The 1890s were a bountiful decade for vampire literature. This was the period that saw the publication of James Maclaren Cobban’s Master of his Fate (1890), E. E. Baldwin’s The Strange Story of Dr. Senex (1891), Cora Lin Daniels’ Sardia (1891), Julien Gordon’s Vampires (1891), Florence Marryat’s The Blood of the Vampire (1897), and Thaddeus…
Book Beat: Women in Comedy Writing, Chapbooks and Badly Behaving Authors
Happy Thursday book lovers! Welcome back to Book Beat. It’s been a busy few weeks for me, your editor Christa. I went on and survived my first conference/business trip since breaking my ankle, and it was a great success. While busy, it was great to be back out and chatting with people about all things…
The Free Black Women’s Library Comes to LA: A Talk with Director Asha Grant
Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen on Slauson in Los Angeles is buzzing with conversation. The pink neon sign above the door is radiating the energy of the room—“good vibes only”—black people fill the space, there to support black womxn and an organization that uplifts them: The Free Black Women’s Library LA. It’s their official launch party….
Book Beat: Greg Younging, Chronicle Books Turns to Audio, and the ABA Responds to Baker & Taylor News
Hello, bookish friends! Welcome back to Book Beat, your weekly update on the literary world. With the weather getting warmer and convention/festival season getting underway, there’s lots going on. Unfortunately, not all news is good news. I’ve got a few upsetting updates, but I’ve also got new releases to share as well.
Book Beat: #CopyPasteCris Lawsuit, Ontario Library Service, and D.C. Store Protests
Hello lovely readers! Welcome to your weekly installment of Book Beat, brought to you by editor Paige. Spring is in the air, and with it comes feelings of lightness and rejuvenation. In the ever-busy publishing industry, that means we have several interesting updates on previously discussed scandals. This new season also, unfortunately, means we have…
Burn Before Reading: Compelling Reasons to Not Read A Book
I enjoy lists about who’s reading what, from our own Dogears to NPR Books’ Friday Reads. However, sometimes I’m just not going to read that book that you love so much, or that you’re shocked I haven’t read by now, or that you think might be the next big thing. And, as I expand my…
Book Beat: Apex Magazine Hiatus, New Skyhorse Imprint, and A Tolkien Biopic
Hi everyone! It’s Christa, here to take you through the roller coaster of books news from this past week. One of our favourite SFF magazines announced it was going on hiatus, and the developing Children’s Book Guild of DC story was the talk of the WWAC Slack. But there was some good news too for…
Star Wars: An Overview of The Rebel Princess and the Shadow Queen
Star Wars: Leia: Princess of Alderaan By Claudia Gray Disney Lucasfilm Press September 1, 2017 And Star Wars: Queen’s Shadow By E.K. Johnston Disney Lucasfilm Press March 5, 2019 With the recent release of the Episode IX trailer, which teases the return of Emperor Palpatine, my earlier decision to read both Star Wars: Leia: Princess of…
Book Beat: Neflix’s Book-Buying Spree, Disney’s Love Simon, and Game of Thrones
Hello, friends, it’s Emily back again to share the latest book-related news. The fluctuating temperatures of spring seem to be taking a toll on me, as I’ve been a bit sick this past week. As a result, I’ve spent some quality time on the couch in front of the TV. So perhaps it’s fitting that…
The Vampyre’s Legacy, Part 4: Carmilla and Company
The previous installment of this series covered attempts to deconstruct vampire fiction during the mid-nineteenth century, with writers stepping back and seeing how vampirism could serve symbolic purposes. As the century headed towards its close, the time was right for the vampire to be reconstructed once again. With the more analytical works out of the…
We’re Queer and Here because of Alison Bechdel: A Review of Alison Bechdel: Conversations
Alison Bechdel: Conversations Rachel R. Martin (Editor) University Press of Mississippi October 18, 2018 Where do we need to go, and how far have we come? This, perhaps, is the question a good, earnest reader would ask when diving into Rachel R. Martin’s Alison Bechdel: Conversations, a collection of interviews with the queer comics legend….
Book Beat: Hugo Awards, Bologna and Short Story Machines
Happy Thursday everyone! Christa, your Bookmarked co-editor, here with your book news of the week.