This edition of Today in Books is sponsored by our Unusual Suspects giveaway of $100 to the bookstore of your choice!
Wondering What Two First-Edition Harry Potter Books Are Worth?
So did a schoolteacher who took her two signed first-edition Harry Potter books on the Antiques Roadshow. Making these especially valuable is that they were signed before Rowling had gotten famous so she’d actually included a personalized note in the books. Justin Croft evaluated the books and placed their combined value between $2,600 to $3,900.
Wattpad Is Creating A Publishing Division
Wattpad is known as a storytelling application where writers upload original stories and fan fiction, which recently adapted a story into a Netflix film: The Kissing Booth. Rather than continuing to work with publishers to adapt its stories Wattpad has created a publishing division–but it’s not going to work exactly like publishing. Rather than editors choosing what stories to publish as books, they’ll be using technology to scan/analyze the content and pick what it believes will be a commercial success.
We’re Getting a YA Anna Karenina Series
I love hearing “in a competitive situation” for book adaptations. This time it was over Anna K, an upcoming YA novel by Jenny Lee that’s a multicultural retelling of Anna Karenina. Lee will also be writing the TV adaptation. We’re gonna make all the popcorn–now if you’ll excuse me I need to go see who I have to beg for a galley.