And going forward, the useless phrase “going forward” will be ramped up in the coming weeks and months.

“Going forward” is at least functional boilerplate. Does anyone know what Mr. Pepper means by “potential market leverage”?

I don’t think anyone really knows what the layoffs mean, especially for M&S. My guess is that Mr. Pepper didn’t want this AT ALL but that it’s been forced down his throat by good old Random House – especially since M&S has been outperforming its big brother.

The question I have (and I assume many others), is whether the ‘new’ company, Cooke Agency International, was created to handle JUST M&S and RH, or whether their strategy is to handle other Rights from other publishers as well – small fish, big pond, and all that. For authors and scriveners alike one wonders if ‘going forward’ we won’t see more of these press releases.

Those of us who, like myself, have been represented by Marilyn Biderman owe her an immense, immense debt of gratitude. She is a brilliant, committed, generous person, a true professional. M&S has let go of someone very special. She brought our books to the world, she found a way for many of us to make a living and continue writing. Marilyn has knowledge, understanding and passion, she couldn’t have been better at, or more devoted to, her work. So… thank you Marilyn, for everything.

Yes, it boggles the mind. Everyone I know who has worked with Marilyn and Krista has only positive things to say – from agents to writers. It’s hard to imagine this being a good thing for Canadian literature. All we can do, I suppose, is wait to see what happens next.

When I was looking for a publisher a friend of mine in the publishing industry suggested I talk to Marilyn Biderman. Though she’s very busy she found time to see me and gave me an hour of her time (in her office surrounded by shelves full of the foreign editions and translations she had arranged). Nobody could have been nicer or kinder or more helpful to me than Marilyn. Letting her go is a tragedy for M&S and its authors. I can’t believe this is happening.

I can only endorse the view that Marilyn Biderman was an extremely good rights’ director and that she will be missed by the international publishing community. I got to know her through my having acquired THE FAVOURITE GAME and BEAUTIFUL LOSERS by Leonard Cohen for Blue Door, my new imprint at HarperCollins UK. She handled the negotiations with both charm and finesse.

I first met Marilyn Biderman at SFU and last year when I was looking for some help with contracts Marilyn Biderman took the time and the effort to spend two days with me working on the ins and out of rights. She is lovely and generous and always working hard for M&S, their writers and those who needed her mentorship. I don’t know what they were thinking at M&S, but it seems like a big mistake. I was shocked when I heard the news.