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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More than 700 authors and 75 agencies have registered for Random House’s Author Portal... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-09-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author Aleya Kassam explains how Kenyan writers are embracing the idea of branding and taking control of their careers. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-09-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Unless you've been living in a book-free cave, you may have heard that retail giant Amazon and book publisher Hachette are having a little tiff. It's all about digital versions of books -- so-called ebooks -- and it boils down to this: Amazon wants... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2014-08-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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More than 1,000 writers from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland have signed a letter to Amazon saying that the company has made Bonnier-published books less available and manipulated Amazon's recommended reading lists. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Austrian, Swiss and German authors have sent an open letter of protest to Amazon, protesting the use of 'authors and their books as a bargaining chip to exact deeper discounts.' Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The tussle between Amazon and the publishing conglomerate has been raging since spring. Heres an update on the fightA corporate boxing match broke from the ring and swelled into all-out rumpus last weekend, as readers and authors took sides in Amazon and Hachettes fight over the publishing... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-08-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Compares Hachette dispute to past paperback fears, but partially quoting George Orwell is a risky moveAmazon has hit back following an open letter from more than 900 authors criticising its licensing dispute with publisher Hachette, which was published as an ad in the New York Times.However, the... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon has responded to an open letter by Authors United, signed by 900-plus authors in support of Hachette, with their own open letter, Readers United. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bestselling authors George R.R. Martin and Chuck Palahniuk and director Quentin Tarantino, along with their respective comics publishers Avatar Press, Dark Horse, and Dynamite Entertainment, generated a lot of attention at the recent Comic-Con International about their forthcoming comics projects. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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It's do or die time for Chicago Tribune and its sibling newspapers.On Aug. 4, Tribune Publishing Co. will be on its own, after parent Tribune Media Co. hives off its print properties. While Tribune Media will remain privately held, the new publishing company will start trading the next day on... Continue reading at Advertising Age
[ Advertising Age | 2014-07-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A 19-year-old student from Kent has landed a publishing deal for a book that she wrote while studying for her A Levels. Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2014-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Palahniuk is writing a sequel to his 1996 novel that will be in graphic novel form and released in 10 parts. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Literary agent Marly Rusoff is re-releasing, through her publishing imprint Maiden Lane Press, a debut novel by Jonathan Odell. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The International Alliance of Independent Publishers will be holding their International Assembly in Cape Town this year from September 17-21. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After 18 months clearing rights and nearly $250k invested, the Museum of Modern Art has put out the first interactive ebook featuring the work of Picasso. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-07-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In the UK, the Society of Authors’ chief executive claims that traditional publishers’ terms 'are no longer fair or sustainable' for author's to make a living. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-07-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Chief executive of 9,000-member UK group argues that while 'authors' earnings are going down generally, those of publishers are increasing'After figures released this week showed professional authors' median annual incomes have collapsed to to £11,000, The Society of Authors' chief executive has... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon.com Inc. is offering authors caught up in its dispute with Hachette Book Group all of the proceeds from the sale of any digital book, seeking to bypass the publisher and appeal directly to the... To view the full story, click the title link. Continue reading at Crains New York
[ Crains New York | 2014-07-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As things stand, Hachette is making ebook discounts impossible, and almost everybody else stands to lose, writes Hugh HoweyNews: New Amazon terms amount to 'assisted suicide' for book industry, experts claimHow much should an ebook cost? And how should that money be split? These two questions... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The CEO of Germany's largest newspaper group is one of the few powerful figures speaking out about the web giantMatthias Döpfner is a man on a mission. The motives behind the mission need to be scrutinised, but when so many of old media's authority figures seem at sea in a changing environment,... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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