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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Sarah Odedina launches writers’ workshop

Publisher Sarah Odedina is launching a new workshop for aspiring children’s authors and will give away 10% of the tickets to black, Asian and minority ethnic writers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Smith, Kang and Krasznahorkai make Man Booker International shortlist

Previous Man Booker International Prize winners Deborah Smith, Han Kang and László Krasznahorkai have made the shortlist once again. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Smith, Penny and Eddo-Lodge make Orwell Prize longlist

Ali Smith's Winter (Hamish Hamilton), Laurie Penny's Bitch Doctrine (Bloomsbury) and Reni Eddo-Lodge's Jhalak Prize-winning Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People about Race (Bloomsbury) are among the10 titles longlisted for the 2018 Orwell Prize for Political Writing. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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London Book Fair 2018: How Committed Is Canada to Its Writers and Publishers?

Two recently filed lawsuits have intensified the copyright battle in Canada following the country's 2012 Copyright Modernization Act. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Glossies so white: the data that reveals the problem with British magazine covers

A Guardian investigation shows there were whole months last year when not a single BAME person featured on the cover of our biggest-selling magazines. And when it comes to children’s magazines, the problem is even worse Women’s magazine editors have always understood the importance of a good... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British publishing can still lead the world after Brexit | Letters

Representatives of the Publishers Association call on the government to make sure the UK retains its place as ‘the world’s publisher’UK publishing is world leading and a cornerstone of Britain’s cultural and economic influence. The books and journals our authors write have helped shape thoughts... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Debut thriller writer Ingrid Alexander to Avon

Avon Books has bought a psychological thriller, described as mixture of S. J. Watson's Before I Go to Sleep and cult film "Single White Female", by debut Australian author Ingrid Alexandra. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Garrison Keillor wants to revive his radio program 'The Writer's Almanac'

Garrison Keillor, the author and "A Prairie Home Companion" host who was fired by Minnesota Public Radio in November following accusations of sexual misconduct, wants to bring his program “The Writer's Almanac” back. MPR News reports that Keillor posted his intentions on his Facebook page Monday,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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W H Smith and Blackwell's reveal gender pay gap

Booksellers Blackwell’s and W H Smith have revealed their gender pay gap data, both beating the national median average. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cast breathes life into by-the-book British comedy 'Finding Your Feet'

“Finding Your Feet” would be facedown on the ground if it didn’t have its well-burnished cast of U.K. acting heavyweights, led by Imelda Staunton, Timothy Spall, Celia Imrie and Joanna Lumley. Another entry in the fast-spreading genre of pensioners-are-people-too comedies, it finds Staunton’s... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Greg James and Chris Smith on new Kid Normal

Radio DJs Greg James and Chris Smith talk to Charlotte Eyre about the new book in their middle-grade series, Kid Normal and the Rogue Heroes. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Black Lives Matter-inspired book wins children's book prize

Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give is this year's recipient of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2018-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Indonesian writer's 'fierce and unconventional' fiction to Harvill

Harvill Secker has acquired two "fierce and unconventional" books from Indonesian writer Intan Paramaditha. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Tomb Raider' bows to 'Black Panther,' which continues to dominate in its fifth week in theaters

After five weekends in theaters, Marvel's comic book juggernaut "Black Panther" continues to crush both the box office and the record books. The Disney blockbuster added $27 million to its domestic earnings this weekend, raising its cumulative ticket sales to $605.4 million, according to figures... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The British Book Awards unveils nominees for 2018

Penguin Random House leads the nominations for The British Book Awards’ Books of the Year and Trade categories, with the consumer publishing giant taking 26 places across both shortlists—18% of the total. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Open Road Acquires US Graham Greene Ebook Rights; Unicorn Announces Ali Cavanaugh Book

Open Road announces its acquisition of US ebook rights to iconic British journalist-novelist Graham Greene, as the UK's Unicorn names artist Ali Cavanaugh for a 2019 retrospective. The post Open Road Acquires US Graham Greene Ebook Rights; Unicorn Announces Ali Cavanaugh Book appeared first on... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Industry Notes: Open Road Acquires US Graham Green Ebook Rights; Unicorn Announces Ali Cavanaugh Book

Rolling out the news of its acquisition with three pivotal titles, Open Road announces its Graham Greene US ebook rights acquisition, as the UK’s Unicorn names artist Ali Cavanaugh for a 2019 retrospective. By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson Jon Fine: ‘Greene’s Extraordinary... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British Library reveals 6.2% gender pay gap

Women earn 6.2% less than men per hour at the British Library, it has been revealed. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Festival Club: Tom Scott reading for a roasting from writers and Wellington personalities

On the back of the success of his latest book Drawn Out: A Seriously Funny Memoir veteran cartoonist, political journalist and all-round dyslexic polymath Tom Scott will be the subject of a "roast" on Sunday where a group of writers, theatre makers and Wellington personalities will haul the... Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2018-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Festival Club: Tom Scott ready for a roasting from writers and Wellington personalities

On the back of the success of his latest book Drawn Out: A Seriously Funny Memoir veteran cartoonist, political journalist and all-round dyslexic polymath Tom Scott will be the subject of a "roast" on Sunday where a group of writers, theatre makers and Wellington personalities will haul the... Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2018-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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