RIASS stuff:
Book Review: Annie's Adventures (Sisters Eight) by Lauren Baratz-Logsted'(Rating: 
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Book Review: The Lost City of Z by David Grann'(Rating: 
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Interview: Leigh K Cunningham on channelling Oscar Wilde and the importance of writing in earnest
Other bookish stuff:
An article on that most terrifying of things: moving house when you own a lot of books. Lets just say that a very large percentage of the packing boxes from my last move contained books. Its part of the reason weve avoided moving in the past few years, to be honest. Although I am currently attempting to donate all my read books to charity in preparation for a (tentative) move overseas next year.
Writers, need an Emergency Hope Kit?'Mine contains chocolate.
An extract from Jeff Sparrows new book'Money Shot'(out today).
Loving this sand sculpture of a couple reading in bed
Do you absolutely need social media to sell books?'Honestly, Id say probably not. I think it depends on the author, their genre, and their books. Ive certainly'heard about books through social media, but Im not sure that Ive been enticed to buy something'because of social media. Social media is definitely more about platform and awareness than it is sales, and the degree to which its useful to a given writer depends on their existing platform, the availability/topicality of their book and, well, their ability to engage with others in a public forum.
A Harvard geneticist encodes his book in DNA. Really hope that this one was properly proofed!
Nicole Alexander on'Ernest Hemingway and the Girl from the Bush'Alexander reflects on the many stories that speak of the male relationship with the land and the male-oriented field of agriculture. Perhaps the dearth of female voices here is in part whats inspired the recent growth of rural romance?
Four questions to ask yourself when writing a scene'These involve your characters immediate goals and whether theyll be met, whether the scene works within the larger plot, and who or what will work with or oppose your characters.
Great article on the evolution of the paperback'Though complaints about the prices of books (particularly here in Australia) are the norm, it wasnt that long ago that books were actually out of the price range of the average person (and by'actually, I dont mean the same price as a movie, or a fifth of the price of your Foxtel bill. Comparatively, they were way more expensive). Until Pocket Books came up with the spiffy 20c paperback in 1939 (this price later dropped to 10c when enough stock was being moved). Penguin soon jumped on the bandwagon, and so too did a bunch of other publishers. Of course, not everyone (read literary snobs) was content with these el cheapo paperbacks, and it was at this point that the trade paperback was introduced. (Ah, the trade paperback, honestly, how I loathe thee. So expensive, so easily ruined, and too big to fit in my bookshelves.)
How do you choose what to read next?'Im one of those people who looks at the several hundred unread books on her shelf and goes, oh no! I have absolutely'nothing to read! I dont have an orderly TBR by any means. I need to browse and rummage about until I find not just the next book, but the'right book. Sometimes I feel like reading a particular genre or author, or a book set in a certain time or place, or sometimes I want to theme my reading in some way. Thats why, though I dont mind shopping for books online if Im after specific, Im best off in a physical book shop if Im just generally browsing for something to read.
Not bookish, but amusing: a company is printing advertising on freely distributed toilet paper rolls (sort of taking those freebie tissues in Japan to the next level). Marketings really going down the toilet!
Not entirely bookish, but author Brenda Peterson gave me the heads up about this mermaid conference that recently took place in the US. Whats the strangest convention youve seen?
The 20 irrefutable theories of book design'My favourite is fluffy kitten theory. (They also missed headless girl theory, girl in a dress theory, and horrible drawn-in-crayon typesetting theory)
An interview with Julie Kagawa about her new series (podcast)
What games do you play when reading books?
Thanks for the links! I like the idea of a Writer Hope Kit. Id have chocolate in mine toobut keeping some positive feedback youve gotten is a great idea!
-Lauren
Thanks, Lauren :) Im with you about the positive feedbackit certainly helps ease the pain of those rejections or other bad news!
That sand sculpture was awesome. I like to have a large tbr pile and then pick through the pile to find the book Im most in the mood for at that moment. I also need to look into donating some of my books. I have bits and parts of the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series that Ive lent to all my friends but now they just sit on my shelf, peering out with bright covers, needing to be read by more people.