As celebrity books boom, professional authors are driven out of full-time work

Novelist Donal Ryan is the latest name forced to seek an income outside books, while children’s writers complain that stars from other media monopolise advancesDespite scoring three bestsellers in five years and a clutch of awards, The Spinning Heart author Donal Ryan has been forced to return to his day job in the Irish civil service in order to pay his mortgage.Ryan has become the latest casualty of tumbling incomes for writers. Despite receiving advances and signing a deal to write three more books with his publisher, the Irish novelist said he had found it impossible to earn a living wage as a full-time writer. “You need to have something else on the go,” he told the Irish Sunday Independent. “You could take a chance and scrape a living through bursaries and writing books, but I’d get too stressed out. It just isn’t worth it. I have two kids in school and I have a mortgage to pay.” Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #living wage #day job #irish novelist #full-time writer

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A celebration of all things books at USC

L.A. Times Festival of Books: Joyce Carol Oates, Carol Burnett, Lemony Snicket and Jamaica Kincaid are among the 500 authors appearing at this weekend's festival for readers of all ages.Since background-check legislation was voted down in the Senate on Thursday, Adam Winkler, author of... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #lemony snicket #times festival

Robert Frost: his 10 favorite books of all time

In addition to being a master writer, celebrated American poet Robert Frost was also a master reader. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bologna Children’s Book Fair Celebrates 50 Years

A preview of the 50th Bologna Book Fair includes the TOC Bologna program, Sweden as the Guest of Honor Country, and a list of award winners recognized during the fair. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #honor country #bologna children

Fairfax Implements ‘Real-Time’ Working at its Sydney Morning Herald and The Age Offices

Fairfax Media is rolling out a number of initiatives this year as part of its ‘Fairfax of the Future’ strategy which aims to streamline operations and support the publisher’s shift to multi-platform delivery. The compa ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Highlights for Professionals at the Buenos Aires Book Fair, April 23-25

From April 23-25 the BAIBF offers exclusive programming for publishing professionals, including a seminar on change management, honors for Latin America's top 50 publishing pros, and more. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #latin america #publishing professionals

Children's author Patricia MacLachlan honors Newtown residents with new book

MacLachlan, author of 'Sarah, Plain and Tall,' said she was inspired to write a picture book after talking with her friend, an illustrator who lives in Newtown. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #picture book

Announcing the 2012 L.A. Times Book Prize finalists

The finalists for the 33rd L.A. Times Book Prizes were announced Thursday morning. Two authors -- Margaret Atwood and Kevin Starr -- will also receive special recognition. This post has been updated; see below for details. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Debut author gets 7-figure book deal

A debut author who graduated from the celebrated Iowa Writers' Workshop has a seven-figure book deal.HarperCollins announced Wednesday that it will publish Erika Johansen's Queen of the Tearling, a fantasy trilogy inspired in part by Barack Obama.A person with knowledge of the negotiations said... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2013-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Books in Translation: It’s Time for Others to Join the Fight

The publishers of UK's Stork Books argue that major publishers and the media in the UK and USA underestimate the audience for translated books and are making a big mistake. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-02-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Get the F*ck to Work: How Adam Mansbach Followed Up His Mega Successful Kids’ Book

After creating a pop culture phenomenon with a profane children’s book, Go The F*ck To Sleep, Adam Mansbach is back with Rage is Back. Here, he talks about using the momentum of success while writing a brand new chapter. How do you follow up a giant fucking phenomenon? If you’re Adam... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2013-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #werner herzog #audio version #*ck

B&N launches 'buy a Nook, we'll give a book,' promoting literacy one rhyme at a time

Sure, it's probably not going to convince you to pick up a new device if you weren't already in the market for one, but that's not really the point, right? Barnes & Noble's kicking off the season of giving with its "Buy a Nook, We'll Give a Book" promotion, which finds the company donating a... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ether for Authors: Booking the Future

Porter Anderson reports from the FutureBook conference in London, where agents are making serious moves. Also: Irelands ebooks, YA inspiration and more. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Hunger Games' author Suzanne Collins will release a picture book

Collins' book, which will be based around her own experiences with a father in the military, will be released this fall. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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North Atlantic Books Transforms with the Times

Almost four decades after Richard Grossinger and Lindy Hough founded North Atlantic Books in Vermont, the press, which has been in Berkeley, Calif., since 1977, continues to evolve within the body, mind, and spirit segment. From a two-person operation with roots in the poetry journal Io that... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-09-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #community outreach

Chinese authorities ask booksellers to ban Japanese works

The government is also pressuring Chinese publishers to stop translating and publishing Japanese content as tension increases between the two countries. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-books Are Booming, and Still Sort of Small

Sales of ebooks doubled in 2011. But books are still an analog business, by a wide margin. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Much Does the Times Book Review Matter?

The front page of the New York Times Book Review has always been—and continues to be—a much coveted spot for authors and publishers alike. But just how much does a Book Review cover affect a book’s sales in today’s publishing climate—does the revered paper publication still move units in the... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #gray lady #nielsen bookscan #digital age #publishers alike #coveted spot #front page #print sales

Travolta sued by sex book author

A Los Angeles man who wrote a book about his alleged gay encounters with John Travolta filed a libel lawsuit on Thursday against the actor and his attorney. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2012-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Israeli authors fight book deals

A group of Israeli authors launch a battle to stop the country's leading bookstores from slashing prices, claiming it reduces their royalties. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-06-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Media Decoder Blog: Attacking Amazon, Authors Group Urges Opposition to E-Book Settlement

The Authors Guild is encouraging its 8,500 members to submit comments against the proposed settlement between the Department of Justice and three large publishers. The settlement, the guild argues, will only benefit Amazon. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2012-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #large publishers #authors guild #proposed settlement #e-book settlement