Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY
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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Wednesday 30 May 2018
Diversity, politics likely topics at publishing convention
By HILLEL ITALIE Madison, showing that
Associated Press children's stories remain
NEW YORK (AP) — This week's predominantly by and
BookExpo and BookCon will about whites.
be a showcase for diversity "Like everything else about
and for combinations and the publishing industry, it just
alliances new and old. feels like a slog," she said.
Convention organizers have "We just inch forward. And
committed themselves to we are inching forward.
a guest list representative But it definitely is a slow
of the country overall, process."
especially compared with Other panels will focus
the publishing industry. on immigration, gender
In 2014, Tavis Smiley and sexuality. Pulitzer
was the only non-white Prize winner Viet Thanh
among 16 scheduled Nguyen, the son of
breakfast and author tea Vietnamese refugees, and
speakers, and few non- the acclaimed Iranian-
whites were included for American author Porochista
panel discussions and Khakpour are among
other events. This week, the scheduled speakers
speakers range from Trevor for "Refugee Writers on
Noah and Viola Davis to Refugee Lives." Kayti Burt
Jacqueline Woodson and In this May 28, 2015 file photo, signs for Hachette Book Group are displayed at BookExpo will moderate "LGBTQ+
Yuyi Morales. America in New York. Authors on Gender and
Show organizers are calling Associated Press Identity in Science Fiction
diversity not just a matter and Fantasy." The panel
of fairness, but also of warns that "The publishing told The Associated Press #weneeddiversebooks, "Power Moves" includes
necessity. One educational industry is white, straight, during a recent telephone will appear on two panels Victoria Aveyard, Kendare
session is titled "Now go and physically able and interview. this week, including one Blake, Tahereh Mafi and
run and Trump that: Black the vast majority of books BookExpo runs Wednesday- hosted by her organization. Melissa de la Cruz talking
America's Guide to Thriving published are intended for Friday at the Jacob Javits She said there has been about the "fierce heroines"
and Surviving in President these audiences." Center in Manhattan, progress in the industry, of their popular fiction.
Trump's America." Another "It's incumbent upon us to immediately followed by but cited a recent study by Politicians will be present at
is called "Opportunity make sure that diversity the fan-based BookCon, the Cooperative Children's the Javits Center, although
Cost: Why Diversity is is front and center," which ends Sunday. Book Center School of not all for political
Financially Critical for BookExpo/BookCon event Dohnielle Clayton, an author Education, based in the reasons. q
the Book Industry" and director Brien McDonald and COO of the grassroots University of Wisconsin-
Cohen hilariously tackles work-life
balance in 'The Glitch'
By LINCEE RAY sells a small device called Her company is her life.
Associated Press a Conch, which helps Although blogs and
"The Glitch" (Doubleday), improve everyday life. The newspaper articles make
by Elisabeth Cohen Conch offers helpful advice her seem like a supermom,
Shelley Stone is a hard- and prompts such as "take the reality is that a team of
working CEO of a Silicon an umbrella" or "turn left people help Shelley care
Valley tech company that on Main Street" when for her family. She doesn't
worn. Unfortunately, the see a problem with this
tiny piece of technology lifestyle until her husband
has recently been known volunteers to exit his own
to encourage owners to rat race so he can see the
"jump off the bridge." kids more often. Shelley
Shelley was struck by feels a twinge of guilt.
lightning as a teenager, so Should she want to stay
nothing seems implausible home more often instead
to her at this point in her of flying around the world
life. She approaches every delivering TED talks?
challenge with clear and On top of her husband's
precise thinking, no matter highly unusual revelation,
how absurd the problem Shelley begins to
may appear. She's a experience her own Conch
master at efficiency and abnormalities. When she
will stop at nothing to make meets another woman
sure the Conch glitch is overseas who looks like a
This cover image released handled carefully — even much younger version of
by Doubleday shows "The if it means remaining at herself, her Conch instructs
Glitch," a novel by Elisabeth work until the early hours of her to "meet Shelley
Cohen.
Associated Press the morning. stone. q
