The story doing the rounds on the publishing circuit is that a major
Australian celebrity is about to publish their memoirs – and Crikey
has heard that the celebrity in questrion is Ray Martin. The
rumour is that having signed a contract – reportedly for a sum of
$200,000 – some years ago, Martin got cold feet never produced the
goods.

These days Martin isn’t the celebrity he used to be, and the rumour is
that Penguin snapped up the deal, after either hanging on to the old
contract, or nabbing it on the rebound.

Could be good item on
Ray martin and his possible memoirs – see this below from a publishing contact
of mine:

On the question you asked me about
the celebrity changing publishers, we all think this is Ray Martin.

He signed a
contract for about $200,000 many years ago and never produced.

Now he isn’t the
celebrity he used to be. We think Penguin either held the old contract or may
have got it on the rebound.

Ask Bob Sessions – he’ll know
anyway.

Would be worth someone
call both Bob Sessions and also Martin (does he have an agent??) to ask about
this – and whether he signed up a few years
ago, then returned the advance, and has now had second thoughts and has found a
new publisher (Penguin?).