True Blood Helps Publisher Penguin Turn a Profit

The economic crisis is hitting all industries, especially those that produce items considered “non-necessities” like books. But publishing house Penguin actually posted record profits in 2008, helped in large part by the stories of a certain telepathic barmaid in Bon Temps, Louisiana:

[CEO] Mr. Shanks also credited mass market paperback sales of the Sookie Stackhouse series of vampire novels by Charlaine Harris, which formed the basis of the HBO hit True Blood.

“Much to everybody’s glee, the biggest piece from last year was from the much maligned mass market piece of our business,” Mr. Shanks said, referring to the lackluster sales that mass market titles have suffered in recent years. “It made the industry realize that if you have something people want in mass market, it’s still a very viable format.”

A boxed set of the first seven titles in the series helped Penguin score one of its best Decembers ever, Mr. Shanks said.

(source)

Look at that. Sookie fans are providing our own economic stimulus package!