But last year he signed a two-book deal with Twelve, an imprint of Hachette, to write his story and hand in another novel.

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It took Princess Sophie Audouin-Mamikonian 17 years to find a publisher for her now twelve-book Tara Duncan fantasy novel series before a publisher in France, where she lives, made the leap in 2003.

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Which points to a problem not just at Twelve but with the entire book publishing industry.

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One standout Exhibit in that book highlights the difference in results over an eleven year period between twelve companies that did and twenty companies that did not have this sort of culture.

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