Sunday, March 18, 2012

Ian Fleming's estate signs new James Bond book deal

Ian Fleming's back catalogue of James Bond stories is to be relaunched after his estate signed a 10-year deal with Random House to publish the books in print and e-book format. Vintage, a division of Random House, will take over publishing of print books from Penguin. The estate, which has been publishing e-books, said the deal was "a significant step change" for the work. Fleming's 14 Bond books have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide

Man Booker Prize judges take part in Woodland Trust's Jubilee Woods Project

Man Booker Prize judges take part in Woodland Trust's Jubilee Woods ProjectThe judges of the 2011 Man Booker Prize for Fiction travelled to Hainault Forest, an ancient hunting forest on the edge of London, to plant saplings. This is the fourth year that the Man Booker Prize has collaborated with the Woodland Trust, in a symbolic gesture to compensate for the trees felled in order to produce the hundred-plus books submitted for the prize each year. This year's planting took on extra significance as it formed part of the Woodland Trust's Jubilee Woods project. To mark the Jubilee year, the judges planted 13 oak trees taken from one of the Royal estates. The trees will become a living commemoration of the 'Booker Dozen' - the 13 titles chosen for the 2011 longlist - including that year's winner, The Sense of An Ending by Julian Barnes

Two Madeley novels for S&S

Simon & Schuster has acquired two novels by broadcaster and Richard & Judy Book Club founder Richard Madeley. Publishing director Suzanne Baboneau bought world English-language rights from Luigi Bonomi at LBA. Madeley's début novel, Some Day I'll Find You, to be published in 2013, begins during the Second World War in France. S&S published Madeley's memoir, Fathers & Sons, in 2008

Collins collars Radio 4 "New Elizabethans" tie-in

Collins has acquired a tie-in to the upcoming BBC Radio 4 flagship series "The New Elizabethans", written and narrated by James Naughtie, which will air every weekday between June and September. Collins publishing director Iain MacGregor pre-empted world rights in all languages from Felicity Bryan at the Felicity Bryan Agency and Emma Trevelyan at the BBC. The book will be published in hardback in the autumn. The series will look back over the reign thus far of Queen Elizabeth II, profiling the 60 "Elizabethans" who have played a significant role in shaping the era, and whose achievements look likely to outlast the age