This is Grove’s month for poetry: first their author Kay Ryan is named the new poet laureate, and now something really big: lead character on the celebrated show Mad Men Don Draper buys and reads Frank O’Hara’s poetry collection Meditations in an Emergency. He mails the book with a note to an unknown person and reads aloud a passage from the poem “Mayakovsky” during a montage sequence. All good enough to pop the book to No. 159 at Amazon–where it is now out of stock–and produce a number of print mentions. (In the first season, Draper was also seen reading […]
Salem Celebrates Lace Reader
With William Morrow’s edition of Brunonia Barry’s THE LACE READER publishing today, the folks in Salem, MA are enjoying the attention. “Morrow is working with Salem’s tourism agency, local merchants, and historic sites to promote the book, which is set here, and the city at the same time. While Salem hopes The Lace Reader will draw tourists to town, author and publisher hope the city’s attractions will bolster the book.” Director of the tourism bureau Kate Fox says, “It has been the greatest thing to fall into Salem’s lap, for promotion and marketing.” The author suggested the marketing partnership. And […]
Foxy Brown Breaks Silence on Lawsuit
An attorney for Foxy Brown has offered a grab-bag of replies to the suit brought by Simon & Schuster seeking to recover their advance of $75,000. Attorney Laura Dilimetin tells AllHipHop.com that Brown’s “health became a priority” after facing some hearing loss in 2005. “With Simon and Schuster’s blessings, Foxy Brown underwent extensive surgical procedures and a lengthy recovery time, fighting to restore her hearing,” Dilimetin wrote. After her recovert, Dilimetin insists, “Simon and Schuster decided not to go forward with the project,” adding “many attempts were made by Foxy Brown’s agents to resurrect the deal, to no avail.” (Even […]
Plus: Food & Wine to TIHE; Nelson Drops More Trade Shows; Rushie Op-Ed; Dying Reviews on PBS; NY Finds Christinans
* Food & Wine magazine’s book line will be distributed by Time Inc. Home Entertainment. * Don’t expect Thomas Nelson to change their policy about reducing trade show expenses any time soon. After bowing out of BEA and the annual CBA show, the company’s Spanish division Grupo Nelson announced that it will pull out of the Spanish Christian Book Fairs known as Expolit (Miami) and Expo Cristiana (Mexico). Publisher Larry Downs says: “New market trends are forcing us to re-evaluate the expenditure of every marketing dollar; consequently, we have determined that, for Grupo Nelson, these trade shows provide very little […]
BN Boosts The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Barnes & Noble has picked Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows’ novel, which goes on sale tomorrow, as their 10th BN Recommends selection. “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, compiled as a series of letters, Chief merchandising officer Jaime Carey says it “radiates love for the written word in every way,” adding: “drawn together by their love of books and affection for each other, the unforgettable characters of this story tell a moving tale of endurance and friendship.”
Penguin Jumps in First Half; Informa Deal Looms
With parent company Pearson reporting financial results for the first half of the fiscal year, Penguin continued their hot streak with sales up 9 percent to 408 million pounds and profits up 22 percent to 26 million pounds. The company says “Penguin has made an excellent start to the year, with a particularly strong first-half publishing schedule. It is on track to reach its goal of double digit margins for the full year.” In a follow-up call, group ceo John Makinson offers a “slightly cautious note” for the balance of the year. He notes that current results are “somewhat influenced […]