Links Galore

A few more links to wrap up the week:

Links Galore

A few more links to get you through Monday:

On TV, No One Revises and Book Contacts Aren’t Scary

If you’re a writer, you might be used to your family and friends asking certain questions about the publishing process. Questions like, “Is your book out yet?” and “Why don’t you just send it to the publisher?” Generally, these questions aren’t intended to frustrate you or make you grit your teeth as you reply, “It takes a while.” Most people don’t know much about the writing or publishing process, and all they can base their assumptions on is what they see in movies.

YA Highway has a pretty great take-down of TV/Movie Publishing vs. Real Publishing, such as:

1. Books Are Published Over Night
I noticed this one most recently on Gossip Girl when Dan, one of the main characters, ended up with a book deal. The means by which he got that deal were one thing – totally unrealistic is an understatement – but even more ridiculous was the timing.  The book was published just two or three months later.  In reality, books usually take closer to a year or even two to publish after being sold.”

I would say that books usually take closer to two or there years to publish after being sold. There’s stuff to do, guys! Editorial! Marketing! Sales! It takes times!

Another I’d add would be that in movies/on TV, the first draft of anything is pretty much perfect. You write your novel, submit it to your editor, and you’re good to go. In real life, the revision/editorial process takes a lot of time.

Also, a lot of the time I see people in publishing depicted as cold and only caring about the bottom line. Even though publishers obviously have to care about sales, the majority of people I’ve met in publishing have been people who actively care about books. They got into the job because they love books, not to make a ton of money. For the most part, everyone is hardworking and encouraging and thoughtful. It’s a great industry, really!

Make sure to check out the whole list. It’s especially helpful if you’re at home for Thanksgiving and need an explanation for why people can’t buy your book at Barnes and Noble yet.

Hedgehogs, Assemble!

Reason #92 why the Brookline Library and its teen librarians/patrons are awesome: Avenger Book Hedgehogs.

It’s like everything I love in one place! And Thor has a hammer! *dies of cuteness*

A little about the project:

“Specially appearing at tonight’s lock-in event for our teen manga/anime club, and then on to a display in the Brookline Library: Marvel’s Avengers!  These hedgehogs, made of repurposed books (drawn from our discarded but well-loved to the point of falling apart comics and paperbacks – no worries, replacements have already hit the shelves!), are decked out in full Avengers gear made by yours truly from duct tape.  Powered by craftiness and geek passion.”

Craftiness and geek passion can do anything. If you want to make your own book hedgehogs (superhero or otherwise), check out the tutorial here.

The library also hosted a hedgehog book-making event for Halloween. Can teen Annie time travel to the Brookline Library and get to do awesome stuff like this?

One Step Closer to a Giver Movie

So is The Giver movie really happening? Looks like it:

Hollywood has been trying to bring Lois Lowry’s celebrated 1993 children’s book “The Giver” to the bigscreen for the better part of two decades — now the movie is one step closer to fruition, as Phillip Noyce (“Salt”) is in early talks to direct for The Weinstein Co., Walden Media and star Jeff Bridges, who is producing with Nikki Silver…

As recently as last month, Lowry expressed her doubts that “The Giver” would ever be made, having read four screenplays over the years. But with studios high on branded properties, the time may be right for “The Giver,” which also offers franchise potential. Lowry wrote two loosely-related companion novels, “Gathering Blue” and “Messenger,” while a fourth novel, “Son,” was released earlier this year and ties all three storylines together in an epic conclusion.

I’m sure part of the current push also has to do with the recent trend toward dystopian YA, and the success of the first Hunger Games movie.

Not sure how I feel about a movie adaptation, actually. Walt and I were talking about it recently, and we both said the film would have to find a way around the color issue. It’s such an unexpected moment in the book, but on screen it would be obvious pretty fast. Still, I know there have been stage adaptations of The Giver, so I’m sure they’ve had to deal with that issue as well. And I can see Jeff Bridges as the Giver, even though he’s not the guy I’ve been picturing. At any rate, I’m hopeful about this one.

(image: epSOS.de)

Links Galore

Lots of fun links for today: