After the Huddle

[Rachel Caldecott]

I enjoyed being back in the Huddle, although the talk of the publishing industry made me sad. I can't help but wonder what my parents would have said about this latest wave of buy-ups. I still blush at the language my dad used in the 80s during the last big series of mergers. But this morning I found my dad's first job offer from Penguin Books in 1965 and a letter my dad wrote to the Bookseller about Tony Godwin (the man who hired him). I knew all the co-signatories. Giles Gordon was my mum's agent for a while, Dieter and my father left Penguins in the mid-seventies to start their own publishing house (the highly alternative, Wildwood House). Kaye Webb was the head of Puffin Books (and organiser of great children's parties). I was friends with Fred Plaat's twin girls. All of them were frequent visitors to the house. It was a golden age of publishing.

 

[AgentPete]

Yes, it really was the golden age. Difficult to explain to folk now - even those who work in the business - what it was like.

 

[Hannah F]

Wow! Look at what a salary was back then! And employment with unpaid holidays! (My holidays are unpaid, but that's 'cos I'm self-employed).

 

[Pamela Jo]

I enjoyed being back in the Huddle, although the talk of the publishing industry made me sad. I can't help but wonder what my parents would have said about this latest wave of buy-ups. I still blush at the language my dad used in the 80s during the last big series of mergers. But this morning I found my dad's first job offer from Penguin Books in 1965 and a letter my dad wrote to the Bookseller about Tony Godwin (the man who hired him). I knew all the co-signatories. Giles Gordon was my mum's agent for a while, Dieter and my father left Penguins in the mid-seventies to start their own publishing house (the highly alternative, Wildwood House). Kaye Webb was the head of Puffin Books (and organiser of great children's parties). I was friends with Fred Plaat's twin girls. All of them were frequent visitors to the house. It was a golden age of publishing.

Lunch Vouchers. (Tee Hee) I am curious WHY lunches are such an institution?

 

[PCFrontier]

Hi Rachel,
Interesting to see your father's job offer from 1965, all properly typed up. A bit of social history.
I am old enough to remember when letters were hand typed up. I had forgotten about luncheon vouchers.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

Today is the anniversary of my dad's death. He died aged 64 in 1989. I've been going through a file of publishing-related stuff. There are several articles (about Mervyn Peake, for example, or about the golden age of publishing, etc.)that I think Litopians would be interested in, but am a bit embarrassed about going on about my family so much.

 

[Hannah F]

Today is the anniversary of my dad's death. He died aged 64 in 1989. I've been going through a file of publishing-related stuff. There are several articles (about Mervyn Peake, for example, or about the golden age of publishing, etc.)that I think Litopians would be interested in, but am a bit embarrassed about going on about my family so much.

Nooo, keep going. It's so interesting!

 

[Pamela Jo]

Today is the anniversary of my dad's death. He died aged 64 in 1989. I've been going through a file of publishing-related stuff. There are several articles (about Mervyn Peake, for example, or about the golden age of publishing, etc.)that I think Litopians would be interested in, but am a bit embarrassed about going on about my family so much.

Do you have a book on your hands? It sounds like it.

 

[CarolMS]

Today is the anniversary of my dad's death. He died aged 64 in 1989. I've been going through a file of publishing-related stuff. There are several articles (about Mervyn Peake, for example, or about the golden age of publishing, etc.)that I think Litopians would be interested in, but am a bit embarrassed about going on about my family so much.

Oh, don't be embarrassed. It's wonderful to read about your dad, and life in the world of publishing's past. Keep sharing!

--Carol

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

So this is an interesting article about publishing 'back in the day'. Alison and Busby were my mother's first publishers. My dad's company, Wildwood House is mentioned here too. Sorry the upload has mixed up the page order.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

This one is for @AgentPete in particular. Perhaps he could revive it for his publishing friends, and add it to the merchandise store (saving a slice of royalties for me, that is). I haven't found the prototype yet, but I'll look out for it. Otherwise, I'm sure we Litopians could come up with something similar.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

And this is for everyone who has ever received a rejection. Here's one my dad must have had typed up and sent... A definite 'No'. I think it shows he took the time to read and think about the manuscript, at least. Something that we writers often feel does not happen very often. He used to receive endless manuscripts that had been 'channeled' from dead people on the other side. Eventually he had a big badge made which read, "Just because I'm dead, doesn't mean I'm smart." (I don't know if this was one of those).
He was also offered something called the Gemstone File. He decided that if it were true, it would be too dangerous to publish, and if it weren't, then it was rubbish. You can look it up on Wikipedia.

 

[AgentPete]

And this is for everyone who has ever received a rejection. Here's one my dad must have had typed up and sent...

Thoughtful, personal, human. Love it, so very impressive.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

Last upload of odd stuff for a while, I'm going to Pete's home town (city of orange, botoxed girls with spiders on their eyes) tomorrow morning.