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There is some amusement in publishers' publicity circles about the difficulties Col lins are having in replacing Eric Major as their publicity manager. In some respects it is the best publicity job going. Collins have a large, variegated and successful list. The books can't, on the whole, be difficult to promote, and there is plenty of money available — as well as the best-staffed department in the business.
Unfortunately there are iron filings in the gold dust. Anyone applying for a post of that seniority would expect a directorship — or the chance of one in the not too distant future. But there is already a director overseeing this position: Michael Hyde, whose responsibility for advertising in general includes nominal authority over free publicity.
And pressures on the promotion people from the editorial side—notably from Billy Collins himself—are enough to make any self-respecting publicity manager worry about his independence. This may well be why Eric Major has left to be promotion and advertising manager of Hodder and Stoughton.
Collins 'have made matters worse by refusing to consider a woman for the job — thereby excluding over 50 per cent of the market. The list of publicity people who have turned the position down includes Nigel Hollis of Heinemann, Richard Webb of Michael Joseph and Ewan Cameron of the Bodley Head — probably in that order. Richard Webb has undoubtedly come out of it best. He mentioned the Collins post rather casually to his employers and was at once offered a directorship of Michael Joseph, which he has accepted. This isn't quite as good as a rise in salary, but Michael Hyde must nevertheless be feeling something of a king-maker. The likelihood now is that he will make an internal appointment . . .
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