Welcome to our March 2024 newsletter
Hot on the heels of our first edition of Meet Our Authors with author Paul Davies, we bring you a belated contribution to International Women’s Day; a spotlight on a small sample of our female authors.
Clockwise from top left: Angela Antetomaso, Anna Corthout, Liz Gerard, Yue He, Beverley Nielsen, Anne Phillips, Vicky Pryce, Heidi Rickard, Atima Srivastava
WOMEN AUTHORS AT BITE-SIZED
BOOKS
It may come as a surprise to know that there are 78,000 authors, writers, and translators in the UK and 60% are female (source: Office for National Statistics).
Median annual incomes for female writers in 2017 was £20,000, 33% less than male equivalent of £30,000. In 2021 incomes fell. Male income fell to £29,000 but female fell further to £17,000 – 41% less than men.
Johanna Thomas-Corr’s May 2021 article in the Guardian; How women conquered the world of fiction puts the trends in context. See: https://tinyurl.com/mrcf2nmw
A generation ago the shortlists were dominated by men: the “big beasts” of the 80s and 90s. Martin Amis, Julian Barnes, Ian McEwan, William Boyd, Kazuo Ishiguro et al in the UK and Philip Roth, John Updike and Saul Bellow in the US. The writers we considered our leading novelists were men. This has changed. And one reason is the changing nature of the publishers. A diversity survey, released in February by the UK Publishers Association, had 64% of the publishing workforce as female with women making up 78% of editorial, 83% of marketing and 92% of publicity.
The general consensus is that young male writers have given up on literary fiction. They see more possibilities in narrative nonfiction (particularly travelogues and nature writing in the vein of Robert Macfarlane) or genre fiction (especially crime and sci-fi), which is less mediated by the culture and the conversations on X (Twitter) and TikTok.
For our part at Bite-Sized Books, we appear to be following the trend. Historically, female authors constituted 25% of the total. Of the books published within the last three years that’s now become 42%. The increase reflecting our increased mix of novels, poetry, and environmental issues.
And by way of illustrating that trend, here’s a small showcase of some of our influential female writers and contributors.
ANGELA ANTETOMASO
A Year of Pandemic in New York – The Fall and Rise of the Big Apple
Angela Antetomaso is an international Television Anchor and Host, Public Speaker and Moderator. She started her career in New York, working first at CNN and then at Bloomberg Television. She later joined CNBC in London as a TV Presenter and a Correspondent for its Italian-speaking channel.
For over 15 years Angela has daily hosted her own live TV Show, with in-depth interviews to high-profile guests including CEOs, Heads of State and Members of Parliament. Over the years she has also regularly contributed, with financial news and commentaries, to various other TV Channels: CNBC International, Sky, Mediaset. Angela is a member of the Board of Directors of the MSc in Management at Bayes Business School (formerly Cass Business School) in London.
Back cover copy of her book:
A fascinating ‘lifting of the lid’ on a City we all thought we knew.
The author narrates her experience in New York during the peak of the coronavirus outbreak, the bumpy recovery that brought the Big Apple back to normal, and the many challenges in between.
A compelling description of the devastation that fell upon NYC as it became the epicentre of the pandemic, and a heartfelt portrayal of the new City that emerged from it – quite different from the New York we used to know.
The author guides us on a powerful and emotional journey, balancing enlightening facts with a very human perspective, in a sobering and actually uplifting record of a unique, extraordinary eighteen months.
If you’ve ever lived or visited New York this is for you.
BUY ON AMAZON – https://tinyurl.com/236mkuvu
ANNA CORTHOUT
Alive Again: My Journey to Recovery (new 2023 edition)
In this updated 2023 edition of Alive Again, we follow the inspiring story of Anna through to recovery from a terrible car crash, as she re-builds her life and finds new meaning. At first, she couldn’t talk, couldn’t walk, couldn’t hear, couldn’t swallow, and her fine motor skills were non-existent – she had to start again from scratch.
Now she has a new zest for life, and it is that story, which makes this book so powerful.
Written with no self-pity, Anna demonstrates the power of determination with eloquence and even a wry smile at times.
BUY ON AMAZON – https://tinyurl.com/mrx43cez
LIZ GERARD
TRUSSED UP: How the Daily Mail tied itself in knots over the Tory leadership
Liz Gerard worked for 40 years in newspapers, 30 of them at The Times, where she was one of the night editors. She now writes and speaks about print journalism.
She is an ‘embittered Remoaner’ who believes she is neither embittered nor moany – just angry and depressed about Brexit.
The Daily Mail is the newspaper Tory MPs respect and fear. But what happens when the paper loses the plot?
Outraged that Boris Johnson was forced out in July 2022, the Voice of Middle England pulled out all the stops to make sure the Tories installed Liz Truss as PM. She lasted six weeks before the paper admitted she was a disaster, flirted with the notion of a Johnson comeback, and finally, in a jaw-dropping U-turn, hailed the ‘new dawn’ of Rishi Sunak – the man it had spent all summer denigrating.
Fleet St knockabout? Or are more serious issues at play? In this sharp and witty analysis, award-winning media commentator and former Times executive Liz Gerard dissects more than 100 news reports and editorials to lay bare the confusion, contortions and contradictions that left the Mail squirming. Shouldn’t the paper at least acknowledge its role in landing us with the Truss catastrophe?
For students of the interplay between politics, journalism and history, this provocative and disturbing investigation is unmissable.
Buy on Amazon – https://tinyurl.com/s57e9msc
YUE HE
China’s Ukraine Dilemma: The shaping of a new world order
Yue Parkinson is uniquely placed to interpret China to the West and the West to China, and in this her second Bite-Sized Book she illuminates as no other writer can what the Chinese position is and how the West can work with China in the new world order.
China’s decision in the Ukraine war has confused the West.
It has been trying to show its neutral position, and hasn’t condemned Putin, saying in the Chinese State media that it’s a military action, rather than an invasion. By and large, China’s state media has followed the Russian description of the war. At the same time, China has been telling Biden and the EU they prefer a peaceful Europe. The West has been hoping China can be a peace negotiator, but so far, they have been disappointed. Biden warned President Xi in a video talk not to support Russians with arms. So far China has been carrying on doing business with Russia, ignoring the sanction call from the US.
Why did China disappoint the West? Because the Western liberal doesn’t know the Chinese Realist mindset, let alone the difference between the Western 19th century realist mindset and the 21st century Chinese realist mindset. In the same way, a Chinese Realist mindset will never be able to understand that formal Western Realism has evolved into Liberalism which has led to diplomacy, trust, and kindness being based upon international law. In the eyes of some Chinese, the Westerners are stupid because they are kind and trust people so much, which is insane.
BUY ON AMAZON – https://tinyurl.com/mvaa8dm4
BEVERLEY NIELSEN
INDIA AT 75 – THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS
Beverley Nielsen is Associate Professor and Director at the Institute for Design, Economic Acceleration & Sustainability (IDEAS) at Birmingham City University, UK. She has written and edited Bite-Sized Books on topics as diverse as Brexit, English regions, Green Economy and Green Manufacturing as well as on Redesigning Manufacturing. She served as an Expert Commissioner on the All-Party Manufacturing Group at the House of Commons and is an independent district and county councillor in Worcestershire. Alongside her research, previous experience includes her role as Director of FTSE 250 company, Aga Rangemaster, and MD of interiors business, Fired Earth, with over a decade spent at the Confederation of British Industry as Director of the CBI West Midlands. She has an honorary Masters degree and has been recognised as Midlands Business Woman of the Year, West Midlands Business Ambassador of the Year and Woman of the Decade in Enterprise and Leadership.
Here’s the full description of one of the many books Beverley has written for us.
INDIA at 75, Thoughts and Reflections
Edited by Makhan Singh, Steven McCabe and Beverley Nielsen
Following India’s birth as an independent nation, when the country experienced the trauma of the largest migration of human beings in history resulting in up to two million deaths, the country’s leaders were faced with an immense challenge.
In the 75 years since independence on 15th August 1947, India has remained sovereign, democratic, free and diverse, making phenomenal progress in developing a thriving country in which citizens and its diaspora derive pride and continuing inspiration.
This book presents a wide range of accounts, primarily written by academics from the UK and India, giving personal insights into the economic, social, cultural and technological progress in India since independence. This includes business and innovation, automotive, health and midwifery, culture, fashion, music and cinema, farming, railways, economics and the technological revolution, space industry, Indian Muslims, and perspectives on the future.
BUY ON AMAZON – https://tinyurl.com/2p8xx4nu
ANNE PHILLIPS
Advancing Diabetes Care Across India
Professor Anne Phillips is the creator and driving force behind this important medical book which was written to celebrate the graduation of her Masters students. They are all medical doctors and specialists in diabetes care in their individual clinics in states across India. The book was the centrepiece of the convocation held in Mumbai on 9th March this year.
Anne is a Professor in Diabetes Care Birmingham City University. Anne is also a Queens Nurse and gained the National Teaching Fellow status in 2017. Anne leads the Advancing Diabetes Care programme. Anne was born in Kolkata and grew up in Assam where her father was a Tea Garden Manager, and her mother was a Public Health Nurse working for the World Health Organisation. Anne has an Honorary Contract as a Diabetes Research Nurse with the Diabetes Team at Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital, Birmingham.
Here’s the dustsheet copy:
Advancing Diabetes Care Across India
Edited by Professor Anne Phillips with Martha Stewart
Welcome by Anita Bhalla, OBE DL, Chair of the Board of Governors, Birmingham City University (BCU)
Foreword by Professor Wasim Hanif MD FRCP, Medical Director, Advancing Diabetes Course, Birmingham City University
Testimonial by Dr Andrew Fleming, British Deputy High Commissioner in Kolkata
Following India’s birth as an independent nation, India has evolved into a democratic, free and diverse, making phenomenal progress in developing a thriving country in which citizens and its diaspora derive pride and continuing inspiration. India has the second largest number of people diagnosed with different types of diabetes in the world. This places enormous burden on individuals diagnosed, their families and also the health care system. India faces 5 ‘A’s in diabetes care – awareness in the population, access to diabetes aware practitioners, absence of trained practitioners, accountability of the practitioners and affordability of polypharmacy required for individuals with diabetes, in particular insulin. This book demonstrates the outreach of educated medical doctors in diabetes care across India. Their illustrations of reaching out to their local populations is exemplary.
Paperback coming soon
VICKY PRYCE
Exploring the Green Economy: Issues, Challenges and Benefits
Professor Vicky Pryce is a Visiting Professor at Birmingham City University, a former Joint Head of the UK Government Economic Service (GES), and on the board of the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR).
She is a regular contributor to the books of John Mair, Beverley Nielsen and Steve McCabe. Here she writes a chapter in Exploring the Green Economy.
In considering how we can meet environmental targets, crucial to delivering Net Zero and fulfilling our commitments to the Paris Agreement, and in the context of the fact that we are holding the COP26 Climate Conference later this year, we must now focus on action and on increasing the pace of our response.
Faced with impending catastrophe, action is urgently required. It is imperative that radical reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases is central to whatever processes are carried out in the future. Every facet of our existence has an impact on the environment. Greenhouse gases, regardless of their origin, impact on the planet as a whole.
It is vital that we stimulate both discussion and action and this book is both a call to arms and a celebration of what is already being achieved, written by a wide cross section of experts in this field.
The book is divided into two parts. The first, ‘What are the Fundamentals of a Greener Economy?’, is intended to consider how change leading to a green economy may be facilitated.
Part Two of this book, ‘Principles in Action’ presents a number of chapters written by those who have engaged in achieving green initiatives in their organisations.
Edited by Dr Steven McCabe and Beverley Nielsen of BCU IDEAS, the book has a Foreword by The Baroness Brown of Cambridge, Professor Dame Julia King, DBE FREng FRS, formerly Deputy Chair, Climate Change Committee (CCC), Chair CCC Adaptation Committee; Chair of the Carbon Trust and Non-Executive Director of renewable energy company Ørsted and of fuel cell and electrolyser company Ceres Power.
There are contributions from: Vicky Pryce, Economist and Visiting Professor, BCU; Tony Juniper, Chair, Nature Conservation Agency and Fellow, the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership; Sir Jonathon Porritt, Environmental Campaigner; Tom Field, Chief Executive Officer, UVTech-Hygienics; Lisa Trickett and Bryan Nott; Matthew Rhodes, Chair of West Midlands Energy Capital; Margot James, Executive Chair, WMG, Hopi Sen, Research Fellow, WMG, Dr Vannessa Goodship Associate Professor, Materials and Manufacturing Group, WMG, University of Warwick; Tor Farquhar, Ex-HR Director, Tata Steel, Europe; David Seall, Independent Director, Advisor and Chartered Engineer; Richard Haynes, Franco Cheung, Paul Nicol; Craig Sams, co-founder of Green & Black’s, advocate of sustainable farming and leading voice for Carbon Gold; with an Afterword by Jack Dromey MP, Vice Chair APPG for the Environment, House of Commons.
HEIDI RICKARD
Morse, Lewis, Endeavour and Oxford – Tours
This updated 2023 Edition is must for anyone who loves MORSE and OXFORD.
Heidi Rickard is both an expert tour guide of Oxford and a very expert author on the TV production locations in Oxford of the various MORSE series. See her website: https://www.walkingtoursofoxford.com.
Heidi co-edited this fantastic book along with principle editors John Mair and Richard Lance Keeble.
The back cover blurb goes like this:
Morse is Oxford and Oxford is Morse. It has been since Endeavour Morse burst on to British TV screens in 1987. There have now been 102 episodes of the murder mysteries of Morse, Lewis and Endeavour. It ends in March 2023 with the last Endeavour.
BUY ON AMAZON – https://tinyurl.com/3zra95eb
ATIMA SRIVASTAVA
Dark Waters
Atima Srivastava is relatively new to Bite-Sized Books but not new to the media world.
Atima was born in Mumbai in 1961 and came to London at age 10. She was a film editor for 16 years and then a university lecturer developing and teaching courses in Literature, Film and Immigration. She has published two other novels, as well as several screenplays and short stories and been a Visiting British Writer in Residence at universities in over 50 cities including Seoul, Mumbai, Mainz, Sophia, Bern, Koln, Lugano and Singapore.
Here’s the back cover copy:
Another gripping story from the best-selling author of It Takes a Girl.
Kavya Sharma has it all. Unearned privilege and long legs, a good family, a beach house and a loving husband but she also has a chronic drink problem and resents being told off about it. Determined to take control of her situation, she spirals into a shapeless world inhabited by those who have murder in mind.
BUY ON AMAZON – https://tinyurl.com/5ah9wm7d