Tattered Essence

Herta Mueller wins 2009 Nobel literature prize

Shawna — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:05:55 +0000

The winner of the 2009 Nobel literature prize has been announced. It is Herta Mueller.

She is a little-known Romanian-born author. She was persecuted for her critical depictions of life behind the Iron Curtain.

Some think that the Nobel committee has been too “eurocentric” in picking winners.

Mueller is the 12th woman to win the Nobel Prize in literature

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PEN Gets Amazon Grant

Shawna — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:28:04 +0000

Amazon has awarded PEN American Center a $25,000 grant. The grant is to further develop its online resources to better support freedom of expression throughout the world.

It will help fund PEN’s international Freedom to Write human rights programming, its national Campaign for Core Freedoms, and the dissemination of PEN’s political and literary public events.

A portion of the grant will also be used to support the PEN Translation Fund

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Rights recently sold

Shawna — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:26:13 +0000

Atheneum Books for Young Readers has bought world English rights to a collaboration between Judith Viorst (Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day) and Lane Smith (The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales). They will create a chapter book called Lulu and the Brontosaurus, to be published in September 2010.

Disney Book Group has acquired a three-book series from YA author Maureen Johnson at auction. The series features an American high school student attending a London boarding school for her junior year. A series of murders begins to take place across the city—on the exact dates and in the exact style of Jack the Ripper—and her ties to the killer bring her in contact with a secret paranormal branch of the British police. The first book in the series will be published in summer 2011, with a new book following each subsequent summer.

Putnam’s Sons has acquired North American rights for picture book author/artist Richard Ungar’s middle-grade debut, Time Snatchers, at auction in a two-book deal. Time Snatchers stars a 14-year-old orphan and conscripted time thief, from 2061 New Beijing, who steals treasures from the past for a mafioso named Uncle. The book is currently planned for fall 2011.

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J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer: comic book heroines

Shawna — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:22:19 +0000

Here is something interesting. Authors J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer as comic book heroines. It seems that their bios are being done as graphic novels. They are scheduled for release in December and November by US publisher Bluewater Productions.

The publisher is currently in the process of selecting two other prominent female authors for its comic book series. Up for the spots are: Toni Morrison, Ayn Rand, Margaret Atwood, Ursula LeGuin, Harper Lee, Anne Rice, Beatrix Potter and Virginia Woolf.

The books are being published as part of its Female Force series, which has already featured biographies of Sarah Palin, Michelle Obama and Hilary Clinton.

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Quartet Press disbands

Shawna — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:19:57 +0000

It happened before it even got started really. Quartet Press is no more. They were supposed to launch in the fall. But now they won’t. Why? One member of the press stated that the financial structure the group had envisioned was flawed and ultimately would not work. Sad news for all involved.

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Blu Sky Media Shutting Down

Shawna — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:18:17 +0000

Blu Sky Media Group is a distributor for small presses located in Nashville, TN. Bad news for small presses. Blu Sky is closing down.

The recession and tight credit policies are being blamed for the distributor’s demise.

The recession also forced some of Blu Sky’s clients to go out of business owing it money, while high returns led other publishers to slow payment to Blu Sky.

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News roundup

Shawna — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:04:12 +0000

The EU commissioner in charge of the Internet is attempting to put new rules in place to make it easier to put more books online and accessible across the EU, reports the New York Times.

Sony has weighed in in favor of the Google Settlement, which the company says will “foster competition.”

Canadian publisher Kunati Books is going under, according to one of its former authors.

Computer company Asus said it plans to introduce its own e-reader by the end of the year, reports Wired.

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For sale: BBC Audiobooks

Shawna — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 21:01:16 +0000

The BBC is looking to sell a majority stake in BBC Audiobooks. At least sources familiar with the company are saying that.

BBC Audiobooks was formed in 2001 and includes the American division BBC Audiobooks America.

The decision to sell is part of BBC’s strategy to more tightly focus its operations. Look for the sale to be completed in 2010.

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Author Dominick Dunne dead at 83

Shawna — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 04:45:57 +0000

Crime novel author Dominick Dunne has died at his home in NYC. He was 83. He was believed to be battling bladder cancer. He has a new novel, “Too Much Money,” coming out in December.

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Slef-published book success

Shawna — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:58:24 +0000

A self-published book is doing the impossible. It is getting a window and launch event at Neiman Marcus.

Self-publisher Mandy Williams, who is the “Black” of the sister writing duo, “the Red and the Black,” is not an easy person to turn down.

The store manager of the Houston Neiman Marcus compares the book that she and sister, Tina Pennington, wrote, What I Learned about Life When My Husband Got Fired!, to a cross between The Devil Wears Prada and a practical book on finance.

The book will be rolling out to other Neiman Marcus stores in Texas and be available online in a special Neiman Marcus edition.

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