Random House will publish not only Tony Blair's memoir "A Journey" next month, but also his pray-mate George W Bush's "Decision Points" in November (inauspiciously on the 9th, a date known in Germany as "Schicksalstag", fateful day). While the ex-PM is with Hutchinson, however, the ex-pres will be published by Virgin, a far from prestigious arm of RH whose choice suggests Gail Rebuck was daintily pinching her nose while doing the deal. The signing of Bush by an imprint best known for sex and celebrities helps to make sense of a decision last summer that then seemed curious: Virgin MD John Sadler declared that no new books would be published by his erotica lists, Black Lace and Nexus, in 2010. It's now clear that Virgin was limiting the possibility of embarrassment for the godly Bush and other politicians Sadler publishes. But Dubya will nevertheless be a stablemate of soft porn purveyors such as Portia da Costa ("In Too Deep", "Kiss It Better" etc) and, gratifyingly, of the US TV satirist Stephen Colbert, a Virgin author and famously his tormentor at a White House correspondents' dinner in 2006.
Okay, I'm not sure I believe it. But ....!
And of course I told Portia - congrats to her for getting a mention in Private Eye alongside George Bush. Now that's notoriety!
7 comments:
Wow, so they can have blood on their hands but not come?
My mum gave me a garbled version of this story based on something she read in The Sunday Times but she got it all confused with 'move Blair's biog to the crime section' campaign. Now everything makes sense.
Another lifelong goal achieved... a mention in Private Eye! LOL
My mouth is still flapping like a goldfish's, Kristina. I'm not sure it's the real reason, but publishers do appear to be crazy. It could be true.
And Yay Portia! I thought it was awesome that they mentioned your books!
I want it to be true! And we were a bit of an embarrassment to Random House. My conspiracy theory is they wanted rid of us and the prospect of Bush was further justification.
Interestingly, there's a book about vaginal fisting called 'A Hand in the Bush' (sadly not published by Virgin).
Ugh, if this is true...they're even more cowardly and idiotic than I thought. Ugh.
P.S. Did you get my email, Janine? I'm never sure if you're getting them, now!
Argh. No Charlotte, I've not received any e-mail from you. Did you remember to use my hotmail address, not the old fsmail one?
I have sent you one now in the faint hope it will get through.
Next time, homing pigeons.
It does make a certain sense (the explanation, not the original action by Random.)
There wasn't really any obvious logical reason that one could see, for them to cut the BL imprint, which was profitable. A sudden action, light on explanations. I've seen stranger stupid actions in the business world.
Oh, and Stephen Colbert is good company to be mentioned with, in my opinion.
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