< Back Why Sheldon Collins Chose Indie Production Over Corporate Audio Giants August 13, 2026 at 7:25:03 AM Producing an audiobook was not something Sheldon Collins had really ever planned on doing. But this year, the author and filmmaker’s new audiobook , The Legend of Valentine: An Ancient Historical Love Story , won four awards for production and sound design, including the 2026 Independent Press Award . To produce that quality, Collins didn’t turn to a massive audiobook corporation. Instead, he used Pro Audio Voices , an independent audiobook and podcast production company run by a team of just 20 people. In a phone call this summer, he walked BookCAMP Magazine through the process of creating that award-winning work from start to finish. “First and foremost, it was important for me that a production partner would allow me creative freedom,” Collins said. “It appealed to me to work with more of an independent-type production and distribution company. The idea of working with a company where it felt more like an independent community of people was attractive to me because it reminded me of my own background in independent filmmaking. When things get too big, too corporate-like, you lose a lot of the creative collaborations along the way. Pro Audio Voices appealed to me because they weren’t too big for their own britches, so to speak, and they allowed me the creative leniency to do what I wanted to do.” Collins didn’t originally write The Legend of Valentine to be an audiobook. But as an avid audiobook listener himself, he found as he was writing the story that the epic, sweeping nature of the tale would lend itself well to audio. With 20 actors playing multiple characters and over 100 original musical compositions, it promised to be a highly complex, ambitious project. So Collins wanted to make sure he got everything right. He co-directed the project with Pro Audio Voices CEO Becky Parker Geist, a professional theater actress and narrator who founded the company in 2019. Working with a smaller company, he said, gave him the flexibility to adjust. “ It was way more important to me to slow the time down and make sure that there was this incredible attention to detail on every step of the way, from casting, to directing the performance to the initial edit, to the sound design, to the music, and then to the mix,” Collins said. “It was very important to me that it was always as good as we could possibly get it. A bigger production entity, like an Audible or a company like that, might have said, ‘We’ve got to get this done by this month.’ But Becky really understood how important it was to me and to the project to make sure that we nailed this. And that worked out to be part of the ingredients to the winning formula.” One telling example of this approach was the musical composition. “ We got to a point where we had put some music in there, we had licensed either low-paid royalty or royalty-free,” Collins said. “But I quickly recognized that this is not as good as it could be. Everything else was so strong. The performance was strong. The story was strong. But the music just was not orchestral enough for me. It just didn’t give me goosebumps.” Collins consulted with Parker Geist and the music team, and brought in Grammy-nominated composer Stephen Endelman to develop little musical themes for each of the characters and design how those themes would interact. By the end of the four months that process took, in addition to the four months spent on sound design, Collins said, the audio file was the biggest that the company’s audio mixer had ever seen. And Collins was able to complete it for under $100,000. “ The giants in the industry would’ve produced this audiobook at probably somewhere between five to eight times the price, easily, based on the epic nature of this audiobook,” he said. “Pro Audio Voices  recognized that we had to do this at the right budget, and they were capable of doing that without there being too many hands to feed, so to speak, with a bigger company.” The Legend of Valentine received eight nominations in the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences’ (SOVAS) 2026 Voice Arts Awards and won two, including one for Best Sound Design in the Outstanding Audio Engineering category. Pro Audio Voices’ Daryl Bolicek took home that award. The other win was for Best Producer, which went to Parker Geist on behalf of the team. Collins himself received three SOVAS nominations for directing. He admitted his situation was a bit unique—Parker Geist has never allowed anyone else to direct an audiobook with her company before, but allowed him to work with her specifically because of his filmmaking experience. When asked what advice he would give to other authors looking to direct or produce an audiobook production of their work, Collins laughed. “ I think you have to be insane, first of all,” he said, chuckling. “Insanity is required. But I would say that, with almost anybody in the creative arts right now, beyond the skill and the talent there has to be an incredible will to take it to the next step. I think the first thing that somebody needs to do who’s an author is really decide whether or not this is for them or not. You could very easily pass it over to Becky and just let her company run with it, in which case you’re going to get a great result.” Pro Audio Voices, and AMPlify Audiobooks , its distribution imprint, offers a full production service . After an author has agreed to work with the company and completes a planning session, the company will start working on casting and standardizing manuscripts. “An audition text is created from your manuscript and our Casting Team will invite narrators from our talent pool to audition,” the company’s website describes . “We vet the auditions, then provide 3 or (typically) more narrator samples for you to choose from.” There are also usually some manuscript adjustments that go into converting a written piece into an audiobook script. “As part of Pre-Production we help develop a production manuscript ready for recording,” the website states . “For example, many character attributions (e.g., ‘he said angrily’) can be omitted, as long as we have been introduced in the scene to the voice playing that character. We don’t need to say ‘angrily’ since the actor will be acting that.” To date, Pro Audio Voices lists over 200 audiobooks in its portfolio, ranging from children’s books, to romance, to law and politics. “ Becky’s leadership is unparalleled,” Collins said. “The people who work with her love to work with her. She always wants the best product, and she really wants to understand the goals of the artist. It was the first time I ever co-directed anything with anybody. And Becky and I hadn’t spoken about this, but she was open to working with me, and I was open to working with her, and we both clicked, and it worked out fantastic. It was just the way a collaboration should be.” Reported by Printed Word Reviews Share this article Copy link LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest

< Back Can History Books Fix Australia's Publishing Problem? July 23, 2026 at 7:16:48 AM Australia is publishing too many books. That’s what a number of publishers and book industry writers have begun to say in the last few years. Between a general decline in readership and global headwinds for the publishing industry , critics say, there are too many new books being written, and not enough people to read them. Terri-ann White, an Australian writer and publisher of 20 years, wrote an opinion piece in Australian arts industry magazine ArtsHub last year titled, “In 2026, can we please have fewer books published in Australia?” White writes that Australia has a population of 27 million, and that about 22,000 new books are published in the country per year, according to 2024 data. Catriona Menzies-Pike, an award-winning writer and critic, also wrote last month in The Guardian that “Australia is publishing books too quickly—and everyone is losing out.” “Thanks to rushed deadlines, financial pressure and overworked staff, titles are going to market before they’re ready—and then sliding from view immediately,” Menzies-Pike wrote. There are broader issues, like declining readership and the economics of physically printing a book, that are difficult for Australian publishers to handle. But the problem here, many of these voices say , isn’t that having more creativity is bad, or that no one wants to read anymore. It’s that in an industry with diminishing resources and an explosion of input, there just isn’t market space for every book. At the same time, though, history books in Australia are facing another problem. According to a new survey report released this past June by the Australian Historical Association (AHA), there’s an industry-wide mismatch plaguing Australian history publishing. Australians want to read about their history; Australian historians want to publish locally, to an Australian audience; and Australian publishers want to publish books on Australian history. But despite this apparent convergence of interests, Australian history books aren’t getting published in Australia. Getting these three elements to work together is, somehow, exceedingly difficult. What gives? And could history books be the solution Australian publishing should be looking for? In examining the state of the history book, the AHA conducted a survey of 223 active and retired historians in the nation, and asked their opinions on the publishing process, the usefulness of history books, and their goals for their writing. The main problem, the report found, is that despite the interest in Australian history, historians are pressured by their institutions and universities to publish in places often inaccessible to the general Australian reader. In order to build academic careers, historians are pushed towards scholarly journal articles rather than books to begin with; and if they do publish a book, that book is often pressured to be published internationally, particularly in Britain and the United States. “Universities overwhelmingly favor international university presses,” the report states. “International publishers are regarded as more prestigious: a combination of their editorial processes, brand recognition and international standing.” One respondent wrote in the survey, “When I signed a contract with an Australian university press, my then Head of Department said, ‘That’s a shame. An Australian publishing a book about Australian history with an Australian press betrays a lack of ambition.’ This comment infuriates me, yet in truth the only reason I felt able to publish my book with an Australian press was because I’d already secured a continuing position.” The report’s authors wrote that this distaste towards Australian publishers is a classic example of a long-standing phenomenon in the country: “Cultural Cringe.” “In 1950 the literary critic Arthur Phillips wrote an essay for Meanjin Quarterly with the title ‘The Cultural Cringe’,” a chapter of the report explains. “Phillips defined ‘the Cringe’ as appearing ‘in an inability to escape needless comparisons. The Australian reader, more or less consciously, hedges and hesitates, asking himself ‘Yes, but what would a cultivated Englishman think of this?’” As universities in Australia try to boost their rankings and institutional prestige, they steer as much as possible away from grounding themselves in Australia and instead angle to compete in international markets. As such, many historians said in the survey they felt like they had to publish internationally. But they want to publish in Australia. “Long-form responses emphasised the importance of accessibility of books, arguing that readable and engaging books justified their publication and ‘overly academic’ work should be reserved for journal articles,” the report states. “[University] focus on international publishing was not always compatible with the desire of many Australian historians to reach a local readership, or to promote their university through local (and affordable) publications.” “If our work is meant to have impact, generate public discussion and be relevant to the communities with whom we research, we should be publishing work that is accessible to the public,” one respondent wrote. Another said, “History is a shared experience with community members, not just academics!” Publishing locally allows the authors to participate in and contribute to the “public life” of history, including how it impacts modern social and cultural feelings. It also encourages more engagement with the historian’s work, through things like local media appearances or book reviews—of which, thanks to a distaste for ever-growing multinational corporations and media conglomerates, there’s a budding resurgence . And Australian publishers are interested, too. As the second half of the report, the AHA researchers interviewed five Australian publishers about their attitudes towards history books. All five expressed an interest in putting out more of them. One said there was a “public respect for history and a public interest in history”; another said that “many, many people want to know more about Australian history,” and that there was an “appetite” for it. The history books these publishers are looking for aren’t overly academic or niche, but rather history books that can appeal to the “interested general reader.” They’re curious about books that are told boldly and conversationally, with some imagination and flair while maintaining the rigorous accuracy of history as an academic discipline. “I often think, you can write about anything if you’re writing it in an engaging way that’s going to inspire readers,” one of the publishers said. “You’ll take the reader with you.” They’re also interested in books that don’t focus on the dominant national voices in Australia. “These books are so important, and they are histories that we’ve never heard about,” said White, the author of the ArtsHub opinion piece, who was also interviewed in the report. “That’s the value of Australian history books for me.” Other people seem to share that perspective. A national survey by the University of New South Wales released in May found that 80 percent of Australians are interested in Australian history, and that 76 percent of Australians believe history is as important to learn about in school as business and STEM topics. Over 80 percent of Australians also believe that history is relevant to society today, and that understanding the past can keep history from repeating itself. Interestingly, though a majority of people said works of Australian history should celebrate the nation’s past, nearly two-thirds of those surveyed wanted history to challenge their knowledge. But only 57 percent feel that they know much about it. The crowded, oversaturated market of Australian publishing needs some breaths of air in its titles. And the dearth of historical publishing by Australians, for Australians, needs filling. Publishing history books might just be the solution to two problems at once—if only institutions can be convinced. Printed Word Reviews / Reported by Jules Roscoe Share this article Copy link LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest

< Back WW Norton Expands Young Readers Line with New Waverly Imprint October 14, 2026 at 7:30:00 AM After 103 years, W.W. Norton is now looking to expand their young readers and children's titles to grow with today's readers. A new trade imprint for young readers is being introduced at W.W. Norton, 8 years after they announced their Young Readers imprint. The Norton Waverly will officially launch in the spring of 2027 and is looking to publish at least 6 titles a year. The imprint aims to reach readers from early to middle childhood and teenage years who share a love of good storytelling, seeking "singular and satisfying reading experiences, with themes to spark dialogue and engagement across the generations," as its website states. The namesake comes from where William Warder Norton and Mary Dows Herter Norton, the founders of W.W . Norton, first lived: 109 Waverly Place in New York City. It was their first home as newlyweds and also the home where they started their publishing company. The recent addition is spearheaded by Karen Lotz , who joined the company just last year in September as the Director of Children's Books and Strategic Development. Now, after nearly a year with Norton, she's looking to expand their reach to multi-generational readers and have a wide range of readers to cater to. This wouldn't be the first partnership for Lotz and DiCamillo, as they have worked together in the past: when Lotz was with Candlewick from 1999 to 2023 as the President and Founding U.S. publisher, and was the group managing director of Walker Books, Candlewick's parent company, from 2010 to 2023, she was DiCamillo's international publisher. “The True Story of Edith Leapyear, Child Outlaw: As Told by Herself” by Kate DiCamillo will be the imprint's first title (Pub date: April 6, 2027). The fictional memoir was picked up by Lotz this past April for the world English rights and is targeted towards middle-aged readers 8-12. DiCamillo is a two-time Newbery Medalist who stated to the Bookseller she is "deeply moved that The True Story of Edith Leapyear will be the first book to bear the Norton Waverly imprint. I believe in the power of stories to connect us, to change us. This imprint embodies that belief." Other titles within the Waverly lineup are said to be the “Heir to Magic” duology by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis, the debut novel of Agathe Chave-Lucas, "The Many Revolutions of Sophie Germain," and two untitled books by Autumn Loyal Watkins. Julia Reidhead , W.W. Norton's President and Chairman, told The Bookseller that the company began as a way to seek out "readers across all backgrounds and experiences in a dialogue with the great ideas of their time." Lotz agrees, saying, "We want our books, with the high quality of their content and artwork, to be friendly for teachers, librarians, and story times." Printed Word Reviews / Reported by Mali Ayala Share this article Copy link LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest

< Back Beyond the Page: Decoding the London Book Fair 2026 May 2, 2026 at 7:28:59 AM The London Book Fair (LBF) 2026, held from March 10–12 at the iconic Olympia London, delivered another year of the trade show for rights deals and networking. In addition, it marked a historical pivot for the industry, serving as the launchpad for the National Year of Reading and a battleground for the defining debate of the decade: the “Human-First” AI revolution. With an estimated 30,000 visitors and 1,000 exhibitors, LBF 2026 transformed Kensington into a bustling hub of literary activism and technological forecasting. The fair’s dominant narrative was dictated by the National Year of Reading (themed “Go All In”). Against a backdrop of declining literacy rates and a “reading for pleasure” crisis, industry leaders sent a clear message: books must be treated as a public good, not just a commodity. Joanna Prior, CEO of Pan Macmillan and Chair of the National Literacy Trust, delivered a stirring “Reading Crisis” keynote arguing that the decline in reading is a more immediate threat to the industry than Artificial Intelligence. Tom Weldon, CEO of Penguin Random House UK, outlined a vision for the industry to “seize a once-in-a-generation opportunity” to re-engage the public through schools, libraries, and local communities, with the aim to refill a pipeline of readers. If 2025 was about the fear of Artificial Intelligence, 2026 was about its application. The Tech Theatre was the most crowded corner of the fair, focusing on “Practical AI” that reduces friction in editorial workflows and improves accessibility. In one of the fair’s most talked-about moments, the “Don't Steal this Book” initiative saw 10,000 authors “publish” empty books. This silent protest targeted tech companies using copyrighted works to train Large Language Models without compensation. Audible CEO Bob Carrigan celebrated 20 years in the UK, showcasing how AI-powered alt-text and intelligent sound design are making literature more accessible to the visually impaired and neurodivergent audiences. Other notables were authors Alice Oseman, Jo Nesbo, and Mike Gayle on the continuation of the “YA Boom”; and still readers are craving “human-centric” storytelling. For sustainability, Mary Glenn (UN Publications) maintained that decarbonizing the supply chain is no longer optional; Net Zero by 2040 is the target. In the area of emerging voices, Sanjee de Silva (Sweet Cherry) offered a poignant reminder that independent presses are at the forefront of regional and diverse representation for emerging voices. As the fair concluded, three trends emerged that will likely dominate the global publishing circuit through 2027: Publishers are moving away from “AI-generated content” and toward AI-supported production (automated metadata, alt-text for images, and rights management). A significant focus on Georgian literature and indigenous languages (Gaelic, Welsh, Irish) signaled a shift toward hyper-localism in a globalized market. Led by the UN, there is a renewed push to use books as tools for climate literacy, ensuring that sustainability isn't just about paper and ink, but the content itself. LBF 2026 proved that while the tools of the trade are shifting toward silicon and code, the heartbeat of the industry remains the “human-first” connection between an author and a reader. Reported by Printed Word Reviews Share this article Copy link LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest

Book review of Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. by Colin C. Campbell . ISBN: 9798887506142 < Back Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. Colin C. Campbell Business, entrepreneurship, startup, scaling, exit strategy, systems Forbes Books Share this review: Copy link Facebook LinkedIn X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest A serial entrepreneur distills decades of hard-won lessons into a practical roadmap for spotting the right wave, building defensible startups, scaling them, exiting wisely, and repeating the cycle. In an era saturated with Silicon Valley "unicorn" mythology, business literature often treats entrepreneurial triumph as an elusive mix of singular genius and venture-backed luck. Colin C. Campbell’s Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. directly challenges this narrative. By reframing entrepreneurship from a chaotic, one-off gamble into a structured, highly repeatable lifecycle, Campbell provides a refreshing, street-smart guide for modern operators. The book’s central thesis argues that sustainable entrepreneurial success is a learnable process grounded in precise timing, rigorous validation, scalable infrastructure, and disciplined decision-making. Far from an academic treatise, it serves as an ultra-practical, battle-tested playbook for building companies engineered to last; and designed to sell. The book’s architecture mirrors the organic progression of a high-growth business, elegantly structured around four core movements. Campbell begins at the inception point, urging founders to hunt for ideas born from lived frustration and genuine market waves rather than chasing passing fads. Crucially, he insists that ideas are functionally worthless without validation. The text provides an excellent roadmap for bootstrapping early proof of concept, advocating for prototypes, incubators, and customer funding over premature equity dilution. As the framework shifts into growth, Campbell introduces his foundational "Four Pillars" planning matrix: Story: Crafting compelling narratives for the market. People: Assembling diverse, mission-driven teams with complementary strengths. Money: Navigating cash flow and resisting toxic, high-cost venture capital. Systems: Building repeatable operational frameworks. The transition from a scrappy, founder-dependent startup to a systematized, scalable enterprise is where the book truly shines. Campbell argues that scaling requires a total shift in leadership, demanding that founders implement sharp distribution strategies and robust operating rhythms so the business can eventually thrive entirely without them. The final chapters offer the class on the exit strategy, a phase most often neglected by most startup guides. Campbell demystifies buyer psychology, teaching founders to prioritize operational discipline and real profitability over inflated vanity valuations. This strategic clarity ensures that when an exit occurs, the serial entrepreneur captures genuine wealth, preserving the momentum and capital needed to seamlessly transition into the next venture cycle. Although Campbell’s fast-paced, business-style writing occasionally deals with the grueling psychological toll of execution and the messy operational realities of mid-scale corporate friction in a cursory manner, this minor omission does not detract from the book's immense structural value. Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. successfully delivers a rare commodity: a pragmatic framework focused on repeatable, attainable company building. It is a vital read best suited for first-time founders needing an operational compass, mid-stage operators navigating scaling pains, and seasoned entrepreneurs seeking to eliminate waste and reclaim control over their professional destiny. Campbell strips the mystique from the startup world, leaving readers with something far better: a clear, repeatable engine for wealth and value creation. Previous Next

Book review of Otello's Oil: A Saga of Blood and Oil by D.W. Layton . ISBN: < Back Otello's Oil: A Saga of Blood and Oil D.W. Layton Suspense BookBaby Share this review: Copy link Facebook LinkedIn X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest In a rapidly changing Seattle, a father and daughter’s ferry trip turns into a race against time when he uncovers a bomb threat, while a web of political intrigue unfolds in Washington, D.C., culminating in a high-stakes assassination that could alter global relations. A political thriller set in a near-future world, blending elements of suspense and intricate geopolitical maneuvering. More for those who enjoy a focus on complex narratives involving international intrigue, espionage, and high-stakes political drama, rather than character development. The main events unfold in various locations, including Seattle, Washington, DC, Jakarta, and Bali, primarily set in the year 2031 with flashbacks to earlier events. Previous Next

< Back Awesome Summer Reads May 1, 2026 at 5:00:13 AM For some of us, there’s nothing better than laying on the beach while reading a great book. But with so many other things vying for our attention, the book has to be terrific. Here are five of my new and old favorites—and most of them are collections of short stories to captivate your attention in-between hitting the water! Writers of the Future Volume 42 –This anthology has a variety of engaging and thought-provoking stories. The ability to stop time in a small space, time travel, fantasy stories with dragons and fairies, AI stories and demon dogs. I’ll talk about just one of my favorites. We’ve all read time travel stories, but in this one, a group goes back in time to cover up and “logically” explain anomalies created by other time-travelers. The author has some wonderfully quotable lines such as: It would be spectacularly stupid to disband the project. But then, spectacular stupidity has always been one of humanity’s most reliably renewable resources. How could you not want to read a story with that line? The Best of Joe R. Lansdale ―This author is skilled in numerous genres with an abundance of awards. His most famous books are the Hap and Leonard series, consisting of 15 novels and a 3-season Sundance TV crime drama. The Best of is a series of short stories that run the gamut from Godzilla, to a soul-sucking mummy, to zombies, along with several more-normal, equally weird stories. “Bubba Ho-Tep” is included which was made into a horror-comedy movie. My favorite in this collection has to be “Godzilla’s Twelve Step Program,” where by day the titular monster works at a foundry and tries to curb his impulse to destroy with an AA-similar program, along with several other familiar monsters. Holy Ghost by John Sandford–the only novel in this list. For John Sandford, the Prey series at 36 novels and counting, is usually my all-time favorite. His Virgil Flowers spin-off character has 12 books of his own and Holy Ghost is the absolute best of them. This book will have you reading until the end to figure out who the killer is. Night Shift by Stephen King–Some people say that Stephen King writes much better short stories than his novels which sometimes have disappointing endings. Night Shift is so great I can see why people believe he is the master at this form. “Jerusalem’s Lot,” “Battleground,” “Quitters, Inc.” and “Children of the Corn” have stayed with me for years as absolutely fantastic stories. And these are just four of the twenty included in this collection. “Quitters, Inc.” has the mob branching out into services to help people stop their bad habits—all of us have some weakness that probably isn’t the best for our long-term health, and this story will have you wondering if maybe this service could be just what you need! I Fish; Therefore, I Am (And Other Observations) by Patrick F. McManus–If you’ve never read Patrick McManus, get ready to have a new source for humor that will have you rolling on the floor with laughter. This is a collection of three of his earlier collected-works books! In “Poof—No Eyebrows,” the young-boy main character and his friend build a small cannon and set it off to disastrous results. As they are recovering behind a shed, a deputy drives up looking for the cause of the explosion he heard. “Now, what I want to know,” the deputy went on, “is why are you two boys sitting out here behind this shed smoking?” “Shucks,” I said, “if you’d been a little earlier, you’d have seen us while we were still on fire!” … The canon pretty well quelled our enthusiasm for building our own muzzleloaders from scratch. Not only had it made a big impression on us; it had made numerous small impressions. I hope these five recommendations make it on your must-read summer reading list. You won’t be disappointed! John Carey BIO: Born and raised in Texas, John Carey loves both the big cities and country life. He always knew he needed a good job to pay the bills so pursued engineering degrees. He shoved his writing and artistic endeavors to the evenings and weekends. John has written over 1.5 million words in short stories, poems and books, both fiction and non-fiction. In 2011, John won Honorable Mention in L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future contest for his science fiction entry, "A Cast of Millions." In 2017, he again won an Honorable Mention in the same contest for "The Changing of the Veil." His latest fiction book on Amazon "Not Worthy of the Air You Breathe" is set in a 2305 dystopian future. Reported by Printed Word Reviews Share this article Copy link LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest

Learn more about J. Chester Johnson < Back J. Chester Johnson GAB TALKS with J. Chester Johnson Whispers of History and Healing: A Conversation with J. Chester Johnson The GAB TALKS recently had the privilege of sitting down with acclaimed poet and author J. Chester Johnson, whose latest work, Reading Whispers: Book of Triple Haiku , offers a strikingly original take on poetic form. The collection explores themes of love, politics, race, aging, and mortality through an innovative structure that expands the traditional haiku into something more layered and resonant. Johnson is no stranger to weighty subject matter. His widely celebrated nonfiction book, Damaged Heritage: The Elaine Race Massacre and A Story of Reconciliation , earned the 2025 Independent Press Award for Nonfiction. Blending memoir, history, and social commentary, the book uncovers the largely overlooked 1919 Elaine Race Massacre in rural Arkansas—one of the deadliest racial attacks in American history—while weaving in a deeply personal narrative of friendship and reconciliation. With a literary career spanning decades, Johnson’s work has been published internationally and translated into multiple languages. His poetry collections include Now and Then: Selected Longer Poems and St. Paul’s Chapel & Selected Shorter Poems . The latter holds particular historical significance: its signature poem remains a memento card for visitors to St. Paul’s Chapel, which famously survived the 9/11 attacks at Ground Zero. His writing, which has appeared in more than 50 journals and publications, and innumerable presentations related to his writing include venues like The New York Times, Literary Matters, Best American Poetry Blog, Poets House, Harvard College, Trinity Church Wall Street, Troubadour (London), and the BBC. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Johnson spent his formative years in the Mississippi River Delta in Southeast Arkansas and later built his life in New York City, where he resides with his wife, Freda Stern Johnson. Beyond literature, his career includes leadership in finance and public service. Johnson owned and operated a financial advisory firm that concentrated on debt management. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury during the Carter Administration and was educated at Harvard College and the University of Arkansas. In this candid interview, Johnson reflects on his life, his work, and the enduring power of poetry. Roots and Reckoning GABBY: Tell us about your background and how it shaped your voice as a writer. CHESTER: I've had an amazingly abundant life. I've had the experience of participating in some important work during my life. I'm currently involved in a number of projects that continue to reflect the life that I've lived. I grew up in a small town on the cusp of the Mississippi River Delta. It was a very racist area. very racist community, and within a racist family. The texture of racism has been an important component of my life. I've worked in the area of racial healing for much of my life. Beginning soon after I graduated from college, I taught in an all black public school in the Mississippi River Delta, all the way up to writing the Litany of Offense and Apology when the Episcopal Church formally apologized for its role in transatlantic slavery and related evils, to my non-fiction book “Damaged Heritage, the Elaine Race Massacre and A Story of Reconciliation,” and up to my series of articles on racial healing that are distributed to thousands of people. Unearthing the Past GABBY: Your book “Damaged Heritage” reveals something deeply personal about your family. CHESTER: As I was doing the research for the litany when the Episcopal Church apologized for its role in slavery, I came across a document written by the iconic, Black historian Ida B. Wells, and she talked about an event called the Arkansas Race Riot of 1919. I had heard in family lore that my maternal grandfather had participated in a major race riot in southeast Arkansas. I was ultimately able to coalesce what I had heard when I was growing up about my maternal grandfather participating in this race riot and this event called the Elaine Race Massacre, which arguably is the largest attack by whites against blacks in our country's history. There's been a very positive response to the book. Recently, the Library of Congress shop, which chooses very few books to have in their shop for sale, chose Damaged Heritage . Reconciliation and Human Connection GABBY: Your book also led to a powerful personal relationship. CHESTER: The second part of the subtitle, A Story of Reconciliation was extraordinarily important for me because I became close with a descendant of victims in the massacre, Sheila L. Walker. Our two families became very close as we went through the process of racial healing. After a long illness with cancer, Sheila passed away in 2021. I was asked to give the eulogy at her memorial service. I've given over a hundred presentations since that book came out in 2020 on racism and racial healing. So much of it dealt with the relationship that I had with Sheila Walker, who incidentally wrote the introduction to “Damaged Heritage.” The Shift to Poetry GABBY: Your latest book, “Reading Whispers: Book of Triple Haiku,” returns to poetry. Why make that shift? CHESTER: I have written poetry since I was in high school. One of my important elements in my poetry resume is that I became the poet for the retranslation of the Psalms that are part of the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church back in the 1970s. Reinventing Haiku GABBY: What exactly is a “triple haiku”? CHESTER: The traditional haiku is a three line poem. Five syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second line, and five syllables in the third line. We have incorporated this approach over time from the traditional form, a very ancient form of Japanese poetry. We've taken it and restructured it. The Japanese version doesn't use syllables. It measures sound rather than the use of syllables. Ours with syllables ends up being a little bit longer than the traditional haiku. I wrote a poem a long time ago about how poetry is a function of not just the brain and heart; it's also a function of energy. The Spark Behind Reading Whispers GABBY: What inspired this particular collection? CHESTER: I was in England in 2019 talking to a large number of institutions about my book, “Auden, the Psalms and Me,” which is the book about the retranslation of the Psalms for the Episcopal Church. An artist, James DeWoody, needed a nine-line poem to place in an artwork. I didn't have time to write a nine-line poem. I had brought my portfolio of poems I was working on. I had three haiku that I thought were very similar and I sort of merged them. The response to it was very good. I continued to write in this triple haiku ever since. The Power of Compression GABBY: Did the brevity of haiku ever feel limiting? CHESTER: I felt that a single haiku was very limited for our American way of thinking. When I was able to put three of them together, they were almost individually purposeful. There was a conclusion that one could reach about the poem in its entirety. It didn't come by my sitting down and writing three stanzas at once. I wanted to have a mystery of tying pieces of it together. It was a way of taking either a different view or a different aspect of what the first stanza had done and then lead into something later. What Is a “Whisper”? GABBY: What does “whisper” signify in your work? CHESTER: Poetically to me, it means if you separate haiku individually, not even mentioning the three stanzas, it is a bit of a whisper. I wasn't trying to force the idea of a triple haiku in the title. I was trying to give the sense of drawing someone to the haiku. So “Reading Whispers” is you're reading something sensory. You hear a whisper that's sort of an image, emblematic of what a haiku is. It's very short; you barely hear it. Advice for Aspiring Poets GABBY: What would you say to emerging poets? CHESTER: Unless you feel completely compelled to do it, don't. It's a struggle. Poetry changes you. The poems that you write change you, and the poems that you read have an amazing way of altering your perspective and altering the way in which you see the world. Poetry is dangerous. Both the writing of it and the reading of it. Poems become reflective of historical events. People want poetry to say something that reflects the way they see something and the way they feel about something. It's really a significant responsibility. Don't expect it not to bore into your soul and affect virtually every part of your life. A Line That Endures GABBY: Is there a line of poetry that stays with you? CHESTER: I know one that does come to me because I wrote it: “All history is a struggle between what we must end and what we must begin.” Through both poetry and prose, Johnson invites readers not just to observe, to reflect, reckon, and ultimately, to heal. To listen to and watch the full interview……To learn more about J. Chester Johnson and his work visit https://jchesterjohnson.com/ . Share this article Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link

< Back Andrew Richard Albanese Writes About Words and Money for the Library Market August 27, 2026 at 7:27:37 AM If you are a librarian, follow the publishing industry, or care about how the big houses are negotiating lending and purchase policies, there is now Words and Money . The newer website and eNewsletter covers the most important issues that face librarians, from laws that affect their institutions to banning books. Publishing journalist Andrew Richard Albanese founded the website last year to cover libraries across the U.S. and the roles they play both in publishing and in the political and cultural climate as a whole. “ Libraries are so important to the reading and writing landscape,” Albanese said. “Every author has a library story. You ask an author about their experience with libraries, and you can tell it’s critical to the work that they do.” Albanese describes himself as a “publishing lifer.” Like most people in the industry, he has always been a book person. As a kid, he loved to hang out in public libraries; he started his career as an editorial assistant at Dutton Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. But he says his library story didn’t start until he became a journalist, when he started at Library Journal in 1999. He had been brought onto the publication to start the Academic Newswire, an email newsletter. “Which is quite regular now,” he said, laughing, “but back in 1999, it was quite a thing.” “Getting to meet public librarians and learning about their service and the things that they do and the challenges they face, that’s when it really clicked for me,” he said. “This is such a vibrant part of the book world, and I think most people don’t really know about how it all works.” Albanese spent nine years at LJ before moving to Publishers Weekly in 2008. He covered some of the industry’s biggest news cycles: Google Books, the Apple E-book price-fixing case, book bans, open access. But his favorite beat to cover was always libraries. “I just saw them as this essential part of the business that always kind of got shoved to the side a little bit,” he said. “They’re not bookstores. They don’t sell books, they lend them, so the publishers kind of look a little differently at that because they’re not consumer spending.  I just felt like there needed to be a publication in the trades that focused on the library market, so I decided to give up the paycheck.” In late 2024, Albanese started planning his departure from PW to start his new independent publication. He mentioned the project to Erin L. Cox, a longtime colleague of his on the marketing side. “She got it immediately,” he said. The two formally started the publication in January of 2025, and soft-launched at the London Book Fair. The name, “Words and Money,” was chosen in part as an homage to the eponymous 2010 book by publishing veteran André Schiffrin, a career hero of Albanese’s. Since then, the publication has continued to grow. “ We made the decision over the first year to not do a subscriber push, to just let it grow organically,” Albanese said. “And we told ourselves that we would do the subscriber push when the organic growth started to fall off. But it hasn’t fallen off.” As of August, Words and Money was averaging between ten and twenty thousand views a month, with nearly a thousand subscribers and email newsletter open rates at the incredibly high range of between sixty and seventy percent—the industry average sits between twenty and forty. Albanese said the publication was planning to do a marketing push in the coming months to help boost its capacity for some of the more complex feature reporting he had in mind. There has been a growth of independent publications, and generally of an independence movement in publishing and media, over the last few years. As indie books and indie authors get more popular, and as indie bookstores start cropping up around the U.S., an increasing number of people are starting their own publications, from local news to book reviews . “ It’s exciting, isn’t it?” Albanese said. “The tools of publishing have gotten so good and so efficient, so there’s so many more ways to get the written word and journalism and all of this stuff out to a wider audience. I think that’s really helped fuel what I see as a golden age for independence right now. I also think it’s a backlash against the sort of conglomeratization that we’re seeing in the world. We are in a publishing and media landscape where you can follow your expertise, no matter how narrow it is, and make a go of it, and I think that’s really important for where we are in the world right now.” The Words and Money “About” page reads, “Looking to start your own thing? Good for you! The more voices and perspectives the better.” Of course, running an indie library news publication is not all Albanese has on his plate. He also serves as the editor-in-chief of longtime international publishing outlet Publishing Perspectives , which he has been doing since this past January, after long-time EIC Porter Anderson suddenly passed away . Between those jobs, he’s working 60 to 80-hour weeks. The grassroots support he has gathered from people in the industry is what he said keeps him going. “ I have so much support. I have a family that has supported me in this. I have Erin, my publisher, who supports me in this. I think what has helped me most has been the acceptance and the support of the library community,” Albanese said. “Every week I hear from people saying, ‘This is so helpful to me. Thank you so much for doing this.’ The sponsors we’ve had so far, the people who have stepped up saying, ‘I want to help you grow this.’ Seeing people understand what you’re trying to do, and wanting to be a part of it and wanting to help you along. For all the challenges that we face, there’s no chance that this is going to fail because that support is there.” Printed Word Reviews / Reported by Jules Roscoe Share this article Copy link LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest

Book review of STAY THIRSTY: A Serial Entrepreneur's Tale of Success & Failure by Mark Haertzen . ISBN: 978-1938462832 < Back STAY THIRSTY: A Serial Entrepreneur's Tale of Success & Failure Mark Haertzen entrepreneurship, perseverance, risk-taking, mentorship Old Stone Press Share this review: Copy link Facebook LinkedIn X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest Stay Thirsty is a candid and inspiring business memoir that blends Mark Haertzen’s sixty-year entrepreneurial journey with "Rocket Wisdom" to show that persistent resilience—not just luck—is the key to surviving the highs and lows of the business world. In the crowded landscape of business literature, it is rare to find a narrative that balances the cold metrics of scaling a company with the warm, often messy reality of a life lived in pursuit of a dream. Mark Haertzen’s memoir, "Stay Thirsty: A Serial Entrepreneur’s Tale of Success & Failure," manages this balance with remarkable transparency. It is an insightful plain-spoken account of what it takes to survive sixty years in the "entrepreneurial trenches." The book’s strength lies in its chronological depth. Haertzen’s early ventures begin in Louisville, KY—charging tolls to fairgoers and selling cinnamon toothpicks—serve as the perfect "origin story" for a serial entrepreneur. These anecdotes illustrate a fundamental thesis: entrepreneurship is often a temperament before it is a career. The narrative hits its stride when Haertzen takes the ultimate leap at age thirty-two, leaving the security of the banking industry to launch Rocket Man Inc. Readers are given a front-row seat to the evolution of a company that became a staple at iconic events like the Super Bowl and the Kentucky Derby. Haertzen’s description of managing walking vendors at high-stakes venues provides a fascinating look at the logistical "chaos" behind major entertainment spectacles. What elevates “Stay Thirsty” above a standard corporate history is Haertzen’s willingness to turn the lens inward. He explores how a childhood shaped by his father’s frugality fueled a complex relationship with wealth and self-esteem. By sharing his insecurities, Haertzen dismantles the myth of the "bulletproof" CEO. He shows that the drive to succeed is often rooted in personal history, and that overcoming internal obstacles is just as critical as overcoming market fluctuations. This "unfiltered" approach makes the author a relatable mentor rather than a distant figurehead. Throughout the book, Haertzen distills his experiences into what he calls "Rocket Wisdom." These axioms act as pragmatic anchor points for the reader, focusing on: 1) Perseverance: The necessity of staying in the game when things look bleak; 2) Adaptability: Transitioning from an instinct-led "born" entrepreneur to a data-driven leader; and 3) The Utility of Failure: Reinterpreting losses as tuition for future success. The book’s core argument is clear: Persistence is the primary currency of the entrepreneur. Haertzen provides ample evidence for this through the 31-year lifecycle of Rocket Man Inc., proving that longevity is the result of continuous evolution rather than a single "big break." “Stay Thirsty” is an inspiring and instructive read that replaces corporate jargon with honest storytelling. Mark Haertzen doesn't just tell you how to build a business; he tells you how to survive the process of building one. It is a testament to the fact that while success is the goal, the "thirst"—the relentless drive to improve and adapt—is the true reward. Perfect read for aspiring entrepreneurs, business students, or anyone who enjoys an underdog story about the American Dream. Previous Next

Book review of The Heroine's Labyrinth: Archetypal Designs in Heroine-Led Fiction by Douglas A. Burton . ISBN: 978-1733022156 < Back The Heroine's Labyrinth: Archetypal Designs in Heroine-Led Fiction Douglas A. Burton Writing and Publishing Silent Music Press Share this review: Copy link Facebook LinkedIn X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest In "The Heroine’s Labyrinth," Douglas Burton unveils a transformative framework for storytelling that redefines the Heroine’s Journey, emphasizing its unique narrative arc and the intricate challenges faced by female protagonists in their quest for self-discovery and empowerment. The Heroine’s Labyrinth offers a groundbreaking perspective on storytelling by focusing on the unique conditions and logic of the Heroine’s Journey. Douglas Burton, through meticulous analysis of numerous popular stories featuring female protagonists, has decoded the distinct nature of the Heroine’s Journey, which is driven by different needs and motivations compared to the Hero’s Journey. This book is a valuable resource for writers, providing summaries at the end of each chapter that offer solid principles for crafting emotionally satisfying adventures with women at the forefront. Previous Next

< Back 'The Future of Story' Announced as Theme for 12th International Dublin Writers’ Festival June 16, 2026 at 6:11:08 AM Storytellers, authors, agents and publishing experts from around the globe will gather in the heart of Ireland’s historic literary capital this August as the International Dublin Writers’ Festival (IDWF) returns for its 12th annual show. Running from Friday evening, August 14 through Sunday, August 16, 2026, the three-day event will transition to a new venue, taking place within the Arts Block at the historic Trinity College Dublin. For over a decade, the festival has served as a critical launchpad and networking hub for both emerging and established voices. This year, organizers are steering the conversation toward the horizon with a highly anticipated central theme: "The Future of Story." As rapid technological shifts, shifting reader habits, and the rise of artificial intelligence redefine the creative landscape, the 2026 festival aims to tackle these disruption points head-on. Attendees will explore how modern narratives are being shaped, discovered, and consumed. Through a curated lineup of speeches, panel discussions, and hands-on workshops, industry leaders will debate the evolving roles of authorship, publishing ethics, and creative integrity in a tech-driven era. "Dublin has long been recognized as a UNESCO City of Literature, deeply rooted in the traditions of legendary wordsmiths," the event organizers noted. "This festival honors that vast history while actively leaning into the massive, exciting changes emerging for global creators today." True to its reputation for professional development, the IDWF 2026 will feature an extensive roster of acclaimed international authors, literary agents, independent publishers, and publishing specialists. Beyond deep-dives into the mechanics of the craft, a core focal point of the weekend remains structural career advancement. Printed Word Reviews' Publisher Ted Olczak will be in attendance and speaking on the AI panel on Saturday, August 15th. Other experts and speakers include Ciara Finan, John DeDakis, Cassie Young, Mark Gottlieb, Gerald Kilby, Peter Z. Orton, Dr. Sarah Sinnamon, Tiago Novaes, Jack Hadley, Louise Phillips, Taryn de Vere, David Ebenbach, Barry Winkless, Katherine Mezzacappa, Margaret Skea, Sean Hillen, PeterDunne, Cónal Creedon, and Laurence O'Bryan. A definitive highlight of the program is the return of the "Pitch Challenge." This live segment allows brave, volunteering writers to present their book hooks directly to a panel of top-tier literary agents and industry gatekeepers, receiving instantaneous, expert feedback in front of a live audience. Registration is currently open, with early-bird pricing tiers available for both domestic and international attendees. For scheduling, speaker announcements, and ticketing options, visit the official website at internationaldublinwritersfestival.com . Reported by Printed Word Reviews Share this article Copy link LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp Pinterest