Plus: A Hot Publishing Job & Writers To Watch
Sugar Gamers at Graham Crackers Comics.
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Malcolm X E-Book
“One of the last major digital holdouts, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, should soon be available as an e-book, the attorney for the late activist’s estate told the Associated Press.
L. Londell McMillan said last week a digital edition will likely be out by May 19, what would have been Malcolm X’s 90th birthday, and the estate expects to self-publish it. Last Saturday marks the 50th anniversary of Malcolm’s assassination.
“Malcolm X was a fervent advocate for self-help, self-reliance and self-respect,” McMillan said in explaining why the estate favored self-publishing over releasing the e-book through the publisher of the paper editions, Ballantine Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Um, ok.
“Today’s technology allows for innovative means to share content and add to it for educational, cultural and commercial purposes. Malcolm X did not grant all rights to a publisher in perpetuity. The works and rights of Malcolm X belong to his children and the community, not a publisher.”
Background:
“McMillan said that the estate, X Legacy LLC, also hopes to release an audiobook and to self-publish other works by Malcolm, including speeches, letters and diaries. In November 2013, the estate sued to prevent a Chicago-based publisher from releasing a diary Malcolm X kept near the end of his life.”
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Hot Job
Director, University of Illinois Press.
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Cubs Fans
“Jeremy Rodriguez, 31, of Cedar Rapids, launched a Kickstarter to fund his book about Chicago Cubs fans,” KWWL.com reports.
“Provisionally titled 81 Perfect Days, Rodriguez will interview 81 Cubs fans, during the 81 home games of the 2015 season.
“The book will attempt to answer several questions: Who is the average Cubs fan? What do the Cubs mean in their fan’s lives? How do Cubs fans cope with loving a team that has not won a championship in over a century?”
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Here’s the Kickstarter.
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You gotta admit, no one ever writes books like this about White Sox fans. Or just about any other fans.
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Writers To Watch
“Last year, in celebration of its 25th anniversary, the Guild Literary Complex assembled a list of ’25 Writers to Watch’ – a who’s who of Chicago’s most promising literary talents, encompassing playwrights, poets, novelists, and journalists. This year, those same writers will present their work in a series of themed readings that showcase the vibrancy and vitality of the city’s literary community,” the Guild says in a press release.
“Chicago is a city of storytellers and poets. Our list is a way to honor the work of individuals while celebrating the dynamic intersections of identities, cultures, generations, educational experiences, and artistic visions that nourish – and challenge – the soul of this city,” says current Guild Director John Rich.
On February 25th, four writers from that list – Eric Charles May, Coya Paz, Roger Reeves, Kathleen Rooney – will be presenting their work at Schubas Tavern (3159 N Southport) from 7:30-9 p.m.
The theme of the reading is “uncharted.” Expect stories about adventure, crossing boundaries, visiting unfamiliar locales, and more. The event is pay-what-you-can ($5 suggested donation). There will be door prizes, and authors will also have their books available for purchase. Audience members need to be at least 21 years of age.
ABOUT THE WRITERS
“All four writers are established voices in Chicago’s literary community. Eric Charles May is a fiction writer and journalist who teaches at Columbia College; Coya Paz is the Artistic Director of Free Street Theater, an Assistant Professor at DePaul, and holds a PhD from Northwestern; Roger Reeves is an assistant professor of poetry at University of Illinois-Chicago whose work has appeared in numerous anthologies; and Katherine Rooney is the founding editor of Rose Metal Press as well as a novelist, poet, and journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, the Chicago Sun-Times, and The Believer.”
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Comments welcome.
Posted on February 25, 2015