‘The pendulum has swung’: Why we female Trinidadian writers are having our moment

Monique Roffey, the Costa-winning author of The Mermaid of Black Conch, on the lit-boom that’s happening on the Caribbean islandLast week, Trinidadian writer Lisa Allen-Agostini’s novel The Bread the Devil Knead landed a coveted spot on the Women’s prize shortlist. As a fellow Trinidadian writer, this is both exciting and unsurprising. These days Trinidad is producing world-class female writers hand over fist. Allen-Agostini’s shortlisting comes on the heels of the announcement, two weeks ago, that Trinidadian writer Amanda Smyth had made the Walter Scott prize for historical fiction shortlist, the only woman on the list, and the first Caribbean writer ever to be chosen. Meanwhile, Celeste Mohammed has become the fifth woman (and third Trinidadian woman) to win Trinidad’s regional OCM Bocas prize.Something has happened in Trinidad, in our small but dense hothouse of a literary world. Perhaps it’s 12 years of the Bocas literary festival, or five waves of feminism, or maybe it’s to do with the internet opening up opportunities for those from developing countries, but in the last decade Trinidad has produced a host of outstanding female writers. It’s a trend that anyone in Caribbean literary circles knows about. Myself, Smyth, Allen-Agostini, Mohammed and others are part of a “lit-boom”, and most of this boom is female. We are finding ourselves on the global stage, on prestigious shortlists in North America and the UK. This huge generational and gender shift would have been... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2022-05-03 13:03:34 UTC ]
News tagged with: #black conch #coveted spot #prize shortlist #literary world #developing countries #global stage #historical fiction

Other Publishing stories related to: '‘The pendulum has swung’: Why we female Trinidadian writers are having our moment'


How a Collective of Incarcerated Writers Published an Anthology From Prison

It would make sense that any history would begin at Stillwater Prison, where so much of the story and mythology of prison in Minnesota also begins. It is where Cole Younger of the famous James-Younger gang did their time, and where they spent their own money to start the Prison Mirror, the... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2023-10-16 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #prison appeared #make sense #electric literature #anthology


Confessions of an Arrogant and Humble Writer

An author explains how these two qualities are key to her literary success—and how they can help other writers sustain long and fruitful careers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


If Lydia Davis Wasn’t a Writer, She’d Devote Herself to Climate Activism

Lydia Davis’ new collection Our Strangers, is available now from Bookshop Editions, so we asked her a few questions about her writing, reading, and more. How do you tackle writer’s block? I don’t really have writer’s block anymore. When I first started out, I certainly did just sit there... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-10-02 09:00:46 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tackle writer #climate activism #lydia davis #bookshop


Frankfurt’s 75th Edition: Two Agents’ ‘LitAg Moments’

Spain's Anna Soler-Pont and France's Magalie Delobelle are two of the literary agents sharing 'LitAg Moments' with us for Frankfurt's 75th. The post Frankfurt’s 75th Edition: Two Agents’ ‘LitAg Moments’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-09-29 00:30:42 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post frankfurt #75th edition #literary agents


9 Historical Novels by 20th-Century Queer Writers

Queer people have been writing historical fiction since before queerness existed—by which I mean, since before it was hammered into an antithesis to heterosexuality during the long nineteenth century. By the turn of the twentieth, queers looking to write about the past had to grapple with new,... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2023-09-25 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #electric literature #historical fiction


Uplifting Writers and Readers: ACFW 2023 In Photos

A selection of photos recapture the 2023 American Christian Fiction Writers conference, which took place in St. Louis from August 24-27. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #christian fiction


Drew Barrymore is dropped as National Book Awards host amid writers' strike controversy

The National Book Foundation has rescinded Drew Barrymore's invitation to host the National Book Awards while her show tapes amid the Hollywood strikes. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-09-12 23:23:20 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #drew barrymore #national book foundation


The quintessential California bookseller behind City Lights gets his moment

Van Nuys native Paul Yamazaki, a longtime veteran of San Francisco landmark City Lights, will receive a lifetime honor at the National Book Awards next month. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-09-06 14:00:49 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #city lights #bookseller


Former 'Friends' writer says the stars were unhappy and purposely tanked jokes they didn't like

A former "Friends" writer's new memoir details her experience on the show at a time when the stars seemed unhappy, and the writers room wasn't so friendly. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-08-25 01:20:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #memoir details #memoir


‘A tired old show’: Friends writer claims cast deliberately ruined jokes

Patty Lin says that Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry and co forced rewrites of gags they didn’t like by performing them badlyFriends may have been a worldwide smash hit that made megastars of its cast, but – according to one of its writers – the actors weren’t always trying their... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-08-24 10:34:01 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jennifer aniston #matthew perry #memoir


Pidgeon Pagonis on the Urgency of Writing a Memoir as an Intersex Writer

Pidgeon and I met in the summer of 2020, the summer of sickness, and violent change. We spoke over Zoom, nearly 800 miles apart—I had been hired as a developmental editor for an intersex activist named Pidgeon Pagonis. A developmental editor is a bit of a catch-all title: we do a bit of... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-08-17 09:20:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #memoir


10 Books to Make You a Better Writer

Seasoned author and writing mentor Beth Kempton shares 10 books that will improve your craft. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-08-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Is Jamel Brinkley the best short-story writer of his generation?

The short stories in Jamel Brinkley's second collection, 'Witness,' don't just reveal stories of violence, gentrification and racism — they put you inside them. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-08-01 13:00:50 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jamel brinkley #short-story writer #short stories


Yes, it can be very stressful to publish a book, and young writers need more support.

An April report by the UK-based publishing site, The Bookseller, showed that more than half of the debut authors they surveyed said the experience of publishing a book adversely affected their mental health. Further reporting from The Guardian reveals that (some) publishers have quickly... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-07-19 19:03:31 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #young writers #april report #debut authors #mental health #anna frame #communications director #independent publisher


James Patterson, Margaret Atwood among thousands of writers urging AI companies to honor copyrights

James Patterson, Suzanne Collins and Margaret Atwood are among thousands of writers endorsing an open letter from the Authors Guild urging AI companies to obtain permission before incorporating copyrighted work into their technologies Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2023-07-18 20:54:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #james patterson #margaret atwood #suzanne collins #writers endorsing #open letter #obtain permission #authors guild


Writers' Guild of Great Britain Publishes Report on AI

Sixty-five percent of those responding to a survey conducted by the U.K. union that represents writers in such professions as books, film, and said that they believed that the increased use of AI will reduce their income from writing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #survey conducted


Hinton Publishing Honors an Unsung Writer and Boosts New Creators

Seattle’s new indie publisher, Hinton Publishing, is a partnership between 'South Seattle Emerald' founder Marcus Harrison Green and Vertvolta Press publisher Vladimir Verano. Its mission is to amplify the voices of BIPOC, LGBTQ, disabled, and low-income authors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-07-10 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #indie publisher


Female novelists don’t need their own prizes. Let’s abolish them | Martha Gill

Barbara Kingsolver and others are no longer oppressed – they dominate book salesThere is a point at which all special treatment becomes patronising. And we have reached that point, I think, when it comes to giving women a leg-up in the business of writing fiction.Genghis Khan sacked and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-06-18 06:31:35 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #writing fiction #martha gill #barbara kingsolver #central asia #literary world #novelists


Carol Higgins Clark, Mystery Writer, Is Dead at 66

She had a modest career as an actress but was best known for following in the footsteps of her mother, the best-selling author Mary Higgins Clark. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-06-16 21:20:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mystery writer #best-selling author


Pastor blames 'power-hungry men' after U.S. Baptist group ousts churches with female leaders

Rev. Linda Barnes Popham says she’ll keep leading her Baptist church in Kentucky so long as her congregation stands behind her. Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2023-06-14 22:50:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this |