Building Transmedia Properties

Starlight Runner's CEO, Jeff Gomez, spends a lot of time talking about "transmedia," a hybrid editorial, product development and marketing strategy that extends intellectual properties across multiple media and product platforms. In the contemporary world of product development and brand recognition, "transmedia" is a hot topic, and the results of this approach can be seen in blockbuster multiple-platform properties like the video-game Halo as well as multimedia publishing projects like HarperCollins's Amanda Project and Scholastic's 39 Clues.

Deals: 8/31/2009

In a unique deal inspired by the father-son addiction memoirs separately written (and published) by Nic Sheff (Beautiful Boy) and his son David (Tweak), Adam Chromy of Artists and Artisans closed a two-book deal with HarperCollins's It Books imprint for a mother-son perspective on addiction, selling a pair of memoirs by Steven Adler and his mother, Deanna Adler.

The Price War for 'The Lost Symbol'

Last week Amazon announced, to little surprise, that it would be selling the Kindle edition of Dan Brown's forthcoming (and presumed megaselling) The Lost Symbol for $9.99. (Random House's North American print run is five million, and the house is doing another 1.5 million for the U.K., South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Deals: 8/24/2009

Krieger Re-Ups with Wiley, HarperTeen Wins Trilogy, SMP Goes "Grave" Digging, and more.

Licensing Hotline: August 2009

Scholastic has acquired the license for Angel Cat Sugar, a Japanese property from the mind of Hello Kitty creator Yuko Shimizu. Two books for girls 4—8 will launch in the school market this fall, followed by two more in the trade starting in January 2010. See more licensing stories, including news of a new Nickelodeon series, Richard Scarry’s Busytown characters on TV, and a new Angelina Ballerina show on PBS.

Guild Responds to Second WME Letter on Google Settlement

After the William Morris Endeavor agency issued a letter to clients last week advising them to opt out of the Google settlement, the agency has issued a second letter reasserting its position and detailing it further.

Chronicle Has the Lock on Top Chef Books

The Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series Top Chef is the jewel in Bravo’s crown, so it isn’t surprising that the network has developed a range of branded products based on the show. There are Top Chef-themed flower arrangements, Top Chef branded wines and Top Chef knives. Chronicle Books is the lucky winner of the exclusive publishing contract, and it has been a boon to the San Francisco independent.

Deals: 8/17/2009

Gotham Buys a 'Hug' Gotham's William Shinker acquired world rights to a new book by Hug Your Customers and Hug Your People author Jack Mitchell. Mitchell, CEO and chairman of Mitchells/Richards/Marshs, with two popular clothing stores, Mitchells and Richards, in Westport and Greenwich, Conn., delivered his message about succeeding in business through above-and-beyond customer service in the pre...

Authors Guild Claims William Morris 'Off Target' on Google Settlement

After the New York Times reported that the William Morris Endeavor agency would be officially advising clients to opt out of the Google settlement, the Authors Guild issued a statement of its own claiming the agency was off base in its assessment and recommendation.

Deals: 8/10/2009

Dutton Kids Signs Brewer to Five Michael Bourret at Dystel and Goderich has inked a five-book deal for Heather Brewer with Dutton Children's Books for a spinoff to her YA vampire series, the Chronicles of Vladimir Rod. The new series, the Slayer Journals, starts the summer before Eighth Grade Bites (book 1 in the Chronicles of Vladimir Rod) and follows the character Joss, one of Val's friends.

'Dewey' Author Gets Million-Dollar Deal at Dutton

Peter McGuigan at Foundry sold a new book by Dewey author Vicki Myron to Dutton in a deal that's rumored to be in the seven figures.

Deals: 8/3/2009

Norton's New Limerick Former MacArthur “genius” winner and UC Boulder professor Patricia Limerick has sold her new work, Exploring the Interior, to Norton's Ed Barber...

Deals: 7/27/09

Clock Watchers Deb Futter at Grand Central acquired U.S. rights to Lucy Kellaway's In Office Hours. In the novel Kellaway, a columnist for the Financial Times, follows two professional women who concurrently fall for the wrong guys—both of whom are office mates. Grand Central compared the novel to Allison Pearson's I Don't Know How She Does It, saying Kellaway “does for office life ...

Bestselling Author E. Lynn Harris Dies

Regnery Inks Deal With Carrie Prejean

Former Miss California Carrie Prejean has signed to do a book for conservative publisher Regnery called Still Standing. The title is scheduled for November 2009.

Deals: 7/20/2009

Graphic Sex Scott Mendel, of Mendel Media Group, looks to have sold a first-of-its-kind how-to graphic nonfiction, a guide to sex by Kidder Kaper called Sex Is Fun. Brianne Mulligan at Gotham Avery nabbed world rights. Kaper, who lives in the Twin Cities, has established himself as an unlikely 21st-century sex guru with the podcast he launched in 2005, “Sex Is Fun.

HarperCollins and Jim Henson Partner on Sid the Science Kid Series

HarperCollins Children’s Books and the Jim Henson Company are launching a publishing program for Sid the Science Kid, based on the Emmy-nominated animated TV series that began airing on PBS Kids last fall. The books will feature full-color stills from the series and will launch in December 2009, with three titles targeting preschoolers ages three to six.

Quirk Announces Follow-Up to 'P&P&Z'

Quirk Books has announced Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters as the next entry in its Quirk Classics series, to be published on September 15.

Free Press Acquires Posthumous Carlin Memoir

Simon & Schuster's Free Press imprint has acquired George Carlin's memoir, Last Words. Carlin, who died in June 2008, had been working on the book, with writer Tony Hendra, for the last decade.

No Advance, Author Turns To Fund-raising

When Deanna Zandt signed her contract with Barrett-Koehler to publish her first book, Sink or Swim: Making Waves of Change in a New Social Media World next April, she knew the house did not give advances, relying instead on a more author-friendly royalty structure. To help fund her research and give herself the opportunity to devote full-time to writing, Zandt, a media and technology consultant...