I discovered a new blog yesterday—new to me, anyway—called PaidContent.org, which offers "global coverage on the business of digital content." The first post I spotted that's immediately relevant to you and me here in publishing is an analysis of the Audible/Amazon.com deal, based on Audible's recent SEC filing:

"The process started in March 2007 with Audible's board agreeing to go look for buyers. By April it has hired Allen & Co to manage the process. From March through the end of July, Allen approached 12 potential acquirers, and informed them that an offer of $12.50 per share would likely represent an acceptable offer price. No acquisition proposals were received, and communications with these potential acquirers did not progress enough to justify allowing these parties to commence a due diligence review of Audible."

And then they started talking to Amazon, which initially offered just $11 a share, which Audible eventually negotiated up to $11.50.