From Uber driving to huge book deal: Adrian McKinty's life-changing phone call

Despite awards and acclaim for his crime fiction, the impoverished novelist lost his home and was set to quit – then the phone rangIt was1.30 in the morning in Melbourne and Adrian McKinty had just got home after dropping off his last Uber customer of the night at the airport. His phone rang. It was Shane Salerno, agent to authors including Don Winslow, and it was a call that would pull McKinty into “some major league craziness”, ending in a six-figure English-language book deal and, last week, a seven-figure film deal from Paramount for his forthcoming novel The Chain.“Don told me you’ve given up writing,” said Salerno. McKinty, an award-winning crime novelist, had recently blogged about his decision to quit being an author. Beginning with his debut, Dead I May Well Be, written while he taught high school English in Colorado, and continuing with his award-winning series about Northern Irish detective Sean Duffy, McKinty’s books might have won him prizes and great reviews, but they weren’t making him any money. The family moved from the US to Australia in 2008 because McKinty’s wife, author and academic Leah Garrett, was offered a job there. Now the family had been evicted from the home they’d had lived in for eight years, and he was working as an Uber a cab driver (“the world’s worst,” he says now) and bartending in an attempt to actually bring in some cash.When they were evicted from their home, 'I was thinking to myself, "Oh God Adrian, what have you done with your... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2019-07-08 06:00:17 UTC ]
News tagged with: #adrian mckinty #crime fiction #book deal

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International Hot Book Properties, Week of October 24, 2016

In the wake of the Frankfurt Book Fair, a few international titles are heating up, among them a new gangster trilogy based in Hong Kong and an Italian self-help book about the positive side of failure. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Man found guilty of murdering Adrian Greenwood

Michael Danaher has been found guilty of murdering author and rare books dealer Adrian Greenwood (pictured) over a first edition of The Wind in the Willows. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Wall Street's verdict on AT&T-Time Warner deal: Thumbs down

Shares of AT&T Inc. and Time Warner Inc. were down Monday as investors didn’t appear thrilled by the proposed mega-merger announced over the weekend.  In response to the $84.5-billion deal, Moody’s Investor Service said Monday it had placed AT&T’s credit rating on review for a possible... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sourcebooks Signs New Deals for International Expansion

Sourcebooks has signed with Baker & Taylor, Melia Publishing Services, Copia and Vearsa to distribute its print and digital books in overseas markets. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sourcebooks signs #international expansion #baker taylor #digital books #overseas markets


Frankfurt Industry Notes: Book Fair Attendance Figures, Carolin Emcke’s Prize

As Frankfurt Book Fair’s press officers report a slight increase in trade-visitor attendance this year, the German trade gives Carolin Emcke its 2016 peace prize. A reminder here that many more articles of this kind bring to light various moments and programs at the just-ended Frankfurt Book... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #carolin emcke #slight increase #german trade


Frankfurt Book Fair 2016: Attendance Rises For Second Straight Year

The Frankfurt Book Fair reported that total attendance at the fair rose modestly for the second year in a row. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Download All 2016 Frankfurt Book Fair Show Daily Magazines

Download the PDF versions of all three Publishing Perspectives show dailies from the 2016 Frankfurt Book Fair, featuring discussions of copyright, freedom to publish, and more. The post Download All 2016 Frankfurt Book Fair Show Daily Magazines appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Donald Trump says he would block an AT&T-Time Warner merger if elected; deal could come Saturday

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Saturday that his administration would seek to block a massive media merger between AT&T and Time Warner Inc. if he is elected president. The deal, which appears to be imminent, would turn telephone giant AT&T, a company already valued at... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-10-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Diamond Comic signs deal to distribute Benitez Productions titles

Hunt Valley-based Diamond Comic Distributors has signed a multi-year deal to distribute comics and graphic novels published by Benitez Productions, including its flagship "Lady Mechanika" titles, Diamond announced Friday. Under the agreement, Diamond will be exclusive Benitez distributor to comic... Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2016-10-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Egmont to publish Sam Hay picture book text

Egmont Publishing has acquired world rights to a second picture book text by Sam Hay, author of Do Not Wash This Bear. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Millions for Williams as Blink inks biography deal

Bonnier Publishing imprint Blink has splashed a seven-figure sum acquiring the rights to a second authorised biography of pop star Robbie Williams. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Download: Friday’s Frankfurt Book Fair 2016 Show Daily

Read about the implications of Brexit on publishing, copyright reform, an interview with author Nujeen Mustafa, and more news from the Frankfurt Book Fair. The post Download: Friday’s Frankfurt Book Fair 2016 Show Daily appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Booker finalist Paul Beatty and Super Thursday – books podcast

As publishing begins the long climb to Christmas, Paul Beatty joins us to talk about life on the Man Booker shortlistIn this week’s podcast we discuss the limits of acceptability with novelist Paul Beatty, whose scorching satire of black American identity has been shortlisted for next week’s Man... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Sales' Shapiro Retires After 52 Years

Shapiro, hailed as the sage of the bargain-book business, calls it a day after more than half a century in the business. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Simon Rogan signs cookbook deal with HC

HarperCollins Non-Fiction has bought the first cookbook by Simon Rogan, founder of the L’Enclume restaurant. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Publisher IDW Is Using Its Comic Book Experience To Build A TV Brand

CEO Ted Adams explains how he took his comics and gaming publishing house into TV with Wynonna Earp and Dirk Gently. CEO Ted Adams explains how he took his comics and gaming publishing house into TV with Wynonna Earp and Dirk Gently.The arrival of Dirk Gently's Holistic... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2016-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Watch Today, Read Today: Book Tie-Ins Are Hitting the Market Faster

Publishers are accelerating the development cycle for licensed tie-ins to satisfy consumer demand. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Frankfurt Book Fair 2016: PW Talks to Pew Research Center’s Lee Rainie about Reading in the Digital Age

It's been a disruptive decade for the book business, but Pew's latest research suggests that Americans' reading habits have remained relatively stable. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Irvine Welsh up for Saltire book prize

Irvine Welsh and James Kelman are among the authors shortlisted in this year's Saltire Literary Awards. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2016-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HCG seals string of kids' deals

Hachette Children’s Group division Quercus Children’s Books has acquired a fantasy YA début by Josh Martin, who recently finished an MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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