After weeks of criticism, including the withdrawal of approximately one third of nominated writers, PEN America announced on Monday that it will cancel this year’s Literary Awards ceremony. “We greatly respect that writers have followed their consciences, whether they chose to remain as nominees in their respective categories or not,” PEN America literary programming chief officer Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf said in a release. “We regret that this unprecedented situation has taken away the spotlight from the extraordinary work selected by esteemed, insightful and hard-working judges across all categories. As an organization dedicated to freedom of expression and writers, our commitment […]
LA Times Book Prizes
The Los Angeles Times Book Prizes were announced on April 19.
Forthcoming: Andrew Clements’ THE FRINDLE FILES
On August 27, Random House Children’s Books will publish THE FRINDLE FILES, a sequel to Andrew Clements‘ 1996 book FRINDLE (published by Atheneum). According to a release, Clements finished the manuscript before his death in 2019. SVP & publisher, Random House Brands and Graphic Michelle Nagler acquired world rights from Amy Berkower at Writers House. Nagler will edit the novel with Clements’s family. “We are so proud to be publishing Andrew’s final novel and that it brings the love for Frindle full circle for readers of all ages,” Nagler said. “To have one final story to share with his fans […]
PEN’s Top Literary Prize Potentially Un-Awardable Due to Author Withdrawal
Nine of the ten authors longlisted for the $75,000 PEN/Jean Stein Award have withdrawn their books from consideration, as part of a continued boycott of PEN America over the organization’s response to the war in Gaza. Camille Dungy’s SOIL is currently the book that remains. In a statement provided by her publisher, Dungy said, “Right now in America, book bans are increasing at an alarming rate. In states like the one where I live—Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Iowa—such bans are putting young people at risk, particularly Black, Brown, queer, and trans youths who can’t access books that represent and affirm who […]
Harper to Create AI Audioboooks of Some Foreign Language Titles
Harper Collins will create AI audiobooks of select foreign language backlist titles, working with text-to-speech software company ElevenLabs. “The agreement will lead to the production of audio versions of select deep backlist series books that would not otherwise have been created.” ElevenLabs’ interface can create an audiobook in about an hour that will, according to Harper, “reflect the emotion, intonation, and pacing of the written word in audio, delivering a high-quality experience that sounds human,” the Bookseller reports. A release from ElevenLabs states that “HarperCollins will continue to devote time and resources to voice actor-led productions which are intrinsic to […]
Ask An Expert: Stacey Barney, Associate Publisher, Nancy Paulsen Books for Young Readers
Stacey Barney is associate publisher at Nancy Paulsen Books for Young Readers. She has edited bestselling and award-winning titles such as Krystal Sutherland’s The Invocations and House of Hollow, Renée Ahdieh’s The Beautiful quartet, Ayana Gray’s Beasts of Prey, and Katherine Arden’s middle grade quartet Small Spaces, as well as Caldecott Honor–winning The Cat Man of Aleppo and Coretta Scott King Illustrator honoree Nina: A Story of Nina Simone written by Traci N. Todd and illustrated by Christian Robinson. Can you talk about what, for you, separates a middle grade from a YA novel? How are the voice, characters, themes, etc. […]