Much the same today... a mixture of deals, personnel changes and endless debates about the future of trad publishing. Amazon’s annual list of the year’s best books highlighted eclectic titles from Patrick Ryan and Virginia Evans, and London Book Fair previewed a star-studded 2026 lineup led by Alice Oseman. Meanwhile, academic and industry commentators grappled with AI’s impact.. The human cost of censorship and imprisonment was underscored by the release of Algerian writer Boualem Sansal. For writers, new best practices for tagging Indigenous content, and self‑publishing voices explored how tabletop games affect storytelling.
Globe Pequot Publishing Group acquired nearly all titles from Tucson‑based Rio Nuevo Publishers, known for books on Southwestern arts, crafts, cooking, history and architecture. The purchase, which includes a children’s imprint, turns Rio Nuevo into a Globe Pequot imprint and strengthens the group’s focus on regional publishing across the United States.
Amazon’s editors unveiled their 100 Best Books of 2025 list. Patrick Ryan’s novel *Buckeye* topped the rankings, followed by Virginia Evans’s *The Correspondent*, Nina Willner’s *The Boys in the Light*, Ocean Vuong’s *The Emperor of Gladness*, and Charlotte McConaghy’s *Wild Dark Shore*. The list, marking the program’s 25th anniversary, includes top picks across mystery/thriller, romance, science fiction/fantasy, history, young adult and children’s categories.
St. Martin’s Essentials, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, hired three former Sounds True staffers: Jaime Schwalb as associate publisher, Sarah Stanton as executive editor and Sahar Al‑Nima as associate editor. Following St. Martin’s acquisition of Sounds True’s catalogue, Joel Fotinos was promoted to publishing director and will oversee the imprint’s print and e‑book lists while continuing to publish lifestyle titles.
At the Sharjah Publishers Conference, African publishers criticised Western publishers for homogenising the continent’s diverse markets, joking that audiobook narrators often adopt a fictional “Wakandan” accent. Speakers stressed that African literature should reflect individual countries and local readerships; they noted progress since the founding of Cassava Republic Press in 2006 but argued that international publishers must stop treating Africa as a single market.
Ashleigh Gardner, formerly Wattpad’s senior vice president and managing director, has rejoined Rakuten Kobo as vice president of self‑publishing and Kobo Originals. She worked at Kobo from 2010 to 2013 and now aims to identify new talent, build global author platforms and expand Kobo’s presence in Europe.
House of Zeus announced Vikas Swarup’s new novel *The Girl with the Seven Lives*, his first in ten years. Described as part locked‑room thriller, part sweeping biography and part epic journey across India, the book is already a bestseller in India.
Cork University Press is publishing *The Irish Pub: Invention and re‑invention*, which it calls the first book‑length academic study of the iconic Irish pub. The study explores the history, evolution and cultural significance of this institution.
Springer Nature reported strong results for the first nine months of 2025, with revenue of €1.428 billion and underlying growth of 5.9 per cent. The company credited growth in its Research division—especially full open access—for the surge.
Autumn Publishing has acquired three standout picture books. The titles will be read on Channel 5’s Milkshake! Story Den segment, giving them high‑profile broadcast exposure to young readers.
Zaffre, an imprint of Bonnier Books UK, struck a competitive pre‑emptive two‑book deal with Brazilian crime writer Raphael Montes, a million‑copy bestselling author. The deal brings his work to English‑language audiences.
An opinion piece reflects on Jonathan Cape’s dominance of the Booker Prize, noting that the imprint has a record ten wins. The article asks whether this winning streak can continue and considers the imprint’s influence on literary fiction.
Publishers Lunch reported a series of personnel moves. At Hachette Book Group, Nyamekye Waliyaya and Lillian Sun were promoted to senior production directors and Eric Pearson joined the IT department as vice president. Simon & Schuster promoted Sam Funderburg‑Lentz to associate national account manager. Grove Atlantic hired Meghan Jusczak as senior publicist, promoted Justina Batchelor to senior publicity manager and brought in Alex Osmond as assistant to the publisher. Ashleigh Gardner returned to Rakuten Kobo as vice president of self‑publishing and Kobo Originals.
Oxford University Press announced that it is planning layoffs affecting 113 employees, primarily in its education and English‑language teaching divisions. The publisher cited difficult trading conditions and said it is consulting with affected staff as it restructures.
Penguin Random House and George R. R. Martin’s team rejected allegations that the illustrated edition of *A Feast for Crows* used AI‑generated artwork. The edition features 24 original illustrations by artist Jeffrey R. McDonald, and the publisher responded to readers’ complaints about inconsistent details by confirming that no AI was involved.
Educational publisher McGraw Hill reported second‑quarter sales of $669 million, down 3 per cent year‑on‑year but its second‑highest Q2 in a decade. The decline reflected a smaller K‑12 market, partly offset by growth in higher education. Adjusted EBITDA reached $286 million, and CEO Simon Allen said AI‑powered tools and market share gains support the company’s raised guidance and focus on personalised learning.
The Alliance of Independent Authors’ podcast explored how creators Vee Hendro and Hayley Gordon turn literary worlds into collaborative storytelling experiences. The duo behind Storybrewers Roleplaying discussed producing book‑ and card‑based role‑playing games such as *Good Society: A Jane Austen Roleplaying Game* and *My Late Father’s Correspondence*, and how indie designers can merge writing, design and ethics to craft inclusive, immersive works.
A coalition of EDItEUR, BookNet Canada, BTLF and the Australian Publishers Association released bibliographic standards to help publishers highlight Indigenous content and contributors in ONIX and Thema metadata. Developed with Indigenous publishers, the guidelines aim to strengthen Indigenous publishing, support reconciliation and provide meaningful markers for books that include Indigenous perspectives.
In a Charleston Conference session, speakers argued that scholarly communication systems need radical change. They urged libraries to divest entirely from closed subscription models and reinvest 100 per cent of their collections budgets in open, community‑owned infrastructures, emphasising that openness must be globally inclusive and not replicate exclusion. The session also called for shifting attention from journal prestige to societal impact, noting that current incentives reward quantity over real‑world value.
Clarivate’s 2025 Highly Cited Researchers list recognised 6,868 scholars but excluded hundreds of “hyper‑prolific” authors—many based in China—because of concerns about extreme levels of authorship and research integrity. The United States still leads the rankings with 2,670 awards (37 per cent), while China received 1,406 awards but had 432 exclusions; Clarivate said its screening methods and rigorous evaluation accounted for the reductions.
London Book Fair unveiled its first featured guests for the 2026 trade show. Alice Oseman, creator of the *Heartstopper* series, will serve as “Creative of the Fair,” while Norwegian crime writer Jo Nesbø, novelist Mike Gayle and *Skandar* author AF Steadman will appear at events. Actor Ray Porter was named the fair’s inaugural “Narrator of the Fair.” Director Emma Lowe said the lineup showcases UK and global talent ahead of the March 10–12 event at Olympia London.
Algerian‑French author Boualem Sansal, detained in November 2024 and sentenced to five years in prison for remarks on Algeria’s borders, was unexpectedly pardoned by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. International campaigns by the German and French presidents, PEN organisations and publishers’ associations urged his release; Sansal will now travel to Germany for medical treatment. Advocates welcomed the pardon but called on Algeria to free other political prisoners.
A judge’s decision allowing authors’ copyright claims against OpenAI to proceed demonstrates how generative AI could devastate the market, according to the UK Publishers Association. The case underscores concerns about AI’s impact on writers’ livelihoods and highlights calls for stronger protections for creative content.
In a comment piece, writer and illustrator Oisín McGann argues that non‑traditional book projects—such as collaborative multimedia or interactive works—can help creators diversify their income and find new audiences. He encourages artists to explore formats beyond traditional publishing to get paid fairly for their work.
John Cleese’s memoir *Fawlty Towers: Fawlts & All* surged up independent bookshop charts, possibly fuelled by renewed interest after the death of actress Prunella Scales. The book’s popularity underscores nostalgia for the classic British sitcom and the enduring appeal of celebrity memoirs.
