HarperCollins

HarperAudio will release audiobook versions of fifteen backlist titles by celebrated Czech author Milan Kundera. This marks the first time these Kundera titles will be available in audiobook format.

Actors Richmond Hoxie (fiction) and Graeme Malcolm (nonfiction) will narrate these works. They will be released throughout the rest of this year.

Executive editor Terry Karten had this statement in the release: ”The publication in audio format of the complete works of Milan Kundera, one of the most distinguished and innovative authors of our era, is a major literary event. Harper Perennial has recently reissued Kundera’s backlist with new covers featuring original artwork from the author. These developments are sure to bring renewed attention to this renowned author.”

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The Department of Justice has sued Apple and publishers for allegedly colluding to set eBook prices. Apple, Macmillan and Penguin will fight the suit in court; HarperCollins (statement here), Simon & Schuster and Hachette (statement here) have settled with the government.

In court documents, DOJ attorneys alleged that Apple and five major publishers engaged in a “substantial” conspiracy as they set up the agency model for eBook pricing–including deleting emails “to avoid leaving a paper trail.”

Macmillan CEO John Sargent has decided to fight the suit. Read his letter here: “Other publishers have chosen to settle. That is their decision to make. We have decided to fight this in court.”

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HarperCollins has settled with the Department of Justice rather than face a lawsuit over the agency model for eBook pricing. Hachette and Simon & Schuster have followed suit.

Here’s more from the official statement: “HarperCollins faced legal challenges on five separate fronts, including the DOJ investigation which was resolved today. The e-book market has grown over the last two years from a small e-ink market, dominated by one platform, to a $1B market with several competing platforms. HarperCollins made a business decision to settle the DOJ investigation in order to end a potentially protracted legal battle.”

The publisher issued a longer statement that did not detail the terms of the settlement. We have more about the proposed settlement at this link. The complete HarperCollins release is reprinted below…

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Legendary musician Burt Bacharach has landed a book deal with HarperCollins. Bacharach will collaborate with journalist Robert Greenfield on the book, Anyone Who Had a Heart. Publication is set for November 2012.

Publisher Jonathan Burnham and executive editor Claire Wachtel negotiated the deal with Intellectual Property Group literary agents Amy Schiffman and Brian Lipson.

Here’s more from the release: “As powerful and moving as Burt Bacharach’s most unforgettable songs, Anyone Who Had a Heart will provide readers with a backstage pass to a world of show business that no longer exists. It will also give them an up close and personal look at the life of an artist whose incredible body of work has earned him a unique position in the American cultural landscape while also providing the sound track for the lives of millions of devoted fans all over the world.”

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HarperCollins has created the official C.S. Lewis Twitter account. The Twitter feed will include famous quotes, future opportunities and news about his books. As of this writing, the account counts 6,775 followers.

Currently, anybody who tweets about the Twitter feed will receive a free e-Booklet. On November 16th, Lewis’ stepson, Douglas Gresham, will be hosting a live twitter event.

The publisher will also host a book giveaway. Winners will be selected through a random drawing and will receive one of the following books: The C.S. Lewis Bible, A Year with Aslan, A Year with C.S. Lewis or The C.S. Lewis Journal. Follow this link to learn more about the official rules. (Lewis picture via)

HarperCollins will pay $200 million to acquire the Christian publisher Thomas Nelson. News Corp., the parent company of HarperCollins, revealed this figure in its quarterly filing on Friday.

As we noted last week, the publisher intends to finalize the deal by the end of 2011.

Publishers Weekly has more details about the sale: “In 2006, InterMedia paid $473 million for the publisher which had sales of $253 million at the time. Nelson’s current revenue is unavailable.”

Suspense novelist Dennis Lehane will acquire books for his own line at HarperCollins’ William Morrow imprint.  Lehane has published with HarperCollins for nearly two decades.

In his new role, Lehane (pictured, via Diana Lucas Leavengood) will be working with executive editor Claire Wachtel. HarperCollins president Michael Morrison and William Morrow publisher Liate Stehlik negotiated the new role with Lehane’s literary agent, Ann Rittenberg. Earlier this year, the Ecco imprint announced a similar deal with celebrity chef/writer Anthony Bourdain.

Lehane had this statement in the release: “I’m one of those people who buys ten copies of a book I like and sends it to people I think would enjoy it. My goal is to call attention to worthy writers, who for some unknown reason aren’t as popular as they deserve to be. That’s a reason to get out of bed every morning. My background—where I grew up in Boston, the kinds of novels I like to read and write, my time spent as a writer on The Wire—will influence the kinds of books I acquire. But I just want to publish good work—an enthralling story gracefully told.”

Chief digital officer Charlie Redmayne will leave HarperCollins to serve as the new CEO of J. K. Rowling‘s Pottermore site.

Redmayne’s last day will be on Friday, November 4th. Until the position is filled, executive vice president of operations and technology Larry Nevins will handle his responsibilities.

Redmayne had this statement: “I’m very sad to be leaving HarperCollins – it is a terrific company and I have loved my time within it. HarperCollins has made great strides in the digital world over the last few years – because it is well led and has great people. These efforts will continue at pace and I look forward to watching their future success.”

Today Amazon wirelessly replaced the eBook version of Neal Stephenson‘s Reamde after readers found errors in the $16.99 eBook.

One customer called for a 75 percent refund: “this level of carelessness is inexcusable on economic grounds. I’d expect to find format errors and mangled content in a pirated ebook, not in a $17 Kindle edition. When I purchase an ebook at a price point so close to the print version, the publisher rakes in far more profit than from a print title. To then turn around and offer shoddy, incomplete text in that pricey Kindle title shows an arrogant disregard for economics, the reader, and the distribution channel.”

The Awl reprinted Amazon’s emailed response, explaining how to update your copy of the book. How do you think publishers should respond to errors in new eBooks?

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Controversial rock star Courtney Love has landed a deal with HarperCollins’ William Morrow imprint for a “tell-all” memoir. The music video embedded above features Love singing with her band, Hole.

Love will collaborate with writer Anthony Bozza on this project. In the past, Bozza has co-authored books with musical artists Tommy Lee, Slash and INXS. Deputy publisher Lynn Grady negotiated the deal with literary agent David Vigliano.

Here’s more from the release: “Although Love is often associated with deceased husband, music legend and front man of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, she has had an incredible artistic career of her own crisscrossing into music, film, popular culture, and fashion…The as yet untitled memoir will offer a no-holds-barred look into Love’s life from childhood to the present day.”