Category Archives: News

Starred Publishers Weekly Review for JJ Partridge’s SCRATCHED

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Congratulations to our client, JJ Partridge, for receiving a STARRED REVIEW in Publishers Weekly! SCRATCHED hits bookstores in November. 9781940192727_FCIn Partridge’s excellent third Algy Temple mystery (after 2008’s Straight Pool), the Providence, R.I., attorney, who’s in-house counsel for Carter University on College Hill, has too much on his plate. Academics opposed to Christopher Columbus are agitating to change the name of the holiday honoring him, a sure-fire recipe for conflict in the heavily Italian-American city. Providence’s reform-minded mayor has just named Temple to a commission overseeing a pool tournament. A Madoff-like scam artist’s Ponzi scheme has jeopardized the investment account of the trust that helps fund the university’s Institute for Italian Studies—whose director emeritus, Italo Palagi, has just been found dead of an accidental overdose of oxycodone. Temple, who suspects Palagi’s death and the institute’s financial troubles are related, sets out to unravel the truth. Partridge adroitly weaves together the different plot points of this witty and well-written whodunit. Agent: Paula Munier, Talcott Notch Literary Services. (Nov.)

Reviewed on 09/26/2014

 

Finding Your Self in Self-Publishing

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There are hundreds, if not thousands, of reasons to go the self-publishing route. Maybe you have a great idea that is tied into a specific time/place/event and you want to get it out into the world IMMEDIATELY. You are head-over-heels in love with your novel but the agents (or publishers) just aren’t biting. You want to retain all artistic and editorial control. You don’t like the financial offer that is being made by a publishing house. The list goes on and on.

In today’s publishing climate, self-publishing no longer has the stigma it once did. In fact, big names are jumping ship from traditional publishers and doing a lot of the work on their own (just ask Jackie Collins). It’s also becoming easier to gain attention for your self-published work thanks to social networking, the internet, the tremendous growth of e-books and even support from brick and mortar stores who are becoming much more receptive to carrying self-published titles.

Self-publishing still has its downfalls. The rush to put out a book before proper editing, strong cover design and an overall weak story remains evident in a number of titles. But a strong point made in a recent IndieReader piece by Terry Giuliano illustrates that “The difference is, when a traditional title garners negative reviews, only that book gets panned. No one cites examples of poorly written traditionally published books to support any conclusion about all traditional titles.” Why are all self-published titles forever linked? Why does one bad egg ruin the bunch?

The self-publishing market is growing and gaining strength. If you can put the proper resources behind your self-published book (including editing, cover design, a strong and relevant publicity campaign) and it is work that you are proud and excited to share with the reading public, then by all means, take that giant leap forward. Do it for your SELF! Keep in mind that you can’t avoid criticism. You can’t force people to read (or like) your book. You will be overlooked at times just because you are “self-published,” but if your writing is strong, if your story is engaging and if you remain optimistic, you will succeed. And in the meantime, keep writing!

Literary Roundup

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Here is a round up of what is going on in the world of books.

Perez Hilton to Write Children’s Book

Billy Joel Cancels Memoir

John Mellencamp and Stephen King to Team Up on Musical

Brian Selznick’s Cover for Wonderstruck Unveiled

Stephen King Prepping New Title for Dark Tower Series

Sammy Hagar’s Memoir Released

Popular Blog WTF Is Up With My Love Life Scores Book Deal

NYPL Reveals Finalists for 2011 Young Lions Fiction Award

The Sweet Valley Twins are Back!

David Foster Wallace’s THE PALE KING Released Online Before it Appears in Bookstores

Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure

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Jocelyn Kelley, Oprah Winfrey & Gayle King in Sydney, Australia

Jocelyn Kelley, Oprah Winfrey & Gayle King in Sydney, Australia

What an experience we had in Australia as part of Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure. Gloria and I were able to take in the sights of Australia, learn about the culture and be a part of a major media extravaganza. The episodes of Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure will be airing in January, so stay tuned for more updates.

A wonderful thing about Australia is how proud they are of their literary history. There are metal plaques embedded in the ground around Sydney’s Circular Quay called “Writers Walk” where they pay tribute to their writers by giving people a short history along the frequented path of travelers. The writers represented include not only those originally from Australia but also those who lived there or visited often. Authors such as D.H. Lawrence, Mark Twain, and Rudyard Kipling are represented in this extremely popular Australian “spot.”

Sydney's Writers Walk

Sydney's Writers Walk

While traveling through the city, we were able to explore the bookshops that seem to appear on every corner. Australians are readers!  One particular bookstore, Dymocks, was a particular delight because we found our own Lisa Genova‘s STILL ALICE prominently displayed on their recommended reads shelf. It was certainly a proud moment for Kelley & Hall!

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Highlights of the trip included the Sydney Bridge Climb with the ENTIRE Ultimate Adventure audience (all 302…the most people on the bridge at one time!), the fireworks over Sydney Harbor and the illumination of an “O” on the Sydney Bridge (which is reportedly the first time they’ve ever done anything commercial on the Sydney Bridge), a regatta with Russell Crowe (we sailed in the replica of the Endeavor, the ship that Captain James Cook sailed when he made the first contact with Australia).The two Oprah shows we attended were full of so much enthusiasm and excitement for Australia it was infectious (except when Hugh Jackman hit the lights while performing a stunt…that was terrifying and definitely provided some very tense minutes).  We also had lunch with Oprah and she greeted us at the airport when we were departing for home,  individually thanking us all for coming on this “Ultimate Australian Adventure.” I was even able to discuss the latest Oprah Book Club pick, Charles Dickens GREAT EXPECTATIONS and A TALE OF TWO CITIES with Oprah herself.  This was certainly a trip we will never forget.

Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure

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I make no secret of my love for all things “O” and I have said on many occasions that I started Kelley & Hall because I was inspired by Oprah and her book club. I was enormously impressed by the way she could take a book and express such enthusiasm and delight in the words found within, urging her viewers to pick up a novel and discover new worlds. As her book club progressed, people soon learned that lives could be transformed by the messages and themes explored within the pages of a book and every one of us has a story to tell.

I started reading with Oprah when she announced her very first Oprah Book Club pick, Jacquelyn Mitchard’s THE DEEP END OF THE OCEAN, and I never stopped.  My life has, quite literally, revolved around the printed word and it just made sense to build a career that allowed me to spend my time reaching out to readers about authors and the work they create.  You can imagine my delight when my enthusiasm for books and all things Oprah resulted in my invitation to one of the most talked about premieres in television history. Yes, I will be traveling with Oprah (along with K&H partner Gloria Kelley) to AUSTRALIA! I am so looking forward to documenting this trip and exploring a whole new world!  I will keep everyone posted on our journey with Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure.

Some Weekend Reading

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The debates are heating up as the dog days of summer come to an end and we prepare for the literary fest that fall brings. Here are some interesting tidbits that I have gathered from the literary world…

The Wall Street Journal wants to know if e-books are worth it?

Jennifer Weiner and Jodi Picoult take on Jonathan Franzen and the attention he has been getting for Freedom.

Barnes & Noble announced big losses.

Andrew Wylie got into an e-book battle with Random House, raising some serious questions.

Publishers Weekly announced that they will review self-published titles for a fee which raised a few questions from bloggers and writers.

Ron Charles Reviews Mona Simpson’s MY HOLLYWOOD

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Ron Charles, Washington Post Book World fiction editor and weekly critic takes to YouTube to review Mona Simpson’s latest release, MY HOLLYWOOD. Charles reviewed this title for the paper but experiments with a video rendition of his review. He does so with humor and a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the changing face of book reviews.

A New Page in Publishing

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Fascinating article by Jeffrey Trachtenberg in today’s Wall Street Journal on the changing face of publishing and one Cinderella story.

Writer Karen McQuestion spent nearly a decade trying without success to persuade a New York publisher to print one of her books. In July, the 49-year-old mother of three decided to publish it herself, online. Eleven months later, Ms. McQuestion has sold 36,000 e-books through Amazon.com Inc’s Kindle e-bookstore and has a film option with a Hollywood producer. In August, Amazon will publish a paperback version of her first novel, “A Scattered Life.”

Google or Apple Tablet: The Race is On

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According to The Huffington Post reports are coming out that Google and HTC have been working on a touch-screen tablet for over a year and a half. While word is scant, analysts believe the tablet could hit the market around the same time as the Apple tablet.

The iSlate (the reported name of the Apple Tablet) is said to be launching on January 26, 2010.

The Washington Post tries to explain the allure behind this much talked about product.

The Huffington Post Book Club

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A few weeks back Arianna Huffington over at The Huffington Post announced the launch of their book club. Their first selection was IN PRAISE OF SLOWNESS: Challenging the Cult of Speed by Carl Honore. I think the subtitle of this book really says it all and it is fascinating that this was selected to be the inaugural book club selection for a website.

They are having their first *live* discussion about the book today at 3pm (EST). Check it out here.

Barnes & Noble’s Nook

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According to the Wall Street Journal, a new electronic book reader is expected *TODAY* from book seller Barnes & Noble Inc. that will challenge readers from Amazon.com Inc. and Sony Corp. with a color touch-screen and $259 price, according to a planned ad for the device.

The price for the reader, called the Nook, matches that of Amazon’s Kindle. The Kindle controls about 60% of the burgeoning e-book market, according to Forrester Research.

Engadget.com’s sources say the Nook will be partnering with Best Buy for sales of this device that will be available Thursday.

60 Years Later by Fredrik Colting

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60 Years Later: Coming through the Rye by Fredrik Colting

60 Years Later: Coming through the Rye by Fredrik Colting

Fredrik Colting has selected Kelley & Hall as the publicity team for his controversial novel, 60 Years Later: Coming through the Rye (Windupbird Publishing) . JD Salinger has attempted to block the publication in this country and a decision in the Appeals Court has not yet been made. The New York Times, Associated Press, Gannett, and Tribune, as well as librarians, free speech advocates, and legal scholars are urging the Appeals Court to overturn the injunction barring US publication of 60 Years Later.

The Job of a Book Publicist

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My day job is that I am a book publicist. By saying, “Day Job” that can be kind of misleading because it is actually an all day, all night, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week kind of job. I love what I do because I love working with authors, coming up with original, unique and authentic ways of marketing my favorite of all commodities…BOOKS! However, there are days when I don’t 100% love my job, when the frustrations outweigh the victories. Those are usually the days when nothing seems to be going right. No one is biting. There is bigger news going on in the world and editors and producers don’t seem to care a flying fig about a book…especially if that book happens to be fiction.

Fiction tends to have the wonderful ability to land like a lead balloon on the doorsteps of most editors and producers. They really don’t know what to do with it. And that’s where my incredible originality and overall ingenious ability to turn fiction into the most newsworthy of subjects comes in handy. I am not just trying to flatter myself, I  really am that good.

Who else can turn a book about a stay-at-home dad into a political platform? (Ad Hudler’s MAN OF THE HOUSE) or turn the promotion of a romance novel into a gender issue (Susan Mallery’s SUNSET BAY)? I brought a medical thriller writer into the Hollywood spotlight (Michael Palmer’s THE SECOND OPINION) and turned a columnist into a public promoter (Lisa Genova’s STILL ALICE).

This is why I love my job. I love finding the clever hook that is going to turn a book into a hot topic. I love making people become aware of an author or novel they may have overlooked. I love creating that one spark that can launch a career. (Lori Culwell and Brunonia Barry)

The Business Side of Books

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{photo courtesy of DailyCandy}

Let’s face it, writing is a business. More accurately, the selling of your written material is a business. Writers write for the love of the written word, or at least we hope that’s why they do it, but they also want to make enough money to be able to support this love. Forbes has a fantastic article on the business side of writing. Read the Forbes article and let me know what you think.

Liz Smith

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Well, if this isn’t a sign of how much is changing in our media world, after 33 years with the New York Post, legendary gossip columnist Liz Smith has been let go.  The New York Post is dropping her column, citing hard times. Smith, who turned 86 on February 2nd, is not one to let grass grow. She is heading over to the website she helped launch, The Women on the Web, or WowOWow! Joni Evans wrote on WowOWow about Liz’s departure from the NYPost and her full time arrival to the Wow site.

This sad news for the New York print business is spectacular news for us. Our fabulous and beloved Diva of Dish will be here on wowOwow, posting exclusive-to-Liz breaking celebrity news as it happens. It will, occasionally, be highlighted with audio and film and all the tools of an Internet entrepreneur.

The New York Post editor-in-chief Col Allen has written to Liz to say, “Like so many other newspapers around the country, we are buffeted by unprecedented economic gales” and could not renew the contract for what he described as a “legendary column.”

Journalism

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I think that any time I have an opinion or a question regarding the media industry in general, I’m going to post that picture of “girl on laptop” because to me, that epitomizes where we are right now as a society. We are all sitting by ourselves, connected to the internet, while the clock ticks endlessly forward, wondering what the future holds.

A recent piece in AdAge asks if we are ready to pay for content online, content that, if we do enough searching and sifting, we should be able to find for free somewhere else. And what is happening to the quality of this content?

According to a survey released this week by PWR New Media, a leading e-marketing firm based in Chicago, Illinois, 60% of journalists responded that they now contribute to a blog or other on-line site. 39% of these journalists said they acquired these responsibilities in the past year and 71% added on-line work to their duties in the past two years.

Writer’s Digest

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Kelley & Hall is mentioned in the newest issue of Writer’s Digest on sale now! Brunonia Barry, author of THE LACE READER, talks about her breakout success story and how it was with our help she was able to garner the attention that lead to such a significant deal. The issue covers all aspects of self-publishing and provides valuable advice. There is also an interview with James Patterson who discusses the importance of branding yourself as an author.

The White House Blog

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Along with a new President, the White House now has a new website to accompany this period of change. Whitehouse.gov now has a blog, weekly YouTube video addresses and a director of new media to manage everything and keep the site running smoothly. The site looks great with a very modern design and provides incredible ease with navigation.

The first blog post, by Macon Phillips, Director of New Media for the White House, wrote:

Millions of Americans have powered President Obama’s journey to the White House, many taking advantage of the internet to play a role in shaping our country’s future. WhiteHouse.gov is just the beginning of the new administration’s efforts to expand and deepen this online engagement.

The advantages and opportunities provided by the web are limitless. It can certainly be overwhelming and many feel lost amidst the clutter and confusion, but it is making our world smaller and strengthening our ability to connect with more people. The key to using the web in a productive and marketable way is to create an organic interaction with your audience. Don’t use Twitter just to post direct links back to your website. Try to engage in conversations with your followers and draw in new followers. Don’t turn your blog into an “all about me” platform. Write about things that would be of interest to your audience and will result in return visits. What the web is showing us is that everyone has something they can teach. Find your message, whatever it may be, and teach it to the best of your ability. Your voice is out there and the web is waiting to hear!

Washington Post Book World

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Yes, we are currently under a major restructuring of the media world. With magazines closing left and right, it comes as no surprise, but still a shock nonetheless, that The Washington Post is closing down the stand-alone book review section, Book World. Book reviews will now appear inside two alternate sections of the newspaper, Outlook and Style & Arts.

The last issue of Book World will appear in its tabloid print version on February 15 but will continue to be published online. According to the New York Times, Book World never received much advertising from publishers, who generally spend very little on newspaper ads. Publishers now focus their marketing dollars on cooperative agreements with chain bookstores, which guarantee that certain books will receive prominent display at the front of stores.

As Motoko Rich reported in today’s issue of the Times, “Rumors of Book World’s imminent closure last week brought widespread dismay within the literary community. Hundreds of contributors and readers signed a petition circulated by the National Book Critics Circle, urging the Post to save the standalone section.”

The New York Times Book Review is now the largest remaining stand-alone Sunday tabloid section, publishing between 24 and 28 pages a week with a staff of 17 and contributions from countless freelance reviewers.

Strong, solid and discriminating book reviews are vital for the literary community and culture. Even though the number of online book review sites are continuing to grow and offer authors unlimited possibilities for coverage and exposure, there is something to be said for the high regard and respect that these stand alone sections garnered. But change can be good because it teaches us to adapt and grow. Maybe, a new literary forum will grow in the absence of these lions that have paved the way?

Jocelyn Kelley on Oprah’s Book Club

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In case anyone missed Monday night’s Oprah’s Book Club Webcast for The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, you can see it on her website.

It was a thrilling experience to be a part of the largest book club meeting in the world! Oprah was extremely gracious and inspiring. I had a wonderful time and am proud to have been a part of the book club!

Lisa Genova in Time Magazine

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{image of Lisa Genova courtesy of Christopher Seufert}

Congratulations to our clients, Lisa Genova and Brunonia Barry, on receiving fantastic coverage in Time Magazine this week! Genova and Barry, with our help, succeeded in overcoming the self-published stigma and securing major publishing deals. We are so happy to have been a part of it and we believe this is a hopeful sign for authors who believe in their work and want to self-publish!

Curtis Sittenfeld Writes Novella

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In an effort to be bipartisan, author Curtis Sittenfeld is following up her beautifully written novel American Wife that was loosely based on the life of Laura Bush, with a novella written for Slate that will be based on Barack Obama’s inauguration. The five part series entitled, All Along, This Was What Was Supposed to Happen, will end on Inauguration day. Sittenfeld says that her next book will not be politically-based. She is the author of Prep and The Man of My Dreams.

Elizabeth Gilbert Profiled in The Guardian

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Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the wildly successful memoir and inspirational journal, EAT, PRAY, LOVE was profiled in this weekend’s Guardian.

According to the New York Observer,

Emma Brockes offers a hard-edged take on the journalist-turned-memoirist, writing, “There are lots of paths to self-discovery, but most of them don’t conflate so many lucrative book markets in one handy volume. Eat Pray Love elides self-help, self-improvement, mysticism and a strain of confessional publishing I once heard described as ‘women who write about their yeast infections’…”

Suze Orman Gives Away Her Book

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Once again, Suze Orman is allowing a FREE download of her newest book, Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan: Keeping Your Money Safe and Sound. Just head over to Oprah’s website for information on how you can download your own copy for FREE! Giving things away is a common plan of action for gaining attention and in Orman’s case, this works remarkably well, especially when what she is offering is something that people are in desperate need of now: Financial Advice! However, Orman has been building her brand for quite awhile and has such a strong backlist that giving away one title for a limited time will only help to spread the popularity of her brand and have people running to the bookstores to stock up on additional Orman titles.

How many of you have downloaded your own copy? Are you going to read it? Will you print it out or read it on your computer screen?

Amazon Stores Enhance Author’s Presence

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Amazon.com has launched a new program to allow easier access to your favorite authors and their titles. Author Stores. According to Publishers Weekly, the program launched on December 29th. Author Stores are single pages that feature all books from a particular author, plus, in many cases, an author photo and some related content, such as a biography, message board and streaming video. It is Amazon’s long-term goal to have an Author Store for every author whose books are available through Amazon.

Could a self-published cookbook be a big holiday seller?

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We often speak with authors about the success rate of self-published books. We have worked with a few self-published authors who have had great success. This is something that really can’t be predicted and there is no secret “ingredient”. But here is a story about two women who found that secret ingredient and may just have the sleeper hit of the holiday season.

Read Boston

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Tonight Mayor Menino hosted the holiday event, ReadBoston at the Hotel Commonwealth in Kenmore Square. The event was a wonderful opportunity for authors and readers to meet, mingle and talk books while raising money for an incredibly worthwhile cause. ReadBoston’s mission is to have children in Boston reading on grade level by the time they complete third grade. Founded by Mayor Thomas M. Menino in 1995 to address low literacy levels among Boston’s youth, ReadBoston has since grown into a city-wide leader in the field of early literacy.

I took the opportunity at this wonderful event to connect with some of my favorite authors. For example, the charming Beth Teitell. Teitell is the author of FROM HERE TO MATERNITY and DRINKING PROBLEMS AT THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH. She writes in such an amazingly honest and authentic voice that I found myself quoting her own writing back to her. I was certainly a fan!

And here are two of the best thriller writers of our time, Joseph Finder and Michael Palmer. Wouldn’t you love to join these two for dinner? I’m sure the conversation would be as intoxicating and intriguing as their writing.

Joseph Finder and Michael Palmer

Todd English was there, as well, signing copy after copy of his gorgeous cookbooks! I am currently poring over THE OLIVES TABLE.

Our partner, Megan Kelley Hall, was there signing copies of SISTERS OF MISERY. Here she is with debut author of legal thriller EIGHT IN THE BOX, Raffi Yessayan.

Here are just a few of the other talented authors present at tonight’s event.

Bill Brett
Michael Connelly
Anita Diamant
Todd English
Joseph Finder
Jill Ker Conway
Megan Kelley Hall
Jarrett Krosoczka
Ben Mezrich
Mary Newell DePalma
Rebecca Angelina Nigro
Michael Palmer
Andrew Rimas
Casey Sherman
Clara Silverstein
Irene Smalls
Beth Teitell
Raffi Yessayan

I am looking forward to future ReadBoston events!

Learning Commons

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The library is now a thing of the past. It has officially been replaced with “Learning Commons.” This new spin on a timeless classic may motivate people to spend time in a place that both encourages and inspires learning. In today’s Boston Globe there is a piece about Chelmsford High School revamping their outdated library to encompass a more modern trend of library as meeting place. Complete with cozier spaces for cafes, comfortable furniture and booth seating for groups, the Learning Commons is a place that has become popular to work and meet up with friends.

“It has that Barnes and Noble feel,” said Premal Patel, 18, a senior at Chelmsford High School. “You can focus more on the learning experience.”

The changing face of libraries is a recent development and one that is taking the learning experience in a positive direction. Eliminating the negative perception of libraries as a place where conversation is forbidden and everything is out dated will help get people back into their local libraries. With more and more authors doing signings at libraries, why not enhance the overall appeal of these institutions? Anyone who has ever walked through a Barnes & Noble on a weeknight and seen the groups of people huddled in chairs or at tables, reading or discussing books and projects, knows that as a society we are in desperate need for locations conducive to learning, meeting and conversing. Let’s bring back the library!

Novel Adventures

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CBS Interactive and Saturn have jointly announced plans for a new web-series called Novel Adventures. Starring Daphne Zuniga (”One Tree Hill”), Paola Turbay (”Cane”), Ashley Williams (”How I Met Your Mother”) and Jolie Jenkins (”Desperate Housewives”), each episode will spotlight a different book, as the four characters go on adventures inspired by each novel. The second episode will feature Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon – and the Journey of a Generation by Sheila Weller (although they mistakenly call the book Ladies of the Canyon). From the press release:

– The Fab Four: Sheila Weller’s Ladies of the Canyon (Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, and Carole King) brings the groupie out in the girls who are determined to live out the life of rock legends.

Produced and written by Jonathan Prince (”The Cleaner”), the web-series will premiere Monday, November 3 on CBS.com, TheInsider.com, and TV.com. “The Fab Four” episode will appear the following Monday at the same websites for 48 hours, and then be available through iTunes.

Yes it feels like you are being hit over the head with product placement, but the concept is cute. And I, of course, would support anything that brings attention to books.

Salem Takes Publishing World by Storm!

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Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall

Salem is taking the publishing world by storm. Over the next few months, bookstores will be seeing a rise in novels based in Salem, MA. The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry (William Morrow, August 2008), Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall (Kensington, August 2008) and The Heretics Daughter by Kathleen Kent (Little, Brown, September 2008) all focus on life in the same, small New England town that is steeped in tragic history.

This is an exciting trend that will only increase the amount of attention that this particular corner of our world already receives. There is movie buzz already for all three books and each one deals with a different aspect of Salem’s vibrant history. The Lace Reader and Sisters of Misery are both modern day stories with hints to the influential and ever-present history and The Heretics Daughter is an historical novel.

They are all novels that are being given a large presence in their respective publishing houses. The Lace Reader was a self-published novel that received one of the largest advances for a self-published novel, Sisters of Misery is launching Kensington’s young adult line and The Heretics Daughter was one of the most talked about books at Book Expo America with Little, Brown giving out an extraordinary number of galleys to booksellers.

USA Today just ran a piece in today’s paper about this exciting trend in literature. Check it out!

The Lace Reader

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The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

Kelley & Hall worked as the publicist for Brunonia Barry’s originally self-published novel, The Lace Reader. We helped to secure coverage that eventually led to a multi-million dollar deal with William Morrow.

The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry launches later this month. We worked with Brunonia Barry on her journey from being a self-published author to landing a deal with William Morrow. Here is an interview with Barry from Book Club Girl at the ALA.

Lisa Genova

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Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Lisa Genova, self-published author of Still Alice, credits Kelley & Hall for getting her book noticed by national media, which resulted in a six-figure book deal.

We wanted to send a congratulations to our wonderful client, Lisa Genova, for her new deal with Simon & Schuster! Here is the mention from Publisher’s Weekly.

Pocket Wins Debut

Anthony Ziccardi at Pocket was the victor in an auction for a first novel by Lisa Genova titled Still Alice; Vicky Bijur sold world rights. The book is about a successful 50-year-old professor and renowned linguistics specialist who has finally found time to enjoy her marriage and career now that her three children are grown, but whose accelerating memory lapses culminate in a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s. As she struggles with the steady stripping away of her cognitive abilities, she finds new meaning in the moment and a different level of intimacy in the indeterminate time that remains. Genova, who has a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard, is an online columnist for the National Alzheimer’s Association. Senior editor Kathy Sagan will edit, and planned pub date is early 2009; post-BEA, there are translation rights offers on the table in several countries.

Book Trailers

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Interesting article in today’s Wall Street Journal on the effectiveness of book trailers. I have to say that, although I do like some of the trailers created for certain books, I don’t find them effective enough to send me running to a store to buy my copy. I did, however, love the video Jen Lancaster did for her newest memoir, SUCH A PRETTY FAT. Check it out here.