The latest group of MacArthur Fellows include Nigerian-born novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author most recently of the splendid Half of a Yellow Sun, and music critic and author of The Rest is Noise Alex Ross. Adichie tells the Washington Post, “I really appreciate the recognition.” She adds, “I can write and get well paid for it for the next five years, which is the best possible position for a writer to be in.” Post
Archives for September 2008
People and Distribution
At Dystel & Goderich Literary Management, agent Michael Bourret has been named vice president and Lauren Abramo has been promoted to subsidiary rights director (both started their careers at the agency). Agent Jessica Papin is rejoining the agency after a three-year stint in international rights sales for the American University in Cairo. Dan Ambrosio has left Vigliano Associates to join Wiley as an editor. At Westwood Creative Artists, Jackie Kaiser has become a shareholder in the agency and is now a vice president. She has been at WCA for eight year, representing literary fiction; narrative nonfiction; and selected writing for […]
Penguin Expands eSpecials Under Barton
Penguin Group has given publisher manager Molly Barton the additional new role of associate publisher of eSpecials. A program that started with the freestanding sale of Alan Greenspan’s new epilogue for the paperback edition of The Age of Turbulence, sold electronically for five dollars, the eSpecials will extend beyond Penguin Press as original announced as a “service to writers across all of its imprints.” They say other specials from Christine Feehan, Jan Karon and Patricia Briggs “are already in the works” and that the program will range from “important updates to nonfiction works to unknown novellas by bestselling novelists.”
Scholastic Announces Deathy Hallows Paperback
The final Potter novel, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, will release on July 7, 2009 from Scholastic, just under two years after the hardcover publication, priced at $14.95. With an announced first printing of 2 million copies, Scholastic says the total of Potter books in print in the US will reach 143 million copies. Separately, Amazon announced that for Rowling’s next charity book, THE TALES OF BEETLE THE BARD, they will provide December 4 release-day delivery for the standard shipping price on pre-orders (and free for their “prime” members). They anticipate first-day orders for “hundreds of thousands” of copies.
Journalist Tries to Verify Boy Soldier's Story
Journalist Malcolm Knox–who uncovered the lies in Norma Khouri’s book–worked with Sudanese refugee and one-time boy soldier Cola Bilkuei on his book COLA’S JOURNEY and was asked to verify the book’s accuracy. (Just published in Australia, it is not available elsewhere for now.) “So what are we left with? Aside from boy soldiers, a priest and a lawyer who knew Cola in Africa, we have the assurances of the Australian government, which gave Cola his first passport and checked on him through cousins who already lived here…. “Ultimately, though, between what could be verified and what lies on the pages […]
Another Fall Preview
The Seattle Times highlights “40 upcoming books looks from mid-September forward” though “like a bird-parent pushing the strongest fledglings out of the nest first, many of this fall’s books have already been released — and reviewed by The Seattle Times.” The editors write: “There’s a tradition in publishing that says the reading public gets distracted during an election season — best to stay away from ‘major’ book releases. Like so much else, this crumb of conventional wisdom has been swept under the rug.” Their Perfect Timing award goes to Michael Lewis for his December 1 release, PANIC: the Story of […]