Author: Emily Martin

Haruki Murakami Launches T-Shirt Line with Uniqlo

Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami has an unexpected new project: a T-shirt line collaboration with Uniqlo. The eight graphic T-shirts will be available in mid-March and will feature designs including some of Murakami’s favorite things, such as cats, birds, records, and men sitting in bars.

Literary Orange Announces Authors for 2021 Virtual Festival

The 15th Literary Orange festival of books is going virtual for 2021 after having to go dark in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ve now announced the authors who will participate in the events, including keynote speaker Charles Yu, author of the National Book Award-winning novel Interior Chinatown. The schedule kicks off with best-selling thriller writer Harlan Coben on April 7. There will be virtual events every Wednesday in April and a bonus VIP program on May 13. For more information and to register, go to literaryorange.org.

Edna O’Brien to be Named Commander of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

Irish writer Edna O’Brian will receive France’s highest honor for the arts. The 90-year-old author, whose most recent novel Girl tells the story of Nigeria’s abducted Chibok schoolgirls, will be named Commander of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on Sunday. The honor, which dates back to 1957, is meant to honor those who have “distinguished themselves by their creations in the artistic or literary field.”

Libraries Offering Services to Seniors During Covid-19 Pandemic

Public libraries provide so many valuable and necessary programs for our communities. Here are some of the services libraries are offering to seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw and David Oyelowo to Star in HBO Max’s Adaptation of The Girl Before

Today it was announced that Gugu Mbatha-Raw and David Oyelowo have been cast to star in the upcoming HBO Max adaptation of J.P. Delaney’s novel The Girl Before. Mbatha-Raw will play Jane, a woman who moves into a house designed by an architect played by Oyelowo, who allows her to live in the house under one condition: she must abide by his rules. The BBC is co-producing the project.

The Finalists for the 41st Los Angeles Times Book Prizes Announced

The finalists for the 41st Los Angeles Times Book Prizes have been announced. The nominees include Akwaeke Emezi, N.K. Jemisin, Isabel Wilkerson, and many others. Special category winners were also announced, including the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement to Native American writer Leslie Marmon Silko. Winners will be announced in a live-streamed virtual ceremony on April 16, the day before the 26th Los Angeles Times Festival of Books kicks off its virtual event. Special category winners will also be celebrated that day.

Ben West Palm Hotel Launches Book Butler Program

The Ben West Palm Hotel in Florida has launched a Book Butler program. All hotel guests need do is dial 0, and the Book Butler will arrive at their door with a copy of their selected book. There’s even an option to request meals specially paired with your book of choice.

6 Dr. Seuss Books Will Stop Being Published Due to Racist Images

Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the company responsible for preserving and protecting the legacy of Theodor Geisel, has announced that six Dr. Seuss books will no longer be published due to damaging depictions of race.

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One correction from yesterday’s Today in Books: We mistakenly misgendered Marieke Lucas Rijneveld. The author’s pronouns are they/them.

Ta-Nehisi Coates is Writing a New Superman Film for DC and Warner Bros

Ta-Nehisi Coates—acclaimed best-selling author of Between the World and Me, The Beautiful Struggle, We Were Eight Years in Power, and The Water Dancer—will write a new Superman film for DC and Warner Bros. This is not the author’s first time writing superheroes. Coates has also written for Marvel comics series Black Panther and Captain America. When asked about writing the script for a new Superman movie, Coates said, “I look forward to meaningfully adding to the legacy of America’s most iconic mythic hero.” The Superman project is in early development, but it will be produced by Hannah Minghella and J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot.

Fifty Shades Author E.L. James Starts New Imprint

Sourcebooks has announced that they’re launching a new imprint with E.L. James, the author of the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. James will be bringing her entire catalogue with her to this new imprint. James said, “I’m thrilled to be joining the Sourcebooks family. It feels like I’m coming home.”

Amanda Gorman’s Dutch Translator Marieke Lucas Rijneveld Quits

Acclaimed author Marieke Lucas Rijneveld—whom Dutch publisher Meulenhoff had chosen as the translator for US youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman’s forthcoming poetry collection—has chosen to resign from the project. After it was announced that Rijneveld would translate Gorman’s The Hill We Climb, critics questioned why Meulenhoff would have chosen a white translator over someone who was a “spoken-word artist, young, female and unapologetically Black.” Rijneveld wrote, “I am shocked by the uproar surrounding my involvement in the spread of Amanda Gorman’s message and I understand the people who feel hurt by Meulenhoff’s choice to ask me.” While she is stepping away from the project, Rijneveld wrote that she hopes Gorman’s words “reach as many readers as possible and open hearts.”

10 Books About Black Women Activists of the Civil Rights Movement

These Black women activists dedicated their lives to changing the world. These books tell their stories.

AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER is Becoming a Chibi Comic for Young Readers

Fans of the animated television series Avatar: the Last Airbender have a lot to be excited about. Earlier this week, it was announced that the series would be returning in the form of a new animated film on Paramount+. And now Dark Horse Comics and Nickelodeon are partnering to create a new Avatar: The Last Airbender chibi comic for very young readers. The series is set to kick off in July with Aang’s Unfreezing Day.

George R.R. Martin Announces Another New Project That Isn’t The Winds of Winter

George R.R. Martin has just announced yet another new project that is not the highly-anticipated The Winds of Winter, a novel Martin has been working on since 2010. Via his blog, the author announced that he’s currently working on a new television project with HBO. The project is a “true story” based on the novel Roadmarks by Roger Zelazny.

Online Bookstore That Elevates Black Authors Aims to Open Memphis Storefront

Cafe Noir, an online bookstore that sells books by Black, PoC, and LGBTQ+ authors, is hoping to open a physical space for the bookstore in Memphis this summer. The bookstore was created by Memphis graduate student Jasmine Settles. Settles explained that she created the online store to share her love of these authors “with everyone I meet and everyone I know, so they can have the same experience and love for Black literature that I do.” Settles hopes that the physical bookstore will be more than just a bookstore but also “a home for people to come to enjoy a great book.” While we wait for the physical store to open, you can donate to Settles’ efforts here.

For Your TBR: 2021 Asian Pacific American Award Winners

Every January, the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) recognizes ten books that shed light on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) culture and experiences, written by debut AAPI authors. Here are the ten Asian Pacific American Award winners for 2021.

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Colson Whitehead on 60 MINUTES This Sunday

Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead will be interviewed on 60 Minutes this Sunday, February 28 at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. Whitehead was awarded Pulitzer Prizes for Fiction for his novels The Underground Railroad and The Nickel Boys, making him the only author to have received this award for two consecutive works. In his interview with 60 Minutes, Whitehead will discuss the Black experience throughout history and his own “existential terror” of being descended from slaves.

Akwaeki Emezi Announces Upcoming Romance Novel

Akwaeki Emezi, author of Freshwater, Pet, and The Death of Vivek Oji, will be making their romance novel debut with a new book coming in 2022. The Nigerian author announced that their romance novel, entitled You Made A Fool of Death with Your Beauty, will be published under Atria books in 2022.

Rock Band Blondie Coming Out With New Graphic Novel

New-wave rock band Blondie has announced that they will be coming out with a new graphic novel chronicling the band’s rise in the New York art and fashion world. The graphic novel, Against the Odds, is a collaboration with Z2 Comics, illustrated by John McCrea and co-written by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti. Against the Odds is slated for a Fall 2021 release.

Joziah Jason: A Kid Reader and Podcaster on a Mission

Joziah Jason, a 10-year-old avid reader, has launched a podcast called R.E.A.D. Books with Joziah. Joziah’s goal is to share his love of reading with the wider community. There are currently three episodes available.

Paul McCartney Publishing 900-Page Lyrical Biography

Former Beatle Paul McCartney is set to publish The Lyrics, a two-volume “self-portrait in 154 songs.” The books will cover McCartney’s compositions from the first song he wrote at the age of fourteen all the way to present day. With each song, McCartney will explore, based on conversations the musician had with poet Paul Muldoon, “the circumstances in which they were written, the people and places that inspired them, and what [McCartney] thinks of them now.” The Lyrics will be released November 2.

America Ferrera Makes Directorial Debut with Netflix’s Adaptation of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

America Ferrera is making her feature film directorial debut with Netflix’s adaptation of the novel I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez. The film is being produced by Anonymous Content and the script will be written by Linda Yvette Chávez. Erika L. Sánchez will serve as co-producer.

Charles Yu Establishes Creative Writing Prize in Honor of His Parents

National Book Award-winning author Charles Yu has established the Betty L. Yu and Jin C. Yu Creative Writing Prizes, in collaboration with TaiwaneseAmerican.org. The award is named in honor of Yu’s parents and is “intended to encourage and recognize creative literary work by Taiwanese American high school and college students, and to foster discussion and community around such work.” The submission deadline is March 31. Winners and finalists will be announced in May 2021.

Who Can Get Your Book Grades Accessibility in the Age of Exclusives, Restrictive Licensing

Who Can Get Your Book is a new tool to showcase the damage exclusives, embargoes, and licensing agreements have on book accessibility.

Poet and Activist Lawrence Ferlinghetti Dies at 101

Lawrence Ferlinghetti—poet, political activist, publisher, and owner of the famed San Francisco bookstore City Lights—died in his home on Monday at the age of 101. Ferlinghetti became well-known for his poetry collection A Coney Island of the Mind. The poet is considered the “spiritual godfather of the Beat poetry movement.” Even at the end of his life, Ferlinghetti continued to write, publishing new work as recently as 2017.

Angel Manuel Soto to Direct DC Films’ First Latinx Superhero Movie Blue Beetle

Angel Manuel Soto (Charm City Kings) has signed on to direct DC Films’ first Latinx superhero movie Blue Beetle. While the Blue Beetle character was first introduced in 1939, Soto’s film will focus on the most recent version of Blue Beetle which was introduced in 2006. In this version, the Blue Beetle is a Mexican-American teenager named Jaime Reyes.

Hillary Clinton Writes Political Thriller with Author Louise Penny

Former secretary of state and first lady Hillary Clinton has written a political thriller novel with co-author and friend Louise Penny. The novel State of Terror will be published by Simon & Schuster and St. Martin’s Press in October of this year.

Meet the 2021 Audie Awards Finalists

The Audio Publisher’s Association has announced the finalists for the 2021 Audie Awards. Find out who’s been nominated in all 25 categories.

The Bram Stoker Awards Announces Its 2020 Nominees

The Horror Writers Association has announced the finalists for the 2020 Bram Stoker Awards. Members of the association will be able to vote from March 1st through March 15th. The winner of the award will be announced during this year’s virtual StockerCon 2021, which will be held May 20th through May 23rd.

Victor LaValle Coming Out With New Comic Book Series

Novelist Victor LaValle is publishing a new comic series with artist Jo Mi-Gyeong. The five-issue series, published by Boom Comics, will be released in May. LaValle said, “This a story, inspired by young folks like Mari Copeny, Elsa Mengistu, Greta Thunberg and so many more, of how an eleven-year-old girl, EVE, and her android teddy bear try to do the seemingly impossible: save the planet, save us.”

Anthony Bourdain’s Crime Novel Gone Bamboo Becoming a TV Series

Anthony Bourdain’s 1997 thriller novel Gone Bamboo is now slated to become a television series. Producers Webster Stone and Robert Stone have acquired the rights to the novel, which is set on the island of St. Martin and follows an assassin named Henry Denard.

Black, Latinx, and Millennial Readers Are The Backbone of The Book World

New research shows Black, Latinx, and Millennial readers are buying and engaging with books more than other groups.

ARE YOU THERE, GOD? IT’S ME MARGARET Movie Casts Rachel McAdams and Abby Ryder Fortson

The film adaptation of Judy Blume’s iconic novel Are You There, God? It’s Me Margaret has cast Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret Simon. You might recognize Fortson from the Ant-Man movies or from HBO’s Togetherness, but this will be her first starring role. Rachel McAdams will play Margaret’s mother, Barbara. More details about the film are forthcoming.

Montreal’s Black Girls Gather Book Club Brings Attention to Underappreciated Literature

A Montreal book club called Black Girls Gather is doing its part to bring attention to underappreciated Black and African authors. The club met online on Sunday to discuss African literature. They were joined by authors Rebecca Fisseha and Sarah Raughly, among others. Young book club members said they found the meeting very empowering. “I know more about myself,” said 19-year-old Jessica Williams Daley. “I feel stronger, I feel like I’m not alone.”

Brian Stelter’s HOAX Getting Major Update for June Paperback Release

For the upcoming paperback release of Brian Stelter’s Hoax: Donald Trump, Fox News, and the Dangerous Distortion of Truth, the author felt like his book needed a major update. For the paperback version, which will be published in June, Stelter will be adding around 20,000 words to the 95,000-word hardcover edition to reflect the end of Trump’s presidency.

8 of the Best Libraries to Visit Post-Pandemic

Dreaming of future travels? Here are 8 wonderful libraries to visit post-pandemic.

Rick Riordan Presents Moves into YA Fiction with Daniel José Older

Author Daniel José Older has negotiated a two-book deal with Disney Publishing Worldwide imprint Rick Riordan Presents. Rick Riordan’s imprint is dedicated to publishing works that are retellings of mythology from around the world. Older’s books will be the first YA titles published by the imprint. Older’s urban fantasy duology, Outlaw Saints, is about a teen who must save New York City from being destroyed by an ancient evil force. The first novel, Ballad & Dagger, is expected in May 2022 and the second in May 2023.

Hulu Announces Cast for Adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Conversations With Friends

The cast of BBC Three and Hulu’s adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends has been announced. The four lead roles will be played by Alison Oliver, Sasha Lane, Joe Alwyn, and Jemima Kirke. The 12-part series will be directed by Lenny Abrahamson, who also directed six episodes of the adaption of Rooney’s Normal People.

Kazuo Ishiguro joins PEN Out Loud and Jia Tolentino for Digital Event on March 4

On March 4, Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro joins PEN Out Loud and the Asian American Writers’ Workshop to discuss the author’s new novel Klara and the Sun. The New Yorker staff writer Jia Tolentino will join Ishiguro to discuss the novel, his first since he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Recent and Upcoming Nonfiction Comic Releases

Comics aren’t just for superheroes and sci-fi/fantasy worlds. Here are some exciting recent and upcoming nonfiction comic releases.