Episode #315: Chop Suey: Publishing!
Grace Lin and Alvina Ling discuss a bunch of different pieces of publishing news, including the launch of Google's Gemini Storybook App, the cancellation of the NEA Creative Writing Grant, the creation of a new MFA program of writers of young people's literature, and the news that S&S's CEO will be stepping down to start a new imprint.
Children's Literature Specialist Alison Morris joins them to discuss two recent studies on the decline of pleasure reading, and about how Gen Z isn't reading to their kids as much as previous generations. And then Alison shares some book recommendations. They end as always with what they're grateful for.
How have you been?
Grace has been a little stressed out trying to keep up with her work since they returned from vacation. Alvina had brunch with an old friend. Little Brown launched Invisible Parade at Barnes & Noble.
Publishing News
Settlement agreement with the AI company Anthropic.
Google Launches Personalized Gemini Storybook App to Industry Concern
NEA cancels decades-long creative writing fellowship
MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults (Vermont) (San Francisco)
Simon & Schuster CEO Jonathan Karp and His Pivot
Alison Morris!
The book friends talk about the Publisher’s Weekly article on the drop in reading for pleasure!
Book Recommendations
Will’s Race for Home by Jewel Parker Rhodes
The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller
The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman
A World Without Summer: A Volcano Erupts, A Creature Awakens, and The Sun Goes Out by Nicholas Day
Bad Badger: A Love Story by Maryrose Wood
Gratefuls
Alvina is grateful for Taiwanese food in Brooklyn from a place called Formosa! Grace is grateful for that Year of The Dog hit the USA TODAY bestseller list lately! It’s a book from 2006! She’s very grateful for her summer as well. Alison is grateful for seeing old friends and appreciating people and relationships in our lives.
THANK YOU!
Thank you to Hachette Audio, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, and Alex at Pacyworks Studio for producing and editing this podcast. Be sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and tell a friend about us. (Use the hashtag #bookfriendsforever.) See info about Grace's new book "The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon": https://linktr.ee/gracelinauthor.
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookfriendsforever_podcast/
You can find Alvina @Planetalvina on Twitter and TikTok and @Alvinaling on Instagram and Threads, @alvinaling on BlueSky
You can find Grace @Pacylin on Instagram and Threads, @authorgracelin on Facebook, @gracelinauthor on Blue Sky.
You can find Alison @ Alisonlmorris on Instagram
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