How Minecraft has bewitched 40 million of us

The worldwide domination of Markus Persson's building-blocks game is a triumph for the power of human imaginationA funny thing happened on the way to this column. Browsing idly through the Publishers Weekly site, I came on the list of the Nielsen bestselling books of 2014 (so far) in the US. The Top 20 list was dominated by "young adult" fiction, books such as Divergent by Veronica Roth and John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, plus the usual movie tie-ins. At No 9 ,there's a religious book, Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence by missionary Sarah Young. At No 11 is Heaven is for Real ("A little boy's astounding story of his trip to Heaven and back").Two slots further down there's a "junior novelisation" of the Disney film, Frozen. At No 15 is an "activity book", complete with 50 stickers, based on the same film. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #young adult #veronica roth #john green #jesus calling #activity book

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The Literary Arts Emergency Fund will award 3.5 million to 282 literary organizations this year.

Exclusive: the Literary Arts Emergency Fund, launched and administered by the Academy of American Poets, the Community of Literary Magazine & Presses, and the National Book Foundation, has announced that it will distribute $3.5 million in emergency funding to 282 nonprofit literary arts... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-15 19:00:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #american poets #literary magazine


W F Howes scoops 40-year-old 'lost recordings'

W F Howes is to release new audiobook versions of a "cult series of horror-genre" books, using 40-year-old recordings made by their original publisher The Eden Book Society.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-19 10:06:08 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #audiobook versions #original publisher #audiobook


Industry Notes: UK-based Book Aid International: 1.2 Million Books in 2019

The charity last year was at work in 23 refugee camps, 38 prison libraries, 1,567 schools, 635 public libraries, and more. The post Industry Notes: UK-based Book Aid International: 1.2 Million Books in 2019 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-08-14 17:51:35 UTC ]
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'Midnight Sun' Tops 1 Million Copies Sold in First Week

Stephenie Meyer’s 'Midnight Sun' sold more than 1 million copies across all formats last week, Little, Brown reported. The success continues a string of big first-week sales performances for books released during the pandemic. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-08-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #midnight sun #stephenie meyer


40 feminist writers take up fight against domestic violence in 'empowering' collection

Layla Saad, Dorothy Koomson, Kate Mosse, Laura Bates and Kerry Hudson are among 40 writers contributing to a "uniquely empowering" feminist charity book collection, spearheaded by the Feminist Book Society, in collaboration with not-for-profit publishers And Other Stories in the UK and The... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-05 15:11:50 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #domestic violence #dorothy koomson #kate mosse #feminist press


Wave.tv Secures $32 Million to License, Acquire Sports Media Brands

With most live sports on hold for the past several months, sports media publishers have had to stretch their imaginations to find interesting stories to show and tell. Wave.tv, a digital media company built around working with license holders to repackage archival sports, hopes to invest more in... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2020-07-22 14:00:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital media


Spain’s Book Market: 40 Percent More Online Buying During Lockdown

A new study of the book market in Spain shows consumers are reading more during the pandemic lockdown, buying more books online, and still prefer print over digital. The post Spain’s Book Market: 40 Percent More Online Buying During Lockdown appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-07-21 14:30:43 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post spain #pandemic lockdown #lockdown appeared #books online #prefer print #book market


$3.5 Million in Grants Available for Nonprofit Publishers, Lit Orgs

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has provided $3.5 million to support the establishment of the Literary Arts Emergency Fund, which will support nonprofit literary publishers and organizations with $5,000-$50,000 emergency grants. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-07-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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S4 Capital Hopes to Raise $126 Million to Further Expand Through Mergers

Martin Sorrell's S4 Capital proposed a new share offering today in hopes of raising $126 million (or 100 million euros) to further its expansion through mergers and acquisitions. The disclosure was made as part of S4 Capital's latest trading update where the company, which houses digital media... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2020-07-15 20:58:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #martin sorrell #digital media


Frankfurter Buchmesse Announces €4 Million German Federal Grant

Stand fees will be reduced by up to 50 percent and digital development will be supported by funds from Germany's 'Neustart Kultur' stimulus package. The post Frankfurter Buchmesse Announces €4 Million German Federal Grant appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-07-10 11:29:18 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #stand fees #digital development #frankfurter buchmesse


National Poetry Day to highlight 40 new books focusing on poetry participation

The 2020 campaign to mark National Poetry Day on 1st October will highlight a list of 40 new books focused on poetry participation, including work from Michael Rosen, Inua Ellams and Kate Clanchy. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-09 10:54:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #including work #michael rosen #inua ellams #kate clanchy


Creative Access reports 40% of community 'running out of money' in wake of coronavirus

A survey of the Creative Access community, investigating the impact of coronavirus on under-represented communities within the creative industries, has revealed 80% are prioritising finding a new job or freelance work, with almost 40% saying they have run out of money already or are about to do so. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-18 17:26:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #under-represented communities #creative industries #freelance work


Abulafia’s The Boundless Sea lands £40,000 Wolfson History Prize

David Abulafia’s The Boundless Sea (Allen Lane), a global history of humankind told through our relationship with the world’s oceans, has won the £40,000 Wolfson History Prize. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-06-15 10:43:11 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #global history


40 Under Forty: Christopher Michael Schroeder aims to make New Mexico the most small business-friendly state

Through SOMOS ABQ, Schroeder and others celebrate what makes Albuquerque a unique place. Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2020-06-10 18:50:00 UTC ]
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NEA Awards $1.4 Million to Literary Organizations

The National Endowment for the Arts announced $84 million in grants for 1,144 projects, including 62 for literary arts organizations, worth a total of $1.4 million. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-06-10 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary organizations #national endowment


I Didn’t Have a Plan: The Millions Interviews Nick Flynn

My approach to memoir writing demands a different schedule. It may be more organized. I take notes, I write in condensed bursts. I do that with poetry also, but the process is more alchemic. It’s uncontainable. It’s fluid, I can drift in another realm. The post I Didn’t Have a Plan: The Millions... Continue reading at The Millions

[ The Millions | 2020-05-29 10:00:01 UTC ]
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Team Whistle buys OTT marketing firm Tiny Horse for $30 million

Digital media company Team Whistle has acquired Tiny Horse, a marketing services firm focused on over-the-top streamers, TV networks, producers and advertisers. The companies didn’t disclose terms of the deal, however, sources told Variety the acquisition was mostly in the form of a stock swap... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2020-05-22 09:54:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #$30 million #tv networks #companies didn #disclose terms #digital media


The story behind ‘The Great Realisation,’ a post-pandemic bedtime tale that has captured the hearts of millions

A video-poem by Tom Roberts has caught the attention of Hollywood and will likely become a children’s book. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-05-14 11:00:00 UTC ]
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Square Enix’s 'Stay Home and Play' bundle gives you 54 games for under $40

Everyone’s giving away games these days and while Square Enix’s new “Stay Home and Play” bundle isn’t free, it might as well be. The breadth and scope of the deal is pretty amazing: More than 50 games for under $40. That’s less than $1 per game, for those who can’t math.It’s the sort of... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2020-05-08 18:45:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #square enix #stay home #anthology


Debut author Jacqueline Rohen dies suddenly, aged 40

Author and conservationist Jacqueline Rohen, whose debut novel How to Marry Your Husband is published by Arrow this month, has died suddenly at her home in Uganda.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-05-04 07:16:06 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #died suddenly