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

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


Flipboard Rival: New York Times Deal is Good News for the Media Industry

Publishing giants The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal firmed up exclusive deals with Flipboard and Pulse earlier in the week for exclusive content to go out to these third-party mobile apps, but as one Flipboard rival explains, this news c ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media industry #exclusive content


Deal close in EC ebook probe

Five of the six parties under investigation by the European Commission over ebook  prices... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #european commission #ebook prices


Cultivating Book Sales At Farmers’ Markets

It used to be that offering customers coffee, tea, or occasionally wine or beer with their books was enough. But in some communities, books go better with heirloom tomatoes, sweet corn, and local organic meat. Outdoor marketplaces may not work for everyone—Powell’s Books in Portland, Ore.,... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-06-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #boost sales


The Audio Book Club on Fifty Shades of Grey

To listen to the Audio Book Club discussion of Fifty Shades of Grey, click the arrow on the player below. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2012-06-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fifty shades


Headline buys Jo Brand book on middle age

Headline has acquired a new book by comedian and actress Jo Brand, described as "the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-06-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #middle age


Erotic book passes million mark

Erotic book Fifty Shades of Grey has become the fastest adult paperback novel to sell one million print copies, smashing previous records. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-06-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


EC v-p backs calls for reduced VAT on ebooks

The vice-president of the European Commission, Neelie Kroes, has backed a call by European... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #european commission #reduced vat


Libel Reform Campaign lobbies for Bill change

The Libel Reform Campaign is calling on supporters to make a "final push for a truly fair... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #final push


E-book library borrowing rate is low, Pew survey finds

E-book readers have been relatively slow to borrow digital works from the library, deterred by a limited selection and by not even knowing whether their local branch offers e-releases, according to a new study. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-06-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #e-book readers


E-book price fixing trial set for 2013: Apple, Macmillan and Penguin prepare for courtroom brawl

The Justice Department meant business when it accused Apple and five other publishers of price-rigging ebooks, and are officially taking Cupertino and two publishers to court. In a hearing on Friday, Judge Denise Cote set a bench trial for June 3, 2012, putting Apple, Macmillan and Penguin Group... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-06-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #accused apple #penguin group #agency pricing #justice department


Kobo eReader Touch Edition packs bags for Japan, books flight for July

Rakuten's $315 million buyout of Kobo will bear some e-reader fruit come July. The e-tailer's CEO and chairman, Hiroshi Mikitani, announced plans to release the Kobo eReader Touch Edition in Japan next month for 10,000 yen (on par with its $130 US sticker price). Timing is key, of course --... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #announced plans #kindle touch #permalinkthe verge


Travolta sued by sex book author

A Los Angeles man who wrote a book about his alleged gay encounters with John Travolta filed a libel lawsuit on Thursday against the actor and his attorney. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2012-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


More records for erotic Grey book

Erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey has continued its success in the UK after breaking the weekly paperback sales record. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fifty shades


Media Decoder Blog: From Penguin, a Plan to Make Its E-Books Available in New York City Libraries

The publisher, in conjunction with city libraries and 3M, will make its books available in e-format, though they will not be available immediately after release. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2012-06-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


E-book sales surge ahead of hardcovers

Using data from almost 2,000 publishers, the Association of American Publishers reports that ebooks have outsold hardcovers for the first time. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-06-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Anobii sponsors Edinburgh's First Book Award

Social network Anobii is the new title sponsor of the Edinburgh International Book Festival's... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-06-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book award


The Incredible Resilience of Books

Despite challenges faced by the publishing industry and past predictions, the written word has not seen its last day Continue reading at The Atlantic

[ The Atlantic | 2012-06-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #challenges faced #publishing industry #written word


Harry Potter books land in Amazon's Kindle Owners' Lending Library

All seven Harry Potter books are now available in the Kindle Owners' Lending Library, marking the series' first availability outside the Pottermore store. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle owners #lending library #pottermore store


US: 'E-book revenue outstrips hardbacks in first quarter'

Further evidence of the rise of digital and the decline of print comes from the US where,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-06-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


John Edwards' mistress discusses their relationship in forthcoming book

Rielle Hunter writes that Edwards was 'temporarily insane' when he denied paternity of her child. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-06-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #john edwards