Saturday Miscellany—5/9/20

I actually left the house this week, for a whole 20 minutes. Thankfully, I do remember how to drive. You all doing okay?

I didn’t see anything about supporting Indie Bookstores this week—the first time since the COVID-19 shutdowns began. So…no article/blogpost/etc this week just me urging you to support your local (or someone’s local—I’m partial to Rediscovered Books) Indie Bookstore. Use: IndieBound.org, Bookshop.org, or Libro.fm (for Audiobooks) to help you find one or order online.

that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
Lockdown diaries: the indie publisher—Orenda Books’s Karen Sullivan talks about her COVID-19 experience, and looks at how it’s affecting the publishing world (particularly the independent publishing world).
Small presses fear being ‘wiped out’ by autumn—This focuses on UK & Irish presses, but am willing to bet that things look similar in the US.
The world turns on stories…—It’s an Indie Book Blog talks about how great Indie Presses are, how much trouble they’re in and calls for us to keep buying from them (directly, when possible). I should take the time to write things like this, I know. But I’ll just point you to this one instead.
DEAD GIRL BLUES-How My New Novel Came About and Why I’m Publishing It Myself—the famed, inestimable, and prolific Lawrence Block talks about the process of writing his upcoming novel and why he chose to self-publish it.
Book Pirates Don’t Think They’re Stealing: In the pandemic age, a fight about e-books tests the limits of free information—…and they’re wrong. It’s clear-cut and indefensible, in my not at all humble opinion.
My First Thriller: Michael Connelly—”How the creator of Harry Bosch discovered Chandler, forged a career, overcame rejection, and got his first book published”
The Great Fantasy Debate Video Series Tackles Fantasy’s Greatest “What Ifs?”—This looks like it could be a brilliant series.
Bosch covers re-imagined—Graphic Designer Rusell Walks merges Titus Welliver with Bosch’s love for jazz to come up with new covers for all the novels. Love this.
Five fantasy series that are great for beginners —for Wyrd and Wonder, Mug Full of Books provides this handy guide.
Women in Fantasy: the good, the bad, and the hardcore—Witty and Sarcastic Book Club kicks off their Wyrd and Wonder month with this.
The Standard Post About Reading Slumps—a few thoughts on the dreaded Reading Slump from The Fantasy Inn’s Kopratic
Never judge a book by its cover?! – Part One: Musings—Bookends and Bagends kicks off a series focusing book covers
ARC Overload?! – My Ity Opinion—something I battle with all-too-frequently (and keep opening myself to)

That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Why Don’t Sheep Shrink? by M. W. Craven—a Poe & Tilly short story exclusively on The Crime Vault.

I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome toSakari Lacross, The Apocalypse Daddy, and Stine Writing for following the blog this week. Don’t be a stranger, and use that comment box, would you?