Literary fiction conveys the human character | Letters

Helen Cross, Andy Stelman, Mark Stewart and Richard Adams respond to a recent Guardian article by Tim LottAs someone whose tiny, grimy literary novels have attracted the interest of the film industry, the truth is the opposite of what Tim Lott (Why should we subsidise writers who’ve lost the plot?, 2 January) suggests; it’s the screenwriter who needs the literary novelist. Plot is easy to learn (and even easier to flog to impressionable students excited by the supposed glamour of the writing life), but impossible to make work on the page without an ability to master what the novel can uniquely convey: the deep mysteries of human interiority. Or, as the screenwriters say, character.Helen CrossFlamborough, East Yorkshire• Tim Lott clearly has not heard of, nor read: Adam Thorpe (Ulverton), Graham Swift (Waterland and Mothering Sunday), Sebastian Barry (A Long, Long Way and Days Without End), Colm Tóibín (Norah Webster), Kamila Shamsie (Home Fire), Salley Vickers (Miss Garnet’s Angel) and many other contemporary British and Irish authors who maintain and expand a “great tradition” of fictional output.Andy StelmanBishop’s Castle, Shropshire Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #mothering sunday #sebastian barry #irish authors

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The greatest job in the literary world is accepting applications again.

Are you happy in your current book world job? Do you arise each morning with a sense of purpose? Does social isolation, political turmoil, and inclement fall weather agree with you? Can you turn up to work barefoot and go snorkeling on your lunch break? If you answered “no” to any of the above... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-24 16:47:43 UTC ]
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Children's non-fiction poised for record year as Q3 sales leap 25%

Children's books have seen a boom during coronavirus-hit 2020 with non-fiction heading for a record year, according to Nielsen. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-24 11:31:27 UTC ]
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More on McGuigan's New Shingle, Ultra Literary

Foundry Literary + Media co-founder Peter McGuigan has provided more details on his new literary agency Ultra Literary, which we announced last week. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
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OUP and Barrington Stoke partner for new range of accessible fiction

Oxford University Press and Barrington Stoke have partnered to create the 'Super-Readable Rollercoasters' range for readers aged 11-plus.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-23 14:46:20 UTC ]
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Spanish-speaking writers are producing ambitious science fiction and fantasy. Let these books be your introduction.

As diverse as Spanish genre fiction is, most of it is hidden from the English-language world. Thankfully, enthusiasts and small publishers are filling the void. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-09-21 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Here’s the longlist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction.

Last but certainly not least: it’s the time for fiction! The National Book Foundation has announced the ten books contending for this year’s National Book Award for Fiction. The award, created in 1950, is the most prestigious literary prize in the United States, rewarding bold and cogent... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-18 14:15:26 UTC ]
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Vincent Van Gogh’s image is cemented in our cultural memory. His letters complicate the view.

A selection of Van Gogh’s correspondence gives us a fuller picture of the man behind the mercurial reputation. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-09-17 13:39:17 UTC ]
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'Major' literary debut The Hollow Sea to Michael Joseph

Michael Joseph has acquired The Hollow Sea by Annie Kirby, a literary debut about grief, recovery, and identity, set to be a lead hardback for 2022. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-17 11:44:41 UTC ]
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Let’s Stop with the Realism Versus Science Fiction and Fantasy Debate

We live in unreal times. I wake up in the middle of a global pandemic to watch a reality-TV president spout conspiracy theories while dystopian corporations enact new science fiction tech. In this chaos, I’ve found myself turning to escapist fiction. Stories that conjure a different, more... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-17 08:49:57 UTC ]
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Viking snaps up 'riveting' historical fiction debut

Viking has acquired a historical debut by Annie Garthwaite, reimagining the story of Cecily Neville, the Duchess of York and mother to two kings of England—Edward IV and Richard III. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-16 20:07:38 UTC ]
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The Whiting Foundation has announced its 2020 Literary Magazine Prize awardees.

Today, the Whiting Foundation announced the five print and digital winners for its third annual Literary Magazine Prizes. Since launching in 2018, the Whiting Literary Magazine Prizes seek to recognize, reward, and support publications that actively nurture writers who produce extraordinary... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-16 12:00:53 UTC ]
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Five Win 2020 Whiting Literary Magazine Prizes

The 2020 Whiting Literary Magazine Prizes were announced today and were given to 'Conjunctions,' 'Foglifter,' 'Kweli,' 'Nat. Brut,' and 'One Story.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Pink Mountain on Locust Island’: Featured Fiction from Jamie Marina Lau

An excerpt from a debut novel Kirkus calls "hypnotizing and inscrutable." The post ‘Pink Mountain on Locust Island’: Featured Fiction from Jamie Marina Lau appeared first on The Millions. Continue reading at The Millions

[ The Millions | 2020-09-09 10:00:12 UTC ]
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Bookouture acquires neuroscientist's book for new non-fiction imprint

Bookouture will publish Why the F*ck Can’t I Change? by neuroscientist and behavioural coach Dr Gabija Toleikyte under its new non-fiction imprint, Thread. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-08 11:08:38 UTC ]
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PA teams up with Northern Fiction Alliance for autumn workshop series

The Northern Fiction Alliance and Publishers Association have joined forces to launch a series of online workshops, designed to "upskill and inspire" small publishers this autumn.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-06 21:09:07 UTC ]
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Women dominate the shortlist for the International Dublin Literary Award.

The International Dublin Literary Award is the world’s biggest annual prize for a single work of fiction published in English. The honor comes with a whopping €100,000. Mark your calendars: the winner will be announced on October 22. Congratulations to this year’s finalists! * International... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-03 18:08:27 UTC ]
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Fearne Cotton to publish two non-fiction titles with Puffin

Puffin will publish Fearne Cotton's first children's book, My Mood Journal, in November, as the first title in a two-book deal.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-02 09:45:03 UTC ]
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Lucy Pearse joins S&S Children's as editorial director for fiction

Lucy Pearse is to join Simon & Schuster Children's as editorial director for fiction this autumn.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-02 03:18:25 UTC ]
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Ethan Hawke is now a book critic, thereby completing his Literary World Bingo Card.

Congratulations to Ethan Hawke, star of my favorite film (Gattaca) and arguably the most bookish man in Hollywood, who has, with today’s inclusion in the (web) pages of the New York Times Book Review, completed his Literary World Bingo Card! What is the Literary World Bingo Card you ask? Well,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-01 18:45:05 UTC ]
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DHA focuses on fiction for New Writers Open Week

David Higham Associates (DHA) is running a series of events for adult and children’s fiction writers in its next New Writers Open Week. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-31 14:20:32 UTC ]
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