Today's Book News Tuesday, 11th November, 2025
Literary fiction continues to occupy the headlines, if not sales, with David Szalay’s Flesh winning the Booker Prize.. Cross-genre and historical works are thriving, seen in Oscar de Muriel’s Frida Kahlo mystery and Melissa Harrison’s nature novel The Given World, while picture books remain buoyant after a fierce auction for A House Made of Books. Some writers are finding success through serialised online fiction, curated book boxes, and book-club exposure—showing community engagement as a powerful marketing tool.
An interview with Vero Beach Book Center owner Chad Leonard where he discusses taking over his family’s bookstore, the importance of loyal staff and community support, and his passion for hosting author events that keep the store thriving.
Publishers Weekly rounds up November’s selections from major book clubs, including Reese’s Book Club, Barnes & Noble’s fiction pick and Belletrist, describing each title’s themes and appeal; the diverse list ranges from literary fiction and thrillers to memoir and poetry.
At the 2025 Christy Awards webcast, the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association named Michelle Shocklee’s historical novel "All We Thought We Knew" Book of the Year and honoured Rhonda McKnight’s contemporary romance "Bitter and Sweet" with the Amplify Award; ECPA president Jeff Crosby praised the finalists for their storytelling about faith and heritage.
Simon & Schuster announced that Dan Ruffino, managing director of its Australian division, will leave on 12 December; International CEO Perminder Mann will oversee the team until a successor is chosen, continuing a string of leadership changes following the publisher’s recent acquisitions.
Daniel J. Montgomery began work as executive director of the American Library Association, vowing to champion library funding, stand up to censorship and address issues such as artificial intelligence; ALA leaders said his experience as a union organiser will help strengthen advocacy and community ties.
Elsevier chairman Youngsuk Chi told the Sharjah Publishers Conference that publishers must build strong proprietary data sets to compete in the AI era; he described how Elsevier began hiring data scientists 16 years ago and urged publishers to obsess over data collection and hire talent from outside the industry.
Web‑novel author TurtleMe (Brandon Lee) discusses the success of his series "The Beginning After the End," crediting its global popularity to blending Eastern and Western storytelling, releasing chapters serially and fostering a dedicated fan community; he offers advice to aspiring writers and reflects on his career shift from finance to writing.
BookBrunch reports that British author Nina Allan took France’s prestigious Prix Médicis Étranger for her novel "The Good Neighbours," a literary thriller about a murder on a Scottish island, making her one of the few UK writers to claim the award.
Children’s imprint Ladybird secured Frankie Gritton’s debut picture book "A House Made of Books" after a six‑way auction; described as a warm, beautiful story about community, kindness and connection, the book will be written and illustrated by Gritton and published in 2026.
Independent press Extraordinary Books acquired Oscar de Muriel’s novel "The End of the Vodka," which imagines artist Frida Kahlo investigating the mysterious death of socialite Dorothy Hale; the historical whodunit blends real figures with fiction.
HarperCollins imprints Farshore and HarperPop struck a multi‑year agreement with digital kids’ brand Toca Boca, allowing them to publish books and merchandise based on the creative play app that lets children explore, experiment and tell their own stories.
David Szalay’s novel "Flesh" won the 2025 Booker Prize, giving publisher Jonathan Cape its second consecutive victory and making Szalay the first British‑Hungarian author to claim the £50,000 award; the book was praised for its inventive storytelling and exploration of human relationships.
Ahead of the Booker announcement, Andrew Miller’s historical novel "The Land in Winter" topped sales among shortlisted titles; a paperback release boosted its "Booker bounce," and the article examines how format shifts and publicity drive prize‑related sales.
Hutchinson Heinemann won a competitive seven‑way auction to publish award‑winning writer Melissa Harrison’s forthcoming novel "The Given World"; the deal will see the publisher release Harrison’s fourth novel, which continues her exploration of nature and human relationships.
Author and publisher Stuart Wheatman launched Third Iteration, a Northumberland‑based independent press committed to publishing "honest, human stories"; the imprint plans to champion emerging writers and build a community‑focused editorial approach.
Icon Books acquired Gillian Best’s nonfiction work "Chronic: Understanding Pain," which combines scientific research with personal narratives to demystify chronic pain and advocate for better understanding of chronic conditions.
Actor Michael Ajao, a finalist for The Bookseller’s 2025 Speakies, spoke about growing from a reluctant reader into an enthusiastic audiobook narrator; he enjoys how audiobooks make literature more inclusive and accessible to diverse audiences.
In a commentary piece, the author argues that artificial intelligence is literal and encourages publishers to embrace aphoristic, metaphorical thinking; he recalls a recent AI‑driven advertising campaign and urges editors, designers and marketers to rely on human creativity rather than algorithmic advice.
During the Sharjah International Book Fair, Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi announced a US$1.2 million donation to support publishers and libraries worldwide, calling libraries "living archives" and highlighting their cultural value; the fair features 2,350 publishers from 118 countries and more than 250 writers and artists.
The Scottish Library and Information Council released a report urging the government to provide sustainable funding and national policy support for libraries; CEO Alison Nolan warned that 53 libraries have closed in the past decade and emphasised their roles in early literacy, community health, digital access and social cohesion.
Read Local BC introduced three themed holiday book boxes curated by independent booksellers to showcase British Columbia publishers; the culinary, Indigenous voices and early‑readers boxes feature titles from Figure 1 Publishing, TouchWood Editions, Medicine Wheel Publishing, Arsenal Pulp Press, Talonbooks, Heritage House, Orca Book Publishers and Greystone Books and are available until December 5.
Wilfrid Laurier University unveiled the two‑book shortlist for the 2025 Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non‑Fiction: Martin Bauman’s "Hell of a Ride" chronicling his cross‑Canada cycling journey to raise awareness of depression, and Aaron Williams’s "The Last Logging Show" about his family’s logging heritage in Haida Gwaii; the $10,000 prize honours emerging Canadian nonfiction writers, with the winner to be announced in early December.
The Al Purdy A‑frame Association announced that poet Susan Musgrave, 2025 Purdy Prize winner A.F. Moritz and inaugural winner Sid Marty will serve on the jury for the 2026 Purdy Poetry Prize; the annual $10,000 award honours outstanding poetry books by established Canadian writers, with submissions due Nov. 30 and the winner announced in April 2026.
The Scholarly Kitchen compiled a selection of past posts to clarify persistent confusion about Creative Commons licensing; the article explains why misunderstandings endure, especially regarding AI training, and directs readers to earlier discussions on copyright, license types and legal cases.
Publishers Lunch’s roundup notes that agent Alicia Brooks has left JVNLA to start her own agency, the Wall Street Journal spotlighted Virginia Evans’s novel "The Correspondent" after Ann Patchett’s endorsement which has driven sales to roughly 70,000 units, and Random House Children’s and Simon & Schuster Children’s promoted several staffers in their design and art departments including Sarah Sapang, Mike Rosamilia, Matt Adamec, Tiara Iandiorio, Tom Daly and Claire Torres.
