Literary Advertising.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 3, 20 January 1909, Page 2

Literary Advertising.

Sonic of the more hustling publishers in --England art adopting all sorts of “dodges;’ to get the public interested in their authors, aside from the purely literacy attractiveness of the novel, itself. For instance, one firm is ottering a prize for the befrt twelve-word telegram describing the personality of the author of a certain book : another publisher offers a prize of £5 for the best drawing of an imaginary portrait of “ a mysterious novelist whose identity is hot disclosed.” A third one, not. to be outdone, oilers a prize for the exact height of the author; and the mos.t accurate surmise as to whether a. certain book is written by a man or a woman. With all these inducements before the public it is a little difficult to choose which schenu? giyes the largest reward lor the smallest amount uf brain fag. For a. novelist to get his or her book read by King Edward is one of the best guarantees of success. His Majesty, however, has little time to select his own books, and wisely deputises one <d his women friends to do bis literary reronnitring for him. One of the King s ablest “book tasters*' is the wife uf the Premier, Mrs. Asquith. She has long held this honored post, ami reads nearly everything in the novel line that comes under the King’s notice. In fact, before her marriage, as Margaret 'Pennant, she became the Kings literary adviser. It is not generally known, but King Edward is quite a. devourer of the modern novel, with a predilection for the French school.