Bc,kbuyees Bookend
Later this year Gollancz are to publish a book called The Cats, an American thriller reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier's The Birds, which Gollancz also published. The Cats clearly required an arresting jacket, a matter to which the firm's art editor Mike Head duly applied himself. Head decided on a photographic design showing an angry green-eyed puss with a suitably fearsome expression.
The photographer was hired, the studio prepared, and two professional mog models arrived in the care of a doting lady owner. Unfortunately the studio arc-lights instilled the beasts with a wholly inappropriate sense of well-being, and instead of staring fiercely into the camera the purring pair dropped off to sleep. Their embarrassed owner thought for a moment. "I know" she said, "I'll go and fetch the dog. That should rouse them." And it did. No sooner had the unsuspecting creature padded through the door than the cats sat up, hissing savagely. The photographer snapped triumphantly, the owner sighed with relief, the transparencies turned out perfectly, and Mike Head went off for Christmas with the feeling of a job well done.
His joy was shortlived, however. On his return he was summoned by Gollancz's chairman John Bush, who waved the photographer's invoice at him. "What do you mean by this?" he demanded, pointing to the item marked 'dog'. "This is cruelty to animals. I think" he added severely, "that you'd better leave the company." Head, who had been under the happy impression that Gollancz were pleased with his work, left the office a mystified man. In the meantime the word got around, other directors intervened, and within a couple of days the art editor had been reinstated. Gollancz, incidentally, have decided to use the American jacket for the book, depicting a cat with a bird in its teeth. Now that's much nicer.
Full marks for nerve to the Treasurer of the Society of Young Publishers, who have just published annual accounts for 1974. In a well laid-out presentation of figures, the items of expenditure are listed meticulously in the left-hand column: Stationery and Printing £113.81; Mailing/Postage £4.37; Parties £100.65; Travel, Expenses £46.81. Even the Bank Charges (£2.10 worth) are neatly itemised. Lastly comes the traditionally intriguing 'Miscellaneous' entry. Expenditure on 'Miscellaneous' for the year 1974 came to no less than £176.40, over five times more than in 1973. That's one way of telling members to mind their own damn business at the AGM.
Press release of the week comes from Angus & Robertson, and Bookbuyer is still not sure whether the publishers are trying to be funny. "The Duchess of Kent" they inform us, "has become interested in sports for women, and has in fact decided to take up golf. She has recently requested a copy of Angus & Robertson's forthcoming publication Golf for Women, an instructional book Written by eight of the best professional women golfers."
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