‘I’m giddy to be here’: the risk-takers who opened bookshops during Covid

More than 60 bookshops launched in the UK and Ireland in the past 18 months – but who would open one in a pandemic? We asked five to share their stories, while bestselling author Val McDermid remembers the bookshops of her youthWhen I was growing up in a small Scottish town, we had a bookshop that was utterly terrifying. The books were housed on high shelves behind counters staffed by intimidating assistants. If you didn’t go in knowing what you wanted, tough. There was no possibility of browsing. If I got a book token for my birthday or a school prize, I’d always pick a title I hadn’t read yet from a favourite author so I knew what to ask for. Chances were, they didn’t have it and it would have to be ordered. Cue pursed lips and a frown.Honestly, it’s a miracle that I ever managed to amass a book collection at all.Val McDermid’s new novel, 1979 (Little, Brown, £20), is published on 19 August Related: Shakespeare and Company: a 'socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore' – in pictures Related: 10 independent bookshops you should visit worldwide: our readers recommend Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2021-08-15 11:00:06 UTC ]

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BookExpo 2019: Ta-Nehisi Coates Tries His Hand at Fiction

Ta-Nehisi Coates, the bestselling author and MacArthur Fellowship recipient, is about to add novelist to the list. His debut novel, 'The Water Dancer' (One World, Sept.), follows a young man’s conflicted journey into the covert war on slavery. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Val McDermid to play Glastonbury with Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers

The Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers will play at Glastonbury, in what lead singer Val McDermid described as “a bit like a fairy story”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author Don Winslow on the border wall: 'It will do absolutely no good'

Don Winslow, bestselling author of 13 crime and mystery novels, brought some energy to the Los Angeles Times newsroom during the Festival of Books. In a video interview with The Times, he spoke about politics and the situation at the U.S. border, labeling President Trump’s proposed wall “a... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-04-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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McDermid, Bauer and Turton make Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel longlist

Val McDermid, Belinda Bauer and Stuart Turton are among the 18 authors on this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel longlist. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Rowling backs Killer Women's BAME and working class support scheme

Female crime writing group Killer Women is launching a scheme to support emerging authors from BAME and working-class backgrounds, endorsed by J K Rowling, Ann Cleeves, Val McDermid and Martina Cole. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Waterstones says it can't pay living wage, as 1,300 authors support staff appeal

Managing director says book chain ‘simply not profitable enough’, as Sally Rooney, Val McDermid and other authors write to protestMore than 1,300 writers including Kerry Hudson, David Nicholls, Sally Rooney, Michael Rosen and Val McDermid have backed a campaign for Waterstones booksellers to be... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2019-03-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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International Prize for Arabic Fiction Shortlist Announcement

The shortlist for the 2019 International Prize for Arabic Fiction was announced today at the El-Hakawati Palestinian National Theatre in East Jerusalem. The IPAF - often referred to as the ‘Arabic Booker’ - is an annual literary prize for prose fiction, which encourages the readership of... Continue reading at British Council global

[ British Council global | 2019-02-05 16:33:45 UTC ]
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Abingdon Nabs Two Gift Books by Jen Hatmaker

The bestselling author of ‘Of Mess and Moxie’ and ‘For the Love’ is bringing two gift books to Abingdon as part of the publisher's efforts to establish a gift book line. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Val McDermid | 'My relationship with the landscape has always been very strong'

Val McDermid has turned to non-fiction to chronicle the role her native country and its landscapes have played in her crime fiction backlist to date.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Writing from the Middle: PW Talks to Lysa TerKeurst

In her new book, president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and bestselling author of ‘Uninvited’ Lysa TerKeurst delves into the recent pain of her husband’s infidelity, a cancer diagnosis, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-11-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Religion and Spirituality Books Preview: November 2018

A new release from the bestselling author of ‘Uninvited’ Lysa TerKeurst, lessons based on the life and teachings of Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel, and ‘How to Be Spiritual Without Being Religious’ are among the religion and spirituality books publishing in November. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Obituary: Author Eugene H. Peterson Dies at 85

The bestselling author of ‘The Message’ Bible translation and several other works died at age 85 on October 22. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BenBella Partners with Bestselling Author on E-Series

Author Gwen Cooper has teamed up with BenBella Books to launch a subscription series of Cooper’s cat-centric short stories that will culminate with BenBella publishing a print edition of the collection in November. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Frankopan to bring Silk Roads 'up to date' in autumn release

Bloomsbury is set to publish a new book by bestselling author and professor of global history at Oxford University, Peter Frankopan. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Zen, Writing, and the Art of Facing Cancer: Natalie Goldberg

Zen teacher and bestselling author of ‘Writing Down the Bones’ Natalie Goldberg explores how being diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia led to an acceptance of suffering that not only changed how she wrote, but also her approach to survival. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-07-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon, JPMorgan and Berkshire Hathaway pick CEO for joint healthcare venture

Dr. Atul Gawande, a surgeon and bestselling author, has been named chief executive of a venture sponsored by Amazon.com Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. that aims to bring down those three firms’ healthcare costs. The companies announced the appointment... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-06-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Blind and bullied, now a bestselling author: Steff Green's next book is personal

Books have been saving Steff Green since she was a child growing up in central Hawke's Bay. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2018-06-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Religion Book Deals: May 23, 2018

FaithWords nabs a new book by the bestselling author of '90 Minutes in Heaven’ Don Piper; Barbour takes a modernized version of the biblical story of Ruth, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-05-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Jack Deere Shares His 'Broken Life'

Jack Deere, once a bestselling author and popular preacher, spent 20 years struggling with his son’s death and his wife's alcoholism before re-emerging with a story of divine grace. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-02-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Patterson Offers 'Happy Holidays' for 320 Indie Booksellers

For the third year in a row, the bestselling author is giving holiday bonuses to indie booksellers. This year he sent checks ranging from $750 to $1,250 to booksellers and bookstore owners around the country. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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