The winter months are typically a lull on the publishing calendar, but not this year.
Catching up with PW's John Maher
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Over the holidays, a gale-force scandal buffeted the Romance Writers Association. Earlier this month, a hurricane blew through the book tour for American Dirt and into the Manhattan offices of its publisher Flatiron, a Macmillan imprint. And this week, a blizzard of criticism demolished a misbegotten Black History Month promotion from Barnes & Noble and Penguin Random House.
Apart from charges of racism and questions about lack of diversity, these controversies all share a common issue, says John Maher, Publishers Weekly news editor.
“In the public discourse about books and publishing, other authors and readers have far more influence than ever before,” he tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally. “Thanks to the Internet, they can undo the messaging of publicity campaigns with one Tweet.”
Every Friday, CCC’s “Beyond the Book” speaks with the editors and reporters of “Publishers Weekly” for an early look at the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday.
