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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Charles M. Blow, author of 'Fire Shut Up In My Bones' (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 9780544228047) will appear on 'The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell' on Tuesday, September 23. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After rumblings surfaced that Amazon is creating a new crowd-sourcing publishing platform, the e-tailer has confirmed that the new program is "in the works." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Brand publishers are more aware that they’re really just renting social media space on Facebook and are moving resources away from the social network. One agency said its clients are pulling away from Facebook in “dramatic numbers”—reallocating their resources to microsites and alternate social... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2014-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The new unit, Liberty Hill Publishing, is being launched in partnership with Salem Communications, a conservative media company which owns, among other properties, Regnery Publishing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The organization formerly known as the Online Publishers Association (OPA) has announced a new name, Digital Content Next, a rebrand that signals a renewed focus on defining and confronting critical, big picture issues that its members face when crea ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2014-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The company has appointed Jim Childs publisher of its trade division, effective October 13. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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UK children’s laureate Malorie Blackman faced racist comments after Sky News misquoted her as saying there were 'too many white faces' in children's literature. Now young adult author James Dawson has stepped into the fray, saying, "Malorie did not say there are too many white faces in... Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-09-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-book Sales Level OffFor the moment, publishers say that ebook sales in Canada have plateaued. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The merger of Penguin and Random House in Canada is beginning to taking shape in two new, concrete ways. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Here’s a sampling of books that publishers in Canada are excited about this fall. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PW's annual salary survey reveals an eye-opening lack of diversity in the publishing industry, an enduring pay gap between men and women, and an increasingly optimistic workforce. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Every book and publishing venture requires some kind of a leap of faith, but this year Canadian publishers are investing more than ever in new efforts to reach out to readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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John Green and Veronica Roth have ruled the U.S. bestseller list for most of 2014, and the two authors have also dominated the Canadian juvenile list for the year to date. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Some of the highlights from this season are books that come at their subjects from fresh, unusual, or downright quirky angles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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People on both sides of the debate about how to balance access to educational materials with copyright have been closely watching developments in Canada following changes to Canadian legislation in 2012. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amis's French and German publishers passed on his novel about the Holocaust, but another French company will be releasing the book and Amis's agent said there will most likely be a new German publisher that is willing to publish it. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Scottish book production company Palimpsest is to become a publisher in its own right, with new... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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It’s been a long time coming, but a made-in-Canada idea for bringing ebooks into bricks-and-mortar stores may have just arrived in the big league. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Annabelle Gurwitch, author of 'I See You Made an Effort: Compliments, Indignities, and Survival Stories from the Edge of 50' (Blue Rider, 9780399166181), will appear on the 'Queen Latifah Show' on Friday, September 19. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Judy Bachrach, author of 'Glimpsing Heaven: The Stories and Science of Life After Death' (National Geographic Books, 9781426213700), will appear on the 'Dr. Oz Show' on CBS on Thursday, September 18. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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