The Bookseller.com

7th October 2008

War of attrition over PFD backlist

04.04.08

Some authors formerly represented by PFD have asked publishers to start rerouting their royalty payments to breakaway company United Agents. But PFD c.e.o. Caroline Michel has warned authors and publishers against the move. "These are dangerous waters," she said. "Any such diversion of moneys by a client is a clear breach of their contract with PFD." United Agents would not comment on whether it had been advising writers to make the requests. But Michel said: "Any encouragement of this by a third party [e.g. United Agents] could itself amount to an unlawful act."

Michel added that some of the requests may be down to an "honest misunderstanding", but where not she pledged to "take action against such serious and unlawful interference with PFD's interests . . . the requests threaten the very basis on which [all] agents represent their ­clients and work with publishers".

The row raises the prospect of PFD pursuing big-name authors through the courts to claim its 10%–15% share of their backlist income. Authors who have followed their agents to UA include Nick Hornby, Anthony Horowitz, Julian Barnes, Justin Cartwright, Joanna Trollope and Ruth Rendell.

However, there are also signs that the war between PFD and UA over backlist may be close to resolution. Sources on both sides indicated that a deal was being brokered, led by UA's new co-chairman Peter ­Bennett-Jones, founder of TV production ­company Tiger Aspect.

One theory is that the backlist of active authors will be sold to UA, with PFD itself then sold to a third party. Media mogul Andrew Neil has been tipped as a possible buyer for the agency. But Michel said any deal would not stop PFD serving the interest of its backlist and frontlist clients. "There are many parts to the negotiations, and you should not look at one [element] in isolation."

The United Agents books team this week gave their first interview to The Bookseller, detailing the divisive atmosphere as they left PFD, as well as their plans for the new business. "There's a bit of danger, of edge, to what we are doing now that we own the company," said Simon Trewin, who heads UA Books alongside Caroline Dawnay.

United Agents team speak to The Bookseller

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