Complete fiction: why 'the short story renaissance' is a myth

With soaring sales, viral hits like Cat Person and a cameo by Tom Hanks, the form seems to be staging a comeback. But did it ever go away?In 2017, almost 50% more short story collections were sold than in the previous year. It was the best year for short stories since 2010. Booksellers are reporting a surge in popularity for the form, commentators note publishers are buying more collections and issuing them with greater care and enthusiasm; in December the newcomer Kristen Roupenian cut five- and seven-figure deals in the UK and US after her New Yorker story “Cat Person” went viral. On top of all that, collections are being reviewed more than ever before, the Sunday Times EFG short story award (worth £30,000) has received its highest ever number of entries and the BBC national short story award continues to grow in popularity. We are experiencing the renaissance of the short story form, right?Wrong; which isn’t to say 2017 wasn’t a good year for the short story – it was, but the “renaissance of the short story” story is an old one that is rolled out year after year. Does that matter? I think it does. By getting caught up in this recurring phantom narrative, and dwelling on press release froth rather than the work being produced, we spurn the opportunity to talk about short stories in a way that might actually deepen how they are understood and engaged with by readers.How can the short story ever have time to wither, given the frequency of its rebirth?In the cases of Tom... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]

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Weekly E-Book Ranking: Hawkins and Moyes stay on track

Paula Hawkins and Jojo Moyes once again dominate the upper echelons of the Weekly E-Book Ranking with The Girl on the Train and Moyes’ After You respectively. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Corsair buys Roxane Gay short stories

Little, Brown imprint Corsair has acquired Difficult Women, a collection of short stories by US writer Roxane Gay, for publication in January 2017.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Weekly E-Ranking: Hawkins and Moyes skip back to school blues

A plethora of new entries swept out the summer cobwebs on the Weekly E-Ranking, but Paula Hawkins and Jojo Moyes are still the most popular kids in the chart playground. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Monthly E-Book Ranking: Moyes the merrier as sequel surpasses Me Before You

Jojo Moyes becomes only the third author to claim the monthly ebook pole with multiple titles. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lena Dunham releasing first fiction book

Actress-turned-author Lena Dunham is trying her hand at writing fiction as she prepares to release a collection of short stories next year. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2016-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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One million for Moyes' Me Before You duo

Jojo Moyes’ Me Before You duology has sold over a million copies across all editions, as sequel After You (Penguin) spent a third week running as the Official UK Top 50 number one. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ursula K Le Guin to publish Earthsea story in print for first time

The Daughter of Odren will be published in new omnibus edition of the much-loved fantasy sequence to mark the 50th anniversary of The Wizard of EarthseaA story from Ursula K Le Guin’s world of Earthsea that has never been published in print before is due to be released to mark the 50th... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-07-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Weekly E-Book Ranking: Moyes replaces Moyes at top of chart

After holding the Weekly E-Book Ranking number one for five consecutive weeks, Jojo Moyes’ Me Before You drops to second...to be replaced by her follow-up, After You (both Michael Joseph). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After You makes it two as Moyes holds the number one spot

Jojo Moyes has scored a second week in the Official UK Top 50 number one spot as After You (Penguin) sold 47,872 copies for £180,513. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Bestselling Books of 2016 (So Far)

Different editions of Jojo Moyes's 'Me Before You' take three spots among the top 20 bestselling books for the first half of the year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Joy for Moyes as After You leapfrogs Joe Wicks' The Shape Plan

Jojo Moyes has toppled clean eating behemoth Joe Wicks, as After You (Penguin), the sequel to bestseller Me Before You (Michael Joseph), sold 53,867 copies for £214,008 to hit the Official UK Top 50 number one spot, according to Nielsen BookScan’s TCM. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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iBooks Bestsellers: Thor's 'Foreign Agent' is #1

Brad Thor's latest Scot Horvath novel, 'Foreign Agent,' took the top spot on the iBooks U.S. bestseller list for the week ended June 19. Jojo Moyes' 'After You' came in at #2. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Weekly E-Book Ranking: movie magic means Moyes is unmoved

Jojo Moyes' Me Before You (Michael Joseph) becomes the first book to defend the top spot on the Weekly E-Book Ranking. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lee Child to write more Reacher novels

Transworld has signed a new contract with international bestselling writer Lee Child for three further thrillers plus a volume of short stories and a novella. New books in the deal will feature maverick ex-military policeman Jack Reacher. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Me Before You' Before All

Jojo Moyes is once again topping the charts with 'Me Before You.' The novel is #1 on the iBooks Bestseller list for the week ended May 18, courtesy of a publicity tailwind kicked up by the film adaptation releasing on June 3. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bryan Cranston returning to television

US actor Bryan Cranston will return to television executive producing and starring in a series based on the short stories of science fiction author Philip K Dick, Variety magazine has reported. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2016-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BEA 2016: One in Five Books Sold in China Is by an International Author

“For many, China is a black box,” said Ruediger Wischenbart, director of international affairs for BookExpo America, as part of his introduction to China By the Numbers, a panel discussion which sought to deliver straightforward data to those interested in the Chinese market. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BEA 2016: Emily Fridlund: A Novel First

What began as a short story and an academic endeavor was easily transformed into the opening chapter of Emily Fridlund's first novel, "The History of Wolves," told from the point of view of a 14-year-old named Linda. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fond memories of Jackie and dead tortoises | Letters

Ah, fond memories of Jackie magazine in the Guardian (‘Girls sent us urine samples in Charlie perfume bottles’, G2, 22 March). Jackie was where I (and dozens of other writers) learned the writing trade. I sold my first short story to Jackie in December 1973 and earned £14. Flushed with success,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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