'Women are better writers than men': novelist John Boyne sets the record straight

Male authors are always pronouncing their own brilliance – or boasting about not reading books by women. So, after a lifetime of writing and attending literary festivals, John Boyne would like to get something off his chest …Do you know what the literary tea towel is? It’s an Irish phenomenon that can be found hanging in half the pubs of Dublin and all the tourist shops. Also taking the form of a calendar, a beer mat, a T-shirt and a poster, the tea towel features images of 12 great Irish writers, most of whom look as if they’ve spent the morning drowning puppies.There’s George Bernard Shaw looking constipated, while Flann O’Brien stares into the distance. Oscar Wilde at least has a half-smile on his face, as if Bosie has just lifted his shirt to show off his abs. Only Brendan Behan seems truly happy, but then he is sitting in a pub.My claim will probably get me kicked out FUMA – the Fraternity of Underappreciated Male AuthorsMale writers obsess about establishing a reputation, while ignoring the importance of just writing something good Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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John Malone Explains Barnes & Noble Bid

John Malone, the chairman of Liberty Media, explained why his company made a buyout bid for Barnes & Noble valuing it at $1 billion. The decision came down to Liberty's bid for Sirius and his outlook for Nook, he said. “You might look at the experience we've had with Sirius XM,” Malone told... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2011-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #future success #amazons kindle #e-reader platform #third-party devices #existing properties #coming months


Forna wins Commonwealth Writers Prize

Publication Date: Mon, 23/05/2011 - 12:15 Aminatta Forna has won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize 2011 Best Book for her novel The Memory of Love (Bloomsbury). The judges described the novel as "a bold, deeply moving and accomplished novel which confirms her place among the most talented writers... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #commonwealth writers #love bloomsbury #deeply moving


Ed Victor sets up publishing imprint

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 10/05/2011 - 12:22 The Ed Victor Literary Agency, one of the most powerful agencies in London, has launched its own ebook and print on demand venture, focusing initially on putting back into circulation out of print books or those on which... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #print books #publishing imprint #focusing initially


Quadrille scores four on Guild of Food Writers shortlists

Publication Date: Mon, 09/05/2011 - 13:07 Quadrille has scored four nominations for this year's Guild of Food Writers awards. Titles from Stevie Parle, Josceline Dimbleby, Mark Hix and Mark Diacono were shortlisted, with the latter's A Taste of the Unexpected squaring up against two Jacqui... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mark hix #food book


Titchmarsh to launch novelist contest

Publication Date: Fri, 06/05/2011 - 15:43 HarperCollins has teamed up with ITV1's "The Alan Titchmarsh Show" to find "The People's Novelist". The competition to track down a new commercial fiction talent was launched today (6th May) on the afternoon show and will run through to the autumn.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Willie Anderson retires from John Smith

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Wed, 27/04/2011 - 15:46 John Smith & Son deputy chairman Willie Anderson has retired after 38 years' service. Anderson began his career at the academic bookseller as a bookshop sales assistant in 1973 and was the first staff member to be... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #john smith #academic bookseller #staff member #current owner


Penguin USA sets up home in BookCountry for slush-pile

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Wed, 27/04/2011 - 08:40 Penguin USA is to launch a community website for genre writers called Book Country (bookcountry.com). The site began a public beta test this week and describes itself as "a place where readers and writers of genre fiction... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #community website #genre fiction


More library closures set for summer

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 21/04/2011 - 08:10 A second wave of library closures will be announced following the May local elections and through into the summer, claim library experts. Just over 500 public libraries, including mobile library services, are currently... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #library closures


John Murray pics up Harkaway on digital

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Fri, 15/04/2011 - 11:33 Roland Philipps at John Murray has bought a book on digital written by the author Nick Harkaway, which argues that the new technologies will make us more human. Philipps bought British Commonwealth rights through Patrick Walsh... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #john murray #patrick walsh #conville walsh #cautious optimism


Time Inc. Veteran John Squires Lands at Digital Bookstore [MediaMemo]

Longtime Time Inc. executive John Squires, last seen running the magazine industry's version of Hulu, has a new gig: He's at Akademos, a Connecticut-based company that runs digital bookstores for small and mid-sized colleges. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2011-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #magazine industry


John Barton steps down from WHS

WH Smith’s non-executive board director John Barton has stood down after 12 years of service. He will be replaced by Jeff Harris, currently chairman of both Cookson Group plc and Filtrona plc, on 10th June 2011. W H Smith's chairman, Walker Boyd, said: "On behalf of the board, I would like to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #significant contribution #good wishes


Quercus acquires Hull-set crime novel

Publication Date: Wed, 06/04/2011 - 14:24 Quercus has won a "keenly contested" auction to a debut literary crime novel set in Hull and East Yorkshire. Editor Jon Riley acquired UK and Commonwealth rights excluding Canada to The Dark Winter from Oliver Munson at Blake Friedmann in a two-book... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #keenly contested #oliver munson #blake friedmann #true nature


Mulholland Books acquires debut by "Saw" writers

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 16/03/2011 - 09:04 Hodder thriller imprint Mulholland Books has acquired a fiction debut by "Saw" writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, and author, screenwriter and illustrator Stephen Romano. Editor Ruth Tross bought British... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fiction debut #european rights #nancy wiese


As Library E-Books Live Long, Publisher Sets Expiration Date

While librarians are pushing for access to more ebooks to satisfy demand, publishers are reconsidering how much that access should be worth. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #satisfy demand


Historical Writers Association launches

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Fri, 11/03/2011 - 15:47 Transworld/Bantam novelist Manda Scott has formed the Historical Writers’ Association as a forum for writers and to promote the genre. The internet-based group, which already boasts around 100 members including authors Simon... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #robyn young #tom holland #historical fiction #broo doherty #bill hamilton #david headley #goldsboro books


McClure to set up publishing company

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Wed, 09/03/2011 - 08:43 Picture book author and illustrator Gillian McClure is setting up publishing company Plaister Press rather than conform to the "hugely cautious" picture book market. McClure hopes the company will eventually expand to include... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #eventually expand #random house


Google c.e.o. title to John Murray

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Wed, 09/03/2011 - 08:39 John Murray has acquired a title by the c.e.o. of Google after a seven-publisher auction. M.d. Roland Phillips acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in a "major" deal to Empire of the Mind: The Dawn of the Techno-Political Age.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #seven-publisher auction #claire roberts #eric schmidt #jared cohen


Female authors heralded on International Women's Day

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Tue, 08/03/2011 - 08:40 Inspiring books by and about women are being hailed for International Women's Day, as J K Rowling and Germaine Greer are named among 17 authors on the Guardian's Top 100 Inspirational Women list. Female novelists are holding... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #international women #germaine greer #female novelists


Record attendance for IPG

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 08/03/2011 - 08:49 The Independent Publishers Guild Conference will be attended by 265 delegates this year, more than any other year previously, and marking an 18% rise in attendance on last year. The conference runs from tomorrow [9th... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #record attendance #dominic myers #sam husain #patrick neale #thursday afternoon


Hearst's John Loughlin Highlights Four Key Drivers for Magazines at DMA Circ Marketing Day

John P. Loughlin, EVP and GM of Hearst Magazines, kicked off DMA's Circulation Marketing Day at the Time Inc. Conference Center in New York City as keynote speaker. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hearst magazines #keynote speaker