The in-depth reconfiguration of the publishing landscape with the announced changes in ownership of Editis and Hachette is reflected, unsurprisingly, in changes among authors. Tatiana de Rosnay, previously published by Robert Laffont (Editis), is in advanced negotiations with Albin Michel.
The Franco-British novelist, daughter of the scientist and surfer Joël de Rosnay, is one of the authors who sell a lot. Her name was Sarah, published in 2007 by Héloïse d’Ormesson, sold more than 11 million copies worldwide. In 2020, the book Shadow Flowers had been co-published by Robert Laffont and Héloïse d’Ormesson (house bought by Editis), before the author joined Robert Laffont for the next novel.
Since the beginning of the year, Albin Michel has had a happy hand, since another successful author, Marc Dugain, left Gallimard to join this other independent publishing house. After Tsunami (272 pages, 21.90 euros), released at the end of March, a book in which the author put himself in the head of the President of the Republic, Marc Dugain will publish several novels and documents with Albin Michel, at the rate of one book per year. The one who made himself known by The Officers’ Room (1998, JC Lattès), adapted for the cinema by François Dupeyron, should also co-direct a collection there.
Sale in sight for Humensis
The publishing house owned by the family of Francis Esménard and directed by Gilles Haéri has welcomed numerous transfers. Martine Saada thus left Grasset (Hachette) to go to Albin Michel in January, taking with her her own collection, and especially her authors like Pascal Quignard, who is releasing happy hours (240 pages, 19.90 euros), August 23, Frédéric Brunnquell, who signs The Pyre of Illusions (208 pages, 19.90 euros), in bookstores on 1er september, or Anne Berest, who had received the Renaudot prize for high school students for Postcard, in 2021.
Albin Michel will also publish a former member of Flammarion, Serge Joncour, who presents Human warmth (352 pages, 21.90 euros) at the start of the literary season, August 23. Family history, Anne Berest’s sister, Claire Berest, until now published by Stock (Hachette), also joins Albin Michel.
While the reinsurer Scor seems to have the intention of selling the publishing group Humensis, the management of Albin Michel affirms “not to have looked into the file and not to have had any contact with them”.