This week we talked accessibility in the writing community, got a peek into a publishing intern’s experience at a small press, considered a philosophical take on writer’s block, celebrated women and body positivity in advance of International Women’s Day, and more.
~ People steal rare books and coins from libraries, but they also steal rocking chairs apparently.~ Authors take to Instagram to defend a 13-year-old boy who was taunted for his online book reviews, proving once again that readers are a community.~ The London book fair has been cancelled over coronavirus fears and upset from publishers, authors, and agents who were planning to attend.
“What I love most about fairy tales, more than the glamour of princesses and fancy dresses, is their potential to build community. Because fairy tales deal with our most basic fears and desires and do so in the safety of “once upon a time,” they have historically been safe places for individuals to come together. Stories allow us to practice empathy, to bond over shared experiences, fears, and desires. I don’t believe that fairy tales themselves are inherently unfeminist (in fact, many early stories are about women envisioning ways out of oppression, and the solution is not always a wedding). The problem, I think, is the way society has played pick-and-choose with fairy tales—we’ve emphasized certain aspects of the stories and fed those to the public.”
