The Bookseller.com

9th September 2010

Philip Jones is the deputy editor of The Bookseller. He will blog with links and comment about the book business.

LBF hot books 2009

20.04.09

Monday 20th April

Cornerstone is to publish a new Alex Cross thriller from James Patterson, today's LBF "Author of the Day", in September. In Alex Cross's Trial, Patterson's hero will tell the story of his ancestors in an "action-packed" story set in America's Deep South at the turn of the 20th century. The hardback publication is to kick off a "high-profile" three-month campaign, which will also see Cross Country coming in paperback and a new hardback, I, Alex Cross, in November.
* There is also to be a new Edward Rutherfurd from Century in September. New York will tell the history of the city through Rutherfurd's distinctive blend of fictional and true characters on a "heady seesaw of wealth and poverty" across the centuries. Editorial director Oliver Johnson bought UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) from Gill Coleridge at Rogers, Coleridge & White.

Hodder imprint Sceptre has struck a two-book deal with 24-year-old first-time author Ned Beauman for a six-figure sum. The first novel, entitled Boxer, Beetle, will be published as a hardback lead title in August 2010. Senior editor Jocasta Hamilton acquired British Commonwealth rights in a pre-emptive deal via Felicity Rubinstein at Lutyens & Rubinstein.  The "darkly funny murder mystery" opens in present-day England when a collector of Nazi memorabilia discovers the murdered body of a private detective. The trail leads to a beetle of almost mythical rarity, to London's East End in the 1930s and to a "twisted" relationship between a Jewish boxer and an aristocratic scientist with fascist sympathies.  Comparing Beauman's style to that of Michael Chabon, Hamilton said the début was written "with astonishing skill, imagination and energy" and was "fizzing with ideas".  She said: "I marvelled at the range of his knowledge and ability to spin wild digressions while maintaining a fantastically strong narrative. It is so unusual to find a British writer doing something like this."

Virago has acquired a Barnes & Noble Discover Prize-winning début which was initially "turned down by every mainstream [US] publisher who had seen it". Editorial director Ursula Doyle said she was "thrilled" by Gin Phillips' novel, The Well and the Mine, paying a five-figure sum for UK and Commonwealth rights. First published by tiny Oregon-based Hawthorne Books, the novel was snapped up in paperback by Riverhead shortly after winning the Barnes & Noble award. Set in a small coal-mining town in Alabama in the early 1930s, it tells of a nine-year-old girl who sees a woman throw a baby down a well. It will be published in trade paperback in November.

Profile is to publish a book by Financial Times journalist John Kay which aims to turn conventional thinking on its head. World rights for Obliquity were bought by associate editor Daniel Crewe and the title will be published in January 2010. The book argues that focusing away from the most obvious goal makes it more likely that you will reach it and says that the people who try to be the richest are not necessarily those who become so. Crewe said: "John Kay is a brilliant thinker and a brilliant writer."

Wm Heinemann has acquired a début novel from Welsh policeman Mike Thomas. Publishing director Jason Arthur acquired UK and Commonwealth rights for Pocketnotebook from Karolina Sutton at Curtis Brown. The title is about a police firearms officer experiencing a mental breakdown, which he records meticulously in his pocket notebook. The publisher is calling the book an "angry black comedy" and an exposé of the macho culture within the police. Arthur described Thomas as a "wonderfully talented and original new voice". The title will be published in February 2010.

Michael Joseph has acquired the rights for a TV tie-in by Michelin-starred chef Allegra McEvedy. Cookery publisher Lindsey Evans bought world rights to Economy Gastronomy from Borra Garson at Deborah McKenna. The book ties in to a BBC2 TV series, with six hour-long programmes scheduled for August, showing readers how to halve their food bills. Meanwhile, Ebury Press has signed a two-book deal with top chef Theo Randall. M.d. Fiona MacIntyre bought world rights from Limelight Management for an undisclosed sum. Randall is head chef and partner at The River Café, and owns a restaurant, Theo Randall at The InterContinental. The first book, Perfect Pasta, will be published as a £16.99 trade paperback in April 2010.

HarperCollins' Voyager imprint has acquired a début fantasy series after a fan letter was sent to publishing director Jane Johnson. The fan, Karen Azinger, wrote a letter about Johnson's own book, The Tenth Gift. Johnson said: "She mentioned that she was working on a hugely ambitious epic story. I never usually offer to read sample material when approached in this way but something about her letter struck me and I read her opening chapters and was so blown away by them that I sent them to [senior commissioning editor] Emma Coode." Coode bought five books in the untitled series, with the first published in June 2010.

Geoff Mulligan at Harvill Secker has signed up a collection of linked short stories by Louis de Bernières. Mulligan bought UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) from Lavinia Trevor. Notwithstanding, which finds the author "turning his attentions to the English village", will be published this autumn.