JK Rowling forces Trollope out

Aga queen Joanna Trollope has left her long-time publisher Bloomsbury. But why? Everyone in the industry is offering the same explanation: JK Rowling (pictured).

Rowling, of course, is also published by Bloomsbury, and the publisher has made a fortune from the hugely successful Harry Potter books - accordingly, she is treated like a princess. And that's the problem, says a source: "All authors take second place to Rowling. Joanna probably got tired of that and jumped ship. I'm surprised they kept her so long."

Trollope terminated the arrangement at a meeting with Liz Calder, her editor and founding director of Bloomsbury. Apparently it was a sticky encounter. Without naming names, Trollope said: "We both know why I am here, don't we?"

Trollope, 64, the bestselling author of such novels as The Rector's Wife, is now with rival publisher Transworld, from whom she received a six-figure sign on fee.

Other authors at Bloomsbury, where the share price has fallen to around £1.36 from a year's high of more than £2, expressed surprise at Trollope's decision. William Boyd said: "I am a very happy author. I am sorry to hear that she is leaving, but there it is." Bloomsbury declined to comment yesterday.