Saturday Miscellany — 7/12/14

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

• Rowling writes story about 30-plus Harry Potter — You probably didn’t hear about it, but a children’s author released a short story this week as a follow-up to an older series. Maybe a news site or two mentioned it. Probably worth a read (I haven’t yet, not sure why).
• A couple of good extra-Internet pieces this week: First, last week’s Face the Nation featured a discussion with several mystery/thriller writers, including Lee Child: Mystery writers discuss their favorite summer reads — During this discussion, Child said, “The best book is not watching the detective work on a crime, it’s watching the crime work on the detective.” Something about that really registered with me, and I’m going to write something in response to this soon. I hope.
• The second is a nice NPR piece prompted by Landline: Rainbow Rowell Does Romance With A Subversive (Read: Realistic) Twist
• When I’m not reading, I’m generally watching TV (or working or sleeping, or spending time with that group of people I live with and share a name with — I think you call them a family). This week it was announced — after years of rumors and bad starts — that Lev Grossman’s The Magicians is getting a Syfy pilot and that Terry Brooks’ Shannara is getting a full season on MTV. I’ve seen a lot of backlash about the MTV part of the deal — but I don’t see why. They’ve done some pretty good scripted stuff lately. And, most importantly — Shannara’s going to be on TV. Who cares where?
• Five Plum Reasons to Read Top Secret Twenty-One by Janet Evanovich — The other day, I wondered why I keep reading this series. Paul Goat Allen gives me 5 reasons. (well, not me, really — but I can pretend, can’t I?)
• Map of the City Where Every Novel Takes Place — Well, not every Novel. But a whole lot of them. Great concept, great execution. *cough*165 shopping days ’til Xmas*cough*
• Top ten fictional bookshops — Who doesn’t love bookstores? They’re not reading this blog, for sure. Sure, I’d have included Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. But still, fun list.
• Speaking of Grossman, The Magician’s Land by Lev Grossman Book Trailer This trailer features a few (I’m guessing) paragraphs from the upcoming book read by fans/fellow authors, taking a sentence or so each. It’s just a great section, don’t care what book it is. But as it’s this one? Just makes it better. I’ve watched this a few times already.

This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
• Tail of Vengeance by Spencer Quinn — a Chet & Bernie short story. Wa-hoo.
• The Competition by Marcia Clark — The fourth Rachel Knight book, this time Knight and the gang are dealing with a school shooting.
• Landline by Rainbow Rowell — Can a magic telephone fix a troubled marriage? (There’s a sentence I never expected to write.)