William Morrow and Food Network have entered into a first-look deal to publish co-branded books by FN’s talent and based on FN’s shows. The co-branded books will feature both new and existing Food Network stars; the first book, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives by Guy Fieri, pubbed October 28 and landed on the New York Times’paperback advice bestseller list last week.
Many of the Food Network’s biggest stars--Rachael Ray, Giada DeLaurentiis, Paula Deen, Sandra Lee, Ina Garten, Bobby Flay--have sold millions of books that they published without Food Network’s involvement. The new arrangement--which is a first for the Food Network--will not affect the majority of FN chefs who already have book deals with other houses, but will allow FN to keep a hand in the book deals of up-and-coming FN stars.
As part of the joint venture, Morrow (which will get the right of first refusal) will handle editorial, publicity, marketing, sales and distribution. Food Network will promote the books with on-air and online advertising. Sergei Kuharsky, general manager of Scripps Networks Enterprises, which owns Food Network, said, “William Morrow has the extensive publishing experience and working with them provides yet another way Food Network fans can touch and interact with the network and our stars.” The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives author Guy Fieri hosts a television show of the same name, which is consistently the number one primetime show on Food Network. Fieri promoted Diners on Good Morning America, Regis & Kelly and other national and local TV and radio shows; Food Network is supporting the book with repeat on-air promotion throughout Fieri’s three shows as well as other programs.
The next release in the joint venture, planned for late 2009, will be by Duff Goldman, star of Ace of Cakes. Other future books will be themed and branded collections drawing on the Food Network’s database of recipes developed and tested by its in-house kitchen.
