Publishing expert testifies of ‘heated auctions’ for Galloway’s breakout book

VANCOUVER — A publishing industry expert says enthusiasm for author Steven Galloway’s novel “The Cellist of Sarajevo” was “remarkable,” but sales of books published after such breakout successes often fall off.

Kevin Hanson, a publishing industry veteran, produced a report for the legal action by Galloway alleging he was defamed by a former student with whom he had an affair, and others who spread unproven allegations of sexual assault against him.

Hanson told the trial in British Columbia Supreme Court that the enthusiasm for Galloway in the literary industry was “quite rare” and put the former University of B.C. creative writing chair in a “unique class.”

He says he believes the alleged defamations affected the performance of Galloway’s book “The Confabulist,” his next novel published after the international success of “The Cellist of Sarajevo.”