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
Author and illustrator Nicholas Allan, whose books include as Father Christmas Needs a Wee and The Queen's Knickers (Red Fox), is donating his entire archive to Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children’s Books. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#books include
#father christmas
#entire archive
#national centre
Stine is achieving a "lifelong dream" by writing the comics, a five-issue series that debuts in February and will feature plenty of interdimensional weirdness. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#lifelong dream
Faber & Faber is launching an award to find BAME children’s writers and illustrators in partnership with the Andlyn Literary Agency. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#bame children
#faber faber
The London Book Fair's Quantum Conference and Nielsen's BookInsights merge, while the Authors Guild and Media Coalition get together on freedom of speech. The post Teaming Up: London Book Fair and Nielsen, Authors Guild and Media Coalition appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#authors guild
#quantum conference
Evident in the rise of literary agencies at Guadalajara Book Fair, the road to international markets for Latin American writers is no longer just via Spain. The post At Guadalajara: Latin American Literary Agencies Gain Traction appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#literary agencies
#international markets
Audible is giving away a short story by Philip Pullman to help London commuters deal with the Southern and TfL strikes. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#short story
#philip pullman
Authors Val McDermid [pictured], Joanna Trollope and Francesca Simon have criticised the government's Ambition report for Public Libraries as "too little, too late". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#joanna trollope
Sphere has acquired The Ruin by debut author Dervla McTiernan in a two-book deal with Curtis Brown. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#curtis brown
A story collection smuggled out of North Korea - and translated by Man Booker International Prize-winner Deborah Smith - has been selected to receive a PEN Translation award from English PEN. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#north korea
#english pen
The public vote for the 2016 Costa Short Story Award is now open and three shortlisted stories, selected from over 1,000 entires, are now available to read and listen to from the Costa Book Awards website. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#public vote
The Oxford Literary Festival has changed its mind over paying authors to appear at the event. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#paying authors
Sarah Odedina, editor-at-large at Pushkin Children's has acquired the next novel by Andy Mulligan. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#pushkin children
#sarah odedina
Julian Barnes has reignited the debate over the Man Booker Prize rule changes, calling the decision to allow American authors to compete "straightforwardly daft". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#julian barnes
#man booker
When Jayne Ann Krentz decided to take her 19th century Amanda Quick mysteries into the 20th century, the look of the novels needed a thoroughly modern update. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#cover story
#20th century
Instagram has recruited seven colleges to use Instagram Stories as part of a new initiative to show the behind-the-scenes atmosphere on game days through the rest of the college football season. For the program, Instagram is also providing training and insights on Instagram Stories. The approach... Continue reading at Digiday
[ Digiday | 2016-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#instagram stories
#media companies
#year --
#stark difference
Surfing memoir Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by New Yorker journalist William Finnegan (Corsair) has scooped the 28th William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
The Society of Authors (SoA) has called on publishers to give authors “the right to say no” to high-discounting practices as part of its campaign for fairer, more transparent contracts. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#soa calls
#authors soa
#give authors
Changes are being made to Hodder, Sceptre and John Murray Press' publicity departments, following the decision of two publicity directors, Karen Geary and Kerry Hood, to reduce their working hours, while Sceptre publishing director Nikki Barrow has taken the decision to leave altogether to set... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#publicity team
#publicity departments
#working hours
#pr agency
New nonfiction works offer social insight and personal catharsis in the wake of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s 'Between the World and Me.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-11-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#african-american experience
#ta-nehisi coates
William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award's Graham Sharpe on the process of choosing a winner and the history of the prize. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#graham sharpe