The Character Loses Battles, but the Writer’s Won the War 

In Moranthology, Caitlin Moran’s 2012 compendium of her decades of brash, personal columns for the British press, Moran jokes that as a teenage girl living in public housing in Wolverhampton, England, her career options were limited to “prostitution,” “working the checkout at the Gateway supermarket,” or “becoming a writer.” Moran chose door No. 3, of course, and in this month’s novel How to Build a Girl, she loans the line to protagonist Johanna Morrigan, a 14-year-old girl living in public housing in Wolverhampton, England. Johanna—a voracious reader and even more insatiable masturbator—is too poor for records and too young to fuck, so she learns what rock music sounds like and what semen tastes like via borrowed library magazines, then rebrands herself as the London party girl Dolly Wilde, cinches a job as a teen music journalist, and sets out to hear and taste for herself. “If I don’t keep this job,” Johanna tells her mother, “then my only future career options are working in Argos or being a prostitute.” Continue reading at 'Slate'

[ Slate | 2014-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #caitlin moran #voracious reader

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The Character Loses Battles, but the Writer’s Won the War '


Kindle Unlimited: it's the end of losing yourself in a good book

Amazon's leaked 'Netflix for books' plan will alarm publishers and doom old-fashioned anonymous readingOnce upon a time, 12 years ago to be precise, David Bowie said something very perceptive. "Music itself is going to become like running water or electricity," he told a New York Times... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #good book #publishing industry


Amazon and Hachette take ebooks battle into public domain

The stand-off between the internet retail giant and the publishing corporation has drawn both sides into open contention over commercial termsThe extraordinary stand-off between Amazon and Hachette saw battle lines further entrenched on Tuesday as both parties took to the public arena to insult... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-07-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #public domain #battle lines


Wattpad Acquires Red Room Writers’ Site

Wattpad, an online writing and reading community, has acquired the Red Room, an online community originally described as a “Facebook for authors.” The site will be subsumed into Wattpad. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online writing #reading community


What a Food Writer Eats: PW Talks with Diana Henry

Food writer Diana Henry spoke with PW about the pleasures of "accidentally healthy" eating and why her latest cookbook, 'A Change of Appetite,' isn't a "diet" book. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #diana henry #latest cookbook


Are African Writers Trumping African-American Authors?

In the NYTimes, Felicia R. Lee asks if the 'new wave of African writers' with an international appeal are drawing attention away from African-American voices. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #african writers #international appeal #drawing attention #african-american voices


German Writers Rely on Readings, Fellowships for Income

It may surprise many Americans, but German authors are paid to read in bookstores, have access to numerous fellowships and discounted health insurance. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #german authors


Amazon vs. Hachette: The Battle for the Future of Publishing

The outcome of the current Amazon/Hachette pricing war has implications for the entire publishing industry, Wharton experts and others say. Continue reading at Knowledge@Wharton

[ Knowledge@Wharton | 2014-06-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


6 Reasons Why English Writers Should Self-publish in Germany

The German ebook self-publishing market is exploding and here are 6 reasons why smart English-speaking writers should take advantage of the opportunity. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


'Game of Thrones' Auction Winner Spawns Dave Goldblatt Character

Author George R.R. Martin, the creator of the "Game of Thrones" series, will introduce a new character in one of his upcoming books thanks to a $20,000 charity auction prize. Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2014-06-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #author george #upcoming books


Book Crowdfunding Platform Pentian Pays Writers and Readers

Spain's Pentian crowdfunding platform for books offers a new business model: paying 50% of profits from book sales to backers of the book and 40% to the author. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book sales #books offers #business model


Colbert Declares War on Amazon: Watch the Clip

Our Clip of the Week comes to you in the form of two back-to-back segments from Wednesday night's "The Colbert Report," in which Stephen Colbert first outlines the ongoing battle between Amazon and the Hachette Book Group over ebook pricing, and then, together with his guest, National Book... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #wednesday night #ongoing battle #ebook pricing #hardball tactics #edan lepucki


Green Writers Press Takes Local Approach

Last April, writer, designer, and literary agent Dede Cummings had a dream that convinced her that she needed to do something to improve the environment. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Indie booksellers join Hachette's battle with Amazon

Shops launch 'I didn't buy it on Amazon' sticker campaign, rallying customers and authors including JK RowlingIndependent booksellers in America are weighing into the dispute between Amazon and Hachette with a series of banners telling potential customers "Thanks, Amazon, the indies will take it... Continue reading at The Guardian

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


New Fortune and Money Websites Go to War With Old Partner CNNMoney

Fortune and Money magazines each rolled out their own websites Sunday, ending a long partnership with CNNMoney.com under which their digital content had been subsumed in the larger site.The collaboration is coming to an end because the magazines' and CNN's family is splitting up: Time Warner is... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-06-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital content #tv properties #public company


Goku, Superman Face Off in Epic Rap Battle Series

YouTube publisher ERB is back with another showdown, and this time it's between one of DC Comics' leading superheroes and one of manga's famed protagonists. Goku vs. Superman has got to be one of the nerdiest rap-offs ever created for the Epic Rap Battles of History series—and that's saying a... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2014-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #videowatch chart #chart tracks #pure views #data sources #proprietary score #helps judge #recommended videos


BEA 2014: A Civil War Female Voice: Laird Hunt

An obscure but fascinating aspect of the Civil War, when hundreds of women disguised as men enlisted in the army as Union soldiers to fight, is at the heart of Neverhome (Little, Brown; Sept.) by Laird Hunt, the author of five novels and a collection of short stories and a two-time finalist for... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #laird hunt #civil war #short stories


Amazon war with Hachette over ebook profit margins intensifies

Dispute has also dragged in authors including JK Rowling and James PattersonIt is another mystery for inspector Rebus to solve. Why is Amazon UK selling Saints of the Shadow Bible, the latest instalment of Ian Rankin's best-selling series about the Edinburgh sleuth, for half the price being... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ian rankin #cover price #latest instalment


Amazon Ramps Up War Against Hachette

Amazon has now removed the preorder capabilities for many major forthcoming Hachette titles. The publisher said that it is "doing everything in our power to find a solution to this difficult situation." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #amazon ramps #difficult situation


Amazon halts sales of some Hachette books as publishing battle escalates

Hachette author Jeffery Deaver among those speaking out against Amazon's decision to stop selling certain Hachette titlesStray punches in a corporate slugfest knocked spectacles from authors noses and left readers with black eyes this week, after Amazon, the online retailer, stopped selling... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-05-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online retailer #titles published #put pressure


The Great War and Religion: A Neglected History

World War I is remarkable in military history for its massive scope and loss of life, with more than nine million combatants killed. But its role in religious history is less appreciated, and an array of books coinciding with the July centennial could change that. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #great war #world war #military history