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 ]
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Cuts to library funding in schools and community mean author visits are a luxury that only some can afford, that’s why author Alexia Casale founded the YA Shot festival and programme to partner libraries and schools for author visits – here’s how your library system can apply to be part of YA... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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“The central problem is still with us,” Authors United founder Douglas Preston said, referring to Amazon, at a Winter Institute session called Authors, Agents, and Booksellers--United for a Fair Marketplace. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Campaign group Authors United is set to hold an event to discuss Amazon’s “enormous market power” and the "misuse" of that power, in Washington DC next week. The event, to be held on Wednesday 27th January at the New American Foundation, is entitled Amazon's Book Monopoly: A Threat to Freedom... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The author advocacy group critical of Amazon known as Authors United has joined with the Authors Guild to host a discussion about the retailer’s power and influence in the book trade. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Robert Bringhurst’s translations of Haida stories in A Story as Sharp as a Knife are published in the UK for the first time, thanks to the Booker winner’s championing of this ‘book of wonders’A book which preserves in print the almost lost oral literature of the Native American Haida people has... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors have continued to express their support for a campaign to boycott literary festivals which do not pay authors for appearances. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PAN is a newly founded network for German fantasy authors, aiming to unite its members and to give them a voice within the German literary community. The post German Fantasy Authors Empowered by New Network appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-01-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After years of writing about radicalization and terrorism in the Middle East, Arab authors are now in the spotlight in France as readers try to understand the recent Paris attacks. The post French Readers Put Arab Authors on the Bestseller List appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-01-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Recent reports about a widening disparity between the earnings of authors at the top of the charts and those at the bottom of the food chain are borne out in 2015’s figures—but the story is far from black and white. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Joanne Harris and Linda Grant among signatories of letter saying authors have been giving services for free for too longThe fight to ensure literary festivals pay authors appearing at their events has gained momentum after a number of prominent writers, including Linda Grant, Denisa Mina, Joanne... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New study reveals Julia Donaldson, David Walliams and JK Rowling lead the top 1% of authors, who account for nearly a third of all UK book salesThe gap between publishing’s rich and poor continues to widen, as figures from Nielsen BookScan reveal that the top 50 authors account for more than 13%... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A UK festival to “celebrate the work and achievements” of black, Asian and minority ethnic writers (BAME) has launched a crowdfunding campaign. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors Ali Smith, Neil Gaiman and Joanna Trollope have led a wave of “tremendous support” for CILIP’s legal fight for libraries as its campaign petition tops 7,000 signatures. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Thomas Moore, the former monk and bestselling author, is reinterpreting Jesus’s message for a new generation of readers with original translations of the four Gospels. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author and publishing organisations worldwide have banded together to urge the United States' government to investigate the disappearances of five missing Hong Kong (HK) publishers. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Urbane Publications has signed The Huntingfield Paintress, the debut novel by writer Pamela Holmes. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A selection of adult and children’s authors to meet at this year’s Winter Institute—and what makes their books notable. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The narrative about legacy print and TV brands is that their legacy processes and businesses would make it hard for them to adjust to the Web, which has been dominated by smaller, more nimble upstarts. But many of these publishers have taken lessons from their startup successors, using the tools... Continue reading at Digiday
[ Digiday | 2016-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The International Publishers Association and the Italian Publishers Association have condemned the Vatican for attempting to jail two authors who alleged corruption and financial wrongdoing in the Holy See. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Earning a living as a writer is as likely as winning the lottery. Instead of writing books and persuading others to buy them, find out what people want to write, then do it for themPhilip Pullman: professional writers set to become ‘an endangered species’ due to low wagesI left school with a... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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