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 ]

Other news stories related to: "On eve of Costa awards, experts warn that top books prizes are harming fiction"


Arrow acquires spiritualist memoir

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 08/07/2011 - 11:00 Arrow has acquired an autobiography of the spiritualist and healer Helen Parry Jones. Editor Gillian Holmes bought UK and Commonwealth rights from Sheila Crowley at Curtis Brown. The book will tell the story of Parry... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Curtis Brown to represent Ian Fleming Estate

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 24/06/2011 - 13:31 Ian Fleming Publications has appointed Jonny Geller and Curtis Brown as the literary agents worldwide for the Ian Fleming James Bond novels as well as future Bond literary works, taking over from Simon Trewin at United... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Two Theroux for Faber

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 21/06/2011 - 08:20 Faber has acquired two books by Marcel Theroux, with the next novel Strange Bodies about an academic who is asked to authenticate letters written by Samuel Johnson. Editorial director Walter Donohue and publishing... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Waterstone's necessary for midlist and discoverability, says Page

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 25/05/2011 - 09:41 The safeguarding of Waterstone's future will secure the midlist of history and science writing, literary fiction and memoir, the m.d. of Faber has said. Stephen Page, writing in the Guardian, said if the Waterstone's... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


More agents to explore publishing models

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 13/05/2011 - 08:38 Literary agents Curtis Brown and Blake Friedman have said they are planning to follow Ed Victor's move into publishing, after he announced an ebook and print-on-demand venture earlier this week. Curtis Brown m.d. Jonathan... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Oneworld to explore science and war

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 14/04/2011 - 16:08 Independent publisher Oneworld has acquired two titles, one looking at the latest Afghan war and the other going to the borders of scientific discovery. Commissioning editor Mike Harpley bought world English language... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Agents Keeping Foreign Publishers on Digital Leash

As the London Book Fair goes through its annual run this week, American agents are trying to figure out the best way to sell digital rights to foreign publishers in markets that are far behind the U.S. in ebook sales. Even though many international publishers are just starting to dabble in... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Coronet buys quirky romantic comedy

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 31/03/2011 - 08:54 Coronet has acquired two books from a journalist and debut novelist Jessica Thompson. Editor Charlotte Haycock bought British Commonwealth rights in a deal with Sheila Crowley at Curtis Brown. The first title, This is a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


HarperCollins acquires Jermaine Jackson title

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 16/03/2011 - 14:59 HarperCollins has bought a book by Jermaine Jackson about the life of his pop star brother Michael. World rights to You are Not Alone: Michael, Through a Brother's Eyes were bought by Natalie Jerome, publishing director for... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Grace Dent to Leave Twitter for Faber/Guardian Books

Publication Date: Wed, 09/03/2011 - 14:40 Faber and Guardian Books have acquired a title by columnist and author Grace Dent about social networking phenomenon Twitter. Guardian Books publisher Lisa Darnell and Faber publishing director for non-fiction Julian Loose jointly acquired world rights... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


More Jewell for Century

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 07/03/2011 - 15:04 Century has signed a new three-book deal with novelist Lisa Jewell, as the imprint plans a new cover treatment for the author. Century and Arrow publisher Kate Elton acquired UK and Commonwealth rights through Jonny... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Quadrille set to lead Wills and Kate up the aisle

Written By: Laura Richards Publication Date: Fri, 25/02/2011 - 11:47 Satirical photographer and filmmaker Alison Jackson will be focusing her eye on the Royal Wedding with a new book from Quadrille about Prince William and Kate Middleton's forth­coming nuptials. Anne Furniss, Quadrille... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Hodder and Stoughton buys real-life Charlotte Gray

Written By: Charlotte Williams Hodder & Stoughton has acquired the account of the life of "real life Charlotte Gray". Pearl Witherington was the only female agent in the Special Operations Executive to run her own network in France during the second world war. Hodder non-fiction publisher... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Poet on winning Costa Book prize

Costa Book of the Year prize-winner, Jo Shapcott, explains her delight that poetry has been recognised by Costa two years running. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2011-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this