Category: Today In Books

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Today In Books

Jon Snow Set to Return in GAME OF THRONES Sequel Series: Today in Books

Tim Sale, Iconic Comic Artist, Dies at 66

Tim Sale, the iconic artist behind comics such as Batman: The Long Halloween and Superman for All Seasons, died on Thursday at the age of 66. A statement was posted on Sale’s official Twitter account that read, “It’s with a heavy sadness that I must announce that Tim Sale passed away today. He passed with the love of his life beside him, and loves all of you very much. Please share photos and stories under this post, as we hope to share them with the community.”

One of the Country’s Oldest Black-Owned Bookstores is Closing

Los Angeles’ Eso Won Books, one of the country’s oldest black-owned bookstores, has announced that they will be closing at the end of the year. The bookstore’s co-owners James Fugate and Tom Hamilton—now both in their 60s—have decided the time has come to close. But they hope that other independent bookstores will continue to make space for Black stories and independent presses. Fugate said, “I just hope we continue to have stores that will support Black Classic Press and Africa World Press and African World Books. We are going to need bookstores that make sure those smaller companies are part of the supply chain, and not just the majors.”

Jon Snow Set to Return in Game of Thrones Prequel Series

Kit Harington is set to reprise his role as Jon Snow in an as-of-yet unnamed Game of Thrones sequel series for HBO. The series will take place after the events of Game of Thrones. It is still unconfirmed whether anyone else from the original series will be returning.

12 Books by Up-and-Coming Trans & Non-Binary Authors

Looking for more LGBTQIA+ representation in your books? Here are 12 up-and-coming trans and nonbinary authors to support.

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HBO Max Drops Teaser Trailer for PRETTY LITTLE LIARS ORIGINAL SIN: Today in Books

LGBTQ Book Sales Soar

LGBTQ sales have increased over the past few years and show no sign of slowing down, with Adam Silvera’s They Both Die at the End leading the charge. According to market research firm The NPD Group, LGBTQ fiction titles doubled the previous year’s sales in 2021. And so far in 2022, sales have continued to increase by 39%. The biggest gains have been in young adult fiction. Kristen McLean, books industry analyst for NPD noted in a statement, “The growth in young-adult categories, in particular, mirrors a generational shift toward a more open and inclusive attitude toward gender diversity and sexual orientation”

Ruth Ozeki Wins Women’s Prize for Fiction

The 2022 winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction is Ruth Ozeki with The Book of Form and Emptiness. Ozeki was presented with the £30,000 prize, endowed by an anonymous donor, and the “Bessie,” a limited edition bronze figurine by Grizel Niven, at an awards ceremony in Bedford Square Gardens, London. The ceremony was hosted by novelist and Women’s Prize Founder Director, Kate Mosse. The 2022 Chair of Judges Mary Ann Sieghart said, “In an extraordinary year for fiction written by women, and from an incredibly strong shortlist, we were thrilled to choose Ruth Ozeki’s The Book of Form and Emptiness, which stood out for its sparkling writing, warmth, intelligence, humor and poignancy. A celebration of the power of books and reading, it tackles big issues of life and death, and is a complete joy to read. Ruth Ozeki is a truly original and masterful storyteller.”

HBO Max Drops Teaser Trailer for Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin

Pretty Little Liars is back, in the form of Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, a new series set to premiere on HBO Max on July 28th. And HBO Max has dropped the first teaser trailer. The show will premiere with three episodes on July 28th. Then two more episodes will be out on August 4th and 11th. The last three episodes of the season will be out on August 18th.

Persuasion Trailer Starring Dakota Johnson Shows New Take on Jane Austen Classic

Netflix’s new Persuasion trailer features Dakota Johnson as Anne Elliot from Jane Austen’s 1817 novel Persuasion, but with a twist.

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Lady Gaga in Talks to Play Harley Quinn in JOKER Sequel: Today in Books

Paddington Bear Set for New Film Following Windsor Castle Appearance

Just a few weeks following his tea with the Queen of England, it has been announced that Paddington Bear is set to star in Paddington in Peru, the third installment in his hit franchise. The film will be helmed by Dougal Wilson, making his directorial feature film debut. Wilson has previously made commercials for several brands including Apple, Ikea, and the BBC. “As a huge fan of the first two films, I am very excited (if not a little intimidated) to be continuing the story of Paddington,” said Wilson. “It’s a massive responsibility, but all my efforts will be focussed on making a third film that honours the love so many people have for this very special bear.” Filming begins in 2023 and will be shot on location in London and Peru.

Novelette Booksellers Coming to East Nashville this Summer

A new bookstore is opening in East Nashville this summer! According to a statement on their website, Novelette Booksellers aims to be “a fun, vibey, safe space for book lovers of all ages. We boast a highly curated selection of both fiction and non-fiction books by diverse authors, and a great selection of graphic novels. With an eye for inclusivity and celebration of our differences, Novelette strives to be inclusive to people of all backgrounds.” Novelette’s grand opening is this Thursday, 6/16, from 10am-8pm. You can also browse the website. Novelette ships nationwide!

Lady Gaga in Talks to Play Harley Quinn in Joker Musical Sequel

Lady Gaga is in talks to play Harley Quinn opposite Joaquin Phoenix in the upcoming follow-up to 2019’s Joker. The sequel film is also set to be a musical, with a working title of Joker: Folie à Deux. Todd Phillips will return to direct the film, and he will also co-write alongside Scott Silver.

New Witchy YA Reads Releasing in 2022

These witchy YA reads are everything from light and sweet to sinister magical murder, with settings ranging from Salem to California.

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Vogue Gives a First Look at Upcoming PERSUASION Adaptation: Today in Books

Jess Sutanto Announces New Novel

Earlier today, Jess Sutanto, author of Dial A for Aunties, tweeted some exciting news. She has a surprise book announcement: Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. In the tweet, Sutanto describes her upcoming book: “When Vera finds a dead body in her tea shop, she takes it upon herself to solve the murder. After all, no one sniffs out wrongdoings better than a suspicious Chinese mother.” Sutanto also revealed the cover for her new novel, by cover artist Vikki Chu, who also designed the cover for Dial A for Aunties. Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers is scheduled for a March 2023 release.

LGBTQ Reads Reveals Cover of Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore

LGBTQ Reads has an exclusive cover reveal of Anna-Marie McLemore’s latest novel Self-Made Boys. The book is a trans reimagining of The Great Gatsby, publishing on September 6, 2022 as part of Feiwel & Friends’s Remixed Classics series. The cover for Self-Made Boys is designed by Veronica Mang with an illustration by Elliott Berggren.

Vogue Gives a First Look at Upcoming Persuasion Adaptation

Netflix’s highly anticipated adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion is coming to the streaming platform on July 15th. And with just a month longer to wait for the film, Vogue is giving Austen fans everywhere a first look at Persuasion with exclusive new photos. The movie stars Dakota Johnson as Anne Elliot and Henry Golding as Mr. Elliot. Vogue calls Persuasion “a new kind of Austen adaptation simply for the sheer amount of fun it offers,” and Dakota Johnson agrees: “‘It was wildly fun,’ says Johnson, with a winking playfulness that couldn’t be more Austen if she tried.”

The Best LGBTQ Books of the Year, According to Lambda Literary

Here are the winners of the 34th annual Lambda Literary Awards, including the best Bisexual Fiction, Gay Memoir, LGBTQ YA, and more.

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Tessa Bailey’s IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER to be Adapted into a Feature Film: Today in Books

Sailor Moon 30th Anniversary Museum Unveils Three More Visuals by Naoko Takeuchi

The Sailor Moon 30th Anniversary Museum, which will run from July 1st to December 30th in Tokyo’s Roppongi Museum, has revealed three new visuals by manga creator Naoko Takeuchi. The upcoming exhibit will include 600 pieces, including original illustrations by Takeuchi and colored artwork that will be exhibited for the first time. The exhibit will also include an “immersive experience theater,” which will display colored images on a screen with special effects, a “hologram manuscript exhibit,” which will display famous dialogue from the Sailor Guardians, material and goods from the anime series, and outfits from the musicals. The museum will have three phases: volume 1 (July 1 – September 4), volume 2 (September 10 – November 6), and volume 3 (November 12 – December 30).

Tessa Bailey’s It Happened One Summer to be Adapted into a Feature Film

Tessa Bailey’s bestselling romantic comedy novel It Happened One Summer is set to be adapted into a feature film from BCDF Pictures and Frolic Media. Christina Mengert (The Hating Game) and Joseph Muszynski (The Unhoneymooners) have adapted the book for the screen. BCDF’s Claude Dal Farra and Brian Keady are set to produce the project alongside Lisa Berger from Frolic. “Our mission at Frolic is to tell great love stories, and we are thrilled to be working with our partners at BCDF to bring Bailey’s swoon-worthy novel to life,” said Berger.

Critics Blast James Patterson for Saying White Writers Are Struggling to Get Work

Critics are slamming author James Patterson for his comments about how difficult it is for white male writers in a recent interview with British newspaper The Times. Patterson, an author who holds the record for the most books to top The New York Times’ bestsellers list, reportedly said it’s become increasingly difficult for white writers to land gigs. “[It’s] just another form of racism,” Patterson said. “What’s that all about? Can you get a job? Yes. Is it harder? Yes. It’s even harder for older writers. You don’t meet many 52-year-old white males.” People were quick to respond on Twitter, noting Patterson’s wealth and earnings in comparison to authors of color. Author James S.A. Corey tweeted, “This is why the highest paid writer in the world is a black woman, right? No? It’s still James Patterson?” And Kellye Garrett wrote, “Tell me you’ve never ACTUALLY experienced racism and sexism without telling me you’ve never experienced racism and sexism…”

Books About Juneteenth

From picture books to adult novels, memoirs, and histories, here’s a list of books to learn more about the celebration of Juneteenth.

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Kickstarter to Fund Dyslexic Friendly Books for Adults Launches: Today in Books

Kickstarter to Fund Dyslexic Friendly Books for Adults Launches

Dr. Alistair Sims, owner of Books on the Hill in Clevedon, UK, set up an independent publishing company, Both Press, in 2021 in order to produce dyslexic-friendly books for adults, and is now crowdfunding to publish more. Sims’s goal is to raise £16,000 to publish eight more books on cream paper with Vernanda font and a more dyslexic-friendly spacing.

Crime Story Contest Has a Happy Ending for Bangor Teen Who Beat Out Professional Writers

Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance declared its first teen winner for the annual CrimeFlash Fiction contest, Muhammad Drammeh who is a 17-year-old junior at Bangor High School. Drammeh wishes to be a published author someday, and entered his piece to the CrimeFlash Fiction contest after searching online for writing contests to enter — becoming the contest winner out of more than 50 entrants, some of which were experienced writers and published authors.

Milestone Media is On a Mission to Add Young Creators of Color to the Comic Book Universe

The Milestone Initiative is a program designed by Milestone Media to bring more people of color into the business of comic books, and is giving 24 writers and artists in-person mentoring from working comic book professionals and a virtual education through the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. The 10-week initiative concludes next week at which point the participants will be paired with comic book veterans to create new, original stories for the Milestone Universe.

How Moms For Liberty’s Book Ratings System Enters Schools

Moms For Liberty, the conservative nonprofit group pushing anti-critical race theory and anti-social emotional learning in public schools, among other things, continues to build their book ratings system and push to have it used in school districts across the country.

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THE BOYS Gets Season 4 Renewal at Amazon: Today in Books

Penguin Random House to Distribute for Disney Publishing

Starting April 1st 2023, Penguin Random House Publisher Services will take over distribution of the adult and children’s print books published by Disney Publishing Worldwide. Penguin Random House will also take over distribution of Marvel Publishing’s collected editions and graphic novels under this agreement.

How a Texas Student Packed School Board Meetings to Challenge Book Bans

Cameron Samuels, a graduating senior in Katy Independent School District in Texas, organized students to fight the district’s internet content filters and book bans. The Katy Independent School District has been one of many school boards that has debated instruction on topics related to race. The district pulled nine books from shelves earlier this year, all of them related to LGBTQ issues or race.

The Boys Gets Season 4 Renewal at Amazon

Just a week after the show’s third season premiere, The Boys has been renewed for a fourth season on Amazon Prime Video. “From our first conversation with [showrunner] Eric Kripke and the creative team about season three of The Boys, we knew the show was continuing to get even bolder — an impressive feat considering the wild success of the Emmy-nominated second season,” said Vernon Sanders, head of global television at Amazon Studios. “The Boys continues to push boundaries in storytelling while also being relentlessly entertaining and threading the needle on social satire that feels all too real. This stylized world of the series has incredible global reach and the viewership for opening weekend is proof of that. We are immensely proud of the cast and crew that has spawned a franchise for Prime Video, and we look forward to bringing more of The Boys to our customers.” The Boys season three will continue with weekly episodes through July 8th.

NYPL is Giving Away 500,000 Free Books this Summer

As part of its summer programming, the New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 free books to kids and teens this summer!

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Ibram X. Kendi Presents THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD with 2022 Peabody Award: Today in Books

Costa Book Awards Scrapped Suddenly

After running for half a century, the Costa Book Awards have been abruptly scrapped. The coffee shop chain has said the 2021 awards, which were announced in February this year, were the last. Costa’s CEO Jill McDonald said in a statement, “After 50 years of celebrating some of the most enjoyable books written by hugely talented authors from across the UK and Ireland, Costa Coffee has taken the difficult decision to end the book awards.”

Ibram X. Kendi Presents The Underground Railroad with 2022 Peabody Award

The 2022 Peabody winners have been announced, and one of this year’s winners in the entertainment category is the Amazon Prime limited series The Underground Railroad, based on the novel by Colson Whitehead. Bestselling author Ibram X. Kendi presented the honor to the acclaimed Barry Jenkins limited series, saying, “In 2021, Barry Jenkins gave Whitehead’s novel the adaptation it deserves, approaching its characters and landscapes with stunning reverence. This lush production created an immersive, sensory experience. It offered us poignant moments of connection between characters spanning generations and gave us weighty lessons about the devastation of the transatlantic slave trade. For its daring, entrancing and eye-opening adaptation, The Underground Railroad wins a Peabody Award.” Winners for the 82nd Annual Peabody Awards can be found at the official Peabody Awards Twitter.

Marvel’s Thunderbolts Move Taps Jake Schreier to Direct

Marvel’s Thunderbolts movie has chosen its director: Jake Schreieir, who has previously directed classic Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West music videos, along with the films Paper Towns in 2015 and Robot & Frank in 2012. Eric Pearson (Black Widow) is writing the script and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige is producing.

LeVar Burton Calls National Increase in Book Bans “Embarrassing”

During a recent interview on The View, LeVar Burton said, “It’s embarrassing that we are banning books in this country.”

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More HEARTSTOPPER Coming at You with New Sneak Peek Images from Upcoming Comic: Today in Books

The Sandman Gets Netflix Premiere Date and Trailer

Netflix has set a premiere date for the highly-anticipated series The Sandman, based on the DC graphic novels by Neil Gaiman. The series is set to premiere August 5th. Netflix also released a full trailer for their new show this week. The new trailer highlights much more of the show’s large ensemble, including Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death and Jenna Coleman as Johanna Constantine. Additionally, Netflix has announced that Mark Hamill will voice the character Merv Pumpkinhead. You can watch the new trailer here.

Matthew López to Adapt LGBTQ History Bestseller The Deviant’s War as Amazon Limited Series

Amazon Studios and Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment have announced that they are developing a limited series based on The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. The United States of America, the New York Times bestselling book by historian Eric Cervini. The book tells the story of Frank Kameny, a Department of Defense astronomer who became a leading figure in the fight for LGBTQ civil rights in the 1950s. Kameny was fired for being gay and sued the federal government. Tony-winning playwright Matthew López will adapt the project. López told Variety, “So much of American queer history is told from a post-Stonewall perspective, but Eric’s book provides an essential understanding of that vital period prior to Stonewall — about the work and the lives of the people who (for better and for worse) planted the seeds of queer liberation.” López callsThe Deviant’s War “something akin to an ‘origins story’ for modern American queer history.”

More Heartstopper Coming at You with New Sneak Peek Images from Upcoming Comic

Get ready for more Heartstopper. Not only has Netflix ordered two more seasons of the series adaptation, but there are also more Heartstopper comics coming at you soon. Entertainment Weekly has the exclusive reveal of the cover for the next Heartstopper comic: The Heartstopper Yearbook, coming this fall. The Heartstopper Yearbook is full of brand-new content, including illustrations, an exclusive mini comic, character profiles, trivia, and insights into Oseman’s creative process. This book will also be the first Heartstopper comic to be published in full color.

Audiobook Sales Up for the 10th Straight Year

Audiobook sales are up for the tenth straight year. Here are the results from a few studies detailing audiobook listener habits.

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Warner Bros. Drops First BLACK ADAM Trailer, Starring Dwayne Johnson: Today in Books

Holly Black Announces New Elfhame Duology Series

Holly Black is taking readers back to Elfhame with her new duology series, starring Jude’s brother Oak, and the changeling queen, Suren. The new duology will start off with The Stolen Heir, which is set to release on on January 3, 2023 from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. “I actually knew I was gonna do this when I was finishing up Queen of Nothing. I was working on my first adult novel, Book of Night, through most of the pandemic, but I was looking forward to coming back to faerie, characters I knew, and a world I’m so familiar with and really enjoyed being in,” Holly Balck revealed to Cosmopolitan in an exclusive interview. “I didn’t want to have it be too long since I’d been there. I’ve gone back to faerie so many times that I think it’s a settled fact that I will continue to go back.”

Tiny Beautiful Things Series Adaptation Casts Kathryn Hahn

Hulu has ordered a series adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s collection of essays Tiny Beautiful Things, and they’ve cast Kathryn Hahn in a leading role. Strayed’s book is a collection of essays and writings from the author’s time writing the advice column “Dear Sugar” for The Rumpus, writing under the pen name Sugar. Strayed’s responses were usually based on her own life experiences. Liz Tigelaar, known for Little Fires Everywhere and Life Unexpected, will serve as the series creator and executive producer on the project.

Warner Bros. Drops First Black Adam Trailer, Starring Dwayne Johnson

Earlier today, Warner Bros. dropped the first trailer for their upcoming DC Comics film Black Adam, starring Dwayne Johnson as the titular character. The movie also stars Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, and Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate. Black Adam is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, who also directed Johnson in Disney’s Jungle Cruise. Of his role in the upcoming film, Johnson said, “This character, this film, this universe has been a gigantic passion project of mine for a very long time, and the truth is, I was born to play Black Adam.” Black Adam is out in theaters on October 21st.

3 Heartwarming Queer YA Releases to Read During Pride

It’s hard to keep up with all the great queer YA books, but here are a few more heartwarming ones to read during Pride!