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:

  • Flannery O’Connor: A Reading Primer — Even if you don’t need the list, if you’ve read her, you’ll appreciate what Van Young says. If you don’t know O’Connor — change that — you’ll love her.
  • How JK Rowling was revealed as the true author behind the Robert Galbraith novels — It’s a little light on the details, on the how, but I liked reading about why she adopted the name. I love this line: “the Robert Galbraith novels have distinguished Rowling as a master of plot, pacing and characterisation. She will not be remembered among the literary greats, but as the most addictively compelling writer of a generation.”
  • You only hurt the one you love — I almost did a full post reacting to this post from Kim Harrison, but couldn’t find the time. This is depressing and shocking in what it says about the publishing world today (yet, not at all counterintuitive) — for someone with Harrison’s pedigree to be this close to being finished after one book? I’m having a hard time wrapping my brain around that. Also, because of The Drafter? Which I still say is her best work. I don’t get it.
  • What do Goodreads ratings say about sales? — fantasy author Mark Lawrence crunches some numbers. (hat tip:Harry Connolly)
  • Can you pronounce the names of these literary characters? — I missed two, one of which I blame on an English professor (graduate level class, no less), the other was dumb on my part. Not going to tell you which two. How did you do?

    This Week’s New Releases featured a bunch of installments in series I’ve never heard of/read and a few things that just don’t catch my eye, with one exception:

  • Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl — a YA adventure for Natasha Romanoff.