American author Joy Williams: ‘The comfy story has got to change’

The novelist and short story writer on her new book about Azrael, the angel of death, her encounters with Raymond Carver and Richard Yates, and why fiction should be uncannyJoy Williams, 80, has written five novels and four story collections and is the recipient of numerous awards. Her most recent book of short stories, Concerning the Future of Souls: 99 Stories of Azrael (Tuskar Rock), was published earlier this year. Her work ranges from the philosophical examination of being, belief and morality to urgent engagements with environmental catastrophe; James Salter wrote of her that she belongs in the company of Céline and Flannery O’Connor. Born in Massachusetts, she now lives in the Sonoran desert.An earlier collection of yours was called 99 Stories of God, and now you’ve moved on to Azrael (the angel of death and transporter of souls) as the subject. What drew you to him?I read in a WS Merwin collection his translation of Hadrian’s deathbed poem to his soul – Animula vagula blandula – so sorrowful and succinct. The soul, a worthy subject. And Azrael has always fascinated me: he was death, but not death exactly. He was more a gorgeous creation of Islam. I picture him as responsible for all the souls of this ensouled Earth. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2024-10-19 17:00:20 UTC ]
News tagged with: #uncannyjoy williams #story collections #numerous awards #published earlier #work ranges #philosophical examination #urgent engagements #environmental catastrophe #sonoran desert #earlier collection #ve moved #deathbed poem #gorgeous creation #ensouled earth #recent book

Other Publishing stories related to: 'American author Joy Williams: ‘The comfy story has got to change’'


Trapeze to publish 'heartbreaking' love story Bonnie & Stan

Sam Eades, editorial director at Trapeze, has acquired world rights (all languages) to Bonnie & Stan by Anna Stuart, a love story "about a life lived together and the pain of tearing that apart". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sam eades #love story #life lived


Daniel A. Olivas on his short story collection 'The King of Lighting Fixtures' and more

We talk to Daniel Olivas - attorney, author and Angeleno who supports the Latino literary community - about his new book. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-10-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Vineyard owners share stories of loss and salvation amid wine country wildfires

“I just really wish we knew our fate,” wrote Carole Meredith in a recent Facebook post as she waited out her evacuation from her winery and home on Mt. Veeder. Meredith, of Lagier Meredith vineyard in the Napa Valley, is one of the many affected by the multiple wildfires burning in Northern... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #northern california


Winnie M Li's sexual assault story wins Not the Booker prize

Debut author Winnie M Li has been voted the winner of the Guardian's Not the Booker Prize for her novel Dark Chapter (Legend Press), based on the true story of her sexual assault. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #booker prize #thetrue story #sexual assault


Self-Published Author Lands Deal with HarperTeen

Intisar Khanani has signed a two-book contract for her originally self-published YA fantasy, 'Thorn,' and a new companion novel. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #two-book contract


British writers can’t win the big US prizes, so why can Americans win the Booker? | Tibor Fischer

Opening the prize to global competition has been good for its profile, good for US writers - and a problem for novelists here and from the CommonwealthTonight the five judges of the Man Booker prize will announce this year’s winner. It was also the votes of five judges that chose the winners at... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #british writers


HC to tell story of 'bolshie' shepherd cat

HarperCollins has bought world rights in a book about a ‘shepherd cat’ who joined a sheep farm. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sheep farm


Sabaliauskaite among trio of LBF Authors of the Day

Lithuanian writer Kristina Sabaliauskaitė will be one the authors of the day in the London Book Fair 2018 Market Focus programme, which features the Baltic countries. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lbf authors #baltic countries


Ahern's Roar talent wins a brace of deals for feminist short stories

HarperCollins will publish a new collection of 30 themed short stories from Cecelia Ahern. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #cecelia ahern


Children's Booksellers, Authors Talk Literacy, Danger, and Opportunity at NAIBA

The politics and practicalities of children’s bookselling took center stage at the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association gathering in Cherry Hill, N.J., from October 6–8. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-10-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #center stage #cherry hill


Frankfurt Book Fair 2017: Iowa MFA Grad Lands Six Figures for Debut Novel-in-Stories

Regina Porter’s 'The Travelers,' which rumor has it sold for roughly half a million dollars in the U.S. alone, is now racking up foreign sales, with six-figure deals having just closed in the U.K. and Germany. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #million dollars #foreign sales #six-figure deals


Medium expands its reading subscription to any author or publisher

Last March, publishing platform Medium introduced its Partner Program, a Netflix-style subscription model that gave members exclusive pieces of writing, access to features before anyone else, an offline reading list and an ad-free experience. The pro... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2017-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ad-free experience


Author Reza Aslan Explores the Origins of God

In what he calls the hardest book he’s ever written, religious studies scholar Reza Aslan is exploring the roots of the human conception of God, making a case for a less traditional view of the divine. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Tuesday at Frankfurter Buchmesse: The Markets in Time of Change

Tackling what agent Andrew Wylie calls "a profound moral question" for world publishing and more, The Markets is an issues-driven conference for a sharply relevant business in world dynamics. The post Tuesday at Frankfurter Buchmesse: The Markets in Time of Change appeared first on Publishing... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-10-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post tuesday #frankfurter buchmesse #world publishing #issues-driven conference


'The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy' series editor John Joseph Adams shares how sci-fi is evolving

'Trying to achieve change through something like science fiction seems like a pipe dream,' Adams says. 'But it also feels like the only thing that writers can hope to do.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2017-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #science fiction


'Heart-warming story' of fire dogs to Century

Century has signed the "heart-warming story", Fire Dogs: Four-Legged Heroes, about the work and lives of the London Fire Brigade fire investigation dogs; Roscoe, Murphy and Sherlock. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Freight asks authors to buy own books

Troubled publisher Freight Books has been accused of "rubbing salt in the wound" by sending an email to writers asking if they wanted to buy their own books. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


'Nine Continents' is Chinese author Xiaolu Guo’s resonant memoir about leaving her past

'Nine Continents' is Chinese author Xiaolu Guo’s resonant memoir about leaving her past Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2017-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Clare's Shadowhunter short stories to Walker

Walker Books will publish a new collection of short stories from American YA author Cassandra Clare featuring characters from the bestselling Shadowhunter world. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #walker books #short stories


Authors help crowdfund Cain's book after it received 30 rejections

Authors David Walliams, David Nicholls and S J Watson are among those who have pledged money to crowdfund the publication of journalist Matt Cain’s book after it was rejected more than 30 times by traditional publishers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #david nicholls #traditional publishers