AGP Executive Report

New Releases & Launches: Angolan writer Sousa Jamba launched his short-story collection The House of the Two Bibles and Other Stories in Luanda, aiming to spotlight Central Plateau heritage for young readers. Romance & Genre Trends: A new wave of foodie rom-coms is blending kitchen detail with romance tropes, with cookbook authors and romance publishers crossing over more than ever. Author Spotlight: Mary Kay Andrews’ Road Trip follows estranged sisters traveling to Ireland to solve a family mystery, framed as a story about reinvention. Publishing & Rights: Bulgaria’s Petya Kokudeva brought her children’s book Lupo and Tumba to the Bucharest Book Fair in Romanian, with the guest-of-honour spotlight on Bulgarian publishing. Literary Culture: Pope Leo XIV’s recommended reading includes Brother Lawrence’s The Practice of the Presence of God, now getting fresh attention via a Vatican-linked edition. Industry Watch: Liftoff Mobile closed its IPO, and Marvel revealed a new Avengers lineup for 2026’s Armageddon spin-off series. Poetry: Kevin Young won the 2026 Griffin Poetry Prize for Night Watch. AI & Media: A report alleges paid influencer promotion tied to Polymarket odds, while another piece warns AI is reshaping children’s books and raises questions about authorship.

Publishing Policy & Rights: A new Bahrain proposal would bring back the international book fair annually, arguing it boosts access, cultural tourism, and a “shop window” for writers and publishers. First Amendment & Media Pressure: A guide to “jawboning” explains how government pressure on private platforms can threaten First Amendment freedoms. AI & Writers: Writers’ lawsuit against AI giant Anthropic is framed as a payout that’s “pocket change,” reigniting debate over copyright scraping and author compensation. Industry & Business: Allied Market Research projects the comic book market at $31.2B by 2034 (6.6% CAGR), with physical still the top revenue driver. Book Culture & Access: Australia’s independent bookshops keep shrinking fast, with closures piling up and the government help question back on the table. Major Loss in Publishing: Marjane Satrapi, creator of Persepolis, dies at 56, with family saying she died of grief after her husband’s death. Children’s Publishing: A world-first trilingual picture book spotlights Māori and Lule Sámi characters and language alongside English. Local Publishing: Pasadena’s Red Hen Press launches a GoFundMe amid a financial crisis. Comics & Pop Culture: Archie Comics and Shaquille O’Neal team up for a new Black Caesar comic series. Games-to-Books Buzz: Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters expands into book releases after major streaming and awards success.

Publishing & Policy: The Literary Arts Fund, backed by the Mellon Foundation and other philanthropies, will distribute $7.7 million to 40 U.S. independent and nonprofit book groups across 19 states, aiming to shore up access to books as arts funding faces pressure. Labor & Rights: Dark Horse Comics says it will voluntarily recognize the Dark Horse Workers United union, moving toward good-faith bargaining after employees formed the CWA-affiliated group. AI & Fraud: A new warning from publishing insiders highlights how scammers are increasingly impersonating literary agents, using polished outreach and “representation” fees to steal manuscripts or identities—an AI-fueled trust problem for authors. Books to Screen: Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters is driving new book demand, with the film’s success translating into upcoming print releases. Local Book Culture: Kolkata’s College Street hawker eviction rumors were denied by KMC’s commissioner, who said no eviction notices or directives are in place. Industry Watch: Japan’s manga/anime pipeline continues to diversify as audiences move beyond isekai, while publishers chase proven franchises across formats. Loss: Marjane Satrapi, creator of Persepolis, has died at 56.

Publishing Industry & Revenue: The Publishers Association reports record publishing revenue of £7.4bn in 2025, up 3%, with audiobooks, digital and export driving growth. Kids & Awards: The Week Junior Book Awards unveiled a 73-book, 12-category 2026 shortlist, spotlighting everything from picture books to poetry and audiobooks. Reading Science: A University of Tokyo study finds reading manga in print improves comprehension and reduces unnecessary brain activity versus tablet reading. AI in Publishing: A Delhi conclave, “Authorless Horizons,” put publishers and editors on the spot over what AI can (and can’t) do in marketing, editing and trust. Book Trade Strategy: WAN-IFRA and FIPP’s Innovation in Media Report urges publishers to build direct audience relationships and treat AI as an “intelligence product” engine, not just a cost saver. Labor & Comics: Dark Horse Comics will voluntarily recognize its employee union and enter good-faith bargaining. Community Book Culture: A new independent bookshop is set to open in York, while Minneapolis’ Wild Rumpus keeps drawing families with its “kitty cat” charm. Local/Global Access: Auckland’s libraries launch a bilingual Samoan children’s picture book, but an author warns Pacific kids still face major shortages in reading material.

Publishing Deals & Rights: Wiley is buying UK’s Emerald Publishing for $452M, expanding its journal portfolio to about 2,500 titles and beefing up proprietary research content for AI and data analytics. AI & Newsroom Work: A new Future Newsrooms study (FT Strategies/WAN-IFRA) maps 16 emerging strategy roles from audience editors to “editor-coders,” reflecting how publishers are redesigning work for AI-native production. AI in Search: The UK’s CMA says Google will let publishers opt out of having their content used for AI Overviews—framed as a “world first.” Books & Culture Events: Sharjah wraps a major Warsaw International Book Fair run as the first Arab Guest of Honour, with citywide programming and publishing-sector exchanges. Local Book Scene: A new Park Rapids shop, Northbound Ink, pairs an indie bookstore with a tattoo studio—built fast on TikTok-driven author discovery. New Releases & Adaptations: Penguin Random House imprint acquired Lindsey Anderson Beer’s debut novel “Hollow to Putnam,” with Sydney Sweeney attached to star and produce; publication is set for fall 2027. Comics/Indie Publishing: The Beguiling’s BDP Press licenses Battan’s “The Golden Fly” for English, using Kickstarter to fund the print release. Literary Awards: Miriam Rimkunas won a Maine Literary Award for “Survivor Concentrate,” a speculative fiction fable set in Siberia.

Publishing & AI Integrity: Granta’s Commonwealth Short Story Prize winners sparked a fresh AI-authorship fight after readers flagged possible machine-written text, putting “AI detectors” under the spotlight again. Copyright & Piracy: Vietnam’s publishers are pushing for stronger, more proactive copyright protection as piracy shifts online fast—scans, PDFs/EPUBs, audiobooks, and social sharing are driving major losses. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Putnam fast-tracked Lindsey Anderson Beer’s gothic, erotic Sleepy Hollow reimagining Hollow for a Fall 2027 release, with Sydney Sweeney set to star and produce. Tech in Publishing: Japan’s print revival story highlights why creators say paper can’t be replaced by AI, even as self-publishing and zines grow. Controversial Course Materials: University of Nebraska at Kearney will drop a human sexuality textbook after complaints about “graphic images,” and will add clearer course-content notices. Literary Awards: The Sami Rohr Prize 2026 shortlist includes memoir and Holocaust-era history finalists, with the winner due June 16. Indie & Local Reading: A Midwest poet’s debut A Midwestern Introvert’s Atlas lands via a small press, with a public reading scheduled June 4.

Publishing & Censorship: Lee Child calls “sensitivity” edits to older books “slightly Orwellian,” arguing novels are historical artefacts and he’d refuse to change a word. Author-Platform Tensions: Meta-backed arbitration forced former Facebook whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams to sit in silence at Hay Festival while her book, Careless People, faces a legal gag tied to her exit deal. Industry Careers: Fitzcarraldo Editions hires Jennifer Tighe as operations director, signaling a push to tighten day-to-day publishing operations. Rights, Access & Global Books: Malaysia’s PENA launches Phase Three of the MADANI book project with RM1m for writers across genres; Ghanaian author Ishmael Junourgh heads to Europe to promote African literature. New Releases & Formats: Oni Press expands its 2026 Archie line with Sabrina The Teenage Witch #1; Manga Mavericks Books announces English release of Taiyo Matsumoto’s Brothers of Japan (Feb 2027). Book Culture & Reading: A review roundup spotlights Bunny, The Hidden Record after three independent five-star verdicts.

Publishing & Borders: Sharjah’s Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi launched the Polish edition of her book Let Them Know She Is Here in Warsaw, underscoring how translation and publishing fairs keep stories moving across languages. Genre Spotlight: Chinese suspense keeps climbing, with Beijing events tracing two decades of mystery writing and its blend of local life with global thrills. Literary Culture: Israeli writer Etgar Keret’s new collection The Blues of the End of the World frames war-era reality as surreal “zombie” dystopia. New Fiction (AI): ButterflyMan’s sci-fi WUKONG imagines AI companionship and identity after romantic loss. Faith & Books: Bible-related publishing continues to surge, with devotionals and study guides driving major print growth. Comics as Collectibles: Argent Comics’ ultra-limited Batman: The Killing Joke fine-art edition heads to San Diego Comic-Con. Geopolitics via Print: North Korea’s 2025 map and book reportedly omit Takeshima/Dokdo, fueling fresh sovereignty speculation.

AI Policy & Power: Bernie Sanders is pushing an “AI Sovereign Wealth Fund” that would seize 50% ownership in major AI firms, as lawmakers scramble over who gets the upside. Publishing & Copyright: CNN’s lawsuit against Perplexity spotlights the fight over AI scraping and news content rights. Booksellers vs Tech: The ABA’s virtual forum drew fresh pushback as members weigh AI, discounts, and how platforms like Bookshop.org treat used books. Translation & Labor: A Yale Ph.D. project spotlights translators’ “workshop” materials—drafts, contracts, even invoices—arguing translation is professional practice, not invisible magic. New Fiction Releases: Annelise Osborne debuts “Hold On for Dear Life,” a novel built from the human cost inside crypto finance; meanwhile, a new multi-book series launch, “Woe to the Leaders Who Harm the Innocent,” kicks off a leadership-and-conscience project. International Book Scene: Warsaw International Book Fair momentum continues with Sharjah’s guest-of-honour push and UAE publishers expanding rights and translation ties. Print’s Comeback: Japan’s zine trend leans on paper’s tactile appeal—“AI simply can’t replicate it.” Local Reading Ecosystems: Maine’s Midcoast Villager leans on a cafe as a “third place” to keep local coverage alive.

New Releases & Series: Luke Stoffel’s The Warboy Chronicles drops June 1 with Boy, Refracted and The Third Person, a two-book dive into AI trust, chatbot “therapy,” and what consciousness might mean when you pour your deepest thoughts into a machine. Global Publishing & Promotion: Transworld promotes Izzie Ghaffari-Parker to senior publicity manager after major campaigns, including Nobody’s Girl. Children’s Publishing: Macmillan Children’s rolls out senior editorial and communications promotions after chart success. International Rights/Launches: Shonen Jump+ and MANGA Plus begin English releases for World Wide Web MIKO! (Kogattuo, Ichika Kino), adapting a light-novel series. Book Culture & Print’s Comeback: Japan’s zine and self-publishing scene keeps growing as creators argue print can’t be replicated by AI. Controversy in Kids’ Books: A Norwegian children’s “how-to” on making a baby (IVF, insemination, adoption) faces bans and death threats abroad. Publishing Industry Watch: Sharjah Book Authority’s HH Sheikha Bodour reviews its digital transformation roadmap and expands international participation to boost Arab publishing and translation. Media/Books Crossover: A new Marilyn Monroe 100 centenary book spotlights her 430-volume library via 17 photographers.

Book Fairs, Reading Culture: A new critique from China’s publishing scene argues many book fairs now feel more like product showcases than places for reading, with some publishers limiting booth “wenchuang” extras so books stay center stage. Digital Publishing Push: Namibia’s Microwide Publishing Press held a digital launch urging authors toward e-commerce and digital distribution, offering end-to-end support from manuscript to book. Social Media Meets Sales: At Malaysia’s PBAKL, writers and readers say platforms like social media help build author brands, spark purchases, and turn fairs into real meeting points. VAT Fight for Digital Books: In the Philippines, a national artist and an executive publisher asked the Supreme Court to scrap a 12% VAT on digital books and other published literature, calling it a barrier to education and expression. Women in Publishing, Global Stage: PublisHer wrapped a four-day Warsaw International Book Fair programme tied to Sharjah’s Guest of Honour, centered on women’s leadership and cross-border publishing decisions. Middle-Grade Action Debut: Puffin is spotlighting Isaac Hamilton-McKenzie’s solo series opener, Jamaal Target: PHANTOM Agent, pitched as Alex Rider meets Spider-Verse. Queer Book Club Pick: Perth’s Queer Book Club selected How to Dress for Old Age, a dual-parent-care story by David Carlin and Peta Murray.

Saudi-Malay Translation Push: Saudi Arabia’s literature agency says Malay-Arabic translation volumes are lagging and vows closer work with Malaysian partners after supporting 2,800+ titles since 2020. VAT Fight for Digital Books: Philippine book-industry petitioners ask the Supreme Court to strike down 12% VAT on digital books, arguing it blocks access to education and violates rights. Sharjah at Warsaw: Sharjah Book Authority officials tout the emirate’s Guest of Honour push at the Warsaw International Book Fair as growing European interest in Emirati and Arab publishing. Comics Buzz: The Eisner Awards 2026 ballot is open and publishers are campaigning hard, while Absolute Wonder Woman #20 narrowly tops Batman #163 in weekly sales. AI and Publishing Pressure: A new report spotlights how AI-detection tools like Pangram are shaping panic and policy around AI-written text. Faith and Print: Pope Leo XIV tells Vatican Publishing House staff that printed books still “nourish the mind,” arguing physical reading supports reflection and comprehension. New Books & Memoirs: A University of Tennessee Press memoir traces one immigrant family’s flight from war-torn Vietnam to America, while a new space-opera trilogy debuts with young “guardians” tasked with healing a fractured galaxy. Local Reading Culture: A Maine newspaper expands community ties by running a cafe-based “third place” to keep local news alive.

Illustration Spotlight: The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration opens next month in Clerkenwell, aiming to make illustration a central cultural force, with Blake’s 40,000-drawing archive at its heart. Design-Led Publishing: Heirloom Project’s Mumbai: A Journey Through Its Kitchens, Streets, and Stories lands a James Beard nomination for visual design, underscoring how food books are evolving into city-scale archives. War & Nonfiction: Eyal Weizman’s Undergrounding: The Architecture of Genocide spotlights the built, ecological, and infrastructural trail of destruction in Gaza. Book Fairs & Global Exchange: Sharjah’s Guest of Honour programming brings Emirati and Polish poets together at Warsaw, while Sheikha Bodour launches AUS Press at the Warsaw International Book Fair to push translation and academic publishing. Publishing Industry Watch: FX is developing That Texas Blood as a TV series, adapting Image Comics’ neo-noir Western. Literary Reviews: New fiction highlights include Jamie Guiney’s debut The Lightning and Douglas Stuart’s John of John, alongside Rebecca Solnit’s The Beginning Comes after the End on thinking clearly amid despair. Translation & Access: Padma Viswanathan discusses translating Ana Paula Maia’s On Earth As It Is Beneath, reflecting how translation is both meaning and aesthetics.

Warsaw Book Fair & Sharjah’s Guest of Honour: Sharjah opened its participation as the first Arab Guest of Honour at the Warsaw International Book Fair, with Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi launching AUS Press and unveiling its first title, a commemorative volume on the American University of Sharjah. AI & Publishing Rights: A major authors-vs-AI copyright fight moves toward approval after a fairness hearing in the Anthropic case, while broader lawsuits keep piling up across the industry. Indie Book Trade: The American Booksellers Association called 2025 a “banner year” for indies even as it warned 2026 remains tough, with inflation squeezing programs and publisher partnerships. Education Culture Clash: Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London is reportedly dropped from UK A-level set texts, replaced by Anna Funder’s Wifedom, reigniting debate over “woke” curriculum shifts. Comics & Licensing Buzz: Image and Skybound are reviving Gold Key heroes Magnus, Turok and Solar, and Dark Horse is set for a major Tomb Raider deep-dive hardcover this fall. Reading for Kids: Kuala Lumpur’s PBAKL drew big crowds, with PM Anwar Ibrahim stressing that the joy of knowledge—not exams—should drive reading.

Publishing Finance: Kenya’s publishers are demanding Sh9.48b in delayed government payments, warning the backlog could disrupt Grade 11 textbook printing and delivery. Indie Awards: IndieReader named winners of its 15th Discovery Awards, with 1,000+ indie submissions and new ownership under Julia and Jared Drake. Book Fairs & Community: Ithaca’s fifth annual Book & Zine Fair returns at Buffalo Street Books, while Kyiv’s Book Arsenal Festival opens with 150+ participants and 240 events. Global Publishing & Culture: Abu Dhabi Before 1971 launches as a rare visual archive with Assouline, and Xinjiang’s Wang Meng gets an adaptation push as his short-story work heads toward global translation. Media & Rights: France’s Louvre $100m jewelry heist book is being turned into a film and documentary series. Industry Watch: CNN sues Perplexity over alleged copying, and the AI-authorship debate keeps heating up after new claims around published material. Legal/Politics: Trump refiles a $10b defamation suit against the Wall Street Journal’s publisher over an Epstein-related article. Book Retail & Access: A children’s bookstore in the UK plans a sensory, community hub expansion after a grant from Penguin. Literary Spotlight: Reviews and features highlight everything from debut fiction to a new perimenopause guide aimed at correcting medical neglect.

AI & Copyright Clash: CNN sued Perplexity over alleged copying of 17,000+ CNN stories and media to power its AI “answer engine,” escalating the fight over whether news gets paid in the chatbot era. Publishing Industry Watch: BHP sought suppression orders in its wage-theft dispute involving coal miner Simon Turner and Michael West Media, a reminder that legal pressure can shape what readers ever see. Books & Culture: Helen Phillips’ Hum won the 2026 Climate Fiction Prize, spotlighting climate-change fiction as a mainstream conversation. New Releases: Mord McGhee’s The Seven Children of God tackles cult influence and trafficking trauma as public concern rises. Film/TV Adaptations: Netflix released the trailer for Mexico’s first stop-motion feature, I Am Frankelda, while the Louvre $102M heist is being turned into a film from a new Flammarion book. Community & Reading: The Bay Area Book Festival returns to Berkeley with a “Writing the Future” theme and nearly 400 authors. Literary Life: Ruskin Bond, 92, talks friendship and why “someone, somewhere is still reading.”