On eve of Costa awards, experts warn that top books prizes are harming fiction

The dominance of three honours in the UK can be prohibitively expensive for small publishers, and end up discouraging risk-taking on ‘difficult’ authorsCutting-edge British literary fiction risks being undermined by its growing reliance on a handful of powerful book prizes, a leading literary agent has warned. But the associated costs of entering the biggest awards mean independent publishers willing to take risks on “difficult” works without obvious marketing potential are being shut out of contention.The warnings, from Jonny Geller of Curtis Brown, come as the Costa book of the year judges prepare to announce the shortlist for the £30,000 award. He said: “Literary fiction is under threat in this country due to a combination of factors – reluctance by major houses to take risks; a bottleneck in the distribution chain [and] diverse voices being ignored by a predominantly white, middle-class industry.” Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-01-02 00:00:00 UTC ]

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Début novels kick off the new year

The first quarter of 2015 sees the publication of several début novels, including books by new voices James Rice, Anna Smaill and Sara Taylor. Kate Howard, editorial director at Hodder, acquired Rice’s Alice and the Fly (15th January, £14.99), on exclusive submission from Karolina Sutton and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Shandler Lands Top Spot at New Harper Imprint

Former Little, Brown editor-in-chief Geoff Shandler will be overseeing the nonfiction side of a new line featuring nonfiction and literary fiction under HC's William Morrow division. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harris to chair Costa Book of the Year judges

Author Robert Harris will chair the judging panel for the 2014 Costa Book of the Year. He will be joined by writers Maggie O’Farrell, Bernadine Evaristo, Jonathan Stroud, Owen Sheers and Wendy Moore, actress Dame Diana Rigg, the BBC’s economics editor Robert Peston, and actress Samantha... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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William Boyd's next novel 'most daring yet'

Bloomsbury has signed a global deal for the next novel by William Boyd, titled Sweet Caress. Editor in chief Alexandra Pringle signed world English rights, excluding Canada, on behalf of Bloomsbury UK and US in a deal with Jonny Geller at Curtis Brown and Amanda Urban at ICM. The book will be... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Orion signs cookbook from Tucci and Blunt

Actor Stanley Tucci and literary agent Felicity Blunt have written a cookbook. The couple’s book features recipes from Tucci’s traditional Italian roots, as well as those of his British wife Blunt, who is an agent at Curtis Brown. Recipes include pasta alla bottarga, mushroom-stuffed trout,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Curtis Brown launches online book group

Curtis Brown is launching an online book group, offering readers the chance to get “a sneak preview of work from some of the agency’s most exciting new and undiscovered authors” just ahead of publication. Applications for readers for the group, the first online reading group to be hosted by a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lish novel to Oneworld

Oneworld has signed a novel by Atticus Lish, the son of editor and writer Gordon Lish, in a deal with Karolina Sutton at Curtis Brown. Editorial director for fiction Rosalind Porter acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, in Preparation for the Next Life, from Sutton, on behalf... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Smith, McBride, Filer and Moran on National Book Awards shortlists

Man Booker-shortlisted Ali Smith, Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction winner Eimear McBride, and Costa Book of the Year winner Nathan Filer are among the authors vying at the Specsavers National Book Awards this year. Presented in association with high street campaign Books Are My Bag, the awards... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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NHS donation for Nathan Filer's The Shock of the Fall

HarperCollins is donating more than 500 copies of Nathan Filer's Costa Book of the Year-winning novel The Shock of the Fall to NHS library services across the south west. The publisher is donating copies to the NHS library network through the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Curtis Brown: Love, Passion and a Century of Selling Rights

As Curtis Brown Ltd. celebrates its centenary anniversary, the firm’s CEO reflects on rights sales and the changing role of literary agents and authors today. The post Curtis Brown: Love, Passion and a Century of Selling Rights appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-11-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hot Book Trends from the Göteborg Book Fair

Saskia Vogel documents the hot book trends from the Goteborg Book Fair, including feminist texts, literary fiction, and more. The post Hot Book Trends from the Göteborg Book Fair appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HC signs celebrity biographies from Smith

HarperCollins has acquired two celebrity biographies by Sean Smith, in a deal with Gordon Wise of Curtis Brown. Smith has previously written unauthorised biographies of celebrities such as Cheryl Fernandez-Versini and Robbie Williams, both published by Simon & Schuster. HarperCollins has... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-10-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Curtis Brown Ltd. Celebrates 100 Years

History is something Curtis Brown Ltd. has been reveling in of late, as the agency turns 100 this year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hard books for hard times: literary experimentation gains popularity

For some authors, a demanding era for publishing calls for complicated stories not cautious and conservative ones and they're finding readersBetween the decline of the traditional bookshop and the internet wrecking our concentration, many thought the novel was on its last legs. With all the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Literary Agent Q&A: Jonathan Lyons of Curtis Brown

In charge of Curtis Brown's translation rights department, agent Jonathan Lyons talks here about the challenges and opportunities in today's book publishing industry. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Tarted-Up Book Covers Belittle Women's Fiction

The publishing industry's packaging of women's literary fiction in stereotypically girly covers makes great books seem trashy.If you take a look at the cover of Alice Munro's latest Nobel Prize-winning short fiction collection, The View From Castle Rock, you probably wouldn't guess it includes... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2014-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In praise of ... Galley Beggar | Editorial

Galley Beggar had the courage to take a chance with an unknown author writing in an unconventional wayIf you hadn't previously heard of Galley Beggar of Norwich, that is hardly surprising. It's a small-scale operation set up by a local bookseller. But Galley Beggar has something which big... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Check it Out with Michael Kelley: Simon & Schuster’s E-book Lending Pilot

When it comes to the library ebook lending market, it’s fair to say that Simon & Schuster has been the most cautious of the major houses. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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VIDEO: Costa winner 'shocked and delighted'

Nathan Filer, winner of the Costa Book of the Year with his debut novel The Shock of the Fall, says he was "shocked and delighted" as the announcement was made. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2014-01-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nathan Filer wins Costa book prize

Debut novelist Nathan Filer wins the Costa Book of the Year with The Shock of the Fall, his debut novel about loss, guilt and mental illness. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2014-01-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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