Latest news with #SimonSchuster
ABC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Martha Wainwright on music, mothering and finding her voice
Martha Wainwright is descended from extraordinary songwriters on both sides of her family. Her mother was folk musician Kate McGarrigle and her father is Loudon Wainwright III. Despite a lifetime of witnessing painful family truths delivered through song, she made it her life's work too. A few years ago her beloved mum was diagnosed with cancer while Martha was pregnant with her first child. As Kate succumbed to her illness, she passed the baton of life onto Martha's premature baby boy. Martha recently wrote a memoir about life inside her famous musical family. Further information First broadcast in May 2022. Stories I Might Regret Telling You is published by Simon & Schuster.
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
BookTok turns on Luke Bateman after career announcement
The 'hot' farmer who went viral for his love of books has responded after some fans turned on him after he announced a brand-new development in his career. Luke Bateman, who played for the Canberra Raiders and appeared on The Bachelor before taking BookTok by storm earlier this year, took to the video sharing platform this week to announce he had signed a two-book deal with Atria Books Australia, a division of Simon & Schuster. 'This is a childhood dream come true for me. I've wanted to be an author my whole life, so it really blows me away,' he said. Mr Bateman said after he got the call he 'cried so much' and thanked his support online, saying the opportunity only came because of his recent following. 'I can't wait to write this book, it's going to be an epic fantasy book and I can't wait to put my heart on the page for all of you,' he said. It's not clear whether anything had already been written, or if only a concept had been pitched, when Mr Bateman landed the deal that is set to be a coming of age story. While Mr Bateman initially got a lot of support when he entered the BookTok community — a place where avid readers bond over novels — some were outraged at his recent news. British creator @josie_library said there were 'so many' authors on TikTok who were 'dying' for a publishing deal. 'And a man, without having ever written anything, got a two-book deal from an idea. Stop it. Not mad at the man, but Simon & Schuster what the f*** are they doing,' she said. 'Like, don't get me wrong if that was me I would hop on that train immediately — even if I can't write for sh*t. But, what do you mean? 'As a publishing company with a marketing team, I think Simon & Schuster just continuously drop the ball.' Meanwhile, @grapiedeltaco said a 'white man' joined BookTok on April 22 and 'less than two months later achieved getting a two-book epic fantasy deal'. 'We don't have very many details of what he's already written, but it seems like he didn't even have a manuscript. Like it seems like he had a concept, which is something that many established authors who have already been traditionally published can't even manage,' she claimed. Australian advocate Jeff Kisubi also weighed in, saying; 'Meanwhile, Black and marginalised authors, especially women and gender-diverse creatives, are out here with finished, powerful stories that still get overlooked. 'This isn't just about talent. It's about who the industry chooses to believe in before the work even exists, privilege both racial and gendered, which shapes who get a head start and who's told to prove themselves over and over again.' has contacted Mr Bateman and Simon & Schuster for comment. Mr Bateman has since addressed the criticism, stating he 'wholeheartedly understood' the anger and frustration from the author community. 'I obviously have advantages that other people don't. How do I capitalise on those to help lift everyone up because I feel like dragging people down leaves everyone at the bottom whereas a rising tide lifts all ships,' he told Chattr on Wednesday. 'And if I can use my platform and my voice and my privilege and position in society to help uplifts others, I say, that is what books are about.' He said for his book deal to ignite such a reaction, it was obviously something 'very close to their heart'. He also said he recognised that he has never experienced the same barriers or discrimination as some others, and that he held so much love for these people. Mr Bateman said the reaction didn't take away from the joy he felt, saying two things could be true at the same time. He added that a lot of the conversations he's now having are new to him. The farmer previously told Yahoo Australia that he reached out to a publisher six months ago to pitch a book but never heard back from them. 'Then, all these TikToks took off, and my management company reached out to a few publishers and said, 'Hey, Luke has a book that he'd like to pitch, would you be interested',' he told the publication. 'She said, 'I'd love to be able to publish all of them with you, let's get started,' and yeah, that's how it came about!' Many defended Mr Bateman, who was dubbed the 'hot booktokker' when he initially went viral. 'All haters please note: a 60 second video does not tell you every detail of a person's life. Don't assume there isn't a manuscript or that this hasn't been something in the works for some time. Question your assumptions, because that's all they are, assumptions,' one said. QBD Bookstores commented: 'Congratulations Luke! We can't wait to read your debut book!!' Another said: 'Why the hate? Why is it about race? Why is it about gender? The double standard has got to stop. We made him famous. Now we are tearing him down? He did nothing wrong. Right place at the right time. Say congrats and move on! And if the book is good or bad, remember reading is subjective. Congratulations! I wish you all the best! This is an insane opportunity!' Earlier this month, Mr Bateman spoke to about how he came to be on BookTok — and how he'd always been an avid reader. 'I've just never ever had anyone to discuss books with obviously being a male in sporting circles and I've never had mates or friends around me who are readers,' he told So, he posted a video introducing himself to the community after two of his female friends told him that's where he would find his people. BookTokers were immediately drawn to the Aussie's casual style and tendency to post from the seat of a tractor wearing an Akubra style hat. The clip racked up 1.9 million views and gained Bateman 136k followers in just days. Currently, on his public Instagram, he has 17,000. Mr Bateman, who is originally from Queensland, was welcomed to the social platform by the likes of popular influencers Alright Hey and Blue Eye Kayla Jade. 'This poor guy just wanted to talk about books,' one social media user said. Another added: 'Are we all in love with him or just me?' Mr Bateman said he had a love for reading since he was very young, but was convinced this habit was nothing to be proud of. He said his first memory of reading comes from buying a Pokemon book from the Scholastic Book Fair when he was in Year One. 'I couldn't even read at the time, but I remember I used to sit there and pretend to read,' he told adding that his brother used to make fun of him for it. But it was when he got to the age of 10 that he really started to delve into the world of fantasy, saying it was easy to do so when he parents were big readers. 'It's not a chore for me. It's a genuine joy,' he said. Mr Bateman said he felt so 'embarrassed' and 'shameful' about his reading habits for so long, and he wanted to use his new-found popularity to encourage other young men to pick up a book. He said his entire life he felt like an 'undercover nerd'. He said he didn't want anyone else to feel that way, and encouraged parents to get their kids into reading.
CBS News
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Book excerpt: "Great Black Hope" by Rob Franklin
Simon & Schuster We may receive an affiliate commission from anything you buy from this article. In his debut novel, "Great Black Hope" (to be published June 10 by Simon & Schuster), author Rob Franklin follows a young African American man whose family launched him for success – but after an arrest for drug possession and the death of a close friend, his once-bright future feels anything but guaranteed. Read an excerpt below. "Great Black Hope" by Rob Franklin Prefer to listen? Audible has a 30-day free trial available right now. Prologue In the grand scheme of history, it was nothing. A blip, a breath. The time it took Smith to pocket what might have looked like a matchbook or stick of gum to an unwitting child but was, in fact, 0.7 grams of powdered Colombian cocaine — flown in from Medellín, cut with amphetamine in Miami, and offered to him in Southampton by a boy he knew from nights out in the city. 0.7 grams heavier, he loped back through the crush of rhythmless elbows and cloying perfume, which wafted up and dissolved in the damp and sultry night — the very last of summer. Looking around, it was really just a restaurant. By the front door, at least fifty people huddled, breathing down each other's necks as they shouted the names they hoped would capture the doorman's attention, while in the backyard, hundreds congregated. Dozens of tables now shook with the weight of dancing, bodies alit with the particular mania reserved for the end of East Coast summers, when one becomes aware of the changing season, the coming cold. But for now, it was silk and linen, the expensive musk of strangers. Every face appeared familiar — some because he actually knew them while others only bore a sun-tanned resemblance, the pleasing symmetry of the rich. These were the faces which seemed to populate the whole of his young life: colleagues and one-night stands from the clubs called cool downtown. These faces had appeared at bars, brunches, birthdays, holiday soirees where black tie was optional — and, before New York, in freshman seminars and frat parties and before that, on teen tours or tennis camps with their original forms intact, acne-spotted. And here they'd all come, every one of them, to escape the inhospitable heat of Manhattan and enjoy a seaside breeze. Picture him, stumbling. 6 feet and 3 inches, he towered like a tree, bark-brown and quietly handsome. Picture him crouched in a corner as he snorts from a key, the metallic taste of his tongue. The night gleamed back into clarity as he steadied himself to return — when out of the crowd, two men emerged, stern eyed and square jawed, barking orders he could barely discern. Calmly, he followed — he didn't wish to make a scene — out through a side exit and onto the street, silent but for the bass of a bop that had reigned the charts all summer. Here is where the night splits open along its tight-stitched seam. The realization, arriving at a tan vehicle marked Southampton Police, that these men, though not in uniform, were not the club security he'd assumed at first they were. The night bent surreally. Smith watched himself be searched as if from a perch above, watched his limbs grow limp and pliant as they bent behind his back. The rotated view of girls in wedges: their clothes wrong, the stars wrong. Yes, the greater sense was not of shock, but unreality. All of this was staged. A prank, a punk – the actors in the front seat, too handsome to be cops. The men were swift and practiced as they'd bundled him into the back of the car. After he'd handed over five-hundred dollars cash from an ATM upstairs at the station, they took him down to be printed, ID'd, and photographed. They were done in twenty minutes, after which he was handed a slip and his things in a plastic bag, then sent back out into the wounded night. He called an Uber. On the curb, Smith watched phosphenes blinker in the darkness, a chorus of cameras flashing. He'd worn, in his mugshot, a vintage Marni gingham shirt, loose-fit linen trousers, and a gently startled expression. From "Great Black Hope" by Rob Franklin. Copyright © 2025 by Rob Franklin. Excerpted with permission by Simon & Schuster, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Get the book here: "Great Black Hope" by Rob Franklin Buy locally from For more info:
Bloomberg
13-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Bloomberg
The Designer Who Taught American Women How to Dress
Pursuits Books A new biography of Claire McCardell tells the story of her pioneering quest to make women's clothing comfortable, stylish and modern. By Save The following is an excerpt from Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free to be published by Simon & Schuster on June 17. Author Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson describes how McCardell invented the idea of separates, rejecting the pomp of European couture and creating a cost-conscious and utilitarian form of dress that's nonetheless enduringly stylish—and distinctly American. 'Men are free of the clothes problem—why shouldn't I follow their example?'
CBS News
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Book excerpt: "Who Knew" by Barry Diller
Simon & Schuster We may receive an affiliate commission from anything you buy from this article. TV, film and media executive Barry Diller spent a decade at ABC, where he helped popularize the made-for-TV "Movie of the Week." In his new memoir, "Who Knew" (to be published on May 20 by Simon & Schuster), Diller writes about his career, including a lesson about the limitations of too much information – when instinct (for, like, what makes an intriguing Movie of the Week?) may be a better predictor of success. Read an excerpt below, and don't miss Tracy Smith's interview with Barry Diller on "CBS Sunday Morning" May 11! "Who Knew" by Barry Diller Prefer to listen? Audible has a 30-day free trial available right now. We were good on titles in the early days Women in Chains was one of my favorites; it was a horrible movie, but what a promotable title. Scream, Pretty Peggy wasn't bad, either. Sometimes the staff would ask, "Is it commercial?" and I would brutalize them, because rather than using their instincts, they were trying to predict the public's appetite, which I said then and say now, over and over again, simply isn't possible. Neither is using research to help make decisions. No amount of research on ideas is worth the paper (or computer screen) it's printed on. Data can tell you what has happened, not what can or will happen. Data is often harmful to instinct, and I believe this to be true for making not only creative decisions but many business decisions. PowerPoint can be the enemy; structured information often narrows the sieve just when you need to broaden it out in the spaces between information and real understanding. Overtraining our brains on data alone doesn't confer an advantage, and it can be a deterrent if it's the only decision-making component. That's often the problem with MBA students, who come armed with all the business tools and case studies but little simple human instinct. I do not believe that using instinct rather than deep, hard numerical or fact-based data to help with decision-making is the lazier process. Too much information can overload, overcomplicate, and obscure what is at the essence of any proposal: Is it a good idea, and does it make any common sense? You rarely get the perfect project or the perfect script. In all my experience I probably haven't read ten scripts out of a thousand that are so fully realized, so utterly and incontrovertibly great that you just scream, "Make it!" One of those, though, was the day in 1970 that Leonard Goldberg, who had recently moved on from ABC to run a large television production company, called up and said, "You must read this script right now." It was called Brian's Song, the story of the deep bond between a Black and a white pro football player, one who will die of cancer. I wept as I read it. I called him up and said, "We can only screw it up from here—it's perfect—let's go." Often referred to as one of the finest television films ever made—and one of the greatest sports films as well—it was nominated for nine Emmys and won five. Another of those few times, Dan Curtis, a leading ABC daytime producer, sent me a manuscript of an as-yet-unpublished novel called The Kolchak Papers. I read it in two or three hours—it was the contemporary tale of a vampire in Las Vegas—and I told Dan, "This is as good a story as I've ever read." And what a great idea: Las Vegas, a city most alive at night—the perfect place for a vampire to live. Out of that novel we made The Night Stalker, which turned out to be so good that we held a screening for the senior ABC management, who all said, "That's a great movie. We should release it theatrically!" I fought against that, saying, "Yes, it's a great movie, but it's a Movie of the Week, and that's where it belongs." We aired the film in early January 1972, and it became ABC's highest-rated Movie of the Week, drawing about 50 million people, a record. The Night Stalker spawned a sequel (The Night Strangler) and a television series (Kolchak: The Night Stalker), and it was followed by two more made-for-TV movies and a subsequent remake of the series. All that from one good idea! From "Who Knew" by Barry Diller. Copyright © 2025 by Barry Diller. Excerpted with permission by Simon & Schuster, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Get the book here: "Who Knew" by Barry Diller Buy locally from For more info:
