AGP Executive Report

Literary Festivals: Nepal’s Kathmandu Kalinga LitFest returns June 6–7 at Hotel Himalaya, with a “Beyond Borders” theme spotlighting South Asian literature, art, identity, inclusion, spirituality, and social change. Publishing & Culture: Bulgaria’s Pencho Slaveykov Today initiative held talks in Kazanlak on modernism rooted in tradition, while Romanian translators and authors featured at Bucharest’s Bookfest underscored cross-border literary ties. Book Events (Local): Oshkosh’s Caramel Crisp Bookstore is running two late-June author moments—Jim Boland signing “The Black Egg Children” (June 26) and Mariah Weber hosting a “Book Monster Enthusiast” storytime (June 27). Independent Press Under Pressure: Pasadena’s Red Hen Press is launching a GoFundMe as funding cuts and financial strain threaten its programming. Community Book Resilience: Kennewick’s Storytime Bookshop plans to reopen after a fire, restarting with donations and community support. Major Literary Loss: Graphic memoir icon Marjane Satrapi, creator of “Persepolis,” has died at 56.

Book Events: Irene Drago will unveil her new historical novel Irish Timber at the Cushing Historical Society June 17, a community event co-sponsored by local libraries. Publishing & Culture: The Lisbon Book Fair opens in Eduardo VII Park (May 27–June 14) with thousands of discounted titles and 2,200+ activities, including author signings and outdoor screenings. Literary Awards: Belfast Book Festival named Andrew McGuire (short story) and Jeremy Pak Nelson (poetry) as 2026 Mairtín Crawford Award winners, each receiving cash plus dedicated writing time. Indie Book Retail: A Warren, Ohio shop called The Book Nook opens with a focus on self-published indie authors, built on the owner’s TikTok audience. AI & Industry: UN researchers warn AI data centers’ water footprint could be enormous, while pharma deal news shows AI tools moving into RNA-therapy discovery. Community Reading: Marion Public Library lands an NEA Big Read grant for “The Big Marion Read,” running Sept. 12–Oct. 24. Book-to-Screen Impact: China’s film/TV hits are driving readers back to original novels, with Home Letter seeing rapid reprints after a movie boost.

Literary Spotlight: Taiwan’s International Booker winner Yang Shuang-zi says she wanted to “show Taiwan” through literature, calling it a long conversation that outlasts any single life. Book Culture & Community: San Francisco’s Flor Y Canto Literary Festival returns June 12–14, pairing readings and films with a youth writing center spotlighting writing across generations. Publishing & Reading Access: Angola’s Kandengue Escritor program is expanding reading and writing among children, with this year’s contest drawing 137 participants nationwide. Indie Book World: Minneapolis’ Wild Rumpus Books keeps growing its family-friendly reputation—cats, cozy seating, and a simple “one book each” rule that turns browsing into a ritual. Sports Meets Global Honors: Lionel Messi becomes the first footballer to win Spain’s Princess of Asturias Award for Sports, with the jury citing both on-field achievement and charitable work. Health & Mind: A new review links chronic constipation with higher depression risk, pointing to gut-brain pathways and the need for joint bowel-and-mental health care. Classic Literature Anniversary: Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer turns 150, with the original handwritten manuscript on limited display at the Mark Twain Birthplace site.

Tech & Publishing Policy: The UK’s competition watchdog ordered Google to let publishers opt out of having their content used in AI Overviews/AI mode, a “world first” that could reshape how news sites get credited and monetized. Publishing & Rights: Penguin Random House imprint acquired Lindsey Anderson Beer’s debut novel “Hollow to Putnam,” with Sydney Sweeney attached to star and Beer directing an adaptation of the Sleepy Hollow reimagining. Children’s Books: Puffin acquired Tom Fletcher’s “The Danger Game,” the “electrifying” follow-up to “The Danger Gang.” Local Book Culture: Burm Booksellers in Beckley hosts author B.K. Clay for a June 26 signing of “Corner of Main and Fayette.” Literary Awards: Julia Elliott won the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction for “Hellions,” and Lionel Messi received Spain’s 2026 Princess of Asturias Sports award. Health & Safety (Reading Communities): Spain’s total solar eclipse plans come with reminders to protect eyes and manage crowd risks.

Health & Risk: A Dear Dr. Roach Q&A explains MGUS after a “high risk” diagnosis, noting there’s no approved way to prevent progression but that even a ~50% risk over 20 years still means most people do fine year to year. Publishing & Books: Putnam County Library shared its April/May new-book list, while Titan Books unveiled the cover for Stephen Graham Jones’ horror follow-up Off the Reservation (Oct). Literary Events: Oxford’s Story Museum opens Listen to this Story! From History to Our Story, tracing 200 years of Black representation in children’s books; Worcestershire Literary Festival crowns a new Poet Laureate June 7–13. Community Reading: Churubusco Women’s Literature Club marks 121 years of meetings and book discussions tied to the local library’s roots. Adaptations & Screen: Sydney Sweeney is set to star and produce Hollow, a film adaptation of Lindsey Anderson Beer’s novel retelling Sleepy Hollow through Katrina Van Tassel. International Literature: China’s online historical fantasy scene gets a spotlight at a Beijing International Bookstore event, with writers and publishers from 20+ countries.

Publishing Deals: Wiley is buying Emerald Publishing for £337m, a major consolidation move in academic and professional publishing. Rights & Talent: Bright Agency appoints Michael Joosten as global agent, while Fitzcarraldo Editions brings in Jennifer Tighe as operations director. Book Trade & Community: Barnes & Noble Cumberland in Georgia will close Aug. 19, even as the chain plans new Atlanta-area openings. New Releases: Puffin acquires Pamela Butchart’s Diary of a Number One Superfan; Ebury Spotlight lands GK Barry’s It’s Giving Life. Author Spotlight: Ann Patchett’s Whistler continues to draw praise and conversation. AI in Health & Research: A new survey finds over 70% of U.S. health care professionals use AI, despite low trust; separate work highlights how AI can introduce fake medical references. Local Book Culture: Storyboard opens in Midway as a cafe-bookshop-skateshop hybrid. Science & History: Chemical analysis of Ming-era surgical tools suggests plant-based anesthetics were used as early as the 14th century.

FDA & Health: Shionogi says the U.S. FDA has approved XOCOVA (ensitrelvir) as the first oral post-exposure option to help prevent COVID-19 after contact, a five-day regimen for adults and teens 12+. Children’s Publishing: Christine Lawson’s farm-inspired picture-book tale, Bronwyn: The Livestock Guardian Dog, launches worldwide, rooted in a real dog’s resilience. Genre Retail: A new Oxford shop, Bad Girl Books, is set to open July 4 with a dedicated romantasy range (about 2,000 titles) plus indie brand gifts and author visits. Libraries & Reading Access: A rural library highlights expanded online services like Kanopy, Libby, LinkedIn Learning, and Comics Plus to keep learning and entertainment available 24/7. Independent Book Events: Wisconsin’s Bookshop Quest 2026 brings 35 indie stores into a map-and-stamp reader trail, while Monroe’s Wander & Tale Book Fest spotlights local authors and community turnout. Book Culture & Criticism: A new concept called the “criticome” reframes how the developing brain records experience, feeding fresh debate across mental health and developmental science.

AI vs search and publishing: Google’s I/O pitch for AI-first answers (instead of link-based search) raises fresh “Google Zero” fears for publishers and websites that rely on discovery. Bookselling pushback: The American Booksellers Association fielded questions on AI and discounts during a virtual forum, with booksellers also reacting to the forum format change. Book trade deals: Sphere Fiction acquired William Hanson’s debut crime novel A Fatal Forking; Hachette Children’s Group snapped up YA thriller Ink and Shadows; Viking bought Harriet F Townson’s seasonal mystery Murder on the Royal Crescent. Rights and IP: Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi witnessed ERRA signing a cooperation agreement with Poland’s KOPIPOL to strengthen collective rights management. Community reading: Inkwood Books in South Jersey launched a Pride Book Club; Indianapolis Public Library debuted accessible bookmobiles “Frog” and “Toad.” Health + books/reading tech: A federal review flags frequent ER misdiagnosis in U.S. emergency rooms, while another story highlights AI voice cloning enabling a stroke survivor to reclaim his narration. Literary awards: The International Booker Prize 2026 process and public buzz are in focus as shortlists and opinions heat up.

Arts Funding Crisis: South Africa’s arts festivals are still reeling after Gayton McKenzie’s funding cuts and the dissolution of the National Arts Council board, leaving productions and performers scrambling as budgets tighten. Literary Craft & Criticism: Moroccan scholar Mustapha Rajwan discusses how rhetoric shapes reading and meaning in his award-winning study of the Arabic novel. Publishing Digital Push: Sharjah Book Authority chair Sheikha Bodour reviews its 2025–2028 digital transformation roadmap and plans to expand Arab publishing’s global reach. Books as Heritage: Trinidad and Tobago’s NCIC turns its Heritage Centre into a storytelling hub, spotlighting new publications on culture and resilience. Indie Book Trade Upswing: The American Booksellers Association reports independent stores are multiplying again, with membership growth at its highest in decades. Print vs AI in Japan: Japan’s zine and self-publishing scene is growing as creators argue paper can’t be replicated by AI. Controversial Kids Books: A Swedish author’s “How to Make a Baby” faces bans and death threats over frank depictions of IVF and childbirth, reigniting debates on age-appropriate knowledge. Health & Drug Notes: New analyses on aprocitentan in resistant hypertension and a review of BP drug classes compare tolerability and treatment discontinuation risks.

Publishing & Sales Tech: At the 2026 Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair, writers and readers say social media is driving discovery and boosting sales, with one teen meeting a favorite author in person after finding her online. Book Culture & Access: In Minnesota, incarcerated readers are voting on the next book the country should read through the Inside Literary Prize, with plans to expand prison libraries nationwide. Industry Advocacy: Philippine authors and publishers are asking the Supreme Court to scrap 12% VAT on digital books, arguing it blocks access to education and freedom of expression. Libraries & Global Dialogue: Sharjah’s Guest of Honour at the Warsaw International Book Fair spotlights libraries’ societal role and cross-cultural storytelling, including panels on Emirati and Polish fiction for young readers. Education Policy: UW–Madison removes the ethnic studies requirement for incoming students starting Summer 2026, reshuffling general education categories into a new “Core GenEd.” Community Events: Oxford’s Magdalen Road Village Summer Festival returns June 6 with pop-ups, kids’ activities, and local book programming. Nature & Research: Meghalaya’s “Butterflies of Meghalaya” documents 698 species ahead of a June 1 unveiling.

Guest-of-Honour Publishing Push: Saudi Arabia is using KLIBF 2026 to spotlight its literature and translation work, including plans to boost Malay-Arabic translations beyond the current 2,800+ titles supported since 2020. Festival Book Trade Tension: Hay Festival says it will withdraw Sarah Wynn-Williams’ Careless People from sale while she appears, after a request tied to an injunction. Indie Book Culture: Wisconsin launches Bookshop Quest 2026, a June bookstore crawl with 35 independent shops and prize missions meant to drive community and sales. Small Business Reality Check: Bookety Book Books’ Mandy Myles is closing its online store, citing Amazon-style discounting and the difficulty of competing as a one-woman operation. Arabic Literature Abroad: Sharjah’s Guest of Honour push at Warsaw International Book Fair includes seminars on empowering Arabic and Emirati poetry, reinforcing the emirate’s publishing and translation strategy. New Fiction Spotlight: Yorkshire author Stephanie Shields wins gold for After Amba, a dual-timeline family drama spanning the Jazz Age and the present.

Guest-of-Honour Spotlight: Saudi Arabia officially opened its pavilion at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2026, running May 29–June 7 with manuscripts, Saudi publications, heritage displays, live artisan demos, and a UNESCO-listed Majlis experience. Summer Reading & Local Culture: Libraries and communities are leaning into books this season, from the Hawaii State Public Library System’s summer reading challenge (June 1–July 31) to Knox County, Tennessee’s quick rollback of a “Roots” book ban after backlash. Publishing, Translation & Literary Life: A conversation on how history is made (method over certainty) and a feature on translation as an art highlight the craft behind books; meanwhile, a teen’s debut murder mystery heads to Amazon on June 19. Books & Tech in the Spotlight: The week also dug into AI’s growing role in writing and judging, plus a hands-on look at an E Ink reading tablet aimed at heavy annotators. Community Events for Readers: UK festival roundups keep the focus on literature-led weekends, including Suffolk’s crime, storytelling, and ideas events.

Publishing & Culture: Sheikha Bodour launches AUS Press at the Warsaw International Book Fair, with Sharjah as Guest of Honour, aiming to boost scholarship, translation and regional voices. Book Industry & Events: Bookmarks reveals the first wave of authors for its 21st Festival of Books & Authors in Winston-Salem (Sept 26, 2026). Education & Literature Politics: UK A-level text lists shift as Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London is dropped and a controversial Mrs Orwell biography is added, sparking “woke takeover” debate. AI & Reading/Publishing: The Commonwealth Short Story Prize reviews its process after speculation about AI use in a regional winner, while a separate literary-prize story flags murky AI disclosure rules. Books & Media: Dark Horse previews Chronicles of the Tomb Raider (Oct 27) as a deep-dive hardcover for fans. Rights & Families: The US Supreme Court makes it harder to protect kids from conversion therapy, raising constitutional stakes for state bans. Indigenous Languages: A new piece warns that indigenous language decline threatens knowledge systems, tying it to education policy.

Neurology Nursing Spotlight: A two-part interview highlights how neurology nurses now act as care coordinators for complex, immune-mediated conditions like MS, blending symptom management, patient education, and digital support. Publishing & Community Events: Kyiv’s Book Arsenal Festival opens with 150+ participants and 240 events, positioning books as cultural resilience amid cultural destruction. Book Clubs & Access: Umatilla Public Library hosts a watch party for George Takei’s graphic memoir “They Called Us Enemy,” tying into the One Book, One Coast program. Literary Loss: Urdu poet Bashir Badr dies at 91, with tributes underscoring his role in giving voice to loneliness and love. Indie Publishing: Thomasville author Thomas Calder expands a psychological thriller series via independent publishing, with a second installment slated for November 2026. AI & Books: A piece asks whether human + AI co-written novels are the future as AI-generated fiction keeps gaining traction. Sports Books & Culture: UH campuses host the NCAA men’s volleyball trophy tour, including a stop at UH Mānoa Bookstore.

Local Grants & Writing Opportunities: Delaware’s Division of the Arts is taking applications for its 2026 Delaware Writers Retreat (Nov. 5–8). Deadline is July 1, with anonymous juried review and 10-page samples for prose or poetry. Publishing & Book Trade: The Bay Area Book Festival returns to Berkeley May 29–31 with a “Writing the Future” theme, nearly 400 authors, and free workshops plus YouthLit. Independent Bookstores: A new report from the American Booksellers Association says independent stores are still multiplying, with ABA membership up over 500 in a year—contradicting the “bookstores are dying” narrative. Consumer Alert (Supplements): Slim Tide is warning about unauthorized third-party websites using deceptive marketing and potentially unsafe counterfeit versions. Literary Culture: UK’s oldest literary prize, the James Tait Black, went ahead at Edinburgh despite a marking boycott, drawing criticism from staff. Community Events: Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s free “Play On!” tour brings “As You Like It” to libraries and parks.

Independent bookstores: The American Booksellers Association says independent stores are multiplying, not disappearing—membership rose by 540 to 3,417 stores, including mobile and pop-up formats, even as costs and budget cuts keep pressure on. Book fairs & local publishing: Malaysia’s PM Anwar Ibrahim backs reading culture ahead of the 2026 Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (May 29–June 7), while the St. Martin Book Fair (June 5–6) spotlights island authors under the theme “Soualiga Flambo.” Controversial fiction: R.F. Kuang’s upcoming novel Taipei Story sparks backlash after an Israeli minor character appears, showing how quickly online discourse can reshape book launches. Publishing & media crossover: A French investigative book about the 2025 Louvre jewelry heist is headed to film, with rights already sold and a documentary series in the works. Literature as power: A review of Decolonizing the Bharatiya Minds argues modern battles are fought in classrooms, publishing, and digital platforms. Community reading: Norway and other local event roundups keep pushing festivals, tours, and summer reading programs.