'It's a real battle': African authors fight for publishing independence

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 ]
News tagged with: #rights territories #local readers #sub-saharan africa #books written #world rights #debut novel

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Penguin acquires publishing rights to Hey Duggee

Penguin has acquired the publishing rights to "Hey Duggee", a new pre-school children’s TV programme created by Studio AKA for Cbeebies and BBC Worldwide. The TV showis set at a children's playgroup called the Squirrel Club and is run by a big friendly dog called Duggee, who teaches children... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Remembering author Norman Bridwell, creator of Clifford the Big Red Dog

Bridwell wrote and illustrated more than 150 titles for Scholastic, according to the publisher. Two 'Clifford' titles are still forthcoming. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors on the Air December 18, 2014: Molly Manning

Molly Manning, author of 'When Books Went to War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II' (HMH, 9780544535022 ) will appear on WNYC’s the 'Leonard Lopate Show' on Friday, December 19. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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James Patterson completes $1 million in donations to independent bookstores

'Here's to local governments waking up to the fact that bookstores and libraries are essential to our way of life,' Patterson said in a statement. 'Here's to media coverage of books, booksellers, and publishers, and to a wiser, more literate America.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Spain’s Google News Shutdown Is a Silly Victory for Publishers

Trying to stick it to Google is an understandable impulse, a resentment fed by the company's monolithic influence over the web. But all the Google News shutdown in Spain really shows is how powerless traditional publishers really are. The post Spain’s Google News Shutdown Is a Silly Victory for... Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2014-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Trinity University Press Buys Maverick Publishing

Trinity University Press has acquired the assets of Maverick Publishing. The purchase includes over 40 titles which will form the basis of a new Trinity imprint, Maverick Books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Four Questions for...'Eaten Alive' Author Paul Rosolie

We spoke to the conservationist, who is dealing with fallout over his recent TV special 'Eaten Alive,' about his first book, the controversy surrounding his special, and what he's working on next. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Top 12 Articles on Publishing in Latin America of 2014

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Google News Shutdown in Spain Is An Empty Victory for Publishers

Trying to stick it to Google is an understandable impulse, a resentment fed by the company's monolithic influence over the web. But all the Google News shutdown in Spain really shows is how powerless traditional publishers really are. The post The Google News Shutdown in Spain Is An Empty... Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2014-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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5% uplift for US publisher revenues

US publishers have reported a sales revenues rise of nearly 5% across 2014, mainly fuelled by the success of children's and young adult. Figures released by the Association of American Publishers (AAP), covering the first nine months of the year, show that across publishing as a whole,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mark Smith to join Bonnier Publishing

Mark Smith, the founder and former c.e.o. of Quercus, is to join Bonnier Publishing as c.e.o. of its fiction department. Smith left Quercus after the formerly independent publisher was bought by Hachette UK’s Hodder & Stoughton earlier this year. He will now become c.e.o. of Bonnier... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Century-old publishing house goes to auction

The West Baltimore home of a defunct century-old book publisher that once commanded offices in Chicago and San Francisco will go on the auction block Wednesday — a casualty of Hurricane Katrina, technological change and even the "For Dummies" instructional book series. Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2014-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Spanish publishers demand the return of Google News

Google removed its news aggregation service from Spain a few days ago, but the Spanish Newspaper Publishers’ Association (AEDE) is already asking the government to bring it back. AEDE claims the removal of Google News will be bad business for the publishing industry overall and will have more of... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2014-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Purcell looks to propel Amazon Publishing UK

Amazon Publishing plans to grow its list of UK titles and authors “substantially” in 2015, Eoin Purcell, UK head of Amazon Publishing, has told The Bookseller. The publisher is also “constantly looking to create new platforms to connect authors and readers”, Purcell said. Amazon Publishing UK,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Headline to publish fan edition of Turner's memoir

Headline is to publish a special fan edition of musician Frank Turner’s touring memoir The Road Beneath My Feet. The publisher has teamed up with PledgeMusic, a direct-to-fan music platform, to offer the £30 hardback. Fans are being asked to provide their own personal reminiscences of seeing... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook Gives Publishers New Tools, Hopes They’ll Use Them to Give Facebook More Stuff

Facebook has been courting content companies for years because it wants content companies to bring more of their content to Facebook. Here’s a new example: A set of tools that will make it easier for publishers to share their stuff ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2014-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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MCB to publish Rowell’s Carry On in UK

Macmillan Children’s Books has confirmed it will publish Rainbow Rowell’s new title in the UK next year. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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William Heinemann to publish long lost love letters

William Heinemann has acquired a “significant” collection of erotic letters from a young woman to her lover dating from the 1920s. Selina Walker, publisher at Century and Arrow, bought UK and Commonwealth (excluding Australia New Zealand) rights to the collection, edited by Jean Yves Berthault... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Senate's 'torture report' will be published as a paperback aimed at a wide audience

Melville House will publish the Senate Intelligence Committee's 'Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program,' otherwise known as the 'torture report,' in paperback format by Dec. 30. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Igloo to publish Penguins of Madagascar books

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[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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