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 ]
Goodreads has announced its list of the top 36 most popular historical fiction books of 2022 (so far), according to users' interest. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-07-11 14:45:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this
When it comes to writing historical fiction, one author finds that it’s the very human details that resonate with the reader. Continue reading at The Conversation
[ The Conversation | 2022-07-01 15:38:42 UTC ]
More news stories like this
A new historical fiction series for young readers highlights “the importance of standing up for what you know is right.” Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2022-07-01 04:20:49 UTC ]
More news stories like this
In its fourth and final year, IPA’s Africa Publishing Innovation Fund will support publishers in accessibility. By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson ‘Opening the Literary World to Everyone’ ur readers will recall that at mid-June, we had the announcement of the Africa... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-06-29 10:33:25 UTC ]
More news stories like this
These queer short story collections span a wide range of genres form contemporary and historical fiction to sci-fi and fabulism. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-06-28 10:33:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
New and upcoming books by Rhys Bowen, Kate Forsyth and others imagine the heroic efforts of everyday people during World War II Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-06-20 14:33:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Amazon Prime built its popularity by offering subscribers faster free shipping, access to streaming movies and TV shows, and exclusive deals (most noticeably during the company’s annual Prime Day dealfest). But Prime membership includes other perks, too: Everything from free ebook offerings to... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2022-06-19 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Do you want a historical fiction book club but you don't know where to start? Read inside for some tips and ideas. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-06-08 10:33:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
In the memoir “James Patterson by James Patterson,” the best-selling author opens up — kind of — about how he came to be such a force in the literary world. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-06-06 11:00:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this
These novels remind us that people have made horrible mistakes since the beginning of time. (They also contain love, joy and triumph!) Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2022-05-27 20:30:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this
No disrespect meant to the downers of the literary world, but sometimes you just want a book that makes you smile. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-05-26 13:30:15 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Twist and shout: Get ready to treat yourself and mix it up with these 20 must-read genre-blending historical fiction books, including Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin! Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-05-12 10:40:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
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... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2022-05-03 13:03:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this
“The historian will tell you what happened. The novelist will tell you what it felt like.” I’ve always found these words by E.L. Doctorow a compelling argument for the unique power of fiction to enliven the past. Yet when thinking about the lives of people of color in America, you can’t count on... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-04-29 08:49:53 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The Hugo Award is the biggest science fiction award in the literary world, and it has just announced its 2022 finalists. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-04-07 16:12:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Last month, our reviewers fell for emotional memoirs, deeply researched historical fiction and a new Maisie Dobbs installment. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-04-02 10:00:12 UTC ]
More news stories like this
New hero alert: Wong May, the winner of this year’s $165,000 Windham-Campbell Prize in poetry, who expressed surprise at the award given than she has consciously eschewed the literary world in favor of the work itself. On the Windham-Campbell website, Wong May has one of the all-time great... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-03-29 19:56:25 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Share a little bit about historical eras you wish you were part of and get your next historical fiction read. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-03-15 10:38:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Last December, the literary world mourned the loss of essayist Eve Babitz—joyful, sharp observer of Los Angeles. Now, The Huntington Library in San, Marino has announced it has acquired Babitz’s archive, meaning researchers will be able to browse drafts of Babitz’s books and articles, original... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-03-11 18:11:06 UTC ]
More news stories like this
At the risk of seeming obnoxiously obsessed with ourselves, writers and readers do tend to love books about writers and readers—especially when those fictional writers and readers behave badly. (It’s no wonder, really, why the Bad Art Friend discourse hit a nerve; so many people were frantic... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2022-03-11 12:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this