Latest News from The Bookseller

'Reconfiguration' of Man Booker International Prize The Man Booker International Prize and the International Foreign Fiction Prize are to merge to create one annual award for a work of literary fiction translated into English. Jonathan Taylor, chair of the Man Booker Foundation, said at a press conference this morning (7th July) that the Man Booker International Prize used to lose momentum in the years it was not awarded, as it was given every two years. He also said it was difficult to understand, being awarded for a body of work rather than an individual title.

Sunday trading restrictions to be relaxed The Chancellor of the Exchequer is said to be preparing to announce tomorrow (8th July) that he will give local authorities responsibility for Sunday trading laws. Currently all shops in the UK can open for six hours between 10am and 6pm on a Sunday. Small shops, those covering less than 3,000 square foot, are able to stay open for longer. Under Osborne’s plans, towns and cities in the UK would be able to let larger shops stay open for longer on Sundays, meaning some smaller retailers could be affected.

Campaign for Harper Lee revealed Harper Lee’s highly-anticipated forthcoming novel Go Set a Watchman (William Heinemann) will be BBC Radio 4’s "Book at Bedtime" and the Guardian Bookshop’s inaugural Bookshop Book of the Month. The marketing and publicity campaign for the book, which is released on Tuesday 14th July, features advertising across major sites including London Waterloo station, as well as extensive media coverage. Go Set a Watchman will be BBC Radio 4’s "Book at Bedtime" for two weeks from 10th August.

Crossley joins Hachette Children’s as pre-school publisher Hachette Children’s Group (HCG) has appointed Heather Crossley, current publisher of Ladybird Books, to the newly created role of pre-school and baby publisher. Starting in early autumn, Crossley will create a new pre-school and baby imprint. She will report directly to c.e.o. Hilary Murray Hill.

Caine Prize winner shares her £10k award Zambia's Namwali Serpell has won the 2015 Caine Prize for African Writing, and is to share her £10,000 prize money with her fellow shortlistees. Serpell won the award with short story "The Sack" from Africa39 (Bloomsbury).

SAGE London revenues steady in 2014 SAGE London recorded revenues of just under £105m for the 52 weeks to end 27th December 2014, a marginal drop from the previous year (£105.1m), with the 2014 figure likely to reflect the impact of foreign exchange. According to financial results filed at Companies House this week, export sales for the London business fell from £73.1m to £72.4m; however UK sales rose to £23.4m (£22.7m in 2013).

Public vote to find Audible sitcom Audible.co.uk will tomorrow (7th July) launch This is Your Pilot Speaking!, a public vote to find its first original British sitcom. Listeners will be able to hear five comedy pilots commissioned by Audible Originals. They will then be asked to give the pilots a star rating, with the pilot receiving the highest rating being made into a full series. This is the first time that Audible, which is a subsidiary of Amazon, has commissioned original comedy content in the UK. The pilots involve some of the UK’s best known comedians, including Hugh Dennis and Kevin Eldon.

Quentin Blake criticises colouring books Quentin Blake has warned that colouring books can limit children’s imaginations, according to the Times. The illustrator told the newspaper that he is “completely against” the use of colouring in as a way of teaching children to draw.

Authors in William Blake cottage fundraiser Authors including Deborah Levy, SJ Watson and Rowan Coleman are to take part in an event to celebrate the life and work of William Blake, and raise funds to help buy Blake’s cottage. Celebrating William Blake, at Waterstones Piccadilly on Saturday 19th September, will feature Blake-themed readings, discussion and interpretations. Also taking part in the evening will be writers and artists George Szirtes, Daljit Nagra, Alex Marwood, Katherine Ellis, and Richard Skinner, who is director of fiction at Faber Academy as well as a poet.

Kids' poetry tour for Emma Press Independent publisher Emma Press is launching a 15-date national poetry tour for children aged 9-12, thanks to a grant from Arts Council England. Starting today (7th July) with an event at the Tales on Moon Lane Festival in London, the publisher will run a series of storytelling and poetry-writing workshops with poets including Joseph Coelho (whose poetry has been published by Frances Lincoln), Kate Wakeling (Salt) and Andrew Wynn Owen (Emma Press).

Davies signs 10-book deal with Graffeg Author Nicola Davies has signed a deal to write 10 children’s books, including picture books and rhyming stories, for independent Welsh publisher Graffeg. The first titles are scheduled for publication in spring 2016 and include The Word Bird, an illustrated rhyme book, for young children and Perfect, a short story about the relationship between a child and his disabled sibling.

Picture book from rapper 'Doc Brown' The Walker Books Group will next year publish a picture book by rapper and actor Ben Bailey Smith across the Walker Entertainment and Candlewick Entertainment imprints. Smith, who raps under the name Doc Brown, has penned I Am Bear, a rap-style read-aloud story about a mischievous bear. The book is illustrated by Sav Akyüz, who worked as a storyboard artist on the John Lewis "Bear and Hare" Christmas advert.