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The Queen of arts: Elizabeth II in fiction

“It wasn’t until 1988 that the Queen began to make appearances in fiction, but since then she’s had many, largely sympathetic portrayals”

Categories: Fiction, Literary History

How Will Overturning of Roe v. Wade Influence Book Trends?

“Without Roe v. Wade, we probably never would have gotten the explosion of women’s fiction and romance novels that continue to dominate the publishing industry today,” writes Julia Rittenberg in this analysis of how Roe v. Wade influenced the publishing industry and how its recent overturn by the U.S. Supreme Court may affect the future. She goes on to wonder “if there will be an uptick in historical, or sci-fi and fantasy genre fiction, which take place in a world where gender-based discrimination is heightened” and/or whether “there will be a rise in horror fiction about gender-based violence because of the recent popularity of books and movies that tackle social issues head-on with horror.”

Categories: Literature & Culture, Publishing, Writing

Dark Academia’s Roots Lie in the Campus Novel

The campus novel is often synonymized with the academic novel, and they do share some characteristics. But academic novels tend to focus on the faculty while campus novels revolve around the students, explains literature scholar Jeffrey J. Williams.

Categories: Fiction, Literary History, Writing

5 Historical Fiction Books Reinvigorating the Genre

I appreciate fiction that is somehow inventive or experimental, so I was drawn to this list by Chris Gaudio:

For some writers of historical fiction, it is not enough to simply reimagine history; instead, they take it a step further, exploring and bending the genre. They incorporate mythology, magical elements, fresh techniques and more, to create works that are not only page-turners, but mind-expanders.

Categories: Fiction, Life Stories in Literature, Literary History, Writing

‘I think I was good, though I could have been better’: Terry Pratchett and the writing of his life

“After he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the Discworld author began an autobiography. He never finished it, but seven years after his death, his long-time assistant has taken up the task”

Enjoy this excerpt from Terry Pratchett: A Life with Footnotes (published by Doubleday) by Rob Wilkins, who spent many years as Pratchett’s assistant.

Categories: Author News, Literary History

From ‘Adorkable’ to ‘Yeet’: 30 Words Merriam-Webster Just Added to the Dictionary

Since most readers are also word nerds, here you go.

Categories: Reading, Writing

Inside the Narrator’s Booth: Things You Never Knew About Audiobook Narrators

Susie Dumond interviewed “six prolific audiobook narrators about their experiences.”

Category: Audiobooks

20 Must-Read Genre-Blending Literary Fiction Books

Great stories are great stories, however they are told. Literary fiction that contains zombies, killer robots, or ghosts hunters can be just as good as a classically styled novel. Part of what makes literature great is that authors push themselves to write new and interesting stories that make readers think about life in different ways.

Categories: Literary Criticism, Reading, Writing

© 2022 by Mary Daniels Brown

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