Daily Book News Monday, 2nd February 2026
DAILY SUMMARY:
A long weekend of publishing news brought new book deals, a change of guard at the AAP and a flood of stories from the self‑publishing world. There were updates on hardware and indie initiatives, a call for feedback on an alt‑text taxonomy, and record submissions for the Audie Awards. Reviews and interviews ranged from Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney’s latest exploits to translated fiction, a big book about Irish jump racing, and a Beatles‑inspired picture book.
Publishing Industry News
Publishers Weekly reported on a flurry of book deals. Mira bought Jasmine Mas’s romantasy duology “Powers Unbound” for a mid–six‑figure sum, Viking acquired comedian Jermaine Fowler’s nonfiction title “The American Myth Machine,” and Penguin Press snapped up Chris Hayes’s narrative history of an American lynching along with several other rights deals.
Quill & Quire’s paywalled rights‑deals roundup listed several deals dated 30 January, including agreements for Diane Borsato and Genevieve. The index indicates multiple rights transactions were announced that day.
Publishing Perspectives reported that the Association of American Publishers elected Chronicle Books president Tyrrell Mahoney as its board chair for 2026–27. She succeeds HarperCollins CEO Brian Murray, and AAP president Maria Pallante said the board will focus on copyright, AI technologies and freedom of expression while welcoming new vice chair James Milne and treasurer Y.S. Chi.
Self‑Publishing & Independent Publishing News
Good e‑Reader argued that Amazon’s third‑generation Kindle Scribe notebooks, dubbed Colorsoft and Front Light, are overpriced. Although the devices add colour screens and AI‑powered note‑taking, the site says the high price makes them poor value compared with earlier Scribe models.
Good e‑Reader reported that the open‑source Zerowrite INK typewriter has begun shipping to backers. The minimalist writing device features a 5.2‑inch E Ink display, a mechanical keyboard and long battery life, and costs about $279.99, aiming to give writers a distraction‑free tool.
In a separate post, Good e‑Reader noted that Rakuten Kobo used an AI‑generated image to promote a Valentine’s Day sale on its Clara Colour and Libra Colour e‑readers. The AI inadvertently added a third button to the device in the advert, leading to complaints and prompting Kobo to address the issue while offering discounts on the devices.
The Alliance of Independent Authors’ news roundup highlighted that the London Book Fair will relocate to the Excel Centre in 2027, a move welcomed by exhibitors for better logistics. The same post observed that copyright lawsuits over generative AI continue to proliferate, with YouTube creators suing Snap for training its AI models on their videos.
Another update from the Alliance of Independent Authors outlined several programmes for 2026. These include launching an Indie Author Bookstore to showcase member titles, introducing a Mindset & Wellbeing mentoring scheme to support indie writers and hosting an Indie Author Lab during the London Book Fair.
Academic & Scholarly Publishing
The Scholarly Kitchen published a guest post inviting feedback on a draft taxonomy developed by the STM Task & Finish Group. The classification system aims to standardise how images are described in alt text to help authors and publishers meet upcoming accessibility requirements, including new ADA Title II rules.
Audiobook News
Publishing Perspectives reported that the Audio Publishers Association unveiled finalists for the 2026 Audie Awards. Entries rose 42 percent to more than 2,300, prompting the addition of four new categories (Adaptation/Original Work, Ensemble Performance, New Voice and Production & Sound Design), reflecting strong growth in the audiobook market ahead of the awards ceremony on 2 March.
Notable Book News & Book Reviews
The Guardian’s profile of Jeff Kinney revealed that the author has sold more than 300 million copies of his Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. With the 20th instalment “Partypooper” just out, Kinney still spends hours signing books for fans, is developing film projects and is investing in reviving his Massachusetts hometown.
In an Irish Times interview, debut novelist Madeline Cash said her book “Lost Lambs” uses humour to expose the secrets of four siblings, arguing that jokes can be a powerful way to speak truth to power. She contended that the “fool” figure can drive real change by making readers laugh and think.
An Irish Times review of translated fiction praised the range of new works, highlighting Maria Stepanova’s “The Disappearing Act” as a dreamlike testimony that meditates on memory and a country grappling with invasion. The review noted the creative breadth of the titles on offer.
The Irish Times reviewed Frances Nolan’s “National Hunt and Point‑to‑Point Racing in Ireland,” saying the book chronicles how jump racing grew into a €2.5 billion industry that employs more than 30,000 people. Packed with over 100 photographs, paintings and historic documents, it traces a rich vein of national pride.
Camille Bordas’s short‑story collection “One Sun Only” begins with a trio of deaths yet remains light in tone. The Irish Times observed that it captures the zeitgeist, focusing on life and death without being morbid, and praised its effortless storytelling.
Daniyal Mueenuddin’s novel “This Is Where the Serpent Lives” was hailed by the Irish Times as near flawless. The reviewer called it a future classic that restores faith in the novel form thanks to its purity and craft.
In a trio of brief reviews, the Irish Times recommended Randal Plunkett’s memoir “Wild Thing” about rewilding his family estate and encountering wolves; a book titled “Unveiling the Sun” chronicling nature observations in County Mayo; and “The Bookseller of Hay,” which recounts how an enthusiast transformed a town through books.
The Irish Times described “Gaza. The Dream and the Nightmare” as a slim but thoroughly researched social and political history of the past 100 years. The book offers a nuanced overview of the enclave’s past and present.
NPR’s report on “The One About the Blackbird” noted that the picture book follows a boy learning guitar from his grandfather, with authors Melanie Florence and illustrator Matt James drawing inspiration from Beatles songs. The book is described as an intergenerational love story with illustrations blending paint and 3D models.
