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.
Yesterday, the Bookseller hosted a panel on accessibility in publishing as part of its Marketing & Publicity Conference. Panelist Cat Mitchell, an academic and former publisher, commented, “Always assume there will be disabled readers, disabled members in the audience, disabled employees, disabled authors. Because an ideal world would be one where people don’t have to ask for adjustments.”
All Seasons Press, a new publishing house that bills itself as a home for authors “rejected by politically correct publishers,” has already acquired books by two former members of the Trump administration, Mark Meadows and Peter Navarro. The company is helmed by editor in chief Kate Hartson, who was recently dismissed from her post at Hachette’s Center Street imprint, and publisher Louise Burke, who previously served as publisher of Simon & Schuster’s Threshold Editions imprint. (New York Times)
Six novels have been shortlisted for the 2021 Miles Franklin Award, which the Guardian describes as “Australia’s highest literary honor” and carries a purse of $60,000 AUD. The winning writer will be announced next month.
Nathan Harris’s debut novel, The Sweetness of Water, has been revealed as the next read for Oprah’s Book Club. “As I read this masterful novel I kept thinking—this young twenty-nine-year-old is a first-time author, so how did he do this?” says Winfrey. (Oprah Daily)
“I knew Lerner’s characters. I’d debated them in high school and college. It’s a scary thing to imbue a young boy with confidence he hasn’t yet had the time to earn.” Ginny Hogan finds lessons about the dangers of toxic masculinity in The Topeka School by Ben Lerner. (Electric Literature)
“My favorite short story collections are as multi-genred and vast as the library of my youth. They’re wild rides through time and space.” Brenda Peynado, the author of The Rock Eaters, recommends ten of her favorite story collections. (Millions)
“It’s a novel about a woman who was haunted by her past and felt completely alone and sad, and that’s pretty much how I was feeling for the past year and a half.” Alex Michaelides describes writing his second psychological thriller, The Maidens, during the pandemic. (Entertainment Weekly)
The New York Times recommends new and forthcoming titles, including The Natural Mother of the Child by Krys Malcolm Belc and Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie.
