They interrupt narrative and disrupt plot – no wonder novelists have been slow to warm to mobile phones. But a new generation is putting technology at the heart of their workWhat do you call a phone when it rings in a fictional world? “Mobile” and “cell” are old, “smartphone” is almost a tautology and “phone” is so intrusive that the word seems to ring out shrilly from the page the instant you type it. This may be because we read fiction partly to escape our phones, or it may be that phones, even fictional ones, seem to demand too much of our attention. Telephones, of the kind we all keep handy, are so much a part of daily life we touch them as often as our faces. But phones in fiction require a sleight of hand: if characters use them as realism dictates, they will feel as interruptive on the page as they do at the dinner table. How can authors navigate this challenge?Like bathrooms and paid employment, it is amazing how often phones are dispensed with by many otherwise realist fiction writers. JM Coetzee famously wrote to Paul Auster (in Here and Now, the 2013 selection of their letters) that he was not prepared “to write novels in which people go around with personal electronic devices”. Because, if “everyone has access to more or less everyone else, what becomes of all that plotting?” He also lamented the impact of mobile technology on the “novel of adultery”, though surely Sally Rooney has proved there was nothing to fear. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2023-07-22 10:00:09 UTC ]
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A new report shows significant increases in Barnes & Noble foot traffic, Amazon may be planning to open department stores, and more. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-07-02 15:00:00 UTC ]
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An epic fantasy inspired by Nigerian mythology, a found family wuxia fantasy, a historical fantasy set in the 1920s, and more of today's best science fiction and fantasy deals. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-07-01 14:30:00 UTC ]
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A new report by a market intelligence firm, whose services include store foot traffic analysis, found that customer visits at Barnes & Noble locations have increased every month but one since November 2023 compared to the prior year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-07-01 04:00:00 UTC ]
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What are your favorite science fiction novels that have yet to see a film adaptation? Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-06-27 10:30:00 UTC ]
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Among this fall’s noteworthy titles are novels by Rachel Kushner, Richard Price, and Elizabeth Strout about people grasping for a sense of community in a changing world. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-06-14 04:00:00 UTC ]
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This trio of novels ushers readers into three different but equally mesmerizing long-ago worlds. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2024-06-12 13:28:10 UTC ]
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An elaborate water trap, three generations of empathetic witches, a space thriller, and more of today's best science fiction and fantasy book deals. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-06-10 13:30:00 UTC ]
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BNN Breaking had millions of readers, an international team of journalists and a publishing deal with Microsoft. But it was just an A.I. chop shop. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2024-06-06 04:00:25 UTC ]
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The days are long, but this summer’s bounty of historical fiction will remind you that the years are short. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2024-05-31 09:01:00 UTC ]
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Despite rising costs for new and secondhand books, surveyed Canadian consumers say they continue buying books but are price-shopping. The post BookNet Canada’s Consumer Survey: Rising Book Prices appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-05-22 19:37:08 UTC ]
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Out of this world deals on some of the best science fiction and fantasy–grab these excellent reads for under $3. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-05-20 13:30:00 UTC ]
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The Nobel Prize-winning author specialized in exacting short stories that were novelistic in scope, spanning decades with intimacy and precision. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2024-05-14 16:13:08 UTC ]
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In this installment of What We're Listening To, Engadget writers and editors discuss some of the recent music releases we've had on repeat. It's safe to say there's some variety on this list. Sierra Ferrell - Trail of Flowers Sierra Ferrell seems almost like an anachronism in 2024, but in the... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-05-11 14:30:52 UTC ]
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Murder aboard a claustrophobic space ship, an island hidden by magic, a tale of blood and loyalty, and more of today's best science fiction and fantasy deals. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-04-29 13:00:00 UTC ]
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From micropublishers showcasing up-and-coming creators to larger companies adding specialty imprints, there’s lots to discover on the edges of the manga mainstream Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-04-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
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With March Madness and the Super Bowl recently crowning champions and the Grammys and Oscars awarding music and movies, it’s finally time for the literary world to have its own big moment in the sun. And that can only mean one thing: It’s Pulitzer time! While there are many book awards that... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2024-04-19 11:15:00 UTC ]
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For the Scottish novelist and journalist, the novel is a way to fight political misinformation, conspiracy theories, and outright lies. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-04-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
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How teens learn about navigating the online world varies, but a pair of digital media literacy programs aim to get more Canadian students scrutinizing their social feeds. Continue reading at CBC
[ CBC | 2024-04-15 08:00:00 UTC ]
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Works by queer authors from Argentina, Catalonia, Syria, and beyond speak to U.S. readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-04-12 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Akwaeke Emezi, Rivers Solomon, and others offer realistic, fantastical, and experimental looks at LGBTQ life. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-04-12 04:00:00 UTC ]
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