RIASS stuff:
Book Review: Life! Death! Prizes! by Stephen May'Rating: 
Book Review: Unearthly Asylum by PJ Bracegirdle'Rating:
Book Review: 13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison'Rating:
Young Adult Giveaway Hop: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry'(open to all)
Other bookish stuff:
Ever wanted to try your hand at Belgian binding?
Random House Australia is sponsoring the National Seniors Literary Prize for 2012.
Zingers from Gore Vidal''Write what you know will always be excellent advice for those who ought not to write at all.'
Of mice and librarians: in which'Stuart Little was challenged in the US.''She said something about its having been written by a sick mind,' E. B. White remembered. Everyone agrees that Moore made a threat and meant to carry it out: 'I fear 'Stuart Little' will be very difficult to place in libraries and schools over the country.
Agent Jo Monti on how he got into publishing'I grew up thinking that no one in publishing ever came from where I grew up, Yonkers, NY. I had the kind of high school experience that smothered dreams, said you weren't smart enough to have what you wanted. I grew up with a limited perspective and a small idea of what the world of publishing was like, that it was elite. And it is an elite environment.
What are your favourite books set in Melbourne?'The SMH asks a few of our top authors which such books do it for them. The titles listed include Helen Garners'Monkey Grip,'The Lost Dog by'Michelle de Kretser, and'Fergus Humes'The Mystery of a Hansom Cab'(which Ill be reviewing at some later point).
Ten questions my girlfriend asks about my job in publishing'Kind of sums it all up, actually. Except my husband always asks But why do they [insert random stupid thing that people in publishing do], to which I invariably respond with, Because thats just the way its done, okay?. Because it is. Sheesh.
The Book Browser: Round Melbourne Bookshops'A cool little column that ran in the The Argus from 1948-1956.
On the lack of diversity in historical fiction.'With a spiffy reading list. On a similar note, Im not sure whether its a good thing or a bad thing that one of the most popular posts on my site is my reading list of YA books with Asian protagonists. Its cool that its popular, but its disappointing that people need to actively search for a book that represents them.
Everyone wants their stuff to go viral, but does virality actually translate into dollars?
How a small American publisher got itself on the map (podcast)
Are you an expert on a particular author? Book Riot wants you.
Whats your favourite YA series? Click the link to find out what it says about you.
Have you heard about the new Penguin specials series? Theyre single sitting reads by spiffy people like Sonya Harnett, Helen Garner and Peter Goldsworthy.
Romance writers share some of their favourite authors
An interview with 18-year-old YA author Steph Bowe'I think its important, if you are unpublished, to realise that publication is not the end-point. You never make it. Its just the continuation of the journey.
Elvis Presley's library card is expected to fetch thousands in a Tennessee auction next week
Ebook prices fell in 2011, and its Gen Y, not the boomers who are buying the most books.'Kind of unsurprising news, both.
Sydney schools are using technology to encourage kids to read.'The creation of book trailers, refurbishment of library spaces, allowing students to help source library books, and using QR technology to link books to reviews, trailers and so on.
What are the various cultural groups in NY reading?'This curious article check out what the different ethic groups across New York are reading, and it turns out that meat-heavy cookbooks are popular amongst Russian women, while serialised romance novels are huge amongst those from India or Pakistan. The article goes on to note that whats big amongst these groups in NY is not necessarily what would be big back at homewhere cultural or political ideologies may affect the acceptance or availability of certain books. Whats interesting, though is that despite the fact that many stores are brimming with translations, its not those who have grown up in NY who are seeking these out. The kids of Polish immigrants, for example, are far more inclined to read Twilight in English than Polish.
Its probably sad that I havent heard most of those Melbournian books! And that I didnt particularly enjoy Monkey Grip. On a positive note, I just bought Hume over the weekend! So I look forward to your review ;)
And eeep have NOT heard any of those historical fics!
I havent read many of them either, Tien! Its hard to be a well-rounded reader these daystheres just so much out there! :)