Author: Emily Martin

Red, White, and Royal Blue Movie Casts Its Alex and Prince Henry

Amazon Prime Video’s adaptation of Red, White, and Royal Blue has officially cast its Alex and Prince Henry. In a tweet posted on June 1, author Casey McQuiston announced that Prince Henry will be played by Nicholas Galitzine, and Taylor Zakhar Perez will play Alex. Deadline also announced that Uma Thurman will be joining the cast Alex’s mom, President Ellen Claremont. Also joining the cast, according to Amazon Studios’ Instagram, will be Clifton Collins Jr., Stephen Fry, Sarah Shahi, Rachel Hilson, Ellie Bamber, Aneesh Sheth, Polo Morín, Ahmed Elhaj, and Akshay Khanna. The movie will be directed by playwright Matthew López in his feature debut. Filming is set to begin in Britain this month.

Freedom to Read Advocates Sound Alarm as Obscenity Lawsuit Advances in Virginia

A lawsuit in Virginia is ordering two popular authors and their publishers to defend their works against obscenity charges, and Freedom to Read advocates are sounding the alarm. The lawsuit alleges that two books for sale in a Virginia Beach Barnes & Noble—Maia Kobabe’s graphic memoir Gender Queer and A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas—are “obscene for unrestricted viewing by minors.” The court’s order raises the possibility of a restraining order that would forbid the books to be public displayed and restrain booksellers and libraries from selling or loaning the books to minors without parental consent.

In a statement issued this week, Freedom to Read advocates—including NCAC, ALA, the Virginia Library Association and other organizations—argue that the obscenity action aims “to prevent readers from making a personal choice to read these books,” and to “criminally prosecute librarians, booksellers, and publishers” for making materials they disapprove of available to the public. “If persons like the petitioners obtain similar orders every time they have objections to a book, it will chill the freedom to read and stifle the voices of authors and publishers,” the statement reads. “The undersigned organizations strongly urge Virginians–and all Americans–to stand against any attempt to use government action to dictate what we can read and how to think about what we read. Prohibiting the sale and distribution of books is an affront to our democratic values and threatens each person’s and each family’s individual liberties. It is contrary to our principles of democracy to allow anyone, regardless of their beliefs or political position, to determine what other Americans can read.”

The Boys Season 3 Welcomes Hollywood A-List Star for Cameo

The first three episodes of The Boys Season 3 have been released on Amazon Prime video, and the first episode includes a surprise cameo from an A-list star. Oscar winner Charlize Theron has joined the season as Stormfront. Or rather, a version of Stormfront. To find out how Theron factors into the story, you watch The Boys season 3 now.

The Best Bridgerton Fan Fiction

Fill the void between seasons and books with the best Bridgerton fan fiction for each sibling (and then some).

Erin Young’s The Fields Adaptation in the Works

A small screen adaptation of Erin Young’s recently published crime thriller The Fields is currently in the works. Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories (Big Little Lies), Jennifer Todd Pictures, and Endeavor Content have acquired the rights to the book to adapt into a television series. Kate Brooke (A Discovery of Witches, Bancroft) is attached to the project as writer/showrunner. Made Up Stories and Jennifer Todd Pictures are producing in partnership with Endeavor Content.

Sisters in Crime Currently Taking Submissions for Annual Pride Award

Emerging LGBTQIA+ writers, Sisters in Crime is currently taking submissions for their annual Pride Award. The award includes a $2000 grant for one up-and-coming writer who identifies as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Submissions will be accepted through July 31st, and this year’s winner will be announced in the fall.

Time Announces the Best Books of 2022 So Far

We’re nearly halfway through 2022, and Time has announced their picks for the best books of 2022. The magazine’s picks include a wide range of genres, including dystopian novel The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan, short story collection Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho, and memoir Constructing A Nervous System by Margo Jefferson. Check out the full list here!

The Misinformation Age: This Week’s Book Censorship News

This week’s book censorship news and the truth behind the State Farm-GenderCool project.

First Editions Annotated by Le Carré, Mantel, and Others to be Auctioned

Several first editions annotated by authors are up for auction to raise funds for English PEN, a human rights organization that champions freedom of expression and defends writers at risk of persecution. Among more than 80 writers who have reread and annotated their works are Margaret Atwood, Hilary Mantel, Salman Rushdie, Monica Ali, John le Carré, Sebastian Faulks, Ben Okri, Ian McEwan, JM Coetzee, Peter Carey, and Bernardine Evaristo. The annotations were a “big undertaking” for the authors, according to Mark Wiltshire, a books and manuscripts specialist at Christie’s. Of the annotated manuscripts, Wiltshire said, “It involves attentive rereading of a book, genuine reflections and thousands of words of text. It shows that the issues English PEN campaigns on are ones [the authors] really care about.”

Disney+ Introduces Kamala Khan and Her Friends in New Ms. Marvel Character Posters

Disney+ and Marvel’s newest series Ms. Marvel is coming out on June 8th, and the streamer is celebrating the upcoming series premiere by sharing a brand-new set of character posters on Instagram. The new posters offer a new look at Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel herself Kamala Khan. They also give a closer look at Kamala’s best friends, Bruno (Matt Lintz) and Nakia (Yasmeen Fletcher), her parents, Yusuf (Mohan Kapoor) and Muneeba (Zenobia Shroff), and her potential love interest, Kamran (Rish Shah).

Libro.fm Introduces “Summer Fridays” Giveaway Series

Libro.fm is giving away free audiobooks each Friday, from June 1st through August 31st as part of their “Summer Fridays” giveaway series. To enter to win, all you have to do is follow Libro.fm on social media. Look out for a post each Friday at 9am PT (12pm ET) with a special link to redeem. Each offer is limited in quantity, so set a reminder so you won’t miss out! Libro.fm is also running a 99 cent children’s audiobook sale all the way through August 31st as part of their Summer Fridays program.

A History of the Lambda Literary Awards

The Lambda Literary Awards are the most prominent award in LGBTQ literature, but they have a long history of controversies.

Lisa Taddeo Shares a First Look at the Adaptation of Three Women

Author Lisa Taddeo has shared a first look at Showtime’s television adaptation of Three Women, based on her bestselling nonfiction book. Shailene Woodley stars as the character representing author Lisa Taddeo at the center of the story, with DeWanda Wise (She’s Gotta Have It) as Sloane, Betty Gilpin (GLOW) as Lina, and Gabrielle Creevy (In My Skin) as Maggie. You can also watch a teaser trailer for the upcoming series here.

Leslie Mann & Tim Robbins Exit The Power Amazon Drama Series

Leslie Mann and Tim Robbins have left Amazon Studios’ global thriller drama series The Power, based on the feminist sci-fi novel by Naomi Alderman. Due to Covid delays and rescheduling issues, Robbins and Mann have had to drop the project, and their scenes will be reshot. Both roles will be recast.

Akwaeke Emezi is Taking a Break from Writing

Yesterday, Akwaeke Emezi, author of The Death of Vivek Oji and most recently You Made A Fool of Death with Your Beauty, announced on Twitter that they will be taking a break from writing. “I’m taking a break to execute other worlds outside of books, and although I’ll return to books, I’ll be a different beast when I do,” they tweeted. “Thank you all so, so much for reading my work. All these books have always in (sic) service to you and I’m vv proud to give you a literal buffet of worlds to pick from.”

June 2022 Horoscopes and Book Recommendations

How is it June already? Here are your horoscopes and book recommendations for June 2022.

Ontario School Board Removes Agatha Christie Book from Curriculum Due to Anti-Semitic References

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) has requested that teachers longer assign Agatha Christie’s mystery novel And Then There Were None due to anti-Semitic references in the text. “The text was first published around 1939 and is no longer relevant or engaging to students,” said a spokesperson for the UCDSB. “The Upper Canada District School Board regularly reviews its curriculum offerings and course materials to ensure we are offering fresh, engaging, timely and relatable materials to students.”

Rachel Zegler to Star in The Hunger Games Prequel Film

Lionsgate’s adaptation of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has some more casting news: Rachel Zegler of West Side Story has been cast as the female lead Lucy Gray Baird. Zegler joins actor Tom Blyth who was recently announced as the young Coriolanus Snow, that role played by Donald Sutherland in the original trilogy. “Like everybody, I first saw Rachel Zegler in West Side Story, and like everybody, I knew I was watching a star who would command the screen for a generation,” said the film’s director Francis Lawrence. “Lucy Gray is a perfect match for her as an actress: the character is bold, independent, and defiant, but also vulnerable, emotional, and loving. Rachel will make this character unforgettable.”

Kevin McKidd and Vinette Robinson Cast in ITV Adaptation of Six Four

U.K. broadcaster ITV is adapting Hideo Yokoyama’s Six Four into a four-part crime thriller, and Grey’s Anatomy star Kevin McKidd is set to star alongside Boiling Point’s Vinette Robinson. This adaptation moves the story from Japan to Glasgow and follows the O’Neills—police detective Chris and his wife, former undercover officer Michelle—whose teenage daughter goes missing. The cast also includes also includes Richard Coyle, James Cosmo, Alex Ferns, Iona Anderson, Andrew O’Neill, and Nilani Chetty. Author Yokoyama said, “I’m surprised and delighted in equal measure when people have found something universal in my work. That little boy who was so obsessed with the stories of Sherlock Holmes would be excited to hear about this. I offer my heart-felt gratitude to everyone connected with the production who decided to make this series and I can’t wait to see it.” Filming has commenced on location in Scotland.

R.L. Stine is Releasing New Horror for Kids This Summer

R.L. Stine is famous writing horror stories that have been scaring kids and teens for decades. This summer, he is releasing more.

Quentin Tarantino’s Book Cinema Speculation Out October 25th

Harper announced today that it will be publishing a nonfiction book by Quentin Tarantino on October 25th. The book, entitled Cinema Speculation, will center on The Getaway and other films from the 1970s that influenced Tarantino during his childhood. Harper is calling the book a combination of “film criticism, film theory, a feat of reporting, and wonderful personal history.”

Trailer for Mr. Malcolm’s List Released

If you’re missing Bridgerton, there’s a new regency-era rom-com movie coming out that you’re going to love. Mr. Malcolm’s List, based on the book by Suzanne Allain, is coming out this July—and the trailer has just been released! The story follows Julia Thistlewaite (Zawe Ashton). After being jilted by Mr. Malcolm (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù), London’s most eligible bachelor, Julia has her mind on revenge. Julia failed to meet every item on Mr. Malcolm’s incredibly rigorous list of requirements for a bride. Now Julia’s friend Selina Dalton (Freida Pinto) will pretend to be his ideal match. The film is directed by Emma Holly Jones in her feature debut, and Suzanne Allain wrote the script.

Register Today for AAPI Communities in Conversation #6

Register here to join the livestream of the sixth installment in the AAPI Communities in Conversation series, featuring Malaka Gharib, author of I Was Their American Dream. The even will take place on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, at 1:00 pm ET. You can find more details about the event and about Malaka Gharib’s work here.

2022 International Booker Prize Winner Announced

Honoring the finest works of translated fiction from around the world, the International Booker Prize has announced its 2022 winner, Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree, translated from Hindi by Daisy Rockwell.

Oprah Daily Reveals the Cover the Cover of Cho Nam-Joo’s Saha

Oprah Daily has another exclusive cover reveal! This time, they’re revealing the cover for Nam-Joo’s Saha, a dystopian novel set amid a run-down housing complex, “charting the fates and foibles of a range of characters as they hold on—barely—in a society devoted to the expansion of inequity.” The novel will be published by Liveright on November 1st.

Sabba Khan and Maisie Chain Win Jhalak Prizes for Writers of Color

Sabba Khan’s debut graphic novel, The Roles We Play, has won the Jhalak prize for best book by a writer of color. This is the first graphic novel to win the award. Meanwhile, the children’s and young adult prize went to Maisie Chan for her children’s novel Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths, illustrated by Anh Cao. The Jhalak Prize was established in 2017, co-founded by authors Nikesh Shukla and Sunny Singh. Singh, who serves as director of the prize, said, “This year, the judges have picked two pioneering books that are courageous, full of heart and break new ground for publishing today and open pathways to writers and creatives of colour who shall follow. These are two books for the new literary canon.”

The Raven Earns Bookstore of the Year Honor from Publishers Weekly

The Raven Book Store in downtown Lawrence, KS, was recognized this week by Publishers Weekly as its “Bookstore of the Year.” Four other stores across the country were in the running for this year’s honor: Books Are Magic, in Brooklyn, N.Y.; Mitchell’s Book Corner, in Nantucket, MA; Two Birds Books, in Santa Cruz, CA; and Madison Books, in Seattle, WA. The Raven’s owner Danny Caine called all nominees “amazing stores.” Caine says the bookstore community really roots for one another. In an interview with the Journal-World about the honor, Caine said, “One of the biggest honors of this whole thing was just being able to be mentioned in the same breath so many times with those other great stores that we look to for inspiration and guidance and solidarity and friendship.”

Business As Usual: This Week’s Book Censorship News

This week’s book censorship news, including a warning about upcoming challenges and protests to Pride displays and events.

Gillian Flynn Reveals Cover for First Novel from New Imprint

Earlier today, Gillian Flynn tweeted the cover reveal of the first novel coming out from her new imprint. Margot Douaihy’s Scorched Grace features a colorful stained glass style image introducing the story’s main character, Sister Holiday. Flynn called the cover, art directed by Evan Gaffney, “bold and brilliant.” The novel will be out on February 21, 2023.

“How to Murder Your Husband” Author Found Guilty of Murdering Husband

A Portland, Oregon jury has convicted a self-published romance novelist Nancy Crampton Brophy of fatally shooting her husband. In 2011, Brophy wrote an essay titled “How to Murder Your Husband,” which details various ways one could potentially get away with murder. Because the essay was written several years ago, the circuit judge Christopher Ramras urged the jury members to exclude the contents of the essay in their judgement. After a two-day deliberation, the jury found Brophy guilty of second-degree murder.

Amazon Starts Monthly Book Club

Amazon has started a monthly book club called Sarah Selects, named after Amazon’s editorial director for books Sarah Gelman. The club’s first selection will be Half-Blown Rose by Leesa Cross-Smith. The book club is available on Amazon Book Clubs, a free service that allows readers to join and create book clubs. Sarah Selects book clubbers will receive an email notification for each monthly selection, and can send in questions for Gelman to consider during her live-streamed Amazon Live interviews with the book club authors. The book club will focus on newly released titles and will feature Gelman’s favorite genres, including fiction, romance, mystery/thriller/suspense, biography, memoir, and pop science.

The Worst Covers of Classic Books

Not every edition of a book has a good cover. Feast your eyes on this list of the worst covers of classic books.