Being a crime writer doesn’t mean I condone murder. Do I even have to say it? | Garry Disher

Every now and then I encounter people who can’t suspend disbelief. They ask how I can write about ‘such terrible things’Feeling unappreciated is your lot as a writer. Few readers; no readers. Scathing reviews; no reviews. Publishers saying, “Don’t call us, we’ll call you” or not taking a punt on your second book because the first sold poorly. The fat American and English imports on display at the front of many bookshops, a tiny Australian section in the back corner. Beverley Farmer finding her short-story collection Milk shelved with books on nursing mothers; me finding my novel The Stencil Man shelved in Art and Craft.Most of these indignities occur while you’re still at your desk. They multiply once you appear in public. Elizabeth Jolley, signing books at a department store in Perth, was scrutinised by a beady-eyed woman who eventually approached and asked, “How much is the table?” A bookseller stuck the first page of a US thriller under my nose and said, “Once you can learn to write as good as this …” Related: Harold Bloom’s defence of western greats blinded him to other cultures | Kenan Malik If I say, 'Worse things happen in real life than I invent, just read a newspaper,' I learn they don’t read newspapers Related: Peter Handke's Nobel prize that dishonours the victims of genocide | Ed Vuilliamy Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2019-11-03 17:00:27 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "Being a crime writer doesn’t mean I condone murder. Do I even have to say it? | Garry Disher"


Chill Your Wine in John Steinbeck’s Silver Bucket

John Steinbeck, who won both a Pulitzer Prize (in 1940 for The Grapes of Wrath) and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962, died 51 years ago, and yet he is still making news. Last month, the Los Angeles Times reported that legal squabbling over his literary estate had finally come to an end... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2019-10-21 08:49:16 UTC ]
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A Picture Book Free-for-all: The Follow Up (shelftalker)

A buyer circles back to talk sell-through on bookseller favorites. Plus, a holiday preview! Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-10-18 12:00:02 UTC ]
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Two Minnesota Indie Bookstores Partnered Up, and Business Is Booming

Twin Cities area bookstores Excelsior Bay Books and Valley Bookseller have entered a unique collaborative relationship that is attracting A-list authors to their premises and bumping up both stores’ sales. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-10-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
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My Frankfurt Book Fair... with Laura Ricchetti

Pan Macmillan’s international sales star—and the Shooting Star among this year’s The Bookseller Rising Stars tranche—on her love for the Messe, learning from Ms Martini, and not drinking too many martinis... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-15 16:21:40 UTC ]
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To Read with a Flashlight Under Your Chin (shelftalker)

A bookseller shares some personal favorite scary stories, just in time for Halloween. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-10-11 12:00:56 UTC ]
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The Swedish Academy took a year off to fix the Nobel Prize in literature. It’s still broken.

Austrian author Peter Handke is this year’s winner, which doesn’t inspire much confidence in the selection process. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2019-10-10 18:32:28 UTC ]
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Tokarczuk and Handke win Nobel Prizes in Literature

Olga Tokarczuk and Peter Handke have won the Nobel Prizes in Literature 2018 and 2019.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-09 20:13:53 UTC ]
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British Book Awards and The Bookseller working class survey shortlisted for PPA Awards

The British Book Awards and The Bookseller’s working class survey have been shortlisted for prizes at this year’s Professional Publishers Association (PPA) Independent Publisher Awards. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-02 16:52:21 UTC ]
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The censor and the pen: investigating the stark dilemma for booksellers

With studies showing the general public increasingly favours the censorship of potentially offensive material, one bookseller reveals how it can be a catch-22. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-26 07:13:24 UTC ]
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Bell calls for publishing to 'reflect all children' in bid to boost reading

At The Bookseller Children’s Conference today, Scholastic co-managing director Catherine Bell urged publishing to "reflect all children" and engage parents so they can read to their youngsters. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-23 02:34:03 UTC ]
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Taking a Turn Behind the Circulation Desk (shelftalker)

From cool technology to book clubs to a tricky round of Jeopardy, a bookseller plays librarian for a day. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-20 12:00:45 UTC ]
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A Bookseller Field Trip (shelftalker)

Visiting an author’s book launch at a colleague’s bookstore is a delightful adventure. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-18 12:00:48 UTC ]
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The (Surprisingly) Small World of Bookselling (shelftalker)

A bookseller says goodbye to a colleague and reflects on the ways industry relationships come back around. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-13 11:00:53 UTC ]
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The Bookseller introduces new fully compostable magazine wrapper

The Bookseller magazine will now be delivered in fully compostable material for the first time, replacing its previous recyclable polythene wrap. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-13 10:39:06 UTC ]
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BookExpo Announces a Shorter Trade Show for 2020 in New York City

In a letter, Reed's BookExpo event director Jennifer Martin announces a shortened trade show for 2020 despite what she says were successful bookseller programs in 2019. The post BookExpo Announces a Shorter Trade Show for 2020 in New York City appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-09-09 14:45:22 UTC ]
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Ex-Waterstones bookseller shortlisted for 2019 National Short Story Award

Donald Trump and the #MeToo movement are some of the themes dominating the 20019 National Short Story Award shortlist, which features all-female writers for a sixth time. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-06 17:33:37 UTC ]
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Fall Fetes and Folding Tables (shelftalker)

A bookseller evaluates the fall harvest of offsite community events and their ability to sell books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-04 12:00:55 UTC ]
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Hey Authors, Let’s Talk! (shelftalker)

A bookseller shares lessons learned from navigating the bookseller-author dynamic. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-08-30 10:00:24 UTC ]
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Spring Ahead, Fall Back (shelftalker)

The calendar of an indie bookseller requires lots of planning ahead, but can cause some seasonal confusion. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-08-28 12:00:49 UTC ]
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Confessions of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell review – a brilliant sequel

A heart-warming love letter to books and bookshops, by an amenable fellow turned antisocial old misanthrope“I was in here two years ago and you had a book by Roger Penrose. Do you know what happened to it?” Shaun Bythell – owner of the Book Shop in Wigtown, Galloway – has 100,000 books in stock,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2019-08-24 10:58:38 UTC ]
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