Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today's stories:
The world’s bestselling author James Patterson isn’t the only one helping independent bookstores this holiday season. Jeffrey Stayton, whose debut novel, This Side of the River comes out in February, awarded grants of $250 to six independent bookstores through his “Cheer for the Bookstores” competition. (Shelf-Awareness)
Speaking of literary giving, GalleyCat lists five charities that promote literacy for those who are unlikely to have access to books.
“As I dive into the opening pages, the first question I’m asking is, what are the qualities or values that matter most to this author, or at least in this novel?” Author Tim Parks explicates his active reading process at the New York Review of Books.
“This radical disjunction between things, this art of objects and the spaces between them, is key to the New York School Aesthetic.” At the Guardian, Olivia Laing reviews Jenni Quilter’s new book about the New York School, a group of mid-twentieth century painters and poets who collaborated with each other in New York City.
Books by Claudia Rankine, Fred Moten, and Peter Gizzi are among the Philadelphia Review’s fourteen best poetry picks of 2014.
Publisher Macmillan has reached a multiyear sales agreement with Amazon for both print and e-books. The deal will go into effect on January 5, and follows Amazon’s recent agreements with publishers Simon & Schuster and Hachette. (Publishers Weekly)
At Electric Literature, Jason Diamond pronounces 2014 the “Year of the Essay,” and discusses several notable personal essay collections from Roxane Gay, Charles D’Ambrosio, Megan Daum, and others.
Who would you choose as the world’s greatest storyteller? This infographic details responses collected from five hundred authors, editors, students, and marketing professionals. (Raconteur)
