Friday Links: The Ups and Downs of Publishing Culture

Publishing appears to be in the middle of a cultural revolution. It makes sense. As goes the world, so go the books it produces. The Romance Writers of America are in the midst of a clash between the old, stodgy, racist past, and what we hope will be a bright, brilliant, diverse future. The fact is, there’s room for everyone at the table.

In light of all the strife going on–not just in publishing circles–I’m offering up links that highlight a variety of reading material, and the varied people producing them. I hope they inspire you to try something new, and to be accepting of other people’s culture and history. Part of what I love about what I do is how different my job can be every single day. That’s the beauty of books; there’s always something fresh to discover.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend. Happy writing!

This Week’s Links:

WTF, RWA. – Another great history of the events surrounding the Courtney Milan banning and the insanity at Romance Writers of America.

Has African Migration to the U.S. Led to a Literary Renaissance? – A wonderful look at some of the African writers now living and working in the U.S.

Ursula K. LeGuin’s Revolutions. – Addressing the author’s work from not just a political perspective, but with an eye on how she envisioned the future.

The Sound and the Story: Exploring the World of Paradise Lost. – Philip Pullman writes about the epic work and how it influenced his own writing.

Most Anticipated: The Great First-Half 2020 Book Preview. – The Millions takes their annual look at the most anticipated titles due out in the first half of the year. A hugely diverse assortment.

10 Collections from Latinx Poets You Might Have Missed in 2019. – I’m always on the lookout for new poetry because poems fit so easily into my hectic reading schedule and give me a wonderful break. A nice assortment here to check out.

Writing Characters of Different Races and Ethnicities. – A great resource. I probably linked to it previously, but it’s worth another mention.

Book Releases: LGBT YA Books of January-June, 2020. – Pretty much as described. A terrific roundup of upcoming titles.