Saturday, January 6, 2018

This Week on Books Direct - 6 January 2018

This Week on Books Direct -
6 January 2018

This Week on Books Direct -  6 January 2018

Here's a list of some great articles you may have missed this week. Enjoy!

Obituary: Fred Bass, 89 by Ed Nawotka for Publishers Weekly
Fred Bass, the owner of New York City’s iconic Strand Book Store, died this morning surrounded by his loved ones. He was 89 years old.

Obituary: Fred Bass, 89 by Ed Nawotka for Publishers Weekly


Aharon Appelfeld, the acclaimed Israeli novelist who wrote disturbing, obliquely told stories of self-deluded Jews slowly awakening to the reality of the Holocaust, died on Thursday in Petah Tikva, near Tel Aviv. He was 85.

Aharon Appelfeld, Israeli Novelist Haunted By The Holocaust, Dies At 85 by Joseph Berger for The New York Times


Author Jacqueline Woodson, whose professional accolades include a National Book Award, four Newbery Honors, and a stint as the Young People’s Poet Laureate, has been named the sixth National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, for 2018–2019.

Jacqueline Woodson Named National Ambassador For Young People’s Literature by Shannon Maughan for Publishers Weekly


Writing a novel consistently tops the list of unrealised new year’s resolutions, alongside losing weight and drinking less. Learn from the masters about how to start writing a best-selling novel.

How To Write A Book: Dos And Don'ts - Plus Tips From Famous Authors by The Week


The new year has already proven unpleasant for President Trump, who has been shaken by a forthcoming tell-all about his White House. Michael Wolff's Fire and Fury: Inside the White House, which was previously slated to be released by Henry Holt next week, has shot up the charts on Amazon and driven the president to take to Twitter with angry pronouncements about former members of his inner circle. As a result, the book's on-sale date has been changed to January 5.

Pre-Orders For Fire And Fury Skyrocket As Trump Rages; Pub Date Pushed To January 5 by Rachel Deahl for Publishers Weekly


Making My Writing Stand Out by Anna Simpson for emaginette
Most queries need to address what makes the pitched story stand out. What do you do to make your story stand out?

Making My Writing Stand Out by Anna Simpson for emaginette


Finish What You Start by Beth Hill for The Editor’s Blog
This is the time of year we’re filled with excitement over new projects, new possibilities. We make resolutions and plans, determined that this is the year we’ll write that novel, that we’ll submit a manuscript to the one agent we most want to represent us, that we’ll tackle the project that we’ve been putting off for months or years.

Finish What You Start by Beth Hill for The Editor’s Blog


Optimizing Your Books For Amazon Keyword Search by Penny Sansevieri for Jane Friedman
Even though many experts talk about Amazon keywords, categories, and pricing, few experts mention this important fact: Amazon is more a search engine than a store. In fact, Amazon is the “Google” of online buying.

Optimizing Your Books For Amazon Keyword Search by Penny Sansevieri for Jane Friedman


If you enjoyed this blog post, please visit the other This Week posts for links to more great articles.