Don't judge a cat book by its cover

Publishers may think a cute animal on the cover is what sells in the supermarket, but ask around online and those who buy pet books will tell you otherwiseThe moment of receiving your first book jacket is one that every author remembers. I was so excited when I got mine – a jacket, for a book, written by me, that was going to be published – it took me a while to realise it wasn't quite right. When the time came for the smaller, mass market paperback edition of the book concerned (a memoir about my golfing adolescence, called Nice Jumper) and my agent and I suggested a change of image, my publishers were only too happy to work towards something that suited everyone. That was 12 years ago, though, and the publishing industry has changed a lot since then, with supermarkets becoming increasingly dominant and power swinging away from editorial and towards sales. It had already changed a lot by early 2009 when Simon & Schuster, the publishers of my fifth book, Under the Paw, sent me their proposal for the book's paperback edition. I instantly knew I hated the cover and instantly knew there was not a lot I could do about it.In Under the Paw, I'd written about the chaos of more than three decades living at the beck and call of several of the world's most demanding felines. I was realistic about the book's marketing: although proper writers such as William Boyd, Kate Atkinson and David Sedaris had said nice stuff about it, it was, after all, a memoir about some cats, and no... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #screen trade #tom cox

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Don't judge a cat book by its cover'

Winkleman to judge Book People's story prize

Claudia Winkleman has been unveiled as the head judge for Book People’s latest Bedtime Story competition with a theme of “friendship”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #claudia winkleman #story prize #book people

New Standards Program Emerges to Judge E-books' Accessibility for Visually Impaired

The new program, called Global Certified Accessible, allows publishers to verify whether their ebooks meet accessibility standards required by blind or low vision students as well as those with dyslexia or other disabilities. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #visually impaired

Judith Kerr's next picture book based on author's ninth cat

HarperCollins has bought a new book from Judith Kerr, inspired by the 94-year-old author's ninth pet cat Katinka. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-06-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #judith kerr

Naomi Alderman to judge Science Book Prize

Novelist Naomi Alderman will join the judging panel for the 30th anniversary of The Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #naomi alderman #judging panel #30th anniversary

Facebook star Bruce the cat fundraising to publish a book

Kiwi internet sensation Bruce the cat hopes to release his own book to help teach children to be kind to animals. Bruce's owner Kathryn van Beek has started a Kickstarter page to help publish the book. Currently $11,954 has been pledged towards their goal of $20,000. The picture... Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2017-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #picture book #real-life story

Your Favorite ’80s Jams Have Become Old School Stephen King Book Covers

Part of the reason Stranger Things hit Netflix like an atom bomb last year is because it was an aggressive assault of 1980s nostalgia. Homages to John Carpenter and Steven Spielberg lay just around every spooky corner. Perhaps the most specific nod the show made to that era, however, was the big... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2017-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #horror show

Annabelle Gurwitch on family — the one you're born with, and the one on your book cover

I keep a photograph of my family, circa 1972, on my fireplace mantle. Taken when I was 11 by a professional photographer in a studio at a mini-mall in Wilmington, Del., it’s the kind of stilted portrait many families sat for before we all started snapping candid selfies at family gatherings. The... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #annabelle gurwitch #book cover #professional photographer

Staff Pick: 'The Art of American Book Covers: 1875-1930' by Richard Minsky

Reviews editor Everett Jones recommends 'The Art of American Book Covers: 1875-1930' by Richard Minsky, focusing on the stamped hardcovers that were prominent before the dominance of dust jackets. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dust jackets

Dave Eggers, Valeria Luiselli and more will judge the 2017 National Book Awards

Dave Eggers, Valeria Luiselli, Jacqueline Woodson and Nick Flynn are among those who will be judging the 2017 National Book Awards. The National Book Foundation announced the new roster of 20 judges Monday. They include authors, some whom are previous National Book Award winners and finalists,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dave eggers #valeria luiselli #jacqueline woodson

British Book awards judges revealed

Former Little, Brown chief executive Ursula Mackenzie, Front Row’s Samira Ahmed, television presenter June Sarpong and past Publishers Association c.e.o. Simon Juden are among the judges for the British Book Awards 2017. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-02-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #front row

Entire art gallery of Ladybird book covers is world first

Archive of artworks from a century of the imprint’s simple, wholesome worldview go on display at Museum of English Rural LifeIf all you knew of the world came from a Ladybird book, you would be forgiven for believing factories are always shining temples of industry and optimism rather than... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-02-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ladybird book #ladybird phenomenon #publishing craze

Claudia Winkleman to judge Oscar's Book Prize

TV presenter Claudia Winkleman is to join author Cathy Rentzenbrink and Amazon's director of books, Dan Mucha, on the judging panel for children's book award Oscar’s Book Prize. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #claudia winkleman #book prize #judging panel

Kate Williams to chair Costa Book of the Year judges

Author, historian and broadcaster Professor Kate Williams has been selected to chair the nine-member judging panel that selects the overall winner of the 2016 Costa Book of the Year. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-12-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Judging the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award

William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award's Graham Sharpe on the process of choosing a winner and the history of the prize. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #graham sharpe

Costa Book Awards 2016 judging panel revealed

Costa has announced the judging panels for the 2016 Costa Book Awards, which include writers Nicci Gerrard, Justin Cartwright, Mary Loudon, Andrew O’Hagan and Matthew Dennison, poet, author and vlogger Jen Campbell, and author-illustrator, Cressida Cowell. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #judging panels #justin cartwright #cressida cowell

Gaiman, Pullman support Cover Kids Books campaign

Neil Gaiman, Philip Pullman, Chris Riddell and Malorie Blackman are amongst more than 500 people who have signed an open letter calling for more children’s book coverage in newspapers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-08-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #neil gaiman #philip pullman #chris riddell #malorie blackman #book coverage

Chakrabarti joins judges for Book Trust Lifetime Achievement Award

One of Britain’s leading human rights campaigners and former director of political pressure group Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, has joined the judging panel for this year’s Book Trust Lifetime Achievement Award. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #shami chakrabarti #judging panel

Judges Announced for National Book Awards

The judges for the 2016 National Book Awards include novelists Karen Joy Fowler and Jesmyn Ward, author and former TV host Melissa Harris-Perry, and poet Jericho Brown. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-04-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jesmyn ward

Holgate, Stibbe and McShane to judge British Book Industry Awards

Sunday Times literary editor Andrew Holgate, author Nina Stibbe, and Rik McShane retail director at Waterstones will help judge the The British Book Industy Awards' inaugural Book of the Year Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #inaugural book