'I've never felt less festive': the art of writing Christmas novels, 365 days a year

Drinking sherry, bingeing Downton Abbey ... how authors keep up the spirit of the season, even when writing during heatwaves and a nightmarish ChristmasChristmas novels are not a new phenomenon. Charles Dickens sold out of his first print run of A Christmas Carol in days in December 1843, while Agatha Christie played on seasonal stresses with titles including The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding in 1923 and Hercule Poirot’s Christmas in 1938. But these days, there are acres of festive crime and rags-to-riches romances under the mistletoe to choose from. All tastes are catered for, whether it’s a love of trains (Edward Marston’s Victorian railway detective story A Christmas Railway Mystery), religion (Unlikely Santa: An Amish Christmas Story) or even festive erotica. Ebook retailer Smashwords stocks romance titles including The Old Dragon of the Mountain’s Christmas, and the inventive-sounding A Cyborg’s Old Terran Christmas. (“Interstellar bride Nell and her three children are forced to enter space-sleep capsules in the hope of surviving a calamity. She wakes over 700 years later on a ship of cyborg warriors. In this strange environment, Nell can’t imagine what their future will hold, but she is determined to keep her promise and make Christmas for her children.”)It may sound futuristic, but it is part of a long tradition beloved by readers. As Christina Storey at Allison & Busby, an independent publisher whose titles this year range from Anna Jacobs’ Christmas in... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2020-12-17 15:22:04 UTC ]

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Interview with an Indie Press: Dzanc Books

Dzanc Books—a nonprofit independent publisher based in Ann Arbor, Michigan—was once described by one of its authors as publishing the “books that don’t want to be movies.” In addition to pursuing this mission with an eclectic mix of publications—including those by Roy Kesey, Laura van den Berg,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-05-27 08:50:00 UTC ]
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PM Press Decamps for Binghamton

Radical independent publisher PM Press has bought a 17,000-square-foot warehouse in Binghamton, N.Y., and no longer calls Oakland, CA, its home base. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-03-25 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Eighty-year-old study of British slave trade is back in the bestsellers list

Capitalism and Slavery, by the future first prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago Eric Williams, argues that the abolition of slavery was motivated by economic, not moral, concernsA book of unpalatable truths about Britain’s slave trade has become a UK bestseller, almost 80 years after author... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-03-02 13:59:03 UTC ]
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Kate Clanchy’s controversial memoir reissued by independent publisher

Swift Press has acquired Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me after its author and original publisher Picador ‘parted company’ last month following widespread criticism of the bookAn independent publisher, Swift Press, has acquired Kate Clanchy’s Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-02-01 10:50:18 UTC ]
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Allison & Busby nets 'explosive' debut by former police officer Bartlett

Allison & Busby has netted an "explosive" debut novel by former police officer Graham Bartlett. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2022-01-16 13:20:55 UTC ]
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Galley Beggar pays tribute to author Uschi Gatward

Independent publisher Galley Beggar has paid tribute to author Uschi Gatward, who has died following a battle with cancer.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2022-01-05 01:03:10 UTC ]
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Beagley joins Vertebrate as indie celebrates 'stellar' growth

Jane Beagley has been appointed production manager at independent publisher Vertebrate Publishing in a new role.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-12-23 07:32:04 UTC ]
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Out-Spoken Press lands debut essay collection from Lock

Independent Publisher Out-Spoken Press has acquired Fran Lock's "arresting" debut essay collection. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-12-08 15:58:14 UTC ]
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Books as Multidisciplinary Art Objects: A Recommended Reading List, by Kylie Garrett

Lit Lists Artists of different styles often collaborate in the creation of their work. When words and images intersect, they can come together to produce something beneficial for both learning and inspiration. As children, many of us experience this in... Continue reading at World Literature Today

[ World Literature Today | 2021-11-12 14:36:21 UTC ]
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YouTube admits deleting Novara Media the ‘wrong call’

The independent publisher was reinstated on YouTube following a backlash, but questions remain. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2021-10-26 15:58:53 UTC ]
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Allison & Busby to publish Webb's 'dark and quirky' debut

Allison & Busby has picked up Liz Webb’s debut The Daughter, a "dark and quirky" thriller.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-18 21:38:49 UTC ]
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The Pound Project releases new story by illustrator Zeppelinmoon

Independent publisher The Pound Project is running a campaign for short story "Under Orion" by illustrator Amber Fossey, better known as Zeppelinmoon. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-07 23:21:35 UTC ]
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HarperCollins removes story from David Walliams’ book The World’s Worst Children

After criticism of the ‘casual racism’ of a story about a Chinese boy, the publisher has taken it out of the next print run of the bestselling anthology David Walliams’ story about a Chinese boy called Brian Wong, which was criticised by campaigners for its “casual racism”, is set to be removed... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-10-04 12:03:02 UTC ]
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Little Island refreshes logo and slogan

Irish independent publisher Little Island has refreshed its logo and adopted a new company slogan. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-30 03:55:16 UTC ]
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Publishers should emphasise 'joyful' qualities of diverse books, Levine says

Publishers “should stop thinking about BAME talent as fulfilling a school requirement” and “should emphasise the joyful and literary qualities" of diverse books, Arthur Levine, founder of the independent publisher Levine Querido, has said. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-09-22 04:07:18 UTC ]
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Pinter & Martin acquires birthing guide for Black women

Independent publisher Pinter & Martin has snapped up Kimberly Seals Allers' "positive, empowering" birthing guide for Black mothers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-08-24 08:31:58 UTC ]
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Milkweed Editions Announces Disability-Focused Literary Series

Minnesota-based independent publisher Milkweed Editions will launch a series of books centered on neurodivergence and what the publisher calls “different ways of languaging” next year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-08-23 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Hachette Book Group to acquire Workman Publishing for $240m

Hachette Book Group has announced that it is to acquire Workman Publishing, an independent publisher in the US, for $240m (£174m). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-08-17 21:02:19 UTC ]
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Allison & Busby acquires 10th Hawkswood historical mystery

Allison & Busby has signed the 10th instalment in the Bradecote and Catchpoll historical mystery series by Sarah Hawkswood. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-08-14 21:03:13 UTC ]
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Richard Charkin: Notes From a Small Publisher in London

Totting up the pros and cons of being an independent publisher, Richard Charkin assesses Mensch Publishing on its third anniversary. The post Richard Charkin: Notes From a Small Publisher in London appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-08-12 17:07:48 UTC ]
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