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Hello and happy first official Friday of fall! I know, I know, I claimed it was fall a few weeks ago while I was enjoying the cool weather and was sipping on a pumpkin spice latte, but now it’s official and I will be celebrating by treating myself to a pumpkin spice latte (although this one will be iced because it is warm here in Toronto this week).

We had a great Facebook Live event here at KWL this week with Ines Johnson. If you missed the live event, you can check out our interview here:


As fall starts to kick into high gear, Lit Hub has done the math and created a list of the most anticipated books of the season.

The Ultimate Fall 2020 Books Preview

Every season brings with it a slew of reading lists, and fall-the traditional season of Big Books-is certainly no exception. But do you really have to read each one to figure out which books to read as the weather forces us inside? Of course not. Because, as usual, I have done it for you.


Macmillan has raised their entry-level baseline salary making it one of the largest among the Big Five.

Macmillan Ups Baseline Salary to $42K

Macmillan Publishers U.S. Trade will raise its entry-level salary to $42,000 a year. The raise will apply to all incoming and existing employees. It marks a $7,000 increase from what was reported to be Macmillan’s baseline salary prior to the change, and makes Macmillan’s entry-level salary among the highest, if not the highest, at the Big Five trade houses.

The Artist Relief Organization has extended their Covid-19 grants to the end of the year.

Artist Relief Organization Extends COVID-19 Grants to End of 2020

Artists who continue to face financial difficulties due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will be able to apply to the Artist Relief fund, which distributes unrestricted $5,000 grants to artists in the United States and US territories, until the end of the year.


The investigation regarding John Bolton’s tell-all continues.

At Hearing, Judge Appears Unmoved by New Claims in Bolton Case

At a hearing held over the telephone yesterday, a federal judge appeared unimpressed by claims made this week that Trump administration officials had abused the prepublication review process in a bid to suppress publication of former National Security advisor John Bolton’s bestselling memoir The Room Where It Happened.

Rome has launched a new literary festival.

Rome launches major new literary festival

Rome’s three main annual literary events – Letterature – Festival internazionale di Roma, Libri Come, and Più libri più liberi – join forces to form Insieme, a new festival of literature. Scheduled from 1-4 October, the festival will feature important guests from the world of literature including Salman Rushie, Wole Soyinka and Antono Scurati, among many more.

$3.2 million of stolen rare books were recovered from underneath a house in Romania.

$3.2 million worth of rare stolen books have been found under a house in rural Romania.

When a group of thieves stole $3.2 million worth of rare books from a London warehouse in 2017, including seminal scientific texts by Isaac Newton and Galileo, they shocked the antiquarian book world and inspired a number of theories about what had happened.

As a certain author continues to double down on anti-trans views, gender theorist Judith Butler has responded.

Judith Butler on the culture wars, JK Rowling and living in “anti-intellectual times”

Thirty years ago, the philosopher Judith Butler*, now 64, published a book that revolutionised popular attitudes on gender. Gender Trouble, the work she is perhaps best known for, introduced ideas of gender as performance. It asked how we define “the category of women” and, as a consequence, who it is that feminism purports to fight for.


The National Book Foundation has announced their 5 Under 35 list for 2020.

Announcing the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 Recipients

It’s time to unveil this year’s 5 Under 35 list from the National Book Foundation, which recognizes outstanding debuts from writers under 35.

The CBC Nonfiction Prize has announced their shortlist.

5 writers make the 2020 CBC Nonfiction Prize shortlist | CBC Books

Five writers have made the 2020 CBC Nonfiction Prize shortlist. The finalists are: Each of the finalists will receive $1,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts and their work has been published on CBC Books. You can read their work by clicking the links above. The winner will be announced on Oct.

The 2020 Cundill History Prize for best work of historical nonfiction has announced their shortlist.

Books about slavery, Indigenous history among 10 titles nominated for $100K Cundill History Prize | CBC Books

Books The annual award recognizes the year’s best work of historical nonfiction. It is administered by McGill University. Books about slavery, Indigenous history, the Israel-Palestine conflict and the Aztecs are among the 10 titles that have been shortlisted for the 2020 Cundill History Prize. The $75,000 U.S.


The cover for the next book in the You series has been revealed.

‘You’ author reveals cover for series’ third book ‘You Love Me’

Joe Goldberg’s story isn’t over yet. On Tuesday, Kepnes revealed on social media the cover for You Love Me, which is set to hit shelves on April 6, 2021.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has announced her next novel, Malibu Rising.

Taylor Jenkins Reid announces she’s taking us to the ’80s with new novel ‘Malibu Rising’

Taylor Jenkins Reid has taken us through the glittering Hollywood studio system of the ’40s and ’50s, and she’s sent us on quite the trip through a drug-fueled haze of 1970s rock’n’roll. But now, she’s taking us into the lives of the rich and famous in the “Me-First” Decade.


Have you ever wondered how the New York Times bestseller list comes together? The bestseller staff explains the process of creating one of the most renown lists in publishing.

A Lot of Data and a Little Singing: How The Times’s Best-Seller List Comes Together

The weekly book lists are determined by sales numbers. But a touch of Salt-N-Pepa or Axl Rose livens up the process. Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together.

If you need a quick laugh, please enjoy these comics of classic moments from literature reimagined as zoom meetings… something that feels incredibly 2020.

Climactic Moments in Literature Rescheduled as Zoom Meetings

WATCH: Matt Quinn of Mt. Joy on Musical Storytelling and Early Influences This episode continues our video series to benefit the wonderful Mighty Writers, a Philadelphia-based non-profit that teaches…


Finally, the world lost a legend this week when Ruth Bader Ginsberg passed away, and this essay beautifully discusses finding purpose in the pain and fear that followed her passing.

To Make Light From Pain: Mourning Ruth Bader Ginsburg

I was crying last night, because Ruth Bader Ginsburg died; my husband took over with the kids. He bathed them and put them to bed but then they wanted me to read to them. I’d just hung up the phone…

Have a great weekend!


Staff Pick
Tara, Senior Manager of Author Experience
“The brand is strong with this book. My favourite podcasters/late night talk show hosts wrote a book! It’s a collection of life advice or “knowledge darts” that syncs together genuine life advice intertwined with stories that’ll make you actually lol. You can hear their voices clearly with each story, and especially in the audiobook, obviously.”

God-Level Knowledge Darts ebook by Desus & Mero – Rakuten Kobo

Read “God-Level Knowledge Darts Life Lessons from the Bronx” by Desus & Mero available from Rakuten Kobo. NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * “Desus & Mero are smarter and funnier than everyone writing books.”-Shea Serrano “I will nev…

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