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

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Strange Ads Promote an Author Who Isn't Real and a Book That Doesn't Exist'


New Climate Fiction Author Sarah Ruiz-Grossman’s Favorite Cli-Fi Books

This Earth Day, settle into "A Fire So Wild," Sarah Ruiz-Grossman's debut novel about the societal impacts of climate change. Continue reading at HuffPost

[ HuffPost | 2024-04-05 09:45:24 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #climate change #debut novel


Everyone’s Reading Books About Hot Faeries Now. This Bestselling Author Has Been Writing Them for Decades.

The Prisoner’s Throne author Holly Black reflects on the rise of “romantasy” novels, explicit sex scenes, and BookTok. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2024-03-18 21:31:31 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reading books #bestselling author


7 Books By Black Authors That Might Not Be On Your Reading List, But Should Be

“I Don’t Want To Die Poor” author Michael Arceneaux discusses his upcoming book and his fight for representation. Continue reading at HuffPost

[ HuffPost | 2024-03-04 10:45:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #black authors #upcoming book


RuPaul Launches Author-Owned Online Book Marketplace

Allstora, an e-commerce platform with a wholesale membership model, promises to split profits with authors and offer books at steep discounts. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-03-04 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online book


Five years and 2m copies later, self-published author lands UK book deal

Norfolk-based crime writer JM Dalgliesh topped the Amazon and Kindle bestsellers before being signed by a traditional publisher In 2018, JM Dalgliesh was a stay-at-home father when he sent his first crime novel to six literary agents, only to receive polite rejection letters – or no response at... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-12-17 09:00:23 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #2m copies #literary agents #traditional publisher #kindle #uk book #self-published author


De Los | Reads: 9 books to read during the holidays by Latinx authors

If you want inspiration for the new year, the nonfiction section has a self-care title that promises a meditative reading and a graphic novel about the Latinx leaders who changed the history of the U.S. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-12-13 18:42:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #latinx authors #graphic novel


12 of the Most Prolific Children’s Book Authors of All Time

These prolific children's book authors have written hundreds of books over decades working in the publishing industry! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-12-07 11:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #prolific children #book authors #publishing industry #children's book #children’s book


CBC News analysis finds thousands of Canadian authors, books in controversial dataset used to train AI

A CBC News investigation has found at least 2,500 copyrighted books written by more than 1,200 Canadian and Québécois authors were shared online as part of a massive — and now defunct — dataset used to train artificial intelligence. Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2023-12-07 09:00:49 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #canadian authors #train ai #books written


'Know My Name' author Chanel Miller has written a children's book, 'Magnolia Wu Unfolds It'

Chanel Miller’s next book after her prize-winning memoir “Know My Name” will help fulfill a longtime dream to write and illustrate children’s stories Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2023-12-06 14:46:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #chanel miller #prize-winning memoir #memoir


Penguin Random House, Authors Sue to Block Iowa Anti-LGBTQ Book Banning Law

Penguin Random House and the Iowa State Education Association, along with four bestselling authors and five plaintiffs from the state of Iowa, have sued the state to block key provisions of its sweeping new law banning books with sexual or LGBTQ+ content in schools. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bestselling authors #penguin random house


Justin Torres, Author of ‘Blackouts,’ Wins National Book Award for Fiction

Ned Blackhawk received the nonfiction award, with “The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-11-16 12:36:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #justin torres #nonfiction award #national book award


Welcome to De Los | Reads: A roundup of books designed to amplify Latinx authors

The first edition of De Los|Reads features a new fiction book from Mario Vargas Llosa, a cookbook from Sandra A. Gutierrez, several memoirs and a book for children who aren't ready for bed. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-11-16 05:37:22 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fiction book #books designed #cookbook


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #vladimir putin #russian leader #german publisher


How to watch AI Book Club Night with authors Fei-Fei Li and Joy Buolamwini

Fei-Fei Li, author of "The Worlds I See," and Joy Buolamwini, author of "Unmasking AI," join the L.A. Times Book Club. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-11-14 20:40:08 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #joy buolamwini #fei-fei li #unmasking ai #times book #book club


UK: London Book Fair Names Its 2024 ‘Authors of the Day’

London Book Fair names the four author and illustrator talents chosen to be highlighted in in March at the UK's leading trade show. The post UK: London Book Fair Names Its 2024 ‘Authors of the Day’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-10-30 14:04:10 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post uk #london book fair


'Goosebumps' Author R.L. Stine Reveals His Favorite Scary Books

Celebrate Halloween with these horror-filled reads from the iconic children's book author and learn what Stine's been up to lately. Continue reading at HuffPost

[ HuffPost | 2023-10-27 20:00:06 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book author #children's book


Arnold Intelligence: Schwarzenegger Spoofs AI to Promote His New Book

Arnold Schwarzenegger has been many things: bodybuilder, movie star, governor of California-and now a self-help guru. This month, Schwarzenegger released a self-help book titled, Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life. Since he's no ordinary star, publisher Penguin Press knew it couldn't promote the... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2023-10-18 13:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book titled #arnold schwarzenegger #movie star #publisher penguin #self-help book


Palestinian voices ‘shut down’ at Frankfurt Book Fair, say authors

Open letter rebukes LitProm decision to cancel award ceremony for Adania Shibli due to ‘war started by Hamas’Israel-Hamas war: latest news and live updatesSeveral prominent authors and publishers from around the world have accused the Frankfurt Book Fair of “shutting down” Palestinian voices,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-10-15 18:11:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #arab world #israel-hamas war #latest news #palestinian author #annual prize #female writers #latin america #frankfurt book fair


Frankfurt Book Fair Cancels Award Ceremony for Palestinian Author

Organizers cited the Israel-Hamas war as the reason for stepping back from honoring a novel about the 1949 murder of a Palestinian girl by Israeli soldiers. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-10-13 17:01:12 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #palestinian author #israel-hamas war #stepping back #book fair


16 New Books by Indigenous Authors You Should Be Reading

Encompassing a wide range of genres from historical fiction to fantasy to poetry to investigative journalism to memoir, this exciting abundance of books published in 2023 by emerging and acclaimed Native writers speak to the rich diversity of the Indigenous experience. From meditations on the... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2023-10-09 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reading appeared #indigenous authors #wide range #investigative journalism #lasting impact #climate change #electric literature #historical fiction