Friday News: James Patterson funds indie bookstores, BEA adds more self-publishing content, Archie and Betty enter the YA market, and Nintendo takes aim at piracy
Author James Patterson To Give $1 Million To Bookstores – In that fine tradition of putting your money where your mouth is, James Patterson is giving grants of up to $15,000 to independent bookstores, likening his effort to the US government’s bailout of banks and automobile manufacturers. The money is not earmarked for any specific purpose, and Patterson just announced the first group of bookstores who have received grants. You can sign up to receive more information on Patterson’s website (where he publicizes a number of different initiatives).
“We’re in a juncture right now where bookstores as we have known them are at risk,” Patterson tells NPR’s Renee Montagne. “Libraries as we’ve known them are at risk, publishers are at risk, American literature is at risk, as we’ve known it, and getting kids reading is at risk.” –NPR
BEA Adds Programming for Indie Authors – BEA has announced the creation of Author Hub for its 2014 event, which will host a number of self-published authors including Bella Andre and Barbara Freethy. Author Hub will run in tandem with BEA’s uPublishU conference, which will be serving both authors working on publication of their first books, and previously self-published authors.
Speaking to the effort, BEA said its goal with Author Hub is “to further integrate the self-publishing community into the publishing mainstream by providing platforms where entrepreneurial authors may interact and share the spotlight at North America’s leading book industry event.” –Publishers Weekly
Archie Comics Adapted into YA Novels – Archie: A Rock & Roll Romance and Diary of a Girl Next Door: Betty are being released by Archie Comics, the first tomorrow and the second in July. I read this story thinking, ‘wow, how come it took so long for this to happen.’ And even though part of me feels like there’s too much emphasis on adaptations and re-workings of previous stories, I’m also kind of looking forward to seeing how Archie, Betty, Veronica, and crew hit with book readers. Also, when you read the book description for Betty’s book, it definitely seems to fit within the YA/Rom fantasy paradigm:
”Betty Cooper has few of the luxuries that her privileged best friend Veronica Lodge enjoys, but she’s got something else that drives her wealthy friend crazy with jealousy,” explains the book’s description. “In a story full of heart and humor, find out how a normal, awkward teenage girl comes out feeling on top of the world in this hilarious new Diary series.” –GalleyCat
Nintendo: Broader, Awful Anti-Piracy Measures Are Sure To Turn Our Fortunes Around! – So apparently the Wii-U console is not selling so well, and instead of working to beat the competition (Sony, Microsoft) by building better hardware and software, they’re throwing their corporate weight behind extreme anti-piracy lobbying, which, as Techdirt points out, is complicated by the fact that United States hosts many of the sites associated with the Spanish content Nintendo identifies as a problem.
A large portion of Nintendo calories that could be directed to those pursuits are instead being directed at convincing the U.S government to pressure Brazil, China, Mexico and Spain into imposing tougher anti-piracy countermeasures. Nintendo informs the U.S. government they’ve suffered “heavy losses” in those countries, which should be encouraged to embrace blocking websites and turning ISPs into liable Internet content nannies (both things that have clearly worked so well up until now). –Techdirt
I confess I never could stand Betty in the old Archie comics from my day. She was a complete doormat who would run anytime Archie would call, would do his homework or anything else for him while he was off driving around with Veronica. I know Veronica was the “mean” one but Betty was the anti-feminist throwback who would do ANYTHING to get a date with Archie.
I did like the cover you posted showing Val with Archie. That’s a pairing you NEVER would have seen in my childhood.
Author Ann Patchett (Bel Canto, This Is A Happy Marriage, etc) has also put her money where her mouth is and actually opened a bookstore here in Nashville, TN. Shortly after our last independent bookseller closed its doors, she got a business partner and plan together and we now have the wonderful Parnassas Books.
Kudos to authors for doing in stead of just complaining.
Archie comics was one of those things I only read after I had read everything else in the house including the back of cereal boxes and shampoo bottles. I am surprised they are still around. And I didn’t Betty either for the same reasons.
The best Archie comics were the ones where Betty and Veronica decided to prioritise their friendship, rather than boyfriends.