Book links for a slow news day (This week in books)

This week! Books!

I know you’re probably bored today because so little is happening in the world and you’re looking for some links to click on. WELL. I have some for you!!

Some great publishing news this week as bestselling authors Nicola and David Yoon are starting an imprint oriented toward romances featuring heroes of color.

The Booker Prize rather controversially moved their announcement date very close to the National Book Awards, but they bumped it back a few days to avoid it coinciding with the publication day for Barack Obama’s new book. Scratching chin emoji.

James Patterson is donating $2.5 million to help teachers build libraries during the pandemic.

Electric Literature has a list of 10 books that feel like going to a bar and Book Riot has 11 books about alcoholism and recovery, which you can peruse depending on where you’re at with your pandemic drinking.

And agent Jessica Faust has a perennially true reminder for authors: don’t quit your day job.

This week in bestsellers

Here are the top five NY Times bestsellers in a few key categories. (All links are affiliate links):

Adult print and e-book fiction:

1. The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult
2. The Coast-to-Coast Murders by James Patterson and J.D. Barker
3. The Evening and the Morning by Ken Follett
4. Next to Last Stand by Craig Johnson
5. Vince Flynn: Total Power by Kyle Mills

Adult print and e-book nonfiction:

1. Rage by Bob Woodward
2. My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg with Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams
3. Blackout by Candace Owens
4. Killing Crazy Horse by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard
5. Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

Young adult hardcover:

1. Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
2. Channel Kindness by Born This Way Foundation Reporters with Lady Gaga
3. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
4. One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
5. Avatar, the Last Airbender: The Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee with Michael Dante DiMartino

Middle grade hardcover:

1. Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure by Jeff Kinney
2. The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate
3. Superpowered by Renee Jain and Shefali Tsabary
4. Wonder by R.J Palacio
5. Refugee by Alan Gratz

This week on the blog

Don’t forget that you can nominate your first page and query for a free critique on the blog:

• Nominate Your First Page for a Critique on the Blog
• Nominate Your Query for a Critique on the Blog

In case you missed them, here are this week’s posts:

• Miscalculating your fears
• Guide the reader when you change settings (page critique)

And keep up with the discussion in all the places!

• Follow me on Twitter
• Follow my page on Facebook
• Join the Facebook Group
• Check out the Bransforums

Comment! of! the! week! goes to abc with some reflections on navigating this time of fear and uncertainty:

I’m glad I live now and not in the past (especially anytime before novocaine and epidurals), but I do think what makes this time feel especially bleak to a lot of us is that it SHOULD be better. It feels like a backwards slide and that’s scary. How are we even considering bulldozing Alaska and taking away reproductive rights? How is it possible that this country so obsessed with freedom is so quickly normalizing authoritarianism? I have so many questions.

Anyway, I’m constantly trying to work against and negotiate with my fears. The best I can do is make my life smaller. Do my best to focus on my home and my community. Which is not to say I tune out the world–I do want to be informed (and active)–but to recognize I can only control so much.

And finally, well, the president has coronavirus. 2020 gonna keep 2020ing.

Have a great weekend!

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Photo: North Salem, NY. Photo by me. Follow me on Instagram!