First novel inspired by CIA's Doctor Zhivago plan nets $2m book deal

Lara Prescott’s We Were Never Here recounts how the CIA used Boris Pasternak’s novel as a propaganda tool during the cold warLast month, Lara Prescott was preparing to graduate from her three-year creative writing fellowship at the University of Texas. Two weeks later, she is sitting on book deals worth at least $2m (£1.5m), after publishers on both sides of the Atlantic battled to get their hands on her first novel.Prescott’s We Were Never Here tells the story of how the CIA smuggled copies of Boris Pasternak’s classic novel Doctor Zhivago into Russia during the cold war in an attempt to seed unrest. Drawing from the voices of Pasternak’s mistress and muse Olga, as well the women of the CIA typing pool involved in the mission, the novel provoked a fierce bidding war when it was submitted by Prescott’s agent last month. Related: Printing money: 10 of the richest book deals of all time Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #lara prescott #cold war #printing money

Other Publishing stories related to: 'First novel inspired by CIA's Doctor Zhivago plan nets $2m book deal'


Random House US to bring 17K books to iBookstore

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 02/03/2011 - 18:05 Random House US is introducing 17,000 books to the iBookstore, several days after it announced it had moved to agency pricing. At this afternoon's Apple iPad event in San Francisco, Apple c.e.o. Steve Jobs said users have... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #random house #agency pricing #steve jobs


EU Raids Digital Book Sellers in Cartel Investigation

The European Union’s competition regulators carried out unannounced inspections into various eBook companies on Tuesday. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook companies


Digital book buyers 'more realistic' over ebook prices

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Thu, 03/03/2011 - 08:45 Half of all book buyers expect to pay less for ebooks, according to new research by Mintel, but those book readers who already own ebook devices have marginally more realistic expectations over price, suggesting that the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book readers #ebook prices #big publishers #agency terms


Dulwich Books invests in 'modern' redesign

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Tue, 01/03/2011 - 15:06 Dulwich Books has invested nearly £10,000 on a revamp to increase book space and create a new area for events. The owner Sheila O’Reilly said the redesign made her books more accessible for customers to buy and browse and she... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #author readings


Media Decoder: Random House Adopts New Model for Selling E-Books

Beginning Tuesday, Random House will join other major book publishers in selling its ebooks using the so-called agency model, setting its own prices for ebooks while the retailer takes a commission. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media decoder #random house


Atkinson takes top, kids books climb and the Beeb boosts sales

Written By: Philip Stone Publication Date: Tue, 01/03/2011 - 16:09 Kate Atkinson has knocked Jamie Oliver off the top of the charts, thanks largely to a spot in W H Smith's "£2.99 if you buy the Times" link-save promotion, with Started Early, Took My Dog (Black Swan) the new Official UK Top 50... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Random House E-book Change May Pave Way to IBookstore

In an unexpected about-face, publisher Random House announced on Monday that it would adopt the agency model for ebook sales in the U.S., beginning March 1... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #agency model #ebook sales


Media Decoder: A Limit on Lending E-Books

Beginning in March, ebooks from HarperCollins may be lent by public libraries only 26 times before the license expires. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-02-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media decoder #public libraries


Anova takes home Harry Hill knitting book

Written By: Laura Richards Publication Date: Fri, 25/02/2011 - 11:39 A sketch from "Harry Hill's TV Burp" is to be the subject of a knitting book acquired by Anova. Katie Cowan, publisher for Anova's Collins & Brown imprint, bought world English-language rights for The K Factor from Avalon... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #show called


S&S plans unmissable Collins' launch

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Thu, 24/02/2011 - 15:30 Simon & Schuster is repackaging three of Jackie Collins’ backlist titles ahead of her latest novel, Goddess of Vengeance. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Barnes & Noble net income falls by one quarter

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Tue, 22/02/2011 - 15:14 Net income at Barnes & Noble fell by 25% to $60.6m (£37.5m) during its Christmas trading quarter, the US retailer has revealed. For the 13 weeks to 29th January, total sales at the bookseller increased by 7% to $2.3bn... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #total sales #retailer attributed #29th january #bookseller increased #college stores


Barnes & Noble net income falls by a quarter

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Tue, 22/02/2011 - 15:20 Net income at Barnes & Noble fell by 25% to $60.6m (£37.5m) during its Christmas trading quarter, the US retailer has revealed. For the 13 weeks to 29th January, total sales at the bookseller increased by 7% to $2.3bn... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #total sales #retailer attributed #29th january #bookseller increased #college stores


Trade gears up for World Book Day

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Tue, 22/02/2011 - 15:42 read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #trade gears


Michael O'Mara to publish book on sitcom pioneers

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 21/02/2011 - 08:47 Michael O'Mara has acquired an anthology about the writers of "Hancock's Half Hour" and "Steptoe and Son", dubbed "the fathers of the British sitcom". Commissioning editor Kate Moore bought world rights with Elly James of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publish book


Indies could earn as much as 30% from books sold via Gardners' Hive

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Fri, 18/02/2011 - 16:30 Book wholesaler Gardners has begun consulting with independent booksellers over the direction of its consumer website, with one option revealing that booksellers could earn as much as 30% when books are sold at their full RRP.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #books sold #independent booksellers #begun consulting #consumer website


Playboy, Martha Stewart Living Report Revenue, Net Losses for 2010

Playboy Enterprises and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia suffered losses in 2010, due to the still struggling economy and a changing media landscape. Playboy says print/digital revenue fell 21.5 percent to $82.8 million in 2010. The domestic magazines generated $37.3 million, (down 32 percent... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #$55 million #playboy enterprises #net losses #struggling economy


Hearst sets eyes firmly east with Lagardère deal

The decision by the owner of Cosmopolitan to buy Lagardère's international portfolio, and the rights for Elle, reflects the shifting sands of the magazine marketplace. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2011-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


OverDrive Library E-book Reader Now Optimized for IPad

OverDrive Media Console--the iPhone app that lets users check out and read ebooks from their local libraries--has been upgraded to a universal app optimized for... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #iphone app #read ebooks


Google One Pass gives back what Apple's iPad subscription plan takes away

By Joe Wilcox, Betanews Well, that didn't take long. One day after Apple dropped its subscription plan bomb on suspicious publishers, Google officially countered with One Pass. Google strips out the onerous restrictions Apple imposes. It's a brilliant marketing response, and aptly timed with new... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2011-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #barnes noble #small amount


Two thriller deals for Headline

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 16/02/2011 - 14:50 Headline fiction publisher at large Martin Fletcher has made two sets of acquisitions, including a debut novel by Cityboy author Geraint Anderson. Fletcher bought UK, Commonwealth, excluding Canada and including ANZ and Europe... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lizzy kremer