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Hot Deals: Oprah's New Role: Broker
Judy Quinn -- 7/20/98
A new twist on the Oprah effect in the book world came up with the auctioning of first novel Another Song for the King by agent Jane Gelfman. Seems that the book's intrepid author, Chicago writer Kathryn Glasgow Stern, met Winfrey at a local Democratic Party fund-raiser and stood by in abashed silence while someone else extolled the virtues of Stern's work in progress. The talk-show host asked to read the manuscript, a contemporary tale of a daughter coming to terms with her dying mother, who, along the way, recounts her one and only date with Elvis Presley, which nonetheless changed her life forever. With the Oprah connection, Stern's life changed forever, too. Oprah referred her to Gelfman, who also reps Jacquelyn Mitchard, the first author to benefit from Winfrey's Book Club. Gelfman was quick to point out to PW that there is no promise from the Winfrey camp to pick the book for the club or to help publicize it in any way. Still, the connection helped draw initial interest, which led to an auction that drew at least five serious bidders. Random House senior editor Kate Medina ended up the winner, with a rumored $200,000 North American rights bid. No publication date is set.

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