Friday Links

Tags

book recs, books, craft, culture, reading, writers

TGIF! I’m not sure where the week has gone, honestly. It seemed to be jam packed and in quite a hurry. I hope you’ve all had a good one, and are gearing up for a fun weekend that includes a little reading and/or writing time.

Per usual, I have links to offer for education and diversion. May they break up a slow afternoon or provide a bit of entertainment between tasks. Wishing you all a great weekend and happy writing!

Tsundoku – A Japanese word, the meaning of which fits me (and likely many of you) perfectly.

The Adjunct – An entertaining look at grading papers, sure to amuse anyone who has ever taught or even taken an English class.

100 Best First Lines from Novel – According to the American Book Review. Fun, regardless of whether you agree with the choices.

And finally, below, some thoughts on reading and rereading from authors attending the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books last month, courtesy of the Los Angeles Review of Books.

Nalini Singh Tour Info

Tags

book tour, books, Nalini Singh, reading, signing, writers

Just a quick post to announce that Nalini Singh has initial book tour information up on her blog. The tour coincides with the release of her next Psy/Changeling novel, HEART OF OBSIDIAN, which hits stores June 4th. Please note that even if there isn’t a signing near you, you will be able to order signed books from stores holding “virtual” signings.

Friday Links

Tags

books, craft, internet, libraries, reading, tips, writers, writing

And we’re back! I felt very weird about not having a links post last week. I enjoy finding interesting tidbits online over the course of the week and choosing things to share with all of you. It’s become an entertaining habit. So I’m happy to report that this week was more the normal level of chaotic, and I once again have a selection of links to post.

I hope you all had a great week, and that you’re looking forward to the weekend. For those of you celebrating, I wish you a very happy Mother’s Day on Sunday.  And of course I wish all of you good reading and writing time. Enjoy!

Bestselling Thriller Authors Confess Their Biggest Fears – Everyone is scared of something.

You May Be a Book Hoarder If… – I resemble that remark. I suspect I have plenty of company.

10 Haunted Libraries of the US – Okay, so it’s not Halloween, but ghosts are fun all year round.

Reading It Wrong – An interesting look at what we as readers bring to reading by way of our expectations.

Writing Excuses: Blocking – A great podcast on writing about characters and scenery and their places in your narrative.

Happy Book Day!

Tags

agency, books, reading, Regency, romance, Samantha Grace, writers

A very happy book release day to Samantha Grace, whose latest sexy Regency romance, LADY VIVIAN DEFIES A DUKE, hits stores today.

The Naked Truth

Lady Vivian Worth knows perfectly well how to behave like a lady. But observing proper manners when there’s no one around to impress is just silly. Why shouldn’t she strip down to her chemise for a swim? When her betrothed arrives to finally meet her, Vivi will act every inch the lady — demure, polite, compliant. Everything her brother has promised the man. But until then, she’s going to enjoy her freedom…

A Revealing Discovery

Luke Forest, the newly named Duke of Foxhaven, wants nothing to do with his inheritance — or the bride that comes with it. He wants adventure and excitement, like the enchanting water nymph he’s just stumbled across. When he discovers the skinny-dipping minx is his intended, he reconsiders his plan to find Lady Vivian another husband. Because the idea of this vivacious woman in the arms of another man might be enough to drive him insane — or to the altar.

Be sure to check out this fun, romantic romp. Big congrats again to Samantha Grace!

Friday Links Hiatus

Sorry, but I have no links for you this week. Things have been on the chaotic side the last few days, and there’s been very little in the way of random wandering of the web. I promise to resume linkage next week. In the meantime, wishing you all a lovely weekend. Happy writing!

The Last Bookshop

Tags

books, bookstores, culture, e-publishing, film, humorous, The Last Bookshop

If you’re looking for about a 20 minute break over the next couple of days, grab yourself a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy this little film. It somehow manages to be funny and charming, sly and sweet, sad and a bit scary, all with just a couple of characters. Filmed in London and Kent, England. Enjoy!

 

Friday Links

Tags

book recs, books, craft, culture, humorous, reading, writers, writing

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you’ve all had a great week and are looking forward to a lovely weekend of reading and writing and adventures. I have all of those on my schedule, plus a run and maybe a nice nap. Ah, nap… (It’s been a tense week; sleep has been at a premium.)

Thank you to everyone who signed up for or spread the word about my Writer’s Digest webinar, which I held yesterday. It went very well, with the exception of a temporary audio glitch when my phone decided to be a little scratchy and cranky, but that was soon fixed. I had a good-sized crowd and some excellent questions, and I’ve already received some lovely feedback, so I think people found it useful. I hope to have the opportunity to do more webinars in the future, because it was actually kind of fun.

Ah, but it’s Friday, which means links! I’ve a nice assortment this week, a little from column A, a bit from column B, so there should be something for everyone. I hope you find them entertaining and informative. Have a great weekend, and happy writing!

Dystopian Coming-of-Age Stories: A Reading List – Some suggestions from the folks at BookRiot, with more in comments.

What Should I Read on Vacation? A Question I Never Took Lightly Again – Summer’s around the corner. This is an interesting take on how to choose your holiday reads.

Writing Star Wars with Michael Arndt – An amusing little video. Writers will particularly appreciate this.

Writing Excuses: Narrative Rhythm – A great podcast on pacing.

The Young Salinger, Mordant Yet Hopeful – 9 letters by a young J.D. Salinger have turned up.

My Favorite Words

Tags

craft, editing, tips, writers, writing

Every writer has them, those words that seem to get used over and over and over again. Sometimes they’re big, shiny words that stick out like a sore thumb, but more typically they’re everyday sorts of words — your workhorse vocabulary — that sneak their way into your prose and make it sound lackluster through repetition.

You don’t need to be writing a novel to face this problem. Any piece of writing can fall victim to favorite-words syndrome, and any type of writer, from bloggers to journalists to short-story authors. The key is to be aware of the problem and, when you’re going through to revise, be sure to check carefully for overuse of those words in particular.

Young adult author Justine Larbalestier blogged recently about her own frequently used words, and she actually made a list of her personal culprits for reference. Looking through her list, I can see a few of my own offenders. I’m constantly going back through my writing and culling out “just” and “suddenly” and a few others. Plus I’ve my own list, of course.

Next time you’re revising, pay attention to your own frequently used words, especially those you could delete entirely. “That” is one you can cut half the time, for instance. If you find yourself shaking your head over your repetition, try making a list of words that show up particularly often and hang it over your desk as a reminder to keep an eye out for them on future projects. It’s amazing how much removing a few words can liven up your writing.

Friday Links

Tags

covers, craft, culture, Shakespeare, submissions, webinar, writers, Writers Digest, writing

Happy Friday, everyone! This week’s link list is a bit on the sparse side. I’m afraid most of my internet time was hijacked by things exploding, both literally — Boston, Texas — and figuratively — the U.S. Senate. Still, I do have a few offerings to entertain and inform you, so I hope you enjoy them. Have a wonderful weekend!

By Its Cover – 5 designers on book covers that inspire them.

The Questionable Fates of Famous Authors’ Birthplaces – There’s a disturbing number of Starbucks on this list.

Did Shakespeare Love the Cruellest Month? – Germaine Greer on the Bard and April.

And a quick reminder that I’m teaching a webinar next week through Writer’s Digest: Conquer the Dreaded Synopsis: Construct Your Ultimate Sales Tool. There’s still time to sign up, so head on over to register or pass the word along to your writer friends who might be interested.

 

 

Advice from the Trenches

Tags

books, craft, culture, humorous, inspiration, Joe Hill, John Scalzi, publishing, tips, writers, writing

Last week on Booktalk Nation, author John Scalzi interviewed author Joe Hill about writing, genre, and his new book NOS4A2. Between the two of them, these guys have written a number of books, short stories, blog posts, etc. Whether you write genre fiction or something else, you should check out the video of their chat, because much of what they have to say is just plain interesting if you have any sort of curiosity about writing and publishing, and the bulk of their advice applies to any type of writer. They’re also pretty damn amusing to watch.

Just a heads up: the interview is about an hour long, so keep that in mind before you hit the play button. Enjoy!