In this week’s edition, remembering poet and City Lights Books founder Lawrence Ferlinghetti, National Book Award Winner Charles Yu establishes a writing prize for Taiwanese Americans, Harper Collins announcing a new adult fiction imprint and more.

Woody Allen’s Memoir Publisher Threatens to Sue HBO Over Documentary
Los Angeles Times
“Skyhorse Publishing, the imprint behind disgraced director Woody Allen’s 2020 memoir, is considering a lawsuit against HBO over its new documentary series, “Allen v. Farrow.”

National Book Award Winner Charles Yu Establishes Prize for Young Taiwanese American Creative Writers
Taiwanese-American.org
The inaugural Betty L. Yu and Jin C. Yu Creative Writing Prize recognizes fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction work by Taiwanese American high school and college students. Submissions must be sent via Google Form and must be received by March 31, 2021.

Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Poet Who Nurtured the Beats, Dies at 101
The New York Times
“An unapologetic proponent of ‘poetry as insurgent art,’ he was also a publisher and the owner of the celebrated San Francisco bookstore City Lights.”

HarperCollins Focus Debuts New Fiction Imprint
Publishers Weekly
“HarperCollins Focus launches Harper Muse, a new imprint aimed at general market adult fiction. Directed by vice president and publisher Amana Bostic, the new imprint will target millennial and Generation X readers and specialize in women’s fiction, historical fiction, and southern fiction.”

Congressman and Others Vow to Fight Amazon, Monopolies
Publishers Weekly
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance hosted a webinar featuring Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI), chairman, Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law, who said that Democratic lawmakers will defend small and local business against predatory companies and that companies like Apple, Amazon, Google, and Facebook have been given a free pass for too long.

Aspen Words’ $35,000 Literary Prize Names Its 2021 Finalists
Publishing Perspectives
The shortlist for this year’s $35,000 Aspen Words Literary Prize for fiction on ‘vital contemporary issues’ features three novels and two short story collections.