‘It’s quite galling’: children’s authors frustrated by rise in celebrity-penned titles

Keira Knightley is latest star to publish a children’s book, but some say trend pushes aside genuine writers and makes it harder to find great children’s fiction“A modern classic by Keira Knightley” reads the provisional cover of the actor’s debut children’s book, I Love You Just the Same. Set to be published next October, the 80-page volume, written and illustrated by Knightley, is about a girl navigating the changing dynamics that come with the arrival of a sibling.The Pirates of the Caribbean star is the latest in a long list of celebrities to have turned to writing children’s books. McFly’s Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter have been hovering at the top of the bestseller chart since the publication last month of their latest book The Dinosaur that Pooped Halloween!. Earlier in the year, David Walliams dominated with his newest book Astrochimp. The entertainer has sold 25m copies of his children’s titles in the UK alone, according to Nielsen BookData. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2024-10-20 13:00:48 UTC ]
News tagged with: #authors frustrated #trend pushes #genuine writers #provisional cover #80-page volume #girl navigating #changing dynamics #caribbean star #long list #tom fletcher #dougie poynter #bestseller chart #pooped halloween #nielsen bookdata #nielsen #latest book

Other Publishing stories related to: '‘It’s quite galling’: children’s authors frustrated by rise in celebrity-penned titles'


Hardie Grant signs Wah Nails title

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 09/09/2011 - 11:09 Hardie Grant UK has acquired a DIY nail art book by Sharmadean Reid, founder of fashionable nail salon WAH Nails in Dalston, east London. Commissioning editor Kate Pollard bought world rights directly from Reid. The book... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #east london


Sales rise and profit jumps at Profile

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 06/09/2011 - 15:28 Profile has reported a 3% sales rise to £7.35m for the year to end 31st March 2011, with profits up 69% to £405,000. M.d. Andrew Franklin said the publisher was delighted to announce these "healthy" results on the day that it... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sales rise #andrew franklin #serpents tail


Dolls help to launch children's novel

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Fri, 02/09/2011 - 15:00 Teacher and artist Patricia Le Baudrier is using digital printing and marketing to launch her debut novel The Orphans of St Cecile, which she created using dolls she has modeled and using photographs as illustrations. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #launch children #digital printing


Templar forges digital link for Ology titles

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Fri, 02/09/2011 - 07:35 Publisher Templar is working with US company Nukotoys to develop digital trading cards for its Ology brand, beginning with the launch of Monsterology trading cards in the spring. The launch is timed to mark a decade of the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Dawn Porter to write for Hodder Children's Books

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 01/09/2011 - 14:45 Hodder Children's Books has bought two teen titles from journalist and presenter Dawn Porter. Publisher Emily Thomas did the deal directly with Porter for a "sizeable" sum. The books are described as "epic stories of an... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dawn porter #hodder children #teen titles #deal directly


'Ask an author' feature added to Kindle

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 01/09/2011 - 15:08 Amazon.com is offering a new feature enabling readers to ask authors questions directly via their Kindle devices. @author is currently on limited beta release, with a handful of participating authors including thriller writer... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle devices #robert kiyosaki


French authors cautious on latest Google deal

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Wed, 31/08/2011 - 15:01 French authors have given a cautious welcome to last week’s agreement for Google to scan out-of-print or unavailable copyrighted books published by the La Martinière group. Although applauding the US giant’s wish to respect... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Two Macmillan titles on autumn R&J list

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Wed, 31/08/2011 - 09:57 Macmillan has two titles among the eight books featuring in W H Smith's fourth Richard and Judy Book Club promotion, which goes instore tomorrow (1st September). Next of Kin by David Hosp and The End of Everything by Megan... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #books featuring #half price


Hubert Burda to market German titles to UK brands

International magazine publisher Hubert Burda Media has opened a central marketing office in London to promote its German titles to UK-based advertisers. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2011-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hubert burda #german titles


NOOK Newsstand Adds More Titles From Meredith and Time Inc.

The NOOK Newsstand for Barnes & Noble’s e-reader offering NOOK has added more titles from Meredith and Time Inc. to its periodical roster. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-08-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nook newsstand


One in six children doesn't read a book a month

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Mon, 22/08/2011 - 15:18 One in six children do not read a single book per month, according to a new survey by the National Literacy Trust. The research suggested the United Kingdom is polarised between those who do not read and the one in 10 children... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rarely read #single book #research suggested #united kingdom


Progression for Macmillan's Africa authors

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Fri, 19/08/2011 - 13:52 Authors of Macmillan titles put on hold during the recent Serious Fraud Office investigation say they have been given a "glimmer of hope" for the future, with "sensible" discussions now beginning with the publisher after... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Digital rates could dissuade authors from writing - Swift

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 18/08/2011 - 12:10 Man Booker-winning author Graham Swift has said there is a danger aspiring writers may be put off from writing if the rates they are paid decrease in the digital age. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital rates #digital age


Amazon Set to Publish Pop Author

Amazon moved aggressively to fulfill its new ambition to publish books as well as sell them, announcing that it had signed Timothy Ferriss, the popular self-help guru. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon set #publish books


Rankin photographs for new Athill title

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 16/08/2011 - 08:15 Granta has commissioned cover images of 93-year-old Diana Athill by celebrity photographer Rankin, better known for portraits of the likes of Kate Moss and Kylie Minogue. The photographs will grace the jacket of Athill's new... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #diana athill #kate moss #yesterday morning


Headline settles legal battle with author

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Mon, 15/08/2011 - 08:49 Headline has settled a high court action brought by a former author for an undisclosed sum. Author Amanda Smith had brought the action after Headline abandoned publication of her misery memoir Toxic. The court ruled the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #court ruled


Children's Laureate attacks Future Libraries report

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Fri, 12/08/2011 - 08:40 The recently appointed children's laureate Julia Donaldson has condemned the "Future Libraries" report as a "cost-cutting exercise" containing among its recommendations some likely to lead to a deterioration of the service.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #future libraries


Virago acquires second Paula McLain title

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 11/08/2011 - 08:55 Virago has acquired a second book by Paula McLain, author of this year's The Paris Wife, which told the story of Ernest Hemmingway's first wife. Associate publisher Ursula Doyle acquired UK and Commonwealth rights,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #virago acquires #paula mclain #paris wife #caspian dennis #abner stein


Xcite appoints author Coldwell as editor

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 09/08/2011 - 08:57 Erotic fiction publisher Xcite Books has appointed Elizabeth Coldwell to the role of editor. Coldwell is a former editor of Forum magazine and is also one of Xcite's bestselling authors. Managing director Hazel Cushion... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bestselling authors #broad spectrum


Sceptre buys new novel by Cold Mountain author

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 03/08/2011 - 09:10 Sceptre has acquired the latest novel by Cold Mountain author Charles Frazier, to be published on 27th September 2011. Publishing director Carolyn Mays bought British Commonwealth, excluding Canada, rights in the title,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #karolina sutton #curtis brown #amanda urban