Francophone African books are still very often published by French imprints, which can make them hard to get at home. But there is a growing push for changeWhen Cameroonian author Daniel Alain Nsegbe first saw his debut novel for sale in his home city of Douala, the price was so high “you would have to ask someone to stop eating for two days in order to buy the book”. It was around 16,000 CFA francs (£20); the average monthly salary in Douala is £150. The book, Ceux qui sortent dans la nuit (Those Who Go Out at Night) was published by Grasset, a French imprint.This is not uncommon: Francophone African authors, whether classic or contemporary, are often published by French, not African presses. This arrangement began in colonial times, but continues because of a number of factors that are particular to France. Publishers frequently push for world rights for all books written in French. Many African writers operate without agents, who would usually divide up rights territories on their behalf. Agents are still a new feature on the African literary landscape, meaning that many classics, such as 1953’s L’enfant noir (The African Child) by Guinean author Camara Laye, and Algerian writer Kateb Yacine’s 1956 novel Nedjma, are owned by publishers in France (Plon and Éditions du Seuil respectively). As French publishers continue to control distribution and pricing, classic authors go missing from bookshelves while contemporary authors struggle to get their books in the hands of... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2020-05-14 09:59:14 UTC ]
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Steffanie Ness on how digital transformation empowers publishers to be responsive in a demanding market place. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Piret Raud is one of the leading children's book authors and illustrators in Estonia, having illustrated over 40 books and written 16 Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The tech giant introduced measures to let people subscribe to publications through Google and give more priority to quality news sources in search results. The post While Facebook battles fires, Google rolls out pro-publisher initiatives appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday
[ Digiday | 2018-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New report exposes decline in diversity in romance writing, as editor resigns after telling author they avoid putting non-white characters on covers ‘because we like the book to sell’Readers, writers and editors of romance books are grappling with the genre’s record on diversity, after a week... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2018-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A new, monthly bestseller list from Germany highlights fiction titles from independent publishers. The February bestsellers include historical fiction, the latest in a detective series, and a number of translations. The post New from Germany: February 2018 Bestsellers from Independent Publishers... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Maths - No Problem! has been named Ingram Content Group Independent Publisher of the Year at this year's IPG Independent Publishers Awards. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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His Dark Materials author condemns way book industry ‘allows corporate profits to be so high at a time when author earnings are markedly falling’Philip Pullman has called on publishers to stop damaging “the ecology of the book world” and start giving authors a fairer share of the money their... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2018-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nicola Solomon, chief executive of the Society of Authors, makes the case for author pay. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The chief executive of the Society of Authors has challenged publishers to reveal how much they pay writers in their annual financial accounts. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Maze Runner author James Dashner has been dropped by his UK publishers, Chicken House and Sweet Cherry Publishing, following allegations of sexual harassment. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author of the popular young adult series has issued an apology for being ‘part of the problem’ in the wake of anonymous claims posted onlineJames Dashner, author of the bestselling young adult Maze Runner books, has issued an apology in which he says that he “will seek counselling and guidance”... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2018-02-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A letter from 30 industry figures is urging the award to reverse 2014’s inclusion of US authors, in order to avoid a ‘homogenised literary future’Tensions over the decision to allow US authors to enter the Man Booker prize have flared up yet again, with 30 publishers signing a letter urging the... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2018-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In her new memoir, Melba Pattillo Beals, one of the Little Rock Nine, the black teenagers who broke the color line in segregated 1950s Arkansas, says God will always be there to lift people out of pain, disillusionment and despair. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers should be fighting censorship "whenever they get the chance", Sir Antony Beevor has said, while observing that "more and more" attempts are being made by governments to "rewrite history". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Independent Publishers Caucus, a new advocacy organization, met during WI13 in Memphis on Monday. Topics of discussion included funding the group and developing stronger ties between indie presses and indie booksellers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author Matthew Salesses' wife, Cathreen, was diagnosed with cancer in March, not long after the birth of their second child. Now, friends and colleagues in the Asian American writing community are offering literary rewards in a GoFundMe campaign to support the family. Author Margaret Rhee... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-12-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Following her viral short story hit, Kristen Roupenian’s You Know You Want This has been sold to Cape in the UK, with the US auction said to be topping $1mKristen Roupenian, whose short story about a relationship turned sour, Cat Person, set the internet on fire last week, has sold her debut... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury warns UK’s exclusive English rights across EU will end, with firms fighting US companies in an open marketThe next generation of British authors could struggle to land a book deal after Brexit, according to the publisher who launched Harry Potter writer JK... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Co-founder launches new press as company goes into formal liquidation with writers reporting royalties still unpaidAuthors left in limbo after the collapse of a troubled Scottish publisher have reacted with dismay to the latest venture by its co-founder: a new publishing imprint. The day after... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Food52, a site known for its recipes, community and carefully selected products, wants people to eat thoughtfully and live joyfully. In order to accomplish that, the content and the commerce halves of the company must work together. Black Friday, Cyber Weekend and other holiday sales represent... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2017-11-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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