Pay-back time for publishers: authors forced to return their advances

This week, it emerged that Pride and Prejudice and Zombies author Seth Grahame-Smith was being sued by his publisher to return his advance. From Julian Assange to Amy Schumer, he isn’t alone...Though he’s fallen out spectacularly with his publisher, Seth Grahame-Smith at least has the consolation of joining a stellar club of writers whose deals for much-anticipated books were terminated. It emerged this week that Grahame-Smith, the man behind Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, is being sued in the United States for breach of contract by Hachette, which wants half his $1m advance for a two-book deal returned. Hachette claims the second book’s typescript was eventually submitted “34 months” late, and was too short and substandard, “in large part an appropriation of a 120-year-old public domain work” (unnamed, but presumably 1897’s Dracula).Among Grahame-Smith’s new confrères are the 12 non-fiction authors including Elizabeth Wurtzel sued four years ago by Penguin USA, which sought to recoup the advances plus interest for books it said they had failed to deliver; Withnail And I writer-director Bruce Robinson, whose missed deadlines during his 15-year quest to identify Jack the Ripper meant his original publisher cancelled his contract and asked for its advance back (although he found a new one and They All Love Jack appeared in 2015); and the award-winning novelist and poet Vikram Seth, who was at loggerheads with Penguin after it... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2016-09-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #award-winning novelist #jane austen #$1m advance

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Yahdon Israel Pulls Back the Curtain on Publishing

The senior editor at Simon & Schuster, who acquired NBA finalist ‘Temple Folk’ after putting out a call for submissions on Instagram, wants to make the publishing industry more transparent and accessible. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-24 05:00:00 UTC ]
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German publisher halts sale of top author’s books after leak reveals he received €600,000 from Putin ally

Broadcaster NDR launches investigation after Hubert Seipel admits receiving support for work on two books on Russian leaderA German publisher has announced a stop to the sale of books authored by a leading journalist and Russia expert after an investigation showed he had received at least... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-11-15 14:31:23 UTC ]
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IngramSpark: A Decade of Amplifying Indie Authors and Publishers

For ten years, IngramSpark has been at the forefront of the rapidly changing self-publishing landscape. Now they’re looking ahead to the next 10. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
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For premium publishers, proving an advertiser’s return on investment is more important than ever

Media execs took stage at the Digiday Publishing Summit to discuss the growing importance of ROI in ad campaigns this year. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2023-09-22 04:01:00 UTC ]
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Amazon restricts authors from self-publishing more than three books a day after AI concerns

The company announced the new limitations after an influx of suspected AI-generated material was listed for sale but said that ‘very few’ publishers will be affectedAmazon has created a new rule limiting the number of books that authors can self-publish on its site to three a day, after an... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-09-20 16:22:58 UTC ]
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Sharjah Book Authority Announces its 2023 Publishers Conference

The three-day Publishers Conference professional program this year runs October 29 to 31, just ahead of Sharjah International Book Fair. The post Sharjah Book Authority Announces its 2023 Publishers Conference appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-09-18 17:22:40 UTC ]
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Author Strikes Back Against Spreading Science Denial

In her new book, author Janet Kellogg Ray addresses her concerns about what she sees as a revival of the battle lines being drawn between science and faith in a similar fashion to what led to the Scopes Monkey trial in 1925. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-08-23 04:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Times change’: what authors think about rewriting older books

Jacqueline Wilson is latest writer to wade into debate over changing dated and offensive languageThe publishing industry has been mired in debate in recent years about editing older books to remove content that could be deemed offensive.Even the prime minister became involved in February after... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-08-14 13:30:39 UTC ]
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What the sale of a major American book publisher means for authors, the industry — and you

Book publisher Simon & Schuster's sale to investment firm KKR is novel in many ways, but also part of a long-term trend. History tells us to expect the unexpected. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-08-08 17:35:35 UTC ]
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The AirPods Pro drop back to an all-time low, plus the rest of this week's best tech deals

This week, the biggest event in tech took place in Seoul with Samsung's Unpacked showcase. Among other announcements, the company officially unveiled its latest foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Z Fold 5. It's not even available yet, but Amazon is offering a $200 gift card if you pre-order from... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-07-28 18:33:17 UTC ]
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How to watch bestselling author Luis Alberto Urrea at the L.A. Times Book Club

Luis Alberto Urrea, author of 'Good Night, Irene,' joins L.A. Times Book Club readers live on July 19. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-07-19 20:38:21 UTC ]
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‘There’s an industry-wide mental health crisis’: authors and publishers on why the books sector needs to change

After a survey revealed the stresses that authors face when placed in the spotlight for the first time, publishing houses and industry bodies have pledged extra training and pastoral careAuthor and publisher welfare has been a hot topic in the books industry of late. Publishing houses, trade... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-07-18 15:13:43 UTC ]
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Authors leave Hungarian publisher in protest at sale to Orbán-linked college

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[ The Guardian | 2023-06-23 11:38:44 UTC ]
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Bruder Returns to Chronicle Books as Group Publisher

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-06-21 04:00:00 UTC ]
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This Bestselling Author Says Publishers Rejected His New Thriller Because He’s White. I Read It, and I’m Not So Sure.

If you believe that the role of a novel is to instruct readers on correct moral positions, then Trial is a masterpiece. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2023-06-20 16:38:36 UTC ]
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Publisher and Author Elizabeth Sherrill Dead at 95

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-06-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
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This Alaska bookstore in Sarah Palin’s hometown isn’t backing down about its drag story time.

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[ Literrary Hub | 2023-05-04 15:21:17 UTC ]
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[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-04-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The Guardian view on US book bans: time to fight back | Editorial

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[ The Guardian | 2023-04-13 17:21:33 UTC ]
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