Published by rwatstein July 19th, 2008
in authors and storytelling.
When Suzy Kline, a grandmother of five and author of the “Horrible Harry” series, visits with her young fans at elementary schools, she takes along a notebook because she never knows where Harry, her third-grade rabble-rouser, might find his next adventure. More than 2,000 writers and illustrators of children’s books live in the suburbs of New York City, and like Ms. Kline, they often turn to local schools, playgrounds and ball fields for inspiration and fodder for their characters and stories. On Long Island, David A. Adler, 61, the author of the “Cam Jansen” series of young-detective chapter books for Penguin since 1971, draws on his experience as a former middle-school math teacher and on visits to schools around his Woodmere home to inform his plucky heroine’s adventures. “I focus on what kids are wearing and how they react to things, ” he said.
Read the full article here
Share This
Published by rwatstein February 5th, 2008
in digital, copyright, publishing and authors.
Scores of writers are refusing to let their works be scanned for an online archive at the National Library of Wales because they are not being paid. A year after a near-£1m project was awarded to digitise modern Welsh writing, a dispute between authors and the library has not been resolved. The library is putting some 3.5m words from 20th Century English and Welsh periodicals and magazines on the web. But literature promotion agency Academi wants writers to be paid a share. Academi chief executive Peter Finch said: “It’s an extremely exciting programme: what’s wrong with it is there is no small sliver in there for paying the writers.
Read the full article here
Share This
Published by rwatstein January 20th, 2008
in authors.
Following two recent high-profile libel cases against American authors in the UK courts, New York state legislators this week formally introduced a bill that would help protect authors from so-called “libel tourist” cases in foreign courts. The legislation, announced at a press conference on the steps of the New York Public Library on Sunday, January 13, is sponsored by New York State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assemblyman Rory Lancman. The proposed legislation would amend New York’s code of civil practice to prohibit enforcement of a foreign libel judgment unless a New York court determines that it satisfies the free speech and press protections guaranteed by the U.S. and the New York State constitutions.
Read the full article here
Share This
Published by rwatstein January 20th, 2008
in Library of Congress and authors.
One of the world’s largest libraries has reversed a controversial decision to reclassify Scots authors as English. Writers, politicians and academics in Scotland reacted angrily when the Library of Congress in the US first made the proposal. The move would have seen classic novels like “The Thirty Nine Steps” by the Scottish author John Buchan, listed as an English adventure story. Culture Minister Linda Fabiani welcomed the U-turn. “I am delighted that the Library of Congress has listened to our concerns and recognised the distinctive nature of Scottish literature,” she said.
Read the full article here
Share This
