Literary news round-up in brief
Google gathering
A seminar to familiarise writers and poets with the Google book settlement and the future of digital publishing takes place on Monday at 11am in the Cheyne Theatre, Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin. The settlement is to go through a hearing on October 7th to determine mainly whether it’s fair, reasonable and adequate; but Poetry Ireland, host of the seminar – which is open to all the public – makes the point that, whether or not this particular settlement stands, “this is the future”.
Already, similar digitalisation projects are in progress, and rights holders need to educate themselves and decide how to deal with them all, as well as becoming aware of steps they can take to secure their work, says Poetry Ireland.
If the Google settlement goes through, it says, it will mean that Google will be authorised on a non-exclusive basis to digitise (almost) all books published on or before January 5th, 2009; to sell subscriptions to an electronic books database to institutions; to sell online access to individual books and to sell advertising on web pages with content from books – as well as making other specified uses.
“Google will pay rights holders 63 per cent of the revenues earned from these commercial uses,” says Poetry Ireland. “The implications of the settlement will be huge if it goes through and will have a massive effect on digital publishing and related revenue and distribution models in the future.”
The body strongly advises rights holders to make decisions on what to do regarding their own work. September 4th is the date by which writers and rights holders must decide whether to opt in – or out – of the settlement.
The panel on Monday includes Seamus Cashman, poet, children’s author and board member of Children’s Books Ireland; Sam Holman, director of the Irish Copyright Licensing Agency, and Oisín McGann, children’s author and board member of CBI.
Facts about fiction
Everyone with an interest in improving their fiction is welcome to a series of intensive fiction workshops at the Millrace Hotel in Bunclody, near Mt Leinster, which writer Claire Keegan is setting up. The cost is €250 per weekend (excluding accommodation) and there will be eight places on each course. The next one is in September.
"I am trying to go on no more foreign trips, to just stay at home and do a bit of teaching locally, stay tight to my desk," says Keegan, author of two short story collections, Antarcticaand Walk the Blue Fields. When last month Keegan won the €25,000 Davy Byrnes Irish Writing Award for her short story Foster, the sole judge, writer Richard Ford, called Keegan's a deep and profound talent. "Claire Keegan makes the reader sure that there are no simple stories, and that art is essential to life," said Ford. Her decision to teach more at home in Ireland and, as she puts it, stay tight to her desk is also good news for fans of her work, who'll be eagerly anticipating more stories upcoming from this writer who, according to Ford, exhibited "patient attention to life's vast consequence and finality".
For more information, email ckworkshops@yahoo.co.uk
Children’s champ
Children’s Books Ireland has conferred its own blessings on children’s book expert Robert Dunbar in the wake of his recent conferral with an honorary degree by TCD which described him as the doyen of children’s literature in Ireland.
Dunbar, a patron and past president and founder member of CBI – which holds his archive of audio interviews with children's books authors and illustrators – has, says a statement from the organisation, been a champion of children's literature for years, consistently raising the profile of children's books and reading. Dunbar, who reviews regularly for The Irish Times,has inspired and informed thousands of students throughout his career with his enthusiasm and love of children's literature, says CBI.
Hear, hear Dr Dunbar.