Author: Emily Martin

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THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS by Stephen Graham Jones Wins Ray Bradbury Prize: Today in Books

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Sequel Announces Directing Team

A new directing team for the upcoming sequel to the Oscar-winning film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has been announced. Sony Pictures has tapped Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson, and current Oscar nominee Kemp Powers to direct the sequel. In a joint statement, the directing team said, “The crew behind the ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ set such a ridiculously high bar, and we’re humbled to take on the challenge of charting the next chapter in the story of Miles Morales.”

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones Wins Ray Bradbury Prize

In a virtual ceremony on April 16th, the L.A. Times announced the winner of the second Ray Bradbury Prize for Science Fiction, Fantasy & Speculative Fiction: Stephen Graham Jones’ The Only Good Indians. The Ray Bradbury Prize was added to the L.A. Times book prizes in 2019, and was first awarded in 2020 to Marlon James’ Black Leopard, Red Wolf. In a brief video for the L.A. Times, Stephen Graham Jones discusses his novel and how it transformed from a short novella written in “fake second person” into a full novel.

Book Community Launches Dear Publishers Campaign

In response to Simon & Schuster’s planned distribution of a book by one of Breonna Taylor’s murderers, Bookstagrammers Jess (@literaryintersections) and Mel (@bookrecsbymel) have launched a campaign called Dear Publishers, dedicated to fighting racism, white supremacy, and oppression in the literary world. At the beginning of the week, they announced a call to action on their website: Sign the Dear Publishers petition demanding change and the Simon & Schuster employee petition in solidarity with the S&S workforce; amplify Dear Publishers on your own feed by following them and sharing their posts on Instagram and Twitter; and reach out to let them know how you can help. Every week, the Dear Publishers team will be updating their website to reflect the weekly actions the book community can take to support the fight for equity in the publishing industry.

The Many Origins of Sherlock Holmes

Who is Sherlock Holmes? This is a question with many answers, and no one is quite sure what the right one is. Here are some of the most common theories around the origins of Sherlock Holmes.

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Marvel Unveils New X-MEN Team Lineup: Today in Books

Author N.K. Jemisin Offers Sci-Fi/Fantasy MasterClass Online

MasterClass has announced that three-time Hugo Award-winning author N.K. Jemisin will share her expertise on Sci-Fi/Fantasy writing in an online class for the platform. This course promises to teach you “how to create a world from scratch, develop compelling characters, and get published.” The class is now available exclusively on MasterClass, where monthly subscribers have unlimited access to all 100+ instructors.

Marvel Unveils New X-Men Team Lineup

In last year’s Marvel crossover story X of Swords, Cyclops and Jean Grey declared that they would be founding a new team of X-Men, and now the full lineup has officially been unveiled. One slot of the new lineup was filled based on the results of a public poll voted on by X-Men fans. Fans chose Magneto’s daughter Polaris to join the team. The team will debut at the Hellfire Gala in June’s Planet-Sized X-Men #1, written by Gerry Duggan and illustrated by Pepe Larraz.

Graeme Armstrong’s The Young Team Gets TV Adaptation By Synchronicity Films

Synchronicity Films has optioned the rights to Graeme Armstrong’s acclaimed 2020 debut novel The Young Team. Set in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, The Young Team follows the story of teenage boys who get caught up in a life of gangs, alcohol, and drugs. Synchronicity plans to adapt the novel into a television drama with Adrian McDowall (The Last Czars) on board to direct.

The Book Scenes That Live in Our Heads Rent-Free

There are some books you forget about, and then there are some that you replay over and over in your head. Here are some of the book scenes that live in our heads rent-free.

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Simon & Schuster Will Not Distribute the Book by Officer Who Shot Breonna Taylor: Today in Books

Simon & Schuster Will Not Distribute the Book by Officer Who Shot Breonna Taylor

Simon & Schuster was hit with widespread criticism after it was announced that Post Hill Press, a small independent press that specializes in conservative and Christian titles, would be releasing a book written by an officer who shot Breonna Taylor. Post Hill books are distributed by Simon & Schuster. But late Thursday night, Simon & Schuster released a statement saying they will not be distributing the book. “Like much of the American public, earlier today Simon & Schuster learned of plans by distribution client Post Hill Press to publish a book by Jonathan Mattingly,” the publisher said. “We have subsequently decided not be involved in the distribution of this book.”

New Outlander Book Finally Has a Release Date — and a Cover Reveal!

The new Outlander book finally has a release date. Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone, the ninth novel in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, will be out on November 23rd. You can check out more information about the novel and an exclusive cover reveal on Entertainment Weekly’s website. In a statement, the author said,  “So looking forward to sharing this book with you all!”

Amazon’s Lord of the Rings Will Cost $465 Million for Just the First Season

Amazon’s new Lord of the Rings series will cost a record-breaking NZ$650 million just for the first season of the show. That’s $465 million in U.S. dollars. Stuart Nash, New Zealand Minister for Economic Development and Tourism, said, “This is fantastic, it really is … this will be the largest television series ever made.” The series is currently in production and is planned for a debut later this year.

20 Great Works of Philosophical Fiction

Philosophical fiction encourages readers to ponder big questions. Here are some of the best philosophical fiction titles to provoke thought and debate.

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Watch the New Trailer for THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD: Today in Books

Senator Elizabeth Warren Discussing Her Upcoming Book Persist at Wisconsin Book Festival

This week, the Wisconsin Book Festival announced several big names for its upcoming May events, and one of the biggest names is U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren. Senator Warren will appear virtually on May 6 at 7pm to discuss her book Persist. The book is due out from Macmillan imprint Henry Holt & Co. on May 4. To attend the event, you must register on Crowdcast in advance. The first 600 people who sign in to the event will receive a free copy of Persist. For more information about upcoming events, check out www.wisconsinbookfestival.org.

Watch the New Trailer for The Underground Railroad

The first full trailer for the Amazon Original adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s novel The Underground Railroad has finally been released. Critically-acclaimed director Barry Jenkins (If Beale Street Could Talk; Moonlight) will serve as the showrunner for the 10-episode limited series. Additionally, he will executive produce along with Brad Pitt and Colson Whitehead. The series will premiere on May 14th.

Agatha Christie’s Wallingford Home for Sale

Mystery author Agatha Christie’s home, Winterbrook House in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, is up for sale with a guide price of more than £2.75m. Dame Christie moved to her Wallingford home in in 1934, wrote some of her most beloved novels there, and remained in that home until her death in 1976. The five-bedroom house faces on to the River Thames and has a small cottage attached, and the current residents describe it as “wonderful family home.”

An Ode to Stories that Make Us Cry

Why do we keep picking up books that make us cry? Here’s a toast to all the books that have us crying happy tears.

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Natalie Portman to Star in HBO Movie Based on Elena Ferrante Novel: Today in Books

Nnedi Okorafor’s Noor Cover Reveal

Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor has a new book coming out in November, and the novel’s cover was revealed earlier this week. Okorafor’s new novel Noor is set in Nigeria and tells the story of Anwuli Okwudili (aka AO), who is a cybernetically enhanced woman.Noor is out November 9, but you can preorder it now.

Natalie Portman to Star in HBO Movie Based on Elena Ferrante Novel

Oscar winner Natalie Portman will play the lead role in the HBO movie adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s novel The Days of Abandonment. The film is currently in preproduction, with Maggie Betts (Novitiate) adapting the novel and directing. The story follows Tess (Portman) who abandons her own dreams in favor of a stable home life and is later abandoned by her husband, causing Tess to question her identity and her life choices.

1993 Thriller The Crush Gets a YA Novel Sequel

Remember the 1993 erotic thriller The Crush, starring Cary Elwes and Alicia Silverstone? Well, The Morgan Creek production company is working on a sequel. But not as a film or a TV show. They’re working with William Morrow and Three Arts Entertainment on a young adult novel.

Meet the Winners of the 36th Annual Whiting Awards

Last night, The Whiting Foundation announced the winners of its 36th annual awards. Prizes are awarded in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama, with an emphasis on work that crosses genre boundaries. 

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BRIDGERTON Renewed for Seasons 3 and 4: Today in Books

Jason Reynolds Serving as Inaugural Honorary Chair of Banned Books Week

New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds will serve as the inaugural Honorary Chair of the 2021 Banned Books Week. Since 1982, Banned Books Week has worked to bring awareness to book censorship, and this year Reynolds will be presiding over the event’s festivities, which will focus on the theme “Books unite us, censorship divides us.” Two of Reynold’s own works (Stamped and All American Boys) are on the American Librarian Association’s list of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books in 2020. The author says he’ll use his own experiences during his work as Honorary Chair to “make sure all books have a space on the shelves and the opportunities to live in the psyches of our children.” Banned Books Week will take place September 26 to October 2.

Netflix Renews Bridgerton for Seasons 3 and 4

Season 2 of Netflix’s hit show Bridgerton is currently in production, but fans of the show can already rest assured the show will be coming back once again. Netflix has just renewed Bridgerton for seasons 3 and 4. The series, based on the best-selling Bridgerton novels by Julia Quinn, is executive produced by Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, and Chris Van Dusen. Netflix promises that the creative team has “some exciting plans for the future, and we think audiences will continue to swoon for this show. We’re planning to be in the Bridgerton business for a long time to come.”

Free Mini-Libraries in NYC Only Carry Books by BIPOC Authors

Amplify Library is installing free mini-library boxes across New York City to help share books written by BIPOC authors. Currently, there are four set up across the city, in Chinatown, Sunnyside, Jackson Heights, and Bushwick. Virginia Polik and Jessica Nelson, the founders of this organization, have partnered with neighborhood organizations to help curate and maintain each box. Anyone can donate a book to the library either by placing it directly into a box or sending it to the initiative by mail. More details about the project can be found on their website.

Being Vaccinated Does Not Mean (Bookish Edition)

You’ve probably seen the “Being Vaccinated Does Not Mean” meme spreading across Twitter. Here is a collection of some of the best bookish versions of the meme.

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Journalist & Author Phumlani Pikoli Dies at 33: Today in Books

Journalist & Author Phumlani Pikoli Dies at 33

Phumlani Pikoli, multimedia journalist at Eyewitness News and author of books such as Born Freeloaders, was found dead in his apartment in Johannesburg. Pikoli was the son of anti-apartheid struggle veterans Vusi and Girlie Pikoli. Pikoli’s parents traveled to Johannesburg to check on him when they couldn’t reach him via his cellphone, and they were the ones who discovered his body lying on his bed. The cause of death is as of yet unknown, but an investigation is underway. A memorial service for Phumlani Pikoli will be held today, Wednesday, April 13, and he will be laid to rest on Friday.

Fence at Budapest Children’s Hospital Turned into an Art Installation of Favorite Books

In Budapest, the Bethesda Children’s Hospital by City Park has transformed its fencing into a row of children’s favorite books. This art installation was a collaboration between Móra Publishing and an artistic team of volunteers lead by artist Bertalan Zsili Babos. Zsili is famous for his design of Budapest’s famous ruin bars.

Becky Albertalli’s The Upside of Unrequited to be Adapted for Film

The UK Production company Shakespeare Sisters has acquired the rights to Becky Albertalli’s novel The Upside of Unrequited. The film adaptation will be written by Hillary Shakespeare and Anna-Elizabeth Shakespeare, who are best know for their 2020 teen romance movie Soundtrack to Sixteen. Albertalli—whose debut novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda was adapted as the 20th Century Fox movie Love, Simon and inspired the Hulu spin-off series Love, Victor—will executive produce the new film.

5 Great Poems About Clothing

For National Poetry month, let’s take a look at some great poems that focus on clothing, what it can mean and what it is worth.

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NPR’s Resident Poet Kwame Alexander Creates Crowdsourced Poem Against Anti-Asian Hate: Today in Books

NPR’s Resident Poet Kwame Alexander Creates Crowdsourced Poem Against Anti-Asian Hate

Last month, NPR’s Morning Edition collected poems in response to the increased violence and discrimination against Asian-Americans. Over 500 listeners shared their poems, and now, NPR’s resident poet Kwame Alexander has taken lines from the submissions to create a community poem, “Today, I Am A Witness To Change.” All contributors are credited at the end of the poem.

8-Year-Old Boy With Stutter Reads Book for Viral Video & Gets Surprise

On March 25, Bethany Pagel shared a video of her 8-year-old son Jordan discussing one of his favorite books, A New Day by Brad Meltzer. Pagel wrote in a separate tweet that she hoped the author would see the video: “Jordan has a special message for you! *Please be patient, he has a stutter*.” What happened next would be an exciting surprise for the young boy. Not only did author Brad Meltzer see Jordan’s video, but he also did a video chat with Jordan on NBC’s Nightly News. It was there that Meltzer announced he had another surprise for Jordan. Working with illustrator Christopher Eliopolous, Meltzer had a sketch of Jordan made in the same style as his books. Meltzer said he was inspired by Jordan’s video and was glad it had resonated with others as well. The author said, “People are amazing. We are fearful and brave and cowards and incredible and you see someone like Jordan and kindness will always win.”

Mysuru Library Torched, Donors Raise Money to Restore It

After daily wage earner Syed Issaq’s public library in Mysuru was burned down, donors have raised over Rs 7 lakh to restore it. Issaq had set up the library in Rajiv Nagar Second Stage near Ammar Masjid in the city. Residents of the area were given free access to the library’s 11,000 books. Using the crowdfunding platform Ketto, donors are aiming to raise Rs 10 lakh in 46 days. Issaq told The New Indian Express, “I was deprived of education and I want to ensure that others should not face my plight. I want people to learn, read and speak Kannada and will rebuild it again.”

These Were the 10 Most Challenged Books in 2020

What we talk about when we talk about the American Library Association’s challenged books. Take a look at the most challenged books in 2020.

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Watch Trailer for LOCKE & KEY/SANDMAN Crossover Comic: Today in Books

The 21st annual Young Lions Fiction Award Finalists Have Been Announced

The New York Public Library has announced the 2021 Young Lions Fiction Awards Finalists. Founded in 2001 by Ethan Hawke, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, Rick Moody, and Hannah McFarland, the Young Lions Fiction Award celebrates the works of talented young authors. The finalists this year are Little Gods by Meng Jin, Pew by Catherine Lacey, Temporary by Hilary Leichter, Real Life by Brandon Taylor, and How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zheng. Have thoughts on who you’d like to see win? Join the conversation on social media using #NYPLYoungLions.

Watch Trailer for Locke & Key/Sandman Crossover Comic

The comic book crossover of many comic lovers’ dreams, Locke & Key/Sandman: Hell and Gone, is launching later this month. But you can watch a trailer for the Locke & Key/Sandman Crossover Comic right now. The comic book series is written and illustrated by Locke & Key creative team Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez, with the blessing of Neil Gaiman, co-creator of The Sandman.

Brooklyn Public Library Launches “Whispering Libraries”

Brooklyn Public Library has launched “Whispering Libraries” throughout Brooklyn. The program, which can be found near all 10 branches of BPL, is a curated listening experience that is meant to reflect the spirit of the neighborhoods that each branch serves—Bay Ridge, Brownsville, Bushwick, Clarendon, Flatbush, Kensington, Kings Highway, New Utrecht, Park Slope, and Sheepshead Bay. Additionally, the program will include a special program at BPL’s Center for Brooklyn History. The project launched on April 1st and will continue into the summer months. Find out more information about the project here.

Dead Women Poets Are Not Your Punchline

Sylvia Plath and other women poets like her have become a sort of cultural joke, symbolizing angsty teen girls who take themselves too seriously. It’s time to face our biases and reclaim these poets’ complicated literary legacies.

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Stacey Lee’s THE DOWNSTAIRS GIRL Developed As Series: Today in Books

Camilla Duchess of Cornwall Launches Second Season of Instagram Book Club

Camilla has always loved reading, and earlier this year she launched her Instagram book club to share her enjoyment of books with others during lockdown. Now, she’s announced a second season of her Instagram book club, which includes the following books: The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman, Girl by Edna O’Brien, A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, and The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain. Season 2 begins Friday, April 16th, and you can follow along over at Instagram at The Reading Room.

Stacey Lee’s The Downstairs Girl Developed As Series

Bound Entertainment is collaborating with author Stacey Lee to develop her novel The Downstairs Girl into a series. Lee will serve as an executive producer on the project alongside Ha and Jamie Lai. In a statement, Lee said, “The Downstairs Girl was a treat to write, and I’m honored to collaborate with Bound Entertainment to bring it off the page and onto the screen!”

Loyalty Books Announces Virtual Reading & Fundraiser in Support of AAPI Community

Save the date! On Saturday, April 17, Loyalty Books is hosting a virtual reading and fundraiser in support of the AAPI community. While they’re still finalizing their full lineup, they have announced that readers will include Nicole Chung (All You Can Ever Know), Preeti Chhibber (Marvel Avengers Assembly), Cinelle Barnes (Monsoon Mansion), Cat Chow (Seeing Ghosts), and R.O. Kwan (The Incendiaries). All ticket funds will go to Advancing Justice | AAJC. Profits from book sales linked to the event will go to Red Canary Song and Stop Asian Hate. The event will be held virtually via Crowdcast, and you can sign up here.

2021 PEN America Literary Award Winners Announced

The winners of the 2021 PEN America Literary Awards were announced on Thursday. Check out all the winners, get all the details about the awards, and/or watch the full online ceremony here!