The PW Morning Report, August 14, 2008
By Dermot McEvoy -- Publishers Weekly, 8/14/2008 5:48:00 AM
Thursday, August 14, 2008
A daily round-u
p of the latest publishing news: S&S-Gotham Group in Film Deal; B&N Not Interested in Borders; London Top Literary Destination?; Obama Swift Booking, Take Two; Helen Thomas’ Kids Book; and L. Rust Hills Dead
When It Comes to Film Deals, S&S Looks for a Bigger Piece of the Pie, reports New York Times
In a new deal with the Gotham Group, a Los Angeles-based management firm, S&S hopes to expand profits. "It’s about having more control in the process," said Rick Richter, president and publisher of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. "Typically publishers tend to stick their heads in the sand after the book hits Hollywood"
B&N Not Likely to Bid for Borders, reports Wall Street Journal
Those who invested in Borders stock in anticipation of a B&N take-over are likely to be disappointed
Of the Top Ten Literary Destinations, London Is #1, sez Reuters
Followed by Stratford-on-Avon, Edinburgh, Dublin and New York. Whoever made up this list is a literary dunce. In fact, London had to import most of its famous writers (let’s start with Shaw and Wilde) from Dublin. There have been more quality writers in the last century per square block in Dublin and New York than any other place in the world. James Joyce and Norman Mailer, celestial drinking pals, are reportedly livid
Swift Booking Obama, Take Two
Here’s the Washington Post’s take on the right-wing’s effort to Swift Book Senator Obama. It’s from the old GOP playbook that proved so successful in the 2006 elections. Armies always fight the last war, usually as they are getting their clocks cleaned in the current conflict
Liz Smith on Helen Thomas
The columnist has a chat with the veteran White House correspondent where she confesses who her favorite president was (JFK) and who her least favorite president is (one lucky guess). She also talks about her new Dial children’s book, The Great White House Breakout
L. Rust Hills, Esquire Fiction Editor, Dead at 83, reports New York Times
From the 1950s through the ‘90s, Hills published such writers as Norman Mailer, John Cheever, William Styron and Ann Beattie
