Month: August 2021

H.E.R. to Make Acting Debut in Upcoming The Color Purple Musical Film

Last week, we reported on the first cast member of the upcoming The Color Purple musical film adaptation to be announced—Corey Hawkins. Now, Oscar and Grammy winner H.E.R., aka Gabriella Wilson, has also been added to the cast. H.E.R., who won an Oscar for “Fight For You” from Judas and the Black Messiah, will be making her acting debut as Squeak in the upcoming movie. The Color Purple—directed by Black Is King director Blitz Bazawule and produced by Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders, and Quincy Jones—is set to be released on December 21, 2023.

New Marlon James Novel Moon Witch, Spider King Out in February

Booker prize winner and best-selling author Marlon James has announced the release date for the second novel in his Dark Star trilogy, Moon Witch, Spider King. The book will be out on February 15, 2022. In an exclusive interview with Gizmodo, Marlon James explained that the trilogy is not linear, which means someone could read Moon Witch, Spider King before reading Black Leopard, Red Wolf. In fact, James says that he’s looking forward to the perspectives of those who read the new novel before 2019’s Black Leopard, Red Wolf. The new story is parallel to James’ 2019 novel. It follows the character of Sogolon the Moon Witch, who is a rival to Tracker, the protagonist of Black Leopard, Red Wolf. “I’ve always been interested in how two people seeing the same thing can come to very different conclusions,” James said of his decision to tell the same story from multiple perspectives. “I’m leaving the burden of truth up to the reader, so it will be interesting when this trilogy is done, seeing whose story they count as true.”

Padma Lakshmi Releasing Children’s Book with a Message This Week

Indian American author, activist, model, and television host Padma Lakshmi is releasing her first children’s book this Tuesday, and it includes a powerful message. Tomatoes for Neela mixes together Lakshmi’s memories of family cooking with practical food advice and also a couple of recipes. Lakshmi says that the book is “just really about teaching children how to cook from an early age, respecting Mother Nature and eating when things are in season.” The book is brought to life through illustrations by Juana Martinez-Neal, who was awarded a Caldecott Honor for Alma and How She Got Her Name. Lakshmi has dedicated the book to her daughter “who gives meaning to everything.”

Uplift Your Favorite Trans Books Today Using this Hashtag

Marginalized voices in literature often only get uplifted in response to intolerance. #TransBooks365 hopes to celebrate trans voice every day of the year, not just as a reaction to transphobia.

Titan To Publish Cowboy Bebop Comic By Dan Watters & Lamar Mathurin

Excited for Cowboy Bebop starring John Cho to hit Netflix this November? Then get ready to be even more excited because Titan has inked a deal with Amazon for some new books based on the Netflix version of the series, including a four issue comic series by Dan Watters and Lamar Mathurin. The deal also includes the right to publish any other fiction and nonfiction based on the series.

Residents Rally To Save Bulgwang Bookstore

When Bulgwang Bookstore, a bookstore in northwestern Seoul, posted a closing notice, residents were quick to take action. Within a day, a petition collected 500 signatures to submit to a local district office demanding that the government help revitalize the area and save the bookshop, which has been in business since 1996. At the time of its opening, it was the only bookstore in the neighborhood, making it a beacon for literacy. The petition swelled to over 1,500 signatures, and now the Korean literary community is showing their support as well.

‘It Was Like I’d Never Done It Before’: How Sally Rooney Wrote Again

Sally Rooney, the author behind the mega-bestsellers Normal People and Conversations with Friends, has a new novel coming out called Beautiful World, Where Are You. In it, she deconstructs her complicated feelings surrounding her fame and the pressure she felt after the success of her first two books and their adaptations. Here, she goes into detail about how difficult she found it to write another novel and how she questioned every element.

Veritas Entertainment Gets TV Rights to Dava Shastri’s Last Day

Veritas Entertainment Group has optioned the TV rights to the upcoming debut novel from Kirthana Ramisetti, Dava Shastri’s Last Day. Hachette’s Grand Central Publishing is releasing the title on November 30th, and the manuscript is already receiving a lot of pre-publication buzz. Veritas is hoping to turn the novel into a series adaptation in the vein of Succession. The story centers around a wealthy Indian family. A wealthy Indian businesswoman and philanthropist calls her family to her private island only to announce that she is dying of cancer. When she decides to fake her death early in order to read her own obituaries, devastating secrets about her life and her family are revealed. Ramisetti says the story was inspired by her time spent working as a journalist: “I thought, what if I came up with somebody who was so fixated and obsessed with their legacy that they set up their death early to see how that legacy was examined — only to have it backfire when their two biggest secrets are revealed.”

Tordotcom Publishing Announces New Noir Fantasy from C.L. Polk

Tordotcom Publishing has announced a new noir fantasy novella from C.L. Polk, Even Though I Knew the End. C.L. Polk is known for their Kingston Cycle, which includes the WFA winning novel Witchmark. Polk shared their enthusiasm for the new deal with Tordotcom, brokered by Caitlin McDonald at Donald Maass Literary Agency: “I am so happy to be working with Tordotcom for this novella! Even Though I Knew the End was inspired by the pulp detective stories of the mid 20th century with a supernatural twist.” The new novella is scheduled to publish in fall 2022.

TikTok is Getting Academic as MLA Decides How to Cite the App in Academic Works

TikTok has hit the big time and is joining the world of academia. The iconic MLA Handbook has officially added an entry for TikTok, deciding how to cite the app in academic works. The basic template is as follows: author (usually the account name), followed by title of the source element or a description of the material, platform name (TikTok), date of the post, and the URL.

Netflix’s Baby-Sitters Club Season 2 Gets a Release Date

Netflix has announced the release date for season 2 of The Baby-Sitters Club! We’ll be seeing the gang back on the streaming platform on October 11th. And we’ve got new promotional photos as well!

Here’s the Cover Reveal for Jack Carr’s Next James Reece Thriller

James Reece, the hero first introduced to readers in Jack Carr’s The Terminal List, is back in Carr’s latest novel In the Blood, out on April 12, 2022. You can check out the official cover and plot details for the latest book in Carr’s bestselling series here. In a statement to The Real Book Spy, Carr said, “James Reece has to deal with some unfinished business in my latest installment of the James Reece Terminal List series…For Reece, it’s a personal mission of vengeance. For his target, it’s business. But this target has a mission of his own. He has studied his prey and is drawing the former Navy SEAL Sniper into the crosshairs. Will James Reece survive, and, if so, will he find his humanity, or will he forever remain an operator, a hunter, a killer of men…an assassin? Find out on April 12, 2022.”

In the Heights Star Corey Hawkins Joins the Cast of The Color Purple

In the Heights star Corey Hawkins is heading back to the world of musicals for Warner Bros’ feature adaptation of the Broadway musical The Color Purple, based on the 1982 Alice Walker novel of the same name. Hawkins will be playing Harpo. The film will be directed by Black Is King filmmaker Blitz Bazawule. Marcus Gardley is writing the screenplay. The Color Purple has a December 21, 2023 release date.

Gauri Awasthi is Leading a 4-Week Poetry Workshop About Decolonizing Poetry

Award-winning Indian poet Gauri Awasthi is leading a 4-week online poetry workshop about decolonizing poetry. Awashti writes, “In this workshop, we recognize the importance of learning poetic form and tradition so we can unlearn it in practice…We will reflect on the obsessions of the non-white poets and their literary traditions, along with examining the forms they play in.” Readings for the class will include poets such as Agha Shahid Ali, Patricia Smith, Adrienne Rich, R.K. Narayan, Eunice DeSouza, Angel Nafis, Yusef Komunyakaa, Aimee Nezkhukumatathil. The workshop is open to both new and experienced poets.

Support Haiti Earthquake Relief Through the Romance for Haiti Auction

Romance authors are teaming up to help Haiti rebuild from a 7.2 magnitude earthquake earlier this month. Bids are open now through 11:00 PM EDT on Friday, September 3, and all proceeds will go to local organizations working on the ground in Haiti.