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 ]
Yan's debut novel overturns the tropes of the romance novel in this story about an immigrant's doomed pursuit of marriage and the American dream. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-11-02 15:00:30 UTC ]
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Little, Brown imprint The Bridge Street Press has pre-empted for a six-figure sum world rights to Power, People and Painting: The Story of Art in Fifteen Cities by curator Caroline Campbell. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-01 16:23:49 UTC ]
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Hodder Studio has pre-empted a "captivating and joyous" debut novel from Buzzfeed editor and writer Tomi Obaro, set in Lagos and following the evolving fates of three best friends. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-30 07:36:18 UTC ]
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Headline Review has triumphed in a multi-publisher auction for Isaac and the Egg, a debut novel by journalist Bobby Palmer. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-28 08:45:16 UTC ]
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This one goes out to all the writers in the Year of our Lord 2020, as we all worry that our total inability to put a sentence together could turn into a lifetime of non-production: It’s never too late. Wole Soyinka, who in 1986 became the first person from sub-Saharan Africa to win a Nobel... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-27 19:39:22 UTC ]
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Publishing a debut novel can be a stressful process for all concerned – not least the authors. Even those who feel prepared and knowledgeable can find themselves coming unstuck. As part of a group of traditionally published authors whose novels hit the shelves in 2020, I’ve experienced all the... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-27 11:56:20 UTC ]
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Muswell Press has acquired world rights for My Name is Jensen by BBC Radio 4 short story writer Heidi Amsinck, for publication in August 2021. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-27 06:05:04 UTC ]
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Weidenfeld & Nicolson has acquired the debut of former bookseller Daniel O’Connor, launching "a startlingly bold new voice". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-26 19:12:42 UTC ]
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Hodder & Stoughton is to publish "Who Dares Wins" host Mark "Billy" Billingham’s debut novel, after triumphing in a multi-publisher auction. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-25 21:34:49 UTC ]
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Wildfire will publish Mother Mother, the debut novel from DJ and broadcaster Annie Macmanus, popularly known as Annie Mac. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-11 19:57:39 UTC ]
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In this debut novel set on the river that separates Cleveland from Ohio City, an orphan builds a mythology around his big brother. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2020-10-06 09:00:08 UTC ]
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Essay To mark the upcoming 2020 Neustadt Lit Fest and the announcement of the 2021 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature, here is an excerpt featuring the children’s and young adult books selection from 100 Essential Books by Iranian Writers,... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2020-09-30 13:21:42 UTC ]
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Serpent’s Tail will publish Oana Aristide's debut novel Under the Blue as a lead title in March 2021. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-30 02:17:21 UTC ]
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Emily Temple’s debut novel The Lightness tells the story of a “Buddhist Boot Camp for Bad Girls” Continue reading at Guernica
[ Guernica | 2020-09-29 14:13:13 UTC ]
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K-Ming Chang’s debut novel tells the stories of three generations of Taiwanese women through the beasts, both real and mythical, they encounter. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2020-09-29 09:00:07 UTC ]
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Michael Joseph has triumphed in a five-way auction for Evening Standard features editor Phoebe Luckhurst's “hilarious” debut novel The Lock In. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-28 12:02:59 UTC ]
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Before writing my debut novel Bestiary, I began a year-long process of translating letters written by my grandmother, many of which were addressed to people I didn’t know. While attempting these translations, I realized the impossibilities and possibilities of the task—the losses and gaps and... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2020-09-28 11:00:00 UTC ]
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John Murray Press will publish Ilona Bannister's debut novel When I Ran Away on its Two Roads imprint. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-28 10:28:24 UTC ]
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Viking has pre-empted Our New Names, a “heartbreaking” debut novel from Khashayar J Khabushani. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-25 03:48:29 UTC ]
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Candlewick Press, a US imprint of the Walker Book Group, has acquired global rights to The Beatryce Prophecy, the first collaboration from author Kate DiCamillo and illustrator Sophie Blackall. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-18 00:15:20 UTC ]
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