Diary of a small town sensation: how the Wimpy Kid author built his dream bookshop

Growing up, Jeff Kinney discovered Tolkien, comics and computers at his local bookshop. When it closed he was bereft – would opening his own as an adult help to right that wrong?Author Jacqueline Woodson recently spoke about books being either mirrors or windows. Mirrors for seeing ourselves, and windows for seeing into other worlds. Growing up, I enjoyed both types of books, from the realistic contemporary fiction of Judy Blume to the epic fantasy of JRR Tolkien. I had access to books by these and every author in between courtesy of a bookstore a short drive from my house. I didn’t understand my privilege then, but I’ve come to understand it better over time.In the short time that it was open, I developed interests that would shape my career. I grew up at the advent of personal computing, and the books I read helped me along a path to becoming a programmer. I also developed a deep appreciation for comics, thanks to an expansive humour section at the bookstore. Those comic collections helped to prepare me for my dream career as a cartoonist. Had we not had a bookstore nearby during my formative years, I would have grown up to be a completely different person.We’ve had several romances develop from first dates in the cafe, and one couple is getting married this autumn Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2019-10-05 09:00:40 UTC ]
News tagged with: #local bookshop #judy blume #epic fantasy #formative years #bookstore

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Amazon set to pay self-published authors as little as $0.006 per page read

Writers of shorter works could lose out on revenue as company’s Kindle Owners Lending Library and Kindle Unlimited no longer pay per copy downloadedSelf-published authors could be paid as little as $0.006 per page read under new rules planned by Amazon.Writers who make their works available... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harkable's Francis: 'authors must take up challenge of social media'

Authors must “take up the challenge” to excel at social media, building communities around their work, while publishers must build “meaningful digital experiences powered by social media, data and technology”, Harkable co-founder Will Francis has told The Bookseller’s Marketing and Publicity... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fenwick:'authors have best reader knowledge'

Authors are not used enough in marketing and publicity by publishers, writer Liz Fenwick has claimed. Speaking at The Bookseller's Marketing and Publicity conference Fenwick, who is published by Orion, said that she thought in general publishers did not speak enough to authors, or on a regular... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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UK Sends Young Authors to 2015 Guadalajara Book Fair

28 UK authors will be setting up shop at the the Guadalajara Book Fair, this November 28-December 6, as part of Britain's 'guest nation' literary program. The post UK Sends Young Authors to 2015 Guadalajara Book Fair appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Why today's teenagers still want to take a peek inside My Mad Fat Diary

Lots has changed since Rae Earl wrote her personal diary in the 1980s, which she later converted into the bestselling book My Mad Fat Diary, but the basic pains of transition from teenager to grownup remain the same – and books help us find the way through itWhen my nan used to tell me about... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Awards for Christian Fiction Honor Publishing Vets, New Authors

The Christy Awards for excellence in fiction were presented Monday at the Christian retail show in Orlando. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Long It Takes Kids to Read Popular Books

Personal Creations show how long it takes kids to read classic books, from Clifford the Big Red Dog to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The post How Long It Takes Kids to Read Popular Books appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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San Diego Comic-Con 2015: Is Comic-Con Too Big for Small Publishers?

With Comic-Con International: San Diego (informally known as SDCC) a week away, its staff and comics publishers are grappling with critical questions about the value and location of the country’s largest comics and pop culture convention. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Photo highlights of Independent Bookshop Week

The annual extravaganza of indie booksellers returned last week with a barrage of book-centric events, readings, publicity and costumes. Lisa Campbell documents the highlights of the action-packed seven days David Headley from Goldsboro Books and Sheila O’Reilly right from Dulwich Books with... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children's authors say curriculum hurts creative writing

A group of children’s authors, including this year’s Carnegie winner Tanya Landman, is preparing a letter to the education secretary protesting against the way writing is taught in schools. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Should an Author Favor PR or Marketing?

The one questions author should ask themselves that they typically do not when it comes to book marketing is: Should I do PR or marketing? The post Should an Author Favor PR or Marketing? appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon will pay some authors based on how many pages you read

Authors are normally paid a consistent amount for every ebook you download, no matter how much of a page-turner it is. Amazon might just shake up that model before long, though. As of July 1st, the internet giant will pay Kindle Unlimited and Kindle... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2015-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Salt and Seren authors among Jerwood winners

Two independent presses are among those celebrating after eight authors were chosen as winners of the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize. Jo Mazelis, published by Seren, and Carys Davies, published by Salt, were two of the eight authors who will each receive £5,000. The prize, set up to celebrate... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Newsonomics: Could a Small Google Tech Change Mean Tens of Millions to News Publishers?

The late April news was impressive and divisive: Google would spend €150 million on a new Digital News Initiative (DNI) partnership with European news publishers (“Google to launch $150 million partnership with publishers&rdquo ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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L.A. kids menus that don't suck: Think burrata flatbread, not pizza

Your kids deserve more than dry, fried chicken strips and ketchup, a cheeseburger and watery mac 'n' cheese. And in your quest to find a kids menu that doubles as a coloring book, you shouldn't be forced to eat UFO-saucer-sized plates of red sauce spaghetti and bricks of onion rings.  Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-06-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Elegy for a Lost French Bookshop…and Freedom

At the New Yorker, Adam Gopnik laments the closing of a bookshop in Paris, ultimately tying it to a loss of a kind of personal freedom. The post Elegy for a Lost French Bookshop…and Freedom appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon to pay KDP authors 'per page'

Amazon is changing the way it pays self-published authors whose books are enlisted in the Kindle Unlimited and Kindle Owners Lending library to a pay-per-page-read model. From 1st July, it will pay Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) author royalties depending on how many pages of a book a customer... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Movie Alert: 'Paper Towns'

For Nerdfighters everywhere, the countdown commences. Paper Towns, the second film adaptation inspired by a John Green novel (following The Fault in Our Stars) will hit movie theaters on July 24. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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