Turning a new page: the rise of #Merky Books

Malorie Blackman sold her life story to them, other hot authors are lining up. What makes Stormzy’s imprint so different?In a glass-walled meeting room on the fifth floor of Penguin Random House headquarters in Pimlico, Theophina Gabriel is talking about her love of reading while laughing at her trigger-happy printing: “The last thing that came in I found so magical, it was 329 pages and I printed it all… Don’t worry I checked if I was allowed to first!” She’s part of a team that makes up one of the year’s most exciting literary imprints, #Merky Books. Today, the team is gathered around, drinking coffee and chatting about their pop-up event in east London the week before, which invited a community of young writers to dance and seek writing advice from the likes of playwright Inua Ellams and musician Wretch 32.The team are all characters worth reading about themselves. Twenty-two-year-old editorial assistant Gabriel, who routinely dresses all in purple (today she has a crop of lilac hair, violet glasses and a purple jumper), currently on an internship programme, was the first in her British Grenadan family to go to university, and publishes a radical zine, Onyx, which celebrates black creatives. Emma Wallace, 30, the senior audience and brand manager, is British Sri Lankan and English, and previously worked at start-ups and the BBC doing social media. The softly spoken founder and editorial director Tom Avery, 36, brings 13 years of publishing experience. And there’s... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2019-12-16 08:00:15 UTC ]

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Just 0.7% of GCSE English Lit students study writers of colour, PRH research shows

Research commissioned by Penguin Random House has revealed only 0.7% of English Literature GCSE students in England study a book by a writer of colour while only 7% study a book by a woman. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-06-28 22:57:04 UTC ]
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PRH signs audio rights to Barker catalogue

Penguin Random House has acquired the audio rights for Pat Barker's catalogue, commissioning new readings by a star cast including include Simon Russell Beale (pictured).   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-06-08 02:15:03 UTC ]
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PRH and Waterstones resolve dispute and return to 'business as usual'

Penguin Random House and Waterstones say they have returned to “business as usual” following a dispute that saw the bookseller limit the visibility of PRH titles in its stores. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-06-04 12:14:36 UTC ]
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Retired PRH Fulfillment Exec Phyllis Mandel Dies at 75

Phyllis Mandel, retired senior v-p of fulfillment at Bantam, BDD, and Penguin Random House distribution facilities, died on May 20 in Cape Cod—the day after her 75th birthday. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-05-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Indian authors speak out over plan to reissue Narendra Modi exam book

Pankaj Mishra and Arundhati Roy attack Penguin Random House India for putting out book by a prime minister they say has mishandled Covid and persecuted writersLeading Indian authors Pankaj Mishra and Arundhati Roy have spoken out against Penguin Random House India’s decision to publish and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-05-20 12:53:37 UTC ]
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Meghan, Duchess of Sussex writes debut children's book for PRH

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has written a children's book for Penguin Random House called The Bench, about the “special bond between father and son as seen through a mother’s eyes”.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-05-04 02:52:11 UTC ]
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PRH to Be 'Remote-Friendly' Company

Penguin Random House US CEO Madeline McIntosh said the publisher hopes to begin bringing more people back to physical offices in September, but stressed that the company's guiding principle on the future of work is to be a "remote-friendly company." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-04-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Parker to Retire, Childs Promoted in 'Major' Restructuring of PRH Library Team

Penguin Random House senior v-p Skip Dye said the move to unify the publisher's library sales and library marketing groups will foster "even more mutually advantageous and enjoyable relationships with our libraries and librarians nationwide." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-04-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
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PRH expands traineeship scheme for talent from under-represented groups

Penguin Random House has opened applications for The Scheme 2021, its traineeship to find talent from under-represented groups in publishing, and extended it into sales and publicity alongside editorial. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-04-19 21:12:47 UTC ]
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PRH US realigns international sales and marketing teams

Penguin Random House US has restructured its international sales team with a string of promotions and two departures.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-04-17 08:55:38 UTC ]
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Doubleday Expands into Wellness and Self-Help

The Doubleday division of Penguin Random House is expanding its nonfiction list to include wellness and self-help titles. The first titles are expected to be published in 2023. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-04-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Patel wins #Merky Books New Writers' Prize

#Merky Books has crowned Jyoti Patel the winner of its New Writers’ Prize 2021, a competition aiming to discover unpublished, underrepresented writers aged 16 to 30 from the UK and Ireland. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-04-01 04:31:20 UTC ]
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PRH’s Markus Dohle on Bertelsmann’s 2020 Profit Report

'Globally, people turned to books' in 2020, Markus Dohle says, and Penguin Random House parent Bertelsmann reports on a strong year. The post PRH’s Markus Dohle on Bertelsmann’s 2020 Profit Report appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-03-30 15:54:57 UTC ]
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PRH Worldwide Revenue Hit $4.4 Billion in 2020

Driven by strong sales in the U.S. in 2020, revenue at Penguin Random House increased 4.6% over 2019, while profits jumped 23%. The U.S. accounted for 58% of worldwide sales, up from 56% in 2019. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-03-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
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HarperCollins will acquire the trade division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for $349 million.

Only three months after the high-profile merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster, The New York Times reported earlier this morning that HarperCollins, one of publishing’s “Big Five,” will acquire Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books and Media—Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s trade... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-03-29 14:25:08 UTC ]
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PRH Starts Extended Payment Plan for Indie Bookstores

Penguin Random House will allow independent bookstores in the United States to take an additional month to pay their invoices to the publisher, the company announced on Wednesday. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-03-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
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CMA launches merger investigation into PRH and S&S deal

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a merger investigation into Penguin Random House owner Bertelsmann's acquisition of Simon & Schuster. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-03-21 18:05:27 UTC ]
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Lolita, Fashion Icon

From LOLITA IN THE AFTERLIFE, edited by Jenny Minton Quigley. Reprinted by permission of Vintage Books, an imprint of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Essay copyright © 2021 by Robin Givhan. Compilation copyright © 2021 by Jenny Minton Quigley. The... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2021-03-17 11:00:00 UTC ]
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PRH Audio Debuts Voiceover Casting Platform, Ahab

Penguin Random House Audio has launched Ahab, a global online casting platform for voiceover actors in any business. The platform was originally developed as an internal tool for PRH's audiobook producers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-03-04 05:00:00 UTC ]
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PRH authors including Dawkins and Mackesy share reasons for hope

Penguin Random House UK is publishing a series of essays from its authors, including Richard Dawkins and Charlie Mackesy, offering reasons to feel hopeful about the months and years ahead. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-03-01 14:00:07 UTC ]
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