The Enlargement day is back
The Enlargement day is back

​On 13 July 2021, the CoR, in cooperation with the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, will hold the Enlargement Day. 

After June’s meetings of the CoR’s Working Groups and Joint Consultative Committees with candidate countries and potential candidates, this unique annual event, organized online this year, will discuss the role of regions and cities in the EU accession process and sustainable recovery pathways in the region. 

For more info and registration, click here.​

Hamish Hamilton wins three-publisher auction for ‘irresistible’ Hedman debut
Hamish Hamilton wins three-publisher auction for ‘irresistible’ Hedman debut

Hamish Hamilton has won a three-publisher auction for The Trio by Johanna Hedman, a “strikingly elegant” literary debut which has been snapped up in a flurry of deals by editors across Europe.

Commissioning editor Hermione Thompson bought world English rights from Sofia Odsberg at the Norstedts Agency, and will publish the novel in translation by Kira Josefsson in trade paperback, e-book and audiobook in summer 2022. The Trio will be published in the author’s native Swedish by Norstedts in August 2021, and rights have also sold in German, Spanish, Danish, Polish, Finnish, Icelandic and Catalan, with international submissions ongoing.

The publisher said: “At once contemporary and timeless, The Trio centres on a love triangle. Thora, August and Hugo meet in Stockholm in their twenties, the first two on-off lovers and childhood friends, the last an interloper in their gilded world. The novel opens years later, when Hugo, long estranged from Thora and August, is visited by their daughter, who has questions about her parents which she believes Hugo can answer. The reader is then cast back several decades to unravel the story of what passed between the trio when they were young.”

Hedman, who lives in Stockholm, holds a master’s degree in peace and conflict studies and she has lived and worked in Paris, southern India and New York, where she interned for the Swedish UN delegation.

She said: “I take a lot of inspiration from both contemporary and classic English literature, but when I was writing The Trio it never crossed my mind that the story would be translated into English. It’s such an honour and I really look forward to working with Hermione and the rest of the team at Hamish Hamilton. There are bookstores in New York and London that have felt like second living rooms to me and the possibility of seeing my own novel on their shelves is mind-boggling.”

Thompson commented: “From Stockholm to Paris, Berlin to New York, Johanna captures a mood of irresistible yearning and nostalgia – an almost painful sense of the startling, fleeting beauty of being alive – which seduced me on every page. Her writing puts me in mind of Sally Rooney, her characters orbiting one another in a dance of hesitation and desire, grappling with the eternal risks of intimacy. But equally it reminds me of F Scott Fitzgerald, and of French New Wave cinema, those blue fevered nights and lemon-pale dawns of youth when the unspoilt city opens itself to you without hesitation… I can’t recommend the pleasures of this novel highly enough.”

Odsberg added: “I am absolutely thrilled that Johanna Hedman’s debut will soon be available to an English-speaking audience as Hamish Hamilton’s first Swedish authorship in more than three decades. I am convinced that this irresistible novel will find readers everywhere.”

YFactor 2021 Spring edition presents: Next Stop, a #EuropeanYearOfRail podcast
YFactor 2021 Spring edition presents: Next Stop, a #EuropeanYearOfRail podcast

​ The Spring trainees of 2021 are working on a Y-Factor project focused on the European Year of Rail (EYR). The trainees are producing a podcast series, Next Stop, exploring everything to do with the EYR. Next Stop plans on addressing pressing issues in the rail sector, advertise rail related initiatives and raising awareness on rail as a sustainable way of transport. Next Stop aims to being as inclusive as possible, inviting everyone from MEPs to YouTube bloggers and everyone in between, giving them the opportunity to share their experiences, while also providing helpful information on what is happening in the Rail sector today.

As Europe is pushing towards a greener and cleaner mobility with rail at the centre of their plans, Next Stop will take you across an 8-episodes journey throughout the world of rail and what it holds for the future of European mobility:

  1. European Year of the Rail Launch

  2. Discover EU

  3. Trains as Climate friendly alternative

  4. Transport exclusion and deterioration of the railway sector

  5. Train Accessibility issues

  6. Behaviour changes, charging system, and how to attract employees

  7. European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation and the Connecting Europe Express

  8. Future of the Rail

We hope this podcast can achieve its purpose over the coming weeks, by giving people an insight into the European Year of Rail and the rail sector. We look forward to having you all aboard for the Next Stop podcast!

To stay update with the episodes’ release, have a look at the project’s webpage !

Hit against euro counterfeiters linked to the Camorra
Hit against euro counterfeiters linked to the Camorra

On 20 May 2021, Europol supported the German Regional Criminal Police of Nordrhein-Westfalen (Landeskriminalamt Nordrhein-Westfalen) and the Italian Finance Corps (Guardia di Finanza) of Rome and Naples in dismantling an organised crime group involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit euro banknotes, drug trafficking and tax fraud. Law enforcement authorities from the BelgianFederal Police (Federale Politie, Police Fédérale) and the French National Police (Police Nationale) also assisted the investigation. The suspects are believed to have ties to the Camorra mafia clan.

The action day led to:

  • 19 house searches (1 in Naples and 18 in Germany )
  • 4 persons arrested (Italian nationals)
  • Seizures include various documents such as accounting records, IT evidence and €30 000 in cash
  • Judicial security order of €415 000 in total, issued by Germany 

The criminal network is involved in the production of counterfeit euros in the area of Naples in Italy and their subsequent distribution in Germany. 
The main suspect is also believed to be involved in the trafficking of different illegal commodities including drugs, stolen vehicles and falsified documents. He is suspected of distributing these illegal commodities, acquired by his associates living in Naples and connected to the Camorra. 

During the course of the investigation law enforcement officers made several seizures including cocaine, an illegal firearm and counterfeit money for a value of about €160 000.  This investigation also led to the first seizure of a counterfeit banknote of the new €100, just six months after its official release by the European Central Bank.

Europol facilitated the information exchange, operational coordination and provided analytical support. During the action day, Europol supported with technical expertise and cross-checked operational information against Europol’s databases and the systems of the European Central Bank. 

This investigation is part of the Italian DIA Project ONNET, an EU-financed initiative to tackle mafia-type organised crime groups active in Europe. The project was launched at Europol’s headquarters and targets the mafia-style criminal groups in their entirety, rather than one or more of their specific criminal activities.

Headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands, Europol supports the 27 EU Member States in their fight against terrorism, cybercrime, and other serious and organized crime forms. Europol also works with many non-EU partner states and international organisations. From its various threat assessments to its intelligence-gathering and operational activities, Europol has the tools and resources it needs to do its part in making Europe safer.

Kate Middleton is just too relatable in candid photo after e-book launch
Kate Middleton is just too relatable in candid photo after e-book launch




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<span itemprop="description" course="hidden">Kate Middleton had been pictured checking the woman phone at the time of the woman Hold Still book launch on Friday - and it is too relatable! See just what fans said</span>

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                               The<strong> <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/tags/kate-middleton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Duchess of Cambridge</a></strong> marked the launch of her <em>Hold However </em>photography book <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/gallery/20210507112634/kate-middleton-visits-national-portrait-gallery-hold-still-launch/1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>with some surprise engagements</strong></a> and a sweet hidden guide look on Friday, and it appears like she had been nervous to see if it absolutely was a success!</p>    <p>Kate ended up being pictured examining her phone as she left The Royal London Hospital on Friday, and could actually seen holding her face inside her hands as the lady associate in addition seemed on her phone.</p>    <p><strong>MORE: <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/20210506112535/kate-middleton-touching-promise-little-girl-hold-still-book/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kate Middleton makes coming in contact with vow to young girl in front of book launch</a></strong></p>    <p>Royal lover <a href="https://twitter.com/LadyParky79/status/1390650850461298693" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><strong>@LadyParky79</strong></a> tweeted the picture and sweetly captioned it: "Kate is perhaps all of us checking the #hsbookfairies hashtag now..."</p>    <fieldset class="video video-en" data-autoplay="false" data-idplayer="" data-idvideo="BmPyQxCJ" data-isplayercodeneeded="true" data-provider="jwplayer" data-videoads="false"><div id="MC40NDY5MzYwMCAxNjIwNDYyMDg1NTkxOQ==">Loading the player...</div>  </fieldset><p><br/><strong>WATCH: </strong><strong>Kate visits The Royal London Hospital to see how art is employed to aid patients</strong></p>    <p>The Duchess is rarely seen with her phone, so we won't be surprised if she had been keen to check on the a reaction to the guide's launch, and view just how many have been reaching the search around great britain. Obviously, she could also happen checking in on the children or responding to emails.</p>    <p><strong>MORE: <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/20210506112579/prince-william-talks-kate-middleton-gardening-north-wales-visit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prince William shows wife Kate Middleton is motivating him to get into farming for sweet reason</a></strong></p>    <p>Kate along with her spouse Prince William recently changed the handle of these formal Instagram account to 'Duke and Duchess of Cambridge', and also have apparently taken much more of a contemporary and private way of  revealing their work online.</p>    <p>        <span course="photo">            <img alt="kate-middleton-phone" itemprop="image" src="/imagenes/royalty/20210508112694/kate-middleton-relatable-picture-checking-her-phone/0-544-431/kate-middleton-phone-z.jpg"/><span class="copyright" data-copy=""/>            <meta itemprop="width" content=""/><meta itemprop="height" material=""/></span>     </p>    <p><strong>Kate had been pictured checking her phone through the car</strong></p>    <p>On Friday early morning, the Duchess teased royal followers with videos clip shared on the Instagram account, which showed the lady leaving a duplicate associated with the guide outside Kensington Palace for you to definitely discover.</p>    <p><strong>MORE: <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/20210505112410/kate-middleton-prince-william-launch-youtube-channel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prince William and Kate Middleton introduce unique YouTube channel</a></strong></p>    <p>Kate features teamed with The Book Fairies<em>,</em> a literary motion which urges readers to fairly share publications which they have actually look over and enjoyed by leaving them in public areas rooms for other people to locate. Overall, 150 copies regarding the book being hidden in secret areas over the UK because of the <em>Hold Still</em> judging panel.</p>    <p>      <span course="photo">            <img alt="kate-middleton-car" itemprop="image" src="/imagenes/royalty/20210508112694/kate-middleton-relatable-picture-checking-her-phone/0-544-430/kate-middleton-car-z.jpg"/><span course="copyright" data-copy=""/>            <meta itemprop="width" content=""/><meta itemprop="height" material=""/></span>     </p>    <p><strong>She did actually clasp her fingers to the woman face, too</strong></p>    <p>As more copies were discovered, the royal couple excitedly shared the articles to their Instagram tale - we wonder if Kate had been looking through all of the changes!</p>    <p>The original post read: "allow the search begin! We've accompanied @bookfairies_uk during the day to fairly share copies of Hold However round the UK to you.</p>    <p>        <span course="photo">            <img alt="hold-still-front-cover" itemprop="image" src="https://www.hellomagazine.com/imagenes/royalty/20210506112535/kate-middleton-touching-promise-little-girl-hold-still-book/0-543-490/hold-still-front-cover-z.jpg"/><span class="copyright" data-copy=""/>             <meta itemprop="width" content=""/><meta itemprop="height" material=""/></span>     </p>    <p><strong>Hold Still: A Portrait of your country in 2020, £17.55, <a course="aff_text" href="https://geni.us/hold-still" rel="nofollow sponsored noopener" target="_blank" title="hold nonetheless book">Amazon</a></strong></p>    <h6><a class="product__button" data-gtm-vis-first-on-screen-395993_81="2352" data-gtm-vis-has-fired-395993_81="1" data-gtm-vis-recent-on-screen-395993_81="2352" data-gtm-vis-total-visible-time-395993_81="100" href="https://geni.us/hold-still" rel="nofollow sponsored noopener" target="_blank" title="hold however book">SHOP NOW</a></h6>    <p>"Each content is adorned with a gold book fairy sticker, gold ribbon, and has a letter through the Duchess tucked around. To make this activity even more special, book fairies, the Hold Nevertheless judges and individuals for the last 100 photos tend to be making copies at locations where gave all of them hope through the lockdown.</p>    <p>"This unique book documenting the unique number of pictures continues on sale these days in UNITED KINGDOM bookshops and online."</p>    <p><em>HELLO!'s choice is editorial and independently selected – we only feature products our editors love and approve of. HI! may collect a share of product sales or any other payment through the backlinks about this web page. To find out more visit our </em><a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/news/2019061174038/reader-information-on-affiliate-links/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAQ page</a>.
French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs visits EASO
French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs visits EASO

On 29 April 2021, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Jean-Yves Le Drian, accompanied by the French Ambassador to Malta, Brigitte Curmi, visited the Headquarters of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) in Valletta. During the visit, the Minister met with the Senior Management of the Agency. 

During the meetings, discussions with the French delegation focussed on a general overview of EASO’s activities including EASO’s operational role. Discussions also touched upon the draft Regulation transforming EASO into the EU Asylum Agency (EUAA), emphasising the importance to have the new Regulation adopted swiftly. 

Commenting on the visit of the Minister, the Executive Director of the Agency, Nina Gregori stated ‘’It is important that EASO’s activities were presented to Minister Le Drian. I’m confident we will work closely together towards a new mandate for the Agency, also supporting France in the upcoming Presidency.’’

EASO is an agency of the European Union mandated with supporting EU Member States in implementing the Common European Asylum System. The agency acts as a center of expertise on EU asylum procedures and obligations, providing technical assistance and guidance, training and operational support. EASO also works closely with the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU. In view of the fact that France will hold the Presidency in the first semester of 2022, EASO’s Senior Management also explained the support the agency can provide in this context. 


Any further information may be obtained from the European Asylum Support Office on the following email address: press@easo.europa.eu 

RAK Ceramics’ Bathroom and Tiles Books get a 2021 update
RAK Ceramics’ Bathroom and Tiles Books get a 2021 update
RAK Ceramics




  • 30 Mar 2021



With new product launches coming on board in 2021, RAK Ceramics is publishing new editions of its Bathroom and Tiles Books.

They will provide retailers with up-to-date marketing material, at what is a busy and exciting time for the bathroom brand. 

RAK Ceramics

RAK Ceramics’ customers can pass this sales and reference tool on for free to their clients. The new brochures feature the latest ranges of sanitaryware, brassware, furniture and mirrors. This includes the design-led RAK-Petit range launched with compact bathrooms in mind.

The Tile Book for 2021 features stunning new large format slabs and ceramic wall tiles, among the latest additions to the range. 

RAK Ceramics

A4 and full colour in format, both brochures feature inspiring room set photography to help bring the products to life. This is as well as full specification details to help make ordering simple.

Available to download in PDF versions, print copies of both brochures are available from regional sales teams.

Idris Elba signs major children’s book deal with HarperCollins
Idris Elba signs major children’s book deal with HarperCollins

Actor and director Idris Elba has signed a global multi-book deal with HarperCollins Children’s Books (HCCB) for a range of titles, set to launch in 2022.

The deal will include picture books and fiction featuring a character and world imagined and developed by the star and his writing partner Robyn Charteris, who has written numerous live-action drama, pre-school and animation programmes for the BBC, Channel 4, the Jim Henson Company and Endemol. No titles or plot details have been released yet but Elba revealed the tales were inspired by his daughter.

In a “major” UK and US co-publication deal, world rights were acquired by Ann-Janine Murtagh, executive publisher at HCCB UK, and Suzanne Murphy, president and publisher at HCCB US, from Crystal Mahey-Morgan at OWN IT! Entertainment Ltd.

Elba said: “I feel privileged to have the opportunity to bring stories inspired by my daughter to life with my incredible partner Robyn Charteris, and the powerhouse team at HarperCollins.”

The Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guilds Awards winner has appeared in a string of TV series and films during his career, from playing Stringer Bell in critically lauded series “The Wire” to the lead character in BBC hit “Luther”. His movie credits include appearances in “American Gangster”, “Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom” and “Beasts of No Nation”.

Recently he has also been a force behind the camera, making his feature-film directorial debut at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival with “Yardie”. In 2013, he founded his production company, Green Door Pictures, to champion diversity of thought. With Green Door, he released the documentary “Mandela, My Dad and Me”, produced the TV mini-series “Guerrilla” for Showtime and created, produced and appears in the Sky comedy series “In the Long Run”.

Murtagh commented: “Idris Elba is one of the most iconic and multi-talented creatives of his generation and I am delighted that he is joining the HarperCollins Children’s Books list. From the outset, Idris had a very clear vision of the characters and stories he has imagined, and is passionate about creating books that will appeal to all children. Robyn Charteris has a fantastic track record in writing for children, working with some of the biggest producers of children’s entertainment, and I am hugely excited to also welcome her to the world of children’s books. I feel privileged that Idris has entrusted us to bring his stories to life and I cannot wait to share them with children across the globe.”

Murphy added: “Idris Elba is a creative force, who has many wonderful stories to tell. We are honoured to be working with him and with Robyn Charteris to bring Idris’ rich and imaginative storytelling to the world of children’s books, and we are thrilled to welcome them to the HarperCollins family.”

Syria: Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the 10 years of the conflict
Syria: Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the 10 years of the conflict

15 March 2021 marks ten years since peaceful protests began throughout Syria.  Their violent repression by the regime sparked a decade of conflict.  The regime’s brutal repression of the Syrian people and its failure to address the root causes of the uprising has resulted in an escalated and internationalised armed conflict. Over the last ten years, countless abuses and violations of human rights, and grave violations of international humanitarian law by all parties, particularly by the Syrian regime, have caused enormous human suffering. Accountability for all violations of international humanitarian and human rights law is of utmost importance both as a legal requirement and a central element in achieving sustainable peace and genuine reconciliation in Syria.

The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest displacement crisis in the world, with 5.6 million registered refugees and another 6.2 million people displaced within Syria, and with conditions not in place for their safe, voluntary, dignified and sustainable return in line with international law.  Furthermore, the conflict has entailed severe repercussions across the region and beyond and fuelled terrorist organisations. The EU recalls that all actors in Syria must focus on the fight against Da’esh. Preventing the resurgence of the terrorist organization remains a priority.

The conflict in Syria is far from over. The European Union remains resolute, continuing to demand an end to repression, the release of detainees, and that the Syrian regime and its allies engage meaningfully in the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2254. Without credible progress and as long as the repression continues, targeted EU sanctions on leading members and entities of the regime will be renewed at the end of May. The European Union has not changed its policy as outlined in previous Council Conclusions and remains committed to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian state.

The European Union would be prepared to support free and fair elections in Syria in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and under supervision of the UN, to the satisfaction of the governance and to the highest international standards of transparency and accountability, with all Syrians, including members of the diaspora, eligible to participate. Elections organised by the Syrian regime such as last year’s parliamentary elections or the presidential elections later this year cannot fulfil these criteria and therefore cannot contribute to the settlement of the conflict nor lead to any measure of international normalisation with the Syrian regime.

The European Union cannot and will not look away as the future of Syria and its people are held hostage to conflict. On 29 and 30 March, the European Union will co-chair with the UN a fifth Brussels conference on “Supporting the Future of Syria and of the region”, involving the participation of governments and international organisations as well as of Syrian civil society. 

The European Union is ready to enhance dialogue among all international actors with influence in the Syrian crisis, and calls on them to join forces at the conference to reaffirm and consolidate strong support for a political solution in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254, as well as for the tireless efforts of UN Special Envoy Pedersen to advance all aspects of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 in a comprehensive approach. There can be no military solution to this conflict: sustainable peace and stability can only be achieved by a genuine, inclusive and comprehensive Syrian-led political solution, with the full and effective participation of women and the concerns of all segments of Syrian society taken into consideration.

As in previous years, the conference will also generate international financial support to help meet the dramatically increasing humanitarian needs inside Syria, for Syrian refugees, and for refugee-hosting communities and countries in the region. There will be a strong call at the conference for the renewal of UN Security Council Resolution 2533 enabling safe, unhindered and sustained humanitarian access and the cross-border delivery of assistance, essential under current circumstances to meeting the vital needs of millions inside Syria.

Having provided some €24 billion over the past decade, the European Union and its Member States remain the largest contributors to meeting the needs generated by the conflict. The Syrian people continue to have the full political and humanitarian support of the European Union, in the pursuit of a peaceful and sustainable future.

Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor breaks silence on co-star Rege-Jean Page romance
Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor breaks silence on co-star Rege-Jean Page romance




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<span itemprop="description" class="hidden">Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor breaks silence on her co-star Rege-Jean Page's romance after he's spotted embracing girlfriend Emily Brown</span>

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                               <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/tags/bridgerton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Bridgerton</strong></em></a> stars Phoebe Dynevor and Rege-Jean Page caused quite a stir with their sizzling on-screen romance – but when it comes to their real-life relationship they have remained coy.</p>    <p><strong>MORE: <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/homes/20210112104370/phoebe-dynevor-house-inside-photos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Phoebe Dynevor's home belongs on the Bridgerton set – see inside</a></strong></p>    <p>The pair, who star in the Netflix period drama as Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings respectively, have been the subject of romance rumours ever since the show first aired. And now Phoebe has broken her silence.</p>    <fieldset class="video video-en" data-autoplay="false" data-idplayer="" data-idvideo="BUhYQotW" data-isplayercodeneeded="true" data-provider="jwplayer" data-videoads="false"><div id="MC43MjIzMTQwMCAxNjEzNDYxOTgxNTc5Nw==">Loading the player...</div>  </fieldset>    <p><strong>WATCH: Bridgerton actress Phoebe Dynevor looks unrecognisable in first-ever acting job</strong></p>    <p>"I'd love to say there was really something between us, but no. It has always been strictly professional," the 25-year-old actress told <em>You </em>magazine.</p>    <p>"There was so much pressure on us to get it right that it was all about the work. We have a really professional working relationship. I'm glad for that, actually. It would be very complicated if it went further."</p>    <p><strong>MORE: <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/gallery/20210110104201/bridgerton-cast-real-life-vs-show/1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">See what the incredible cast of Bridgerton look like out of costume</a></strong></p>    <p>And while she noted that she "always hears" of co-stars falling in love, she admitted: "It's yet to happen to me, but I'm intrigued."</p>    <p>      <span class="photo">             <span class="copyright" data-copy=""/>             <meta itemprop="width" content=""/><meta itemprop="height" content=""/></span>     </p>    <p><strong><em>Bridgerton </em>stars Phoebe Dynevor and Rege-Jean Page</strong></p>    <p>Phoebe further revealed that the pair didn't want to ruin the magic of their characters' romance for fans by speaking about their off-screen friendship.</p>    <p><strong>MORE: <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/20210119104926/bridgerton-season-two-who-play-kate-sheffield-casting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bridgerton: who will play season two's main character Kate Sheffield?</a></strong></p>    <p>"People really root for us. We have to say we're actors, we're doing a job, there is something to be said for not spoiling the magic," the star said. "But at a certain point, you have to say 'no.'"</p>    <p>Her comments come after Rege-Jean was photographed embracing writer and part-time athlete Emily Brown, with the <em>Daily Mail</em> reporting that the couple are dating and live together in London.</p>    <p>       <span class="photo">             <span class="copyright" data-copy=""/>             <meta itemprop="width" content=""/><meta itemprop="height" content=""/></span>     </p>    <p><strong>The pair star as Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings</strong></p>    <p>Meanwhile, Julia Quinn – author of the <em>Bridgerton </em>book series – recently spoke about the second season of the show and teased it could be very different to the original.</p>    <p><strong>MORE: <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/20210123105281/bridgerton-netflix-book-inspired-show/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The books that inspired Bridgerton: Everything you need to know</a></strong></p>    <p>She admitted she still hopes Daphne and Simon will still have a large role in the upcoming episodes, despite taking a backseat in the novel's sequel.</p>    <p>Chatting to<em> The Sun</em>, she said: "They do show up in the [second] book. The series doesn't follow the book word for word - and I don't think [it] should. So I hope so, for no other reason than Daphne has the right to interfere with Anthony's life. To deny her that chance would be criminal. I think it would be lovely to see."</p>    <p><em><strong>Like this story?<a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/newsletter/?utm_source=article&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=newsletter-signup" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Sign up to our newsletter</a> to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.</strong></em>
5 Black sci-fi and fantasy books to read
5 Black sci-fi and fantasy books to read

Leslie-Ann Murray
February 9, 2021 | 10:34 AM

Black people are in the future. They are in the past too, and not always dedicated by the narrative of slavery and colonization. Science fiction and fantasy books helped me to see this. I discovered Tananarive Due’s novel “My Soul to Keep” when I was casually browsing at a used bookstore.

As a teenager, I read mostly sci-fi and fantasy books by white writers, and when I picked up Due’s novel, I was stunned to see that a Black writer was a part of the genre. I bought the novel, and stayed awake reading the book that night. “My Soul to Keep” is about a group of immortals from Lalibela, Ethiopia. The novel removes the white predatory gaze of Africa, and invites readers to employ a radical imagination about the continent’s past and its future. For the first time in literature I saw Africa without the gaze of subjectivity. The next day, I returned to the same bookstore to purchase Due’s second book “The Living Blood.” Due’s novels not only inspired me to travel to Africa, but showed me the magic and importance of seeing oneself in books. Black sci-fi and fantasy books compels us to employ a radical imagination when viewing our history, present, and future.

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These stories are “against the status quo,” author of “The Lesson” and forthcoming “No God, No MonstersCadwell Turnbull recently told me. “We are looking at the steps needed to change society because imagination is part of the journey in creating better futures.”

I spoke with Turnbull, along with fantasy writer LaShawn M. Wanaka and Silver Unicorn Bookstore’s Kyra Wilson Cook for their book recommendations. Ahead, they share five Black sci-fi and fantasy books to read.

The Unbroken” by C.L. Clark

Coming out in March, Wanaka highly praised the debut novel from author C.L. Clark. The novel deals with the effects of colonization on two people: Touraine, the one who was captured, and Luca, the one in power. Touraine was stolen as a child from her country and she was placed into the army where her own culture was beaten out of her. As she becomes older, she begins working as a personal assistant for Luca who wants to end the conflict between the two nations. Touraine has to protect the empire that captured her and at the same time, she has to keep her own people as second class citizens. Wanaka said, “This novel was gut wrenching. It shows that reconciliation is a messy process and in order for it to happen, both parties must be on equal standing.”

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“Elysium” by Jennifer Marie Brissett

Wanaka loves this novel by Brissett. As soon as we started talking about it, she rushed to her bookshelf to pick out the book. “Elysium” is a tale about a catastrophe that has happened and only the people with dark skin were able to survive. It tells the story of a survivor who finds out about her history. “What drew me to this novel is the unconventional storytelling — it’s scientific and very heartful. It’s a different spin on reading sci-fi fiction,” Wanaka said. “This book made me smile and it’s one of those gorgeous reads that teaches you to discover yourself, your purpose, your community in a very scientific way.”

“A Song Below Water” by Bethany C. Morrow

This young adult novel that came out during the Black Lives Matter protests centers its theme around the power of the Black woman’s voice. Wanaka said of the modern fantasy novel, “The whole book is like a love letter to the Black girl experience set in a contemporary fantasy world where pixies and gargoyles are real.” The story also highlights an older generation that can’t speak about traumatic events from the past. In addition to an unbeatable combo of protests, play-sisters, and proms, Wanaka said, “It’s got BLACK GIRL MERMAIDS!”

Midnight Robber” by Nalo Hopkinson

This “superhero origin story,” according to Turnbull, is a coming of age novel that blends Caribbean folklore with high-concept science fiction, and tells a story of overcoming trauma through heroism. A young woman named Tan-Tan finds power through embodying a mythic figure from Caribbean folklore, the Midnight Robber. Tan-Tan uses this identity to right wrongs, but also to cope with her own difficult and traumatic experiences. “I recommend it for the inventiveness of the narrative, especially because it does such a fantastic job of pushing the language conventions of fiction—and science fiction in particular,” Turnbull said. Hopkinson made linguistic choices that made “Midnight Robber” a joy to read for Turnbull. The author uses “Caribbean vernacular like a knife, telling a compelling story through vibrant language,” he said. “Hopkinson plays a lot with language and her characters are constantly code switching in their Caribbean dialect which feels very comfortable and approachable.”

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“The Dreamblood Duology” by N.K. Jemisin

“The Dreamblood Duology,” which includes two novels, “The Killing Moon” and “The Shadowed Sun,” is a work that should be better known, according to Kyra Wilson Cook. “I want to uplift ‘The Dreamblood Duology’ because it’s a beautiful work and not too many people talk about it.” This novel is about priesthood whose main character, Ehiru, known as a “Gatherer,” shows his new disciples the ropes, gathering dreamblood and influencing how people dream. According to Wilson Cook, this complex tale “forces readers to ask the question: Is the priesthood good or evil?” Wilson Cook wants the reader to dive into this “phenomenal” read. “It’s fun, different and full of intrigue.”


Join the Boston.com Book Club’s next discussion: “Riot Baby” with author Tochi Onyebuchi

“Riot Baby” is a 2020 science fiction novel by Massachusetts-born Tochi Onyebuchi. In his first novel for adults, Onyebuchi’s “Riot Baby” explores a dystopian reality of Black America exploring race, justice, and resistance.

Join us on Wednesday, February 24 at 6 p.m. with Onyebuchi and moderator Meg Wasmer, co-owner/operator of Copper Dog Books in Beverly.

Where to buy the book: Copper Dog Books | Bookshop.org

Join the #BostondotcomBookClub in reading this searing novel and sign up for the newsletter to get the latest updates.

Ione Gamble signs with Dialogue Books
Ione Gamble signs with Dialogue Books

Dialogue Books is publishing Poor Little Sick Girls, Ione Gamble’s debut non-fiction book about “what it’s like to be at the centre of a feminist movement that has no real place for you”.

Gamble is the founder and editor of the feminist and queer independent zine Polyester. In Poor Little Sick Girls, slated for summer 2022, she turns her “sharp, pop-culture obsessed eye” to “our current fixation on identity politics, personal branding, productivity, and #LivingYourBestLife” in a collection of essays.

The book’s synopsis reads: “From her complex relationship with self-care to our fetishisation of the right kind of female illness (thin, pale, white, submissive), to the dark side of coping mechanisms and why it is in fact okay to spend a lot of time in bed… Poor Little Sick Girls picks apart the apparently benign threads of a very troubled cultural moment and charts the history of how we got there.”

Publisher Sharmaine Lovegrove acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, in the book from literary agent Kate Evans at PFD.

Gamble, who suffers from Crohn’s disease, said: “Having the opportunity to tell my story as a chronically ill woman but also provide my perspectives of modern feminism is an absolute dream. I hope Poor Little Sick Girls will be a bible for all those unable to fit within our optimisation obsessed world, searching to find their place within it. I am so thrilled to be working with Dialogue Books, their relentless support of marginalised talent makes them the perfect publisher for this book, and feels completely aligned with my publication, Polyester.”

Lovegrove commented: “I’ve been following Ione’s journey for a while and have been captivated by her ability to tell her truths and break through the noise of normal and create a space that is inclusive, inspiring and individual. Ione is a real talent and generous in bringing women together to explore sexuality, identity, class, illness and broaden the notions of success. Poor Little Sick Girls promises to give the next generation a different feminist perspective while asking the questions of how we got here. As an activist imprint, Ione’s voice is a perfect match for Dialogue and I am proud to be her publisher.”