A few weeks back Arianna Huffington over at The Huffington Post announced the launch of their book club. Their first selection was IN PRAISE OF SLOWNESS: Challenging the Cult of Speed by Carl Honore. I think the subtitle of this book really says it all and it is fascinating that this was selected to [...]

[Read more →]

Harlequin, the romance publisher famous for starting the careers of such household names as Nora Roberts and Tess Gerritsen, has teamed up with Author Solutions to create a self-publishing imprint. Harlequin Horizons, the new author subsidized imprint is one of the first in what could be a trend of major publishing houses seeking alternative methods [...]

[Read more →]

This is something that I think about often when reading. How many people write in their books? Do you scribble notes to yourself, underline important/quote-worthy passages or do you just highlight words or sections? Does it help you better understand the material? Does it make the entire experience more memorable?
My parents collect rare books, so [...]

[Read more →]

I am going to try and use this blog as a place to disperse some pertinent information regarding strong publicity tactics. With publishing houses shrinking in staff and budgets dwindling, many authors will have to put their own time and effort into an effective campaign.
Here’s an insider tip:
MAKE YOUR PRESS RELEASE COUNT!
When faced with [...]

[Read more →]

“Whatever big events have recently occurred, sure enough, I’ll see projects that are trying to capture that lightning in a book.”
-Agent Nathan Bransford on the trends he sees in queries.
Bransford wrote last year about a wave of chick lit with heavy protagonists. Sure enough, fast forward one year and that is exactly what we are [...]

[Read more →]

CBS News deserves a medal! Every day we hear about book sections folding and the lack of interest surrounding literature, authors and publishing, and yet it is still one of the most influential and inspiring areas of our culture. It fills me with hope when I see news outlets adding book coverage to their [...]

[Read more →]

Neil Gaiman and Melvin Burgess are the latest authors to explore the potential of storytelling in 140-word bursts. Check it out here.

[Read more →]

Just received my December issue of Glamour (Women of the Year). This issue is also the debut of Katie Couric’s new column focusing on inspiring women.
       

[Read more →]

“People are deciding what media they want to consume out of a bewildering array of choices, and the ground is constantly shifting.”
-Literary agent, Nathan Bransford, at The Huffington Post, on why it is getting harder and harder for books to make a splash these days.

[Read more →]

Fantastic article from the Wall Street Journal on the writing techniques, styles, nuances of famous writers!
For example:
Dan Chaon writes a first draft on color-coded note cards he buys at Office Max. Ideas for his books come to him as images and phrases rather than plots, characters or settings, he says. He begins by jotting down [...]

[Read more →]