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Writers' News

Munsch made m.d. at Abrams & Chronicle Books

thebookseller.com – Monday July 15, 2019

Inez Munsch will move from Hardie Grant Publishing to become m.d. of Abrams & Chronicle Books in September.

She takes over from Brenda Marsh who is returning to the US after serving in the position since June 2016. Munsch will take over the role at the London-based company on 23rd September, the A&CB board announced today (15th July).

Munsch is currently the UK and export sales director at Hardie Grant Publishing. Since she joined in 2014, the company has consistently achieved year on year growth, streamlining and diversifying their sales channels and adapting to the changing market. Prior to joining Hardie Grant Publishing, Munsch spent more than 10 years working at Bloomsbury Publishing where she gained experience working across a variety of different areas of the business that culminated in her role as head of UK sales.

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Deep Vellum Acquires Two Publishers, Adds Imprints

publishersweekly.com – Wednesday July 3, 2019

Dallas-based translation publisher Deep Vellum has acquired the backlist of two separate independent publishing house-- Phoneme Media of Los Angeles and A Strange Object of Austin, Tex.--and is expanding into publishing works originally written in English.

Phoneme is a prominent publisher of poetry in translation with a backlist of more than 30 titles from 25 languages, including Rilke Shake by Angèlica Freitas of Brazil, which won both the National Translation Award and Three Percent's Best Translated Book Award for Poetry in 2016. A Strange Object focused on publishing experimental, debut works and has a backlist of seven titles, including Three Scenarios in Which Hana Sasaki Grows a Tail by Kelly Luce, which won the the Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book from Independent Book Publishers Association in 2013.

[Read the full article]

Walker Books acquires Jennifer Bell MG in six-figure deal

thebookseller.com – Tuesday July 2, 2019

Walker Books has acquired two novels by middle-grade author Jennifer Bell in a six-figure, pre-emptive deal. 

Executive editorial director Denise Johnstone-Burt acquired UK, Commonwealth and translation rights to two books, including Wonderscape, which is set in a futuristic gaming world, from Polly Nolan at the Greenhouse Literary Agency.

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New chapter? UK print book sales fall while audiobooks surge 43%

theguardian.com – Thursday June 27, 2019

UK book sales fell for the first time in five years in 2018, despite the success of bestsellers such as Michelle Obama’s autobiography, Becoming.

The UK publishing industry was hit by a surprise fall of £168m (5.4%) in sales of physical books last year, ending a period of growth stretching back to at least 2014.

Sales fell from £3.11bn in 2017 to £2.95bn last year, according to the latest figures from the Publishers Association, which published its annual yearbook on Wednesday.

[Read the full article]

PFD's Agora Books launches writing community and prize

thebookseller.com – Thursday June 27, 2019

Peters Fraser + Dunlop e-book imprint Agora Books has launched a prize to celebrate its new writers’ group, Lost the Plot, which offers "no-nonsense advice, industry insight, and community connection".

PFD and Agora Books are introducing the community aimed at aspiring commercial fiction authors across all genres. Lost the Plot will provide "no-nonsense advice, industry insight, and community connection" including how to access support on writing, finding representation, and navigating the publishing process as well as connecting with other authors. 

The Lost the Plot Work in Progress Prize is for unfinished manuscripts with "the aim is to get books out of a drawer and into the world, to encourage writers to stop procrastinating in pursuit of perfection and get feedback sooner," PFD said. 

[Read the full article]

PRH to acquire F+W book publishing assets

thebookseller.com – Wednesday June 19, 2019

Penguin Random House is set to acquire the book publishing assets of F+W Media following the media company’s bankruptcy, with the effects on F+W's UK division unclear.

The deal, which includes F+W's new titles and 2,000-strong backlist of illustrated non-fiction books, according to Publishers Weekly, is expected to close by the end of the month. PRH declined to comment on the sale when contacted by The Bookseller.

PRH posted the winning bid in an auction held on Thursday 6th June by the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The list of successful bidders for the “communities” assets of F+W - separate to its book publishing assets - was submitted for approval to the court yesterday (Monday 17th June).

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David Nobbs comedy writing prize opens

chortle.co.uk – Monday June 10, 2019

Entries have opened for this year’s comedy writing bursary set up to commemorate  Reggie Perrin author  David Nobbs.

The contest is aimed at those early in their writing career – but entrants must already have a broadcast credit for their written material and accompany their entry with a 500-word statement of intent, describing their writing career goals. 

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Paradigm Taps Lit Agents Ryan Saul & Katt Riley

deadline.com – Friday June 7, 2019

Paradigm has hired Ryan Saul in their Motion Picture Literary department, and Katt Riley in their TV lit section. Both will be based out of the LA headquarters.
 
Saul’s clients include directors Wes Ball; his producing partner Joe Hartwick, Jr.; Oscar-nominated animation director Tim Reckart; Golden Globe-nominated director Klaus Haro; and award-winning commercial directors Henry Hudson and Gevorg Karensky.

[Read the full article]

Kate Shaw to launch new literary agency

thebookseller.com – Thursday June 6, 2019

Kate Shaw is leaving The Viney Shaw Agency to set up her own literary agency next month. 

The Shaw Agency will be launched on 1st July and Shaw will take her existing client list which includes novelists Isabel Ashdown, Lesley Lokko and Susan Elliot Wright, journalists Ian Cobain and Alex Crawford and children’s novelists Fleur Hitchcock, Vashti Hardy, Alan MacDonald, James Nicol and Holly Smale with her. 

An agent since 2001, Shaw worked at Aitken Alexander Associates before joining The Viney Agency in 2009. She became director in 2017 and the firm was renamed The Viney Shaw Agency.

[Read the full article]

New writing prize inspired by Nan Shepherd, Knives in Hens performed for scholarship fund, Brexit play for Scottish Youth Theatre

heraldscotland.com – Friday May 31, 2019

A new writing prize inspired by the work of Nan Shepherd has been launched by the leading publisher Canongate, with the Nan Shepherd Estate and the University of Aberdeen.

The winner of the Nan Shepherd Prize for Nature Writing will receive a book deal with Canongate, including an advance of £10,000, and the option of literary representation with Jenny Brown Associates.

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