for her book Wolf Hall that became a BBC TV series.
The judging panel will be chaired by bestselling author Maggie O'Farrell.
She said: "Encouragement from a writer of Hilary Mantel's stature is nothing short of transformative. It's like winning a thousand lotteries for debut writers."
The two authors shared an agent and it was decided offering an award for unpublished writing was the best way to honour her memory.
5 new Australian publishers are making defiant, weird, grass-roots books
theconversation.com – Friday September 19, 2025
In the past year or so, three Australian publishing mergers happened within a few short months. Text Publishing, Pantera Press and Affirm Press were all absorbed into a larger company. Once a company has shareholders, like Penguin Random House and Simon and Schuster (which acquired Affirm and Text), the business is geared to generate the greatest return for them.
Meanwhile, the closure of 85-year-old literary journal Meanjin has drawn the ire of industry insiders and readers in Australia and abroad.
But there’s also some good news in the launch of five new Australian book publishers: Perentie Press, Pink Shorts Press, Evercreech Editions, Aniko Press and Bakers Lane Books.
Their new work includes short books, graphic novels, short-story collections, experimental writing and literary fiction. Two are launching with prizes for unpublished work: one (worth A$2,500 as an advance towards royalties) for a graphic novel; the other a $10,000 award for an unpublished work of literary fiction by an Australian woman or gender-diverse writer, co-judged by Stella Prize winning author Emily Bitto.
Ebury Launches PRH UK’s First Christian Imprint
publishersweekly.com – Wednesday September 17, 2025
Ebury has announced Ebury Vine, the first-ever Christian imprint at Penguin Random House UK. The publisher said the launch is in response to a clear market need, with a resurgence of Christianity around the world, particularly among young people. Charisa Gunasekera, formerly of SPCK Publishing, has been named Ebury Vine's commissioning editor. Gunasekera will also acquire titles for Rider, Ebury's spirituality imprint.
Both imprints sit in Ebury’s Self hub alongside Vermilion and Happy Place Books. The Vine logo, designed by Lucy Thorne, "represents its aims to draw on the deep roots of Christianity to cultivate curious minds and inspire faith-informed growth," said Ebury Self publishing director, Olivia Morris.
"It’s been a pleasure to welcome Charisa to Ebury and see her entrepreneurial flair at work building the fantastic launch list," Morris said in a statement. "Our Rider imprint has long been successful in publishing faith-focused hope and healing, and so this launch is a fitting way to build on this heritage and mark out our ambitious intent to grow this space. There is so much to come. We are excited to reach new audiences and support fresh author talent to flourish here at Ebury."
The Ebury Vine list's first title, Waiting for Jesus: An Advent Invitation to Prayer and Renewal, by author and pastor Rich Villodas, is out on September 18. Gunasekera acquired rights from PRH US, and will publish the book alongside the PRH Christian US Division, which was created last October.
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