A keen business mind and real commitment to the publishing industry are vital for a job that is all about selling – shy and retiring types need not apply Gordon Wise has been a literary agent at Curtis Brown for 10 years, and has a wide range of clients, from celebrities like Miranda Hart to novelists such as Armistead Maupin. He is also vice-president of the Association of Authors’ Agents. But becoming an agent wasn’t part of his original career plan and he reached this point via a varied and winding path through the world of books.Wise studied History and English at Edinburgh university, both, he says, “heavy reading” subjects. But his real introduction to books as business came when, as an undergraduate, he won a place on a scholarship programme at the University of Pennsylvania. “I was allowed to work under my visa and I got a part-time job as a bookseller at Barnes & Noble, which had a big downtown bookstore,” he says. The job gave him an insight into publishing and sparked a vocation that would lead him to his current career. “What I enjoyed about publishing was that it is the place where business and creativity meet; you would be working with these wonderfully creative people – the writers – but trying to turn what they have created into something of commercial value.”If you are made an offer straight away, ask for a better offer. If you don't ask, you will never know Related: Small publishers are benefiting from changes in the industry Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2015-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
The MAGA-themed tome "is going to be the top selling book in the Beyond-Help section of Barnes & Noble," cracked one wag. Continue reading at HuffPost
[ HuffPost | 2019-05-22 13:55:58 UTC ]
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The Amazon Literary Partnership announced Monday that it was giving more than $1 million in grants to 66 literary nonprofit groups across the country, including nine in California. Amazon has awarded the grants annually since 2009, with the money going to small publishers, writing centers,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-05-21 17:40:00 UTC ]
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Among three decisions handed down at a May 6 conference, Judge John G. Koeltl ruled that Barnes & Noble's countersuit against former CEO Demos Parneros can proceed. But in a twist, the judge held that an indemnification clause in Parneros's contract called for the company to advance... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-06 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Republic of Consciousness prize honours Will Eaves and Alex Pheby, but says awards make us wrongly consider a sole winner ‘the best’A novel about James Joyce’s troubled daughter, Lucia, and a reimagining of the chemical castration of Alan Turing have been named the joint winners of the Republic... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2019-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Jen Beagin, author of 'Vacuum in the Dark,' on the long, winding path of writing two novels with the same protagonist. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-02-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In a shift, American readers have become more interested in books about mental health than about diet and exercise, according to data released by bookstore chain Barnes & Noble. The data, collected around the New Year's season, seems to indicate that readers' annual resolutions are focusing... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble will discount more than 100 books at 50% off from today until December 24 in stores and December 25 online, provided supplies last. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Judge John G. Koeltl said the former B&N CEO is free to seek a dismissal of Barnes & Noble’s counterclaim against him, but suggested it was a waste of time and effort. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House said that first-day sales for Michelle Obama's memoir "represent the largest single-day sales total for any book published in 2018" by the publisher, while Barnes & Noble said 'Becoming' had the biggest first week of sales at the chain so far this year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-11-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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At a 20-minute initial conference, lawyers for Demos Parneros portrayed the fired CEO as a respected executive who is now "unhirable" after being wrongly dismissed for alleged sexual harassment. Lawyers for Barnes & Noble said they have "a different view of the facts." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'The Wall Street Journal' reported that the company rumored to be near an acquisition of Barnes & Noble this spring was British retailer W.H. Smith. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-11-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble is now seeking damages from recently fired CEO Demos Parneros for breaching his fiduciary duties, including derailing the sale of the company so he could retain his job as B&N's CEO. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-10-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sixty-eight small presses will be descending on Central London's Conway Hall in the second week of November, for the 17th edition of the Small Publishers' Fair. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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2018 is the year people wanted to read about politics. Barnes & Noble reported a 57% surge in sales of political books compared with last year. The sales spike was driven by books that have been selling like wildfire all year long, from Michael Wolff’s "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-10-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Saying it has received interest from multiple parties about making an offer for the company, Barnes & Noble has created a formal review process to evaluate the retailer’s strategic alternatives. Among the parties interested in making an offer for B&N is its founder and chairman Len Riggio. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-10-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble's latest prototype store, opening in Columbia, Maryland, today, offers a smaller footprint, contemporary design touches, and booksellers equipped with tablets. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After reporting disappointing Q1 results on Thursday, Barnes & Noble saw its stock price jump on Friday following a new investment by Richard Schottenfeld, the head of an eponymous investment firm that took a 5.58% stake in the book chain in July. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-09-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble Inc. began its new fiscal year with disappointing results as the turnaround promised by its recently ousted chief proves elusive. Same-store sales at the book and gift seller slipped... To view the full story, click the title link. Continue reading at Crains New York
[ Crains New York | 2018-09-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble’s sales fell 6.9% in the quarter ended July 28, compared to the same period last year. The company did note, however, that the sales trend improved in each month of the quarter. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-09-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble was on the cusp of being sold to another book retailer in June before the deal fell through, it has been revealed. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-08-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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