Black British writers: we're more than just Zadie Smith and Monica Ali | Irenosen Okojie

Our publishing industry seems to champion just one or two black and Asian authors at a time. Lack of diversity is a real problemMonths back I was trudging through the streets of Dalston when I spotted a copy of Simi Bedford's Yoruba Girl Dancing in a charity shop window. It evoked the same emotion that stumbling into an old school friend might – part nostalgia and part wonder at the old magic. I found myself inside the store reaching for it, just as I had done years ago as a teenager. The book is a hilarious, touching read about a Nigerian girl sent to boarding school in England. Back then, it resonated with me deeply. I too had been a young Nigerian girl sent to England at the age of eight to attend boarding school in Norfolk. Its recounting of otherness in an unfamiliar land made me laugh and recall my own experiences. There was something about that dancing silhouette on the cover that seemed hopeful, unburdened somehow, and, though I'd been enamoured of the talents of Roald Dahl and Harper Lee, it was refreshing to see an author who looked like me.As I left the shop, it made me wonder: whatever happened to Simi Bedford? I know she wrote another novel, Not With Silver, but whatever happened not just to her, but to the career trajectories of other black and Asian female British authors?I admire the tenacity of writers such as Andrea Levy, who deserved to garner more attention earlier in their careers. Andrea eventually went on to have great success, but there was little... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Commonwealth Writers Prizes relaunch

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Wed, 19/10/2011 - 16:37 The Commonwealth Writers prizes have relaunched today (19th October) with a new community website aimed at “connecting and inspiring new authors”. The new site is a free-to-join forum for aspiring writers to get advice from... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Cuts Publishers Out of the Mix, Makes Deals With Writers

Releasing a book on one of the world’s largest publishing marketplaces could help your company. Here's a quick guide to the basics of self-publishing. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-10-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British Library reinstates Amazon link

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 18/10/2011 - 09:56 The British Library is reinstating its link to Amazon on online catalogue records, after briefly removing the feature last week in response to criticism from leading booksellers. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British Library attacked for Amazon link

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Fri, 14/10/2011 - 09:27 read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Smith to be vice-chair of CILIP

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 06/10/2011 - 15:26 Library campaigner Lauren Smith has been elected as vice-president of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals. Smith, a learning and teaching support officer at the University of Leeds, will serve for... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British Museum to publish first manga title

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 30/09/2011 - 15:26 The British Museum Press is teaming up with Japanese star Hoshino Yukinobu to publish its first manga book, featuring the artist’s most famous character, Professor Munakata. Marketing and publicity executive Sarah Morgan... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tess Macleod Smith quits Hearst Magazines

Tess Macleod Smith, group publishing director of Hearst Magazines' luxury magazine titles, has resigned from her position. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2011-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Canadian Publishing 2011: The British Columbia Alternative

It is, in many ways, a world away from Canada’s book publishing center in Toronto. But even three time zones, several mountain ranges, and vast forests away, the West Coast is home to Canada’s second-largest concentration of English-language publishers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-09-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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WH Smith "delighted" as Westfield Stratford opens

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Tue, 13/09/2011 - 16:07 W H Smith said it is “delighted” to have a new branch in Westfield Stratford City as the £1.45bn complex opened its doors for the first time to customers today (13th September). The branch is based on the lower ground floor of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Big Houses Stay In the Black

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-09-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Marinker to retire from W H Smith's travel business

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Wed, 24/08/2011 - 08:25 Simon Marinker, managing director of W H Smith's travel shops, is to retire from the business at the end of this year. He will be replaced by Simon Smith, chief operating officer of the travel business, who will report... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Smiths News boosts business with airline and ebook business

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[ Media Week | 2011-08-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Soli and Spurling win James Tait Black Prizes

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Creed C. Black, Newspaper Executive, Dies at 86

As publisher of The Lexington Herald-Leader, Creed Black supported an investigation of the University of Kentucky basketball team that led to the first Pulitzer Prize for the paper. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-08-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British Library launches E-Book Treasures for iPad

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British Library launches 19th Century iPad app

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Clare Smith moves from Harper to Little, Brown

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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W H Smith launches Priority Moments with O2

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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F + W Media Acquires The Writers Store

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[ Folio Magazine | 2011-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British Newspaper News of the World Folds

After the latest controversy broke in a string of revelations concerning phone hacking conducted by editorial staff, British newspaper News of the World is folding. News International’s chairman deputy COO of News Corp. James Murdoch says that Sunday will be the last edition of the newspaper. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-07-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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