RIASS stuff:
Book Review: Big Sky Mountain by Linda Lael Miller'Rating: 
Book Review: Your Voice in My Head by Emma Forrest'Rating:
Book Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry'Rating:
Excerpt and Giveaway: Big Sky Mountain by Linda Lael Miller'(open to US/Canadian readers)
Other bookish stuff:
Andrew Nette on'Fifty Shades of Grey and pulp fiction'Nette argues that EL James has fed into the tradition of pulp fictionwhich oozes sensationalism, excess, and sex, and is often all about paying the bills.
Fictional people are real, too (or at least, they should be)'A thoughtful take on the importance of character, as well as what goes into making believable, relatable characters. And also a comparison of authors with spies.
Is our attitude of if you havent got anything nice to say, then dont say it ruining literary criticism?'The author argues that where reviewers used to be able to separate their critical and personal lives, social media has now made it impossible to do so. How can you legitimately review someones book when youre chatting with them on Twitter all day, and when your relationship with them becomes something more than just reading printed words on a page? And the problem, then, is that criticism becomes personal.
An interview with John Irving'Writing, in my opinion, is the opposite of having ego. Confidence as a writer should not be confused with personal, egotistical confidence. A writer is a vehicle. I feel the story I am writing existed before I existed; I'm just the slob who finds it, and rather clumsily tries to do it, and the characters, justice. I do have to say that quotes like this make me twitch a little. I am the vessel! I am the channel for the muse! In this overweening desperation to appear the unchosen one, Irving seems to be having the opposite effect to whats desired, I think
Melville House on the million dollar book deal bizzo'Deals like these often hinge on editor-agent relationships and the lengths an editor or publisher is willing to go to build a particular list. Women in their late 20s and early 30s appear to be scoring the top deals lately.
What makes writing good? (Or bad?)'Interestingly, the author focuses a good deal on how overwriting and bloating are the biggest culprits when it comes to writing sins. Im reminded of the quote''If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter (which has been variously attributed), and Im inclined to agree. The delete button is everyones friend. (Yes, I know, pot, kettle and all that.)
Tiffany Reisz on writing zingy dialogue'Be funny, be unpredictable and, if youre like me, pepper your work with rhyming slang. (Okay, maybe dont do that last one.)
Marie Brennan on [spoiler alert] spoilers'Brennan'argues that she can be just as drawn into a story whose ending she knows all too wellwere all happy enough to read books or watch films based on historical events, arent we? The secret ingredient to make the already known of interest is empathy, she says, noting that shes plenty happy to revisit films or books that engender this. What spoilers'do ruin, she says, is work that is weak and that doesnt hold up to a second look.
Olympic athletes are turning to book club to psych themselves up'I thought it was funny that the athletes even had enough time to read and that people who are so dedicated to winning would read about characters who only lose, says author Nicole Krauss about the fact that the current pick is her book The History of Love.'
Angela of Literary Minded with her favourite books about Marilyn Monroe
A look at the dangers of autocorrect, and how our typos are now at the mercy of technology rather than our own fat fingers. Also, just so you know, my phone corrects my name to Arrogant.
The Terrible Thing that Happened to Barnaby Brocket by John Boyne book trailer:
Hey, thanks for the plug. I always appreciate it. BTW, although Andrew Curry is a good name my real name is Andrew Nette :-)
Oops! Fixing that now :)
No worries.