Manga Sales Soar to an All-Time High in 2020
A recent analysis by ICV2 shows that sales of manga hit an all-time high in 2020, with sales in North America reaching nearly $250 million. This number is much higher than it has been in any previous year, including 2007, which was the last peak for manga sales in recent years. ICV2 speculates that the recent surge of manga sales is all thanks to the pandemic. People stayed home and watched anime programs on steaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max. And of course then these same anime fans wanted to purchase the manga their favorite shows were based upon. 2020’s most popular manga title was Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, with a record-breaking 82 million copies sold. Other popular series included Kingdom, One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Attack on Titan.
Here’s Why 2017 Short Story “Cat Person” is in the News Again
The short story “Cat Person,” originally published in 2017 in the New Yorker, is going viral again. Why are people talking about this short story this time? A woman named Alexis Nowicki has written an essay for Slate in which she explains how the story “Cat Person,” written by previously unknown author Kristen Roupenian, stole details from her personal life. After contacting Roupenian to ask about the story, Nowicki discovered that Roupenian had looked through Nowicki’s social media accounts to gather details to use in the short story. Nowicki’s essay has sparked a huge debate online about the ethics of using people’s real lives and real stories in fiction.
LoveAudio Campaign Returns with Online Events
The Publishers Association’s annual audiobook campaign #LoveAudio is returning for a fifth year this month with several online events. The campaign will run from July 12th to the 16th. Events include a “How to Get Into Audio Publishing” event run by the Publisher’s Association on July 13th. On July 14th, Hachette will host “Opening the Book,” which will focus on what it’s like working in audio and digital publishing. Additionally, BookMachine is running an online Q&A session with Bookwire and Hera Books on July 14th. The Publishers Association will also be launcing a list of “Best New Voices” in audiobook publishing. If you’d like to find out more about #LoveAudio week and how you can join the campaign, visit www.loveaudio.org.uk/getinvolved.
Everything We Know About the Ursula K. Le Guin Stamp
On July 27, the United States Postal Service (USPS) will release a new stamp honoring author Ursula K. Le Guin. Here’s everything we know about the Ursula K. Le Guin stamp.