{"id":61724,"date":"2016-07-24T19:33:58","date_gmt":"2016-07-24T08:33:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.booktopia.com.au\/?p=61724"},"modified":"2016-07-24T19:37:44","modified_gmt":"2016-07-24T08:37:44","slug":"bookish-news-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/2016\/07\/24\/bookish-news-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Bookish News of the Week: The latest on Fantastic Beasts, Roald Dahl, Pokemon Go, Terry Pratchett, Stephenie Meyer and more."},"content":{"rendered":"<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>In case you missed it:<br \/>\n<\/strong><strong>All the bookish news of the week \u2026<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/the-chemist-stephenie-meyer\/prod9780751568233.html\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-61556\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.booktopia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Chemist.jpg\" alt=\"Chemist\" width=\"246\" height=\"379\" \/><\/a><\/b><\/span><strong><span class=\"s1\">Bestselling author of the Twilight saga, Stephenie Meyer, will release her first thriller, <i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/the-chemist-stephenie-meyer\/prod9780751568233.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Chemist, <\/a><\/i>on November 15, 2016. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Don&#8217;t expect vampires or alien invasions this time round; this is an adult thriller very unlike <i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/twilight-saga-by-stephenie-meyer\/series5.html\" target=\"_blank\">Twilight<\/a> <\/i>or <i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/the-host-stephenie-meyer\/prod9780751550979.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Host<\/a>.<\/i> In this gripping page-turner, expect secret agents, clandestine operations and a fascinating new heroine with a very specialised skill set. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Of the book, Stephenie Meyer said:<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201c<em>The Chemist<\/em> is the love child created from the union of my romantic sensibilities and my obsession with Jason Bourne\/Aaron Cross. I very much enjoyed spending time with a different kind of action hero, one whose primary weapon isn\u2019t a gun or a knife or bulging muscles, but rather her brain.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.booktopia.com.au\/2016\/07\/20\/twilight-author-stephenie-meyer-release-adult-thriller-november\/\" target=\"_blank\">Learn more about <em>The Chemist<\/em> here<\/a><\/p>\n<hr size=\"1\" \/>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/roald-dahl-2016-editions\/series5086.html?sorter=sortorder-en-dsc\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-61730\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.booktopia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Ian-news-.jpg\" alt=\"Ian news\" width=\"247\" height=\"272\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong>Ian McKellen reads Roald Dahl&#8217;s letters to young fan.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">September 13, 2016 will mark 100 years since the birth of Roald Dahl, one of the world\u2019s greatest storytellers. One of the most spendiferous storytellers; a man who\u2019s inspired countless children (and adults) to lose themselves in his fantabulous stories.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This week at a Letters Live event, Ian McKellen read two letters that Roald Dahl had written to a young fan. It was 1967 and a girl named Elizabeth wrote to her favourite author, Roald Dahl, asking for advice as she was having trouble settling into her new school. Dahl replied; now Mckellen reads the letters Elizabeth received. <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.booktopia.com.au\/2016\/07\/21\/splendiferous-read-ian-mckellen-reads-roald-dahls-letters-young-fan\/\" target=\"_blank\">Read More.\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/embed.theguardian.com\/embed\/video\/books\/video\/2016\/jul\/20\/try-and-be-a-dinketysnipsy-girl-ian-mckellen-reads-two-letters-by-roald-dahl-video\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr size=\"1\" \/>\n<p class=\"title\">\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/the-wee-free-men-terry-pratchett\/prod9780060012380.html\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-61749\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.booktopia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Terry-Pratchett.jpg\" alt=\"Terry Pratchett\" width=\"256\" height=\"406\" \/><\/a><b>Terry Pratchett\u2019s <em>The\u00a0Wee Free Men<\/em> will be adapted for the big screen by daughter Rhianna Pratchett.<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/the-wee-free-men-terry-pratchett\/prod9780060012380.html\" target=\"_blank\">The Wee Free Men<\/a> <\/i>is the first in a series of Discworld novels starring the young witch Tiffany Aching. Armed with only a frying pan and her common sense, the young witch-to-be must defend her home against the monsters of Fairyland. Luckily she has some very unusual help: the local Nac Mac Feegles &#8211; aka the Wee Free Men &#8211; a clan of fierce, sheep-stealing, sword-wielding, six-inch-high blue men. Together they must face headless horsemen, ferocious grimhounds, terrifying dreams come true, and ultimately the most powerful force of all &#8211; the Queen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This would be the second time the story has been considered for adaptation. In 2006, Sony Pictures acquired the rights for the book; Pratchett hated the script and told SFX magazine that it \u201chad all the hallmarks of something that had been good, and then the studio had got involved.&#8221; He retrieved the rights in 2009.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Rhianna Pratchett made her name writing video games such as the critically acclaimed reboot of <em>Tomb Raider.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/the-discworld-novels-by-terry-pratchett\/series2327.html\" target=\"_blank\">Discover the Discworld books here!<\/a><\/p>\n<hr size=\"1\" \/>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.booktopia.com.au\/2016\/07\/24\/fantastic-beasts-19-new-things-learn-latest-trailer\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-61748\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.booktopia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/FB-poster-.jpg\" alt=\"FB poster\" width=\"251\" height=\"310\" \/><\/a>The latest <em>Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them<\/em> trailer has been released at San Diego&#8217;s Comic-Con.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Just last night the latest trailer was released, revealing magical creatures never before seen in previous Harry Potter films or books.<\/p>\n<p>If you haven\u2019t already heard, the film is an all-new wizardly adventure created by J.K. Rowling; a Harry Potter spin-off. Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne (<em>The Theory of Everything<\/em>) plays the central role of wizarding world magizoologist Newt Scamander, who searches for the world\u2019s most magical creatures and stores them in his suitcase.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.booktopia.com.au\/2016\/07\/24\/fantastic-beasts-19-new-things-learn-latest-trailer\/\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to discover what we learn from the new trailer!<\/a><\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - Comic-Con Trailer [HD]\" width=\"1250\" height=\"703\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YdgQj7xcDJo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr size=\"1\" \/>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-61759\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.booktopia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Screen-Shot-2016-07-24-at-4.08.35-pm.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2016-07-24 at 4.08.35 pm\" width=\"279\" height=\"316\" \/><strong>Pokemon Go takes global booksellers by storm.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Booksellers worldwide are noticing that the augmented reality app, Pokemon Go, is increasing foot traffic to their stores and in some cases, driving up sales.<\/p>\n<p>Some booksellers have registered as an official Pok\u00e9 Stop, acting as a <em>lure<\/em> for gamers as these are locations where wild Pokemon can be caught. John Beresford, manager of <em>Pandemonium Books &amp; Games<\/em> in Massachusetts, USA said his store has benefited from a lure, mentioning a \u201cslight uptick\u201d in sales.<\/p>\n<p>Other booksellers have noticed an organic increase in people such as at\u00a0<em>Book Garden<\/em> in Utah, USA. Tonya Youngbird, bookseller at the store has seen a spike in the number of families and groups to the store, and a resultant increase in sales.\u00a0&#8220;We have lots of people coming in with their kids and getting their Pok\u00e9balls,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Once they&#8217;re in the store, they browse and realise we have a lot [of things] they didn&#8217;t know we have.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"article\">Image: Emily Hall, owner of <em>Main Street Books<\/em> in Monatana, USA, has put a sign in front of her store advertising her shop as &#8220;an unofficial Pok\u00e9 Stop.&#8221; The store is offering 10% off on purchases made by customers who can show a screenshot of a Pok\u00e9mon they caught in the store.<\/p>\n<hr size=\"1\" \/>\n<p class=\"p1\"><strong><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-61773\" title=\"PJ Harvey\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.booktopia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Screen-Shot-2016-07-24-at-4.58.23-pm.png\" alt=\"Screen Shot 2016-07-24 at 4.58.23 pm\" width=\"288\" height=\"288\" \/>The <a href=\"http:\/\/ht.ly\/ugbR302qbnc\" target=\"_blank\">Melbourne Writers Festival<\/a> has unveiled its long-awaited program for 2016, set to occur from 26 August to 4 September, 2016.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The writer considered the finest Australian novelist of his generation, Richard Flanagan, will be there, as will Maxine Beneba Clarke, Helen Garner, Bob Carr and Rosie Batty.<\/p>\n<p class=\"title\">International superstars attending include British comedy legend Alexei Sayle, Justin Cronin, bestselling author Lionel Shriver and music icon PJ Harvey, who\u2019ll appear in a\u00a0collaborative visual event with photojournalist Seamus Murphy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">There will be more than 350 events and over a quarter will be free! Check out the events <a href=\"http:\/\/mwf.com.au\/where-should-i-start\/\" target=\"_blank\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"title\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/mwf.com.au\/\" target=\"_blank\">Learn more about the Melbourne Writers Festival<\/a><\/p>\n<hr size=\"1\" \/>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><b><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-61764\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.booktopia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/UBUD.jpg\" alt=\"UBUD\" width=\"289\" height=\"289\" \/>Australian writers Charlotte Wood, Stan Grant and Magda Szubanski to attend the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival in Bali. <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">This week, festival organisers announced a \u2018sneak peek\u2019 of the authors, artist and advocates set to attend the festival from 26-30 October. Stella Prize-winning Charlotte Wood, journalist Stan Grant and comedian Magda Szubanski will be in attendance, as will celebrated American novelist Hanya Yanagihara.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ubudwritersfestival.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Learn more about the Ubud Writers &amp; Readers Festival\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In case you missed it: All the bookish news of the week \u2026 &nbsp; Bestselling author of the Twilight saga, Stephenie Meyer, will release her first thriller, The Chemist, on November 15, 2016. Don&#8217;t expect vampires or alien invasions this time round; this is an adult thriller very unlike Twilight or The Host. In this gripping page-turner, expect secret agents, clandestine operations and a fascinating new heroine with a very specialised skill set. Of the book, Stephenie Meyer said: \u201cThe Chemist is the love child created from the union of my romantic sensibilities and my obsession with Jason Bourne\/Aaron Cross. I very much enjoyed spending time with a different kind of action hero, one whose primary weapon isn\u2019t a gun or a knife or bulging muscles, but rather her brain.\u201d\u00a0 Learn more about The Chemist here Ian McKellen reads Roald Dahl&#8217;s letters to young fan.\u00a0 September 13, 2016 will mark 100 years since the birth of Roald Dahl, one of the world\u2019s greatest storytellers. One of the most spendiferous storytellers; a man who\u2019s inspired countless children (and adults) to lose themselves in his fantabulous stories. This week at a Letters Live event, Ian McKellen read two letters that Roald Dahl&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":61789,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[6905,6903,3632,6906,6907,4521,5019,5192,6908],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/News-of-Week-2aSocialMedia.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61724"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61724"}],"version-history":[{"count":55,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61724\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61794,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61724\/revisions\/61794"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61724"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61724"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61724"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}