With the Bologna Book Fair launching next, we took a look at how this year’s deal activity compares to last year’s. And the results are…inconclusive. The problem with a straight comparison is that this year the fair is convening about two weeks earlier than last year. If we look at the US children’s deal reports beginning January 1 both this year and last, the results are almost exactly the same: Jan. 1 – March 15, 2012 1 Children’s (all) 231 2 Children’s: Young Adult 115 3 Children’s: Picture book 61 4 Children’s: Middle grade 51 Jan. 1 – March 25, […]
Deals
How Vintage Landed Erotic Romance Trilogy ’50 Shades of Grey’
As the NYT reported over the weekend Vintage bought world English print, digital, and audio rights to republish EL James’ erotic romance trilogy 50 SHADES OF GREY, which has sold more than 250,000 units (predominantly in ebook format) and has become an increasingly prominent topic of conversation over the past few weeks. The republished ebook edition is available now, priced at $9.99, with trade paperbacks to follow in early April, priced at $15.95. Foreign rights auctions have concluded or are underway in a number of territories as well. In a telephone interview, Vintage evp and publisher Anne Messitte told us […]
Random House Films Branches Out Beyond Focus Features
In further updates, the Hollywood Reporter ran a story last week on recent activity by Random House Films (as well as Macmillan’s movie development team) which left us confused about the direction of the RH unit. Since it was founded in 2005, Random House Films has focused on developing, co-financing and co-producing movies based on books in partnership with Focus Features. While the enterprise has yet to achieve the “substantial slate of feature films” envisioned at the outset, Random House spokesman Stuart Applebaum says the venture “continues ever-forward under its founding leader and president, Peter Gethers.” So far the only […]
Rowling Will Publish This Year (and Settled With Christopher Little)
Further to yesterday morning’s announcement of JK Rowling’s new novel, which did include release timing, Rowling herself told the Twitter the book will be “out later this year.” Agent Neil Blair confirms to the WSJ “that he negotiated directly with Little, Brown in the UK for world English rights rather than offering the title for auction,” which is what we inferred, but apparently has surprised some people. Little-noticed was last month’s preamble to yesterday’s announcement: The Daily Mail “was informed” by London-based reputation and crisis-management firm Project Associates that Rowling settled with former agent Christopher Little. The statement indicated that […]
JK Rowling’s First Adult Novel to Little, Brown
Little, Brown has world English rights to the first novel for adults by JK Rowling, the company announced Thursday morning. Little Brown UK publisher David Shelley will serve as Rowling’s editor and Michael Pietsch will oversee publication in the US. All other details–title, pub date “and further details about the novel will be announced later in the year.” But one important element has been settled: While the world waits for Pottermore and the Harry Potter ebooks, Little, Brown promises they will publish “both in print and ebooks.” Rowling says in the release: “Although I’ve enjoyed writing it every bit as […]
People: Chase, Farley, Ditlow, Deen and More
Farley Chase has formed Chase Literary Agency after nearly eight years as a literary agent with the Waxman Literary Agency. He will continue to represent the foreign rights for The Waxman Literary Agency. Former president and publisher of Macmillan Children’s Dan Farley is joining education technology platform startup SwoopThat as a principal and evp, business development. SwoopThat aims to increase textbook affordability for students and enhance college bookstore revenues by helping them adjust to the quickly changing coursebook market. “This is a venture that can, proverbially, make a difference. And, it’s fresh, exciting, and full of opportunity,” Farley said in note to colleagues. He […]