AGP Executive Report

Publishing & Prizes: Afreximbank’s CANEX Book Factory named a three-member jury for the 2026 CANEX Prize for Publishing ahead of CANEX WKND in Lagos, spotlighting publishers shaping “Global African” narratives. Books & Community: Scholastic, Bloomsbury and Pottermore are gearing up for Back to Hogwarts Day with donations of 200,000+ Harry Potter books to schools, libraries and hospitals, plus audiobook support and lifted digital waitlists. Author Spotlight: Belarusian writer-artist Tatsiana Bahdanava’s “Out of Place” (Exlibris contest winner) is now out via SURMA, with editions planned for Warsaw and Białystok. Pop Culture Publishing: Clover Press is launching “Reminiscent: Art of Zeronis,” a 152-page slipcased hardcover art book celebrating the League of Legends artist. Access & Policy: Illinois prison mail rules now require scanned mail and restrict accepted books to direct-from-publisher shipments, making it harder for families to get reading materials to incarcerated people. Industry Support: NewstrAid kicked off “Sign Up September,” urging newspaper and magazine workers to join its newsletter for updates and a chance to win a £25 book token.

Memoir Spotlight: Gayle R. Lee’s “Full Circle: Life After Life” blends grief, reincarnation, and resilience after a son’s death, positioning the book as part memoir, part spiritual guide. Retail Book Buzz: A GS25 “Minumsa Bread” craze sold out fast because each loaf hides a collectible bookmark tied to a literature and poetry series—driving huge app searches and pickup orders. Publishing Industry Shock: Hachette Australia says a cyber attack disrupted distribution via Alliance Distribution Services, leaving independent bookstores short on both new and backlist titles ahead of Christmas. Comics & IP: DC confirms “Batman of Two Worlds” will run as a one-shot on Batman Day, pairing mainline Batman with Absolute Batman in a shared mystery setup. Children’s Publishing & Community: AHSHAY and partners released “The Belonging Collection,” 20 youth-authored children’s books now available via Worldreader’s BookSmart. AI & Media Ethics: The Wall Street Journal defended a contributor’s use of AI to draft an op-ed, reigniting debate over transparency and authorship in newsrooms. Local Book Culture: Seattle’s Beguiled Books is building a romance community through events and a brick-and-mortar shop. Library & Literacy Legacy: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library continues to be credited with millions of free books, including local programs in D.C. and Florida.

AI & Authorship: John Grisham warned that publishers may turn to AI to write novels as U.S. reading declines, echoing wider industry anxiety over unlicensed AI training and author submissions. Publishing Industry Governance: West Bengal reshaped the Kolkata International Book Fair’s control, forming a high-powered advisory committee for 2027 to broaden participation beyond the Publishers & Booksellers Guild. Literary Culture & Events: FILSD 2026 in Santo Domingo runs Sept. 23–Oct. 4 with 70+ international writers and 600+ activities, aiming to deepen literature’s role in Dominican cultural life. Book-to-Screen Buzz: Helen Mirren stars as Patricia Highsmith in “A Talent for Murder,” premiering at TIFF before an Oct. 23 release. Literary Controversy & Identity: A UK inquest opened into Professor Jason Arday’s death amid plagiarism allegations and a competing narrative about what supporters and critics claim really happened. Philanthropy Through Books: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is credited with gifting 332M+ free books, and her death has sparked fresh donations. Rights & Translation Support: Moldova launched a 2027 program to fund translation and overseas publishing of Romanian-language works. New Releases: Archway Publishing released Maury Berthon’s “In Vulcan’s Shadow,” a fast-moving murder mystery rooted in Birmingham and beyond.

AI & Copyright Clash: wikiHow sued OpenAI in Manhattan, alleging OpenAI scraped 11,000+ instructional pages (at least 1,200 copyrighted) to train models that now generate competing how-to content. Publishing & Access: Law&Company launched BigCase Library, a legal e-book subscription built around an exclusive Parkyoung catalog and plans to link research tools to court and drafting workflows. Catholic Church Tensions in Germany: A “Neuer Anfang” manifesto with 6,000 signatures challenges Pope Francis’ synod push, arguing it’s being used to advance liberal reforms on authority, women’s roles, and LGBTQ acceptance. New Books for Readers: Math educator Kelly Darke debuted “The Geometree”; Rae Carson’s “Monster, Monarch, Maiden” returns to fantasy adventure; R.L. Stine’s interactive middle-grade “Craniacs” starts with “Escape from Chrome Dome” and “Revenge of the Rhinobino.” Language Preservation: Solomon Ratt’s “mâci-nîhithawîwin / Beginning Woods Cree” targets a shortage of Woods Cree classroom materials. Book Awards Watch: Washington State Book Awards finalists were announced, including Jess Walter and Leyna Krow. Indie Bookshops: A Macau interview highlights how small shops survive on passion despite weak local readership and tight margins. Pop Culture Tie-In: Marvel confirmed a facsimile and deluxe reissue of “The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #1.”

AI & Copyright Clash: The Authors Guild warns that unlicensed, unrestricted AI training on copyrighted books could “destroy the ecosystem for books,” as publishers and authors push back on value extraction. Publisher Retraction: NYU Press is pulling and reissuing Designer Science after retracting an edition that used a fabricated Michael Behe quote, with inventory destruction and excised passages. Publishing Industry Watch: Nautilus Book Awards expands to a reimagined 40-category framework for 2027, signaling shifting priorities in what gets honored. Book Trade & Access: Shueisha launches “Manga Million,” a digital platform adding nearly 300 English-translated titles (plus other languages) for the first time. Local Literary Life: Orillia author Jessica Hamilton’s suspense novel The Woods lands with a community event at Provenance Wine Bar. Entertainment-to-Books Pipeline: Crunchyroll confirms the One Piece Elbaph Arc English dub starts Oct. 20, and the next One Piece film God Valley will adapt a major franchise flashback without Luffy. Market Signals: Kalshi puts odds at just 11% for a 2026 release-date announcement for The Winds of Winter.

AI & Copyright Clash: The Authors Guild warns that “unlicensed, unrestricted AI training could destroy the ecosystem for books,” as Round Hill Music pushes copyright complaints against Suno and Anthropic seeking sweeping remedies tied to training and model weights. Publisher/Author Fallout: In Singapore, sellers and authors complain about misleading auto-generated AI ads using distorted book covers, prompting publishers to publicly deny involvement. Memoir in the Spotlight: Professor Jason Arday’s memoir is set to publish as an inquest opens the day before, with his family asking for privacy while Simon & Schuster says it will proceed. Book Industry & Community: Pakistan’s National Book Foundation opened new Quaid-e-Azam and Iqbal corners and outlined a curriculum push for 2027; Ghana launched its 23rd International Book Fair with a “transforming Ghana’s future through books” theme. New Releases & Reading Culture: Ann Patchett says her next book is due Feb. 2, 2027 (children’s picture book Button at the Bookstore). Local Literacy Efforts: Evesham Vale of Tales launches author visits and events to boost children’s reading. Comics/Pop Publishing: Marvel announces a winter Avengers vs. X-Men hockey one-shot for December 2026.

Publishing Leadership & Legacy: Eddie Bell, the tough HarperCollins UK chairman nicknamed “McBastard” by Private Eye, died at 77, remembered for reshaping a commercial-minded publishing culture. Memoir & Controversy: Cambridge academic Jason Arday’s UK memoir will still be released as planned, with Simon & Schuster saying the family wants his book to “speak for itself” after his death. Press Freedom Clash: Pete Hegseth’s push against independent coverage is linked to firings at Stars and Stripes, as the paper resists becoming a state-approved mouthpiece. Books in War Zones: Ukraine says Russian strikes destroyed 1.2M+ school textbooks, with reprints targeted to reach students by November. AI & Reading Rights: Amazon’s Kindle iOS “Ask this Book” feature is drawing legal and author concerns over AI use of book content. Industry Events & Deals: Sourcebooks Casablanca’s Ann Aguirre heads to Bloomington for “The Hocus Pocus Handbook,” while Bluemoose marks 20 years with award-winning indie momentum. Christian Publishing: Xulon Press announced a new inspirational guide, “In the Midst of Adversity,” by Rev. John A. Quann Sr.

AI & Copyright in Publishing: A California judge sided with AI firms on training large language models using copyrighted books as “transformative,” while drawing a hard line on piracy—setting up a new legal fight over what publishers and authors can charge for machine reading. AI Allegations Upend Deals: On both sides of the Atlantic, publishers are pulling books and canceling multimillion-dollar contracts after unproven AI-writing claims, often powered by unreliable detection tools—leaving authors stuck before any wrongdoing is proven. Independent Publishers Push Back: Independent publishers are stepping in where big houses won’t, with one writer describing how mainstream gatekeeping can force political novels to be toned down or lose rights. Author & Community News: The 35th Atlanta Writers Conference (Nov. 6–7) returns with agent/editor pitch sessions and manuscript critiques. Manga/Comics Pipeline: Dark Horse announced an English release of Gou Tanabe’s Lovecraft manga adaptation The Case of Charles Dexter Ward for Spring 2027, and Crossed Hearts launched its Studio Hearts imprint plus new licenses at Anime NYC. Local Reading Events: Decatur Book Festival returns Oct. 2–3 with 80+ authors and free programming.

Publishing & AI Policy: A new FTC push is urging action against AI firms “shredding books” after scanning them, as publishers and authors brace for more pressure on how text is scraped and used. Digital Libraries: Jammu & Kashmir libraries are expanding access through digitisation and authenticated resources, with One Nation One Subscription framed as a major step for students and medical researchers. Book Industry Deals: Yen Press used Anime NYC to announce multiple manga and light-novel acquisitions for 2027–2029, signaling continued growth in licensed Japanese publishing. Global Book Fairs: Ghana’s 23rd International Book Fair is set for Aug. 27–30 under a “Transforming Ghana’s Future Through Books” theme, aiming to connect the whole book ecosystem. Rights & Funding: Amazon Literary Partnership named 2026 grant recipients, backing youth writing, residencies, and literary magazines across more than 25 states. Comics Retail Reality: Comix.to suffered a major outage with 502 errors, a reminder of how fragile access can be for digital readers.

AI & Books Under Fire: Advocacy groups have urged the FTC to investigate AI firms accused of scanning and then shredding physical books, including references to Anthropic’s “Project Panama” internal plan to destructively scan books. Publishing Under Attack: Ukrainian publishers asked Zelensky to convene the National Security and Defense Council over the “critical state” of the book industry after Russian strikes damaged printing and storage, with millions of books lost. Library Digitisation: Jammu & Kashmir libraries are expanding access through authenticated digital resources and initiatives like One Nation One Subscription, aiming to extend research and learning beyond physical shelves. Industry Deals & Manga Growth: Ize Press announced new Solo Leveling expansions (including Spanish releases and a Ragnarok novel) plus Whale Star: The Gyeongseong Mermaid; Yen Press revealed nine more manga/light novel acquisitions at Anime NYC. Children’s Books & Inclusion: Alberta senator Kristopher Wells unveiled a major 2SLGBTQI+ children’s literature archive, built from 350+ picture books. Comics & Pop Culture: Comix.to suffered a major outage with 502 errors, while Marvel’s Runaways return gets a “what if they didn’t run?” twist and Naruto is set for a NYCC stage reveal on Oct. 10.

Publishing Industry Under Fire: Ukrainian publishers urged President Zelensky to convene the National Security and Defense Council, saying Russian attacks have pushed the sector to the brink—about 13 million books lost over the summer and at least UAH 1.19 billion in direct damage, with calls for war-risk insurance, state textbook purchases, and faster restoration of library stock. Anime NYC Licensing Buzz: TOKYOPOP announced nine new 2027 titles (manga and manhwa), while Manga Mavericks added two new licenses for English readers, including sci-fi action MIDNIGHT ROBOT (print May 2027) and BL slice-of-life ARAI-KUN & HARUMA-SENPAI (digital Dec 2026; print June 2027). AI vs Books, Again: A new wave of reader backlash centers on Amazon tightening Kindle DRM and on fears that AI is harming children’s books and even destroying rare books for training. Book Culture & Access: A Liverpool station “book nook” opened for kids and families, and Korea’s “The Odyssey” movie surge is driving renewed demand for Homer and mythology titles. Literary World Notes: A new Panacea Review issue spotlights literary ephemera, while a debut novel, Memory’s Compass, launches with a grief-and-secrets mystery premise.

AI vs Books: A coalition of civil groups urged the FTC to probe dominant AI firms that buy physical books, scan them into private datasets, then destroy the originals—arguing it could choke competition and leave rivals with no access to key training material. Publishing Industry: Princeton University Press’ Middlemen: Literary Agents and the Making of American Fiction spotlights how agents shape deals and careers, blending history and reporting with sharp, insider-leaning analysis. Education & Reading Access: In Alaska’s Bering Strait schools, teachers pushed back on using excerpt-heavy national English curricula, saying students miss the full meaning of plays and novels. New Releases & Culture: Yen Press expanded its Anime NYC slate with four acquisitions, including a The Boy and the Beast audiobook. Book World Spotlight: Cornell UP published Cultures of the Medieval Kingdom of Jerusalem, examining the crusader-era society’s everyday life and spiritual life. Comics Preview: Absolute Wonder Woman #23 kicks off the “Heretic” arc with Diana facing the gods in Gateway City.

Book Trade Boost: Minnesota’s Coffee House Press scored a Booker Prize longlist with Makenna Goodman’s experimental novel “Helen of Nowhere,” a rare win for the small nonprofit as it battles tough publishing economics. Royal & Legal Fallout: Prince Harry’s UK return is back in focus as a court orders initial £9.54 million in costs after his failed case against the Daily Mail publisher—another expensive chapter for the Sussex brand. Publishing Meets Social Media Pressure: A new debut novel, “Unprecedented Times,” digs into how online identity and activism collide with real-life adulthood, reflecting the strain social platforms add to modern book marketing. Religious Publishing Pipeline: A preview of major upcoming liturgical and Bible revisions points to early-2027 releases, underscoring how long, collaborative scholarship drives faith publishing. Rights, Access & Censorship: “Request Denied (Again)” revisits prison censorship hurdles for outside book providers, keeping the spotlight on how access to reading gets blocked. International Book Culture: Porto Book Fair opened strong with 800 visitors in 15 minutes, while Belarus saw a fresh illustrated translation of “Uncle Remus Tales.” Industry Watch (AI): Multiple reports this week keep circling AI’s growing role in publishing—from DRM and scanning concerns to how AI tools are reshaping workflows.

Children’s Publishing Awards: Zeno Sworder’s Once I Was a Giant won Picture Book of the Year at Australia’s 2026 CBCA Awards, with a full slate of gold-sticker winners also announced. Māori Literature Spotlight: New Zealand’s children’s awards saw Māori authors and translators take major wins across most categories, including a te reo Māori YA novella award for Zeb Tamihana Nicklin. Book Marketing That Goes Off-Beat: Wellington publisher Folly is promoting erotica journal Smut via an OnlyFans channel with filmed, noir-style readings—unpaywalled, but gated behind a book purchase and QR code. Publishing Under Fire: Ukraine’s book supply chain is reeling after Russian strikes destroyed about 10 million books (roughly 30% of annual output), with the Ukrainian Book Institute urging international support. AI & Rights Clash: Music publisher Round Hill filed major copyright suits against AI firms Suno and Anthropic, alleging unauthorized scraping to train models. Ebook Access Friction: Kindle DRM changes are sparking reader backlash, with coverage focusing on workarounds and what’s being removed. Local Literacy Push: Hicksville nonprofit Book Fairies expanded its warehouse and board as it topped 6 million books distributed. True Crime Publishing: Vermont author Thea Lewis is set to publish True Crime Stories of Vermont (Sept. 29), building on her earlier Burlington-focused work.

AI & Books: Amazon says it buys books in bulk to “improve products,” but a report tied rare-book shipments to a facility where workers reportedly remove spines and scan pages, raising fresh alarms about how print content feeds AI. Library Access: One library system is swapping CloudLibrary for Hoopla, citing high ebook costs and publisher borrowing limits, while promising more titles and shorter waits. Publishing & Tech: Second Stage launched GAMEMARKETER to turn Steam data from 170,000+ titles into marketing plans, aiming to replace guesswork with competitor and audience forecasting. Local Book Culture: Barnes & Noble opened a permanent store in Stillwater, highlighting a community-first approach and local author signings. Religion & Reading Tools: Feldheim’s “Ohr Chazaq on the Parsha” pairs each Torah portion with a QR code video, betting on engagement for people who “don’t like to read.” Royal Memoir Buzz: Knopf will publish Sonia Gandhi’s memoir “Belonging” on Nov. 10, with Rahul Gandhi praising her story’s courage and love. Comics & Creator Growth: Dreamscape Publishing is expanding creator-owned comics across genres, while Cape & Cowl Con spotlights Bay Area creators and live panels.

AI & Authorship: A new wave of debate is framing AI as both a shortcut and a threat, with writers and readers questioning what “authorship” even means as generative tools spread in classrooms and publishing. Copyright & DRM: Kindle Oasis users are bracing for tougher DRM, and Libby loan rules are tightening, closing a popular ebook loophole. Libraries Under Pressure: North Carolina libraries are struggling with surging holds and pricey digital access, while Cincinnati’s free out-of-state card reciprocity ends next year. Book Industry & Retail Fallout: In Australia, Colgate and major booksellers are pulling children’s books tied to Sydney Swans player Isaac Heeney amid an AFL sanctions and police investigation. Children’s Publishing: Scholastic’s Graphix is adapting five Osamu Tezuka manga for young readers, with additional direct licenses planned. Major Memoir News: Sonia Gandhi’s memoir Belonging is set for a November 10 release. School Book Battles: Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick warns districts over “offensive” library books, threatening penalties tied to accountability ratings. Tech Litigation: A U.S. appeals court lets thousands of social media addiction lawsuits against Meta and TikTok proceed.