Sharmaine Lovegrove: ‘If you don’t have a diverse workforce or product, sooner or later you won’t exist’

The Dialogue Books publisher felt shut out of the book world, working her own way up from secondhand book stall to heading her inclusive new imprint. At last, she writes, the industy is changingI am from a family of activists. My uncle, Len Garrison, was the founder of the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton, south London, and I draw daily inspiration from his fight for equality along with his love for literature. Books and stories have always been my escape route from busy London life. As a child I was often found reading – in a corner at home in Battersea, or in the library, on a bus, or the back of a car, drifting into the lives of others for hours on end, with only the act of turning the page occasionally jolting me back into reality. Growing up in the 1980s and 90s, London was incredible, and totally different to the childhood I am giving my son. We had an enormous amount of freedom in an affordable and creative capital, which is just not possible today. My parents were young but could afford to live in the original “nappy valley” off Northcote Road: grand Victorian villas between Wandsworth and Clapham commons, 10 minutes from glorious Battersea Park, passing the maze of housing estates, crisscrossing the river to visit friends and family and falling in love with the whole place. It was so hard to be the only black woman in my division and for my race to be so defining of my work Related: Breaking down the barriers – a new chapter in publishing Related: The Good... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #enormous amount #black woman #work related

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Sharmaine Lovegrove: ‘If you don’t have a diverse workforce or product, sooner or later you won’t exist’'


‘The Scapegoat’ is a bizarre, arresting mystery you won’t be able to put down

In Sara Davis’s debut novel, menace gathers. So does a marvelously calibrated pace and tension. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-03-09 15:30:25 UTC ]
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Scribd Announces an Audiobook Production Line, Highlighting Independent Publishers

Subscription service Scribd adds audiobook titles, opening with 'Black Imagination,' to its newly launched Scribd Audio brand. The post Scribd Announces an Audiobook Production Line, Highlighting Independent Publishers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-03-09 14:00:22 UTC ]
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Diversity, not division

Let me start this by telling you an embarrassing story about me. When I first started as an agent, I never wore my hair in its natural state. This is because, like most black people, I had been taught from a very early age that natural textured hair is seen as unruly and therefore... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-03-08 21:57:21 UTC ]
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Blue Peter Book Awards won by McNicoll, Barfield and Bradley

The Blue Peter Book Awards have been won this year by Elle McNicoll's A Kind of Spark (Knights Of) and Mike Barfield and Jess Bradley's A Day in the Life of a Poo, A Gnu and You (Buster Books). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-03-04 09:57:17 UTC ]
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Columbia, Howard University to Launch Black Studies Book Series, Diversity Program

Columbia University Press, in collaboration with Howard University and Columbia University, is launching a new Black studies book series, with plans to also recruit and train students for the book industry. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-03-03 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Diversity in Romance Books Still Lags

The Ripped Bodice bookstore's fifth annual state of diversity in romance survey found some progress by publishers in signing more authors of color to write novels, but more work still needs to be done. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-03-02 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Joe Biden won the presidency by making the most of his lucky breaks

‘Lucky: How Joe Biden Barely Won the Presidency’ by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes is an inside account of the 2020 campaign. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-02-28 13:00:37 UTC ]
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His Debut Novel Won the Pulitzer. Now It Has an Action-Packed Sequel.

In “The Committed,” a follow-up to “The Sympathizer,” Viet Thanh Nguyen’s nameless spy navigates a Paris underworld rife with drug deals, violence and colonialism’s ghosts. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-02-26 10:00:03 UTC ]
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Bonnier reveals inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan

Bonnier Books UK has published its inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan to boost representation and discussion across its workforce, publishing lists and the wider industry.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-24 08:37:27 UTC ]
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Why it pays to link products to places - and how African countries can do it

Africa needs to take advantage of a copyright law to protect and explore its unique local products. Continue reading at The Conversation

[ The Conversation | 2021-02-22 14:49:47 UTC ]
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We Need Diverse Books is partnering with Penguin Random House to establish a Black Creatives Fund.

Some good news: today, Publishers Weekly reported that We Need Diverse Books is partnering with Penguin Random House on a series of programs to get more books by Black writers published. The Black Creatives Fund initiative involves a “Revisions Workshop”; a mentoring program; and marketing... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-02-17 18:23:38 UTC ]
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5 Recent Essay Collections You Won’t Want to Miss

Find powerful and compelling essays on race, politics, culture, and more in this list of recent small press essay collections. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-02-17 11:38:00 UTC ]
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The UK’s Publishers Association Releases Its New Diversity Report

The fourth annual diversity survey of British publishing shows progress in women's leadership, slower movement in BAME employment. The post The UK’s Publishers Association Releases Its New Diversity Report appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-02-12 14:37:25 UTC ]
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Rival GameStop movies being rushed into production

Netflix has announced a film centered on the ongoing stock saga starring Noah Centineo after MGM acquired rights to a book proposal on the same subjectThe GameStop content race is on, even as the Reddit-fueled market rebellion against billionaire hedge funds continues to play out in real... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-02-01 19:04:34 UTC ]
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After protest Powell’s won’t shelve right wing performance artist Andy Ngo’s conspiracy fanfic.

Notorious fake journalist and target of deadly vegan milkshakes Andy Ngo has a new book coming out called “something something Antifa is under your bed” or some shit; after a small protest yesterday at Powell’s Bookstore in Portland, Oregon (where Ngo is from), the store—which is one of the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-01-12 15:29:06 UTC ]
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HarperCollins appoints Choonara in diversity and inclusion role

HarperCollins UK has appointed Maheen Choonara to the newly created role of diversity, inclusion and belonging manager. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-10 13:02:45 UTC ]
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Are Book Biz Diversity Efforts Starting to Kick In?

Publishing employees who weighed in on a new 'PW' survey are hoping new initiatives will yield results. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-12-31 05:00:00 UTC ]
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All I want for Christmas is the death of lazy 'diversity' language

In light of last week’s Penguin ethnicity pay gap report, their first-ever following in the footsteps of Hachette’s 2019 iteration, it seems like the perfect moment to reconsider the publishing industry’s approach to those vague, catch-all acronyms and terms that are so often used... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-12-10 06:31:16 UTC ]
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Commentary: The latest publishing mega-merger might kill off small presses — and literary diversity

The planned merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster may be global but it's bad for books both foreign and domestic. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-12-04 19:25:12 UTC ]
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Sarah Frier’s No Filter has won the 2020 FT and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award.

Today, The Financial Times and McKinsey & Company announced the winner of its 2020 Business Book of the Year Award, which recognizes a work that provides the “most compelling and enjoyable insight into modern business issues.” The prize comes with £30,000 prize and each of the five... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-12-01 20:59:19 UTC ]
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