The Guardian view on fiction vending machines: attention seekers | Editorial

If they succeed in distracting commuters from their smartphones, short story dispensers will be a welcome addition to the landscapeCan fiction miniatures dispensed through slots lure commuters away from their smartphone apps and social media feeds into the imaginary worlds created by authors including Virginia Woolf and Anthony Horowitz? We are about to find out. The French company Short Édition, which already has short-story vending machines in France, Hong Kong and the US, arrives in the UK this week, unveiling its first three terminals in London. Henceforth, travellers through Canary Wharf will have the option of forsaking news, email, Football Manager 2019 and every other temptation their handheld device can offer in favour of a story on a scroll of paper, printed on demand for free.It’s a modern twist on the idea of a free bookstall or swap scheme, already familiar to rail travellers across the UK. The cost is borne by businesses, which are encouraged to install the machines as a way of improving customer experiences and preventing people from getting cross or bored. The novelty lies in the dispenser, but also the brevity and portability of the reads on offer, which range from one minute to half an hour, and can also be viewed online. (Mr Horowitz has been commissioned to pen a 60-second whodunnit for the launch.) They demand far less time and energy than a book – in many cases, less effort to read even than a chapter – and will take up next to no space in a bag.... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2019-04-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Abingdon Pulls Back in Fiction, Christian Living

Abingdon Press is “reassessing and realigning” its Abingdon Fiction and Christian Living programs and has “paused” acquisitions. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A Fictional Feline Seeks One More Life, But How?

Author Patricia Lakin reflects on discovering that her successful children's book, Clarence the Copy Cat, is out of print and what she can do to bring it back. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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EC: copyright White Paper delays due to 'great diversity of views'

The European Commission is to take "a few more weeks" to finalise its White Paper on... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nerd Machine Brings Nerd HQ to San Diego

Not all the action in San Diego is taking place in the city's convention center. Just a short walk away at Petco Park, Nerd Machine is hosting Nerd HQ, a free extravaganza that's also a hotbed for experiential marketing. Though the organization works in partnership with San Diego Comic Con, it... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2014-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New non-fiction to Oneworld

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[ The Bookseller | 2014-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Conde Nast Reshuffles Executive Ranks as Editorial Director Leaves and President Gains Power

The executive suite at Conde Nast, publisher of Vogue and Vanity Fair, experienced a shakeup Wednesday that leaves Vogue Editor Anna Wintour as the unchallenged top editorial voice at the company and moving Conde Nast closer to an eventual transition in the CEO role.The company said its longtime... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Little, Brown, Marvel Offer 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Kids' Books

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers has an agreement with Marvel to produce a series of movie tie-ins based on the popular films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Angry Nerd: Why Guardians of the Galaxy Works Where Spider-Man Fails Hard

Is it too much to ask for a comic book flick that doesn't rely on three crappy prequels for the plot to make sense? Let's lose the complicated, interwoven storylines and focus on quality standalone films. Angry Nerd explains why Marvel's new Guardians of the Galaxy gets it just right. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2014-07-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In praise of unfinished books | Editorial

Boffins have a new way to check on whether we really get through impressive big books, but even half-finished reads help with plunging authorial incomesLike a mean teacher tripping up a keen-to-impress pupil, boffins have come up with a way of calling us on books we don't get through. Named... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-07-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Jerome made non-fiction publisher at HC

Natalie Jerome has been promoted to non-fiction publisher at HarperCollins, taking on the role... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-07-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Tarted-Up Book Covers Belittle Women's Fiction

The publishing industry's packaging of women's literary fiction in stereotypically girly covers makes great books seem trashy.If you take a look at the cover of Alice Munro's latest Nobel Prize-winning short fiction collection, The View From Castle Rock, you probably wouldn't guess it includes... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2014-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Publishing Leaders 2014: Gruppo Editorial Mauri Spagnol

Gruppo Editoriale Mauri Spagnol is a privately held publishing group and the third largest publisher in Italy. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fiction at ICRS: Awards to Celebrate while Publishers Trim Efforts

Even while publishers at the International Christian Retail Show celebrated top books in Christian fiction, publishing programs are being cut back in this crowded category. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Direct-to-Digital Christian Fiction Picks Up Steam

Since digital publishing is perfect for serializing fiction almost as fast as authors can finish their latest installment, it makes sense that Christian publishers exploring that developing space are also making things up as they go along. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Jerwood Fiction Uncovered winners revealed

Eight writers have been chosen as winners of the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize, with two... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Working-class fiction has been written out of publishing

Everyone is the poorer for publishers' widespread assumption that nobody wants to read about this part of societyI have spent the last 25 years selling and then publishing books, so I read with interest Melvyn Bragg's recent comments on working-class characters in fiction being stereotyped and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-06-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A digital renaissance for the science fiction short story

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[ The Guardian | 2014-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Yawn No More: Americans and the Market for Foreign Fiction

As proven by the conversations at BookExpo America, American publishers, editors and readers may finally be coming around to embracing more foreign literature. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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SIPA 2014: “Ink doesn’t get the attention of the Inc.”

Washington, D.C.—During the 38th annual Specialized Information Publisher’s Association (SIPA) Conference, the discussion often boiled down to one unsavory fact: “Ink doesn’t get the attention of the Inc.” Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2014-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In praise of ... Galley Beggar | Editorial

Galley Beggar had the courage to take a chance with an unknown author writing in an unconventional wayIf you hadn't previously heard of Galley Beggar of Norwich, that is hardly surprising. It's a small-scale operation set up by a local bookseller. But Galley Beggar has something which big... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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