BTW News Briefs

Study Looks at Buying Habits of Mystery Readers

Sisters In Crime (SinC) this week released a 47-page report, “The Mystery Book Consumer in the Digital Age,” that looks at who buys mystery books and where, what, and why they buy. The research is based on data gathered and interpreted by Bowker’s PubTrack, with input from Sisters in Crime.

“The mystery reader survey was created initially to help SinC members make good business decisions when crafting their own business strategies,” said mystery author and president of Sisters in Crime Cathy Pickens. “We are very pleased to announce today that the survey results are available to everyone in the mystery/crime fiction community.”

Among the study’s key findings:

• The majority of mysteries (39 percent) are bought from bricks-and-mortar stores; 20 percent are borrowed from libraries; and 17 percent are purchased online. However, e-book sales increased to seven percent of all unit sales in the second quarter of 2010, while hardcover mystery books declined by nearly the same amount between the first and second quarter of 2010.

• Sixty-eight percent of mystery/crime fiction buyers are women. The majority of buyers are over the age of 45 (66 percent). Buyers 18 to 44 years of age purchase 31 percent of the mysteries sold.

• The majority of mysteries – 35 percent – are purchased in the South, 26 percent in the West, 20 percent in the Midwest, and 19 percent in the Northeast.

• Author “branding” and a book’s cover design are among the factors that play a significant role in driving sales.

 The complete 47-page report is available on the Sisters In Crime website.

SBA Offers Disaster Preparedness Webinars

The Small Business Administration has partnered with Agility Recovery Solutions to offer a series of free webinars on business continuity planning.

The first webinar “Starting Fresh – Assessing Risk & Threats to your Business in 2011” will be presented on Tuesday, January 18, at 2:00 p.m. ET. During the hour-long webinar, Agility CEO Bob Boyd and business continuity planner Mark Norton will discuss the basics of risk assessment, the importance of identifying critical small business functions, and employee preparedness.

“A vital part of growing a small business is guarding the company’s infrastructure,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “These free disaster preparedness webinars are an opportunity for business owners to learn how to become proactive and practical about analyzing risks and making a plan to recover. This is about not only protecting the business before disaster strikes, but having a plan in place so the business rebuilds quickly and thrives.”

Registration for the January 18 webinar is via an online form. SBA and Agility Recovery Solutions also offer small business continuity strategies via their “PrepareMyBusiness” website. More preparedness tips for businesses, homeowners, and renters are available on the SBA’s website.

Australia’s Queensland Booksellers Affected by Davastating Flood

Australia’s Bookseller & Publisher Online reported this week on bookstores in Queensland that are among retail businesses affected by the devastating floods sweeping across the state.

Among them is Avid Reader owned by Fiona Stager, who will be a panelist at ABA’s “Creating Killer Events” session at next week’s Winter Institute. The Weekly Book Newsletter noted that Avid Reader’s staff was moving stock from low shelves and clearing space on the upper floor in preparation for drastic measures. They, along with other area booksellers, closed due in part to concerns for staff members traveling to and from work.

“We have all been shocked by the images and news coming out of Queensland,” said Joel Becker, CEO of the Australian Booksellers Association. “Our hearts go out to all those affected by the floods: friends, family and colleagues.

“We wish our Queensland bookselling colleagues well in getting through the next few days, and then recovering from these dreadful circumstances. Those who are able to should keep us informed about how they are doing, and we will do our best to help in any way we can.”

Becker also said that the Australian Booksellers Association would be contributing $1000 to the Queensland Flood Relief Fund.

AAP Names Andi Sporkin Vice President, Communications

Andi Sporkin, a senior strategic communications executive at major media companies for more than two decades, has been named vice president, communications of the Association of American Publishers (AAP), beginning February 9.

In the newly created position, Sporkin will develop and direct integrated communications, external outreach, and marketing for AAP’s advocacy efforts. Her responsibilities will include legal, legislative, and regulatory communications; media relations; industry branding initiatives; public affairs; and management of AAP’s communications team.

Sporkin, who will report to AAP President and CEO Tom Allen, will be based at AAP’s Washington, D.C. headquarters.

Ingram’s CoreSource® to Provide E-content Management for University Presses

Ingram Content Group announced that it has signed agreements with the University of Michigan Press and the University Press of Kentucky to archive and distribute their e-content materials to partners worldwide via Ingram’s digital asset management platform, CoreSource®.

The University of Michigan Press publishes materials in a wide range of humanities and social science disciplines. It recently launched the University of Michigan Digital Humanities Series to advance understanding of the dynamic relationships between humanities and digital technologies.

The University Press of Kentucky (UPK) publishes books of scholarly merit in a variety of fields in addition to books about the history and culture of Kentucky, the Ohio Valley region, the Upper South, and Appalachia. UPK is making its entire frontlist and select backlist tiles available through Ingram’s CoreSource® and currently uses Ingram’s Lightning Source for its print-on-demand initiatives.

In other news from the Ingram Content Group, Ingram Publisher Services has extended its distribution agreement with APA Publications, part of the Langenscheidt Publishing Group, to distribute Langenscheidt Dictionaries and Phrasebooks, beginning March 2011.

In November 2010, Langenscheidt announced its plans to cease operations in the U.S.

PNBA Announces 2011 Book Award Winners

On January 7, the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association announced the winners of its 2011 Pacific Northwest Book Awards:

• The Lonely Polygamist: A Novel, by Brady Udall (Norton)
• Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War, by Karl Marlantes (Atlantic Monthly Press)
• Memory Wall, by Anthony Doerr (Scribner)
• River House: A Memoir, by Sarahlee Lawrence (Tin House Books)

Nancy Pearl, author of the Book Lust series, published by Sasquatch Books, was named the recipient of PNBA’s Lifetime Achievement Award.