The controversy which we discussed last week was subdued by Rupert Murdoch's intervention although I'm not sure there was any resolution of the principles being debated. Just in case you haven't seen it here is the cover of the book. The typography says it all.

I am adding a new blog to the blogroll. It is by Martyn Daniels and is hosted by the Booksellers Association. I am sure it will be interesting. In yesterday's entry he discusses the fairness or otherwise of royalties payable on digital delivery of books. It is at present a purely hypothetical issue but we are establishing the ground rules for the future which makes it important.

'If artists hold back on digital rights and publishers don’t equitably share the potential increased margin they potentially hold back the creation of the market which after all can’t be built in a vacuum.'

The problem is that no 'artist' or publisher has ever believed that he or she is receiving a fair share. I remember a high-level meeting about this issue where we (publishers) presented what we considered to be a very generous offer including a first principle that whatever happened in the future 'the author should not be disadvantaged financially'. This principle was immediately rejected as being unfair to authors. This argument will run and run.

This little boy was snapped on the Castillo stand at the recent Mexican Children's Book Fair. That's what this business is all about