Book Publishing News 05/05/17

2017 Selah Awards Finalists from LPC Books

Selah Award

The Selah Awards are awarded to books within Christian publishing that are considered excellent within their genre. This year LPC Books placed nine titles in the finals. Congratulations to the following authors.

Genre: Contemporary Women’s
Author: Candee Fick
Title: Dance Over Me
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas / Bling! Romance

Genre: General Nonfiction
Author: Linda Gilden & Tama Westman
Title: Why You Do What You Do
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas / Straight Street Books

Genre: Fiction: Historical/Biblical
Author: Pamela King Cable
Title: The Sanctum
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas / Firefly Southern Fiction

Genre: First Novel
Author: Janine Mendenhall
Title: Starving Hearts
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas / Heritage Beacon

Author: K. S. Moore
Title: Angel Beneath My Wheels
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas / Firefly Southern Fiction

Author: Beth Ann Ziarnik
Title: Her Deadly Inheritance
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

Genre: Historical Romance
Author: Elaine Marie Cooper
Title: Saratoga Letters
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas

Author: Janet S. Grunst
Title: A Heart Set Free
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas / Smitten Historical Romance

Genre: Fiction: Mystery/Suspense
Author: Donn Taylor
Title: Murder Mezzo Forte
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas / Lamplighter Mysteries & Suspense

Genre: Fiction: Speculative
Author: Aaron D. Gansky
Title: The Blood Sword: A Hand of Adonai Novel
Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas / Brimstone Fiction

David C Cook hires new Chief Publishing Officer

David C Cook today announces the addition of Jon Burgess as Chief Publishing Officer (CPO), overseeing the Learning Resources group beginning on June 5, 2017. “We are pleased to have Jon join David C Cook as CPO,” said Cris Doornbos, Chief Executive Officer. “He brings a wide breadth of leadership experience to this critical position and his proven abilities will enable him to add immediate value to the team.” Read More…

Houghton Mifflin To Cut Staff by 8 to 10 Percent

This spring, the publisher will complete a reorganization that will eliminate around 360 to 450 people, as estimated by Publishers Marketplace

Who Are BookBub Subscribers?

The vast majority of BoobBub subscribers are middle-aged women, and the genre of highest interest is mystery/thriller. Learn more at the BookBub blog.

Facts About Amazon Prime Members

  • Estimated number of US Amazon Prime members: 80 million
  • Estimated share of Amazon customers who are also Prime members: 60%
  • Estimated increase of Prime members since last year: 38%

Book Publishing News April 28, 2017

Book Publishing News April 28, 2017Family Christian Stores Up for Auction

Online bidding for the assets of Family Christian Stores concluded Monday. The sale included desks, chairs, and tables. Other items include desktop crosses, inspirational posters, laptop computers, store fixtures, and mannequins.

Bookstore Sales Fell Again in February

Jim Milliot of Publisher’s Weekly reports, “Bookstore sales dropped 3.0% in February 2017, compared to the same month in 2016. The February decline follows a 3.7% drop in bookstore sales in January. The two-month losing streak has led to a 3.6% decline in bookstore sales so far in 2017. Revenue over the period has fallen to $2.23 billion, down from $2.32 billion in the comparable period in 2016.”

Top Shelf Book Award Accepting Nominations

Evangelical Christian Publishers Association created the Top Shelf Book Cover Awards to celebrate the year’s best book designs in Christian publishing.  Covers are judged by top designers in the industry for their merits in appropriateness for the market, level of conceptual thinking, and quality of execution. Judges are not bound by a number of covers to choose, but choose the designs that stand out as the best of the year. Submit your book’s cover.

Author Patricia Cornwell Signs With Amazon Imprint

Author Patricia Cornwell has taken her latest Jack the Ripper nonfiction book to Amazon Publishing’s Thomas & Mercer imprint. She says it’s worth the problem of getting an Amazon book into bookstores to take advantage of Amazon’s Kindle in Motion enhanced ebook tech.

“Amazon’s reach into the UK market is deep. It’s estimated that Amazon controls 90 percent or more of ebook sales in the UK, and its Prime service reaches more than 30 percent of the population.”

Read more on Cornwell’s deal with Amazon.

Bestselling author Elizabeth Spann Craig Goes Indie

Cozy mystery author Elizabeth Spann Craig turns down traditional publishing deal to self-publish. One reason why: she’s making more money as an indie author. Read more at her blog.


Tips for Marketing Your Book

Generate More Book Sales With a Keyword-Powered Blurb. “The description of your book in an online store is a vital element of your digital book’s sales strategy,” says YA author Beth Bacon. “The description (commonly called a blurb) acts like a shop clerk in a digital bookstore. You want that clerk’s pitch to be as convincing as possible. The blurb, however, plays a second and perhaps even more important role: It helps draw those shoppers to your online sales page in the first place. Thus, seeding your blurb with the right keywords is a powerful way to increase your sales.” Learn how you can improve your book’s discoverability with the right key words.

Find Out Which Marketing Services LPC Recommends. How much will you invest each month in your book & writing career? $10 for Ask David Tweets, $16 for Vessel Project ad, $30 for a one day blog tour, $30 for an Amazon ad, $55 (once a quarter) for an EReader News promotion. If you have a great book, invest in its future! Find out which book marketing services LPC recommends.

Check Out These Book Promotion Sites. Dave Chesson has compiled a table of sites where you can promote your ebook for free or pay. Visit Kindlepreneur and get ready to close the pop-ups.