It’s Earth Day! We’ve only got the one planet, and today (and every day) is a good day to reflect on the ways we can make it better— today and tomorrow. We have a few books, for readers of all ages, that tackle some of our biggest environmental issues from a variety of perspectives. And if you keep reading, you’ll also get a peek at some forthcoming titles that also explore our connection to the natural world.
Continue reading “Reading Naturally”
Love the Great Outdoors? Try These #ReadingAfrica Nature Reads!
#ReadingAfrica means opening up your reading to include a wide array of voices, thought, and genre. And it can also mean learning more about the plants and animals that make the continent so special. When we connect to the stories of the land, it helps us understand exactly what we’re protecting, and why it’s so vital we do.
We asked one of our favorite conservationists, David Muirhead, author of Cat Among the Pigeons, the first release from our science-themed Powers Squared imprint, to share some of his favorite science and nature books for #ReadingAfrica Week. As David explains, “These are books that have always stood out from the herd.”
Continue reading “Love the Great Outdoors? Try These #ReadingAfrica Nature Reads!”
This Week in Literary News: Week of August 16
This week’s news is up a little later than usual, but filled with enough news to get you through your week ahead!
Jacana Media has issued its annual call for the Gerald Kraak Prize and Anthology, an anthology and prize on the topics of gender, human rights and sexuality, for writers and photographers across Africa. Submissions are open all year.
Speaking of Jacana, we’re pretty impressed with their “Don’t Shut Up” conversation, masterclass, and broadside series. If you haven’t checked these out, you should. You can catch up on old conversations at their Crowdcast website.
Publishers Weekly reports that even though many independent bookstores have closed permanently, some brave, entrepreneurial book-lovers have actually opened new bookstores during the pandemic! And they are succeeding! We love bookstores and are pleased to hear it. Continue reading “This Week in Literary News: Week of August 16”
This Week in Literary News, Week of May 24
Our weekly round-up of literary news here at Catalyst and beyond, is brought to you by our intern Naomi Valenzuela. Naomi is from Phoenix, Arizona and El Paso, Texas, and is majoring in Creative Writing and minoring in English & American Literature at the University of Texas, El Paso, with plans of working in the publishing business after graduation
Libraries usually have summer reading programs once the summer vacation season starts. However, these are unusual times. Book Riot explores what libraries are doing to continue these programs safely.
May 25 was Africa Day! And Brittle Paper has a list of 13 African, under-the-radar books from the 1960s.
Over at Read It Forward, author Laura McHugh writes about why realistic heroines are the ones we empathize the most.
In Catalyst news, two of our books have great new reviews: Here Comes Lolo by Niki Daly, which Publishers Weekly calls “a winsome pick for early readers,” and Cat Among the Pigeons by David Muirhead, which the Midwest Book Review praises as “an inherently fascinating, impressively informative, and thoroughly entertaining read from first page to last.” Both books are out now!
Electric Lit has nine books exploring societal beauty standards and how they become obstacles to women.
Brightly has another list to diversify children’s reading lists. They recommend these 11 books that celebrate Muslim culture.
The National Book Festival will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year but will be moving to a virtual setting due to the pandemic. Read more about it at The Washington Post.
LitHub has an article about the podcast “Keen On” where speakers discuss how our reading of some books may change after the pandemic.
This Week in Literary News: Week of March 8
Our weekly round-up of literary news here at Catalyst and beyond, is brought to you by our intern Naomi Valenzuela. Naomi is from Phoenix, Arizona and El Paso, Texas, and is majoring in Creative Writing and minoring in English & American Literature at the University of Texas, El Paso, with plans of working in the publishing business after graduation.
Catalyst’s own David Muirhead (Cat Among the Pigeons) has had a poem read by the AVBOB poetry project, an annual poetry contest open to South African Citizens. Listen to the poem here.
In honor of Women’s History Month, Read it Forward has a list of books written by women journalists, who are still underrepresented in the field.
In Greece’s refugee camps, literature is being used to comfort those in hard times. The Echo mobile library is a minivan filled with books that are lent out to the children and adults at these camps read more about this good deed at The Guardian.
If you’re near the Brooklyn area over the summer and want to learn more about digital publishing, Electric Literature is looking for interns who believe in their mission to make literature more relevant, exciting, and inclusive!
At BBC, there’s an opinion piece about authors writing the stories of those who are different from themselves in fiction and the worries of cultural appropriation.
Related to this topic, NPR has an article and podcast on Grace Halsell’s 1969 book Soul Sister, and the limits of empathy.
Over on LitHub, they have the lists of the finalists for the 2020 Lambda Literary awards, which showcase works that celebrate or explore LGBT+ topics.
Brittle Paper takes a deeper look into the 2020 Lambda awards, acknowledging the representation given to writers from Africa and the Caribbean.
Amidst the chaos around the globe, self-help books about silence and minimalism are becoming more popular among people. Read more about it on the Washington Post.
February New Releases
Another great month of releases here at Catalyst! This month, we’ve got something for the science-lover and for young readers. Both books are available now at your favorite booksellers and right here at our website!
Cat Among the Pigeons by David Muirhead. This collection of short, humorous essays is the first release from our science-focused Powers Squared imprint and a must-have for the animal-lover in your life. Ever wonder why vervet monkeys enjoy an after-dinner drink? (Vervet monkeys. They’re just like us!) Or what Shakespeare thought of hedgehogs (Spoiler: not much)? Or why rain frogs need a rainy day to get, um, romantic? (Hope you had a very rainy Valentine’s Day, rain frogs!) You’ll find out in David’s collection that blends the science, history, and myth of an assortment of African animals. The book also features illustrations by Patricia de Villiers. Cat Among the Pigeons is out now. Learn more about David in this Q&A.
And Small Mercies, the debut middle-grade novel from Bridget Krone. Bridget’s novel about finding your voice and standing up for what’s right has been earning her a lot of praise. She’s earned a starred review from Kirkus who called the book “sensitive, funny, and tender”; School Library Journal praised the book as “a heartfelt, human, and wise addition to middle grade shelves”; and author Kathi Appelt writes, “You will not leave the pages of this book without feeling somehow smarter and wiser and kinder.” The book is also out now in the UK! Learn more about Bridget in this Q&A, and to keep up with her writing, events, news, and more, check out her website: www.bridgetkrone.com
Q&A with David Muirhead
This year, we’re excited to publish the first release from our science-focused Powers Squared imprint. The books released under the Powers Squared banner will feature fun, accessible science writing with an eye on global events that will appeal to a diverse group of readers.
Our first release is a fun one: Cat Among the Pigeons by David Muirhead. This collection of short essays features the science, myth, and folklore behind a host of African animals. Featuring illustrations by Patricia de Villiers, Cat Among the Pigeons is a look at the creatures we share the world with, told with a bit of humor and whimsy. Sy Montgomery, author of Tamed and Untamed: Close Encounters of the Animal Kind praised the book, writing “this clever, breezy book delivers delightful surprises on every page, along with a bracing dose of wonder.”
Matt Powers, the editor for Powers Squared, did this Q&A with David where they covered obscure animals, our relationship with wildlife, and how each of us plays a role in their survival. Cat Among the Pigeons releases on February 4, and pre-orders are available now. Continue reading “Q&A with David Muirhead”
Q&A with Matt & Jessica Powers
In addition to being great friends, brother and sister pair Matt and Jessica are also co-authors of the YA book Broken Circle (Akashic Books) and now, they’re co-workers here at Catalyst HQ. There’s no sibling rivalry here! Matt, who in in his downtime from being a parent and author, will also be heading up the newest Catalyst imprint—Powers Squared! In another life, Matt studied Oncology, eventually earning his PhD in Oncological Studies from the University of Utah. It was during his studies that he realized that science could be, and should be, for all of us. Science can dazzle us, excite us, captivate us, but only when it’s done in engaging ways. We’ll be bringing those kinds of engaging science stories to readers everywhere through the Powers Squared imprint—beginning with the first release Cat Among the Pigeons written by David Muirhead and featuring illustrations by Patricia de Villiers. Welcome to the team, Matt!
Matt and Jessica found some time between parenting, writing, and publishing to have a little chat about life as a Powers kid, reading and writing, and what you can expect from Powers Squared in the coming years. Learn more about the Powers Squared mission and Cat Among the Pigeons here.
This Q&A first appeared in our newsletter. If you want to see more great Q&As like this, plus be the first-to-know about sales, events, and lots of fun extras, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter!
Cat Among the Pigeons