Saturday Miscellany – 3/19/16

Getting a little more adjusted to the new schedule (but not so much that I’ve been able to watch a single episode of Bosch Season 2), I’ve got 3 posts ready for next week — and 2 more about there. We’re getting close to restoring normalcy here.

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

• The latest news on ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ shows how big corporations control copyright law — this gives me a headache . . .
• Winslow to Co-Author First Novel from Michael Mann Books — Huh. That seems like a pretty good match. Also a good reminder that I was going to read a lot more Winslow this year than I have so far.
• Against the “Serious Reader” — As an Irresponsible Reader, I have to agree with this BookRiot post. “I would like to set fire to the term “serious reader” and throw its ashes into the sea. That is my thesis here. Into. The. Sea.”
• Harry Potter’s female readers now driving the boom in ‘grip lit’ — I’d never heard of “Grip Lit” until this article — not sure I’m crazy about it, but whatever. Glad to see that the Potter boom is still having an impact.
• Lloyd Alexander’s Utterly Brilliant Prydain Books Are Getting a Second Chance as Movies — I’m somewhere between excited and apprehensive by this idea. Can we keep Peter Jackson and everyone associated with the Narnia films far away from these?
• The news got this updated (and got me to see it): The Chronicles of Prydain, which just got bought by Disney, is the greatest fantasy series ever written. I’d add an “Amen” to almost every word.
• The Fascinating Origin Stories of 7 Famous Novels — a couple of these I knew…a couple I didn’t.
• Genrenauts update — Michael R. Underwood gives some vital updates on one of my favorite new series — including word of an upcoming Kickstarter campaign. Time for me to save my pennies.
• O&F Podcast, Ep. 115: Michael Underwood — IR fave Michael R. Underwood on IR fave The Once and Future Podcast. Hard to ask for more.
• 9 Things about Mercy Thompson
• Elementary US Broadcast Approaching! — Paul Cornell — novelist, comic book writer, TV writer, podcaster — another IR fave — wrote the next episode of Elementary. Should be interesting.
• A History of the Tea-Creating Machine in Fact and Fiction — The B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy blog has this vital story (wish I’d thought of it)

This Week’s New Releases I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
• The Watcher in the Wall by Owen Laukkanen — Stevens. Windermere. Nuff said.
• An Unattractive Vampire by Jim McDoniel — “A darkly comic urban fantasy of ancient horrors in suburban cities.” works for me.Read a few promising reviews, too.
• Snakewood by Adrian Selby — a fantasy novel I’ll fall head-over-heels for or hate. Pretty sure it’s not a “find a middle ground” kind of book.

Lastly, I’d like to say thanks for the audiobook suggestions (via email, Facebook, here, or BookLIkes), I’m enjoying the suggestions — keep ’em coming!