Mary McAveney (Abrams), Andy Hunter (Bookshop.org), and Michael Tamblyn (Kobo) to Keynote the Inaugural PUBLISHING INNOVATION FORUM, September 24-26 in Nashville, TN

Newburyport, MA (May 15, 2024)—The Firebrand Group—a global collection of companies, including Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, and Supadu Ltd—is excited to announce three inspiring keynote speakers for its inaugural Publishing Innovation Forum (#PubInnovation24). All members of the publishing industry are invited to join these influencers, along with more than 20 additional expert speakers, during this three-day event, September 24-26, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee.

The three keynote speakers are:


Andy Hunter
Founder and CEO, Bookshop.org
Andy is also the co-creator and publisher of the websites Literary Hub, Crime Reads and BookMarks, and co-founder and chairman of Electric Literature. His focus is keeping literature a vital part of our culture in the digital age. His company, Bookshop.org, is an online bookstore with an explicit mission to help promote and financially support the brick-and-mortar independent bookselling community. 

 

Mary McAveney
President and CEO, Abrams
Mary is a publishing veteran with decades of experience and expertise in marketing, strategy, and branding. McAveney is known throughout the industry as a forward-thinking innovator who delivers success based on data-driven tactics, direct-to-consumer relationships, and digital discovery. As President and CEO of Abrams, McAveney oversees the company’s three divisions—Abrams, Abrams Children’s Books, and Abrams ComicArts—as well as the Abrams Distribution Client business.

 

Michael Tamblyn
CEO, Kobo
Michael combines his passion for books and reading with a deep focus on hardware and software experiences that can make reading lives better. In addition to leading Rakuten Kobo, the global digital bestseller, he is also a Senior Executive Officer of Rakuten, the Japanese ecommerce giant.

 

 

Formerly known as the Firebrand Group Industry Conference, the Publishing Innovation Forum was rebranded in May 2024 to better reflect the event’s focus on bringing the entire publishing industry together for conversations related to evolving and adapting to the book industry’s many changes. Attendees can expect to learn how their industry peers are transforming their toughest challenges into innovations and initiatives that will successfully benefit sales, rights and permissions, marketing, audiobooks, ebooks, printing, distribution, and more.

“It’s important to all of us at the Firebrand Group that the Publishing Innovation Forum is a welcoming community of book industry professionals willing to share their collective knowledge and expertise,” said Angela Bole, CEO of Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley. “We know it’s collaborative environments like this that provide the keys to solving common challenges and ensuring our industry remains strong, informed, and ready for the future. As a collection of companies, we’re committed to fostering these environments both internally and externally.”

Sessions at the Publishing Innovation Forum will cover a variety of important topics that impact the industry. Three broad tracks (Marketing, Technology, and Business), along with numerous networking and idea-sharing opportunities, will provide learning opportunities for publishing professionals at every level. 

“We’re all in this together,” said Joshua Tallent, Firebrand Technologies’ Director of Sales & Education and lead conference programmer. “That’s why it’s so important for us to gather at events like the Publishing Innovation Forum to jointly solve problems as we plan for the future.”

Early bird registration for the Publishing Innovation Forum is available through June 30, 2024. More information, including a link to register, is available at publishinginnovationforum.com.

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About the Firebrand Group
The Firebrand Group—a global collection of companies including Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, and Supadu Ltd—offering comprehensive technology solutions to nurture book publisher success. The companies within Firebrand Group are owned by Media Do International (MD-i), the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co., Ltd, one of the largest ebook distribution companies in the world retaining the largest share of Japan’s ebook market. For more information on Media Do’s services and corporate divisions, visit mediado.jp/english.

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Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley, LLC Welcome New Chief Technology Officer


Longstanding book publishing tech companies continue to invest in strengthening their technology team with appointment of new CTO, Tom Shawver

Newburyport, MA (January 11, 2024)—Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley, LLC—each a strategic part of the Firebrand Group collection of companies owned by Media Do International (MD-i)—announced today the appointment of Tom Shawver in the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO). As CTO of both companies, Shawver will lead and refine the overall technology strategy, ensuring scalability, security, and efficiency across multiple product lines. Shawver’s official start date is January 16, 2024.

“I’m excited to be part of two companies so pivotal to book publishing and helping publishers reach their audiences in the growing digital space,” said Shawver. “Strengthening the way readers find and enjoy new stories, information, and perspectives is both a professional and personal passion of mine. Firebrand and NetGalley define the industry standard with a collection of tools absolutely vital to their publishing partners and distribution network, and I’m both humbled and invigorated to have the opportunity to expand and streamline that platform with such an experienced team.”

A lifelong technologist, Shawver has spent over 15 years leading companies of all sizes—ranging from seed-stage to the Fortune 500—in embracing cutting-edge solutions to drive growth. Before Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley, LLC, Shawver was the Chief Technology Officer at 360 Media Direct, working with both book and magazine publishers to drive digital content adoption among readers.

Starting at the ground level of the cloud computing boom, Shawver has specialized in building software platforms that scale globally, react quickly, and stay highly integrated with other industry-leading software. He maintains and contributes to widely used open source software products that power thousands of companies worldwide, focusing on security and customer identity. He holds a degree in Computer Science from Albright College, where he also studied in the Music and Digital Media programs.

“We’re beyond excited for Tom to join our teams as Chief Technology Officer,” said Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley, LLC CEO Angela Bole. “Our unique, community-focused approach to technology development creates an optimal atmosphere for innovation and product success. I’m certain Tom’s experience and personal aptitude will fit in perfectly and prove vital to the future of our companies as we continue to adapt to serve our clients’ needs.”

Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley, LLC are fully-virtual technology companies working in and for the book publishing industry. In partnership, the companies have been helping publishers manage their internal workflows, digital distribution, and marketing efforts for over 35 years with technology solutions that touch the lives of thousands of print, ebook, and audio professionals every day.

In February 2021, Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley, LLC were acquired by Media Do International (MD-i), the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co., Ltd, one of the largest ebook distribution companies in the world retaining the largest share of Japan’s $4.5 billion ebook market. Bole, former CEO of the Independent Book Publishers Association, succeeded Fran Toolan as CEO of Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley, LLC on February 1, 2023. Toolan remains on the companies’ board.

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About Firebrand Technologies
Firebrand Technologies—a strategic part of the Firebrand Group collection of companies—is dedicated to providing leading software and services to help publishers succeed. Title Management tracks titles from pre-acquisition through post-production, marketing, and sales. Eloquence on Demand is the industry gold standard for implementing ONIX and maximizing control of how data reaches the marketplace. Eloquence on Alert’s proprietary title performance monitoring service collects key, hard-to-access details about your products from major online marketplaces and review sites, and puts all of that information directly at your fingertips. Firebrand Flywheel harnesses the power of AI-supported technology to identify hidden opportunities for driving backlist sales, precisely when it matters most. For more information, visit firebrandtech.com.

About NetGalley, LLC
NetGalley helps publishers and authors promote digital review copies and audiobooks to book advocates and industry professionals. Hundreds of thousands of members rely on NetGalley’s secure, sustainable, and easy-to-use platform to discover books, share reviews, and champion literacy. The NetGalley team coordinates closely with publishers on targeted promotions, and provides training, strategy, and consultation for incorporating NetGalley into overall marketing and publicity efforts. NetGalley is a strategic part of the Firebrand Group collection of companies, which together provide leading software and services to help publishers achieve success. To learn more, visit netgalley.com/tour.

About Media Do International (MD-i)
Media Do International (MD-i) owns the Firebrand Group, a collection of companies including Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, LLC, and Supadu Ltd. that provide leading software and services to help publishers achieve success. MD-i is itself the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co. Ltd, one of the largest ebook distribution companies in the world retaining the largest share of Japan’s ebook market. Media Do Co. Ltd.’s mission is to make more content available for more people. For more information, visit mediado.jp/english.

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Firebrand Technologies Unveils Two New Products for 2024 Launch

Book publishers and other interested parties are invited to learn more during an online information session scheduled for November 15 at 4:00 PM Eastern.

Newburyport, MA (October 26, 2023)—Firebrand Technologies (www.firebrandtech.com), a leader in book industry technology solutions for over 35 years, announced two exciting new products for 2024 release during its annual user conference held October 25 in Chicago, IL. The new products—Firebrand Flywheel and Title Management Lite—were built to further empower the book publishing industry with enhanced workflow capabilities and sales opportunities.

Introducing Firebrand Flywheel
The first of its kind, Firebrand Flywheel (www.UnlockYourBacklist.com) harnesses the power of AI-supported technology to identify hidden opportunities for driving backlist sales, precisely when it matters most. Ready for client onboarding starting January 2024, Flywheel revolutionizes backlist discoverability and sales through the strategic enhancement of title information, providing technology-driven recommendations for metadata updates, a quick and easy way for these updates to go to market, and a user-friendly dashboard for real-time sales performance monitoring.

Kevin Franco, Firebrand Technologies Director of Special Projects and Flywheel’s head product manager said of the new product, “Flywheel embodies Firebrand Technologies’ dedication to creating products that empower publishers through technology solutions. Flywheel will revolutionize the way publishers optimize backlist sales by helping them pick ‘the right titles at the right time’ through its unique combination of data science and publishing acumen.”

Introducing Title Management Lite
A natural stepping stone on the path to Title Management Enterprise—Firebrand Technologies’ core book publishing workflow solution—Title Management Lite (www.firebrandtech.com/tmlite) was specially designed to meet the needs of small to mid-sized publishers. As with its sister product, Title Management Lite provides publishers the ability to manage key parts of the publishing workflow, from the very beginnings of title acquisition through scheduling, editorial, production, marketing, and publicity. Built-in starter templates and industry-standard workflows will get your team up and running quickly. However, the system is yours, and you have the power to easily adapt it to your own needs, with custom templates and schedules, custom reports, client-specific data fields, and more. Title Management Lite will be ready for client onboarding starting February 2024.

“We’re excited about the launch of Title Management Lite, something a long time in the making,” stated Joshua Tallent, Firebrand Technologies Director of Sales & Education. “Its powerful workflow solutions will be a game-changer for small to mid-sized publishers, enabling them to experience the same efficiency and productivity big publishers have known for years.”

Firebrand Group CEO Angela Bole expressed excitement about both product launches, saying, “For more than 35 years, Firebrand Technologies has developed a core understanding of the technological opportunities fundamental to book publisher success. Firebrand Technologies’ Flywheel and Title Management Lite teams have leveraged this understanding to bring two innovative products to market that are sure to have an immediate impact on publishers’ bottom lines.”

For more information about Firebrand Flywheel contact Joshua Tallent at joshua@firebrandtech.com, visit www.UnlockYourBacklist.com<, or register here for Firebrand Technologies’ live new product launch webinar on November 15, 2023 at 1:00 PM Pacific (3:00 PM Central/4:00 PM Eastern).

For more information about Title Management Lite contact Joshua Tallent at joshua@firebrandtech.com or www.firebrandtech.com/tmlite.

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About Firebrand Technologies
Firebrand Technologies—a strategic part of Firebrand Group’s family of companies—is dedicated to providing leading software and services to help publishers succeed. Title Management Enterprise tracks titles from pre-acquisition through post-production, marketing, and sales. Eloquence on Demand is the industry gold standard for implementing ONIX and maximizing control of how data reaches the marketplace. Eloquence on Alert’s proprietary title performance monitoring service collects key, hard-to-access details about your products from major online marketplaces and review sites, and puts all of that information directly at your fingertips. For more information, visit firebrandtech.com.

About Firebrand Group
Firebrand Group—a global collection of companies including Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, and Supadu Ltd—offers comprehensive technology solutions to nurture book publisher success. The companies within Firebrand Group are owned by Media Do International (MD-i), the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co., Ltd, one of the largest ebook distribution companies in the world retaining the largest share of Japan’s ebook market. For more information on Media Do’s services and corporate divisions, visit mediado.jp/english.

Firebrand Group Endorses BISG Statement on Misuse of the Subtitle Field

In May 2023, the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) released a statement reminding the industry of the proper use of the title and subtitle fields. This statement joins a 2018 statement from BIC on the same topic, and is, in many ways, a restatement of the best practices defined in the BISG’s Best Practices for Product Metadata guide.

The problem being addressed is that some publishers are including promotional and marketing text in the subtitle metadata field (and sometimes even the title field). This marketing text is promoted by data professionals outside the book industry as a method for better product discoverability on certain retailers. However, a problem arises when those metadata differences spread throughout the supply chain. Extraneous content in the title and subtitle fields can cause issues for distributors, data aggregators, libraries and other parts of the supply chain that use those fields to properly identify the product in question.

Firebrand Group’s supporting statement reads:

“Firebrand Group—a global collection of technology companies including Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, and Supadu Ltd—fully supports BISG and this latest set of best practice guidelines. Misusing clearly defined metadata fields muddies the waters for everyone in the publishing industry and creates inefficiencies. By following BISG guidelines, for this and other key fields, more books will more easily reach more readers.”

Firebrand Group’s supporting statement joins statements from other industry leaders.

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About Firebrand Group
Firebrand Group—a global collection of companies including Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, and Supadu Ltd—offers comprehensive technology solutions to nurture book publisher success. The Firebrand Group is owned by Media Do International (MD-i), the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co., Ltd, one of the largest ebook distribution companies in the world retaining the largest share of Japan’s ebook market. For more information, visit firebrandtech.com. For more information on Media Do’s services and corporate divisions, visit mediado.jp/english.

Firebrand Technologies Launches Cost Effective Metadata Review Service

Automated quality assessment process provides practical results that help publishers increase book sales.

Countless studies have shown that increasing quality of your metadata can directly correlate to increased visibility and sales for your titles. The problem most publishers have is just not knowing whether their metadata is of the necessary quality.

Firebrand Technologies’ Metadata Review Service is the perfect solution to that problem!

For a small one-time fee, we will run your entire product list through an automated quality assessment process that looks at four key metadata elements that can impact the visibility and sales of your books:

  • Keywords
  • BISAC subject codes
  • Author biography
  • Long description

After the assessment is run, you will receive a report describing where this metadata does not currently meet industry recommendations, as well as a 30-minute consultation call to drill into the results and to discuss practical ways you can use that information to enhance your metadata and increase your sales.

Once you complete your metadata cleanup, we will run your metadata through the assessment tool again to compare your results, and provide you with another 30-minute consultation.

Have questions? Want to sign up? Contact us today!

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About Firebrand Technologies
Firebrand Technologies, a strategic part of Firebrand Group, is dedicated to providing leading software and services to help publishers achieve success. Title Management Enterprise tracks titles from pre-acquisition through post-production, marketing, and sales. Eloquence on Demand is the industry gold standard for implementing ONIX and maximizing control of how data reaches the marketplace. Eloquence on Alert’s proprietary title performance monitoring service collects key, hard-to-access details about your products from major online marketplaces and review sites, and puts all of that information directly at your fingertips. For more information, visit firebrandtech.com.

Announcing the 2023 Firebrand Technologies Community Conference: Oct 25 in Chicago, IL

It’s happening! Are you ready?!

Join your industry colleagues and the Firebrand Technologies team for one day of practical training, innovative thinking, connecting with peers, and in-depth discussion on topics that will impact your business. We are thrilled to bring together this exceptional community of book publishers once again.

Become your team’s expert in Firebrand Technologies’ products by attending the annual Firebrand Technologies Community Conference on October 25, 2023 in Chicago, IL. This year, the conference will be held at the beautiful Newberry Library. What better place to discuss publishing than a beautiful research library?!

You won’t want to miss this valuable and knowledgeable training opportunity! Join your industry colleagues and team members from Firebrand for a full day of intense, practical training, innovative thinking, connecting with peers, and in-depth discussions on topics that will impact your business.

This one-day Community Conference will feature deep dive training on Title Management Enterprise, Eloquence on Demand, and Eloquence on Alert. If you use any of these tools on a regular basis, this is the event for you!

Who should attend:

  • Executives and Publishers looking to network with peers and talk about strategic issues that are affecting the industry.
  • Corporate Insights, Business Ops, and Data Analysts interested in early marketing activity and reports, as well as alerts about product changes on retail sites.
  • Title Management users and administrators, including anyone from Editorial, Production, Marketing, IT, and more.
  • Eloquence on Demand and Eloquence on Alert users, including anyone interested in learning more about metadata, the power of data for marketing backlist titles, and other data-informed strategies for growth.

Register today to ensure your space and take advantage of the Early Bird Discount rate!

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About Firebrand Technologies
Firebrand Technologies, a strategic part of Firebrand Group, is dedicated to providing leading software and services to help publishers achieve success. Title Management Enterprise tracks titles from pre-acquisition through post-production, marketing, and sales. Eloquence on Demand is the industry gold standard for implementing ONIX and maximizing control of how data reaches the marketplace. Eloquence on Alert’s proprietary title performance monitoring service collects key, hard-to-access details about your products from major online marketplaces and review sites, and puts all of that information directly at your fingertips. For more information, visit firebrandtech.com.

BISG Appoints Firebrand Technologies’ Joshua Tallent as Board Chair Beginning July 1, 2023

Firebrand Technologies’ Joshua Tallent (second from left) pictured at the April 28, 2023 BISG Annual Meeting of Members alongside Firebrand Group colleagues (from l to r) Paul Milana (Director of Professional Services, Firebrand Technologies), Angela Bole (CEO, Firebrand Group), Kristina Radke (VP of Business Growth & Engagement, NetGalley), and Mary Pratt (Director of Product Management, NetGalley).

Newburyport, MA (May 3, 2023) — Firebrand Group—a global collection of companies including Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, and Supadu—is pleased to announce the appointment of Joshua Tallent, Firebrand Technologies’ Director of Sales and Education, to the position of Book Industry Study Group (BISG) Board Chair. The appointment was confirmed during the BISG Annual Meeting of Members, held April 28, 2023 in New York City. Joshua’s term as Chair starts July 1, 2023 and will continue for two years.

An acclaimed teacher and guide, Joshua has focused on the role of data in book publishing for over 20 years and is a vocal advocate for high quality book metadata. In his role at Firebrand Technologies, he helps publishers learn about and find solutions to their workflow and metadata problems. Joshua was first elected to the BISG Board of Directors in June 2020 and has served as Vice Chair of the Board for the past year. He also serves on the BISG Metadata and Workflow Committees.

In addition to his involvement with BISG, Joshua hosts the Booksmarts Podcast, featuring insightful discussions on the business of publishing and interviews with industry experts.

“Joshua is perfectly suited for this appointment,” said Firebrand Group CEO Angela Bole. “He has the right outlook on data quality and a measured approach to problem solving. I look forward to the myriad ways he will help lead BISG into the future.”

“I’m honored and excited to take on the role as BISG’s Board Chair,” Joshua said. “BISG’s focus on the complete supply chain makes it the perfect place to build relationships across the entire publishing industry.”

BISG is a professional trade association made up of a diverse slate of publishers, manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors, libraries, retailers, and industry partners. Through its committees, events, and publications, BISG collaborates with all members of the publishing community to help the industry run more effectively and efficiently.

Following Joshua’s two-year term as BISG Board Chair, he is slated to serve two additional years as Immediate Past Chair.

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About Firebrand Group
Firebrand Group—a global collection of companies including Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, and Supadu Ltd—offers comprehensive technology solutions to nurture book publisher success. The Firebrand Group is owned by Media Do International (MD-i), the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co., Ltd, one of the largest ebook distribution companies in the world retaining the largest share of Japan’s ebook market. For more information, visit firebrandtech.com. For more information on Media Do’s services and corporate divisions, visit mediado.jp/english.

About Firebrand Technologies
Firebrand Technologies, a strategic part of Firebrand Group, is dedicated to providing leading software and services to help publishers achieve success. Title Management Enterprise tracks titles from pre-acquisition through post-production, marketing, and sales. Eloquence on Demand is the industry gold standard for implementing ONIX and maximizing control of how data reaches the marketplace. Eloquence on Alert’s proprietary title performance monitoring service collects key, hard-to-access details about your products from major online marketplaces and review sites, and puts all of that information directly at your fingertips. For more information, visit firebrandtech.com.

About the Book Industry Study Group, Inc. (BISG)
The Book Industry Study Group (BISG) is the book industry’s leading trade association for standards, education, and research and information. BISG facilitates the connections and conversations that solve common problems, advance new ideas, and more profitably bring published content to readers.

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Introducing Kevin Franco: Our New EoA Product Manager

We are excited to announce that Kevin Franco is the new product manager for Eloquence on Alert. Kevin replaces Catherine Toolan, who retired from the company on February 1, 2023. He has been with Firebrand for almost 2 years and has extensive experience in digital marketing and building innovative products for the publishing industry.

Kevin has spent the past few months getting up to speed on EoA and is excited to be running the program.

If you have any questions about Eloquence on Alert, please contact us!

Firebrand Group Welcomes New CEO Angela Bole

Firebrand Group (FBG), the book industry’s leading technology company for cutting edge software and services, announced today the official placement of Angela Bole in the role of Chief Executive Officer. Her appointment to succeed previous CEO Fran Toolan was initially announced on June 9, 2022. Since then, Ms. Bole has worked alongside Mr. Toolan, the FBG Board of Directors, and various members of the FBG management team to ensure a smooth transition.

Ms. Bole joins Firebrand Group—a collection of companies including Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley LLC, and Supadu Ltd—at a pivotal moment in the company’s 35 year history. Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley were acquired by Media Do International (MD-i), the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co., Ltd, in 2021; Supadu in 2022. Today, this unique collection of companies, now all co-located under the Firebrand Group umbrella, provides publishers with cohesive tools to effectively manage internal workflows, external marketing, and eventual sales.

Previous to Firebrand Group, Ms. Bole served as CEO of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). Throughout her time at IBPA her mission was “to lead and serve independent publishers through advocacy, education, and tools for success.” Ms. Bole is highly regarded in the book industry for raising the profile and visibility of the IBPA, and for encouraging book publishing best practices and the highest industry standards.

“We are excited to be joined by Angela Bole who will head up Firebrand Group,” says Daihei Shiohama, President and CEO of Media Do International, Inc. “We are fortunate to have secured Ms. Bole whose considerable experience and knowledge of the industry will take our family of companies forward in its next phase of development.”

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About the Firebrand Group – The Firebrand Group, consisting of Firebrand Technologies, NetGalley, and Supadu, provides leading software and services to help publishers achieve success. The Firebrand Group is owned by Media Do International (MD-i), the US-based subsidiary of Japan’s Media Do Co., Ltd, one of the largest ebook distribution companies in the world retaining the largest share of Japan’s ebook market. For more information, visit firebrandtech.com. For more information on Media Do’s services and corporate divisions, visit mediado.jp/english.