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Community Publishing for the community

Paul Beatty Wins Man Booker 2016

27/10/2016

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Paul Beatty has won the Man Booker prize – the first American author to do so.

The book, The Sellout, was described by Publisher’s Weekly as a "droll, biting look at racism in modern America”. It tells the story of a black farmer who is being tried by the Supreme Court over his attempts to reinstitute slavery and segregation at the local high school.

The Sellout was published by the independent publisher, Oneworld.

Amanda Foreman, chair of the Booker judging panel, said: “The Sellout is a novel for our times. A tirelessly inventive modern satire, its humour disguises a radical seriousness. Paul Beatty slays sacred cows with abandon and takes aim at racial and political taboos with wit, verve and a snarl.”

First awarded in 1969, the Man Booker Prize is regarded as the leading award for high quality literary fiction written in English.

Paul Beatty’s win was announced by Amanda Foreman at London’s Guildhall, where he was presented with a trophy from HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and a £50,000 cheque from Luke Ellis, Chief Executive of Man Group.

The Booker shortlist also included Scottish author, Graeme Macrae Burnett. The literary thriller His Bloody Project tells the story in memoir form of a brutal triple murder in the Highlands of Scotland.

Published by independent publishers Saraband Books, The Times described the novel as “gripping, blackly playful and intelligent”.
 
 

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​Five Ways to Market Your Books

27/10/2016

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Amazon’s Indie Publishing Newsletter this month features successful independent authors talking about the best way to sell lots of books. So, what do they recommend?

Write lots of books. Romance mystery thriller author Stephanie Bond says the best way to sell a book is to write another book – it helps readers discover you. Bond has written 70 novellas herself, including one that was turned into a TV film by the Hallmark channel.

Write about likeable, sympathetic characters. Scott Pratt’s hero Joe Dillard evolves through his eight-book series. Readers, he says, have latched onto his protagonist and they are deeply invested in him and his family.

Set aside enough time to promote your work. Successful indie writers devote plenty of time to promotion – a 60/40 split between writing and promotion is often quoted. They often invest money in it too.

Use your backlist. Contemporary romance writer Violet Duke recommends repackaging and repositioning older novels, with new blurbs or overs, as there are always new readers out there.
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Talk to your fans directly. Reply to emails yourself and engage through social media. Newsletters are also a good idea.
 
 
 
 
 
 


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Frankfurt Book Fair Starts Today

19/10/2016

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Today is the start of the Frankfurt Book Fair – the world’s largest trade fair for books.

The fair takes place from 19 to 23 October. The first couple of days are restricted to trade, while members of the public are allowed in after that.

This year, there will be 80 speakers and about 40 events over the five days. The fair is seen as an opportunity for networking and business, and interviews will take place with the CEOs of some of the largest publishing and media houses in the world.

This year’s highlights include:

Social Reading – Together is Better. Dutch social media and self-publishing pioneers, Peter Paul van Bekkum and Toine Donk discussing social reading, i.e. the trend for platforms such as Lovelybooks, Wattpads, Goodreads and other to bring together millions of readers and authors. They will discuss how to inspire young readers, and how to become active fans and followers.

France and its Literature. France has produced the highest number of Nobel laureates in literature, and literary editors and scouts will be given the chance to discover trends in the French literary market.

Eastern Europe. A business breakfast will look at Eastern Europe’s transition over recent years, and representatives from some of the region’s most important publishing houses based in Georgia, Slovenia and the Ukraine will talk about the effects the upheavals have had on their literature.
 

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NEWSLETTER - ALL yOU nEED tO kNOW aBOUT sELF-pUBLISHING

17/10/2016

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There's now a Comely Bank Publishing newsletter - are you on the mailing list?

The newsletter will keep you up to date with what our stable of authors are doing, which titles are due to be published, events that we have coming up and what's new on our website. We keep this website updated with resources for writers - from information about book economics, to what goes into a good front cover, why as a writer you need to be wary of sequels and more.

As you might expect from a reputable organisation, we don't pass on your contact details to any third parties and we don't spam. Our newsletters are infrequent and you can unsubscribe at any time.

If you would like to sign up, email us at [email protected] 
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US National Book Awards Finalists Announced

11/10/2016

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The finalists for the American National Book Awards have been announced. The winners will be named at a ceremony in New York on 16 November.
Fiction finalists include:
  • Chris Bachelder, The Throwback Special
  • Paulette Jiles, News of the World
  • Karan Mahajan, The Association of Small Bombs
  • Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad
  • Jacqueline Woodson, Another Brooklyn
Non-fiction finalists are:
  • Arlie Russell Hochschild, Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right
  • Ibram X. Kendi, Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America
  • Viet Thanh Nguyen, Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War
  • Andrés Reséndez, The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America
  • Heather Ann Thompson, Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its Legacy
Young people’s books finalists include::
  • Kate DiCamillo, Raymie Nightingale
  • John Lewis, Andrew Aydin & Nate Powell (Artist), March: Book Three
  • Grace Lin, When the Sea Turned to Silver
  • Jason Reynolds, Ghost
  • Nicola Yoon, The Sun Is Also a Star.
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Coming To Blackwell's Edinburgh Soon!

10/10/2016

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There's still time to grab a (free) ticket for the launch Roland Tye's Weekender on Wednesday 12th October...
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