Sherman Alexie Discusses Jessamyn West's Fiction, Sue Grafton's Home Burglarized, and More

by
Evan Smith Rakoff
10.5.12

Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today's stories:

Best-selling author Sue Grafton's home was burglarized. Using glasscutters to break through windows, a robber has targeted several houses in Grafton's Kentucky neighborhood. (WHAS11)

On the heels of the settlement between the Association of American Publishers and Google, the Authors Guild announced its class-action suit against the Internet giant continues.

Amazon is threatening to remove buy buttons from certain publishing house's titles (again). (Shelf Awareness)

On the New Yorker's most recent fiction podcast—hosted by Deborah Treisman—Sherman Alexie discusses and reads the work of Jessamyn West.

For the Washington Post, book critic Ron Charles speaks with Jon Clinch, author of Finn, a literary novel published by Random House in 2007. Clinch recently self-published a genre novel under a pen name and sold ten thousand copies, which encouraged him to self-publish his next literary novel.

"That’s when I started fantasizing about our meetings. Imagining her walking New York alone, as I did, I craved the synthesis of a loving parent and a fiercely objective mentor." Lucy McKeon writes of the desire to meet her literary idol, the author Joan Didion. (Paris Review Daily)

Meanwhile, Tom Dibblee writes of the profound influence of Jay McInerney's work on his personal and professional life, and his first unfortunate encounter with the Bright Lights, Big City author. (Los Angeles Review of Books)

For Banned Books Week, Flavorwire rounded up responses of authors after their books were threatened with censorship—including Mark Twain, J. K. Rowling, and Philip Roth.

If you're near New York City this weekend, the New Yorker Festival is taking place, and last-minute tickets are available.