15.04.15
www.thebookseller.com NEWS Dalai and Desmond in joy ploy BY TOM TIVNAN & SARAH SHAFFI
A book about joy by the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu is the early front-runner to be the book of the fair, after a “spirited” 12-publisher auction. The Book of Joy: Finding Enduring Happiness in an Uncertain World is the first ever collaboration between the two Nobel Peace Prize laureates. The book will comprise answers to questions posed to the two religious leaders via their Facebook pages; the pair will answer a selection of them with writer Douglas Abrams, who has written a children’s title, God’s Dream (Candlewick), with Tutu. North American rights were snapped up by Caroline Sutton, editor-in-chief at PRH imprint
from Mary Clemmey at the Mary Clemmey Literary Agency. Hamilton said: “I’m delighted
to be publishing two such extraordinary figures. This is a book which will have such broad appeal across the world.” Clemmey has represented Tutu
Avery, after “strong interest from every major US publisher”, Sutton said, adding: “An idea for a book about joy swept me off my feet— and these two are the two to write it.” Hutchinson publishing director Jocasta Hamilton bought UK and Commonwealth rights to the book, after a 12-publisher auction,
Academia less pivotal to recruiting publishers
Qualifications are less important than they used to be when it comes to recruiting, with more emphasis on potential and inherent talent, Penguin Random House (PRH) HR director Neil Morrison said at a seminar entitled “Challenging Tradition: What Skills are Trending Now?” Jen Duckworth, HarperCollins (HC) business
partner for people, added: “We always used to be focused on IQ and academics, and that’s important, but Emotional Intelligence is also important.” Publishers’ recruitment processes are changing: HC‘s graduate scheme asks applicants to submit
for many years. She said: “It was certainly a very spirited auction. This is such a rare book, it is incredible that these two people have come together to write it.” Chandler Crawford at The
Crawford Agency is handling foreign rights to the title, which has had “numerous pre-empts across the globe”. The Dalai Lama and Tutu will meet this weekend to celebrate the Tibetan spiritual leader’s 80th birthday and to work on the book.
a video, and PRH’s The Scheme seeks to find the marketers of tomorrow via Tumblr. Morrison said nothing “winds me up more than selection based on university, which is still incredibly prevalent in publishing”, adding that projects such as The Scheme opened up the trade to a wider variety of people. But the panel warned that a distinction should not be made between traditional and digital skills. Orion digital marketing director Marissa Hussey (pictured) said: “If you keep making distinctions between ‘digital’
roles and ‘traditional’ roles, you are not pushing your traditional roles to adapt. You’re not doing them any favours [and] you’re also putting a ton of pressure on your digital experts, making their roles way less exciting and rewarding.”
VLOGGER BUTLER HITS THE HEADLINES
Headline will publish the first book by YouTuber Marcus Butler, who has more than 3.5 million subscribers to his channel on the video-sharing website. In Hello Life!, which is part memoir and part self-help guide, Butler “shares his trademark big-brotherly advice and unveils his roadmap to success for anyone navigating the trickier aspects of modern life”. Each chapter will include pictures and the book will also include “lots of cheeky pull-out sections”. Butler will work on the book in collaboration with journalist and writer Matt Allen. Headline deputy publishing director Sarah Emsley acquired world rights from Lucy Lendrem at Gleam Futures. The title will be published as a £14.99 hardback on 30th July 2015. A number of publishers have signed up books by popular vloggers in recent months,
following the chart-topping success of titles by YouTubers such as Zoe Sugg (Girl Online, Penguin) and Alfie Deyes (The Pointless Book, Blink Publishing).
A-HA! ORION BAGS ALAN
Orion has bought a book by Alan Partridge, which will be written “with help” from Steve Coogan and Rob and Neil Gibbons. A follow up to I, Partridge (Harper), the title will be a collection of diary entries, letters, “think pieces” and programme and business ideas. Non-fiction publishing director Anna Valentine bought world rights from Paul Stevens at Independent Talent. The book will be published in October 2016.
HC INKS SIX-FIGURE DEALS
HarperCollins has signed six-figure deals with fantasy writer Mark Lawrence and crime author Jane Casey. HarperVoyager’s Jane Johnson signed UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) to a trilogy by Lawrence for a “substantial” six-figure sum, in a deal with Ian Drury at Sheil Land. After an auction, HC crime and thriller publisher Julia Wisdom signed three books by Casey, previously published by Ebury, from Ariella Feiner at United Agents.
MOTOWN TOME TO T&H
Thames & Hudson has announced its lead music title for spring 2016, Motown: The Sound of Young America, by former Billboard editor Adam White and ex-Motown Records president Barney Ales. The book uses archive material, as well as that of personal collectors, to build a visual narrative of the influential record label, and features large amounts of previously unseen material.
DYING TO BE PUBLISHED BY CANONGATE
Canongate has pre-empted UK and Commonwealth rights in Erica Jong’s latest book, Fear of Dying, a study of what it means to be female in the 21st century. Publisher Jenny Todd signed the book, planned for publication this autumn, in a deal with Elizabeth Sheinkman at WME. Jong’s 1973 novel Fear of Flying (Vintage) has sold more than 27 million copies globally, Canongate claimed.
NEWS NEWS / IN BRIEF RIGHTS DEALS
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