News - Literary News
News - Literary News
Jakob Guanzon was interviewed on NPR’s All Things Considered about his debut novel, ABUNDANCE. Guanzon says: “I knew I wanted to explore wealth inequality and the experience of poverty, yet that's not necessarily anything new to literature, right? But one aspect that I really did want to hone in on was the ever present and really inescapable knowledge of your budget, your spending power…[a]nd how that kind of weighs down on you, on a person who's living in poverty, and even in a situation that's less dire than Henry's, the protagonist of ABUNDANCE.” Graywolf Press published the book on March 2, 2021.
Gabriela Garcia’s debut novel OF WOMEN AND SALT has been chosen by BuzzFeed as its April Book Club Pick. They write: “In breathtaking prose and evocative imagery, Garcia allows the reader to travel through history alongside these complicated, resilient women as they navigate a legacy of trauma.” BuzzFeed also featured an excerpt from the novel’s first two chapters, and coordinated with Libro.fm and Lucky No. Candles to sponsor a giveaway of a signed copy. Garcia also sat down for interviews with People en Español and Elle.com, and the book received an excellent review from Bitch, who called it “a testament to the urgency of rendering migrant mothers who are more than we think they are—more than self-sacrificial heroes; more than humble workers; more than ghostly figures stuck in a nostalgic past; more than broken women who leave us with an inheritance of loss.” Flatiron Books will publish OF WOMEN AND SALT on March 30, 2021.
Skincare expert at The Strategist Rio Viera-Newton’s comprehensive skincare guide, LET’S FACE IT, is featured in New York Magazine’s Approval Matrix, landing in the “Lowbrow Brilliant” quadrant. Voracious will publish the book on March 23, 2021.
Christopher Sorrentino’s NOW BEACON, NOW SEA received a glowing blurb from author Steve Erickson. He writes: "As irresistible as it is unflinching, NOW BEACON, NOW SEA is a family memoir, a literary memoir, an American memoir, a memoir about the nature of identity in our time -- and if that means only Christopher Sorrentino could have written it, for all its singularity it does what riveting memoirs do: reveals not only its own secrets but ours as well." Catapult will publish the book on September 7, 2021.
THE PROPHETS by Robert Jones Jr. continues to receive acclaim. The Gay & Lesbian Review writes: “[Jones Jr.] has embarked upon a difficult undertaking. He writes about same-sex love between enslaved people, attractions that undoubtedly existed but have so far been little explored by historians or fiction writers…[THE PROPHETS brings] historical sweep, magic, and flights of lyricism to the earthbound world.” Jones Jr. was also interviewed by WWNO-NPR’s The Reading Life and CUNY’s Book Beat. Lastly, THE PROPHETS is featured on March must-read lists March for Paperback Paris, USA Today, and Pop Sugar. G.P. Putnam’s Sons published the book on January 5, 2021.
2034 by Elliot Ackerman and James Stavridis received a glowing review from The Hill. They write: "[T]he geopolitical thriller tells a fictional yet very plausible story of how the United States could find itself in a third world war. It takes place in the over a decade from now, and the global conflict described is the result of a series of strategic mistakes and a lack of foresight by the United States plus tensions with our adversaries reaching a breaking point." The co-authors also appeared on WAMC Northeast Public Radio, WRVA: Richmond's Early News radio, and Chicago's Morning Answer radio via YouTube to discuss the novel. Penguin Press published the book on March 9, 2021.
Carter Sickels’ THE PRETTIEST STAR is the 2021 winner of the Weatherford Prize for Best Books about Appalachia. Founded in 1970, the Weatherford honors books that “best [illuminate] the challenges, personalities and unique qualities of the Appalachian South.” The novel also received a glowing review from The Post and Courier. They write: “THE PRETTIEST STAR dazzles with its tenderness, honesty, and riveting brutality...It is queer fiction of the highest order, which is to say, a story of our humanity laid bare, a story for everyone...[S]mall yet searing insights poke a million holes in your heart — holes through which the light of THE PRETTIEST STAR can dazzle their way in.” Hub City Press published the book on May 19, 2020.
AMERICAN DAUGHTER by Stephanie Thornton Plymale is one of The Global Mail’s “Five memoirs on overcoming adversity to help get us through these (hopefully) last COVID months.” Tara Henly writes: “Compelling and well-told, the story is full of surprises, including the revelation of a long-held family secret and the uncovering of lineage that traces back to famous American figures.” HarperOne published the book on January 12, 2021.
LOVE AND FURY by Samantha Silva received an enthusiastic starred review from Publishers Weekly. They write: “[A] gripping, meticulous novel…Silva’s heartbreaking but inspiring work captures the despair and joy, convictions and contradictions of an extraordinary woman.” Flatiron Books will publish the book on May 25, 2021.
Elly Griffiths appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered to discuss her latest novel, THE POSTSCRIPT MURDERS. Speaking to the appeal of murder mysteries, Griffiths says: “It is a strange thing that lots of people — and me absolutely included — do find reading about these murders quite comforting, really. And of course, there's absolutely nothing cozy about murder, but I think we do like that sort of puzzle, and unlocking the puzzle.” Houghton Mifflin Harcourt published the book on March 2, 2021.