Valsoft Corporation Announces Acquisition of the Firebrand Group Collection of Companies

MONTREAL, QC, October 6, 2026 – Valsoft Corporation Inc. (“Valsoft”), a Montreal-based company specializing in the acquisition and development of vertical market software businesses, today announced the acquisition of Firebrand Technologies (“Firebrand”), NetGalley LLC (“NetGalley”), and Supadu Ltd (“Supadu”), together known as the Firebrand Group—a global collection of companies providing leading software and services that help publishers succeed. Valsoft acquired the Firebrand Group from Media Do International, the US-based subsidiary of MEDIA DO Ltd., in Japan.

Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Newburyport, Massachusetts, Firebrand Technologies provides title management and metadata software publishers use to plan, manage, and distribute book data to retailers and trading partners around the world. Its flagship platform, Title Management Enterprise, runs the publishing workflow from acquisition through publication, keeping schedules, rights, costs, and metadata in one system of record. Eloquence on Demand distributes that title data, along with covers and digital files, to retailers, wholesalers, and distributors.

NetGalley, founded in 2008, is the industry standard for digital galley distribution and book marketing. Nearly 1 million book advocates and trade professionals rely on NetGalley’s secure, sustainable platform to discover new titles, share reviews, and champion literacy worldwide. With a global presence spanning the US, UK, Germany, France, and Japan, NetGalley is the bridge between authors, publishers, and the world’s most influential readers.

Supadu, founded in 2010 and based in London, United Kingdom, builds websites, ecommerce, and discovery tools that help publishers sell directly to readers and get more value from their metadata.

Together, the three companies serve publishers of every size, from the Big Five to independent, university, and religious presses, along with the booksellers, librarians, educators, reviewers, and media who discover and promote new titles.

“Firebrand, NetGalley, and Supadu are trusted names that publishers depend on every day. We’re ecstatic to continue building and investing in the technology that helps a title from the moment it’s created to the moment it reaches a reader. We’re excited to partner with the passionate team that shows up every day to make life better and more productive for everyone in the book industry,” said Anthony Caruso, Managing Partner at Valsoft.

Firebrand, NetGalley, and Supadu will continue to operate autonomously, with their leadership teams and employees remaining in place. As part of the Valsoft ecosystem, the companies will benefit from shared expertise, operational support, and long-term investment, while preserving their entrepreneurial culture and strong customer focus.

Valsoft was represented internally by David Felicissimo (General Counsel), Shinjay Choi (Senior Legal Counsel), Oliver Gray (Senior Legal Counsel, M&A), and Pamela Romero (Paralegal).

About the Firebrand Group Collection of Companies

Firebrand Technologies provides leading software and services that help publishers succeed. At Firebrand Technologies, we believe that intelligent technology paired with human expertise is the key to increased accessibility, sales, and efficiency, igniting publisher success and bettering lives.

Firebrand Technologies’ flagship platform, Title Management Enterprise, runs the whole publishing workflow from acquisition through publication, keeping schedules, rights, costs and metadata in one system of record. Eloquence on Demand sends that title data, along with covers and digital files, to retailers, wholesalers and distributors around the world.

NetGalley is the industry standard for digital galley distribution and book marketing. Nearly 1 million book advocates and trade professionals rely on NetGalley’s secure, sustainable platform to discover new titles, share reviews, and champion literacy worldwide. With a global presence spanning the US, UK, Germany, France, and Japan, NetGalley is the bridge between authors, publishers, and the world’s most influential readers.

Supadu global services help publishers and booksellers make their books easier to discover and readers to buy. Its metadata automation powers publisher websites and book discovery online, while its ecommerce tools and fulfillment integrations help publishers sell print books, ebooks and audiobooks directly to readers.

For more information, please visit: www.firebrandtech.com, www.netgalley.com, and www.supadu.com

About Valsoft

Valsoft acquires and develops vertical market software businesses that provide mission-critical solutions in their respective niches. Valsoft’s strategy is to invest for the long term, enabling businesses to benefit from global expertise, shared best practices, and a decentralized structure that allows them to retain their entrepreneurial spirit while achieving sustainable growth.

For more information, please visit: www.valsoftcorp.com

Media Contact

Communications and Public Relations Valsoft Corporation communications@valsoftcorp.com

Six Things We Learned at the IPG Autumn Conference

The IPG Autumn Conference took place on 10th September at the Shaw Theatre, and once again proved to be an instructive, engaging and expansive look at the challenges and opportunities for all Independent publishers. But for the 300 attendees, one subject seemed to dominate: AI. Not one session seemed to go by without it being mentioned – but it is how it was mentioned that was most striking. Here’s what we learned from the day:

1. Indies are using AI more than ever…

According to a recent IPG survey, AI adoption among independent publishers reached 76% in 2026, up from 42% in 2023. In their session Jamie Hodder Williams of Bedford Square Publishers, Kate Parkin of Firefinch Publishing and Will Atkinson of Wilton Square and Eye Books said that AI had now become part of their administrative workflow. However, they were very, very clear that they would not use AI for generating creative work.

**2. … and indies could become the driver of AI adoption in publishing.**

In her session, AI in Independent Publishing, Dr Miriam Johnson of Oxford Brookes University suggested that the AI debate has changed from “Can We?” to “Should We?”. This seemed particularly apposite in the Soundings from Audio talk.

In it, Matt Sweet from ElevenLabs played an AI generated version of The Odyssey, narrated by an authorised AI version of Michael Caine. He also explained that only 5% of ebooks have a corresponding audiobook, and that an AI generated audiobook can be produced for around $50 per hour of play, rather than $500 per hour for a traditional production.

With audio still booming, and still finding new listeners, it’s no surprise that AI generated audiobooks look so attractive to publishers looking for additional sales. This was also borne out by the fact that the number of AI audiobooks released increased by 90k YOY in 2026, but generated very small revenues of around $600k.

The question for Indies is therefore“Should We?” and if the answer is yes, and consumers agree, it might change the landscape of audiobook publishing.

3. It’s the Stupid Economy, stupid.

In her opening keynote, BBC Chief Economics Correspondent Dharshini David painted a dark, depressing picture of the UK economy. The first slide said that had we kept the pace of pre-2007 growth, UK workers would be around £10k per year better off; instead, we are effectively worse off than before. Brexit disproportionately affected Small Medium & Enterprise (SME) businesses – a bracket into which most IPG publishers fit – while inflation has hit books harder because people’s expectations of what a book costs have not much shifted in the last decade.

These are far from the only factors at play. Weak wage growth, chronic underinvestment, skills mismatch and rising welfare costs have played havoc with Britain’s ability to compete on a world stage. It means that publishers are being squeezed from all angles, even from the kinds of people who might buy their products. Higher education trends that favour high-return degrees over performing arts and languages, means the publishing industry faces a new generation of readers who perhaps no longer read for pleasure.

4. Direct-to-Consumer works – you just need to work out how to do it for you…

Jeremy Weill, Founder and CEO of Colour Your Streets, talked through setting up his company from his kitchen to turning it into a multi-million dollar business through D2C sales. His approach of capturing data on customers first, funneling them through a set process of engagement, and also upselling at all times was impressive.

Jeremy spoke engagingly about experimenting with different spaces – Facebook, Instagram etc – as well as his experiment with TV advertising. As traditional television viewing has declined, advertising on it has become more affordable. Jeremy sees this as an effective way to reach new audiences, but their core marketing remains online.

5… and how it works now!

With direct-to-consumer routes expanding, and retail algorithms shifting, traditional search optimization is just not enough. Discussions emphasized that publishers must improve and rigorously own their metadata – particularly output-shaping metadata like targeted audience definitions and citations – to ensure titles remain visible across evolving AI search platforms and online booksellers. It’s a subject we have looked at before, and you can find our guide to GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) here.

6. It’s not all Doom and AI!

At the keynote address at the top of the day, IPG President Oliver Gadsby said that the members of the IPG contributed over £2 billion to the UK economy, and are still making great books.

In her closing address, Susie Dent – lexicographer turned crime novelist – said that we all needed to remember that while systems, algorithms, and business models evolve, the publisher’s essential purpose remains rooted in human storytelling, craftsmanship, and the celebration of language.She also introduced us to a most delightful word: vellichor, which describes the must and smell of second-hand bookshops.

The mood was thoughtful and reflective, but it will be interesting to see what developments have been made via AI when we come to the IPG Spring Conference in 2027.

Trends: How to Meet the Moment

A guest article written by Ashleigh Heaton of Enchantress Marketing

As book marketers, we’re used to making the moment around a publication date, but jumping on a trend is about meeting the moment. Unlike launch campaigns, trend promotions require more flexibility and fast action. When you see something happening, be ready to jump in: these moments are fleeting.

Stop Chasing Trends: Alright, I know this sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out. Just as every book isn’t right for every reader, not every trend is right for every book. When you see a trend happening, first ask yourself: “Does this connect to my book or audience in an authentic, meaningful way?” If the answer is no, don’t add to the noise. Focus your energy on what actually works, not on chasing trends.

Sentiment Signals: This is a fancy industry term for “checking the vibe”. Signals come in many forms, be it social listening tools, reader reviews, or search aggregate tools. When it comes to trends, the key is to look for patterns: what keeps popping up?

Social listening: One of the most reliable ways to receive live, of-the-moment feedback from readers, especially on Bookstagram and BookTok. While there are plenty of paid options to gather social listening data, you can often do a deep dive yourself by looking through comments, hashtags, and trending formats. Be specific with your query, and always ask a question that you plan to take action on.

Plan Ahead: Some trends can be predicted–or, at least, anticipated. Make a habit of looking at upcoming events, media releases, or cultural beats that are likely to generate conversation. For example, romance publishers should always know when the next season of Bridgerton is set to drop, because it always sparks conversation about the genre (and a viral VSQ meme.) Notice when trends are cyclical or seasonal. For social, have templates on hand for rapid response posting.

Ashleigh Heaton is an accomplished book marketing expert based in New York City and the founder of Enchantress Marketing, a full-service book marketing agency for authors and publishers. With over a decade of experience in Big 5 publishing and 113+ career bestsellers, Ashleigh launched Enchantress in 2026 to bring her bespoke approach to clients both in and beyond the traditional publishing landscape. Fluent in fandom, her expertise and passion range across all things genre, including books with magic, spaceships, vampires, and/or kissing.

An Ode to Micro-Influencers, Part 2

The People Behind the Posts Share Their Best Advice

In Part 1 of our Ode to Micro-Influencers, we made the case for looking beyond follower counts and building relationships with micro-influencers. But what does that actually look like in practice? We asked publishing professional, Jillian Hinz, Digital Media Coordinator from PR by the Book and book influencer Laraib at literarycatlady_ to share what they look for, what works, and what they wish authors and publishers knew.

Publicist’s View: Jillian Hinz, Digital Media Coordinator, PR by the Book

What do you look for when you work with a micro-influencer?

For us, the biggest thing is authenticity, not simply audience size. We look for micro-influencers who have built real trust with a clearly defined community and whose interests genuinely align with the book. We also look at how a creator actually talks about books. Are they thoughtful about their recommendations? Do their followers respond, ask questions, and share their own opinions? Are they consistently creating content rather than simply posting sponsored or gifted books? Those signals tell us much more than a follower count.

For authors, micro-influencers can be especially powerful because their recommendations often feel like they are coming from a fellow reader rather than a traditional advertisement. That personal connection is exactly what we want to tap into.

Any particular amazing success stories?

Some of our most successful influencer campaigns have come from finding creators who are incredibly specific about what they love. Rather than trying to put a book in front of the biggest possible audience, we focus on finding the right audience.

We have also seen success outside of traditional book influencers. For some of our nonfiction titles, the strongest partners can be creators in adjacent communities: architecture and urban design creators for a book about neighborhood development or legal creators and law students for a book centered on real cases. Those audiences may be smaller, but the alignment can make the resulting conversation much more meaningful.

The takeaway for us is that the “success story” isn’t always the post with the biggest reach. Sometimes it is the creator whose audience immediately understands why the book belongs in their world.

Some examples of influencer posts:

Anything to avoid?

We try to avoid treating micro-influencers like a numbers game. A large follower count does not automatically translate into influence, and chasing vanity metrics can lead to partnerships that don’t feel authentic. We also avoid overly scripted partnerships. If a creator has built a relationship with their audience around a particular voice, we want to give them room to use that voice. The goal is to give them the right book and the right information and not dictate exactly what they should say.

Finally, we look for genuine engagement rather than inflated or superficial metrics. An account can have thousands of followers but very little meaningful conversation. On the other hand, a smaller creator may have a highly engaged community that trusts their recommendations. For books, that trust is incredibly valuable. Our biggest piece of advice is simple: don’t underestimate the “micro.” The right small creator can have a much bigger impact than a large creator who is simply a demographic match.

Influencer’s View: Laraib H., @literarycatlady_

What does all of this look like from the other side? We also spoke with literary content creator Laraib H. (@literarycatlady_) about what she looks for when deciding whether to work with an author or publisher, and what can turn a one-time interaction into a lasting relationship.

What do you look for when deciding to work with an author or publisher?

The first thing I look at is credibility. Who is this person/company and what do they publish? I think about how much time I can invest in our partnership. I want to make sure it aligns with the kinds of books I read or am interested in. Because if I do decide to work with them I want us both to help one another.

Any particular success stories about creating a relationship with authors or publishers?

I reached out to Harper360 and told them about my interest. I included my follower count and a little bit about what I post. They were really receptive and took the time to look through my information and added me to their creator circle. I recently met an author, M.S. Masood at BookCon and we really connected! Now I’m moderating an author talk with her in the fall and she asked me personally. I’m really happy I built that relationship with her enough for her to ask me.

Any tips for authors who want to reach out?

A good tip I would give is reach out to creators that you trust and see yourself working with in the future! I think reaching out to small creators is important. Don’t ignore them.

An Ode to Micro-Influencers

Why Trust Matters More Than Follower Count

Wade through any list of “top book influencers” and you’ll land on familiar names: reviewers with six-figure followings, brand deals, and a mountain of publisher gift boxes stacked in the background of posts. We love these reviewers and they’ve earned their reach! But today, we’re singing the praises of the micro-influencers whose impact often exceeds their follower count.

What Is a Micro-Influencer?

A micro-influencer is generally defined as someone with a following under 100,000 people. In the book reviewing community specifically, the number isn’t as significant as the influence. Trust is the foundation of a literary micro-influencer’s success rather than size.

Micro-influencers’ followers choose to stick around because they consistently deliver authentic, personal, and relevant recommendations. Think of the romance reviewer with 4,200 followers, whose readers pre-order everything she recommends. Or the horror BookToker with 18,000 followers whose stitch-duets move backlist titles years after publication. Post after post, these influencers prove they understand a specific genre, subgenre, microtrope, or reading mood better than almost anyone else.

Their Role in Helping Books Succeed

While scale has been, and always will be, a carrot that book publicists chase for book marketing, scale isn’t the same thing as conversion, and conversion is what actually sells books.

Micro-influencers tend to outperform on the metrics that matter most: click-through rates, saves, and comments that become actual conversations. They’re also great at one of our favorite metrics of interest: the word-of-mouth effect that gets people in a certain community talking, recommending, and buying.

Arcadia Publishing recommends following this formula to calculate an influencer’s level of engagement with their community: “Take the median number of engagements (likes, comments, etc.) across all the influencer’s posts on a particular profile, divide by the total number of followers, then multiply by 100. So if an influencer has 10,000 followers and averages 300 likes and comments per post, their engagement rate is 3%.”

How to Find Your Micro-Influencers

Modern book discovery isn’t a single funnel built on traditional media gatekeepers. It’s a network of overlapping, trust-based communities—but where do you start, and how do you reach these micro-influencers?

Look beyond follower counts.
Prioritize engagement and audience fit.
Search by genre or niche, not just “book influencer.”
Hunt through hashtags and social groups for influencers that specialize in your book’s area. Similarly, you may find your Non-Fiction influencers in podcast circles, rather than on Instagram. Get to know these communities and encourage your author to join in!
Look at who’s engaging (and how)
The comments can tell you almost as much as the account itself. Are readers asking for recommendations? Tagging friends? Discussing similar books? Or are they mostly posting emojis and generic comments?
Start early.
Build relationships well before launch. ARCs are key here!
Give them something worth talking about.
Exclusive material, author Q&As, behind-the-scenes content, comp titles you’ve seen on their platforms, etc. The goal isn’t simply to get them to post, it’s to give them a reason to want to talk about the book.

For marketers and publicists building a promotional strategy, micro-influencers are more than a nice-to-have. They’re a strategic way to build awareness within the communities most likely to care about your book. A launch strategy built entirely around scale can miss the readers who are only ever going to trust a familiar, specialized voice.

So here’s to the micro-influencers! We celebrate those who build engaging genre communities one post at a time. “Smaller” numbers are doing some of publishing’s biggest work!

Extend Your Reach with NetGalley Promotions

Options for every budget and any book!

Not sure which NetGalley Promotion is right for your book? We’ve put together a playlist of short videos to walk you through your options — no reading required! Watch the full playlist here, or jump straight to the video you need below.

Budget-Based Recommendations

Not sure where to start? This 1-minute video breaks down our top picks by budget, so you can find the right mix of promotions no matter what you’re working with. Watch: Budget-Friendly NetGalley Promotions

On-Site Promotions Overview

Meet readers where they’re already browsing. This 30-second video offers a quick overview of our on-site placements — Featured Titles, Category Spotlights, Dashboard Spotlights, and more — all designed to boost discoverability for your book. Watch: NetGalley On-Site Marketing: Maximum Visibility

Email Promotions Overview

Our email promotions put your title directly in front of highly engaged NetGalley members and trade professionals. This 30-second video breaks down the options, from Newsletter placements to Dedicated eBlasts. Watch: NetGalley Email Marketing: Reach Readers Directly

Dedicated E-Blast Overview

Get unmatched campaign customization and reach a highly engaged audience — U.S. eBlasts average a 53% open rate. In just 2 minutes, learn all the ways you can customize your eBlast to include multiple books and/or audiobooks, various CTAs, and a custom target list. Watch: Dedicated eBlasts: Take Control of Your Title Marketing

Real Results from Real Campaigns

When Blackstone Publishing ran a Read Now Spotlight Newsletter promotion for The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse by Heather Morris, the results spoke for themselves. On the first day the newsletter went out, the campaign generated over 3,500 impressions and nearly 850 requests. By the end of the week, downloads topped 1,000.

“We were incredibly happy with the fantastic results of our Read Now Spotlight promotion for *The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse* by Heather Morris. In just one week, the campaign generated over 1,000 downloads!”
– **Rachel Sanders**, Director of Marketing, Blackstone Publishing

Ready to Get Started? Explore the full lineup in our 2026 Promotions & Media Kit.

Looking for a 30-second Breakdown of All Promotions? Look no further!

Start here for the big picture. In 30 seconds, this video walks through the full lineup of NetGalley Promotions — on-site, email, and beyond — so you can see at a glance where your title could get extra visibility. Watch: NetGalley Promos: Powerful Marketing for Your Books