Tag Archives: Book Riot

Arts & Humanities, Books & Reading, Current Affairs, Film & Movies, Pleasures, Politics, Television, Times They Are A-Changing

#WGAStrong: Why Readers Should Care About the Writers Strike

#WGAStrong: Why Readers Should Care About the Writers Strike

By Susie Dumond Aug 8, 2023

On Thursday, short of a surprising announcement, the Writers Guild of America’s strike will reach its 100th day. That’s over three months that screenwriters have spent picketing the major studios for fair pay, improved working conditions, regulations on use of artificial intelligence (AI), and more.

The writer’s strike, combined with the SAG-AFTRA actors strike, has brought the vast majority of TV and film projects to a halt. “Who cares?” I hear some of you curmudgeonly readers saying. “I don’t need TV and movies. I’ve got books.” Actually, there’s more at stake in this strike than when fall TV shows will return. Below is a guide to the strike for book lovers, including why it might impact publishing and authors, and information on how to support the striking writers.

The Basics of the WGA Strike

After weeks of unfruitful negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on the Minimum Basic Agreement for writers, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) declared a strike on May 2, 2023. WGA members and non-members are instructed to cease any and all writing projects with member studios of the AMPTP, including powerhouse producers like Sony, Universal, Paramount, Disney, and Warner Bros., as well as any other studios that participate in the Minimum Basic Agreement.

As the strike approaches the 100-day mark, no clear progress has been made on finding agreeable terms. Representatives of the WGA negotiating committee met with AMPTP president Carol Lombardini on Friday, August 4, in a confidential sidebar to discuss resuming negotiations. Before the meeting even occurred, however, the WGA sent a message to its members about the AMPTP’s “calculated misinformation” about the meeting.

Source: https://bookriot.com/why-readers-should-care-about-the-writers-strike/

Arts & Humanities, Books & Reading, Pleasures

Murder Mysteries In Space | Book Riot

K.W. Colyard, Dec 14, 2021

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

From article…

Space operas like Star Wars and Dune may have made the big empty seem like the perfect backdrop for would-be adventurers’ wildest dreams, but let’s face it — space tours have the potential to be deadlier than cruise ships. Yikes.

Outer space may not be the safest place to vacation — like, ever — but there’s just something alluring about a thriller set where no one can hear you scream. If you’re looking for a no-escape crime read, check out the list of ten murder mysteries set in space I’ve pulled together for you here.

Remember in spring 2021, when there was that huge debate over whether something — namely, Alien — could be sci-fi and horror at the same time? And have you heard the ongoing argument over where the line between horror and thriller lies? When it comes to genre, classifications can get a little…sticky, and these books are caught right in the middle.

Editor’s Note: Read more, see link below for original item…

Source: Murder Mysteries In Space | Book Riot

Arts & Humanities, Books & Reading, Current Affairs, Libraries, Pleasures

The Most Popular In-Demand Books in U.S. Libraries: July-September 2022

By Kelly Jensen, Nov 2, 2022

from article…

Each quarter, Panorama Picks takes a deep dive into the data about ebook use at libraries across the U.S. It’s a fascinating look at not just the most popular ebooks in public libraries — they don’t stray too far from what you’d expect of the bestseller lists — but also at the books that are seeing uniquely high demand at libraries.

These are books which are seeing a lot of interest but haven’t necessarily stayed atop bestseller lists for months and/or books with particular interest locally. The data looks at adult fiction, adult nonfiction, and young adult books (which includes fiction, nonfiction, and comics). Panorama Picks groups public libraries by coordinating American Bookseller Association (ABA) regions, which allows for a really neat way of exploring interest on a regional level. A book might be especially popular in California but less so in the Midwest, and looking at that data provides a real opportunity for local bookstores and libraries.

A major goal is to help independent bookstores identify unique opportunities to reach the unmet needs of local readers for these books.

“We compile and publish Panorama Picks on a quarterly basis and we endeavor to promote our findings to local booksellers as well as to publishers and authors,” said Daniel Albohn, Panorama Project’s lead.

Source: The Most Popular In-Demand Books in U.S. Libraries: July-September 2022

Arts & Humanities, Books & Reading, Libraries, Pleasures

8 Mystery/Thriller Novels to Make You Ask When Libraries and Bookstores Got So Sus | Book Riot

By Addison Rizer Jul 15, 2022

from article…

For those of us who grew up obsessed with books, taking trips to the library every chance we got and memorizing the check-out limit, books have always been our safe spaces.

They’re where we go when we have too much to do, or we’re going through something, or just need to escape for a while. I’ve spent many an hour with my head tilted sideways, reading every title on the shelves of the library or hunched on the floor, flipping through a book before buying it at my favorite bookstore.

Libraries, bookstores, they’re my favorite places in the world!

With all of that time spent in the quiet of a library or lost in the shelves on a darkening afternoon, I realize just how quickly that setting can turn sinister. A scream in the silence, eyes peering from the other side of the spines. The quiet is only comforting until you want — no, need — someone around to help you.

Source: Mysteries & Thrillers With Deeply Sus Libraries and Bookstores

Books & Reading, Travel

These are the Most and Least Popular States for Book Settings | Book Riot

By Danika Ellis, May 13, 2022

From article…

The setting of a book can play a massive role in its tone and memorability. The best authors can bring a place to life and make the story feel much more real because of it. That means that the choice of where to set a book is crucial.

Many authors simply set their books where they live, drawing on their day-to-day lives for inspiration. Others find locales that match the plot or feel of the story: noir set in California vs New York, for instance, account for two distinct subgenres.

So what are the states that draw in authors, and which ones are sorely lacking literary representation? You can place your guesses now (sheer population size is a good place to start), but Crossword Solver has done the work of tallying up all the U.S. location tags on Goodreads, so let’s dive into their results.

Source: These are the Most and Least Popular States for Book Settings

Books & Reading, Love & Relationships, Memories & History, Pleasures, Science & Health

15 of the Best Books for Seniors | Book Riot

By Tracy Shapley Towley, Apr 8, 2022

From article…

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

When I was a kid, I thought my grandma was old.

She wore clothes I associated with older ladies, and she made cinnamon sugar toast for us when we went over there. She used mothballs! When my grandfather died, it turned out she didn’t know how to pump gas or write a check. And she was in her early 70s! That’s not even old! Why did I think she was old?

Is it just that the times were different and nobody was out there writing think pieces about how moms and grandmothers needed to flaunt their sexuality? Is it because I’m getting closer to my grandmother in age, and when I was a wee, tween, and teen I just lumped “older” into one category?

Or is this due to advances in healthcare and quality of living? I mean, my father-in-law is 72, and he’s perfectly capable of climbing a mountain if he wanted to (he doesn’t want to). But then again, he’s about 40% robot at this point, having had so many joint replacements.

Source: 15 of the Best Books for Seniors | Book Riot