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Capitalising on the success of a YouTube.com clip featuring two men reunited with their pet lion, Transworld has moved fast to publish an e-book original this week of A Lion Called Christian by John Rendall and Ace Bourke. The e-book has been produced by the Random House Group Digital team and will be available at Waterstone’s. A print edition is set to follow in March 2009.
The two-minute YouTube clip features the reunion of the men and their lion, Christian, after they had left him in Africa with George Adamson, of Born Free fame. It has been viewed by over 44 million people.
Sally Gaminara of Bantam Press bought world rights in the book, originally published in 1971, from Caroline Michel at Peters Fraser and Dunlop. Foreign language rights have been sold in four countries, with more under negotiation, while TV and film deals are also being discussed.
Rendall and Bourke said they were “delighted” to be working on the project “particularly as the interest in Christian’s life has been generated by the internet age through YouTube. The response to the clip has been phenomenal. He can’t quite believe how huge this interest has become but it is wonderful that it has brought Christian’s story to a new generation of readers.”
Transworld has also launched a website, www.alioncalledchristian.co.uk, containing extracts, photos and competitions.