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 ]
News tagged with: #department store #real life #peter handke #nobel prize #bookseller

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


It’s Time for Disabled Writers to Tell Their Own Stories

Alice Wong’s work as an activist, podcaster, writer, qualitative researcher, and editor is on full display in her new anthology Disability Visibility: First Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century. Her new anthology is an extension of the projects she’s become known when it comes to always... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2020-08-19 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #anthology #electric literature #full display #alice wong


A Road Trip With One of the 20th Century’s Greatest Writers

“Borges and Me,” a memoir by Jay Parini, recounts a young poet’s travels with Jorge Luis Borges, the Argentine master. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-08-18 09:00:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #memoir #greatest writers #20th century #road trip


Spread the Word launches London Writers Awards 2021

Submissions are now open for Spread the Word's 2021 London Writers Awards, which this year focus on developing authors of literary fiction, commercial fiction, YA/children’s fiction and narrative non-fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-18 03:44:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #narrative non-fiction #commercial fiction


Follow the new Ohio Literary Trail for the state’s best writerly spots.

This is cool: The Ohioana Library Association has released a map and list tracing a new “literary trail” through the state, featuring historical landmarks, museums, unique libraries, and other hidden destinations. The list isn’t limited to the state capital of Columbus, either. The selections... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-08-12 19:09:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #library association


Trade invited to join 2021's Working Class Writers' Festival

The artistic director for The Working Class Writers' Festival is issuing a call-out to publishers, agents and booksellers to get involved in next year's event.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-10 22:51:27 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #artistic director #trade invited


'Queen of cosy crime' Rowlands dies, aged 96

Betty Rowlands, dubbed the “queen of cosy crime” by publisher Bookouture, has died at the age of 96. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-10 05:46:55 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #cosy crime


SoA launches fundraising drive as money for Covid-hit writers runs low

The Society of Authors is launching a fundraising drive to help top up its Authors’ Contingency Fund, ensuring it can continue to offer hardship grants to authors as the effects of the health crisis continue to be felt.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-09 17:04:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #fundraising drive


Society of Authors gives £185,000 in grants to writers

The Society of Authors (SoA) had awarded grants totalling £185,000 to writers including Derek Owusu and John Mapanje for their works in progress. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-06 14:46:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #authors soa


Herron, Askew and Mukjerjee among shortlisted writers for 2020's CWA Dagger Awards

The 2020 Crime Writer's Association Dagger Awards shortlist has been announced, with Mick Herron's Joe Country (John Murray), Claire Askew's What You Pay For (Hodder & Stoughton) and Abir Mukherjee's Death in the East (Harvill Secker) in contention for the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-06 01:27:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #mick herron


Researchers Rank Deepfakes as the Biggest Crime Threat Posed by AI

While science fiction is often preoccupied with the threat of artificial intelligence successfully imitating human intelligence, researchers say a bigger danger right now is people using the technology to imitate one another. A recent survey from the University College of London ranked deepfakes... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2020-08-05 21:14:18 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #science fiction #machine learning #recent survey


Cullen to spearhead new paperback imprint Canelo Crime

Independent publisher Canelo is launching a new crime fiction imprint, Canelo Crime, this September, and has promoted Louise Cullen as publishing director to oversee the list.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-05 21:08:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #independent publisher #publishing director


How a writer learned to open up about Dad's secret sex books

Sara Faith Alterman's "Let's Never Talk About This Again" is a memoir about strange family dynamics, love, grief and the benefits of finally opening up. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-08-05 18:00:51 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #memoir


40 feminist writers take up fight against domestic violence in 'empowering' collection

Layla Saad, Dorothy Koomson, Kate Mosse, Laura Bates and Kerry Hudson are among 40 writers contributing to a "uniquely empowering" feminist charity book collection, spearheaded by the Feminist Book Society, in collaboration with not-for-profit publishers And Other Stories in the UK and The... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-05 15:11:50 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #feminist press #kate mosse #dorothy koomson #domestic violence


Stephen King novel Later to be released by Hard Case Crime

Stephen King is publishing a new crime novel, Later, with Titan Books imprint Hard Case Crime in March 2021. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-04 01:17:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #books imprint #stephen king


In ‘Memorial Drive’ a Poet Evokes Her Childhood and Confronts Her Mother’s Murder

The new memoir by the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Natasha Trethewey is an aching investigation of trauma and art. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-07-30 10:06:53 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #memoir #memorial drive


Bookouture issues call-out for submissions from BAME fiction writers

Bookouture, in association with online magazine the Asian Writer and Dahlia Books, is putting out a call-out for commercial fiction submissions from unagented and unpublished writers from BAME backgrounds.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-30 05:39:09 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #bame backgrounds #unpublished writers #online magazine


How “Memorial Drive” Tries to Make Sense of a Mother’s Murder

Katy Waldman writes about “Memorial Drive,” a new memoir by the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Natasha Trethewey, who pieces together memories of her mother, who was murdered by Trethewey’s stepfather. Continue reading at New Yorker

[ New Yorker | 2020-07-29 10:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #memoir #make sense #memorial drive


In R.L. Maizes’s ‘Other People’s Pets,’ an aspiring veterinarian turns to a life of crime

La La has it all together. But when her career-thief father needs her help, she might just leave her stable life behind. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-07-29 08:37:58 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Capital Crime launches Book Club subscription service

Capital Crime is launching a monthly subscription service, providing two curated paperbacks alongside exclusive author content and access to community activities. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-28 02:25:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #book club #community activities #capital crime


MJ brings Pavesi's debut to life with Zoom murder mystery

Michael Joseph is building anticipation for Alex Pavesi's debut Eight Detectives with a series of innovative Zoom-hosted murder mysteries for retailers, literary festivals, journalists and bloggers.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-28 00:05:23 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #literary festivals #michael joseph