Author: Emily Martin

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Idris Elba Writing Children’s Book Collection Inspired by His Daughter: Today in Books

John Green’s Debut Essay Collection Cover Reveal

Best-selling YA author John Green is releasing his nonfiction debut on May 18th of this year, and now you can take a look at the cover, designed by Grace Han. Green’s essay collection The Anthropocene Reviewed will be personal essays that examine “different facets of the human-centered planet — from the QWERTY keyboard to Staphylococcus aureus — on a five-star scale.” Some of the essays will be adapted from Green’s podcast of the same name, and some will be original works.

Idris Elba Writing Children’s Book Collection Inspired by His Daughter

Actor Idris Elba has just announced that he will be moving into the literary world. He has just signed a multi-book deal with HarperCollins to publish a collection of children’s books. The book series will be written by Elba with the help of Robyn Charteris. Elba says he can’t wait “to bring stories inspired by my daughter to life.” You can expect to see these books hit shelves in 2022.

Benedict Cumberbatch Narrating Audiobook Version of Edward St. Aubyn’s DOUBLE BLIND

Benedict Cumberbatch will be narrating the audiobook version of Edward St. Aubyn’s latest novel Double Blind, which comes out on June 1st. This is not the first time Cumberbatch has worked with St. Aubyn. The actor also starred in the 2018 miniseries Patrick Melrose, based on the Patrick Melrose series by Edward St. Aubyn. On having Cumberbatch narrate his new novel, St. Aubyn said, “I was thrilled when Benedict Cumberbatch offered to record the audiobook of Double Blind. To have such a brilliant actor reading my new novel is an immense privilege. It also means a lot to me…to be collaborating again with someone who has become a great friend.”

Here are the Finalists for the 56th Annual Nebula Awards

Sci-fi and fantasy fans: the finalists for the 56th annual Nebula Awards have been announced and they are out of this world!

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Trans Superhero Dreamer Makes Comic Book Debut in DC PRIDE Anthology: Today in Books

Lambda Announces 2021 Finalists

The finalists for the 33rd Annual Lambda Literary Awards have been announced. The Lambdas, also known as the “Lammys” celebrate LGBTQ+ literature. Finalists and winners will be honored in a virtual award ceremony on Tuesday, June 1. The event is open to the public, with a suggested donation of $25. Proceeds will go towards supporting Lambda Literary’s educational programs.

Penguin Press Signs Yomi Sode

Penguin Press has signed a poetry debut by Yomi Ṣode that the publisher is calling “thrillingly original.” The poetry collection, entitled Manorism, is set for publication by Penguin Poetry in spring 2022. Ṣode’s poems explore the Nigerian-British diaspora experience and touch on issues of “family, survival, generational trauma and the complexities of belonging.”

Trans Superhero Dreamer Makes Comic Book Debut in DC PRIDE Anthology

Dreamer, television’s first trans superhero, will be making her comic book debut in the upcoming DC Pride Anthology. Nia Nal, known by the codename Dreamer, first appeared in season 4 of the the TV Show Supergirl, making history as the first trans superhero in a live-action adaptation. Now, Dreamer will make history again as one of nine stories to be featured in the 80-page DC Pride anthology. The anthology, which celebrates “a parade of LGBTQIA+ characters and creators” from across the DC Universe, will be released on June 8 to coincide with LGBTQIA+ Pride Month.

5 Poets of Color to Follow on Instagram in 2021

There are lots of poets posting engaging, uplifting content on the Instagram platform. Here are five poets of color you’ll want to follow on Instagram now.

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Toni Morrison’s SONG OF SOLOMON to be Adapted as a Limited Series: Today in Books

Breaking Bad Costars Aaron Paul and Krysten Ritter Reunite for New Audio Drama by James Patterson

Breaking Bad costars Aaron Paul and Krysten Ritter are reuniting for a new audio drama project. The actors will both star in Audible’s The Coldest Case, written by bestselling author James Patterson. Ritter and Paul will play siblings Patti and Billy Harney, both detectives who are investigating a Chicago drug ring. The Coldest Case also stars Nathalie Emmanuel, Beau Bridges, and Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and is available on Audible now.

Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon to be Adapted as a Limited Series

George C. Wolfe, director of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, is in talks to adapt Toni Morrison’s award-winning novel Song of Solomon as a limited series. Wolfe will direct and write the series, which will be going out to broadcasters and platforms soon. The project will be produced by American Gods producer Fremantle and Wolf Hall producer Playground Entertainment.

Game of Thrones Spinoff House of the Dragon Will Avoid Needless Graphic Violence Towards Women

Actress Olivia Cooke, who will star as Alicent Hightower in the upcoming Game of Thrones spinoff series House of the Dragon, has shared that the upcoming series will not include any needless graphic violence towards women. Many viewers have criticized Game of Thrones for its excessive scenes of graphic violence towards its female characters, like Sansa, Ros, and many others. Olivia Cooke wants to assure fans that won’t be the case with this new series. In an interview with The Telegraph, Olivia Cooke said, “I wouldn’t feel comfortable in being a part of anything that has just egregious graphic violence towards women for no reason whatsoever… I was lucky enough to read the [prequel] script before, and it has changed a lot from the first few seasons [of Game of Thrones].”

7 NYT Fiction and Nonfiction Bestsellers from 2011

A lot has changed in the past ten years. Here’s a look back at the fiction and nonfiction bestsellers from 2011.

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Toni Collette Makes Feature Directorial Debut with Adaptation of WRITERS AND LOVERS: Today in Books

Johnny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead Wins CBC’s Canada Reads Contest

Johnny Appleseed, written by Indigiqueer author Joshua Whitehead, has won CBC’s Canada Reads Contest. The Canada Reads Contest is a days-long literary debate in which each panelist campaigns for their favorite book to be named Canada’s must-read book of the year. Mohawk actor and filmmaker Devery Jacobs backed Whitehead’s debut novel, which follows a two-spirit Indigiqueer young man as he returns to his reservation to attend his stepfather’s funeral.

Toni Collette Makes Feature Directorial Debut with Adaptation of Writers and Lovers

Academy Award-nominated Actress Toni Collette will be making her feature directorial debut with an adaptation of Lily King’s novel Writers and Lovers. The film will be executive produced by Topic Studios, the producers behind Spotlight and The Mauritanian. Collette is also writing the screenplay alongside Nick Payne (The Crown).

DC Announces Black Label Horror Series The Nice House on the Lake

DC Comics has announced a new 12-issue Black Label horror series entitled The Nice House on the Lake. The comic book series will be written by James Tynion IV (Batman, Something is Killing the Children) and illustrated by Álvaro Martínez Bueno (Detective Comics, Justice League Dark). According to The Hollywood Reporter, the story will follow “a group of mostly 30-somethings invited to a sylvan lake house by a friend named Walter. Some have known him since childhood, some from college, some from a party a few months ago. He’s a little odd, but after a year that everyone has had… people are ready for an escape.” The first issue is set to be released in June of this year.

6 Brand New and Upcoming Jane Austen Retellings

Can we ever have too much Jane Austen in our lives? Here are 6 brand new and upcoming Jane Austen retellings you won’t want to miss.

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Deesha Philyaw Wins 2020 Story Prize: Today in Books

Natalie Portman and Lupita Nyong’o Will Star in Lady in the Lake Series

Natalie Portman and Lupita Nyong’o have been announced as the stars of a new limited series adaptation of Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman. The Apple TV+ series will be directed by Alma Har’el (Honey Boy). Har’el will also cowrite with Dre Ryan (The Man in the High Castle). The series is produced by Jean-Marc Vallée’s Crazyrose and Bad Wolf America.

Deesha Philyaw Wins 2020 Story Prize

Author Deesha Philyaw has won the 2020 Story Prize for her short story collection The Secret Lives of Church Ladies. Philyaw is the fourth debut author to win the prize, and this is the first time the Story Prize winner was published by a small or university press. The collection is also already in development as an HBO series, executive produced by Philyaw and Tessa Thompson.

Amy Tan Teaching MasterClass on Fiction, Memory, and Imagination

MasterClass announced today that author Amy Tan is teaching a class on Fiction, Memory, and Imagination for the streaming platform. Tan, bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club and many other novels, said about her class: “We’re going to look at memory. We’re going to look at imagination. We’re going to look at the nature of your voice and, most importantly, we’re going to find these things that will make you want to write for the rest of your life.” Amy Tan’s class is now available exclusively on MasterClass.

Congress Allocates Billions of Dollars to Libraries in COVID-19 Relief Package

On Wednesday, Congress passed the latest COVID-19 relief bill, which allocates billions of dollars to public, academic, and school libraries. President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law within the next few days.

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Princess Diana’s Biography Back on Bestsellers List After Meghan and Harry Interview: Today in Books

The Mandalorian Original Novel Will No Longer Be Published

We’ve got some bad news, Star Wars fans. Del Ray has announced that they will no longer be publishing The Mandalorian Original Novel. Originally, the novel was set to release on November 2, 2021. But yesterday, Del Ray tweeted, “Due to the ever-expanding world of The Mandalorian, we will no longer be publishing THE MANDALORIAN ORIGINAL NOVEL at this time, as the story continues to unfold on screen.” They went on to say that they do plan to continue to work with author Adam Christopher in the future on a different book.

Princess Diana’s Biography Back on Bestsellers List After Meghan and Harry Interview

Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is all anyone can talk about this week. And it’s translated into book sales. Following Prince Harry bringing up his late mother in the interview with Oprah, Princess Diana’s biography Diana: Her True Story, written by Andrew Morton, is back on Amazon’s top British books chart.

Daveed Diggs and Lena Waithe Lend Their Voices to Help Launch Scribd Audio Imprint

Reading subscription service Scribd has partnered with Tony and Grammy Award-winning actor, rapper, and producer Daveed Diggs, and Emmy Award-winning writer, creator, producer, and actor Lena Waithe to produce an audiobook version of Black Imagination by Natasha Marin. The audiobook is exclusively available on Scribd and it marks the launch of Scribd Audio, a new imprint that will produce audiobook versions of independently published books. Scribd Audio titles will be available to all Scribd subscribers at no additional cost.

2021 Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist Announced

Celebrating excellence in writing by women in English from across the world, the Women’s Prize for Fiction has announced its 2021 longlist.

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FX to Adapt Octavia E. Butler’s KINDRED: Today in Books

The Queen’s Gambit is Becoming a Stage Musical

The stage rights to Walter Tevis’ 1983 novel The Queen’s Gambit, which inspired the wildly popular Netflix series, have been acquired by the entertainment company Level Forward. The company most recently produced a musical based on the music by Alanis Morrissette and Slave Play by Jeremy O Harris. Now they have their sights set on adapting The Queen’s Gambit into a musical. Level Forward’s CEO, Adrienne Becker said, “It is a privilege for Level Forward to lead the charge of bringing The Queen’s Gambit to the stage through the beloved and enduring craft of musical theater.”

Octavia E. Butler’s Kindred to be Adapted Into a Television Series for FX

FX will be adapting Octavia Butler’s influential novel Kindred into a television series. Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, playwright and Watchmen consulting producer, will write the script for the pilot. “Since my first encounter with the novel nearly two decades ago, there have been few, if any, books and even fewer authors who have meant as much to me as Kindred and Octavia Butler,” said Jacobs-Jenkins. Jacobs-Jenkins will also executive produce the project along with Courtney Lee-Mitchell, who holds rights to the book, The Americans creators Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields, and Darren Aronofsky via Protozoa Pictures.

One Woman Wants to Give Away 1 Million Books to Her Community

A woman, nicknamed “Book Lady,” looks to give away 1 million books to people in her small town of Danville, VA. Since starting in 2017, she has given away more than 63,000 books, mostly to students. She hopes to show students and community members alike the possibilities that reading offers.

5 Unusually Structured Speculative Fiction Novels

Seeking the strange and unusual? Look to these structurally unconventional speculative fiction novels that diverge from the familiar.

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STRANGER THINGS Creators Look to Adapt Stephen King Novel: Today in Books

Final Novel in the Fifty Shades of Gray Spinoff Series Coming Soon

Craving one last peek into the mind of Christian Grey? E.L. James’ Freed: Fifty Shades Freed as Told by Christian finally has a release date. The final installment of the spinoff trilogy for James’ Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy will be out on June 1. This novel will focus on Christian and Ana’s married life.

Harlem Community Rallies Behind Beloved Book and Toy Store

Locals in Harlem have raised $46,000 to help a beloved book and toy store stay open following forced closure during the pandemic. The store, Grandma’s Place, is run by Dawn Harris-Martine, a retired second grade teacher known in the neighborhood as Grandma Dawn. When Grandma’s Place was finally able to reopen, Harris-Martine owed $17,000 in back rent and other expenses. In response, the Harlem community started a GoFundMe campaign for the store. “[The GoFundMe campaign] was so successful that I decided that with the proceeds of it after I took care of my bills that I would put a bookmobile on the streets of New York,” said Harris-Martine. She hopes to have the bookmobile by the summer.

The Creators of Stranger Things Look to Adapt a Stephen King Novel

If you’ve watched the Netflix series Stranger Things, you’ve probably noticed the creators of the series, the Duffer Brothers, are huge fans of the author. So it makes sense that the Duffer Brothers will be taking on a Stephen King adaptation for their next project. Specifically, they will be adapting The Talisman, an epic novel King co-wrote with Peter Straub. The project will be produced by Netflix in association with Spielberg’s Amblin Television and Paramount Television Studios. 

The Most Popular In-Demand Books in U.S. Libraries

Each quarter, Panorama Picks takes a deep dive into the data about ebook use at libraries across the U.S. These were the most popular in-demand books in U.S. libraries in the final quarter of 2020.

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Sarah Gailey’s THE ECHO WIFE to be Adapted Into a Film: Today in Books

Waubgeshig Rice and Jennifer David Host New Indigenous Lit Podcast

The first episode of Storykeepers, a new monthly podcast about Indigenous literature, released March 4 on Apple and Spotify. First Nations authors Waubgeshig Rice (Moon of the Crusted Snow) and Jennifer David (Original People, Original Television: The Launching of the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network) host the show, with funding from the Ontario Arts Council. Rice and David plan to keep each episode informal and unscripted, so each episode feels like being a part of an in-person book club. In the first episode, Rice and David discuss Daniel Heath Justice’s Why Indigenous Literatures Matters.

Sarah Gailey’s Novel The Echo Wife to be Adapted Into a Film by Annapurna

Annapurna has optioned the rights to adapt author Sarah Gailey’s most recent novel The Echo Wife into a feature film. In the sci-fi novel The Echo Wife, which was published in February of this year by Tor Books, Evelyn Caldwell is a brilliant scientist who discovers her ex-husband Nathan has stolen her clone development research to create Evelyn’s genetic replica. And he’s been living with her clone for months. Gailey will be an executive producer on the film project.

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters is Being Adapted for TV

Detransition, Baby, author Torrey Peters’ debut novel, which was published in January of this year, is already being adapted into a television series. The novel follows three women—transgender and cisgender—brought together by an unexpected pregnancy. Peters will executive produce and write the pilot episode of the series, which will be a half-hour dramadey. Joan Rater and Tony Phelan of Grey’s Anatomy will also join the show as executive producers and showrunners.

The Ever-Growing Challenges of Getting Books into Prisons

The pandemic is making it harder than ever for organizations to get books to the incarcerated — and this is just one new development in the history of a process that was already plagued by problems.

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Alyssa Cole and ONeill Jones Create SLEEPING BEAUTY-Inspired YA Graphic Novel: Today in Books

Vladimir Nabokov’s Superman Poem Published for the First Time

A lost poem written by Vladimir Nabokov has been published for the first time. The poem, entitled “The Man of To-Morrow’s Lament,” is told from the perspective of Superman as he laments all the ways he cannot have a normal relationship with Lois Lane. For instance, he has to wear glasses, because “otherwise, / when I caress her with my super-eyes, / her lungs and liver are too plainly seen / throbbing.” And he wonders if it would even be possible for them to have children. The poem is available in this week’s Times Literary Supplement.

Alyssa Cole and ONeill Jones Create Sleeping Beauty-Inspired YA Graphic Novel

Alyssa Cole, author of When No One is Watching and A Princess in Theory, announced on Twitter that she will be writing a graphic novel, illustrated by ONeill Jones. Cole and Jones signed a two-book deal with HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray. The graphic novel Reject Squad is a Sleeping Beauty-inspired YA fantasy romance story. Publication is set for 2024.

Sisters Start Publishing House to Launch Novel Featuring Black Muslim Teen

When Aisha Yusuf could not find a publisher for her novel about a Black Muslim teen, she and her three sisters decided to launch a publishing house of their own. The four sisters’ Abāyo House will publish Aisha’s first book, Race to the Finish Line. They hope Abāyo House will be a space to uplift Black Muslim women’s voices.

President Biden Backs Alabama Amazon Workers’ Attempts to Unionize

Alabama Amazon facility workers that are trying to unionize have received President Joe Biden’s support. In a video message, available on his Twitter account, Biden stated, “Unions place power in the hands of workers.”