Unfortunate Timing

There is a Reuters report about a frightening coincidence between fiction and reality in London. We all know that publishers plan their book releases months and months in advance, so now Random House imprint Chatto & Windus in England is scrambling to turn off an advertising campaign they spent months planning.

Incendiary by Chris Cleave is written as a letter to Osama bin Laden by a woman whose son and husband die in a fictional suicide bombing in London. Cleave’s novel hit bookstore shelves on the exact same day that 52 people died in terror attacks in the capital.

The publisher acted immediately to remove all advertisements, obviously because it would be insensitive to keep the images in place. However, the authorities in charge of the London Underground have had more pressing matters at hand so many promotional posters remain in the subway tunnels.

Cleave is now questioning how much he should promote the novel, inviting discussion and comments on his website at here.

Read the entire Reuters report here.