New Knopf EIC, A Return to Lucy Maud Montgomery, and Read on Canada: This Week in Book News

Hello, writers, and happy Friday! We hope you have had a great week. We have been gearing up for the first day of virtual Inkers Con tomorrow! We’re excited to get the chance to meet and chat with some authors –– Be sure to let us know in the comments if you’re attending the con this weekend too!

It has been a slow week in publishing, which is usually the case in the summer, but let’s take a quick look at what’s been happening in the book world as well as a couple of fun essays and articles I really enjoyed.

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Knopf has named Jordan Pavlin as their new editor in chief.

Knopf Names Jordan Pavlin Its Editor in Chief

Ms. Pavlin, a longtime editor at the publishing house who has worked with Ayana Mathis, Tommy Orange and Yaa Gyasi, succeeds Sonny Mehta, who died in 2019. Knopf on Wednesday named Jordan Pavlin its new editor in chief, filling a position that has been vacant since its longtime editor and publisher Sonny Mehta died at the end of 2019.

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Megan Follows, the star of the 1980’s adaptation of Anne of Green Gables, will be narrating the new audiobooks for Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Emily of New Moon.

Megan Follows returns to Lucy Maud Montgomery’s world with Emily of New Moon audiobook | CBC Books

Megan Follows first rose to fame as the star of the CBC series Anne of Green Gables, which remains the highest rated Canadian drama series since airing in the 1980s. Follows now narrates the audio adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s three-book series, Emily of New Moon.

The Stephen Leacock Medal, which is awarded to the funniest Canadian book of the year, is increasing its cash prize in 2022.

Stephen Leacock Medal, annual literary prize for humour, increases cash prize to $25K | CBC Books

Stephen Leacock Medal, annual literary prize for humour, increases cash prize to $25K | CBC Books Loaded Books The prize is one of the oldest of its kind, established in 1947 to support the growth of Canadian humour writing.

Read On Canada! Plans to distribute 150,000 free children’s books this summer.

Food banks, literacy groups to distribute 150,000 children’s books across Canada this summer | CBC Books

Literacy groups and food banks across Canada are coming together for the second summer in a row with plans to distribute 150,000 free children’s books across the country. Read On Canada! is a coalition of 16 non-profit organizations, including the Canadian Children’s Literacy Foundation, First Book Canada, Harvest Manitoba and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, whose goal is to assist with children’s literacy during the pandemic.

Debut author (and recent KWL Podcast guest) Zakiya Dalila Harris shares her best advice for breaking into publishing.

Are You An Aspiring Writer? The Other Black Girl Author Zakiya Dalila Harris Offers Tips for Breaking Into the Publishing Industry

Welcome to our Novel Advice column, where Parade.com links up with your favorite best-selling novelists and authors to get their take on sticky life situations. From family dynamic concerns and relationship squabbles to simple miscommunications, we’re tasking authors with some of life’s biggest questions and asking for tips on its hardest moments.

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I thought this investigation of plot through music was really interesting.

Plot Is Just Music You Sing In Your Mind: How Popular Rock Songs Can Help Shape Your Novel

Plot. For some novelists I know, it’s a dirty word. It’s “expected”, Or “tired”. Or, if I really know the person well, they might admit they say it’s tired because it feels just impossible. Thinking on this, I wanted to share a trick that I’ve come across after crashing and burning too many times to tell.

Are you a crossword fiend like me? Because then you will also thoroughly enjoy this behind the scenes interview at the New York Times crossword editor.

‘I’ve outlasted them all’: the spectacular life of the world’s most powerful crossword editor

Every day thousands of people vie to outsmart one man: Will Shortz, the New York Times’s crossword editor of almost three decades. Crossword fanatics – or “cruciverbalists”, in the parlance – must get their fix, and they prefer to get it from a manwhose puzzle is considered the gold standard.

Have a great weekend!

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Staff Pick

Laura, Author Engagement Specialist

“I highly recommend K.A. Tucker’s A Fate of Wrath and Flame if you’re looking for a new fantasy! It tells the story of Romeria, a thief living in NYC and working for a notorious mob boss. After meeting a mysterious woman who requests her services at swordpoint, Romy suddenly finds herself thrust into a world of gods and prophecies, magic portals, kingdoms, and monsters. And of course, the handsome King Zander himself. I devoured this book – it kept me up until 1:00 am reading- so I definitely recommend adding it your list! P.S keep an eye out for K.A. Tucker coming soon on the Kobo Writing Life podcast.”