Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—publishing reports, literary dispatches, academic announcements, and more—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today’s stories.
Lambda Literary will be expanding its LGBTQ Writers in Schools program thanks to renewed support from New York City Council, which will allocate $400,000 instead of $100,000 to the initiative. Founded in 2015, the program brings published queer and trans authors into New York City public schools and offers free inclusive teaching material to local teachers. “Young people flourish when they are given the opportunity to engage with queer books and writers, and we are excited for the opportunity to engage with more students in every borough,” said Sue Landers, the executive director of Lambda Literary.
“I was reading not in my actual voice, but in an approximation of my written voice, which was itself an approximation of my speaking voice. The more steps to the translation, the murkier the idea of authenticity became.” Lilly Dancyger describes narrating the audiobook for her debut memoir, Negative Space, as an act of translation. (Don’t Write Alone)
Beloved poet Kamilah Aisha Moon has died. On Twitter, Four Way Books, which published her second collection, Starshine & Clay, described her as “a phenomenally talented poet and luminous friend remembered by all for her kindness, love, brilliance, and light.” Her community has created an online memorial where family and friends are invited to share remembrances.
“No drug has ever got me as high as a good idea. You get that idea and, oh my gosh, you’ve got nothing else. You don’t need oxygen.” Chuck Palahniuk discusses the highs and lows of his life, and the lifeline of a good idea. (Believer)
ICM Partners is set to be acquired by Creative Artists Agency. Operating in many different creative industries, the two talent agencies each boast a roster of respected literary agents. (Publishers Weekly)
Oprah Winfrey has selected Bewilderment by Richard Powers as the next read for Oprah’s Book Club. “Richard Powers is one of our country’s greatest living writers,” said Winfrey. “He composes some of the most beautiful sentences I’ve ever read.”
The New York Times tours the country home of Otto Penzler, the owner of the Mysterious Bookshop in New York City. The Tudor-style building was over a decade in the making and includes a library inspired by Oxford University’s famed Bodleian Library.
The Millions highlights five new releases to look out for this week, including Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr and The Morning Star by Karl Ove Knausgaard, translated by Martin Aiken.
