BTW News Briefs

Kids Heart Authors Day a "Fabulous Success"

On Saturday, February 14, for Kids Heart Authors Day, more than 40 independent bookstores and 170 authors and/or illustrators teamed up to make Valentine's Day 2009 an unforgettable one for New England families. Participating bookstores invited local authors and illustrators to sign books for kids and teens. Bookstores provided books, and authors and illustrators personalized them and answered questions about writing and drawing.

The Kids Heart Authors website now features dozens of comments and pictures from booksellers who hosted events. "It was a fabulous success! Sales increases far exceeded marketing costs, and the million-dollar karma in mid-February was the best," said Carol Chittenden of Eight Cousins bookstore in Falmouth, Massachusetts.

Turner Publishing in Deal for Cumberland House Press Titles

On February 12,Turner Publishing announced it had acquired the remaining inventory and the exclusive option to purchase the remaining 432 titles from Nashville-based Cumberland House. The titles affected are in a variety of categories in both fiction and nonfiction.

Turner Publishing will be the vendor of record for the selected titles going forward. Copies of these titles will be available from Turner's distribution center or through wholesalers. Turner will handle marketing and events for these titles and their authors. More information is available at www.turnerpublishing.com.