This year has brought a mini-trend in the licensed publishing industry: actors writing books or comic books that take place in the universe in which they played a role, and more often than not feature the character they portrayed. These books enhance fan engagement, adding layers of interest and authenticity to the reading experience. Three […]
Archive | Publishing
Cozy and Collaborative
Cozy coloring books are one of the trends driving increased sales in the activity book segment within the publishing industry this year. These appeal to all ages, including a significant readership of adults who are looking for mindful activities and appreciate the cute drawings. Unlike the detailed, sophisticated illustrations in the adult or advanced coloring […]
A Passion for Romance Novels
The strength of the romance category in the publishing industry has led to several outbound licensing programs of late (as we have covered here and here). These include examples that have crossed into mainstream distribution, such as Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series, as well as many more specialist programs targeting bookish readers mostly through e-commerce and […]
Shelf Décor by the Book
By Karen Raugust on June 1, 2026 in Character/Entertainment, Collectibles, House and home, Licensing, Publishing
The mainstream popularity of book nooks is credited to a Japanese artist known as Monde, who created realistic and detailed miniature Tokyo scenes to slide in among the books on a bookshelf, showing them at a design event in that city in 2019. Photos of his work immediately went viral. Book nooks have been gaining […]
Falling in Love with Romance Merchandise
IPs tied to romance books are expanding their footprint in the licensing business. Licensees and retailers, particularly bookstores, have been asking for merchandise to reach these books’ loyal and large fan bases. New partners for romance properties include a growing list of traditional licensing-business manufacturers and retailers, in addition to marketers of “bookish” merchandise. The […]
Licensing Business Heads to the Library
Property owners worldwide are increasingly putting libraries at the center of promotions, merchandise, or other initiatives. As the following examples show, each venture to date in this relatively untapped space has been unique in design, implementation, and objectives, but each involves a library, library system, or libraries in general as partner, location, and/or theme: Singapore’s […]
Chef-Authored Books Call Kids to the Kitchen
More and more chefs are getting into children’s books, either by signing with publishers or through self-publishing. Some of the titles are focused on cooking and recipes, spurring kids’ interest in the craft; some are autobiographical, meant to inspire, comfort, or help young readers feel included; and some are original fiction with a message. All […]
True Romantasy
Romance books — and particularly “romantasy” titles, which bring together elements of romance and fantasy — have been rising in popularity since 2021 and currently represent one of the fastest-growing sectors of the publishing industry. U.S. unit sales for romance overall in the first half of 2025 were up 24% compared to the same period in […]
Read All About It
Read-alouds of licensed books have become key components of the YouTube channels operated by owners of kids’ character and entertainment properties. The read-aloud genre, which consists of video productions depicting children, celebrities, or other narrators reading published books, one per episode, saw a boost during the pandemic lockdowns and has continued to thrive. The experience […]
A Recipe for Success
Licensed cookbooks historically have been connected to a limited number of closely related properties, such as food brands, restaurants, and chefs, with other property types popping up very occasionally. Over the last few years, however, cookbooks have become a standard format to be considered as part of licensed publishing programs tied to entertainment and pop-culture […]