Mike Stoner couldn’t find a publisher for his story of an expat’s dark days in Indonesia – until he looked eastAs soon as I read Mike Stoner’s self-published novel, Jalan Jalan, I had a feeling that it ought to be able to find a commercial publisher. The book was the last winner of the Guardian’s self-published book of the month, which picked seven books from open submissions between June and December 2014 and reviewed them on the site. I followed the series from the start, but Jalan Jalan was the first entry to really catch my attention. The tale follows a heartbroken young Brit through Indonesia, where he finds himself embroiled in a murky world at the bottom of the expat barrel after accepting a teaching job at a dodgy language school after a five-minute telephone interview.Josh Lacey called it an “involving tale of self-transformation, and a welcome blast of heat and spice”. It’s all that and more; a curious blend of Alex Garland and Nick Hornby with a ghost thrown in for good measure. It has some memorable drug- and alcohol-fuelled set pieces, lots of very funny dialogue, and lashings of tropical atmosphere. But it also has a more complex, moving and rather magical core. The protagonist – whose name is not revealed until the final chapter – is haunted by memories of his dead girlfriend, and as the book progresses it becomes clear that there is more going on here than mere misadventure in a foreign land. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2016-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The biggest players in the online publishing space converged in Barcelona this week to discuss the wholesale transformation of the industry into a digital and multiplatform phenomenon. We asked a handful of them one simple question: What's next for native advertising? The post Where top... Continue reading at Digiday
[ Digiday | 2014-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers tend to focus their social media strategies around the twin titans of Facebook and Twitter. But perhaps they are ignoring WhatsApp at their own peril. FTW, USA Today’s viral sports site, offers a good ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2014-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As Lev Grossman celebrates the August release of The Magician’s Land, the final volume in his Magicians trilogy, and Deborah Harkness celebrates the July release of The Book of Life, the final volume in her All Souls trilogy, the two credit the zeitgeist, as well as the skills they honed in... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Philip Gulley writes about what he knows: a smalltown Quaker pastor who serves and loves imperfectly, but who always points others to God. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A panel of veteran literary agents discussed the ways in which they now approach their jobs in the Thursday BookExpo panel “Beyond Authors: Self-Publishing & the 'New' Agents.” Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The late author's UK editor remembers a funny, gracious, kind, demanding, delightful and wise human being and writer of one of the world's great autobiographiesMaya Angelou was one of the world's most important writers and activists. She lived and chronicled an extraordinary life: rising from... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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For publishers of religion books aimed at young readers, it's easier than ever to find readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Providing cloud-based business management products is Media Services Group’s forte. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon has said a bitter dispute with publisher Hachette, which has led to a block on pre-orders, will not be resolved soon. Continue reading at BBC World
[ BBC World | 2014-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Oscar Dystel, an early pioneer of mass market paperbacks and one-time CEO of Bantam Books, passed away at the age of 101. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Image celebrates 60 years; Gary Chapman endows chair at Moody; Cambridge Bibles back to Cambridge; awards and honors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Virago Modern Classics has acquired three titles by Joan Aiken for its children’s list.... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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If you're hoping to pre-order books by J.K. Rowling, Michael Connelly and other Hachette Book Group authors, you'll have to go somewhere besides Amazon.com. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2014-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hachette author Jeffery Deaver among those speaking out against Amazon's decision to stop selling certain Hachette titlesStray punches in a corporate slugfest knocked spectacles from authors noses and left readers with black eyes this week, after Amazon, the online retailer, stopped selling... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-05-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A Christian self-publisher will acquire a PR firm to enhance its services to authors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PW will introduce BookLife, a new website for self-publishers, at this year’s BookExpo America. Simultaneously, we are integrating reviews of self-published books into our regular review coverage. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Crowdfunding, and Kickstarter in particular, continue to make inroads in book publishing, providing financing for everything from one-off projects to support for entire lists. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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So, you've written your book. Now what? Find out with 'Publishing 101,' a new ebook from 'Publishers Weekly' that offers a no-nonsense perspective on how publishing works, and what writers can do to make their own projects take off. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nick Hern Books will publish a book from Monty Python member Michael Palin, ahead of the comedy... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-05-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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IPPY award-winners announced, a new kids' imprint at Barbour, a website for all things Amish, the popes in pictures and much more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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