Strange Ads Promote an Author Who Isn't Real and a Book That Doesn't Exist

IFC's upcoming The Spoils of Bablyon, a comedy miniseries that spoofs serious miniseries, is based on a book that seems to be sold out in Hudson News stores around the country. The problem with keeping the book in stock, though, is that there were never any printed copies. Eric Jonrosh (and the jig will be up when he shows up on TV and looks a lot like Will Ferrell, who produces the series along with the rest of the Funny or Die crew) is the megalomaniacal author of the book, and his persona has become the avatar of IFC's marketing for the show. "[Andrew Steele and Matt Piedmont, who wrote the series] created a character—well, we don't even like to call him a character," head of marketing Blake Callaway tells AdFreak. "We like to pretend he's real. We've written the fake book reviews. He's committed to literacy, because if you can't read, you can't read Jonrosh." The writer's megalomaniacal streak is borne out in the ambitions of the miniseries, which appears to span a period from the 1930s to the 1980s, if the trailer (see below) is any indication. So IFC has an appropriately grandiose ad campaign, with the book-focused executions littering bookstores and branded Little Free Libraries installed in cities like Dallas and Minneapolis in partnership with that organization. Callaway says he hopes to entice writers from the blockbuster-ier end of the literary spectrum to turn out for the show's Los Angeles premiere in January. "[James Patterson] is on our wish list,"... Continue reading at 'AdWeek'

[ AdWeek | 2013-11-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors walk out on Bloomsbury India following book cancellation

A number of authors have withdrawn their books from Bloomsbury India, after the publishing house pulled Monika Arora's Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story, scheduled for publication this autumn.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-25 02:21:19 UTC ]
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With book tours scrapped, authors are finding new ways to connect with their readers

Chris Bohjalian, Mary Kay Andrews and other novelists have turned to Zoom and Facebook Live to find their audience. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-08-19 12:00:00 UTC ]
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US Publishers, Authors, Booksellers Call Out Amazon’s ‘Concentrated Power’ in the Book Market

American professional associations for authors, publishers, and booksellers write to the House subcommittee on antitrust issues about Amazon. The post US Publishers, Authors, Booksellers Call Out Amazon’s ‘Concentrated Power’ in the Book Market appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-08-17 14:51:35 UTC ]
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Mermaid mania is real, and it’s seeping into the realm of nonfiction books

A variety of books aim to make sense of our obsession with these mystical beings. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-08-13 12:37:46 UTC ]
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Corvus strikes two-book deal with debut author Katy Cox

Atlantic's Corvus imprint has acquired two novels from debut author Katy Cox, including M is for Mummy, a "warm and witty" story about parenting an autistic child.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-11 05:57:45 UTC ]
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UK Book Industry: Society of Authors’ Hardship Fund Renews Appeal for Donations

The UK's authors' union opens a new push for grassroots funding of small emergency grants needed by authors in the pandemic. The post UK Book Industry: Society of Authors’ Hardship Fund Renews Appeal for Donations appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-08-10 14:09:22 UTC ]
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Bonnier Books UK promotes Wicks and Burns

Bonnier Books UK has promoted Helen Wicks to executive director for children’s trade and Elise Burns to group sales, marketing and PR director.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-10 02:38:59 UTC ]
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Kathleen Duey, a Mentoring Children’s Book Author, Dies at 69

A prolific writer, she published more than 75 books, including a Best Seller and a National Book Award finalist, all while encouraging aspiring authors. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-08-05 21:52:08 UTC ]
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Author loses spot in Top 10 after buying 400 copies of his own book

Mark Dawson’s purchase pushed his thriller The Cleaner up the Sunday Times chart, but the sales monitor Nielsen has now revised its figuresAuthor Mark Dawson has lost his Top 10 position in the Sunday Times bestseller charts for his thriller The Cleaner after revealing that he bought 400 copies... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-07-22 11:24:02 UTC ]
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An author bought his own book to get higher on bestseller lists. Is that fair?

Author Mark Dawson has attracted criticism after bulk buying his own book gave him a high chart position. But that isn’t breaking any rulesFor any author, being able to describe yourself as a bona fide bestseller is key to conferring your career with a certain gravitas – and will often bring you... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-07-20 15:59:35 UTC ]
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Authors, Customers Demand Borderlands Books Owner Divest from Store

As calls continue for embattled Borderlands Books owner Alan Beatts to divest from the store after allegations of violent assault and attempted rape surfaced two weeks ago, authors are canceling scheduled virtual events. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-07-14 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The real villain of Mary Trump’s family tell-all isn’t Donald. It’s Fred.

Review of ‘Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man’ by Mary L. Trump Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-07-09 13:20:12 UTC ]
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I'm the first black author to win book of the year. I'm proud, but not completely happy

Instead of celebrating myself, I’m going to celebrate the books by black authors that came before meI have a funny thing about winning. I find it overwhelming. I don’t know how to cope or act when things are meant to be “good”. What do I do? Should I be happy? What is that? How many ways can I... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-07-02 07:00:46 UTC ]
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Evaristo and Carty-Williams become first black authors to win top British Book awards

Candice Carty-Williams and Bernardine Evaristo take book of the year and author of the year categories, as publishers face criticism for treatment of black authorsCandice Carty-Williams and Bernardine Evaristo have become the first black authors to win the top prizes at the British Book awards,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-06-29 17:45:42 UTC ]
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Reni Eddo-Lodge becomes first black British author to top UK book charts

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race wins landmark ranking in the wake of worldwide Black Lives Matter protestsReni Eddo-Lodge has become the first black British author to take the overall No 1 spot in the UK’s official book charts.Eddo-Lodge’s Why I’m No Longer Talking to White... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-06-16 14:00:03 UTC ]
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Penguin Business commissions second book from authors of The Squiggly Career

Penguin Business will publish You Coach You, a second book by Sarah Ellis and Helen Tupper, authors of Sunday Times bestseller The Squiggly Career.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-11 19:52:38 UTC ]
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Black British authors top UK book charts in wake of BLM protests

Bernardine Evaristo and Reni Eddo-Lodge take No 1 slots in wake of anti-racist demonstrations, as Waterstones staff ask chain to support causeBernardine Evaristo and Reni Eddo-Lodge have become the first black British women to top the UK’s fiction and nonfiction paperback charts, in a week where... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-06-10 13:46:40 UTC ]
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BookExpo 2020: Adult Book and Author Dinner Goes Digital

BookExpo helds its first Adult Book and Author Dinner, in lieu of a breakfast, on Wednesday night, showcasing five of the big books of the year, in wide-ranging forms and styles, via Zoom. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-05-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Salman Rushdie, Diana Gabaldon and other authors reflect on the books they find most transporting

This summer, instead of squeezing one more book into our suitcases, we’ll need what we read to transport us to faraway places. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-05-27 06:00:00 UTC ]
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Why a ‘Strange and Nerdy’ Book About Eels Is Making Waves

Patrik Svensson mixed natural history with memoir for his debut, which has become a surprise best seller and award winner in his native Sweden. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-05-22 09:00:23 UTC ]
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