Few authors understand the expectations surrounding a gigantic fantasy series better than Brandon Sanderson, but even he isn’t interested in judging George R.R. Martin for the extraordinarily long wait for The Winds of Winter. Instead, Sanderson thinks people should remember that there’s an actual person sitting behind the unfinished manuscript. Speaking with Collider’s Maggie Lovitt at FanX Salt Lake, Sanderson was asked about writers dealing with pressure from fandoms who are eagerly waiting for their next books.

Brandon Sanderson Officially Defends George R.R. Martin’s 15-Year ‘Winds of Winter’ Delay, Collider

Independent bookstores are beacons of hope, offering intangible commodities such as connection, empathy, and knowledge, in addition to physical books.

Independent Bookstore Day: Bookshop.org founder on how small retailers are taking on Amazon, Fast Company

• See also: uk.bookshop.org

Musician, author and filmmaker Stuart Murdoch is to be awarded an honorary degree by The University of Glasgow on the Commemoration Day of 17th June this year (2026).

Read the announcement here.

Thousands of authors feature in a new “empty” book titled “Don’t Steal This Book” – a protest over AI firms using creative professionals’ work without their permission.

“The UK government must not legalise book theft to benefit AI companies,” reads the back cover of a new book being distributed at this year’s London Book Fair.

‘Don’t Steal This Book’: Authors protest AI at London Book Fair with ‘empty’ book

SIR Michael Morpurgo, former Children’s Laureate and author of acclaimed children’s novel ‘War Horse’, will be returning among a number of top authors speaking at the fifth Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival later this year.

The festival, from Friday to Monday, November 13 to 16, will also feature an interview with Sir Michael’s wife Clare, daughter of the founder of Penguin Books and who runs the charity Farms for City Children.

Other guest speakers include Emily Howes, the award-winning author of ‘The Painter’s Daughters’.

Line-up of top authors taking shape for Dulverton and Exmoor Literary Festival, wsfp.co.uk