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:
Singapore’s government has ordered the country’s National Library Board (NLB) to remove and destroy three children’s books from its libraries that depict LGBT and unconventional families—And Tango Makes Three, The White Swan Express: A Story About Adoption, and Who’s in My Family: All About Our Families—provoking outrage in the country, where homosexuality is illegal. (Time)
The Authors Guild e-mailed its nine thousand members yesterday concerning Amazon’s recent proposal that Hachette relinquish 100 percent of sales from e-books to authors while the two companies negotiate a new contract. The letter, signed by novelist Richard Russo, stated that the group was not interested in short term gains that would destroy the “healthy ecosystem where all writers, both traditionally and independently published, can thrive.” (Wall Street Journal)
Meanwhile, British children’s author Allan Ahlberg declined the inaugural Booktrust Best Book Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award since its was sponsored by Amazon. The award comes with a £5,000 (approximately $8,600) cash prize. (Bookseller)
The Guardian's current Books Podcast focuses on self-publishing and features—among others—novelist Kate Pullinger, who signed a conventional print deal for her novel Landing Gear but decided to self-publish the electronic edition.
In the midst of new reports detailing the National Security Administration’s surveillance of American citizens, librarian Melissa Morrone of the Brooklyn Public Library has penned an essay concerning the responsibility of librarians to protect the privacy of patrons in the digital age. (Melville House)
Independent Los Angeles–based publisher Les Figues Press is seeking readers and donations this month for a read-a-thon to help defray the costs of upcoming titles scheduled for release.
Electric Literature features an infographic showcasing the daily routines of various creative people, including Maya Angelou, Haruki Murakami, and Kurt Vonnegut, among others.
Los Angeles–based artist Mike Stilkey has created a series of paintings with canvases fashioned from the covers of books reclaimed from the trash. (Colossal)
