What’s the Buzz: Pynchon’s Trailer; Digital World Book Conference

In News, What's the Buzz by Hannah Johnson

By Hannah Johnson

The best of social media and the blogosphere…

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjWKPdDk0_U

One of the hottest links and retweets of the past few days has been the book trailer for Thomas Pynchon’s new novel, Inherent Vice, which was published on August 4 by Penguin Press. Even I have to admit that this book trailer is a good one. And who is the narrator? Is it actually Pynchon himself? There is no official word, but the fans are buzzing! Follow the Twitter hashtag #pynchon to get the gossip.  There does seem to be a similarity between the voice in the video and that heard on an episode of The Simpsons in which Pynchon voiced a character modeled on himself.

A few days ago, Mike Shatzkin hinted in his blog that a new project of his {his new project} would soon be made public. That project, the Digital Book World conference, was announced on August 4, through co-sponsor Publishers Lunch. With an impressive advisory board and a lofty promise to “shape your future publishing program, forever” you should keep an eye on this two-day event in January 2010. Follow the updates on Twitter or subscribe on the website to get email updates.

Yen Cheong is the assistant director of publicity of Viking and Penguin books in the United States.I love her blog. Anything and everything you wanted to know about the “how-tos” of book publicity is right there.  Her latest post explains how and why publishers should use Twitter to help their businesses.

About the Author

Hannah Johnson

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Hannah Johnson is the publisher of international book industry magazine Publishing Perspectives, which provides daily information and news about book markets around the world. In addition to building partnerships with international cultural and trade organizations, she works with the Frankfurt Book Fair to organize and support a number of its overseas initiatives. Hannah has also worked as the managing editor for an online media company, The Hooch Life, focused on craft distillers and cocktail experts. Prior to that, she worked as a project manager for the Frankfurt Book Fair’s New York office, managing various business and marketing activities.