As a recipient of the Arts Connects Us Grant I travelled to Ghana and Sierra Leone to meet with writers and publishing professionals working in the field of books for young readers to foster creative and collaborative exchanges between those contacts and publishing professionals and readers in the UK. This blog post is by necessity a focus on very specific meetings and conversations and is only a fraction of the encounters and connections I made. I planned my visit to Ghana to coincide with the PaGya! Festival which is organised by Writers Project Ghana and the Goethe Institute. Over the course of three days writers and publishers gathered to talk about everything from poetry to narrative non-fiction, memoir to books for younger readers. There was a packed programme from morning until night with simultaneous events happening making the festival a positive and vibrant event. Speakers came from all over the world and their backgrounds, interests and perspectives ensured a well rounded and broad look at the world of writing with roots in West Africa. Prior to the festival I had arranged several days of meetings with people involved in the world of children’s literature to talk about their work as writers and publishers and also to get to grips with the market in Ghana. It soon became very clear that not only is there a thriving publishing scene in Ghana it is one that is self-sufficient both in terms of talent and audience. I was told often that what readers in Ghana need... Continue reading at 'British Council global'
[ British Council global | 2019-03-19 11:10:28 UTC ]
It’s been a big year for Michelle Zauner. This spring, her much-lauded memoir Crying in H Mart was published, and last week her band Japanese Breakfast released Jubilee, another critically acclaimed album. And the excitement continues: yesterday, the Hollywood Reporter announced that Crying in H... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2021-06-08 14:46:24 UTC ]
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“Dear Senthuran” is an epistolary memoir of gender identity, diaspora and the solitude of success. Continue reading at The New York Times
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In “Hola Papi,” the writer John Paul Brammer mines his own experiences and traumas to deliver wisdom for queer readers. Continue reading at The New York Times
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For nine years, Rodgers was a celibate gay Christian speaking about the benefits of conversion therapy, and in her forthcoming memoir 'Outlove: A Queer Christian Survival Story,' she chronicles her journey into peace, a loving marriage, and advocacy for LGBTQ Christians. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-06-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
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‘The Circular Ruins’, first published in 1940, is one of the most richly symbolic short stories by the Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges. One of his most powerful and suggestive explorations of the nature of reality and dreams, ‘The Circular Ruins’ can variously be interpreted as a story... Continue reading at Interesting Literature
[ Interesting Literature | 2021-06-05 14:00:43 UTC ]
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Publishing staff, in rows over authors from Mike Pence to Woody Allen, are voicing their reluctance to work on books they deem hateful. But is this really ‘younger refuseniks’, or a much older debate?In the 1960s, Simon & Schuster’s co-founder Max Schuster was facing a dilemma. Albert Speer,... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2021-06-03 12:12:23 UTC ]
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Interviews Photo by Oluwaseyi Johnson / Unsplash I was lucky to meet Romalyn Ante when I was invited to read at a virtual event organized by R. A. Villanueva and hosted by Books Are Magic in August 2020. Ante was the guest of honor at the event,... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2021-06-02 11:57:51 UTC ]
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Neither authors nor publishing houses have figured out how to turn the new president into a compelling villain. Continue reading at The Atlantic
[ The Atlantic | 2021-06-02 09:00:00 UTC ]
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In March of 2004, my family and I were at home in Taiwan for the national election, and I got into my first-ever screaming match with a perfect stranger. The election choice, as always, was between the Kuo Ming Tang, which favors reunification with China; and the Democratic People’s Party, which... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2021-06-01 11:00:00 UTC ]
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‘The Dead’ is the most critically acclaimed and widely studied story in James Joyce’s Dubliners, a collection of 15 short stories written by James Joyce and published in 1914. As we’ve remarked before, Dubliners is now regarded as one of the landmark texts of modernist literature, but initially... Continue reading at Interesting Literature
[ Interesting Literature | 2021-05-29 14:00:07 UTC ]
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“I always pushed myself to go higher,” Johnson wrote in her posthumous memoir “My Remarkable Journey” Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2021-05-29 11:00:00 UTC ]
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Roxane Gay Books will focus on underrepresented fiction, nonfiction and memoir writers, with or without agents. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2021-05-26 09:00:15 UTC ]
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The renaissance man and author of the forthcoming memoir 'Unrequited Infatuations' shared his reflections on how the religion of rock ‘n roll shaped a decades-long career as a producer, solo artist, member of the E Street Band, activist, and actor on TV shows including 'The Sopranos.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-05-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Headline has landed Sex Bomb, a "hilarious, compelling and conversation-starting" memoir from stand-up comedian, podcast host and writer Sadia Azmat. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-05-24 11:30:11 UTC ]
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Katherine Johnson’s work as a NASA mathematician was essential during the space race, if underappreciated. A new memoir sheds light on her story. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2021-05-21 15:20:36 UTC ]
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Randa Jarrar’s memoir Love Is An Ex-Country focuses predominantly on the years leading to the 2016 election, a period, which, like now, was characterized by heightened Islamophobia, misogyny, homophobia, anti-immigrant sentiment, and racism. Jarrar embarks on a road trip inspired by Tahia... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2021-05-21 11:00:43 UTC ]
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Actress Miriam Margolyes’ memoir of "extraordinary adventure" will be published by John Murray in September. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-05-19 23:43:16 UTC ]
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'WAKE: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts' by Rebecca Hall and Hugo Martinez is a riveting combination of memoir and inspirational scholarship. In this eight-page excerpt Hall's efforts to research a slave revolt in 1712 mark the first steps of a quest that will take her to 18th... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-05-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
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'We are proud to stand with our author,' said the head of Portfolio Books, promising that the memoir 'Flamin' Hot' will still be released June 15. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-05-19 00:04:48 UTC ]
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The pop star seems to have entered her memoir era at 19. Her new book, "Billie Eilish," uses photos and spare captions to document her life for fans. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-05-11 12:00:32 UTC ]
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