Author: Emily Martin

Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga to Star in Macbeth on Broadway

Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga are starring in an upcoming production of the Shakespearian tragedy Macbeth on Broadway. Craig is returning to Broadway for the first time since 2013’s Betrayal to play the titular role. Negga is making her Broadway debut as Lady Macbeth. The new production is directed by Sam Gold and is scheduled to begin performances on March 29, 2022, ahead of opening night on April 28 at Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre. Gold has staged several Shakesperian plays, including Hamlet, starring Oscar Isaac, and Othello, also starring Craig. A press release announcing the show promises “this thrilling new production will capture the passion and ferocity of Shakespeare’s most haunting text like never before.” Tickets will go on sale on October 8th.

Kindred Pilot Based on Octavia Butler Novel Announces Cast

FX has announced the cast for its upcoming pilot, adapting of Octavia E. Butler’s influential novel Kindred. FX had previously announced that newcomer Mallori Johnson would be starring in the show. Now, joining her are Micah Stock, Ryan Kwanten, Gayle Rankin, Austin Smith, Antoinette Crowe-Legacy and David Alexander Kaplan. Character descriptions are still under wraps as of right now. Kindred is a project from writer Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Watchmen), Courtney Lee-Mitchell (The Reluctant Fundamentalist), Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures (Black Swan, The Wrestler), Joe Weisberg (The Americans), and Joel Fields (Fosse/Verdon). 

Semicolon Bookstore Reopens This Saturday in New Wicker Park Storefront

Semicolon Bookstore, the popular Black-woman-owned bookshop, is reopening its door this Saturday at 1714 W. Division Street in Chicago. The new storefront is a space that’s four times larger than its previous space in River West. Owner Danielle Mullen says the new space “means we have four times the books, and it just feels good, it feels free, it feels open, and that’s what we’re going for. It also feels very homey. You walk in and you just want to sit down, and that’s also what we’re going for.” The new space also includes a children’s room, art gallery, and coffee shop. Semicolon Bookstore will be open Tuesday through Sunday every week. Exact hours are still to be determined.

20 Easy Bookish Halloween Costumes for Kids and Adults

Halloween is on the horizon, at long last! If you’re still scrambling to think of a costume, here are 20 easy bookish Halloween costumes for kids and adults.

Margaret Atwood and JM Coetzee Call for the Release of Jailed Iranian Authors

A letter by PEN America signed by dozens of authors and artists—including Margaret Atwood, Orhan Pamuk, Jonathan Franzen, Joyce Carol Oates, Khaled Hosseini, and JM Coetzee—is calling for the release of jailed Iranian authors. In 2015, Baktash Abtin, Keyvan Bajan, and Reza Khandan Mahabadi were arrested under charges of colluding against national security and propaganda. They stood trial in 2019 and were sentenced to prison. The letter asks for Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi to release the authors, acquit them of all charges “in the legal case wrongfully brought against them,” and “cease official retribution against all writers exercising their right to express themselves freely.” The three imprisoned authors will be receiving the PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write award this October.

Netflix is Adapting Jordan Ifueko’s Raybearer as a Series

A series adaptation of Jordan Ifueko’s Raybearer is in development with Netflix. The series will be penned by Gina Atwater, who was the head writer of Westworld. This marks the first project in a multi-year deal Atwater has signed with Netflix. “It’s an absolute privilege to join the Netflix family! I’m grateful I get to collaborate with a company that shares my passion for pursuing bold and innovative stories that give underrepresented characters a place to shine in the prestige space,” Atwater said in a statement. The series will be produced by Sugar23 (Dickinson, The OA) & Macro (Fences, Sorry to Bother You).

Clarissa Goenawan’s Rainbirds to be Adapted as a Feature Film

Earlier today, Clarissa Goenawan tweeted: “PEOPLE. I still can’t believe I would EVER get to announce this.” Goenawan’s novel Rainbirds is going to be adapted as feature film. The adaptation will be filmed in Japan and directed by Anshul Chauhan. Goenawan added, “I can’t even say, ‘This is a dream come true,’ because it’s BEYOND my wildest dream! I’m so excited, thankful, and honoured.”

Book Riot Will Match Your Donations to Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas

From Friday, October 1 until Sunday night, October 3, Book Riot will be matching donations to Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, up to $2,500 USD. You can get all of the information about how to participate here.

Marvel Sues to Retain Control of Avengers Characters

Marvel has filed a series of lawsuits in an attempt to retain full control of Avengers characters, including Spider-Man and Iron Man. The suits follow a notice of copyright termination was filed by the estate of the late comic book artist Steve Ditko. Ditko created Spider-Man and Dr. Strange with the late Stan Lee, and now Ditko’s estate wants to terminate the grant of copyright to Marvel by June 2023. Marvel has responded with a series of lawsuits the claim the creations are “work made-for-hire.”

Tor Books Has Acquired Olivie Blake’s The Atlas Six

Tor Books has acquired Olivie Blake’s The Atlas Six, along with two additional books in a planned trilogy. This fantasy novel about magicians vying to join a secret society was self-published in 2020, and it quickly became a top seller at online book retailers. Author Olivie Blake said, “I am beyond excited to be working with Molly McGhee and Tor to bring this trilogy and its dynamic cast of characters to both new and existing readers.” A newly revised and edited version of The Atlas Six with new illustrations will be available in ebook and hardcover formats on March 1, 2022.

This Year’s MacArthur Fellows Have Been Announced

This Year’s MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipients have been announced. This year’s recipients include essayist, poet, and music critic Hanif Abdurraqib (A Little Devil in America, They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us) and American critic and cultural historian Ibram X. Kendi (Stamped from the Beginning, How to be Antiracist). Each MacArthur fellow receives $625,000. “As we emerge from the shadows of the past two years, this class of 25 Fellows helps us reimagine what’s possible,” MacArthur Fellows managing director Cecilia Conrad said in a statement. “They demonstrate that creativity has no boundaries.”

10 Books Millennial Kids Read That Could Never Get Published Today

If you grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, you’ve lived through some questionable childhood experiences. Here are ten books you probably read as a kid that could never get published today.

James Patterson and Scholastic Book Clubs Launch The United States of Readers

Bestselling author James Patterson, in partnership with Scholastic Book Clubs, is launching The United States of Readers. The program is a fully-funded version of Scholastic Book Clubs that’s designed to reach children in Title 1 schools. Five times a year, teachers will receive age-appropriate flyers to hand out in their classrooms. The students then choose their books, and the teacher submits a class order. Then the books arrive at school for the children to keep and take home with them. The program hopes to serve five million students by the year 2026. Look for applications at the beginning of 2022 so you can nominate your Title 1 school.

Netflix Releases Footage from Upcoming Sandman Adaptation

As part of their #TUDUM event, Netflix has released a scene from the upcoming adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman. The series has no release date yet, but we do know Sandman will be executive produced by Neil Gaiman, Allan Heinberg, and David S. Goyer, and it stars Tom Sturridge as Morpheus. While you wait for the release date to be announced, you can check out the cast here.

Here’s a Sneak Peek at Ayana Gray’s Highly Anticipated Novel Beasts of Prey

Ayana Gray’s highly anticipated YA novel Beasts of Prey will be available everywhere tomorrow, Tuesday, September 28th. But today you can get a sneak peek at a chapter from the book at Entertainment Weekly. Gray’s debut novel is the first in a planned trilogy in which two Black teenagers journey into a mythical jungle to fight against a monster that threatens their home. Gray was inspired to write the novel after visiting Ghana, and her story mixes in Pan-African lore with her own fantasy world.

8 Stunning Debut Novels to Read This Fall

Summer reading season might be wrapping up, but your reading doesn’t have to slow down as we roll into fall! Here are 8 stunning debut novels that will keep you reading through the fall months.

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Game of Thrones Prequel House of the Dragon Adds to Its Cast

House of the Dragon, the HBO fantasy drama prequel to Game of Thrones, has announced seven more of its cast members. Among the announced cast is the previously-rumored Graham McTavish (Outlander and The Hobbit) as Ser Harrold Westerling. British actor Jefferson Hall (Vikings) will be playing identical Lannister twins Jason and Tyland. Other announced cast members are: David Horovitch (Miss Marple) as Grand Maester Mellos; Matthew Needham (Chernobyl) as Larys Strong; Bill Paterson (Fleabag) as Lord Lyman Beesbury; and Gavin Spokes (Hamilton) as Lord Lyonel Strong. The series is still slated for a 2022 release.

Chris Colfer Reveals A Character in His New Book is Openly Gay

Glee alum Chris Colfer wants everyone to know that the third installment of his bestselling A Tale of Magic series will include an openly gay character. Colfer told Entertainment Weekly, “When I first started writing, many people told me that I was making a mistake because the world wasn’t ready to let their kids read a book by an openly gay man, so I really shied away from including any openly LGBT characters in my first set of books because I thought I was already fighting an uphill battle as it was… So, I dropped hints along the way. I would describe their interests and their looks and their preferences, hoping that readers would pick up on it — and a lot of them did — but this is the first time I’ve been able to explore their orientation and be very open and honest about it.” You can read an excerpt of Colfer’s new novel on Entertainment Weekly‘s website. A Tale of Sorcery publishes on September 28th and will be followed by a virtual book tour.

Meghan Markle Reads Book to Harlem Schoolchildren

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry continued their visit to New York City on Friday with a trip to Mahalia Jackson School in Harlem to promote early literacy. Meghan Markle read to the Harlem schoolchildren from her book The Bench, and Harry sat with the kids as Meghan read to them. Markle told the kids, “I wrote this when we just had our little boy, and I haven’t read it to any other kids but you!” The children made handmade gifts for the couple, and Meghan and Harry also donated two garden boxes of vegetables and herbs to support the school’s ongoing community efforts for fresh food.

US Senate Finance Committee Presses Publishers on Library Ebook Contracts

The US Senate Finance Committee is pressing the Big Five publishers for transparency on ebook licensing. Here’s everything you need to know.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor Has New Picture Book Out in January

Philomel, an imprint for Penguin Young Readers, announced this week that Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has a new picture book coming out this year on January 22nd. Sotomayor’s book Just Help! How to Build A Better World is all about giving to others and was inspired by the community spirit of Sotomayor’s own family. The book will feature illustrations by Angela Dominguez. In a statement about her new book, Sotomayor said, “I believe that children, with their energy, optimism, and creativity, have the power to fix the many problems with which we adults are leaving them…I hope my book, with Angela Dominguez’s beautiful illustrations, will encourage children to use their power to help one another and begin changing their communities.”

Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See Will Be Adapted as Limited Series for Netflix

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anthony Doerr’s epic war novel All the Light We Cannot See is being adapted as a limited series for Netflix. The four-part series will be produced by Shawn Levy’s 21 Laps Entertainment, and Levy will also direct all the episodes. The adaptation is written by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders). The producers are now casting for the series, and they are encouraging actresses who are blind or low-vision to apply for the lead role of Marie-Laure.

These Are the Writers Who Made the CBC Nonfiction Prize Shortlist

Five writers from across Canada have made the shortlist for the CBC Nonfiction Prize. The winner will be announced on September 29th and will receive $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts. The winner will also attend a two-week writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. All finalists have had their work published on CBC books and will receive $1,000. You can read their stories on the website now.

Times Are Changing: COVID-19 and Library Late Fees

Libraries are starting to go fine free! How has COVID-19 impacted this movement?

Here’s the Trailer for Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth

Earlier this week, A24 released their first teaser trailer for the upcoming film adaptation of Macbeth, The Tragedy of Macbeth, directed by Joel Coen. This black and white adaptation of Shakespeare’s Scottish play stars Denzel Washington as Macbeth and Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth. This marks Joel Coen’s first film he has directed without his brother Ethan Coen as co-director. The Tragedy of Macbeth will release in theaters on December 25th and on Apple TV Plus on January 14th, 2022.

Eva Longoria to Develop Sci-Fi Series Based on Sal & Gabi Break the Universe

Eva Longoria and Ben Spector will be developing a sci-fi series based on Carlos Hernandez’s award-winning book Sal & Gabi Break the Universe. This series is part of a deal between their UnbeliEVAble Entertainment and Disney Branded Television. The story is about Sal Vidón, a young teen who, after meddling with his father’s scientific experiments, discovers he has the ability to retrieve things from other universes. With the help of his friend Gabi, Sal attempts to move through time and space to recover his deceased mother. But will messing with alternate universes destroy the world they live in? Ayo Davis, executive vice president, Creative Development and Strategy at Disney Branded Television, said in a statement, “Carlos Hernandez’s heartwarming and humorous book is the perfect addition to our slate of development and is in expert hands with Eva and Ben’s production team.”

2021 Elgin Awards Winners Announced

The Science Fiction & Fantasy Poetry Association (SFPA) has announced the winners of the 2021 Elgin Awards, presented to the best in speculative poetry for the year. The Best Full-Length Collection award went to The Sign of the Dragon by Mary Soon Lee. Best Chapbook was awarded to Otherwheres by Akua Lezli Hope. For more information on the awards and the nominees, see the SFPA website.

20 Unabashedly Bi Books for Bi Day of Visibility

September 23 is Bi Day of Visibility! Celebrate this day of love and representation with these unabashedly bi books.

Here’s the Cover for Casey McQuiston’s Third Novel I Kissed Shara Wheeler

Casey McQuiston, the bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue and One Last Stop, is back with another romance novel, hitting shelves on May 3, 2022. Right now, you can take a peek at the cover of the novel and check out an excerpt. McQuiston’s new novel I Kissed Shara Wheeler is described as a “romantic comedy about breaking the rules, getting messy, and finding love in unexpected places.” The novel is a queer romance/mystery that follows the story of 18-year-old Chloe, whose rival at school, Shara Wheeler, goes missing after she kisses three people: her quarterback boyfriend, the bad boy next door, and Chloe. 

Netflix Releases Trailer for Rebecca Hall’s Passing

Netflix has released a trailer for Rebecca Hall’s highly anticipated directorial debut: Passing, a film based on the 1929 novel by Nella Larsen. The film stars Ruth Negga, Tessa Thompson, and Alexander Skarsgard. Passing will be released in select theaters in October, and it will be available to stream on Netflix starting November 10.

Author Sara Gran Launches Dreamland Books

Sara Gran, author of the Claire DeWitt mysteries, has launched the new independent publisher Dreamland Books. Representatives for Gran said in a statement that Dreamland was born out of Gran’s “frustration with the increasingly corporate culture of the new, mega-conglomerate publishing house” and her desire “to have more control over her own work, ensure it stays in print, and give other writers the same option for more creative and financial ownership of their work.” Gran will be publishing all of her future works through Dreamland, starting with The Book of the Most Precious Substance in February 2022. Dreamland will publish an additional two to four titles every year from other authors.

LGBTQ-Friendly 3rd Grade Teacher Reinstated to Her Classroom

After being removed from her classroom for sharing inclusive teaching resources, 3rd grade teacher Lauren Crowe has returned to the classroom!