Daily Book News Thursday, 12th February 2026
DAILY SUMMARY:
Leadership changes and rights deals dominated Wednesday’s publishing beat. Liate Stehlik took the helm of HarperCollins U.S. trade, industry numbers from the AAP showed modest growth, and longlists, rights moves and activist auctions underscored a world in flux where booksellers, publishers and even toymakers are busy reinventing the classics.
Publishing Industry News
HarperCollins elevated Liate Stehlik from running the Morrow Group and children’s division to CEO and publisher of its U.S. trade arm, expanding her remit across all adult and children’s publishing and sales. Stehlik, who has spent two decades at the company, will continue reporting to CEO Brian Murray and has been credited with boosting revenues and profits while nurturing authors.
The Parable Group’s annual report shows same‑store sales at Christian bookstores rose 2.3% in 2025, with Bibles still the strongest category and gifts now matching Bibles as the biggest revenue driver. Adult books declined but remained a major share of sales, while children’s and other categories saw modest growth.
Comics columnist Tiffany Babb announced a monthly mail‑order zine called *The Comics Staple*, funded via Kickstarter, that will feature comics picks, reviews, interviews and history to build a community around independent creators. Babb aims to encourage deeper engagement with the medium and give readers a curated guide to the best new work.
Book‑themed merchandiser Kingdom of Threads is organizing a two‑day “Book Lovers for Liberation” auction offering signed books, advance reader copies and mentorship services to raise funds for immigrant and refugee support organisations. Proceeds will go to Minnesota and national nonprofits as part of a broader response to recent immigration raids.
More than 1,100 library workers attended the American Library Association’s one‑day virtual event “Recharging in Challenging Times”, which offered sessions on self‑care, intellectual freedom and advocacy. Speakers emphasised the need for librarians to protect their own well‑being while defending readers’ rights amid rising censorship.
New AAP data reveal the U.S. publishing industry earned about $14.6 billion in 2025, up 1.1% over 2024, with December revenue surging 9.4%. Hardcovers and paperbacks recorded gains while digital formats slipped, and adult trade revenue rose 14.2% in December but ended the year slightly down.
Italy’s Turin International Book Fair will return 13–15 May under the theme “The World Saved by Kids”, with novelist Zadie Smith delivering a keynote reflecting on adolescence and extremity. Greece will be guest of honour, and the rights centre aims to foster international publishing partnerships.
The New Publishing Standard reports that Microsoft’s new Marketplace, which allows publishers to licence news content for AI training, has not attracted any trade or academic book publishers. The piece argues that book publishers must develop metadata, consent mechanisms and pricing frameworks to engage with AI licensing before technology companies set the terms.
Vietnam’s publishing industry generated roughly £161 million in 2025, a rise of almost 9%, and distributed more than 610 million books, thanks in part to booming digital formats. Two‑thirds of Vietnamese publishers now hold electronic licences, major houses are building digital libraries and using AI for editing and personalization, and the government is reforming the publishing law to combat piracy and improve competitiveness.
Frontlist reports that Amazon is developing a marketplace for publishers to licence articles directly to AI developers, positioning itself as an intermediary and echoing Microsoft’s earlier announcement. Some publishers favour usage‑based compensation models, but questions remain about buyer appetite and platform governance.
Australia’s Afffirm Press, Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing and Wild Dog Books, New Zealand’s Messy Press and Tahiti’s Au vent des îles have been shortlisted for the Bologna Prize for Best Children’s Publishers of the Year, recognising regional excellence. Winners will be announced at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in April.
Penguin Random House Australia acquired Victoria Hannan’s novel *I Love the Whole World!* about a woman named Leslie who wins a trip to Las Vegas and rediscovers herself; the book will publish in Australia in August 2026 and in North America in 2027. The deal was brokered by Pippa Masson at Curtis Brown Australia and marks a departure from Hannan’s earlier work.
Digital publishing start‑up Keeperton has appointed Dan Ruffino, a veteran of Pan Macmillan and Penguin Random House, as head of commercial strategy. The role will focus on building partnerships and driving revenue growth for the young company.
Good e‑Reader notes that Humble Bundle’s latest deal lets readers pay what they want to obtain more than 40 Forgotten Realms novels in EPUB format. The bundle features works by authors like Ed Greenwood, offers tiers from $1 to $24, and supports charity while providing DRM‑free files for multiple devices.
Self‑Publishing & Independent Publishing News
Marketing writer Eleanor Hecks argues that selling a sequel requires more than repeating the first book’s campaign; she recommends rewarding loyal readers while attracting new audiences by maintaining continuity and clear messaging across design, messaging and timing.
Audiobook News
The Washington Post reports that audiobook listening grew 13% in 2024, pushing the U.S. audio market to an estimated $2.2 billion and making audio the fastest‑growing segment of publishing. The article profiles superlisteners who complete hundreds of audiobooks a year and notes that audio now accompanies chores, commutes and workouts.
Notable Book News & Book Reviews
The Women’s Prize for Non‑Fiction published its 2026 longlist of 16 writers, including Lyse Doucet, Lea Ypi, Sarah Perry and Arundhati Roy, competing for a £30,000 award aimed at redressing gender imbalance in non‑fiction.
Rachel Joyce’s novel *The Homemade God* topped the U.K. independent bookshop Top 20 chart, according to NielsenIQ BookScan data. The quirky tale about a suburban pastor’s crisis continues to charm readers and indie booksellers alike.
Penguin Random House U.K.’s romance imprint evermore has acquired the rights to E.L. James’s bestselling *Fifty Shades* trilogy, moving the books under a dedicated romance label.
Oxford University Press’s children’s imprint will publish Jodie Lancet Grant’s picture book about two glamorous grandmas who take their grandchild on an art‑filled caper, promising an intergenerational adventure that celebrates LGBTQ families.
Historians Dominic Sandbrook and Joanna Syrett are launching a podcast called *The Book Club* that will dissect great works of literature, beginning with Emily Bronte’s *Wuthering Heights*, and promises lively debate and critical insight.
DK unveiled its 2026 publishing programme at a showcase at the BFI Southbank, highlighting major acquisitions and creator‑led projects across genres.
Bonnier Books U.K. promoted Kelly Smith, Ella Whiddett, Amelia Warren and Georgina Kyriacou to senior editorial roles, underscoring the publisher’s commitment to developing in‑house talent.
Nine literary translators shared more than £32,000 in Society of Authors translation prizes at a British Library ceremony, recognising excellence across multiple languages.
Toronto’s Union Station hosted a pop‑up run by Hopeless Romantic Bookshop and Little Ghosts Books, allowing commuters to pick up romance and horror titles during their daily journeys.
Celebrated Dutch writer Cees Nooteboom, whose novel *Rituals* brought him international acclaim, died peacefully at his home in Menorca aged 92. He was revered for his novels, poetry and travel writing over a career spanning seven decades.
Guardian reviewer praised Ian Buruma’s history as an immersive account of how ordinary Berliners defied Nazi oppression and survived the Second World War.
After being axed by Melbourne University Press, the 85‑year‑old literary journal *Meanjin* was acquired by Queensland University of Technology, which plans to run it from Brisbane and maintain editorial independence while searching for a new editor.
NPR’s monthly preview highlights February releases by writers such as Michael Pollan, Tayari Jones and Mario Vargas Llosa and encourages readers to dive into memoirs, novels and essay collections that showcase the month’s diverse literary offerings.
Lit Hub reports that Mattel is launching *Samantha: The Next Chapter*, an adult novel by historical novelist Fiona Davis that follows a 25‑year‑old Samantha Parkington in 1920 as she fights for women’s suffrage and adapts to a riches‑to‑rags life. The novel targets nostalgic millennials and accompanies a rerelease of the classic doll.
