Author: Emily Martin

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Simon & Schuster Announces Black Celebrity Imprint: Today in Books

Justina Ireland and Tessa Gratton Co-Writing YA Fantasy Duology Chaos & Flame

Ruta Rimas at Razorbill has acquired the rights to a new YA fantasy duology from Justina Ireland (Dread Nation) and Tessa Gratton (The Queens of Innis Lear). The books will follow two scions from two rival houses who get swept up in the dangerous game the prince regent is playing, and the only way they will be able to survive is by trusting each other. Publication is set for spring 2023.

Clifford the Big Red Dog Film Trailer Released

Check out the new trailer for Clifford the Big Red Dog. The children’s film, based on the Clifford series by Norman Bridwell, is coming to theaters September 17 of this year. If you watch the trailer, be sure to like and share. For every like and share the trailer receives, the film will donate $1 to Best Friends Animal Society, up to $20,000. Clifford the Big Red Dog is directed by Walt Becker and stars Darby Camp as Emily Elizabeth Howard, Jack Whitehall as Uncle Casey Howard, Izaac Wang as Emily Elizabeth’s neighbor Owen Yu, and David Alan Grier as the voice of Clifford.

Simon & Schuster Announces Black Celebrity Imprint

Today, Simon & Schuster’s Gallery Book Group announced the launch of 13A. 13A is a new imprint whose name is a reference to the Constitutional amendment that abolished slavery. The imprint is dedicated to “publishing renowned, relevant, Black voices in culture and politics.​” Charles M. Suitt is serving as publisher. For its first publication in July, the imprint will release a revised edition of Patti LaBelle’s cookbook LaBelle Cuisine. In 2022, the imprint plans to publish a collection of autobiographical essays by ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith; a cookbook from chef Aisha  “Pinky”  Cole, (aka the Slutty Vegan); and a memoir by former NBA star Allen Iverson.

15 Adult Fiction Books from BookFest That Go Straight to the TBR Pile

Another successful year of BookFest has come and gone, and our TBR lists are all a little bit longer because of it. Trying to wade your way through all the new books that were introduced at BookFest? Here’s a list of 15 amazing adult fiction books that you won’t want to miss!

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Amazon Renews GOOD OMENS for Season 2: Today in Books

New Exhibition and Walking Tour Highlights Oliver Twist’s London

The Charles Dickens Museum in London has opened a new exhibit that encourages visitors to follow in the footsteps of Charles Dickens and visit the sites that inspired his classic novel Oliver Twist. The exhibit will, according to curator Louisa Price, show how the beloved novel “was shaped by Dickens’s life and his world and the streets around him.” The accompanying walking tour will take visitors to famous places from the novel, including Saffron Hill, which was the home of Fagin’s den of thieves, and Clerkenwell Green, where Oliver is pursued by a mob. Also on the tour is the office of the notorious Mr. Laing, the man who inspired the horrible magistrate in Oliver Twist who presides over Oliver’s pick-pocketing trial. The exhibition and self-guided walking tour (with accompanying audio) opens this Wednesday, June 30th.

Amazon Renews Good Omens for Season 2

Amazon’s six-part fantasy epic series Good Omens, based on the 1990 novel written by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, has been renewed for a second season. Michael Sheen and David Tennant will be reprising their roles as angel Aziraphale and demon Crawley. Author Neil Gaiman is also returning to executive produce showrun alongside executive producer Douglas Mackinnon, who will also direct. Since the first season of the show covered a lot of the material in the novel, season 2 will explore storylines that go beyond the source material. John Finnemore and Neil Gaiman will be writing that new material for the show. Gaiman said, “There are so many questions people have asked about what happened next (and also, what happened before) to our favorite Angel and Demon. Here are the answers you’ve been hoping for.”

Navajo Students Write Book About Life in Monument Valley

The Navajo students at Tse’Bii’Nidzisgai Elementary School and Monument Valley High School have written a book filled with oral histories and drawings that capture what life is like in Monument Valley. For the book, entitled Hózhó, A Walk in Beauty, the students in Monument Valley interviewed their grandparents and other relatives about what life used to be like on the Navajo Nation. All proceeds from the book will go towards scholarships for students looking to attend college or other alternate forms of higher education.

The Best Books You’ve Never Heard Of (Summer 2021)

We’ve got your roundup of books you’ve never heard of (ones you won’t want to miss). Get ready to add them all to your summer 2021 TBR.

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DUNE Release Date is Delayed Once Again: Today in Books

Apple’s Foundation Gets A Release Date and New Trailer

AppleTV+ has announced that its upcoming adaption of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation will premiere on September 24, and they’ve released a new trailer for the series too. The show will star Chernobyl’s Jared Harris as Hari Seldon, a mathematician who can predict the future using the law of mass action and statistical mechanics. He foresees the collapse of the galactic empire, and so he gathers a following of those determined to preserve humanity’s “legacy.” Foundation also stars Lee Pace as Brother Day, Leah Harvey as Salvor, Laura Birn as Demerzel, Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk, and Cassian Bilton as Brother Dawn.

HarperVoyager Has Purchased Janelle Monáe’s Debut Fiction Collection

HarperVoyager has purchased American singer-songwriter and actor Janelle Monáe’s debut collection of Afrofuturistic short stories. The short stories are an expansion of Monáe’s third album Dirty Computer, and to write the stories the singer was joined by “an array of collaborating storytellers.” Monáe said, “As a reader and writer of science fiction since childhood, it is a dream to have the opportunity to expand ‘Dirty Computer’ into a literary project. Writers, specifically Black, queer and genderqueer, are at the forefront of pushing the creative boundaries of sci-fi and speculative storytelling. I’m honored to be collaborating with a new generation of creators as we expand this tale, that began with an album and emotion picture, into a larger world of new and familiar characters.”

Dune Release Date Pushed Back Yet Again

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, a film based on the 1965 Frank Herbert sci-fi classic of the same name, was originally slated to release in 2020. But due to the pandemic, its release date was pushed back to October 1, 2021. Now, Dune‘s release date has been pushed back yet again, this time to October 22, 2021. Dune is one of the many Warner Bros. titles that’s scheduled to premiere on HBO Max and in theaters on the same date. It’s the first of two movies planned for the book. This first film will cover the first half of the novel, and the second as-of-yet unnamed film will cover the second half. HBO Max also plans to release a prequel series.

Take Our Pandemic Reading Habits Survey

The pandemic isn’t over just yet, but as we get closer to some version of “normal,” now seems like a good time to reflect on how our habits have changed in the past year. We’re interested in how your reading lives have (or haven’t) changed since the pandemic. So take our reading habits survey, and we’ll be back in a week with the results!

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INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE TV Show Comes to AMC in 2022: Today in Books

Interview with the Vampire TV Show Comes to AMC in 2022

After years of development, the television adaptation of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire is finally debuting on AMC and AMC+ in 2022. Rolin Jones (Perry Mason) will serve as showrunner for this adaptation, and Mark Johnson (Breaking Bad) will executive produce. Anne Rice and her son Christopher Rice will also act as executive producers on the project. With this show, AMC hopes to expand upon Vampire Chronicles universe, similar to what the network accomplished with The Walking Dead.

Robert Downey Jr. and Greg Berlanti Team Up for HBO Max’s For Your Own Good

Robert Downey Jr. and Greg Berlanti are teaming up to produce and HBO Max drama, adapting Samantha Downing’s forthcoming novel For Your Own Good. The author will also serve as a consulting producer on the drama, which is a dark academia thriller set within the halls of New England’s prestigious Belmont Academy. A search is currently underway for a writer to adapt the novel.

Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards Winners Announced

The Horn Book Magazine announced in a news release the winners of the 2021 Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards, which are given annually to outstanding achievement in children’s literature. Jordan Scott and Sydney Smith won the picture book award for I Talk Like a River, a story about a young boy who struggles with a stutter. Rita Williams-Garcia won the fiction and poetry award for her novel A Sitting in St. James, which follows a 19th-century Louisiana family and the enslaved people who serve them. Finally, Paula Yoo won the nonfiction award for From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial That Galvanized the Asian American Movement. The book looks back at the 1982 slaying of a Chinese American man in Michigan. The Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards were established in 1967. Previous winners include Elizabeth Acevedo for The Poet X, Angie Thomas for The Hate U Give, and Rebecca Stead for When You Reach Me.

Pairing Books with Bo Burnham’s Inside

Comedian and musician Bo Burnham released a new comedy special, Inside, on Netflix on May 30, and everyone is talking about it. If you’ve been listening to the soundtrack from Bo Burnham’s Inside on repeat, try these books paired with your favorite songs! 

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Paramount Options Richard Wright Novel THE MAN WHO LIVED UNDERGROUND: Today in Books

Paramount Options Rediscovered Richard Wright Novel The Man Who Lived Underground

Acclaimed author Richard Wright’s rediscovered novel The Man Who Lived Underground has been optioned by Paramount in a seven figure deal. The novel’s manuscript was discovered by Wright’s daughter Julia Wright. When Wright originally wrote the novel, publishers were reluctant to publish a story about a Black man who was arrested and beaten into a confession for a crime he didn’t commit. They thought it was “too dark, too gritty.” Now, the story is being prepped for a screen adaptation. Producers Kenya Barris (Black-ish) and Khalabo Ink Society, along with Hyde Park Entertainment, and Ashok Armitraj, are attached to work on the project. 

Mufreesboro Teen Wins LGBTQ Literature Contest for Letter to Herself

Murfreesboro teenager Zee Taylor is the winner of a national LGBTQ literature contest from the Hope In A Box / Born This Way Foundation. Her entry? An encouraging letter to her younger self about growing up as a queer kid. The contest received entries from over 70 students around the country from grades K-12. They included essays and videos about how LGBTQ literature has affected them. Sixteen-year-old Taylor wrote about The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Symptoms of Being Human, and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. “If only I could tell you what Cameron Post will teach you in a few years, when bad things happen, it does not mean the end,” Taylor writes to herself in her letter. Her prize for winning the contest is $500 cash, and her essay is featured on ChannelKindness.org.

Anne Hathaway to Star in Adaptation of Robinne Lee Novel The Idea of You

Anne Hathaway is set to star in Amazon Studios and Welle Entertainment’s upcoming adaptation of Robinne Lee’s popular romance novel The Idea of You. Jennifer Westfeldt (Friends with Kids) will write the screenplay, with Cathy Schulman and Gabrielle Union producing. Lee’s 2017 novel is the story of Sophie, who will be played by Hathaway. Sophie is a 40-year-old divorced mother who is recovering from her husband leaving her for a younger woman. After he cancels his Coachella trip with their 15-year-old daughter, Sophie agrees to take her instead. There, she meets the charismatic lead singer of the most popular boy band in the world. She instantly finds that she has a connection with this younger man, and they embark on a romance that changes Sophie’s life. The role of the lead singer has not yet been cast.

The Winners of the 2021 Indigenous Voices Awards Have Been Announced!

The winners of the 2021 Indigenous Voices Awards have been announced! Here are the winners, including fiction, graphic novels, poetry, and more.

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Film Adaptation of HAMNET in the Works: Today in Books

LeVar Burton Wants to Help You Become a Better Storyteller

MasterClass has announced that LeVar Burton will be teaching a class on the power of storytelling. “I’ve dedicated my life to the power of storytelling,” Burton says. “Whether I’m acting, directing, writing or podcasting, I believe sharing stories is what I was born to do because storytelling is what brings us all together.” LeVar Burton’s MasterClass will teach students how to engage with their creative side and empower them to tell their stories. The class will focus on many different storytelling outlets, from podcasting to acting and more. “Stories are the universal language of humanity,” says Burton. “Every one of us has a personal story to share, and in my class, I want to help members find those stories from within and have the courage to share them with the world.” The class is available exclusively on MasterClass. Subscribers get access to this and all other classes on the platform.

Victoria Schwab’s New YA Novel is Crimson Peak Meets The Secret Garden

Novelist Victoria Schwab is releasing her latest YA novel Gallant in March 2022, and Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive look at the upcoming book, which is being described as a cross between Crimson Peak and The Secret Garden. The story follows Olivia Prior, a young woman who has grown up in the Merilance School for Girls. Her only connection to her past is her mother’s journal, in which her mother seems to be slowly descending into madness. Then Olivia receives a letter inviting her home to Gallant, a crumbling manor with plenty of its own secrets.

Film Adaptation of Hamnet is in the Works

Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell’s critically acclaimed novel about William Shakespeare’s wife Anne Hathaway and the loss of their 11-year-old son, is getting a big screen adaptation. Liza Marshall, Sam Mendes, and Pippa Harris will serve as producers on the project, with Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, and Neal Street Productions. Chiara Atik, who co-wrote the film adaptation of Jess Walter’s novel Beautiful Ruins, will pen the screenplay.

30 Must-Read Queer Fairytale Retellings for Pride

We’re still in the middle of Pride Month, and there are lots of queer fairytale retellings you can read to celebrate! Here are 30 must-read queer fairytale retellings, featuring princesses falling for princesses, nonbinary royals, and more.

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WEST SIDE STORY’s Rachel Zegler to Star in Disney’s SNOW WHITE Remake: Today in Books

West Side Story‘s Rachel Zegler to Star in Disney’s Snow White Remake

Rachel Zegler, who is making her feature film debut in 2021’s West Side Story, has been cast as Snow White in Disney’s upcoming remake of the fairy tale. After the casting was announced on Tuesday, Zegler tweeted, “I HAVE MANIFESTED MY ENTIRE LIFE I THINK I THINK.” Disney’s Snow White remake will be directed by Mark Webb (500 Days of Summer/The Amazing Spider-Man). Of the upcoming film’s star Rachel Zegler, Webb said, “Rachel’s extraordinary vocal abilities are just the beginning of her gifts. Her strength, intelligence and optimism will become an integral part of rediscovering the joy in this classic Disney fairytale.” Production is set to begin on the new film sometime in 2022.

Netflix Adapting Maureen Goo’s Somewhere Only We Know

Maureen Goo’s Somewhere Only We Know, a young adult romantic comedy set in the world of K-pop, is getting a feature film adaptation on Netflix. Lana Cho (Four Weddings and a Funeral) has signed on to adapt the story, which follows a K-pop star and a tabloid photographer as they explore the streets of Hong Kong together, finding adventure and, of course, romance. Author Maureen Goo tweeted the news on Tuesday: “THE NEWS IS OUT! Somewhere Only We Know is going to @netflix! With script by the wonderful @LanaJeany & produced by Escape Artists! Been holding onto this for so long—I wanna dance in the streets! So thrilled for you all to meet Lucky & Jack on screen.”

NPR’s Summer Reader Poll Returns

It’s been 10 years since NPR conducted their 2011 reader poll, asking listeners to chime in about their favorite sci-fi and fantasy books. With everything that has changed in the past ten years, NPR has decided it’s time to update their list of books, and so they’re reintroducing the reader poll for 2021 readers. But this poll will look a little different: “We’re doing things a little bit differently this year since we already know you guys love The Lord of the Rings. Instead of a grand survey of all of time and space, we’re zeroing in on titles from the past 10 years — that is, anything that has come out since the 2011 poll. And since we’re only looking at the past decade, our panel of expert judges will take your nominations and use them to curate a final list of 50 titles.” So here’s where you get involved. Submit your five favorite post-2011 sci-fi or fantasy series/books. If you think a book is going to get a lot of nominations but you love it, definitely go ahead and nominate it anyway. NPR’s expert panelists will be paying attention to what’s popular, among many other things. Wondering who these expert panelists are? You can check them out here.

5 Feel-Good Books of 2021 That Will Brighten Your Summer

If you’re entering into summer in the middle of a reading slump, a new feel-good read might be just the thing to get yourself out of it. Here are 5 feel-good books to help you kick off summer 2021.

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Netflix Drops Teaser Trailer for THE CHESTNUT MAN: Today in Books

Get A First Look At John Cho’s Debut Middle Grade Novel Troublemaker

Actor John Cho’s debut middle grade novel Troublemaker is currently available for preorder and will release in March 2022. But right now, you can get an exclusive first peek at the book’s cover and first chapter at Entertainment Weekly. Troublemaker follows the riots that broke out in Los Angeles, following the acquittal of four policemen who brutally beat Black motorist Rodney King on April 29, 1992, from the perspective of 12-year-old Korean American Jordan Park.

Comedians Colin Mochrie and Deb McGrath Hosting Rainbow Camp Book Reading Fundraiser

Canadian comedians Colin Mochrie (Whose Line Is it Anyway?) and Deb McGrath (Little Mosque on the Prairie/The Ron James Show) are hosting a book reading fundraiser to benefit Rainbow Camp. Rainbow Camp is a summer camp that creates a welcoming, safe space for 2SLGBTQ+ youth ages 12-17. Because Rainbow Camp strives to be an open space for all, over 70 percent of the campers are subsidized based on financial need. The fundraiser will stream on Rainbow Camp’s YouTube channel. To book a spot for Rainbow Camp’s 2021 virtual camp experience, to donate, or for more information on the upcoming book reading, visit http://WelcomeFriend.ca.

Netflix Drops Teaser Trailer for The Chestnut Man

On Monday, Netflix dropped the teaser trailer for The Chestnut Man, a new series based on Søren Sveistrup’s novel of the same name. The grim, moody Scandinavian crime thriller tells the story of a murderer who leaves chestnut-carved stick figures at the scenes of all of his crimes. Netflix will release The Chestnut Man in the fall, but the exact date of the series’ release is currently unknown.

Decolonizing Your Bookshelf: the What, the Why, and the How

Looking to decolonize your bookshelf? We’ve got your guide, including what that means and why you should do it.

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Will Smith to Release Memoir: Today in Books

Actor Will Smith to Release Memoir This November

Two-time Academy Award-nominated actor Will Smith is releasing his first memoir on November 9, 2021. In a video announcement on Instagram, Smith revealed that his upcoming memoir will be entitled Will, and it will be published by Penguin Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. The actor said in his video, “I’ve been working on it for the past two years and it is finally ready.” He also revealed the book’s cover, which was designed by New Orleans-based visual artist Brandan “BMike” Odums. Smith will also be narrating the audiobook version of his memoir.

Katie Couric Announces In-Person Tour for Her Memoir Going There

Since 2020, promotional events for books have remained mostly virtual, but for the promotion of her upcoming memoir Going There, journalist Katie Couric is planning a book tour that would be more of a return to the pre-pandemic world. Today, Little, Brown and Company and Live Nation announced that Katie Couric would be going on an 11-city tour, starting two days after the release of her memoir on October 28 at Boston’s Orpheum Theatre. Couric said in a statement, “Given the challenging period we’ve been through, I’m so excited to be out in the world, creating a sense of community and a place where we can all get together for meaningful conversations, and have some fun, too.”

Nicholas Braun and Emilia Jones Starring in Adaptation of Hit New Yorker Story “Cat Person”

“Cat Person,” the hit New Yorker short story by Kristen Roupenian, is getting a film adaptation. The psychological thriller will star Nicholas Braun (Succession) and Emilia Jones (Locke & Key) and will be directed by Susanna Fogel. The 2017 short story was the year’s most downloaded fiction published in The New Yorker and one of the most widely read pieces overall that year. “Using Kristen’s excruciatingly well-observed short story about the horrors of dating as the jumping off point for an actual genre film, Cat Person will explore the hellscape of modern romance and the idea that we have all been the villain in someone else’s story, and the victim in others,” said director Susanna Fogel, who has previously directed films such as Booksmart and The Spy Who Dumped Me. Cat Person will be produced by Imperative Entertainment’s Jeremy Steckler, in association with 30WEST.

What Batman Doesn’t Do

Recently, Twitter blew up when the news broke that there was sexy business between Batman and Catwoman that was removed because, according to DC, “heroes don’t do that.”

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New MS. MARVEL Author Samira Ahmed Discusses Her Plans for Kamala Khan: Today in Books

New Ms. Marvel Author Samira Ahmed Discusses Her Plans for Kamala Khan

New Ms. Marvel author Samira Ahmed is the first female South Asian writer to tackle the Muslim superhero comic book character Kamala Khan. In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly, the author discussed her plans for the character. Ahmed says that Ms. Marvel “looms large in my familial culture.” In fact, in her group chat with her South Asian cousins, they often use the acronym WWMMD: What would Ms. Marvel do? Ms. Marvel will be Ahmed’s first comic, and it should be hitting stands in September.

Indigenous Producer Stories First to Adapt Joshua Whitehead’s Debut Novel Jonny Appleseed

Indigenous producer Stories First has optioned Joshua Whitehead’s bestselling debut novel Jonny Appleseed for a screen adaptation. Whitehead’s novel is the coming-of-age story of two-spirit person named Jonny. Leena Minifie, CEO and producer at Stories First Productions, said in a statement, “This story has already resonated with people across the country and is one we are honored to bring to an even wider audience. As an Indigenous owned and operated production company we aim to honor the reimagining of Jonny.”

World Literature Today Announces Finalists for 2022 Neustadt International Prize for Literature

The University of Oklahoma’s World Literature Today has announced the finalists for the 2022 Nuestadt International Prize for Literature. The prize includes a $50,000 cash reward and has a history as a lead-up to the Nobel Prize in Literature. You can check out the full list of nominees here. Ten Neustadt jurors, all creative writers, will choose the winner at the 2021 Neustadt Lit Fest, which is scheduled for Oct. 25–27.

15 of the Best Cozy Mysteries for the Second Half of 2021

The first half of 2021 brought us plenty of twisty page-turning cozy mysteries. But the year isn’t over! Here are the best upcoming cozy mysteries being released during the second half of this year.