A.I. Take a Surprisingly Successful Stab at Writing Horror Fiction
slate.com – Friday October 27, 2017
Scientists working on A.I. development are at least trying to make sure our future machine overlords aren’t subject to the same flaws and negative habits that plague us flesh-and-bone humans. But there are some grotesqueries of the human mind we might like A.I. to emulate—for art’s sake.
Fast-Growing Page Street Ventures into Children's and YA Publishing
publishersweekly.com – Wednesday October 25, 2017
Will Kiester never seems to lose his easygoing demeanor, even while describing the breakneck speed at which Page Street, his Salem, Mass.-based publishing house, continues to grow. Sales are up 20–30% this year; title output is up to 70 from 34 in 2015. New office space is being added to accommodate it all and, he added, he already needs more.
Here's The Pitch Publishers Rejected When J.K. Rowling Was Trying To Get "Harry Potter" Published
buzzfeed.com – Wednesday October 25, 2017
Twenty years ago, J.K. Rowling blessed us all when she released the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, which is truly a worldwide phenomenon.
Rowling also hasn't been secretive about her prior struggle to get the series published, saying she received "loads" of rejections from publishers.
Everything Change Climate Fiction Contest
By Joey Eschrich
Editor and Program Manager, Center for Science and the Imagination, Arizona State University
firstwriter.com – Wednesday October 25, 2017
The Imagination and Climate Futures Initiative at Arizona State University is proud to announce our Everything Change Climate Fiction Contest. We are looking for stories that illustrate, explore, or illuminate the impact of climate change on humanity and/or the Earth. We invite submissions in all genres of short fiction.
CINE-BOOKS aims to unite authors and filmmakers with a new three-in-one format
thebookseller.com – Wednesday October 25, 2017
CINE-BOOKS is a "next generation publishing and book-filming startup" that offers a 'three-in-one' digital book format, as well as a global distribution platform that aims to connect readers, authors and film-makers in the creation of highly visual books.
How do you write a novel in just a month? With this app – that's how
techradar.com – Monday October 23, 2017
In the words of Bon Jovi, woah, we’re halfway there. I’m midway through my novel’s first draft. It feels much like crossing the 13.1 mile mark in a marathon – a sense of achievement, tempered by the realization that I have to do the same thing all over again.
Still, I have a good idea of where I need to go and how I’m going to get there, and it isn’t going to involve any blisters or horrible sticky energy gels. Seriously, who thought peanut flavor was a good idea?
I’ve had to double back a few times, re-writing and rearranging scenes that didn’t sit right. Those occasions have required a quick trip into LibreOffice Writer (try it – you won't believe it's not Word), but the rest of the time I’ve stuck with the superb distraction-blocking writing software FocusWriter.
Brad Pankosky, Allison Schwartz Promoted to Agents At Paradigm
deadline.com – Wednesday October 18, 2017
Brad Pankosky and Allison Schwartz have been promoted to agents at Paradigm. Pankosky who was both Talent Coordinator and an assistant in Paradigm Beverly Hills to Chairman and CEO Sam Gores, has been named upped to an agent in the talent department. Schwartz, who was assistant to Theatrical Literary Department Head Jack Tantleff in Paradigm’s New York office, now becomes a literary agent.
Marty Shapiro, Veteran Talent and Literary Agent, Dies at 81
hollywoodreporter.com – Saturday October 14, 2017
Marty Shapiro, a longtime talent and literary agent, died Sept. 25 at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., his daughter Susan Moss announced. He was 81.
Stanton and Pocklington form The North agency
thebookseller.com – Wednesday October 11, 2017
Literary agents Mark Stanton and Kevin Pocklington, formerly of Edinburgh-based Jenny Brown Associates (JBA), are starting a new agency based in Newcastle called The North.
They will be joined by literary agent Allan Guthrie and freelance editor Julie Fergusson, while Jenny Brown and Lucy Juckes are to remain at JBA.
Kingsford and Shukla crowd-fund BAME journal and literary agency
thebookseller.com – Friday September 22, 2017
The creators of The Good Immigrant, Nikesh Shukla and Julia Kingsford, are launching a crowd-funding campaign forThe Good Journal - a quarterly literary journal that will showcase UK BAME writers and lay the foundations for a new literary agency to champion under-represented voices.
According to Kingsford, the idea for the journal came about following the response to The Good Immigrant, which published exactly a year ago today (22nd September), and has now sold almost 50,000 copies across all editions to date.
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