How celebrity deals are shutting children's authors out of their own trade

As Frank Lampard, George Galloway and Cara Delevingne land big-money book deals, established writers look on from the fringes – or turn away altogether Another day, another celebrity announces they are to “pen” a children’s book. Already this week, Jamie Lee Curtis has announced a “selfie-themed” tome, Chelsea Clinton a picture book about inspirational women and the Black Eyed Peas a graphic novel featuring zombies.They join a slew of celebs cashing in on a burgeoning market. In the past month, model-turned-actor Cara Delevingne, TV presenter Dermot O’Leary and even politician and professional motormouth George Galloway have joined Frank Lampard, Danny Baker, Julian Clary and Fearne Cotton in vying to be the next JK Rowling. Related: A George Galloway book! Haven’t the kids suffered enough? | Catherine Bennett Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #inspirational women #burgeoning market #past month #danny baker #fearne cotton #jk rowling

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Adult Trade Sales Up in Six Months, Kids Down

Sales in the adult trade segment were up 3.1% in the first six months of 2015 over 2014, while sales of children’s/young adult books fell 12.3% in the same period, according to figures released by the Association of American Publishers StatShot program. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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VIDEO: Bookshops celebrating 'Super Thursday'

Bookshops and publishers on both sides of the Atlantic are celebrating 'Super Thursday', the unofficial day that sees their big push for Christmas sales. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2015-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nosy Crow and British Museum sign partnership deal

Nosy Crow is to work with the British Museum to produce a “broad range” of children’s books as part of an exclusive partnership. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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With 'Don't Suck, Don't Die' a Scholarly Press Pushes for a Trade Hit

The University of Texas Press is trying to achieve something new with Kristin Hersh’s memoir 'Don’t Suck, Don’t Die: Giving Up Vic Chesnutt,'--a trade bestseller. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Beijing’s Bookworm: The Go-to Destination for Touring Authors

Ten-year-old Chinese bookstore chain The Bookworm, founded by two expats, has become a go-to-destination in Asia, having hosted 3,000 touring authors. The post Beijing’s Bookworm: The Go-to Destination for Touring Authors appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HarperCollins signs three-book deal with Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo has signed a three book deal with HarperCollins and the first new title will be published later this month. Eagle in the Snow, released 8th October (h/b, £12.99), was inspired by the true story of Henry Tandey, the most decorated British soldier of the First World War and the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors on the Air October 2, 2015: Helen Macdonald and Kate Clifford Larson

Helen Macdonald, author of 'H is for Hawk' (Grove, 9780802123411), will appear on 'Well Read' on Friday, October 2. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Trade turns out for Trewin's memorial

“Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’” was among the musical tributes in Wednesday’s celebration of the life of Ion Trewin, author, publisher and literary director of the Man Booker Prizes. And indeed it was, the sun streaming through Shirazeh Houshiary’s “Warped Window” in St Martin-in-the-Fields,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Deals: Week of October 5, 2015

Jennifer Wiener goes kid friendly, taking a middle-grade trilogy to Aladdin; Viking nabs the new novel by Ruth Ozeki; Wattpad bestseller Kirsty Moseley lands at Forever; and more in this week's notable book deals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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UK authors join together with #BuyBooksForSyria

Profits from all books marked with the 'Buy Books for Syria' sticker in any of Waterstones' 280 UK locations will be part an initiative to raise one million pounds for Syrian refugees.. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Funny best-selling kids' author Andy Griffiths in New Zealand

More popular here than JK Rowling, No 1 children's author Andy Griffiths is in New Zealand meeting fans and signing books to promote his much-loved Treehouse book series. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2015-10-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Baileys Women's Prize launches Best of the Best celebration

The Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction is to mark 20 years with two weeks of programming with BBC Radio 4’s “Woman’s Hour” and a partnership with Waterstones. The Best of the Best celebration will also include an event on 2nd November at the Piccadilly Theatre in London, with award-winning... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Classic children's books on coding reprogrammed for a new generation

Author Lisa Watts, who helped to teach a generation of children about computers a quarter of a century ago, hopes new books will inspire tomorrow’s programmers“Back in the 1980s, the big question was: what are we going to do with these computers? We were empowered – we had a ZX81 or a BBC Micro... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-10-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children's picture books get an internet-era makeover

Remember those customized children's books that the rich kids in school used to get, featuring a story with their name and face pasted onto the pages? It turns out that these things are still going, but now the companies that make them are harnessi... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2015-10-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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UK Authors, Publishers Donate Book Sales to Syrian Refugees

Some of the UK’s most famous authors and publishers are donating their earnings from book sales to raise £1m for Syrian refugees. The post UK Authors, Publishers Donate Book Sales to Syrian Refugees appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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This Week in Children's Apps: September 28, 2015

Hitting digital bookshelves this week: an interactive way to explore space with a cat. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Can children's books help build a better world?

Author SF Said on how almost all the world’s problems come down to ‘us and them’ – and how children’s books can knock down the barriers Do you believe it’s the books we read when we are young that have the deepest impact? Let us know by emailing [email protected] or on Twitter... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers more content with digital transition than authors

Publishers are more content about how the book business is weathering the digital transition than authors, early results of the FutureBook Digital Census have found. The Digital Census, the annual tracker of the book business’ digital evolution, was launched two weeks ago and so far more than... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Film deal for Hurley's The Loney

Film rights to Andrew Michael Hurley’s The Loney (John Murray) have been optioned by DNA Films, with the support of Film4, after a five-way auction. The gothic novel is set on the Lancashire coast and follows a Catholic family who make an Easter pilgrimage from London to try and cure their mute... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Bookseller Children's Conference: live updates

Stay in the loop with events from The Bookseller Children's Conference with our live updates.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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