Ursula K Le Guin's speech at National Book Awards: 'Books aren't just commodities'

In a passionate speech, writer takes aim at publishers who put profit before artUrsula Le Guin cries freedom as she is honoured for contribution to literatureTo the givers of this beautiful reward, my thanks, from the heart. My family, my agents, my editors, know that my being here is their doing as well as my own, and that the beautiful reward is theirs as much as mine. And I rejoice in accepting it for, and sharing it with, all the writers who’ve been excluded from literature for so long – my fellow authors of fantasy and science fiction, writers of the imagination, who for 50 years have watched the beautiful rewards go to the so-called realists. Hard times are coming, when we’ll be wanting the voices of writers who can see alternatives to how we live now, can see through our fear-stricken society and its obsessive technologies to other ways of being, and even imagine real grounds for hope. We’ll need writers who can remember freedom – poets, visionaries – realists of a larger reality. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #fellow authors #science fiction #hard times

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Iran threatens boycott of FBF over Rushdie speech

Iran has threatened to boycott 2015's Frankfurt Book Fair taking place next week (14th-18th October), due to organisers’ selection of Salman Rushdie as a keynote speaker. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #salman rushdie #keynote speaker


What's Selling at Loganberry Books

Located in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, Loganberry Books offers a diverse selection of books, spanning new, used, and collectible volumes. Bookseller Lorraine Angus talked about a crop of titles, recently published and backlist, selling well this fall. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #shaker heights #diverse selection #recently published


Watkins buys Cygnus Book Club

Watkins Media has purchased Cygnus Book Club, adding it to the company’s portfolio which includes publishing imprints. Watkins, which bought Watkins, Nourish, Angry Robot from Osprey last year and which will soon launch an imprint called Repeater books, also owns the Watkins Bookshop in Cecil... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Quvenzhane Wallis has a deal to write Children's books

An Oscar nominee at age 9, Quvenzhane Wallis is now getting an early start on a writing career. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2015-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #write children #early start #writing career


Microsoft's insane Surface Book price means it will be left on the shelf

At today's event in New York, Microsoft put on an impressive show. We were -- ironically -- expecting some surprises, and the announcement of the Surface Book meant we weren't disappointed; this is, after all, "the ultimate laptop". The looks are striking. The specs are impressive. The price tag... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2015-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #revealed today #price tag #starting price #ultimate laptop


World Digital Media Awards Winners Inspire Emotion, Awe

The awards were presented tonight at the start of the annual get-together after the first day of the World Publishing Expo in Hamburg.   Here is a look at the full list of this year's winners and what made their entries special and succ ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #full list


Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover, Judge it By Its Blurbs

The book blurb is one of the longest-running conventions in publishing and is largely a favor passed among writers and friends. But do they sell books? The post Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover, Judge it By Its Blurbs appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Saudi blogger Raif Badawi awarded PEN Pinter Prize with James Fenton

Saudi blogger and activist Raif Badawi will share the 2015 PEN Pinter Prize with British poet, journalist and literary critic James Fenton.  Badawi was named the 2015 International Writer of Courage, selected by Fenton from a shortlist of international cases of concern supported by English PEN,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Unravelling the Turkish Book Market for Foreigners

The Turkish book market offers great opportunities for foreign publishers. Özkan Özdem shares need-to-know information for working with Turkish publishers. The post Unravelling the Turkish Book Market for Foreigners appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #foreign publishers #turkish publishers


Ziccardi Joins Post Hill Books as Publisher

After two years as publisher at Humanix Books, Anthony Ziccardi is taking over as publisher of Post Hill Press and its pop culture imprint Permuted Press. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Buy Books for Syria campaign a 'great success'

Waterstones has said its 'Buy Books For Syria' campaign has already been a “great success” after first few days. While the company could not yet give sales figures for how many titles customers had been bought under the appeal, Sandra Taylor, head of PR and events at Waterstones, said it... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Logan wins Polari First Book Prize

Glasgow-based author Kirsty Logan has won the Polari First Book Prize 2015 for her short story collection, The Rental Heart and Other Fairytales (Salt Publishing). Now in its fifth year, the Polari First Book Prize celebrates the best debut books exploring the LGBT experience, whether through... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Perseus Taps FedEx for Rapid Book Replishment

Beginning October 19, Perseus anticipates that outlets will receive shipments within an average of two days once books are sent from Perseus’s Jackson, Tenn. distribution center. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Heyday Books Founder to Retire

Malcolm Margolin, founder of Berkeley-based Heyday Books, will step down on December 31 after 41 years. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Did Ben Bernanke really want to put bankers in jail? His book says no.

In an interview published in connection with Monday's release of his memoirs, former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke casts his vote--retrospectively--for the prosecution of bankers and executives responsible for the recent financial meltdown. Although this wasn't within the Fed's... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Indonesia’s Road to the Frankfurt Book Fair

John McGlynn of the Lontar Foundation discusses the decade-long journey Indonesia took to becoming the 2015 Guest of Honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The post Indonesia’s Road to the Frankfurt Book Fair appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Let's talk about books

Books, books, books. The whole world is talking about books. Twitter, Facebook and even Instagram and Pinterest – my entire life is filled with people talking about books, the joy of reading and showcasing pictures of their latest purchases or publications. I socialise with publishing people and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #love books #people talking #entire life #publishing people #tote bag


Candy Crush books to be published by Sphere

Little, Brown’s Sphere division will this autumn release two books based on the popular mobile game Candy Crush. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Martian Proves Movies Are Now Better Than Their Books

The self-publishing boom means writers with great stories are connecting with directors who are masterful storytellers--and everyone wins. The post The Martian Proves Movies Are Now Better Than Their Books appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HarperCollins signs three-book deal with Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo has signed a three book deal with HarperCollins and the first new title will be published later this month. Eagle in the Snow, released 8th October (h/b, £12.99), was inspired by the true story of Henry Tandey, the most decorated British soldier of the First World War and the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #michael morpurgo #book deal #true story #world war #marketing campaign