S&S Distribution Refusal, Literary Prize Scams, and Cover Reveals: This Week in Book News

Hello writers! Another week has come and gone, and we here in Toronto continue to live in lockdown measures that are getting more and more strict by the week. It definitely hasn’t been easy, nor the spring we imagined, so in an effort to bring some smiles to everyone’s faces… have a puppy.

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KWL is excited to announce our next live takeover event with Clayton Noblit from Written Word Media. The event is taking place next Thursday, April 22nd, at 12pm EST. Be sure to join us to learn all about Written Word Media and get some marketing tips from Clayton.

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Doubleday is expanding its nonfiction list to include wellness and self-help titles.

Doubleday Expands into Wellness and Self-Help

The Doubleday division of Penguin Random House will expand its nonfiction list to include wellness and self-help titles, Bill Thomas, executive v-p and editor-in-chief of Doubleday, announced on Thursday. The move will be spearheaded by Todd Doughty, senior v-p and deputy publisher, and Kristine Puopolo, v-p and editorial director for nonfiction.

Simon & Schuster has said they will have no part in distributing a book written by one of the officers involved in the murder of Breonna Taylor.

Simon & Schuster refuses to distribute book by officer who shot Breonna Taylor

Simon & Schuster has said that it will not be distributing a book by one of the police officers who shot Breonna Taylor, after a small publisher whose books are distributed through S&S announced the book to widespread criticism.

After being flooded with manuscripts thanks to the ample writing time provided by lockdowns, a French publishing house has kindly asked authors to stop submitting. (maybe someone should tell these authors about indie publishing).

Top French publishing house asks would-be authors to stop sending manuscripts

Stop sending us your manuscripts! That’s the message that French publishing house Gallimard sent out to would-be authors in April, after receiving a deluge of submissions. Gallimard, known for publishing Marcel Proust, Simone de Beauvoir and Albert Camus, wrote politely on its website and on Twitter: “Given the exceptional circumstances, we ask you to defer sending your manuscripts.

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Scammers have tricked the Rathbones Folio prize into paying them the 2020 prize money.

Rathbones Folio prize paid £30,000 to scammers posing as the winner

The Rathbones Folio prize has revealed that it paid £30,000 prize money to scammers posing as the author Valeria Luiselli, who won the award in 2020. Publishing industry magazine the Bookseller revealed on Wednesday that the Folio, which is awarded to the year’s best work of literature regardless of form, was scammed by “sophisticated cyber-criminals”.

The shortlist for the Griffin Poetry Prize has been revealed.

Canisia Lubrin, Joseph Dandurand and Yusuf Saadi shortlisted for $65K Griffin Poetry Prize | CBC Books

Poets Canisia Lubrin, Joseph Dandurand and Yusuf Saadi are the Canadian finalists for the 2021 Griffin Poetry Prize. The award annually gives out two $65,000 prizes – one to a book of Canadian poetry and one to an international book of poetry – making it one of the world’s richest prizes of its kind.

Rupi Kaur is releasing a film inspired by her poetry.

Bestselling poet Rupi Kaur releasing on-demand poetry performance film on April 30 | CBC Books

Books The hour-long show will feature Kaur reading from all three of her poetry collections. She will also share personal stories from her life, and there will be visuals and music incorporated into the performance. Rupi Kaur is releasing a film inspired by her bestselling poetry.

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This has been a really big week for cover reveals for highly anticipated upcoming books so I thought I’d share a few of my favourites.

First, the cover for Louise Penny’s and Hilary Clinton’s upcoming political thriller:

See the cover of Louise Penny and Hillary Clinton’s thriller State of Terror | CBC Books

Louise Penny and Hillary Clinton have revealed the cover of the thriller they are writing together. The novel is called State of Terror and it will be released on Oct. 12, 2021. It will be jointly released by Clinton’s publisher, Simon & Schuster, and Penny’s, St. Martin’s Press.

Next up, the cover for Sally Rooney’s latest novel:

See the cover for Sally Rooney’s next novel ‘Beautiful World, Where Are You’

Sally Rooney hive, buckle up: We’re one step closer to the release of her next novel. Beautiful World, Where Are You is set to hit shelves on September 7, but EW is exclusively revealing the brand new cover right now.

And last (but certainly not least), the newest novel in the Outlander series!

The next ‘Outlander’ book finally has a release date – plus, see the cover

The literary droughtlander is finally coming to an end. Readers will get a new story featuring Jamie, Claire, and the rest of the Fraser clan this fall. EW can exclusively report that Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone, the ninth novel in Diana Gabaldon’s saga, will be released Nov.

Have a great weekend!

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Staff Pick

Joni, Author Engagement Specialist

“We were excited to interview Zakiya Dalila Harris about her debut novel, The Other Black Girl for the podcast this month. I read an advance copy of the book (out in June!) and could not put it down. It’s a literary thriller set in an upscale NY publishing house and it is excellent. It’s been compared with The Devil Wears Prada, and while yes, it does offer that intriguing peek behind the curtain of elite NY publishing institutions, it was a much darker and more compelling read, with a more rounded protagonist. I think this one will spark a lot of much-needed conversation about race and inclusion in the publishing industry and I’m looking forward to the official release this summer!”