Penguin & Random House To Merge

It's being reported everywhere (like this article in the New York Times), Penguin and Random House will become Penguin Random House!

"The merger will create the largest consumer book publisher in the world, with a global market share of more than 25 percent."

That's one out of every four books!

Certainly the landscape of publishing is changing.

Markus Dohle of Random House will be chief executive of the new entity, and in letters to the author, agent and bookselling communities, wrote:

“For us, separately and in partnership, it is and always will be about the books. Your books.”

He also said in an interview with PW that "his goal is to leverage the resources of the new company while creating a small company culture where publishers, authors, and editors can feel at home. That can be done, Dohle said, by maintaining distinct imprints and publishing groups."

Once it passes the regulatory hurdles, this would bring the number of major American publishing houses down from six to five.  Some analysts are predicting more mergers moving forward.  From the New York Times article,

“I wouldn’t be surprised if all the major trade publishers were having conversations like this,” said Ned May, an analyst at Outsell, a research firm. “I would expect to see similar realignment.”

And from an article at digital book world comes this version (among many) of what the new Penguin Random House logo might look like:

Possible Logo designed by Joe Encarnacion, creative director at Hatchback Studios

Important news for all of us Children's Book Writers and Illustrators to know.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee