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:
French publishing house Les Presses Universitaires de France opened Europe’s first print-on-demand-only bookshop in Paris last week. The historic publisher had closed its original location in 1999, and though the new location is much smaller, three million titles are available for print-on-demand. The Espresso Book Machine in the store prints and binds books in just a few minutes. (Associated Press)
From fast printing to fast reading: In June, best-selling author James Patterson will launch his latest literacy initiative, BookShots, which aims to bring books to people who don’t normally read. The new publishing venture will be comprised of a series of “short and propulsive novels that cost less than five dollars and can be read in a single sitting.” Each book will be under a hundred fifty pages, and Patterson plans to release two to four books per month. (New York Times)
Today is World Poetry Day, UNESCO’s official observance of the importance of poetry’s “unique ability to capture the creative spirit of the human mind.” The International Business Times provides ideas for how to celebrate.
And since World Poetry Day falls during Women’s History Month, here is a list of fourteen contemporary women poets to read today, including Morgan Parker, Tracy K. Smith, and Jenny Zhang. (Huffington Post)
Catherine Lowell’s extensive research on the Brontë sisters for her debut novel, The Madwoman Upstairs (Touchstone), led her to realize just how much the novelists can still teach us about how to live today. (Daily Beast)
At the Guardian, Scottish poet and street artist Robert Montgomery discusses his public poetry installations and the motivation behind his work. “I feel an almost moral obligation to propagate hope.”
During a performance in New York City on Friday, iconic musician Prince announced he will publish a memoir, tentatively titled The Beautiful Ones, in Fall 2017. Random House will publish the book, and writer and Paris Review web editor Dan Piepenbring will assist the musician with the writing. (New York Times)
