Latest news with #BritishBookAwards
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Bloomsbury shares rise as analysts eye next Sarah J. Maas novel
Shares in Bloomsbury rose on Wednesday as the publisher told investors best-selling novelists Sarah J. Mass and J.K. Rowling would continue to drive profitability this year. Fantasy novelist Maas topped bestseller lists again in the UK and US with the paperback launch of House of Flame and Shadow in June, helping to nab Bloomsbury the Publisher of the Year crown at this year's British Book Awards. The popularity of Mass' work has become a major driver of sales at Bloomsbury, which is best known for Rowling's Harry Potter series. Rowling's Pocket Potters series is set to hit shelves in August and Bloomsbury told shareholders on Wednesday is has 'a strong front list in the remainder of the year'. Bloomsbury's academic publishing unit has also shown progress following the 'game-changer' acquisition of Rowman & Littlefield earlier this year. It expects full-year results to be in-line with market expectations of £335.9million in revenues and £41.86million in profits before taxation and highlighted items. Fantasy novelist Maas topped bestseller lists again in the UK and US with the paperback launch of House of Flame and Shadow in June The group said: 'We continue to execute our Bloomsbury 2030 vision focused on our growth, portfolio and people. 'The resilience of our business created through the portfolio of portfolios strategy underpins the confidence our Board has in the future.' Bloomsbury Publishing shares were up 3.7 per cent to 505p in early trading. They were dealt a blow in May after the group posted weaker profits. Another Maas novel to lift earnings? Analysts at Peel Hunt expect academic performance to remain 'subdued in the near term' but think Bloomsbury's consumer arm could boost shares over the next year. Jessica Pok and Melanie Yang wrote in a note on Wednesday: 'Bloomsbury made no reference to a new Sarah J. Maas title in today's statement. 'However, the author revealed on social media last week that the first draft has been completed. 'Her Instagram post has garnered 835k likes and 35k comments in just four days. 'The publisher has not yet issued an official announcement regarding the book or its release date. For context, House of Flame and Shadow was published roughly 10 months after its formal announcement. 'While a FY26 release remains possible, we believe FY27 is a more realistic timeline. 'The book has the potential to add c.£9million to FY27E EBIT, representing a 20 per cent uplift to our current forecasts.' Peel Hunt holds a target price for Bloomsbury shares of 815p – roughly 60 per cent ahead of their current value.
The Herald Scotland
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish publisher announces closure after 'labour of love'
The award-winning company, which published both books and literary magazines, has been funded by Scottish Government arts agency Creative Scotland in recent years. Read more: In a statement on the 404 Ink website, McDaid and Jones-Rivera said they had decided to wind down the company by next summer as they had "ticked off every aspiration and goal" that they had set. However they have cited a significant increase in "costs and obstacles" since the launch of 404 Ink, which was honoured last year in the British Book Awards. Chris McQueer is among the writers published by 404 Ink. (Image: Wildfire) And they have admitted their work on the company had been a "labour of love" which had been "mostly unpaid." Recent titles have included Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson's recent celebration of their cabaret double act Victor and Barry. Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson reunited to write their Victor and Barry book Kelvinside Compendium, which was published by 404 Ink. (Image: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan)) Other writers published have included Chris McQueer, Genevieve Jagger, Heather Parry, Helen McClory and Ellie Nash. McDaid and Jones-Rivera have pledged there will be an "ethical wind down" of 404 Ink by continuing to trade until next year and working with the Glasgow-based publisher Saraband to continue Inklings, a series of pocket-sized non-fiction books. Authors and agents were also alerted about the closure plans earlier this year "to give them as much time as possible to process the news and act accordingly." The company has largely focused on developing the careers of new and emerging writers based in Scotland, and published fiction, non-fiction and poetry. However the pair said they had decided "it is time to step back and leave space for others to pick up the mantle, or disrupt the mantle, or just create their own mantle and future they want to see in the book world." McDaid and Jones-Rivera had pledged to focus on "quality over quanity" and "always punch above our weight in all areas to get our authors in front of as many people as possible." Other writers the pair have championed include Andrés N. Ordorica, Arun Sood, Carrie Marshall, Joe Donnelly, Liam Konemann and Nadine Aisha Jassat. McDaid and Jones-Rivera said they had "paused and reflected" on the future of 404 Ink ahead of its 10th anniversary in July 2026. In their closure announcement, the pair said: "Struggling to come up with a revised mission statement for the next ten years, we realised that we had ticked off every aspiration and goal we had set as fledgling publishers back in 2016 and couldn't think of any way to better those aspirations. "404 Ink has been run by two people the whole time. We were 24 and 25 years old when we launched the company, fresh-faced out of university and full of confidence that we could ruffle some feathers in publishing. Ten years later, we can confidently and proudly say that we did, and it is time to step back and leave space for others to pick up the mantle, or disrupt the mantle, or just create their own mantle and future they want to see in the book world. "Running a company isn't easy - 404 Ink was, is, a labour of love, mostly unpaid to the two of us, who are no longer the scrappy upstart graduates, and have different, bigger responsibilities than our younger selves, and over the years the costs and obstacles in independent publishing have increased significantly (we won't bore you with the long, long list. "We have also seen many publishers come and go over this time - some burning out in these conditions until they can no longer continue, others stepping back not-so-ethically and leaving their authors in the lurch. "We felt the best service we could do, to ourselves, our authors, and the legacy of 404 Ink, is to go out while on top, following our biggest year ever, and on our own terms." McDaid and Jones-Rivera said all future books would still be coming out as planned over the next year. They added: "We aren't commissioning any further titles under 404 Ink and we are focusing our efforts on the ethical wind down of the company, ensuring that all our authors find the future they hope for as much as we are able. "We still have one year until the company fully shutters and plenty of time for goodbyes (and maybe even a big farewell party/funeral), but for now we want to thank our incredible authors who trusted us with their work, the freelancers who we could not have made these books without, the partner organisations who have shared these books far and wide, the funders who made a lot of this business possible and viable, those who have offered insight or supported us through the past ten years and, finally, the wonderful readers who pick up books, whether that's from us, bookshops, libraries, or shared via friends. "No matter how you got them, we're glad you read them. Please keep reading them."
Daily Mirror
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
British Audio Awards will be first dedicated awards for audio storytelling in UK
The British Audio Awards - aka The Speakies - are the first dedicated awards for audio storytelling in the UK, recognising the craft of narrators, producers and writers in the audio space A prestigious new awards has launched dedicated 'to celebrating excellence in audiobooks and audio drama' in the country. The British Audio Awards - aka The Speakies - is a joint effort of The Bookseller (host of the British Book Awards) and its sister publication The Stage. Announced on June 10, 2025, The Speakies seeks to recognise the writers, narrators, producers and creative teams that bring stories to life through sound. The awards will highlight work across all genres - including crime, romance, fantasy - with the goal of elevating the status of spoken-word entertainment in the UK. This is the first dedicated awards for audio storytelling in the UK and is set to be an annual event. Nominations are now open across seventeen categories including Best Audiobook in all major genres, Best Performance, Best Audio Drama (Original and Adapted) and Audio Business of the Year. The judges have yet to be announced but will include a mix of experts, artists, celebrities and influencers. Shortlists will be announced in September and the awards ceremony will be held at the Royal Opera House on November 24, 2025. 'We are hugely invested in rewarding and amplifying the audio market, from books to drama, and elevating the incredible work of narrators and performers who bring these works to listeners,' says Philip Jones, Editor at The Bookseller. The recognition for the craft of audiobook production and voice actors and narrators feels particularly poignant given a recent push for AI-driven audiobook production and narration. Jones told The Mirror: 'While we are not anti developments in AI, particularly around translation and voice technologies that may - over time - expand the listening market, these awards are firmly behind the human creators, including those performers who work incredibly hard bringing texts to life for these growing audiences." Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you! Voice actors and even translators have been feeling the pressure after Audible announced in May 2025 that it will offer comprehensive AI production services. The company explained it will work with publishers to produce audiobooks using its new 'fully integrated, end-to-end AI production technology '. Publishers will soon be able to choose from over 100 AI-generated voices across English, Spanish, French, and Italian with multiple accent and dialect options. They can also opt in for 'voice upgrades' for their titles as the technology develops. Less than a month after the AI bombshell, the company also announced a major star-studded audiobook production to celebrate Jane Austen's 250th birthday anniversary. Harris Dickinson (Babygirl) and Marisa Abela (Industry) will take on the iconic roles of Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet respectively for an adaptation of Pride & Prejudice. The adaptation will remain 'faithful to the original text' while also adding a 'unique interior perspective' from Elizabeth Bennet. It is set for release in the U.S., U.K., Canada, India and Australia on September 9, 2025. Full list of 2025 British Audio Award categories Best Fiction Audiobook Bes Crime & Thriller Audiobook Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Audiobook Best Romance Audiobook Best Business/Self-Help Audiobook Best Non-Fiction Audiobook Best Non-Fiction Memoir Audiobook Best Children's Audiobook Best Young Adult Audiobook Best New/Original Audio Drama Best Adaptated Audio Drama Best Performance Best Narrator Best Performance Ensemble Best New Voice Performance Audio Business of the Year
Glasgow Times
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
King ‘told Conclave author he watched papal selection film'
Robert Harris, 68, was formally made a CBE by Charles for services to literature in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. Harris said it was 'eerie' and 'like an out of body experience' to see his 2016 book turned into a film, and then to see the papal selection process which he had researched in so much detail play out in May after the death of Pope Francis. Robert Harris was made a CBE by the King at Buckingham Palace (Yui Mok/PA) '(It was) very odd, I suppose because I researched it very thoroughly, and really it's the sort of thing that can practically only be done in fiction because you have to have a lot of conjecture,' Harris told the PA news agency. 'And so it acted as a kind of primer for journalists and for people, so that was very strange. 'And then, of course, the extraordinary fact that the new pope watched it on the eve of the conclave.' Pope Leo's brother John Prevost told NBC News his younger sibling had watched the film before the secret vote. Harris said the King also asked about his new book. 'We talked a bit about Conclave, which he has seen,' Harris said. 'He's been reading my books for years, so it was nice to see him again.' The journalist-turned-novelist also joked about how seeing the inside of Buckingham Palace could provide him inspiration for his future books. 'There'd have to be some mystery in the throne room, yes, murder in the throne room! It's got possibilities.' Harris said it was a 'very generous gesture' to receive the honour and he had 'never thought about it' before being asked. Author Dame Jacqueline Wilson was made a Dame Grand Cross for her services to the same industry at the ceremony. The 79-year-old former children's laureate is widely known as the creator of Tracy Beaker and has written more than 100 novels. Dame Jacqueline Wilson was made a Dame Grand Cross for services to literature at the same ceremony (Aaron Chown/PA) 'It feels like a dream,' Dame Jacqueline said on receiving the honour. 'I'm so pleased, so proud. 'I was just totally taken by surprise. To be utterly truthful, I didn't even know this particular honour existed. I'm so proud and so overwhelmed. 'If little girl Jacqueline could be told that I'd be standing outside Buckingham Palace with medals and a sash, she would have been astonished.' Dame Jacqueline said the King was 'jovial' and they laughed about getting her sash on over her 'silly hat'. 'And I did thank him, and particularly also thanked Her Majesty the Queen, because she takes such an interest in children's literature, and that makes all of us writers feel very pleased,' she said. Last year, Dame Jacqueline released her first adult novel since the 1970s as she returned to her beloved Girls series. The novel, Think Again, was nominated at this year's British Book Awards.
Western Telegraph
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Western Telegraph
King ‘told Conclave author he watched papal selection film'
Robert Harris, 68, was formally made a CBE by Charles for services to literature in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. Harris said it was 'eerie' and 'like an out of body experience' to see his 2016 book turned into a film, and then to see the papal selection process which he had researched in so much detail play out in May after the death of Pope Francis. Robert Harris was made a CBE by the King at Buckingham Palace (Yui Mok/PA) '(It was) very odd, I suppose because I researched it very thoroughly, and really it's the sort of thing that can practically only be done in fiction because you have to have a lot of conjecture,' Harris told the PA news agency. 'And so it acted as a kind of primer for journalists and for people, so that was very strange. 'And then, of course, the extraordinary fact that the new pope watched it on the eve of the conclave.' Pope Leo's brother John Prevost told NBC News his younger sibling had watched the film before the secret vote. Harris said the King also asked about his new book. 'We talked a bit about Conclave, which he has seen,' Harris said. 'He's been reading my books for years, so it was nice to see him again.' The journalist-turned-novelist also joked about how seeing the inside of Buckingham Palace could provide him inspiration for his future books. 'There'd have to be some mystery in the throne room, yes, murder in the throne room! It's got possibilities.' Harris said it was a 'very generous gesture' to receive the honour and he had 'never thought about it' before being asked. Author Dame Jacqueline Wilson was made a Dame Grand Cross for her services to the same industry at the ceremony. The 79-year-old former children's laureate is widely known as the creator of Tracy Beaker and has written more than 100 novels. Dame Jacqueline Wilson was made a Dame Grand Cross for services to literature at the same ceremony (Aaron Chown/PA) 'It feels like a dream,' Dame Jacqueline said on receiving the honour. 'I'm so pleased, so proud. 'I was just totally taken by surprise. To be utterly truthful, I didn't even know this particular honour existed. I'm so proud and so overwhelmed. 'If little girl Jacqueline could be told that I'd be standing outside Buckingham Palace with medals and a sash, she would have been astonished.' Dame Jacqueline said the King was 'jovial' and they laughed about getting her sash on over her 'silly hat'. 'And I did thank him, and particularly also thanked Her Majesty the Queen, because she takes such an interest in children's literature, and that makes all of us writers feel very pleased,' she said. Last year, Dame Jacqueline released her first adult novel since the 1970s as she returned to her beloved Girls series. The novel, Think Again, was nominated at this year's British Book Awards.
