The Frankfurt Book Fair is a show of many openings. There is the official press conference on Tuesday morning — which really is press only, and required early applications and background checks for credentials this year with high security for the keynote address from author Salman Rushdie. On Tuesday afternoon there is the opening ceremony, welcoming the international guest of honor (this year it’s Indonesia). For agents and other rights sellers the work has already begun, at the pre-rights-center-of-habit in the Frankfurter Hof hotel. And tonight, there is the unofficial first big event at the annual Hachette Book Group party, with an […]
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People, Etc.
The Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction was awarded to Stalin’s Daughter by Rosemary Sullivan (Harper Canada). Following the Giller Prize shortlist earlier in the week, finalists were announced for Canada Governor General’s Awards. Rachel Cusk‘s Outline is now a contender for both awards. Joining her on the Governor General’s nominees for English-language fiction are: How You Were Born, Kate Cayley (Pedlar Press) The Evening Chorus, Helen Humphreys (Harper Canada) The Winter Family, Clifford Jackman (Random House Canada) Daddy Lenin and Other Stories, Guy Vanderhaeghe (McClelland & Stewart) Kathrin Scheel has started a new foreign rights agency based in Hamburg, […]
Board of Directors Approves RCS Media Sale to Mondadori for 127.5 Million Euros
More than seven months after Mondadori first offered to buy RCS Media, the sale, for 127.5 million euros — less than Mondadori’s initial offer of 135 million euros– was approved by RCS’s board of directors over the weekend. The deal will still need approval from Italy’s antitrust body, which will take between 60 and 90 days. Should it go ahead the combined RCS Mondadori will account for roughly 35 percent of the Italian trade book publishing market. While Rizzoli, as well as the Bompiani, Marsilio, Fabbri, Bur, Sonzogno, ETAS imprints, will move to Mondadori ownership, as will the education unit, […]
Harper Buys Out Harlequin Mondadori Joint Venture (and News Corp. Sells Amplify), As Big Italian Merger Discussion Continues
HarperCollins announced on Wednesday the creation of its latest international branch based on top of Harlequin, HarperCollins Italia. The publisher bought out Mondadori’s 50 percent share in the 34-year-old Harlequin Mondadori joint venture. Mondadori said that Harper paid 6.7 million euros for the buyout, and each party took another 1.6 million euros in cash out of the business. The company is reported to have had sales of 9.1 million euros in 2014, with net income of 1 million euros. “The business will continue to publish romance under the iconic Harmony imprint, and expand its commercial trade publishing with titles from HarperCollins and Harlequin, as well as local authors,” the […]
Deadline Looms for Mondadori RCS Media Acquisition
Wednesday marks the day when the extension of the exclusive negotiation period runs out on Mondadori’s offer to buy the book publishing assets of RCS Media — a process that began back in February. The Italian press is treating it as a done deal, with both sides reportedly having been working hard on finalizing the details. One source says the deal will “close by the deadline barring unforeseen circumstances.” Some accounts expect the closing could slide by a few days, though one account reports that any extension would require specific board approval. Mondadori is thought to be eager to have […]
People, Etc.
At Doubleday, Michael Goldsmith has been promoted to publicity manager, reporting to Todd Doughty. Journalist and author of 18 books Phil Patton, 63, died last week from complications of emphysema. Nantucket author of DEAR MR. JEFFERSON and several historical novels Laura Simon, 66, died last Friday. Forthcoming The Oregon Shakespeare Festival has commissioned translations into modern English of all of Shakespeare’s plays, and intends to have those new versions ready to perform on stage in three years. John McWhorter makes the case in the WSJ for what Conrad Spoke calls a “revolutionary 10% translation” that enables “every student to make contact with the original text.” […]