Interviews
James Whyle: A lot of fiction, I just don’t find believable
Patricia J DeLois visits with James Whyle: Bookshed founder and winner of the 2011 PEN/Studzinski Prize. His debut novel, The Book of War, is due from Jacana Media in the first week of April. Rian Malan has called it, "A very good book. Possibly great."
Wylie sounds warning for self publishers
One of the most powerful figures in publishing, literary agent Andrew Wylie, has warned that writers who go direct to Amazon and other eBook publishers could drive themselves and others out of business.
The best thing a new writer can do is read
BookShed writer Amanda Hodgkinson celebrates a backing from Oprah Winfrey for her debut novel 22 Britannia Road.
When Fig Tree head Juliet Annan bought world rights to the work from agent Rachel Calder at the Sayle Literary Agency, she spoke of a story that had echoes of A Small Island and Sophie's Choice, calling it "a powerful novel of acceptance, survival and love." Its status as a bestseller was secured when Winfrey's O Magazine called it "a riveting historical novel."
Mark Coker of Smashwords talks about the future of e-publishing
E-publishing outfit Smashwords took a big step this past weekend. Tying in with the retail launch of the Apple iPad in the US, Smashwords eBooks became available through the iPad electronic bookstall.
Jamie Weiss Chilton talks submissions, eBooks and vampires
Jamie Weiss Chilton worked in different areas of publishing before settling into life as an agent at a leading agency for children's and teen literature.
Like any good agent, she learned the industry form the inside, working four years in the editorial department of Random House Children's Books. From there she moved to LA to work for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
Harry Bingham on publishing and the Festival of Writing
Harry Bingham's debut novel, The Money Makers, hit the Sunday Times bestseller list. Since then he's written four more for Harper Collins and is Editorial Director of the Writers' Workshop. As well as being Britain’s largest writers’ services company, the Writers' Workshop organises the York Festival of Writing.
Harry told the BookShed about his path to publication, the Writer's Workshop and the upcoming Festival of Writing.
Anthony Goff talks agents, authors and the e-publishing age
Some of the biggest worries facing literary agents relate to economic slowdown and the advance of digital publishing - e-books in particular.
This is according to the recently elected president of the Association of Authors’ Agents (AAA), Anthony Goff. The association exists to provide a forum for literary agents to discuss industry matters and represent agent interests as well as upholding best practice.
What I'm looking for - Julia Churchill, Literary Agent
As an agent there are always trends to be aware of and speculation about the next big thing. It’s part of our job to have a constantly updated overview of what’s bouncing and what’s going splat.
Channelling Sophie: Patricia J. DeLois on Bufflehead Sisters
In addition to being the true author of the prize-winning Bufflehead Sisters, Patricia J. DeLois works in the audiovisual department in the Portland Public Library. Bufflehead, her first novel, won the British Council sponsored YouWriteOn.com 2007 Book of the Year Award. It was then published by YouWriteOn on a publish-on-demand (POD) basis.
