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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PRH UK and DK join with other Bertelsmann companies for podcast business Storyglass

Penguin Random House UK and DK have joined with Bertelsmann stablemates Fremantle and BMG to launch a joint podcast business, called Storyglass, as part of the Bertelsmann Content Alliance UK. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-13 15:51:02 UTC ]
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PRH to release Edinburgh Unlocked comedy festival in audiobook

Penguin Random House Audio is releasing Edinburgh Unlocked, a comedy festival in audiobook format featuring names such as Ivo Graham, Jessie Cave, Sofie Hagen and Dane Baptiste. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-12 14:00:06 UTC ]
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PRH accelerates inclusion plan with targets on leadership, hires and books

Penguin Random House has published an “accelerated inclusion plan”, including a commitment on "radical and urgent action" to make its senior leadership teams representative of UK society. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-09 07:47:24 UTC ]
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Philip Pullman to release unseen His Dark Materials novella in October

Written in 2004 and auctioned for charity, Serpentine sees an adult Lyra and her daemon Pantalaimon revisit Trollesund in search of secretsA previously unseen His Dark Materials story about a teenage Lyra, written by Philip Pullman over a decade ago and that he never intended to publish, will be... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-07-08 23:01:46 UTC ]
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Grisham, Child, Amazon, PRH Headline Lawsuit of KISS Library for Piracy

Top-visibility Authors Guild members join with Amazon Publishing and Penguin Random House in a suit alleging KISS is pirating a wide range of books. The post Grisham, Child, Amazon, PRH Headline Lawsuit of KISS Library for Piracy appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-07-08 14:52:12 UTC ]
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Phoebe Robinson is partnering with Plume to launch a new imprint called Tiny Reparations Books.

Today, Penguin Random House announced the launch of a new imprint, Tiny Reparations Books, founded by New York Times bestselling author, comedian, actress, and producer Phoebe Robinson. Robinson will be partnering with Plume (a division of Dutton, which is itself an imprint of PRH) and its... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-07-08 14:20:42 UTC ]
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Owusu wins Desmond Elliott Prize for That Reminds Me

Derek Owusu has won the Desmond Elliott Prize for his “transcendent” novel-in-verse That Reminds Me (#Merky Books). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-02 14:51:08 UTC ]
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PRH Announces Early Launch for 2-Day Shipping Program

Penguin Random House is hoping to alleviate a significant source of stress for independent booksellers by launching its annual 2-Day Transit Program on July 1, two months ahead of schedule. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-06-25 04:00:00 UTC ]
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PRH to reopen warehouse as bookshops get back to business

Penguin Random House plans to reopen its Colchester distribution centre next week after the facility was closed late last month for a systems upgrade. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-16 18:41:00 UTC ]
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PRH Audio to release audiobook anthology for mindful living in lockdown

Penguin Random House Audio is bringing together wellbeing experts, including fitness author Chloe Madeley and performance coach Sara Milne Rowe, in a new audio anthology, The Here and Now. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-09 10:56:54 UTC ]
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PRH becomes latest trade publisher to pull out of Frankfurt

Penguin Random House has joined the other big trade publishers in pulling out of the Frankfurt Book Fair's physical event this year. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-08 07:32:23 UTC ]
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In Mexico, One Bookstore per 120,000 Inhabitants, by Elena Poniatowska

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[ World Literature Today | 2020-06-03 21:05:48 UTC ]
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In Mexico, One Bookstore per 120,000 Inhabitants, by Elena Poniatowska

Pandemic Dispatches Elena Poniatowska In this column that originally appeared in La Jornada, Elena Poniatowska considers the role of editors and talks with Diego Rabasa, founder of publisher Sexto Piso. Already precarious, the pandemic lockdown has made... Continue reading at World Literature Today

[ World Literature Today | 2020-06-03 21:05:48 UTC ]
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Obituary: Marian Wood

Marian Wood, a veteran editor and former v-p and publisher of an eponymous imprint at G.P. Putnam's Sons, died over the weekend. Penguin Random House called Wood's time in the business, which began in the 1970s, "one of the most illustrious careers in publishing." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-05-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Bertelsmann reports first quarter decline of 2.7% as Covid-19 hits business

Penguin Random House owner Bertelsmann has reported a first quarter revenue decline of 2.7% in what it said was a “satisfactory” performance given the challenge of Covid-19. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-29 16:46:13 UTC ]
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PRH launches virtual Penguin Talks series with Speakers for Schools

Penguin Random House has launched a collaboration with charity Speakers for Schools delivering a series of virtual educational events from its authors, streaming to thousands of students across the UK. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-23 20:41:22 UTC ]
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No-prorogation justice Lady Hale to publish memoir and guide to the law

Judge famous for ruling against Boris Johnson will recount how ‘a little girl from North Yorkshire became the most senior judge in the UK’ Lady Hale, who presided over the momentous decision to rule Boris Johnson’s prorogation of parliament unlawful, is set to write her memoirs, of how “a little... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-04-23 14:06:04 UTC ]
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Amazon revealed as mystery £250,000 donor to UK bookshops

Fundraiser for retailers facing hardship during the coronavirus pandemic reveals that benefactor is internet giant widely blamed for trade’s declineAmazon, the internet retail giant vilified for years as public enemy No 1 to booksellers, has been revealed as the surprise mystery benefactor that... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-04-23 11:37:33 UTC ]
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Michelle Obama will read your kids a story by video on Mondays

Former First Lady Michelle Obama will be reading children's books in a weekly series of videos for Penguin Random House and PBS Kids through May 11. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-04-17 20:08:16 UTC ]
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PRH UK Starts Furloughs

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-04-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
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