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 ]
News tagged with: #wall street #fifty shades #makes sense

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Books to Film: Author Patrick deWitt on Seeing His ‘Sisters Brothers’ on Screen

'I enjoyed the experience of seeing the movie,' the Canadian author says–but only on his second viewing. Seeing his work go to the screen, Patrick deWitt says, takes some getting used to. The post Books to Film: Author Patrick deWitt on Seeing His ‘Sisters Brothers’ on Screen appeared first on... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post books #sisters brothers #canadian author #patrick dewitt


To Promote Her Upcoming Show, This Finnish Pop Star Appeared as an AR Cartoon in a Donald Duck Comic Book

While brands have experimented with augmented reality on surfaces ranging from murals to milk cartons, a Finnish pop star is using the technology to layer herself into a comic book. To promote her sold-out show next month, Sanni, one of Finland's favorite artists, and her label Warner Music... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2018-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #augmented reality #comic book


Scottish Book Trust announces author residencies

Authors Gerry Cambridge and Linda Strachan are part of a group of nine authors who will work with schools in Scotland as part of Live Literature School Residencies Programme, organised by Scottish Book Trust. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Trump blasts Woodward and threatens to 'write real book' on presidency

President tweets that he will correct record, saying he is misrepresented in veteran reporter’s upcoming book, FearDonald Trump has promised to “write the real book” on his presidency, to correct a record he says is misrepresented by Bob Woodward, veteran author of a highly anticipated work,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-09-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #upcoming book #real book #bob woodward #dragnet descends


National Book Foundation Sponsors Fall Author Tour

NBF Presents, a new program from the National Book Foundation, is sponsoring National Book Award-winning or shortlisted authors to visit a dozen book fairs, universities and libraries around the country this fall. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-09-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Promotions for Parkin, Harris and Horobin at Bonnier Books UK

Bonnier Books UK has made three new executive promotions, including that of Kate Parkin, who been promoted to managing director of Adult Trade. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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YA author John Young to cycle Scottish book tour

John Young, who is shortlisted for Scottish Book Trust’s Teenage Book Prize, is cycling around Scotland for the book tour of his novel Farewell Tour of a Terminal Optimist (Kelpies). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors overwhelmed by schools' requests for free books

Children’s authors are being overwhelmed by requests for free books and promotional materials from schools with dwindling budgets, writers have told The Bookseller. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #free books #promotional materials


TarcherPerigee Drops Accused Buddhist Author’s Book

Penguin Group’s TarcherPerigee imprint will no longer publish ‘How to Be Decent’ by Lodro Rinzler amid an investigation of sexual misconduct surrounding the author. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-08-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author Tom Cox appeals for stolen book notes

An author is appealing for help to trace his stolen Moleskine notebook which contained a year’s worth of notes for his next title. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-08-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fight Club author left with 'no reserves to write the next book' after fraud

Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk has said he may be forced to sell his house in order to stay afloat after an accountant at his literary agency was arrested for embezzling $3.4m (£2.5m) from the company. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book sales boom but authors report shrinking incomes

Calls for writers to reap rewards as British publishers enjoy record-breaking yearA record-breaking year for publishers has been greeted with renewed demands for authors to receive a bigger slice of income and investment, as sales of books passed the £5.7bn mark in 2017.Book sales income was up... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors' fury at website offering free book downloads

Authors including Philip Pullman, Robin Stevens and Maz Evans are "furious" about a website offering free illegal downloads of their books. OceanofPDF.com offers users free PDF or Epub downloads of some bestselling authors’ books, including eight Philip Pullman titles, 14 books by Malorie... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-07-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Welsh Book of the Year authors sell as few as 20 copies

Almost half the shortlisted authors for the Welsh Book of the Year awards have sold fewer than 100 copies. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2018-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fortress Brings Bestselling Author's Book Back to Print Following Scandal

Fortress Press is reissuing ‘Jesus + Nothing = Everything’ by Tullian Tchividjian, the grandson of Billy Graham whose book was taken out of print after admitting to extra-marital affairs in 2015. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kiwi authors of LGBTQ children's book hope it will bring 'kindness'

After receiving praise from LGBTQ activists across the globe, the Wellington-based authors of LGBTQ children's book Promised Land have released a second book in the series, Maiden Voyage. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2018-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Picador and TED-Ed Team for Book Promotions

Macmillan’s literary trade paperback imprint has teamed up with the educational video unit of the renowned ideas conference to create a book recommendation program pairing each of TED-Ed’s educational animated shorts with an appropriate book. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'No kids in cages': Children's book authors unite against Trump policy separating families at the border

About 2,000 children’s and YA book authors and their supporters have signed onto a campaign to oppose President Trump's controversial family separation immigration policy under the name "Kid Lit Says No Kids in Cages." The campaign made its appearance Monday on Twitter with a statement signed by... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kerr picture book cover revealed as author turns 95

HarperCollins Children’s Books has revealed the cover of Judith Kerr’s new picture book to celebrate the author’s 95th birthday. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors Guild Adding Regional Chapters

The Authors Guild has announced an ambitious plan to open at least 14 regional chapters across the U.S. this year that will host variety of programs serving members in their local writing communities. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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