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The New York Times reported new allegations against Philip Roth biographer Blake Bailey on Wednesday evening, including claims from a second rape accuser. Publishing executive Valentina Rice claims Bailey raped her in 2015 at the New Jersey house of NYT book critic Dwight Garner, where the two were staying overnight. About three years later, “prompted by the growing #MeToo movement and encouraged by friends,” Rice reported the incident to Norton president Julia Reidhead, writing from a pseudonymous email address. She wrote, “I understand that you would need to confirm this allegation which I am prepared to do, if you can […]

Norton has temporarily halted shipping and promotion of Blake Bailey’s authorized biography of Philip Roth, following allegations of sexual misconduct that broke Tuesday evening in the Los Angeles Times and the New Orleans Times-Picayune. The company said in a statement to the AP, “These allegations are serious. In light of them, we have decided to pause the shipping and promotion of Philip Roth: The Biography pending any further information that may emerge.” Bailey has also been dropped by his agency, The Story Factory. Accusers say Bailey “groomed” them when they were his eighth grade English students at Lusher Middle School […]

In an email to the company on Tuesday, Simon & Schuster president and ceo Jonathan Karp responded to a recent “statement from the workforce” of the publisher demanding cancellation of the company’s two-book deal with former vice president Mike Pence and termination of their distribution deal with Post Hill Press. Despite the petition, the publisher will proceed as planned with Pence’s contract. Karp writes, “We come to work each day to publish, not cancel, which is the most extreme decision a publisher can make, and one that runs counter to the very core of our mission to publish a diversity […]

A group of authors has accused Diversion Books of late royalty payments. Victoria Strauss reports on Writer Beware that several authors notified her that they have “banded together to notify various author groups that we have not received royalty statements and/or payments from Diversion for years.” They claim a number of royalty irregularities including missing royalty statements, statements with errors, and more. One writer said she “spent over $10,000 in legal fees to get her rights returned” while another was “offered her rights back only if she would sign an agreement not to seek past royalty payments from them.” In […]

At the Poets & Writers gala on Thursday evening, author and political organizer Stacey Abrams hosted, highlighting the importance of writing and storytelling “in a time of isolation and disruption.” Of her dual careers in writing and politics, she said “The principles that undergird these facets of my life are identical,” and include “creating space for those who often don’t see themselves reflected in our narrative.” The centerpiece of the evening was an appearance by Oprah Winfrey, who was honored with the 2020 Leadership Award for “an individual who has transformed and enlivened the field.” (Last year’s event, at which […]