A source says that the co-author of I AM NUMBER FOUR–reportedly alongside James Frey–is recent Columbia MFA graduate Jobie Hughes. “We’re all ecstatic for him,’ this classmate of Hughes told me by email. “This is pretty much the biggest thing any of us could imagine.” At this time Hughes has not returned email or phone queries, and neither Frey nor Eric Simonoff of WME, who represents both writers, could be reached. (Confusingly, Hughes’ web site lists both Simonoff and Jennifer Lyons of Lyons Literary as his agents, and Lyons confirmed she is representing him. But the 29-year-old Hughes has a […]
Archives for June 2009
Montreal Publisher Has Well-Timed Jackson Bio
Montreal’s Transit Media is releasing a Michael Jackson biography by Ian Helperin on Tuesday that was already in the works. Previously titled (at various times) Michael Jackson: Return from Exile and Michael Jackson Unmasked: Peter Pan or Pervert, they are now going with Michael Jackson: The Last Days. CanWest News Service says that Helperin has added “about 50 pages” during “a frantic rewrite.” In the wake of Jackson’s death, retailers nationwide have reported huge demand for the pop star’s albums and related material. Amazon says that 60 percent of all CD orders on Thursday were for Jackson-related albums, according to […]
Lunch Weekly for Monday, June 29
Deal Reports Just e-mail to deals@PublishersMarketplace if you aren’t using the online form linked below. Report a deal using the online form The Key As usual, the handy key to our Lunch deal categories. While all reports are always welcome, those that include a category will generally receive a higher listing when it comes time to put them all together. “nice deal” $1 – $49,000 “very nice deal” $50,000 – $99,000 “good deal” $100,000 – $250,000 “significant deal” $251,000 – $499,000 “major deal” $500,000 and up FICTION Debut Lori Roy’s BENT ROAD, in which the disappearance of a young […]
James Frey, for Kids–and Perhaps Anonymously?
James Frey is co-writing a YA novel, I AN NUMBER FOUR, that is proposed as the first in six-book series. DreamWorks acquired film rights for “high-six figures” on Friday for director Michael Bay, first reported by the Hollywood Reporter. Publishing rights are on submission via agent Eric Simonoff at William Morris Entertainment. No one has officially confirmed Frey’s involvement, and in the submission Simonoff bills it as by an “unnamed New York Times best-selling author and a young up-and-coming writer.” One publishing executive told the NYT, “I think we’re all confused. I think we’re wondering, ‘Are you hiding it because […]
People
Stephanie MacLean has been promoted to literary agent at Trident Media Group, where she started in 2007 as Dan Strone’s assistant. She is specializing in romance, women’s fiction and YA. Dan Crissman has joined Hill & Wang, an imprint of FSG, as assistant editor. He was most recently at Wiley. Philomel Books editor at large Patricia Gauch will leave the company on September 30 to return to full-time writing and lecturing. She joined the imprint as editor-in-chief in 1985, and has edited three Caldecott winners in her career. Maria Gagliano has been promoted to editor for Perigee and Prentice Hall […]
Borders UK Moving Closer to Potential Sale
Retail Week reports that Borders UK, which had already appointed Clearwater Corporate Finance to “seek new funding”, has sent out an information memorandum to “selected private equity houses and trade buyers”. The opportunity may be there for Borders UK to broaden its scope, Retail Planet Analyst Paola Montealegre commented that the store’s potential plans “may not be enough to compete with new channels such as supermarkets and internet retailers.”Retail Week