NY Observer > Crown Publishing Group

Obama Campaign Issuing Policy Paperback; Crown to Print 300,000 Copies For Sept. 9 Release

Leon Neyfakh — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:58:31 -0400

The AP's Hillel Italie reports this morning that Three Rivers Press, the imprint of Random House's Crown division that published both of Barack Obama's books, is working with the presumptive Democratic nominee's campaign on a policy book called Change We Can Believe In: Barack Obama's Plan to Renew America's Promise. The book, which has a bold first print run of 300,000, will be divided into sections on issues like "health care, energy and national security," and features transcripts of seven of Obama's most celebrated speeches.

The meat of the book is being written by people from the campaign, but Obama himself is contributing a several-page foreword. read more »

'Money Honey' Indeed! Maria Bartiromo Sells Book to Crown At Auction For About Half a Million

Leon Neyfakh — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:38:22 -0400

CNBC anchor Maria Bartiromo has sold a book to Crown, a division of Random House, for an advance several knowledgable sources said was in the neighborhood of $500,000.

Ms. Bartiromo's literary agent, Wayne Kabak of the William Morris Agency, declined to comment but an assistant at his office referred questions to Crown Business executive editor John Mahaney. read more »

Journal Seeks a Cut in Reporters' Book Deals

John Koblin — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:37:42 -0500

On Thursday, Wall Street Journal staffers received a memo from managing editor Marcus Brauchli and books director Roe D'Angelo announcing a new book-leave policy.

It seemed simple enough: if reporters want to write a book they need to inform editors ahead of time; the paper can start providing some marketing help—all pretty pro forma stuff. Mr. Brauchli wrote that the change allows the paper to "protect our interests in books based on Journal reporting." read more »

Crown Signs Novelist Keith Donohue To Two-Book Contract Worth Around $1.3 Million

Leon Neyfakh — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:25:55 -0500

Keith Donohue, author of the bestselling novel The Stolen Child, closed on a two-book deal with the Crown Publishing Group yesterday worth about $1.3 million, according to publishing sources familiar with the agreement. Mr. Donohue's agent, Peter Steinberg, declined to give the precise value of the deal, but confirmed that it was in the seven figures.

Mr. Steinberg said the first of the two books, called Angels of Destruction, is about a nine-year-old girl who "may or may not be an angel."

The book was acquired by Sally Kim of Shaye Areheart Books, an imprint of Crown. Mr. Steinberg said that he turned down four preempt bids and was intending to take the book to auction before Ms. Kim made her offer yesterday. read more »