The National Endowment for the Arts announced nearly a thousand grants totaling roughly $75 million for the second half of their fiscal year. Literature claims just a small slice of that largesse, with 56 grants comprising $1.42 million. Among the larger recipients, receiving grants of between $30,000 and $90,000, are: 826 National; Association of Writers & Writing Programs; Council of Literary Magazines and Presses; Grub Street; The Loft Literary Center; PEN American Center; PEN/Faulkner; Poets & Writers; and Small Press Distribution. The full list (if you scroll down) is posted here. The Boston Globe “obtained” a copy of Elizabeth Warren‘s embargoed memoir set for release next […]
New Releases/Forthcoming
Forthcoming: Geithner’s Tour Guests, and A New Eggers
Crown announced former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner‘s book tour for STRESS TEST for May, featuring well-known “moderators” at many of his appearances. Notably, they include former Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke (in Washington, DC) and former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson (in Chicago). Other moderators include Pulitzer–winning author Liaquat Ahamed, Jim Cramer, and Bethany McLean. On June 17 Knopf will publish a newly-announced 208 page novel by Dave Eggers, YOUR FATHERS, WHERE ARE THEY? AND THE PROPHETS, DO THEY LIVE FOREVER? It’s the “story of one man struggling to make sense of his country, seeking answers the only way he knows […]
People, Awards, Etc.
At Bloomsbury, Kathy Belden has been promoted to senior executive editor. Sara Sciuto is joining Foreword Literary as an agent, specializing in children’s books. She was previously an agent with Full Circle Literary. Ian McEwan‘s novel THE CHILDREN ACT, already announced for UK publication this fall by Jonathan Cape, will also be issued by Nan A. Talese on September 9 (listed at 192 pages). Gabriel García Márquez has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home following treatment for a lung and urinary tract infection. Philip Roth will receive Yaddo’s inaugural artist medal at a ceremony in May. […]
Wattpad Takes $46 Million It Doesn’t Need Yet; PRH UK Announces Reader Bookshelves; New eBook Courses and Certificates
Wattpad announced in a press release that it has raised $46 million in Series C funding, led by OMERS Ventures with participation from August Capital, Raine Ventures, and Northleaf Venture Catalyst Fund. Wattpad’s existing investors also participated in the round. The company will use the funds to expand their staff in Toronto and move to new office space, along with “support[ing] product development and community growth.” CEO Allen Lau admits to Gigaom they don’t really need the money, and still have much of their previous round of $17.3 million in financing from 2012 on hand. Over half of their users […]
LBF Announcements: Isaacson’s Innovators; Chevalier’s Othello; Shatzkin and McCarthy’s Digital Marketing Agency
Simon & Schuster likes to officially announce their Walter Isaacson books at the London Book Fair. Acquired some time ago, and already previewed online by the author, they will publish Isaacson’s THE INNOVATORS: How a Group of Inventors, Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution, in world English on October 7. The book “focuses on the dozen or so most significant breakthroughs and the people who made them: the computer, programming, the transistor, the microchip, video games, the internet, the personal computer, software, the web. The book opens with Ada Lovelace, who wrote the first computer algorithm, and continues […]
Forthcoming: Wimpy Kid 9, Cuomo, and More
In advance of the Bologna Book Fair, Abrams’ Amulet Books imprint announced a November 4 US publication date for Diary of a Wimpy Kid 9. International editions in 83 countries will follow shortly thereafter. As usual, the cover and most of the content will be revealed later; for now, Kinney says, “I’m taking the Heffleys out of their home environment and sending them out on the road. Writing about an epic family road trip has really got my creative juices flowing.” The most recent release, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck, has sold more than 3.2 million copies, the publisher […]