The Thursday Book Beat: Tanith Lee Passes Away

Margaret Atwood submits first manuscript to Future Library

We previously reported that Atwood would be one of the authors adding a book to the Library in Oslo, Norway,  and this week, the manuscript took its place in a locked box to be revealed in 2114. Atwood will also be writing about the experience on Wattpad.

Whle I personally doubt I’ll ever get to read Scribbler Moon, I do think this is an incredible project. The documentation of how books and writing styles develop over the next 100 years won’t just be an important piece of history, but an enduring testament to humanity’s appreciation for literature.

Tanith Lee passes away at 68 years old

Having written well-loved series like The Claidi Journals and award-winning novels like Death’s Master, Tanith Lee was laid to rest this week. Her legacy spans 44 years of publication, starting with The Dragon Hoard published by Macmillan in 1971.

I have not yet had the privilege of reading a Lee book, but the outpouring of love and appreciation for her and her work have convinced me to check out my local library’s stock. Our sincerest condolences to her loved ones and fans.

#BooksArentDangerous campaign gathers book donations for kids in need

You may have seen Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia spreading the word about this hashtag on your Twitter feed as they promote their newest novel Dangerous Deceptions. Stohl and Garcia asked their readers to tweet selfies with books, using the hashtag. For every 5,000 selfies, their publisher Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, will donate one book to a school or library in need.

“We wanted to celebrate the Dangerous Deception release by letting everyone experience the thrill of sharing a book with a reader who wouldn’t otherwise have one. It’s my favorite kind of campaign — stone soup, where we all kick something in!” wrote Stohl.

Amazon and Penguin Random House may be at odds over contract renewal

Feeling a little deja vu over this news? You’re not the only one. The possibility of Penguin Random House going head-to-head with Amazon is a familiar story, one that fellow publishers Hachette, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins have already lived through. As the biggest publisher today, PRH’s approach to these talks will certainly be interesting to watch.

Nicola Griffith analyzes female presence in major book awards

Has the presence of female characters in award-winning novels increased or decreased in the last 15 years? That’s just one of the questions author Nicola Griffith decided to explore in her latest piece. Among the awards Griffith analyzed: the Pulitzer, the Man Booker, and the Hugo Awards. It’s hard not to feel unsurprised by the results:

At the top of the prestige ladder, for the Pulitzer Prize women wrote zero out of 15 prize-winning books wholly from the point of view 2 of a woman or girl. Zero. For the prize that recognises “the most distinguished fiction by an American author,” not a single book-length work from a woman’s perspective or about a woman was considered worthy. Women aren’t interesting, this result says. Women don’t count.

As always, the hope remains that community analyses like this will keep the conversation about book diversity going.

HarperCollins partners with Shazam to provide additional content

John Scalzi signs extensive $3.4 million deal with Tor Books

Mindy Kaling & B.J. Novak to write book

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Angel Cruz

Angel Cruz

Angel Cruz is a writer and boy band scholar. You can also find her at Book Riot for endless discussion and flailing over all things literature. Ice cream, Broadway musicals, and Arashi are her lifeblood.

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