The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-05

Announcing to the agency his intention
70 shortly proceed to the United States,
manuscripts as they could by weil-known
writers. with a view TO the disposal OF
serial and other rights in America. BY
the tiple he was ready to sail. the agency
had some twenty novels i'm their hands
for negotiation in the United States.
written by the most eminent authors OF
the day. Everything being now in train,
Sir John booked his passage and crossed
the Atlantic.
He was by this time an expert hand
at a rapid deal, and as all the manu-
scripts were by weiI-known writer's, ne
had very little difficulty in disposlng OF
the serial rights at an average price for
qutred and obtained in bills. which he
allowed to mature I'm his own pockets
while he turned his attention to the
other side OF his deal.
lie quickly made himself acquainted
with the successful books of the current
season in tho United States-an inti
macy as Sir John Kynnersley with a
lady libra ran. whose gently flattered
some very useful information; asked for.
OF course. ostensibly out Of pure curl
osity and as a guide for his own reading.
He finally purchased copies of some
sixty successful novels. and retired to
the secluson OF small furnished office
which he rented, and where he perfected
himself In the use OF the typewriter.
His next step was to edit carefully each
Of the books. Unnecessary descriptions
Of scenery and other useless padding
were ruthlessly cut out where the length
Of the book permitted until each was
approximately some 10000 words IN
length. Every name Of person or place
was carefully altered. every title was
changed Sir John then sat down with
tho grim determination OF retyplng every
single one OF the volumes. He quickly
acquired a speed at the work which as
tonished himself. and in a few weeks
he had got through his appointed task.
He then discounted all the bills he held
FI~ ltN.. IL lf fol ~.
mitted the money TO one of his boards
in Paris, and booked his return pas
sage.
He had been much troubled in his
stone In the impending debacle. and
finally he decided that this must be
avoided at any cost. A little considera-
last act before leaving America was to
write letter impugninG Featherstone's
literary Judgment; This he concluded
Insulting terms, that. knowing his man.
he felt confident Featherstone would
never set foot again inside the agency
offices. AS events proved subsequently.
he never did. and he took the quite un-
expected step, which was moro than
Kynnersley had ever hoped for. OF send
erary papers, where IL was published in
full to the subsequent Justification OF
Mr. Featherstone.
The haronet went straight to his house
in Jersey and commenced to pull the
strings. Each OF the sixty novels in It's
altered form and with n brand new au-
thorshlp conferred upon It, was n poten-
tia asset lie distributed them among
his three different publishing firms with
instructions that they were al once 10 be
put into type. There are a good many
printing firms in London. and by the
baronet's direction each manuscript was
sent 10 different printer: and the order
for paper and binding were distributed
equally widely
When all the sixty volumes were ready
the fgm Of Blank, Dash & Co. circular
izcd the trade. saying that careful con-
sideration had led them To the belief
that while they believed the public could
shilling novel, If sufficient energy were
put into the selling. they had neverthe-
less come TO the conclusion that the ordl-
nary terms were not sufficient induce
mcnt to the bookSclllng trade. They an
ticlpated very extended sales for their
| new seasons books shortly 10 come on
! the market and In View of this could af-
! ford TO reduce the price, and consequently
| they proposed 10 mnke special suhscrip-
! tion terms OF rs nd per copy for all
copies ordered on subscription or within
one week OF the date OF publication. The
trade would. Of course, appreciate that
such prlces left but 4 small margin OF
profit. and they were therefore offered
FOR cash within seven days OF delivery
The trade welcomed the innovation.
which was promptly followed by similar
circulars from several other publishing
firms. Including Messrs. John Brown
Son and the Drury Press.
Close upon the heels OF the circular the
sixty books wore published. The idea
had caught on with the booksellers. and
Of sale or display. Each OF the sixty
novels. OF course. was a tried success
across the water. Some caught on In
England others did not: and Kynnersley
was Interested to observe how American
SUCCESSES often gave place in England