Newsletter #11

Dear Bibliophile,

The human body is an amazing entity. It’s autonomous in it’s actions, like moving limbs and blinking of eyes, conscious and unconscious but still autonomous. Yet it’s laid claim to by so many. Our family, friends and workplace all lay claim to our body language and we are constantly trying to shrink or puff up to suit their expectations.

Yet, as George Orwell put it in 1984, ‘thoughtcrime’ is often betrayed by involuntary, and even voluntary, bodily reactions, needs and transformations. We move rapidly towards uniformity, a single code in behaviour, defection of which is punishable but cry foul when no single original thought flourishes.

The human body is social and political, and autonomy is a fiction we believe in for the sake of sanity. Like God.

Your very own,

Literary Curator

5 Literary News In 50 Words

For Russians, reading is the new resistance

Drawing comparison’s with Orwellian dystopia, the journalist in this article talks about the reading habits that signal a change in society and the people’s mindset. By Andrei Kolesnikov, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Moscow Center, this article is an example of analytics meeting journalism to better understand human bahviour. (Foreign Policy) Read more.

BTS revealed as authors of mystery book

Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS will be out on 9 July, ending feverish speculation that the previously untitled book was a Taylor Swift memoir. The guessing game began this week when a mysteriously untitled book, scheduled for publication in July and known only as “4C Untitled Flatiron Nonfiction Summer 2023”, appeared. Guardian) Read more.

ArabLit’s new newsletter for rights professionals

The Morocco-based online magazine ArabLit offers a new rights resource for industry pros on Arabic literature and translation from the pioneering Morocco-based writer and editor Marcia Lynx Qualey, who founded ArabLit in 2009, promoting literature translated from Arabic mostly into English. (Publishing Perspectives) Read more.

French PM sues publisher of biography

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne is suing a French publisher over a book that makes references to her sexual orientation and family life. Borne’s lawyer is requesting that passages of the book “La Secrète,” written by French journalist Bérengère Bonte, “making reference to her health and sexual orientation” should be removed. (Politico) Read more.

Study on ‘science scam’ in academic publishing

One in five articles published in journals may contain faked data by unauthorised “paper mills” paid to fabricate scientific submissions, according to a study by German researchers who used new techniques to “red flag” problematic papers. It also backs up recent evidence that majority of fake research comes from China. (Financial Times) Read more.

5 Places To Submit Prose & Poetry

April was writing month and if you made some progress, maybe you feel ready to send your piece of writing out into the world. Here are the publishers currently accepting submissions:

1. Tint Journal I till May 31 l All genre for non-native English writers l Details here.
2. Broken Sleep Books I till May 31 I Poetry collection I Details here.
3. Rattle l Monthly Ekphrastic Poetry Challenge I Details here.
4. Lit Magazine I till June 15 l All genre I Details here.
5. Chestnut Review I till June 1 I seeking volunteer readers I Details here.

Writing Prompt:

Imagine you received a letter, with no sender’s name or any context. It’s a surprise maybe, or not. But it is still a mystery until you open it. How does the envelope feel? Who do you think sent it? Good news or bad news? Or no news at all, maybe? Write a monologue about it.

Things To Read/Watch:

• Poem Still I Rise by Maya Angelou. Watch here.
• Short story In the Penal Colony by Franz Kafka. Read here.
• ‘Give yourself permission to be creative’ by Ethan Hawke. Watch here.