Poems of Hope for the New Year, Barack Obama’s 2018 Favorites, and More
Books by women and nonbinary writers of color to read in 2019; classic works enter the public domain; the evolving art of audiobooks; and other news.
Genre: Not Genre-Specific
A Profile of Celeste Ng, the Dark Truth Behind Dickens’s Love of Christmas, and More
House passes bill to continue federal funding for libraries; a deep dive into the “Future Book”; Alexander Chee’s diet diary; and other news.
Jeanette Winterson’s Holiday Recommendations
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“This is a great one to give—it’s the sort of thing you can keep in the loo at Christmas when you’ve eaten too much food.” Jeanette Winterson reveals some of her favorite books for the holiday season, including The Trouble With Women (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2016) by cartoonist Jacky Fleming, Tara Westover’s Educated: A Memoir (Random House, 2018), and her own collection of winter tales and festive recipes, Christmas Days: 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 Days (Grove Press, 2016).
Patterson’s Bookseller Bonuses, #ArmMeWithBooks Campaign, and More
Laura Miller on Alice Walker; GrubStreet to open new cultural center in Boston; audiobooks for your holiday drive; and other news.
Kiese Laymon on Truth in Art, Pamela Paul on Alice Walker Controversy, and More
Donadio & Olson literary agency file for bankruptcy; Lydia Kiesling’s struggle with My Struggle; a critic laments his “ghost list;” and other news.
Poetry as Radical Hope, Storytelling as Resistance, and More
Chelsea Clinton’s new children’s book; Alice Walker under fire; Beastie Boys Book takes audiobooks to the next level; and other news.
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year, a Profile of Sigrid Nunez, and More
A year of reorganization at the Big Five publishers; a deep-dive into Walden, A Game; Pamela Paul on the best books of the year; and other news.
Weekend Contest Deadlines
Planning to submit your work this weekend? The writing contests listed below all share a deadline of December 15, and offer opportunities for poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers looking to submit a single work or a full-length book.
Center for Book Arts Letterpress Poetry Chapbook Competition: A prize of $500 and letterpress publication by the Center for Book Arts is given annually for a poetry chapbook. The winner will also receive an additional $500 to give a reading with the contest judge at the Center for Book Arts in New York City in Fall 2019, and a weeklong residency at the Winter Shakers Program at the Millay Colony for the Arts in Austerlitz, New York. Edwin Torres will judge. Entry fee: $30.
LitMag’s Virginia Woolf Award for Short Fiction: A prize of $3,500 and publication in LitMag is given annually for a short story. A second-place prize of $1,000 will also be given. The winners will have their work reviewed by Sobel Weber Associates literary agency. The editors will judge. Entry fee: $20.
Public Poetry’s Poetry Contest: A prize of $1,000, publication in an e-book anthology, and an invitation to give a reading in Houston, Texas, is given annually for a poem on a theme. This year’s theme is “Enough.” Entry fee: $15; $20 for three poems.
Santa Fe Writers Project James Alan McPherson Award: A prize of $1,000 and publication by 2040 Books, an imprint of the Santa Fe Writers Project, is given annually for a book of fiction or creative nonfiction by a writer of color. Gish Jen will judge. Entry fee: $25.
Willow Books Literature Awards: Two prizes of $1,000 each and publication by Willow Books are given annually for a poetry collection and a book of fiction or creative nonfiction by writers of color. Entry fee: $25 for poetry; $30 for fiction or nonfiction.
Visit the contest websites for complete submission details, including eligibility guidelines and poem length requirements. For a look at more writing contests with upcoming deadlines, visit our Grants & Awards database and submission calendar.
Alice Walker on Reading and Writing, Tommy Orange Wins First Novel Prize, and More
Hanif Abdurraqib profiles Natasha Trethewey; Nation Books changes its name; NEH announces $14.8 million in grants; and other news.
PEN America Awards Longlists, Literary Writers Go Late-Night, and More
Michelle Obama adds more dates to book tour; Michael Wolff among highest-paid authors of 2018; a plea to buy more books in Brazil; and other news.
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