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Thursday, October 13, 2011

Macmillan's backlist to reappear digitally

From Publishers Lunch:


Pan Macmillan's previously announced digital imprint devoted to backlist titles which they suggested would debut at Frankfurt has been renamed Macmillan Bello (supposedly for "hidden talent discovered and admired") and acquired a marquee partner: Curtis Brown UK. The program will launch in November with 120 ebooks drawn exclusively from the agency's backlist, with a further 400 titles to follow later next year. The launch list includes novels from Gerald Durrell, Vita Sackville-West; Francis Durbridge, D J Taylor, and Eva Ibbotson.

"At Curtis Brown UK we have been researching the best ways to revive our authors' out-of-print books, and were hugely impressed with Macmillan's plans, their ambition, vision and commitment to neglected writers," said head of book contracts and agent for literary estates Anna Davis in the release. "We've greatly enjoyed partnering with them on the launch of Macmillan Bello, and are excited about the future and making available great writers from yesteryear." Macmillan digital director Sara Lloyd added: "We have had such a lot of fun working with Curtis Brown UK to get the business underway and are looking forward to working with them further to grow the list and the business in the coming months." When the venture was first announced, Lloyd told us "we are offering enhanced terms for books... -- these deals are on the basis of a new style partnership and not on a traditional 'acquisition' basis."

Does that mean that my first novel, the highly acclaimed Abigail, which was published by Macmillan in both the UK and NZ, just might see the light of digital print? 

2 comments:

Shayne Parkinson said...

Joan, that sounds as if it could be a nice way to dip your toes in the digital waters! Assuming, of course, that the publisher has rights to your work in electronic format - you may want to take advice on that if there's any doubt (some older contracts are vague on the subject). Fingers crossed for you that it turns out well.

World of the Written Word said...

Good point! It's a very old contract, definitely PDA (Pre Digital Age). Maybe I will have to do it myself ....