ACTRESS MELODY THOMAS SCOTT, STAR OF “THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS,” HOSTS HARLEQUIN FEEL GOOD DAY OCTOBER 5 IN SAN ANTONIO, TX

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25 July 2019

FIRST LADY OF SAN ANTONIO ERIKA PROSPER NIRENBERG TO PRESENT

LOCAL RECOGNITION PROGRAM, THE OUTSTANDER AWARDS

Today, Harlequin announced additions to Feel Good Day programming on October 5 in San Antonio, TX, including Emmy Award-nominated actress Melody Thomas Scott as Host and author panel moderator, and First Lady of San Antonio Erika Prosper Nirenberg as presenter of The OutStander Awards. Harlequin Feel Good Day—an extension of the Harlequin Feel Good Project that launched last fall—is a day of immersive experiences that celebrates women feeling their best, doing their best and being their best selves. In addition, United Way of San Antonio will be a presenting partner of the Community Catalyst presented by Women United, United Way. Follow along on social media

Melody Thomas Scott is best known for her Emmy Award–nominated role as Nikki Newman on the daytime drama The Young and the Restless, and this year she celebrates 40 years in the role. As host of Feel Good Day, she will moderate the panel discussion with New York Times bestselling authors Robyn Carr, Brenda Jackson and Susan Mallery, share opening and closing remarks, and lead the Energizer sessions, which are designed as short bursts of activity to help build a strong sense of community and excitement.

“We’re so thrilled to have Melody Thomas Scott as the host of Feel Good Day. For years, she’s played a beloved character in many women’s lives, from generation to generation—much like our stories, which have been shared by mothers, grandmothers, daughters and friends for decades,” says Merjane Schoueri, the Feel Good project director. “We know Melody will add fun and excitement to the day, and will help women be transported in this new immersive experience we’re launching.”

Serving as local Feel Good Day Ambassador is First Lady of San Antonio Erika Prosper Nirenberg, wife of Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

Prosper Nirenberg will help present The OutStander Awards, which shine a spotlight on outstanding San Antonians who champion the message at the heart of the Feel Good mission every day. “I believe that San Antonio residents deserve to have their passion, commitment and outstanding achievements be recognized not just in the city, but on a national and international scale,” Prosper Nirenberg said. Prosper Nirenberg is a former chair of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and in that role she helped establish the Latina Leadership Institute (LLI) to help women learn more about how to be engaged civically and politically.

“Harlequin fans and authors are an incredible community that believes in the power of positive stories. We’re excited be working with Erika Prosper Nirenberg and United Way San Antonio to build Feel Good Day enthusiasm on the ground,” adds Schoueri.

Nominations for The OutStander Awards are being accepted through August 16 in five categories:

Community Catalyst presented by Women United, United Way
Person of Positivity
Harlequin Hometown Hero
Cultural Champion
Millennial Groundbreaker

To submit a nomination and learn more about The OutStander Awards, and for more details on Feel Good Day and to purchase tickets, visit www.celebratefeelgood.com.

The Harlequin Feel Good Project is a four-part initiative including the Harlequin Creator Fund, the Feel Good Challenge, Feel Good Day and Feel Good Sciences, designed to explore the power of positive experiences that fans expect from their stories. For additional information about the Harlequin Feel Good Project, please visit FeelGood.Harlequin.com.

About Harlequin
Harlequin (Harlequin.com) is a leading publisher of commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction. The company publishes more than 110 titles a month, in both print and digital formats, in as many as 150+ international markets and 30+ languages. Encompassing highly recognizable imprints that span a broad number of genres, the publisher is home to many award-winning New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling authors. Harlequin is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, the second-largest consumer book publisher in the world, with operations in 18 countries. For more information, please visit Harlequin.com and Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks. Follow Harlequin on Twitter: @HarlequinBooks and Instagram: @HarlequinBooks.

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Sony Pictures and Harper Collins Team Up For Movie Production

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Readers Entertainment

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24 July 2019

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Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) and HarperCollins Publishers today announced an unprecedented partnership with former Fox 2000 President Elizabeth Gabler and her entire Fox 2000 team to source literary material and produce film content across all platforms. The yet-to-be-named venture will be located on the Sony Pictures lot in Culver City, CA and will commence operations later this summer.

The innovative, multi-year partnership will pursue, develop, and make theatrical films and high-level content derived from all sources including, but not limited to, the HarperCollins catalog. SPE will have a first-look at projects, but the deal with SPE contemplates that Gabler and her team may also make content for any streaming or television platforms. SPE and HarperCollins are co-funding the new partnership. Gabler’s team from Fox 2000 includes Erin Siminoff, Marisa Paiva, Nikki Ramey, and Molly Saffron.

“For the past two decades our division has thrived by building a film slate based principally on adaptations of literary properties, both fiction and non-fiction,” said Gabler. “Our close collaborations with authors and their material gives us a tremendous advantage because the development process begins with a terrific story and great characters and even more so after publication, with the added bonus of audience pre-awareness. Additionally, when a film is in production and up through release, we collaborate closely with our authors, their representatives, and most importantly, the publishers, to maximize book sales in conjunction with the film. We have always felt that HarperCollins is part of our family and it is now an honor and a privilege to create a true partnership with Brian Murray and his amazing global team. The only person I know who could have made this a reality with Brian is my mentor, friend, and inspiration, Tom Rothman, and my team and I are deeply grateful for the opportunity to become part of the powerhouse that is Sony Pictures Entertainment.”

“No one in Hollywood has done a better job of bringing books to film than Elizabeth and her team, including many films based on HarperCollins titles,” said Brian Murray, President and CEO of HarperCollins Publishers. “As a company, we invest more than $300M in new works by authors each year. Now, through this partnership with Elizabeth and SPE, we will expand our investment in writers to include film, TV, and streaming opportunities, creating new possibilities for authors to have their books adapted and developed by the best literary team in history with the full support and capabilities of SPE. This partnership is consistent with News Corp’s broader focus to monetize premium content on a global scale across platforms. I am incredibly excited to blaze a new trail with Elizabeth and Tom Rothman at this time of tremendous opportunity and change in the business of storytelling.”

“I have been fortunate to work with Brian, Elizabeth, and her talented team in the past,” said Tom Rothman, Chairman of SPE’s Motion Picture Group. “They are the gold standard at their respective jobs and I am overjoyed that we will all be working together in this very forward-looking partnership. Content creators need to find new and aggressive ways to move up in, and enhance, the value chain for authors, publishers, filmmakers, and studios alike, and we believe this alliance will offer many such new opportunities. Plus, let’s face it, no one makes more hits than Elizabeth. Trust me, I know.”

Gabler served as president of Fox 2000 since 1999, where she and her team achieved extraordinary commercial and critical success with literary adaptations and other commercially successful films based on original material and other mediums. Among their many literary adaptations are Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning film Life of Pi and the Oscar-nominated Hidden Figures, based on the HarperCollins non-fiction best seller, as well as other films based on HarperCollins titles including Marley & Me, Love, Simon, and most recently The Hate U Give, based on the critically acclaimed, phenomenally bestselling debut novel by Angie Thomas. In addition, Fox 2000 films include the adaptation of John Green’s blockbuster The Fault in Our Stars, and The Devil Wears Prada, which will be known forever for Meryl Streep’s Oscar-nominated portrayal of the boss from hell. Other much beloved and bestselling HarperCollins properties that were acquired by Fox 2000 are The Art of Racing in the Rain, to be released by Fox/Disney on August 9, 2019; The Woman in the Window,starring Amy Adams and Gary Oldman, currently in post-production for a 2020 release; News of the World, starring Tom Hanks, to be directed by Paul Greengrass; Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter, and Angie Thomas’s second bestselling novel On the Come Up.

Gabler’s division and HarperCollins also mined the family entertainment field with titles such as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Ramona and Beezus by Beverly Cleary, and the books created for the reintroduction of those infamous creatures, Alvin and the Chipmunks. Other family franchises from Fox 2000 were based on Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson novels, as well as Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

The future venture will also capitalize on what was Fox 2000’s mission to create enduring adult-based filmmaker-driven films such as Man on Fire, Unfaithful, and The Family Stone. They also earned five Oscar nominations for the Johnny Cash bio-pic, Walk the Line, with the Best Actress Oscar going to Reese Witherspoon.

A Brand New Mystery Series from Kristine Raymond – Finnagled!

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Readers Entertainment

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23 July 2019

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Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000026_00094] FINNAGLED — (RELEASING TODAY)
A secret message hidden inside of an antique wooden box, an unidentified dead body, and a mother determined to marry her off to the high school crush whom she hasn’t seen since…well…high school. There’s no doubt about it; Finn Bartusiak’s life in the seaside town of Port New is about to get interesting.

Coming into possession of a 19^th-century, bronze and mahogany writing box under somewhat suspicious circumstances, Finn’s accidental discovery of a coded note leads her and Spencer Dane, bestselling novelist and love of her life (though he doesn’t know it yet), on a quest to unravel the mystery behind the jumble of letters. But they’re not the only ones interested in the cryptic message. There’s a con man on their trail, and he’ll stop at nothing, including murder, to claim the ‘treasure’ for himself.

EXCERPT:

A slip of paper slightly larger than an index card fell from between the seams and floated ever so gently to the floor. Almost dropping the case in my elation (wouldn’t that just be my luck?), I set it gingerly on the table and retrieved the note.

Zubcd Yefemeby
Xlw k Wrlm no
Vpqre Upbpqee

Huh? What kind of crazy language is this?

I attempted to sound it out, tripping over my tongue because – let’s face it – it’s impossible to pronounce words that have no vowels. Thinking I’d stumbled onto either an ancient, and possibly forgotten, language, or a secret military code, I hopped back on the computer for some serious research. It wasn’t until the Gothic cathedral mantel clock perched on the shelf above a row of whiskey barrels chimed twelve that I realized I’d been staring at the screen for the better part of three hours. That would explain my grainy eyeballs.

“Time to call it a night. Come on, Garfunkel. Let’s go home.”
Shutting off the computer, I slipped the note into my pocket, leaving the writing case in my office for the time being. Who knew what other mysterious messages might be hidden inside? Turning off the light, plunging the room into darkness, I walked out front to collect my sleepy hound, dim lumens from the street lamp outside filtering in through the plate glass window, illuminating my way and casting shadows along the floor and walls. Headlights from a passing car briefly lit up the interior of the shop, glinting off the wind chimes that hung over the front door.

If only I’d had the forethought to hang a set of chimes over the back door as well. Then, perhaps, they would’ve warned me about the person who jimmied the lock, crept up behind me, and wrapped his fingers around my neck, squeezing until everything went black.

Be sure to check out Kristine’s webpage for more books, Finnalged details, and her podcast WORDPLAY.

Random House Graphic Imprint Announces Inaugural Publishing List

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Readers Entertainment

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22 July 2019

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Random House Graphic (RHG), a new imprint dedicated to publishing graphic novels for kids and teens of every age and interest, fiction and nonfiction, will launch its first list in Spring 2020, it was announced by Gina Gagliano, Publishing Director, Random House Graphic. The list includes four titles of varied genres that span from young chapter books to YA, reflecting the rapidly growing popularity of the format among young readers. This inaugural list announcement was made in coordination with the launch of the Random House Graphic website, now live at rhkidsgraphic.com.

Random House Graphic believes in the importance and power of comics storytelling, and the central place of visual literature in our world and culture today. The imprint’s mission is to transform the childhood reading experience by making high-quality graphic novels accessible to every type of reader. The imprint is made up of a team of experts in the format, led by Director Gina Gagliano, who came to Random House from First Second Books, and includes Senior Editor Whitney Leopard, previously an Editor at BOOM! Studios, and Designer Patrick Crotty, Co-Founder of Peow. RHG also will have a dedicated Marketing and PR Manager, Nicole Valdez, joining the team in August.

The imprint’s debut list includes two middle-grade graphic novels, THE RUNAWAY PRINCESS by Johan Troïanowski and ASTER AND THE ACCIDENTAL MAGIC by Thom Pico and Karensac; the young adult graphic novel WITCHLIGHT by Jessi Zabarsky; and the chapter book graphic novel BUG BOYS by Laura Knetzger. Following the publication of these first four titles, Random House Graphic will publish a contemporary middle-grade by Lucy Knisley, the critically acclaimed, award-winning New York Times bestselling comic creator of Relish and Kid Gloves. Inspired by Knisley’s own childhood, STEPPING STONESfollows a young girl forced to move with her mom from the city to a farm in the country, where she eventually gets a new stepfather and stepsisters. Publication is scheduled for May 2020.

“Random House Graphic is dedicated to publishing the best in kids and YA graphic novels,” explains Gagliano. “It’s an incredibly exciting time for the graphic novel medium—with more readers coming to these stories, and new groundbreaking books being published, the category is expanding by leaps and bounds. We can’t wait to share our contributions to it with readers, booksellers, comic book sellers, educators, librarians, and everyone who loves books and comics.”

THE RUNAWAY PRINCESS (on sale January 21, 2020) follows a young princess who finds her castle intolerably boring and runs away to find adventure, make friends, and learn more about the fantastical world around her.

BUG BOYS (on sale February 11, 2020) is a chapter book that follows two young bugs as they learn about friendship and the science of the world around them.

ASTER AND THE ACCIDENTAL MAGIC (on sale March 3, 2020) is an action-packed middle-grade adventure about a girl whose parents move their family to the middle of nowhere. Aster’s new home seems far from exciting, until she figures out that the countryside might have some magic in it.

WITCHLIGHT (on sale April 14, 2020) is a queer YA fantasy romance, filled with friendship, family, falling in love, and dealing with the hardest bits of your past along the way.

Additional titles to be published by Random House Graphic in 2020 include Kerry and the Knight of the Forest by Andi Watson, Witches of Brooklyn by Sophie Escabasse, Séance Tea Party by Reimena Yee, Crabapple Trouble by Kaeti Vandorn, Donut Feed the Squirrels by Mika Song, The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen, and Suncatcher by Jose Pimienta.

The RH Graphic program expands on the current list of acclaimed graphic novels published by Random House Children’s Books, including series like Babymouse by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm; 5 Worlds by Mark Siegel and Alexis Siegel and illustrated by Xanthe Bouma, Matt Rockefeller, and Boya Sun; and Hilo by Judd Winick, as well as stand-alone titles including The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell.

RH Graphic is an imprint of Random House Children’s Books (rhcbooks.com), the world’s largest English-language children’s trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, and nonfiction, the imprints of Random House Children’s Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series.

Visit Random House Graphic online at @RHKidsGraphic | rhkidsgraphic.com

Rogues and Rebels, Magic and Mayhem, Futures and Fantasy

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Readers Entertainment

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19 July 2019

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Limited Edition Science Fiction and Fantasy Boxset includes stories by USA Today Bestselling Authors and more!

Rogues and Rebels, Magic and Mayhem, Futures and Fantasy—there’s no limit to the excitement that awaits when you turn the pages of ROGUE SKIES, a collection of spellbinding adventures from some of today’s best-selling Science Fiction and Fantasy authors.

Releasing September 17th, 2019, and featuring 25 stories by 27 authors, including USA Today Bestselling Authors Suzanne Jenkins and Shereen Vedam, Rogue Skies has something for everyone. Each story, ranging in length between 30-80k, combines creative and epic worldbuilding that spans the universe, unique characters, brilliant descriptions that you are sure to get lost in, and a plethora of diverse stories that will have readers turning the pages and devouring this boxset.

At a remarkable price of $0.99, Rogue Skies is a steal of a deal–if you’re willing to fight off the space-pirates, or battle the witches and shifters to get a copy! What makes this box set even more remarkable is the attention to detail, not only when it comes to the enchanting covers and stories within the set, but also the expertly crafted official website. As readers patiently await the release, they can get an interactive experience online by checking out the “Fan Zone”, learning more about each of the stories and the authors behind them, and have the opportunity to get a free gift when pre-ordering Rogue Skies. If that’s not enough, you can join Rogue Skies on Facebook, where the party never stops as it’s filled with chances to win exciting prizes and exclusive content.

This boxset has taken the reading experience to a whole new level and is a must have for fans of both Science Fiction and Fantasy.

The skies have gone rogue. Space can’t be tamed. And magic is a law unto itself.

Transport yourself to new worlds where dark magic clashes with witty witches, diabolic demons, feisty fae, and sexy shifters. Or travel through time and space with cosmic spies, space thieves, and telepathic pirates. Add in a dash of Victorian heroes and inhuman soldiers, and you have a one-of-a-kind science fiction and fantasy collection of intoxicating proportions.

Fans of Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, Neil Gaiman, Anne McCaffrey, John Scalzi or Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo, Tamora Pierce, Lois Lowry, and Maria V. Snyder will find themselves transported to weird realms and epic otherworlds in this reality-optional boxset.

Rogues and Rebels, Magic and Mayhem, Futures and Fantasy—there’s no limit to the excitement that awaits when you turn the pages of this collection of spellbinding adventures from some of today’s best-selling Science Fiction and Fantasy authors.

With stories by:
USA Today bestselling author Suzanne Jenkins
USA Today bestselling author Shereen Vedam
Missy De Graff
Bella Andrews Ashlee
Nicole Bye
Emma Jane Holloway
Candace Sams
Melinda Kucsera
Jennifer Ellision
Mirren Hogan
Brantwijn Serrah
C.L. Cannon
S.A. McClure
Karen M. Bryson & Candace Segar
Rae Hendricks & Lianne Willowmoon
Lee French
Tamsin Baker
Joynell Schultz
Tracy Korn
Shannon Pemrick
Suzanne Hagelin
Nadine Travers
Jason J. Nugent
Cecilia Dominic
Bill Hargenrader

Square Enix Launching Manga Imprint with Penquin Random House

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Readers Entertainment

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18 July 2019

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SQUARE ENIX TO LAUNCH NEW ENGLISH-LANGUAGE MANGA BOOK IMPRINT, DISTRIBUTED BY PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE PUBLISHER SERVICES

Penguin Random House Publisher Services (PRHPS) today announced a multi-year sales and distribution agreement with Square Enix, Inc. (SEA, a US-based subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.) to introduce a new line of English-language manga, novels, and art books, beginning in Fall 2019, across all sales channels worldwide.

The Japanese multimedia entertainment company is best known internationally for their gaming properties, which include FINAL FANTASY®, TOMB RAIDER®, DRAGON QUEST® and NieR:Automata® titles on game consoles and mobile platforms, but in Japan, Square Enix is also a renowned book and magazine publisher. The company has previously licensed their manga properties (including hits like FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST®, SOUL EATER® and Black Butler®) to US-based publishers, but the new program marks their entry into the English-language market directly, publishing graphic novels and other book products under SQUARE ENIX for the first time through all major book sales channels.

The new imprint’s launch will be anchored by FINAL FANTASY XV: The Dawn of the Future, a novel containing a new chapter in the FINAL FANTASY XV universe; the manga Hi Score Girl, which was adapted into a hit anime on Netflix; A Man and His Cat (Japanese title: Oji-sama to Neko), the pet-themed comedy that was the bestselling new manga in Japan during the first half of 2018; and the complete edition of the global mega-hit manga Soul Eater.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to introduce our wide variety of books with the help of PRHPS to our new readers,” said Katsuyoshi Matsuura, Executive Officer and Vice President of Publication Business Unit, Square Enix Co., Ltd. Masaaki Shimizu, General Manager and Publisher of Book Publishing Division, SEA who is responsible of the new program, said, “We’re so excited that we now have the full support from PRHPS for achieving our goals to introduce more English translated books and expand our reach to new audiences.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Square Enix for their venture into the worldwide, English-speaking market,” added Jeff Abraham, President, Penguin Random House Publisher Services. “We see significant opportunity for their exciting and original program to succeed here.”

Podcasting Authors!

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Readers Entertainment

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17 July 2019

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We know you love reading, but…what’s your favorite podcast? It’s hard to keep up with what to listen to with new series’ launching at such a rapid pace. Did you know many of the most informative and entertaining podcast hosts are also authors? We think if you like their take on things – their smarts and style – you’ll surely enjoy their books!

NPR’S “POP CULTURE HAPPY HOUR”:

Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER by Linda Holmes

From the host of NPR’s “Pop Culture Happy Hour” podcast comes a heartfelt debut about the unlikely relationship between a young woman who’s lost her husband and a major league pitcher who’s lost his game.

“STAY TUNED WITH PREET”:

Doing Justice by Preet Bharara DOING JUSTICE: A PROSECUTOR’S THOUGHTS ON CRIME, PUNISHMENT, AND THE RULE OF LAW by Preet Bharara

By the one-time federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York, an important overview of the way our justice system works, and why the rule of law is essential to our society. Using case histories, personal experiences and his own inviting writing and teaching style, Preet Bharara shows the thought process we need to best achieve truth and justice in our daily lives and within our society.

“FAMILY SECRETS”:

Inheritance by Dani Shapiro INHERITANCE: A MEMOIR OF GENEALOGY, PATERNITY, AND LOVE by Dani Shapiro

From the acclaimed, best-selling memoirist and novelist—“a writer of rare talent” (Cheryl Strayed)—a memoir about the staggering family secret uncovered by a genealogy test: an exploration of the urgent ethical questions surrounding fertility treatments and DNA testing, and a profound inquiry of paternity, identity, and love.

“POLITICALLY RE-ACTIVE” (et al…):

THE AWKWARD THOUGHTS OF W. KAMAU BELL: TALES OF A 6′ 4″, AFRICAN AMERICAN, HETEROSEXUAL, CISGENDER, LEFT-LEANING, ASTHMATIC, BLACK AND PROUD BLERD, MAMA’S BOY, DAD, AND STAND-UP COMEDIAN by W. Kamau Bell

A memoir and manifesto from the comedian, hit podcast host, and star of “United Shades of America.”

The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell is a humorous, well-informed take on the world today, tackling a wide range of current and evergreen issues such as the 2016 election, race relations, fatherhood, the state of law enforcement today, comedians and superheroes, right-wing politics, failure, his interracial marriage, his upbringing by divorced and very strong-willed, race-conscious parents, his early days struggling to find his comedic voice, why he never felt at home in Black comedy circles, what it means to be a Black nerd, the balance between racism and feminism, and much, much more.

“JUDGE JOHN HODGMAN”:

Vacationland by John Hodgman VACATIONLAND: TRUE STORIES FROM PAINFUL BEACHES by John Hodgman

Vacationland collects Hodgman’s real-life wanderings, and through them you learn of the horror of freshwater clams, the evolutionary purpose of the mustache, and which animals to keep as pets and which to kill with traps and poison. There is also some advice on how to react when the people of coastal Maine try to sacrifice you to their strange god. Though wildly, Hodgmaniacally funny as usual, it is also a poignant and sincere account of one human facing his forties, those years when men in particular must stop pretending to be the children of bright potential they were and settle into the failing bodies of the wiser, weird dads that they are.

“EAR BISCUITS”:

Rhett & Link's Book of Mythicality by Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal RHETT & LINK’S BOOK OF MYTHICALITY: A FIELD GUIDE TO CURIOSITY, CREATIVITY, AND TOMFOOLERY by Rhett McLaughlin, Link Neal

From creators of “Good Mythical Morning”, the ultimate guide to adding Mythicality to your life, featuring stories and photos from Rhett and Link’s lifelong friendship, as well as activities, games, quizzes, and other tips for laughing more, learning more, and doing more awesome stuff.

“WTF WITH MARC MARON”:

Attempting Normal by Marc Maron ATTEMPTING NORMAL by Marc Maron

People make a mess. Marc Maron was an angst-filled comedian who dreamed of a simple normal life, a sitcom, and love; instead, as he turned the corner toward middle age he found himself fired from his radio job and divorced from the woman he thought he loved. This is a story about the wild interior life of a grown-up facing the black chasm of failure and finding a way, however crazily, through it all, told with Maron’s trademark wit, honesty, absurdism, and occasional flights of genius.

“DEAR SUGAR”:

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS: ADVICE ON LOVE AND LIFE FROM DEAR SUGAR by Cheryl Strayed

This bestselling book from the author of Wild collects the best of The Rumpus’s Dear Sugar advice columns plus never-before-published pieces. Rich with humor, insight, compassion—and absolute honesty—this book is a balm for everything life throws our way.

For more on these and other great books for young readers visit the collection: Podcasters

Hot Summer Romance from Harlequin

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Readers Entertainment

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16 July 2019

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When We Found Home – Susan Mallery

Becoming a family will take patience, humor, a little bit of wine and a whole lot of love

After life knocked Delaney Holbrook sideways, she didn’t get down—she got busy. She went back to school and swore off men in suits. But then one particular man in one very fine suit proves too tempting to resist—Malcolm Carlesso. Malcolm’s life has been complicated by the arrival of two half sisters he’s never met…and isn’t sure he wants around. How can Delaney trust a man who keeps his own sisters at such a distance?

Alone in the world, Callie Smith never expected to find a family. Suddenly she’s living in a house the size of a small country with her aloof new brother and streetwise sister, wondering whether this place—and these people—will ever feel like home. But a new opportunity presents itself, daring her to dream of more…until her past threatens to take it all away.

Friends brought together by chance, Delaney and Callie will soon discover the closest families are bonded by choice—not by blood—in this uplifting story from the consistently unputdownable Susan Mallery.

You can purchase WHEN WE FOUND HOME at:
Harlequin Books

How to Keep a Secret by Sarah Morgan

Three generations of Stewart women with secrets to keep. One unforgettable summer that will change their lives forever.

Lauren has the perfect life…if she ignores the fact that it’s a fragile house of cards, and that her daughter, Mack, has just had a teenage personality transplant.

Jenna is desperate to start a family with her husband, but it’s just. Not. Happening. Her heart is breaking, but she’s determined to keep her trademark smile on her face so no one ever knows.

Nancy knows she hasn’t been the best mother, but how can she ever tell Lauren and Jenna the devastating reason why? She’ll do anything to protect her daughters…even keep them at arm’s length.

Then life changes in an instant, and Lauren, Mack, Jenna and Nancy are thrown together for a summer at Martha’s Vineyard. Somehow, these very different women must relearn how to be a family. And while unraveling their secrets might be their biggest challenge, the rewards could be infinite…

You can purchase HOW TO KEEP A SECRET at:
Harlequin Books

Cooper’s Charm by Lori Foster

One summer, two sisters and a chance to start over…

Before the burglary that shattered her confidence, Phoenix Rose had a fiancé, a successful store and a busy, happy existence. After months spent adrift, she takes a job at the lakeside resort of Cooper’s Charm. Surrounded by beautiful scenery, friendly colleagues and a charismatic, widowed boss, Phoenix is slowly inching her way back into the world.

Visiting Cooper’s Charm to check up on her little sister, Ridley Rose impulsively agrees to fill in as housekeeper. Still reeling from an ego-bruising divorce, she finds satisfaction in a job well done—and in the attention of the resort’s handsome scuba instructor.

For Phoenix and Ridley, Cooper’s Charm is supposed to be merely temporary. But this detour may lead to the place they most need to be, where the future is as satisfying as it is surprising…

You can purchase COOPER’S CHARM at:
Harlequin Books

Coming This Fall A New Kind of Romance Retreat

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Readers Entertainment

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15 July 2019

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It’s time to register for an amazing romance book lover retreat! Coming this September, romance readers of all genres of romance and authors will converge for a one of a kind gathering! If you love contemporary, historical, military, YA, and any other sub-genre register now!

Book lovers and romance fans, TRR is what you’ve been missing! Romance authors, TRR is the dream event you’ve longed for! This is a new kind of gathering where every genre of romance and YA will be celebrated.

Come out and see what’s possible when you break with tradition! Celebrate every genre in a unique way, make personal connections with your favorite authors and discover new favorites. Forget stress and dive into the best that romance has to offer.

Amazing Themed Reader Parties and Workshops! Gifts, Books and Prizes galore! Dragons and Direwolves, anyone? Dance like it’s 1809 at the Times Gone By Ball, laugh at the TRR Comedy Club, get properly silly at a Steampunk Afternoon Tea Party, feel patriotic at the 1940’s USO Swing Dance Party or get sizzling at the Salsa Dance Party–and do all of it alongside incredible authors!

Dress up! Let your hair down! Escape the ordinary! Everyone Deserves A Retreat!

Unforgettable and Affordable–Come to TRR and be a part of something magical!

Here are just a few of the fun activities you can expect at the 2019 TRR!!!!!

BLACK AND WHITE BALL – Wear your finest fashions in black or white or any combination that pleases you. It’s a chance to shine and meet all the authors for the first time in this incredible mixer. Appetizers will be served and surprises are planned to ensure that everything gets off on the right foot!

Thursday, Sept. 5

Mixers and Workshops reign throughout the day, with an afternoon of themed Reader Parties to choose from (detailed schedules to be announced!) including a Steampunk Tea Party and MORE! TBA

7-8 pm – USO Party – Zoot suits and swing dancing! Military Romance takes a turn on the dance floor and kicks up its heels to celebrate the best of the Brave and the Bold! Big band music will make you want to shake off the blues and cheer!

8-11pm – TIMES GONE BY BALL– For fans of Historical Romance, Historical Fiction and all the flavors that come with them… Here’s your chance to dress in any era that you love most and take to the floor with many of your favorite authors! Bring your dancing slippers and keep an eye out for Mr. Darcy! Appetizers will be served.

Friday, Sept. 6

Mixers and Workshops reign throughout the day, with an afternoon of themed Reader Parties to choose from (detailed schedules to be announced!) including a Western Round-Up Party and more! TBA

6:30-8pm – SALSA DANCING PARTY – Things heat up at this spicy party where you can learn to Salsa Dance with Contemporary Author, Marie Booth, to live music, kick up your heels and step into the stories where one sultry step after another can lead to true love!

8-11pm – CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE CLUB – Come to an evening of laughter and joy as the TRR Comedy Club opens up to let us celebrate what brings us together! After all, if a sense of humor is a universally sexy trait for a hero or heroine to have…why not lighten up the mood? Appetizers will be served.

Saturday, Sept. 7

TRR Great Book Fair – 1-4pm

YA Party 5-7pm – Small Town Fair and Fantastical Carnival theme with Special Surprises and Prize Drawings for YA/New Adult Fans!

8pm – Midnight – DRAGONS AND DIREWOLVES BALL – For all things that go bump in the night, let the revels begin! Dress in your most dangerous outfits for this gathering and be ready to meet the paranormal and fantasy authors who have come to play! Appetizers will be served.

Sunday, Sept. 8

10am – Farewell Breakfast – A chance for one last meal and mixer before we have a Grand Prize Drawing for a Free Registration to The Romance Retreat 2020!

FOR MORE DETAILS, TO SEE A LIST OF PARTICIPATING AUTHORS, AND TO REGISTER FOLLOW THIS LINK to the Romance Retreat!

Harlequin’s Romance Includes You Mentorship Initiative

By

Readers Entertainment

-

11 July 2019

0

Harlequin’s Romance Includes You Mentorship Initiative
Supports Increased Diversity and Inclusion in Romance Publishing

Mentorship opportunity aims to find new talent and bring more stories
representing diverse and own voices to romance readers

Today, Harlequin launched a mentorship initiative that offers aspiring romance writers from underrepresented communities the chance to work one-on-one with a Harlequin editor for a year on writing a romance novel and includes an offer to publish their book and $5,000 (US) to support their writing. The Romance Includes You Mentorship is part of Harlequin’s active efforts to find new talent and bring more stories representing diverse and own voices to romance readers.

Harlequin is accepting submissions starting September 1 to select a recipient living in North America for a 12-month mentorship with a romance editor who will provide editorial guidance during the writing process and share firsthand insights and knowledge on the romance market and the publishing industry. The aim is for the selected writer to develop a manuscript during the mentorship that Harlequin can publish in one of its 12 series romance lines or Carina Press.

This opportunity is open to unpublished or self-published writers from underrepresented communities who have a strong desire to write romance fiction for adult readers and want to add their diverse voices and own voices to the romance genre. The first phase of this program is offered to writers living in North America and may be followed by additional opportunities in other regions.

“We’re committed to publishing diverse and inclusive voices so that readers see themselves reflected in the stories we publish,” said Loriana Sacilotto, Harlequin’s Executive Vice President. “We are actively working to acquire more traditionally underrepresented and diverse voices. We are reaching out with an exciting opportunity for writers that offers a publishing contract, $5,000 to support the creative process and the chance to develop a working relationship with an editor at a major publisher.”

Submissions for the Romance Includes You Mentorship will be accepted from September 1 to October 15, 2019. The final shortlist of submissions will be reviewed by a judging panel whose representatives have broad experience editing, publishing and marketing multicultural, interracial and LGBTQ+ romance fiction.

Submission criteria and more details are available at http://www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/mentorship/.

This initiative is part of Harlequin’s ongoing outreach activities to encourage story submissions from traditionally underrepresented and diverse voices through submission drives and to broaden diversity, representation and inclusion in its publishing program. Harlequin supports writers conferences and organizations promoting inclusion and diversity in publishing, and regularly participates in #DVpit story pitching events on Twitter that connect editors with marginalized writers.

About Harlequin

Harlequin is a leading publisher of commercial fiction and narrative nonfiction. The company publishes more than 100 titles a month, in both print and digital formats, that reach audiences globally. Encompassing highly recognizable imprints that span a broad number of genres, the publisher is home to many award-winning New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling authors. Harlequin is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, the second-largest consumer book publisher in the world. Through HarperCollins’s global publishing program, Harlequin titles are published in 17 countries and 16 languages. For more information, please visit Harlequin.com and Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks. Follow Harlequin on Twitter: @HarlequinBooks.