Links Galore

May 10, 2013Leave a comment

Lots of cool links this week:

Love the idea for the Young Authors Give Back tour.
Hipster Shakespeare and other historical figures re-imagined as contemporary figures.
An Arrested Development–Great Gatsby mashup is the best thing ever.
Also the best thing ever: Maureen Johnson’s call for book cover gender-flips.
Celebrate National Short Story Month by submitting to Flavorwire’s short fiction contest.
Great piece by Erika Dreifus on being a Jewish writer vs. writing Jewish fiction.
I need to keep these suggestions for preparing for author interviews and Q&As on file.
Attention teen wrtiers and storytellers! NPR wants to hear your stories.
This genre reveal party idea is hilarious, but I do kind of want cake for real now.
Pretty sure I need this tote.
Obviously I like books featuring mother-child relationships.

Read So Hard, Libraries Try to Find Me

April 26, 20132 Comments

Dance break for your Friday, book-style. Title suggests NSFW but the song itself is pretty safe:

Usually I’m less than impressed with people who try to do hip-hop parodies, but these ladies have major skill.

Get as Excited as Joseph Gordon Levitt About Your Favorite Book

March 25, 20132 Comments

You know how you know reading is cool? When celebrities get super excited about their favorite books, like a young Joseph Gordon Levitt did in this episode of (Teen Celebrity?) Jeopardy back in 1997:

Although I prefer Franny and Zooey, I dig Levitt’s style.

Confession: since I watched 3rd Rock from the Sun back in the day, a little part of me feels like I grew up with Joseph Gordon Levitt and am unreasonably proud of his current success as an actor. Like I expect to see him at the family reunion or something.

Prom Night Is Dark and Full of Terrors

March 12, 20131 Comment

By now, you’re probably already obsessed with the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. (All. The. Feelings!) But we’re winding down in the P&P plotline–Lizzie and Darcy have come to feel more about each other; Jane and Bing have reconciled; and Lydia has overcome the potential scandal of the heinous Wickham. I was really sad to imagine an end in the near future.

Fortunately, it looks like we’ve got another modern literary web series to latch onto–starring a few favorites from LBD! Although A Game of Thrones might be set in a medieval-ish fantasy world, looks like things translate pretty well to a contemporary high school setting in School of Thrones. I especially like the retro-hipster Starks.

And it’s only just started! Check out the first episode here:

Is it weird that this might actually inspire me to read beyond the first book?

The Road to Revision

February 28, 20131 Comment

Revision is a big part of the writing life, but it’s not the easiest part. Love Julie True Kingsley’s description of what revision feels like:

“Ever wonder what it feels like? Revision?

It’s kind of like getting in the car in Maine, driving to Kansas City, then turning around to pop into New York City to pick a friend during rush hour because you can’t go west without her. You get to Pennsylvania and realize that you forgot your underwear. So, you swing by the mall buy some (it’s not too far out of your way!). Then, while driving through Kansas you have all kinds of time to think about things you should have brought with you (there is plenty of time to think in Kansas! So you get your mom to send all that stuff to you). Then you realize that you picked up bed begs around Sioux City and you need to exterminate the infested car because really you’ve gone too far.

Soon you don’t care what you look like because you’ve been on the road for a couple of weeks. What’s hygiene anyways if you never see a soul you know. Heck, who cares what socks you wear.”

I totally feel this. It can be hard enough to finish your first draft. Then you have to revise it…and revise it…and revise it. You tweak one part, then your critique group says you need to flesh out another. Revision can feel like a road trip where you don’t really know how far it takes to get to the shiny city of final draft.

Fortunately, Julie also reminds us that, even when revision feels like you’re stranded on the side of the road, the journey is pretty freaking awesome. No matter what part of the trip you’re on, and even though it may feel like a lonely trek, there are a lot of other writers out there traveling right along with you.

(image: -Snugg-)

The Glamorous Movie Life of Editoral Assistants

February 20, 20132 Comments

From the Onion, the movie version of publishing:

“After being offered her dream job as an editorial assistant at a high-powered, nationally syndicated magazine last week, area film character Eleanor “Eddie” Edison moved into a beautiful brownstone home in the heart of Brooklyn, sources confirmed. “This place is perfect!” said the attractive, if naively hopeful, protagonist, who graduated with a degree in English/Creative Writing from a well-known northeastern university and now lives in a 5,000-square-foot waterfront property overlooking lower Manhattan.”

Change that around to “writer” and you’d have the same movie scenario, too. For anyone who wants to get into publishing/writing for the money, Amy Poehler has a suggestion:

Okay, so those of us in the book world may not have perfect brownstones, but we sure do love literature!

DFTBA, America

February 15, 2013Leave a comment

Worlds collide when John Green was invited to appear in President Obama’s Google+ Hangout. See the results below:

Smooth move, Obama. I also love how this brings together the world of YA and the world of politics. When I was a teen, I wasn’t that involved in politics. I didn’t see it as something I could have any part in and, frankly, found it kind of boring. (Totally untrue on both counts, but there you have it.) But videos like this could make teens feel like politics is a approachable, which could lead them to finding ways to get involved and get their voices heard.

Also, I’m voting for Eleanor.

How to Take a Great Author Photo–With or Without Cats

February 7, 20131 Comment

Since I’m married to a playwright, I know a bunch of actors and have gotten to see lots of lovely headshots in my time. But most actors are used to being in front of a camera. Authors aren’t quite as prepared for their author photos. Why can’t we

Fortunately, Scribner has some suggestions for making your author photo work:

Get your laser beam eyes ready, everyone. And don’t forget that crucial index finger!

(image: Scribner Books)

It’s Getting Haet In Here

January 28, 2013Leave a comment

Let’s start the week with a super fun grammar video:

I didn’t know that was how the possessive apostrophe s came to be; what a cool bit of language history. Although now I do want to bring up “haet” in everyday conversation.

(via The Dish)