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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Amazon Original Stories, a new imprint dedicated to short digital fiction and nonfiction, released its first collection, 'The Real Thing,' yesterday. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The critically lauded US author turns his hand to children’s books with a fortuitously timed tale of immigrant experience—and keeps a decades-old promise as a result. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The novelist Margaret Atwood recently caused a stir when, during an interview with Variety, she said that the 9/11 hijackers “got the idea” to fly planes into buildings from watching “Star Wars.” Atwood, the author of “The Handmaid’s Tale” and other dystopian classics, did not have the facts... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Octopus imprint Cassell has acquired an oral history of the stories behind "groundbreaking and controversial" magazine covers, edited by former editorial director of Hearst Ian Birch. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A second consecutive week of soft adult fiction sales led to a 1% decline in total unit sales of print books in the week ended May 20, 2018 compared to the similar week in 2017 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishing director Doug Young is leaving Transworld at the end of May, after more than 17 years with the company, following a restructure. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The inaugural Fiction Readers Summit brought together top selling Christian fiction authors and their fans in Grand Rapids, Mich. earlier this month. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-05-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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“The struggle with writing is done.” The Newark-born novelist, whose prolific output was matched perhaps only by his facility with the English language, died of congestive heart failure in Manhattan on May 22. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-05-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The YA author’s first venture into adult fiction could find a wide readership, finds Alice O’Keeffe. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Literary periodical The London Magazine is launching a new literary award for debuts in partnership with law firm Collyer Bristow. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Unit sales of print books fell by less than 1% in the week ended May 13, 2018, compared to the similar week in 2017, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Three attorney-authors are up for this year's Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction, with an autographed copy of the late writer's 'To Kill a Mockingbird' waiting for the winner. The public votes through June 30. The post Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction Shortlisters: Lawyers in Love With... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Trapeze Books is partnering with dating website eharmony to launch a creative writing competition seeking to "find the next great love story". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In categories of art, photography, fiction, nonfiction, and speciality books, the 213-year-old New England Society announces winners of its award for trade books of regional interest and significance. The post New England Society Names Five 2018 Book Awards: Fiction, Nonfiction, Art, and Travel... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Publishing is breaking into non-fiction in the UK through imprint Little A. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Faber & Faber has acquired an "essential" new non-fiction title from author and senior campaigns manager John Grindrod. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Scribe UK's publisher-at-large Philip Gwyn Jones has pre-emptively acquired world all-languages rights in what he calls an "exceptional" novel from Elizabeth Cook. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Influx Press has signed a new book by writer and filmmaker Adam Scovell, due for release in February 2019. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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With recent music licensing deals between Facebook and record labels like Sony, Warner Music, Universal and other European publishers, it would seem as if Facebook, and by extension Instagram, is uniquely poised to bring soundtracks to shared videos.... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2018-05-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After almost 200 years in Manhattan, The Center for Fiction is heading to the borough next door, where it will open a bookstore and café on its new premises. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-05-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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