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Faber is rushing through "an enormous reprint" of Barbara Kingsolver's The Lacuna to match retailer orders following last night's Orange prize win. Although editor Hannah Griffiths was tight-lipped on the exact number being reprinted, she confirmed that by Monday night there would be a six-figure number of books in print. So far, more than 31,000 copies have been sold.
The publisher is also reprinting Kingsolver's backlist, focusing on her novels Pigs in Heaven, originally published in 1993, and her 2000 book Prodigal Summer. They are not being repackaged, although Kingsolver's name will appear in a larger font, and will include mention of the prize win.
Griffiths said: "The extraordinary thing is that Barbara Kingsolver, for all that she is a bestselling novelist, known across the world to many readers, and is many people's favourite writer, she has never won a major prize before. It was a hugely signficiant moment, and of course for Faber to win [for the first time], having been shortlisted so many times, is a hugely significant moment."
She added that Faber was planning a marketing campaign "for the next 12 months, to keep it selling as long as possible", and that high profile advertising would be forthcoming. Kingsolver is coming to the UK for a paperback tour in July.
Griffiths also paid tribute to the trade for having supported the book from launch. "We put out a hardback last November, and the trade were unwavering it their support of it from day one," she said. "They totally backed this from the off - including Sainsbury's, which in November is an extraordinary thing, so I feel it is great for everyone."