Newsletter #5
Dear Bibliophile,
Hope you’re doing well, storing chestnuts, and preparing for the winter.
It’s been a long time since I wrote a newsletter, and I deeply apologise for this lapse. Sometimes, I lose sight of important things, and this was one such instance. Although I didn’t stop writing creatively, I stopped writing otherwise. As in everything else with life, the good came with a pinch of bad, and the bad came with a pinch of worse. However, my personal experiences aside, there’s interesting news in the publishing world. And it seemed like a good day to restart sharing some of it for you to read.
Read 5 Literary News In 150 Words
Film-rights holders for novels can pitch for adaptation at Berlinale 2023
The Books at Berlinale program issued a call for submissions for its 18th edition, scheduled to take place as a part of the Berlinale Co-Production Market. It is a joint initiative of the Berlin International Film Festival and Frankfurter Buchmesse. The program will select 12 or so books to pitch to an audience of some 150 international producers, followed by a networking event. Each publisher/agent has her or his own standing table and can be approached directly by the producers. Books at Berlinale is set for February 20 as an in-person event.
To propose a book, you must be the holder of the film rights for it. For submission and selection, a detailed synopsis is mandatory, the sample great, but not an absolute requirement. Your proposal must be for a book that’s either bestselling or especially awarded, new or yet to be published, and with “great potential for screen adaptation.”
Rare Arabic and Islamic manuscripts at Sharjah International Book Fair 2022
The 41st Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) is offering visitors the opportunity to explore and read centuries-old rare Arabic and Islamic manuscripts and books, some dating to the 13th century CE, showcased for the very first time in the Middle East. The exhibition, in collaboration with Italy’s Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and Ambrosian Library, has a collection of rare manuscripts with embossed and gilded pages copied from the Holy Quran dating back to 15th and 16th centuries. A 17th century cosmology manuscript titled ‘Miracles of Existence’ which, in addition to explanatory texts also features architectural illustrations related to scientific content, will be on display. There’s also a rare genealogy manuscript featuring the family tree of Prophet Mohammed. A 13th century manuscript by Makki bin Abi Talib Al Quaisi on the sciences of Quran titled ‘Uncovering The Faces of The Seven Readings’ is the oldest manuscript there.
Penguin’s $2.2bn merger with Simon & Schuster blocked by US court
A US court has blocked a $2.2bn (£1.9bn) merger between the world’s largest book publisher Penguin Random House and its rival Simon & Schuster. In a brief order on Monday, US District Judge Florence Pan said the deal could “substantially” lessen competition in the publishing industry.
Penguin said in a statement that it would appeal against the decision. The US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit to stop the deal last November.
Penguin Random House was formed through the merger of two major publishers from the UK and the US in 2013. “The court finds that the United States has shown that the effect of the proposed merger may be substantially to lessen competition in the market for the US publishing rights to anticipated top-selling books,” Judge Pan said in her two-page order.
It comes as the Biden administration steps up its regulation of anti-competitive practises. (BBC)
Another US controversy hits Penguin publishers
Over 250 US literary figures have signed an open letter protesting the acquisition by Penguin Random House of a book by the conservative supreme court justice Amy Coney Barrett. The hard-line Catholic conservative was Donald Trump’s third appointee, her nomination rushed by Senate Republicans after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal lion, before the 2020 election. Barrett’s book deal, reportedly worth $2m, was revealed the following year. The letter focuses on Barrett’s membership in the 6-3 majority which this June removed abortion rights.
The signatories say, “we recognize that harm is done to a democracy not only in the form of censorship, but also in the form of assault on inalienable human rights. As such, we are calling on Penguin Random House to recognise its own history and corporate responsibility commitments by reevaluating its decision to move forward with publishing supreme court justice Amy Coney Barrett’s forthcoming book.” (Guardian)
Man returns book to UK library, 84 years overdue
Earlsdon Carnegie Library took to Instagram to share how they were returned the book Red Deer by Richard Jefferies a mere 84 years and two weeks overdue. Paddy Riordan returned the book from his grandfather’s collection and kindly donated the fine totalling £18.27. The fine was calculated at the then rate of 1d per week.
The library even shared a photograph of the man’s grandfather Capt. William Harrison with a note written by his grandson, “Settlement of my grandfather’s library fine. Should have been returned by 4/10/1938”.
Capt. William Harrison is pictured with his daughter, a child back then. Harrison died in 1957 while his daughter passed away recently. The book was overdue for 30,695 days, says the library card. The book Red Deer, originally published in 1883, was by Richard Jefferies, an English writer noted for his depiction of English rural life in books of natural history and novels. (The Indian Express)
5 Places To Submit Prose & Poetry
As we all gear up for all sorts of activities, from winter hibernation to travel, why not celebrate this wonderful time by sending in the poem/short story/flash fiction that has been ruminating in your creative soul for a while. To nudge you along, here are places which seem exciting. Read and submit:
- Broken Sleep Books l till Nov 30 I Poetry pamphlets (up to 40 pages) I Details here.
- The Southern Review I Sept 1 – January 1 l All genres l Details here.
- Daily Science Fiction I Ongoing I Flash fiction I Details here.
- The Storyteller Series I No 21- 28 l Podcast and Print all genre I Details here.
- Contrary Magazine I till Dec 1 I Poetry, fiction, CNF I Details here.
Writing Prompt:
Since it’s been a while since I’ve done this newsletter, I would like to choose a prompt that we can all work on. I would like you to go through your backpack/handbag and pick an item you carry around with you all the time. It may hold some significance, or simply a thing you forgot you even had it. Hold this object and let it bring some inspiration, maybe of what it was or what it can be. Something you’ve read before, something perhaps new to write about.
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