Peacock Releases Vampire Academy Trailer
Peacock has unveiled their first trailer for Vampire Academy, the upcoming young adult fantasy series based on the novels by Richelle Mead. The series comes from Julie Plec and Marguerite MacIntyre, who both serve as showrunner, writer, and executive producer. It stars Sisi Stringer, Daniela Nieves, Kieron Moore, Andre Dae Kim, J. August Richards, Anita-Joy Uwajeh, Mia Mckenna-Bruce, Rhian Blundell, Jonetta Kaiser, and Andrew Liner. The season will be composed of ten episodes, and Peacock is premiering the first episode of the series on September 15.
Writers Gather in New York to Read Salman Rushdie’s Work in Solidarity
This Friday, crowds gathered near the steps of the New York Public Library in midtown Manhattan as writers read works by the novelist Salman Rushdie. In response to the attempted assassination of Rushdie, PEN America, the library, and Rushdie’s publisher Penguin Random House organized the event “Stand With Salman; Defend the Freedom to Write” to stand in solidarity with the author. Rushdie was preparing to deliver a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution last Friday when he was attacked on stage and stabbed multiple times.
In her opening remarks at the event, PEN America chief executive Suzanne Nossel said, “When a would-be murderer plunged a knife into Salman Rushdie’s neck, he pierced more than just the flesh of a renowned writer… He shattered our comfort, forcing us to contemplate the frailty of our own freedom. Today, we gather to stand with Salman, our stalwart leader and comrade who is enduring agony wrought by a 33-year-old vendetta, a death warrant that refuses to die, a declaration of a never-ending war on words. We stand with Salman in an effort to boost his spirits but also in a determination to stiffen our spines.”
A Tweet of Gratitude Gave Harriett’s Bookshop a Boost in Support and Sales
Harriett’s Bookshop tweeted their gratitude to their loyal customers and were rewarded with a boost in sales and supporters. After enduring several weeks of slow business Harriett’s Bookshop owner Jeannine E. Cook tweeted, “We’ve only had a few customers the last few weeks. Thankful to those who are helping keep us afloat.” The tweet was met with hundreds of retweets and thousands of dollars in orders. “This one tweet has made such an impact,” Cook said. “I’m still placing orders. I’m still getting phone calls, and people are still retweeting. And our message was also shared by people on Instagram… This is a great example of what we can do outside the normal confines of what people consider activism. It’s not a march, but that doesn’t make it any less important.” If you want to support Harriet’s Bookshop, you can visit their store in Philadelphia, visit their sister store Ida’s Bookshop in Collingswood, NJ, or shop online.
Defending the Right to Read: This Week’s Censorship News
This week’s book censorship news from across the U.S., as well as a new toolkit for fighting back against book bans.