Authors await overdue payments as publisher Unbound goes into administration
theguardian.com – Tuesday March 18, 2025
Authors have been left unsure whether their books will be published and when they will receive outstanding payments after crowdfunding publisher Unbound went into administration last week.
The unique selling point of the publisher, launched in 2011 by QI researchers John Mitchinson and Justin Pollard, and Crap Towns author Dan Kieran, was that it allowed writers to pitch ideas online directly to readers. If enough people pledged financial support, the author would write the book, with supporters receiving various perks, such as early access to the book or a special edition.
Unbound confirmed last week that the business had been acquired by the newly-formed Boundless Publishing Group. A statement on its website said “Boundless will be moving forward with the majority of the Unbound projects”, instructing readers who have made pledges to “check back at the end of March when our new website will be live and you will have access to your account and order status”.
Boundless will be led by Archna Sharma, who was appointed as Unbound’s new CEO in January, with Mitchinson as a director. “This is the beginning of a bold new era,” said Sharma in a statement. “Boundless looks forward to forging exciting new connections between authors and readers.”
New Spotify Audiobooks publishing programme for independent authors
podcastingtoday.co.uk – Sunday March 16, 2025
Spotify Audiobooks has partnered with various publishers and authors to license and produce hundreds of titles.
A new website has been launched for independent authors to submit short-form stories for audiobook creation and publishing consideration by Spotify.
Leah Kleynhans, Spotify Audiobooks Producer says: “Spotify Audiobooks is thrilled to be opening submissions for short-form content written by independent authors who are as passionate about audiobooks as we are.
“We know Spotify users will love exploring these intense, bite-sized listens, and expanding our audiobooks catalogue in this way gives fans even more choice in the content they love to consume on our platform.”
Publisher Unbound Slides Into Administration
timeextension.com – Saturday March 15, 2025
"I might have accidentally destroyed an entire publishing house!"
Update [Fri 14th Mar 2025, 2:15pm]: The Bookseller has reported that troubled on-demand book publisher Unbound has gone into administration.
Allister Manson and Charles Turner of Opus Restructuring were appointed administrators of the company on 10th March 2025.
Author Steven Goodwin, one of the many writers who hasn't been paid by the publisher, has posted the following message on Linkedin:
I might have accidentally destroyed an entire publishing house!
At the end of 2023 I released a book "20 GOTO 10" via the publisher Unbound. (4.4 stars on Amazon!) It sold tens of thousands of copies, and yet, I was not paid for any of them. I waited. Politely emailed. Looked past their emails of "any day now" and waited some more.
ChatGPT firm reveals AI model that is ‘good at creative writing’
theguardian.com – Wednesday March 12, 2025
As tech firms battle creative industries over copyright, OpenAI chief Sam Altman says he was ‘really struck’ by product’s output
The company behind ChatGPT has revealed it has developed an artificial intelligence model that is “good at creative writing”, as the tech sector continues its tussle with the creative industries over copyright.
The chief executive of OpenAI, Sam Altman, said the unnamed model, which has not been released publicly, was the first time he had been “really struck” by the written output of one of the startup’s products.
In a post on the social media platform X, Altman wrote: “We trained a new model that is good at creative writing (not sure yet how/when it will get released). This is the first time i have been really struck by something written by AI.”
AI systems such as ChatGPT are the subject of a running legal battle between AI companies and the creative industries because their underlying models are “trained” on reams of publicly available data, including copyright-protected material such as novels and journalism.
Details on the New Owners of Analog, Asimov’s, and F&SF
locusmag.com – Wednesday March 12, 2025
Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Asimov’s Science Fiction, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction have been acquired by Must Read Magazines, a division of a new publishing company, Must Read Books Publishing. All editorial staff from the magazines have been retained in the acquisitions. Jackie Sherbow has been promoted to editor of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. P.L. Stevens joins the group as publisher.
From Stevens’ statement to Locus:
There are writers who have posted online asking if the magazines have somehow been taken over by unusual interests and we want to reassure people that’s not the case. Ultimately the magazines’ content will remain editorially driven as they have always been, and they might be interested to know that one of our largest single outside financial backers, Michael Khandelwal, is a lifelong regional con attendee (more below). We feel these magazines are extremely important to the legacy and future of these genres, and hope to continue each magazines mission while updating the business behind the magazines in order to reach more readers and writers. The acquisitions were necessary for the magazines to survive and hopefully thrive in the changing publishing economy….
In recent years, magazines have faced significantly rising costs and lower payments from certain retailers.
The company plans to bolster the magazines by expanding their distribution in trade bookstores, increasing their digital footprint, investing more in marketing the magazines to new readers and writers across channels, and using their platform to promote genre fiction authors in general….
As always, the creative missions of the magazines are driven by their longtime editorial staff.
Bournemouth Writing Sanctuary launches for authors
bournemouthecho.co.uk – Tuesday March 11, 2025
A new three-day writing experience for authors at all stages of their journey is launching in Bournemouth.
The Bournemouth Writing Sanctuary will offer dedicated time, expert guidance, and creative inspiration to writers from Friday, June 27 to Sunday, June 29.
The event will be held at Patch in Bournemouth and is designed to provide a distraction-free environment for authors to focus on their manuscripts.
The sanctuary will offer a blend of structured workshops, independent writing time and networking opportunities.
Claire Fuller, winner of the Costa Novel Award and finalist for the Women's Prize for Fiction, will lead the Friday session, guiding writers in honing their storytelling craft and key plot points.
New SFF imprint Bloomsbury Archer 'out to make some real publishing magic'
thebookseller.com – Tuesday March 11, 2025
Bloomsbury is launching a new science fiction and fantasy imprint, Bloomsbury Archer, which it says will cross "the constellation of speculative fiction", helmed by publishing director Vicky Leech Mateos. The ‘Archer’ derives from the existing Bloomsbury emblem of Diana, Roman goddess of the hunt, and references the new imprint’s "pursuit of the very best storytelling and new stars".
Leech Mateos will build a list that covers fantasy, science fiction, crossover stories, speculative romance, horror and mythological retellings. The US branch will be led by publishing director Noa Wheeler (editor of Bloomsbury’s current biggest brand, Sarah J Maas) and senior director of marketing and publicity Erica Barmash.
The list kicks off with Samantha Shannon’s Among the Burning Flowers, a prequel to the Roots of Chaos series, which will be released in September 2025. Shannon’s full backlist will also move under the new imprint.
Romance Writing Festival
bournemouthecho.co.uk – Tuesday March 11, 2025
One-day festival celebrating romance writing, offering a mix of panel discussions, agent 1-2-1s, workshops, activities and networking opportunities.
Sunday Times bestselling authors Milly Johnson and Paige Toon will headline the inaugural Romance Writing Festival, taking place in Bournemouth on 18th October 2025. They join fellow Sunday Times bestseller Katie Fforde on an impressive programme featuring award-winning authors, editors, literary agents, and publishers.
The one-day event is dedicated to romance writing, offering a mix of panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities. Attendees can also book one-to-one sessions with agents and editors or take part in free activities designed to inspire writers at all stages of their journey.
Held at the seafront Grade-11-listed Royal Bath Hotel, the festival will host a marketplace where delegates can meet and mingle with authors, agents, and publishers. Additional activities include Proof Parties, book launches, beach walks, romance-themed literary walks of Bournemouth’s famous authors, and yoga on the beach. Writers will also have the exclusive opportunity to enjoy afternoon tea with editors.
Maven voyage: Amanda Harris unveils her new agency at London Book Fair
thebookseller.com – Tuesday March 11, 2025
Former YMU books division managing director Amanda Harris is launching her new “fresh take” on representation, Maven Literary Management, at today’s London Book Fair.
Harris had previously announced her departure from YMU, which she joined in 2019, in July last of year.
Harris will bring over a host of existing and new clients to Maven. In non-fiction that includes Professor Noel “the Supervet” Fitzpatrick, pop singer and MILF author Paloma Faith, food writer Kathryn Bruton, cookery book star/influencer Christina Kynigos and King’s College London nutritional science professor Sarah Berry.
The fiction list features romantasy author Megan Scott, journalist turned 2025 debut historical novelist Emma Cowing, and Blindboy Boatclub, AKA David Chambers, the Limerick-born satirist, podcaster and presenter whose critically-lauded debut collection of short stories, Topographia Hibernica, hit the bestseller lists on both sides of the Irish Sea.
Former Igloo Books CEO Paul Gregory co-launches new children’s publisher with Vemag-Medien
thebookseller.com – Monday March 10, 2025
Paul Gregory, the former chief executive of Igloo Books, and German publisher Vemag-Medien have launched a new children’s publishing company called Three Wishes as a joint-venture.
Gregory, who stepped down from his role at Igloo Books after six years at the start of 2024, will act as managing director of Three Wishes, which will focus on format innovation, original ideas and stylish design with the aim of bringing “never-seen-before concepts to the global market”.
He told The Bookseller that with Vemag-Medien’s sales “confined to Europe and [with] limited access to English-language markets, Vemag and I saw an opportunity to expand their sales network” with the creation of Three Wishes, which will target the global English-language and co-edition markets and expand the reach of Vemag beyond continental Europe.
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