Nick Hornby News

Exploring the latest trends in digital fabrication, Out of Hand: Materializing the Postdigital at the Museum of Arts and Design is the first in-depth survey dedicated to exploring the impact of computer-asisted methods of production on contemporary art, architecture, and design.

Byliner recently published Joy Williams's new fiction e-short, 99 Stories of God ($1.99), the first new book in a decade from the acclaimed author of State of Grace, Escapes, Taking Care, and Breaking and Entering. Williams has a one-of-a-kind gift for capturing both the absurdity and the darkness of everyday life, and in 99 Stories of God she takes on one of mankind's most confounding preoccupations: the Supreme Being.

The upcoming broadcast season is undoubtedly going to be a good one. At least a whole lot better than the current slate of programming (most networks have ditched their 2012-2013 additions). NBC, CBS, Fox, and ABC have managed to enlist some major talent to headline their new shows for the 2013-2014 lineup, and are now in the process of announcing their pick-ups. It's a rarity for execs to land such names as Rebel Wilson, Gillian Anderson, Robin Williams, Allison Janney, Anna Faris, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Greg Kinnear at all - let alone all for new series in one year. And so, below are the top ten just-ordered network shows with the most potential!

NBC has announced a new lineup of primetime shows for the 2013-14 season that provide a winning combination of popular returning series, fresh new comedies, compelling new dramas and the latest season of "The Voice," the top reality program on television.

Deadline reports that NBC has picked up a comedy series starring Broadway vet Sean Hayes and Victor Fresco titled SEAN SAVES THE WORLD. The network has also ordered the new drama 'Believe' from J.J. Abrams. Below, check out the credits and descriptions for NBC's newly picked up series

Byliner recently published Joy Williams's new fiction e-short, 99 Stories of God ($1.99), the first new book in a decade from the acclaimed author of State of Grace, Escapes, Taking Care, and Breaking and Entering. Williams has a one-of-a-kind gift for capturing both the absurdity and the darkness of everyday life, and in 99 Stories of God she takes on one of mankind's most confounding preoccupations: the Supreme Being.

This summer Tift Merritt will tour with Gaslight Anthem throughout the Northeastern U.S.; please see below for a list of dates.

In Half-Life: Reflections from Jerusalem on a Broken Neck ($3.99), released today by digital publisher Byliner, Joshua Prager delivers an often agonizing, frequently comic, and always soulful account of a young man's attempt to survive a near fatal injury and recover his formerly carefree existence, only to discover that it is gone forever.

BroadwayWorld.com has just learned the sad news that Kevin Gray, who most recently was seen in New York at the 25th Anniversary Gala for The Phantom of the Opera, passed away suddenly of a heart attack last night at the young age of 55. Gray leaves behind his wife, Dodie Pettit, who he met while starring in Broadway's Phantom.

"It's commonly said that if people understood the difficulties and heartbreaks of having children, they might not do it," writes Walter Kirn in MY MOTHER'S BIBLE($1.99), just released by Byliner, the acclaimed e-shorts publisher. "This seems to be true of God as well. Parenthood was not what he expected."

The digital publishing startup Byliner announced today a collaboration with The New York Times for a series of co-produced e-shorts that play to the Times's longstanding reportorial strengths in culture, politics, sports, business, science, and health and feature some of its finest writers.

Sebastian Junger, arguably America's greatest chronicler of life lived at its extremes and the bestselling author of The Perfect Storm, War, and A Death in Belmont publishes a rare work of short fiction today with digital publisher Byliner, A WORLD MADE OF BLOOD ($1.99).

The bestselling memoir, WILD, by Cheryl Strayed is set for a big-screen adaptation - with fellow novelist Nick Hornby penning the script, and Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon starring. Witherspoon and Bruna Papandrea will produce for River Road Entertainment. Deadline first broke the news on the adaptation this evening.

Fuller's new e-single, published today by Byliner, Falling: The Story of a Marriage($2.99) is a heartbreakingly honest tale of passion and loss. It speaks to wives, husbands, and anyone who has been deeply in love.

Having recently performed at the Americana Music Association Conference in Nashville, Merritt is touring North America in support of the new record. Dates include a fall tour with Justin Townes Earle before a February headlining tour throughout the east coast and southeast. Please see below for a list of shows.

Mildred's Umbrella Theatre Company proudly presents our Houston area premier of Kimberly Akimbo, by Pulitzer Prize- winning playwright, David Lindsay Abaire. The show will be directed by veteran Houston director, Ron Jones, starring Carolyn Boone, Kim Tobin-Lehl, Jennifer Decker, Luke Fedell and Ty Doran. The performances will run November 29 thru December 15, 2012 at Studio 101 at Spring Street Studios.

Shakedown explodes the postwar America of June and Ward Cleaver, breathing randy new life into the man who whetted our national appetite for sex and scandal. Freddy's lack of scruples-and lack of morality-make today's gossip culture seem almost innocent. What's true and what's fiction? Ellroy's certainly not telling.

At 5:00 p.m. on September 11, 2001, an ashen-faced but composed President Al Gore stepped into the East Room of the White House to deliver a televised address to the nation. With him were former presidents Clinton and Bush, as well as Texas governor George W. Bush-flown to Washington from Dallas on a military jet, his first visit back to the capital after the close race that lost him the presidency just months before.

Variety reports that Rosamund Pike, Sam Neill, Toni Collette, Pierce Brosnan, Aaron Paul and Imogen Poots have joined the cast of the upcoming film A LONG WAY DOWN. The project is based on the best-selling dark comedy from Nick Hornby.

Tift Merritt's highly anticipated Yep Roc Records label debut Traveling Alone is due October 2. The album was recorded in Brooklyn with Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, My Morning Jacket, Spoon) and features a guest appearance by Andrew Bird as well as performances by Marc Ribot, Rob Burger (Lucinda Williams, Iron & Wine, Rufus Wainwright), John Convertino (Calexico), Eric Heywood (The Jayhawks, Son Volt, Alejandro Escovedo) and Merritt's longtime collaborator Jay Brown.