The Desmond Elliott prize reminds us that authors need long-term support

With her prizewinning debut, Claire Fuller could be following in the footsteps of Ian Rankin and Hilary Mantel who found success with their later work – but only with the support of her publisherAs one of the judges for the Desmond Elliott prize for best debut novelist this year, I couldn’t help reflect on some of the challenges still to come for the authors. With three such accomplished novels on our shortlist, there was some hard talking in the judges’ room, but in the end we decided, by an honourable 2:1 vote, to award the prize to Claire Fuller for Our Endless Numbered Days. It is a dark and perfectly poised account of a survivalist father hiding out in a remote forest with his increasingly embattled daughter that recalls the early work of Ian McEwan in its brooding slow build to a dramatic climax. But nobody could dispute the literary skill evident in the other books on the shortlist: Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey and Carys Bray’s A Song for Issy Bradley.The vital thing now is that these writers are offered long-term support from their agents and publishers. The amount of publicity given to those first novels that become instant bestsellers distorts the reality for the majority of debut novelists, even very gifted ones: a moderate advance, a small amount of acclaim, a continuing battle to get their next book written and then published. This is the reality for authors who want a sustained career in books. Related: Desmond Elliott prize goes to Claire Fuller's... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Washington Post Wins Pulitzer Prize In Public Service Journalism For Jan. 6 Coverage

The Post’s extensive reporting found numerous failures in political systems and security before, during and after the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Continue reading at The Huffington Post

[ The Huffington Post | 2022-05-10 10:22:14 UTC ]
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11 Books by Filipino American Authors You Should Be Reading

The first time I read a book about a person who even minorly resembled me, I was 19 and teaching at a creative writing summer camp. My coworker Sophie Lee’s YA novel What Things Mean tells the story of a young Filipina girl named Olive who uses reading to cope with feelings of loneliness and... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2022-05-06 11:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House, Authors Guild on Book Bannings

As book-bannings sweep the United States, two campaigns from the industry demonstrate different styles and tones of response. The post Penguin Random House, Authors Guild on Book Bannings appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-05-06 00:17:19 UTC ]
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Authors Condemn Forthcoming OUP Title

A book by Australian academic Dr. Holly Lawford-Smith, 'Gender-Critical Feminism,' has led a group of authors to mount a campaign criticizing Oxford University Press's decision to publish a title they say encourages anti-trans rhetoric. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-05-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's Kindle will finally add epub support

It only took about 15 years, but Amazon’s Kindle will finally support the ePub format. First spotted by Good E-Reader, Amazon updated its Kindle section with the news that the Send to Kindle function will convert ePub files to a format that can be opened on the e-reader. The update is scheduled... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-05-03 00:25:01 UTC ]
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Poetry matters. Two new books remind us why.

Edward Hirsch’s “The Heart of American Poetry” and Brad Leithauser’s “Rhyme’s Rooms: The Architecture of Poetry” give reason to slow down and savor language Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-04-27 12:00:00 UTC ]
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An author investigates the disappearance of an early movie luminary

Louis Le Prince, arguably the creator of the first motion picture, disappeared in 1890. What happened? Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-04-27 11:00:43 UTC ]
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Rolando Hinojosa-Smith, ‘dean of Chicano authors,’ dies at 93

His wry, understated novels turned the Lower Rio Grande Valley into an almost mythic setting for explorations of family, history and cultural identity. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-04-23 13:17:20 UTC ]
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Rep. Adam Schiff, Véronique Tadjo and Paul Auster among winners of the L.A. Times Book Prizes

After a few years of virtual ceremonies, the 42nd Los Angeles Times Book Prizes was held in person Friday at USC, kicking off the Festival of Books. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-04-23 04:25:08 UTC ]
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Ukraine: A Call to Buy Rights to Support Publishers

Oleksander Afonin presents 'Books from Ukraine,' asking the world book publishing industry to support Ukrainian publishers. The post Ukraine: A Call to Buy Rights to Support Publishers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-04-22 14:28:23 UTC ]
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Dawnie Walton Wins the 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize

The fifth iteration of the US$35,000 Aspen Words Literary Prize goes to journalist Dawnie Walton for 'The Final Revival of Opal and Nev.' The post Dawnie Walton Wins the 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-04-22 00:42:05 UTC ]
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AAPI Communities in Conversation #4: Sheldon Simeon, author of 'Cook Real Hawai’i'

If you missed the livestream, check out the recording of Sheldon Simeon, author of 'Cook Real Hawai’i' in conversation with Michelle Young of the Waimea Public Library. And register today for the next discussion, featuring Jai Chakrabarti, author of 'A Play for the End of the World.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-04-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The winner of this year’s Story Prize is Brandon Taylor’s Filthy Animals.

Tonight, The Story Prize announced that the 2021 winner is Brandon Taylor for Filthy Animals. The Story Prize’s $20,000 top prize is among the largest first-prize amounts of any annual U.S. book award for fiction. Now in it’s 18th year, The Story Prize annually honors the author of an... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-04-14 01:11:02 UTC ]
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Authors and Booksellers Mobilize for Midterm Voters

Writers for Democratic Action, an organization of some 2,600 authors, is mobilizing its membership in a campaign called Book the Vote. WDA will facilitate nonpartisan voter registration for the 2022 midterm election, working with authors, bookstores, and libraries to educate voters about their... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-04-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Brandon Taylor's 'Filthy Animals' Wins 2022 Story Prize

Taylor's second book, published by Riverhead, won the $20,000 prize honoring an outstanding story collection published in 2021. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-04-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Springer Nature Beefs Up Its Hay Festival Programming Support

The scholarly publishing company Springer Nature presents several events in environmentally relevant work at Hay. The post Springer Nature Beefs Up Its Hay Festival Programming Support appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-04-12 21:10:53 UTC ]
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Patricia MacLachlan, ‘Sarah, Plain and Tall’ Author, Dies at 84

A best-selling children’s book writer, she focused on family life and its difficulties, earning acclaim for her gentle, spare prose. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-04-12 18:33:17 UTC ]
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Jack Higgins, best-selling author of ‘The Eagle Has Landed,’ dies at 92

The British thriller writer's 85 books have sold more than a quarter of a billion copies. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-04-11 17:59:46 UTC ]
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Henry Patterson, author of The Eagle Has Landed, dies aged 92

The bestselling novelist wrote 85 books, mostly thrillers and spy stories, using the pseudonym Jack HigginsHenry Patterson, the bestselling novelist who wrote the The Eagle Has Landed, has died aged 92.The writer died at his home in Jersey surrounded by his family, his publisher HarperCollins... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-04-09 20:18:44 UTC ]
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At London Book Fair: A Look at Translator-Author Relations

In London Book Fair's Literary Translation Center, one session was about how author-translator relationships aren't always easy. The post At London Book Fair: A Look at Translator-Author Relations appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-04-07 20:28:50 UTC ]
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