Jonathan Escoffery: ‘I was trying to write novels aged nine’

The If I Survive You author on the suspense of the Booker ceremony, Americans’ warped view of the Caribbean, and writing his next novel on the roadJonathan Escoffery, 43, was born in Texas and lives in Oakland, California. His debut, If I Survive You, about a second-generation Jamaican in Miami, where Escoffery grew up, was shortlisted for last year’s Booker and is currently on the shortlist of the Gordon Burn prize, announced on 7 March. The novelist Rumaan Alam has called it “a reminder of what fiction can do... It’s truly a feat that a book of short stories tackling such big stuff – family, love, violence, race – could be so damn funny.”What did it mean to be shortlisted for the Booker prize?It felt like I’d arrived in the UK for the first time, even though the book had been out for months. I’d already connected with readers outside the US because the book is partly set in Jamaica and talks about the African-Caribbean diaspora, but suddenly I was hearing from people in India and Australia. I’d watched the ceremony when Marlon James won with A Brief History of Seven Killings in 2015. I loved what that book did for Jamaica and to see it honoured in such a massive way was beautiful. I felt like that novel was capturing a history of tumultuous politics and rising crime I’d grown up hearing in a very matter of fact way from my parents: “This is what was happening in the 70s, this is why we left.” Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2024-01-27 18:00:42 UTC ]
News tagged with: #booker prize #jonathan escoffery #short stories

Other news stories related to: "Jonathan Escoffery: ‘I was trying to write novels aged nine’"


Does the age of an author matter when writing YA fiction?

The Book Doctor goes right back to beginnings of YA and teen fiction in the 1950s and 1960s to investigate whether author age has anything to do with reader experienceI saw several really young writers at the Young Adult Literature Convention (Yalc) who seem to know just what their readers are... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #role models #helena coggan #malorie blackman #young authors #young writers #teen fiction


BEA 2015: Franzen says 'It gets harder to write novels, not easier.'

A capacity crowd of approximately 1,000 people turned out to watch BEA's curtain-raising event, a highly anticipated conversation between bestselling novelist Jonathan Franzen and Laura Miller of Salon.com. The discussion centered on 'Purity,' Franzen's fifth novel and his first since 2010's... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #laura miller #write novels


Geordie Shore's Pattison to write two novels

"Geordie Shore" star Vicky Pattison, who released her autobiography earlier this year, is to write two novels. Manpreet Grewal, commissioning editor, acquired world rights to the books for Little, Brown Book Group imprint Sphere from David Riding at MBA. Pattison’s novels will focus on a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


New Jonathan Franzen novel Purity due out next autumn

‘Multigenerational American epic’ from the author of The Corrections and Freedom set for September 2015 publicationThe American contingent may have missed out on this year’s Man Booker prize, but next year could be a different story after it was announced that a new novel by Jonathan Franzen, a... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-11-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #family history #straus giroux #publisher farrar #berlin wall #south america #america today


Picoult to Write Second YA Novel with Daughter

Jodi Picoult has inked a deal with Delacorte Press to co-write another YA novel with her daughter, Samantha van Leer. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #delacorte press #jodi picoult


Roddy Doyle writing novel for adults with poor literacy

Booker winner to pen Dead Man Talking for the Quick Reads initiative, which offers books by mainstream authors that are the same in every respect but simply shorter and easierThe Man Booker prize-winning novelist Roddy Doyles new novel will be written for the one-in-six adults in the UK who... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #reading skills #booker winner


HC signs book on golden age of crime writing

HarperCollins has signed a book exploring the golden age of crime writing by author Martin... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-08-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #book exploring #crime writing #golden age


Here's a book about people tweeting about writing their novels

Sorry guys, I can't tweet this picture of a cat wearing a party hat right now, because I'm #amwriting. I'm in a coffee shop, you see, with my laptop and notebook proudly displayed so that anyone who walks past will know that I'm #amwriting a novel.... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #coffee shop


Writing a First Novel: Reflections on the Journey – review

Karen Stevens's collection of essays offers practical advice and inspiration for those embarking on the long, lonely journey of writing a novelAccording to Karen Stevens, "writing a novel is the longest and loneliest journey a writer can embark upon". Her collection of essays by established and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


X-Files star Gillian Anderson to write science fiction novels

Agent Scully actress will use her 'ingrained knowledge and rhythm' for SF to pen multi-volume EarthEnd SagaAfter delving into the paranormal for years as The X-Files' resident sceptic Dr Dana Scully, actor Gillian Anderson is set to create her own science-fictional universe – but this time in... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #updated information #neal asher #charles stross


Morrissey writing novel after memoir success

Morrissey is writing a novel, following the success of his memoir released last year.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-01-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Baldacci to write children's fantasy novel

Thriller writer David Baldacci is to publish fantasy novel The Finisher with Pan Macmillan... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #pan macmillan #write children


Sophie Hannah to write new Agatha Christie novel

Crime author Sophie Hannah is to write a new Agatha Christie novel, featuring the author's... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-09-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #agatha christie #sophie hannah


Arundhati Roy Writing New Novel

Arundhati Roy, author of The God of Small Things, announced at the Sharjah International Book Fair that she is currently working on a new novel. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #small things #arundhati roy


Boyd to write next Bond novel

Novelist William Boyd is to write the next James Bond book, with 007 set to return to a 1960s... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


JK Rowling writing adult novel

J.K. Rowling, whose Harry Potter fantasy book series became a global publishing phenomenon, is writing her first novel for adults but the title and plot are still a closely-guarded secret. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2012-02-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Phil Redmond writes novel and memoir for Cornerstone

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Tue, 11/10/2011 - 07:50 "Grange Hill" writer Phil Redmond is to pen a memoir and novel for Random House imprint Cornerstone. M.d. Susan Sandon acquired world rights in the two books directly with Redmond, who is best known for creating three of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #arrow paperback #books directly #as-yet-untitled memoir


Jonathan Cape acquires second Wyld novel

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 06/10/2011 - 08:40 Jonathan Cape has acquired a second novel from the John Llewellyn-Rhys prize-winning author Evie Wyld. Senior editor Alex Bowler acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to Wyld's All the Birds, Singing from Laetitia... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #early life #started life #book tells #laetitia rutherford


Reynolds to write new Doctor Who novel

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Thu, 21/07/2011 - 13:00 British Science Fiction award-winner Alastair Reynolds is the latest author to try his hand writing a Doctor Who novel, after signing a deal with BBC Books. Editorial director Albert DePetrillo bought world rights from Robert... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #bbc series #united agents #robert kirby #bbc books #latest author


‘I wanted to write a suburban Reacher’: Richard Osman talks to Lee Child about class, success and the secret to great crime writing

The two bestselling authors who both started in TV discuss writing as a second career, natural justice – and what they really think of literary fictionIn the four years since Richard Osman published his first Thursday Murder Club novel he has consistently topped the bestseller lists, and now his... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2024-09-14 09:00:23 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #first novel #cable box #ve spent #rare thing #bestselling novelist #solve murders #bestseller lists