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 ]
News tagged with: #brand manager #previously worked ##merky books #penguin random house

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Book vending machines installed in Singapore

Singapore has welcomed its first book vending machines, carrying up to 150 copies of 22 different titles from Singapore publishers.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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IPR License Raffle: A Free Publishers Rights Corner Table at Frankfurt Book Fair

As pre-fair meetings with agencies and publishers' rights teams move to the grounds of Frankfurt Book Fair on October 18, a free table in the new Publishers Rights Corner is on offer. The post IPR License Raffle: A Free Publishers Rights Corner Table at Frankfurt Book Fair appeared first on... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sir Tom mourns wife at book festival

Tom Jones tells the Hay Festival that his wife, who died last month, was the "most important thing" in his life. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2016-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amid Controversy, Israel Repeals Its Fixed Price ‘Book Law’

Israel has repealed its Law for the Protection of Literature and Writers, which required fixed book prices for 18 months and minimum author royalty rates. The post Amid Controversy, Israel Repeals Its Fixed Price ‘Book Law’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A Day to remember: Sylvia grabs third monthly E-Book Ranking number one

Sylvia Day’s One With You (Michael Joseph) has easily romped to the top of The Bookseller’s April E-Book Ranking, outselling the second-placed title by a factor of over four to one. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Biggest-selling' self-published book of 2016 lands Amazon deal

Self-published author Adam Croft has been snapped up for a publishing deal by Amazon imprint Thomas & Mercer after releasing what he says is the biggest-selling book by a self-published author in 2016. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Poetry Book Society winds down activities

The Poetry Book Society (PBS) is winding down after more than 50 years supporting and encouraging the art of poetry and the sale of poetry books, with all staff made redundant. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Chakrabarti joins judges for Book Trust Lifetime Achievement Award

One of Britain’s leading human rights campaigners and former director of political pressure group Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, has joined the judging panel for this year’s Book Trust Lifetime Achievement Award. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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CI4: Bestselling Novelist Julia Alvarez Turns Poet

Alvarez discusses how writing poetry helped her through a period of intense grief in her life. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Crossan wins YA Book Prize 2016

Sarah Crossan’s free verse novel One (Bloomsbury Children’s Books) has won The Bookseller’s YA Book Prize 2016. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Max Mosley leads Cross Sports Book Awards winners

Sky Sports pundit Guillem Balague, former women’s UFC champion Ronda Rousey and former president of Formula One’s governing body Max Mosley were among the winners at the Cross Sports Book Awards. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Deals: Week of June 6, 2016

Skyhorse lands a children’s book by Julian Lennon, Atlantic correspondent David W. Brown sells a book about NASA’s Europa mission, and more in this week's notable book deals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PW Picks: Books of the Week, June 6, 2016

This week: new Stephen King, the hatred of poetry, and the definitive Diane Arbus biography. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Petition launched opposing VAT on colouring books

An online bookshop selling exclusively adult colouring books has said it is likely to be put out of business should government proposals to remove their exemption from VAT go through, and has lent its support to a petition in protest. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Aussie Booksellers Join Fight Against U.S./U.K. Book Imports

The Australian Booksellers Association has joined with other members of the country's publishing industry to protest a government proposal to allow booksellers to import U.S. and U.K. books without restrictions. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children who grow up with books earn more, study finds

Children who grow up with a large number of books in the house earn more money later in life, according to a new study published in the Economic Journal. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mitchell Beazley to publish sherry and tapas book

Mitchell Beazley, part of the Octopus Publishing Group, has commissioned a new book from cookery writer and broadcaster, Kay Plunkett-Hogge. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Brought to book: when publishers go to court

A writer has just won a legal battle with Marvel and DC, but how do publishers usually fare in the courts?A writer scored a significant victory over publishers this week, when comic book giants Marvel and DC – who had tried to block Graham Jules from using “superhero” in the title of his... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PayPal founder is 'comic book villain'

Gossip site Gawker accuses PayPal founder Peter Thiel of being 'vindictive' and a 'comic book villain' who uses his billions to fund libel suits against the site. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2016-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Print Books, E-tailers Gained in Popularity in 2015

According to new data, print books and e-tailers were up in 2015, and ebooks were down. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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