Changing publishers: a new twist on the theme

From an International Herald Tribune article on the French “new book season”, this intriguing aside:

Houellebecq’s new book has divided France’s critics, with some talking of genius and others of fraud. All the noise is good for sales, of course. And it was crucial that this book sell well. Not so long ago, Houellebecq changed publishers, leaving Flammarion for Fayard, which “bought” him for 1.3 million euros. France is used to transfer fees for soccer players, but for a writer, this is something of a first…

Fascinating.