Category: Saturday Miscellany Page 24 of 32

that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
Obituary: Gary Paulsen—I didn’t read as much of Paulsen growing up as I could’ve (looking over his bibliography, even then it would’ve been a monumental task), and haven’t read him since. Still, sad to see a giant go.
The 20-page rule: how much time should you give a devastatingly boring book?—One notorious response to this got Twitter all excited this week. I wish I’d heard Billingham’s original remarks–I’ve heard him on several podcasts in the last couple of years and it’d have been really entertaining. I’m not in 100% agreement with him, but sure can’t say he’s wrong.
Advanced Book Search—a fun little poem paying tribute to local bookstores (Hat tip: Raven Crime Reads).
Filling Your Bookshelf With Joy—one reader’s tips on selecting the books to display
Embracing the DNF: 3 Reasons It’s Okay to Read Something Else—FanFiAddict’s David S. might have the most succinct post on this topic.
Is a Balanced Reading Life Important?—I’ve never considered this question

Episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
Under the Radar SFF Podcast—Blaise Ancona launched this podcast this week, focusing on works that are ” lost, forgotten, or need a bigger audience.” I’ve listened to 2 of the episodes so far. I think this is one to keep an eye on.

That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon (apparently this is actors turned writers week):
Fan Fiction by Brent Spiner—”A Mem-Noir: Inspired by True Events”. It’s a fun, self-deprecating, comic crime novel. I talked more about it last week.
Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You by Misha Collins—Honestly, I probably wouldn’t bother with this given my general apathy toward poetry, but my daughter is his number 1 fan (well, she’s tied with roughly 1 million people for that title), so I kinda have to.

I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to doggydogguy and Shannon K Sexton who followed the blog this week. Don’t be a stranger!

I clearly stepped away from blogs/social media/etc. this week, if this is all I have for a list…

that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
How Changing Your Reading Habits Can Transform Your Health—This is an older piece, and I don’t remember how I came across it this week. But I did, and it’s worth a read.
Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Book Series To Get TV Adaptation By A+E Studios—Sure, I’m curious about how this works as an adaptation. But knowing what Grafton thought of the idea…
The 25 Most Iconic Book Covers in History—there are some great ones here.
How To Avoid Fandom Toxicity—I’d file most of this under “common sense.” But then you have to remember that old chestnut about how rare common sense is…
The Return of #Norsevember—Last year’s Norsevember produced some interesting posts, I trust this year will, too.

That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Everything Happens by Jo Perry—Perry’s novella about a Vegas marriage that really didn’t work out is now published on its own.

I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to pattimouse who followed the blog this week. Don’t be a stranger!

that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
Indie Presses Have to Partner Up—Indie Presses (as well as Indie Booksellers) have got to look for ways to survive, this Op-Ed from Publishers Weekly has some good ideas.
Upcoming Book Shortage and How to Help
The digital death of collecting—not strictly about books, etc. But close enough…
Charlie and Lola author Lauren Child says children’s books should be taken seriously—I admit, I don’t do as good of a job on this front as I think I should (definitely not as Child thinks I should), but I don’t think she’s wrong.
Up Close: Lee Matthew Goldberg—A nice feature on Goldberg, with a focus on his latest, Stalker Stalked.
From Pen Stroke to Key Stroke: On Slander in Suspense—how some crime writers are approaching a world in which “All crime is cyber crime”—at least a bit.
Celebrating the Librarians of SFF—sure, the list is missing a few. But it’s got a lot of good ones.
The Libraries of Who We Are—once again, Templeton knocks it out of the park (a good companion read to the earlier essay about collecting)
Ace Atkins asked authors to post ugly covers to their books a couple of days ago, and got some truly bizarre results.
5 Benefits of Listening to Audiobooks!
The Benefit of Glossaries in Fantasy Novels!—I must be reading the wrong fantasy books, because i’d love this feature…
I’m a Reader, Get Me Out of My Reading Slump!—a miserable experience, for sure. But sounds like Lois is finding a positive takeaway.

That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven by Kami Garcia, Gabriel Picolo—the third in this series of reworked origins brings the two together in their search for answers.
Under Color of Law by Aaron Philip Clark—A black HRD detective investigates the murder of a black LAPD Academy student to kick off a promising looking series.

I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to davidlonan1 and //Anannya// (I love the tag line for her blog, “One Stop for Your TBR Extension”) who followed the blog this week. Don’t be a stranger!

A short list this week, but a pretty diverse one. Should be something for just about everyone here—maybe 2-3 somethings.

that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
Why Noir and Science Fiction Are Still a Perfect Pairing
A New Book and a New Press—Sara Gran describes the launching of her new press and some of what got her to this point—for those who like behind-the-scenes publishing talk
Five Mystery Novels to Read If You Love Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building—No, I am not linking to this just for an excuse to talk about how much I’m enjoying the show (but seriously, if you have the means..watch it). This list of books is promising—one I’ve read, one I’m waiting for from the library…and the rest? Hmm……
The Don Winslow Book Club September 21 Edition—good lookin’ stuff.
The Music of The Band by Nicholas Eames—a look at how Eames used the music of different eras to create his dynamite fantasy world (and a couple of nice Spotify playlists to boot)
Here’s Why I’m Ditching Goodreads And Switching To Storygraph — And Why You Should Too—I’m less impressed with Storygraph, but I do see the appeal. What about you? (yes, you)
My Favourite Authors By Category—this is an inventive way to frame the discussion (one that would cripple me were I to try it, but I love seeing others pull this kind of thing off)
Why do I read so much?—well, yeah. I’d add (at least), because it’s there.
Blogging Struggles: How Do Bloggers Stay Motivated?
Do Hype, Book Buzz, and High Expectations Affect Your Reading Experience?—they have to, at least a little, right? Carol takes a deep dive into this question.

That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Daughter of the Morning Star by Craig Johnson—the novel that last year’s so clearly indicated was coming is now here. Walt looks into death threats against a High School Athlete. I should be picking up my copy this afternoon, and I may set aside my current read for a day or two for it.

I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to Inspired who followed the blog this week. Don’t be a stranger.

that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
The Surprisingly Big Business of Library E-books—This feels like a problem…
30 cool indie bookstores across the country that you’ll want to check out—You know those people who tour the US to visit every MLB Ballpark or something? Lists like this make me want to try my version of that. If only I had the time, means, and willingness to leave my house that much…
Mystery in the Mountains: 10 Novels Set in the High Country of the American West—On the other hand, I have almost zero desire to visit any of the locations mentioned here outside the pages of a novel (which is a shame, because it’d be pretty easy for me).
I really wasn’t trying to turn these posts into Tori Eldridge-fests, but she’s clearly doing what she can to get her name–and the name of her new book out there–and doing so with interesting articles, so…
Stories Behind Our Names
Binge-Worthy Characters in Books and on the Screen
Robert Crais shared a pic of the first draft of his next book—fans will be happy to see this, people interested in writers’ process should check it out to see his revision notes, etc.
10 Memorable Roald Dahl Quotes to Live By—Dahl’s 103 birthday was this week, Bookstr noted the day with this fun collection
What makes a good book?—HiuGregg shares some musings
5 SFF Books Featuring Middle-Aged or Elderly Heroines Who Still Kick Ass
One Key Reason to Read the Book Before the Movie—Yes. (also, some good reasons to watch first…but they pale in comparison)

That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
When Sorrows Come by Seanan McGuire—The 15th (!) Toby Daye novel sees her get married, find a coup, and thinking about her future more than we’re used to. I will post something gushy about it soon. Loved it.
True Dead by Faith Hunter—Jane goes back to New Orleans for reasons personal and regal in her 14th (!) novel. I talked more about it not that long ago
The Ninja Betrayed by Tori Eldridge—Lily visits Hong Kong, where I expect things will get a little hairy.
Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach—Roach’s books always look interesting, but I haven’t gotten around to trying one. This one could change that.
The Fellowship of the Ring / The Two Towers / The Return of the Kingby J.R.R. Tolkien, Andy Serkis (Narrator)—New audiobook editions of The Trilogy were released this week with Serkis narrating. I’ve been kicking myself for a couple of years for not carving out time to re-read these books. I’m going to spend some Libro.fm credits to fix that.

I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to Tarahaddasa and Inspired who followed the blog this week. Don’t be a stranger, and use that comment box, would you?

I feel a little weird posting this today, but maybe some of you will want a break from all the anniversary coverage. And if you don’t? Well, this will be here later.

that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
The Book Biz Tries to Avoid Supply Chain Disruptions—this is only going to get worse for a while…
Publishers, Amazon Move to Dismiss Booksellers’ Antitrust Suit
The third Lily Wong novel comes out next week, so Tori Eldridge is getting a little publicity going, for example:
Tori Eldridge: Going to Hong Kong—how a recent trip inspired the setting for the third novel.
Things Get Personal for Lily Wong—a good interview with Eldridge
Michael Connelly Can’t Stop Chasing Leads—a niece piece on the master
Richard Osman: ‘No one’s born a crime writer. I write crime because I read it’—an interview with the man behind The Thursday Murder Club (and several other things)
The American Rivals of Sherlock Holmes: Nick Rennison on the early days of American detective fiction and the sleuths who competed with Sherlock Holmes for mystery readers.—I’d maybe heard of one of these before, but I think I’m conflating him with someone else (and later). I’m willing to bet most of you would say something similar, which says something about how the rivalries went.
This One’s Too Large, This One’s Too Small: Is There a Perfect Shape for Books?—I really feel like I’m starting to mention too many Molly Templeton pieces lately. But I really don’t see myself stopping. This is one of those things I wish I’d written.
The Best 4 Apps to Keep Track of the Books You Own—huh. Have you heard of any of these? Used one?
What determines reading speed?—I don’t remember seeing this one on Paul’s Picks (and I thought I’d at least glanced at everything there), so I’m glad it was spotlighted this week by The Write Reads.
The D&D Connection: Authors and TTRPGs- What You May Have Missed—I talked about this series last week, here’s a nice wrap-up post with the links to them all.
The NetGalley Shelf app – Grrrrrrr—I suspected NetGalley’s app wouldn’t be that great, Fictionophile kindly confirmed that.

Episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
Blood Brothers Episode 66 with Janice Hallet and Miranda Jewess—a fun discussion with the author of The Appeal (a book I’m really looking forward to being available over here) and her publisher.

That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Robert B. Parker’s Stone’s Throw by Mike Lupica—Jesse Stone returns in a sold entry for the series, I talked about it recently.
The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes—One of the more pleasant surprises of 2020 to me was how much I enjoyed The Inheritance Games, I’m excited to see how this sequel carries on.
Miss Kopp Investigates by soandso—The Seventh Kopp Sisters novel finds them post-WWI and me two behind.

There was a point this morning I really wondered if I’d be able to post this today–I had so many problems–my password manager, browser, and then operating system all had strange glitches–consecutively, mind you. I felt like a Pakled, I just wanted someone to “Make it go.” It literally took me an hour to get to the point I could start assembling the post.

Remember when computers were going to make our lives easier?

that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
Writers notes: the record label remixing novels into music—This is such a weird idea, but I’m curious about it—has anyone out there listened to something like this?
The Brilliant History of Books, From Egyptian Scrolls to E-Readers—yeah, this is sort of a “history of books in 2 minutes” approach, but it’s a good summary
Picking up a book for fun positively affects verbal abilities—I almost just put “duh” here, but that seemed to counter the premise. Most readers of this post know this, but it’s always nice to get some confirmation, right? I know when I’d have a major paper in college/grad school, I’d crack open a Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin novel before writing—it always got my mind cranking in the right way.
The Only Way Out Is Through: On Reading Slumps—I think there’s actually a new-to-me recommendation in the last paragraph (and one I should implement)
What Makes a Book ‘Appropriate’ for School?
What to do when you run out of bookshelf space
Why William Gibson Is a Literary Genius—well, yeah.
A Reacher Relay Race: PW Talks with Lee and Andrew Child
Fran Lebowitz: ‘If people disagree with me, so what?’—a good interview with Lebowitz. I wish she’d find a way through the block, I could use something fresher than the Reader (not that I don’t occasionally re-read a piece or two from that to this day)
I Stopped Writing My Series Years Ago. But Something Kept Calling Me Back.—I’ve never heard of the series in question, and I don’t think I’ve heard of the author, but I love his story…and am tempted to dip a toe in the water of the series.
The Dragonlance Books Launched My Lifelong Love of Fantasy
The D&D Connection: Authors and TTRPGs—Witty & Sarcastic Book Club had a great series this week on D&D and the effect it had (or didn’t have) on various authors.
This Gentlemen Bastards Quote Thread! (Non-Spoiler) from @BookMeanderings almost made me abandon my books for the week to reread The Lies of Locke Lamora
How to create a reading routine that works?—Frankly, I preferred it when Nonfictionality produced articles rather than videos, but this is worth the time.
Embracing the DNF: 3 Reasons It’s Okay to Read Something Else
Announcement: Novels & Waffles is Moving to Bibliosmile.com—While I’m going to miss Novels & Waffles, I’m glad she found a way to stick with blogging in a way that works for her, and am looking forward to seeing what happens with it.

Okay, I think I’ve got the whole reading and listening adjustment to the new job handled, now I’ve got to figure in blogging—which, as you may have noticed, isn’t going as well as it has in the past. Am sure I’ll figure something out, but that “to write about” pile is growing. If anyone knows of an app that allows me to just think about a post rather than having to sit and type, please mention it in the comments!

that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
Barnes & Noble Climbs Back
Is failure the new literary success?—this is an interesting little trend.
André 3000 Joins Cast of ‘White Noise’ Adaptation—Wait, what? Someone’s adapting White Noise? I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around that—it feels like the moment has passed for it to feel relevant to movie audiences, but I’m hopefully wrong (still, Noah Baumbach’s probably a good guy to do it).
The ‘Twilight’ romance no one talks about: Bella fell for Forks and its forests. That fantasy transformed the town’s reality.—I can’t believe I’m linking to something about Twilight, but it’s not often you can see so clearly the impact of a book on something.
The Most Translated Books From Every Country in the World—huh. The U.S. entry on this list is embarrassing, but this is an interesting list.
Psychological Thriller Book Covers: What Makes A Good Thriller Cover?—Matt Witten summarizes the research he did while working on the cover for his psychological thriller. As I (almost always) say about this kind of piece: I find this stuff fascinating.
In Stephen Mack Jones’ novel ‘Dead of Winter,’ August Snow and Detroit star—a nice profile of Jones, probably my favorite new-to-me writer in 2021.
Decisions Are Hard: Picking What to Read Next—I think we’ve all been there
What are the Best Audiobook Apps in 2021?—This is a great overview of the better available apps. ‘Tho I’d quibble with the description of Chirp’s app as being “stable” is a bit pie-in-the-sky (or maybe that’s iPhone vs Android).
Why Libraries Matter
This week’s Let’s Talk Bookish prompt was a good thought-provoker about Blogger Identity Crises (and, as usual, it was too much thought for me to find time to actually do something like writing about it), these posts in response caught my eye:
Blogging Insecurity from Thoughts Stained With Ink
A Blogger Identity Crisis
Reasons Why I Love Reading

That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Not Awkward by Matthew Hanover—right before his wedding, Scott ends up stuck at his ex’s house while her family sits shiva for her dad. I blogged about it recently and asked Hanover a few questions about it, too.

I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to Mahmoud Dualeh who followed the blog this week. Don’t be a stranger, and use that comment box, would you?

that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
Putting down my phone and picking up a book has saved my sleep
How to Remember What You Read
What Do Fiction Writers Owe Their IRL Inspiration?
Red Herrings in Contemporary Crime Literature: Celebrating the 21st century masters of misdirection.—I love a good red herring (especially when they frustrate me and make me feel dumb). How about you?
Interview with Author Kevin Hearne—Beth Tabler had a great Q&A with Hearne
Percy Jackson’s Most Iconic Moments—Percy’s birthday was this week, this is a fun way to commemorate it (I didn’t do the math on how hold it would make him, I’m sure I’d be depressed)
Between A Clock And A Hard Place: How To Prioritize Reading—This Dad Reads has some good tips
6 SFF Reads under 200 pages—If you’re pinched for time, this list from Spells & Spaceships might come in handy
Escapist Fantasy: 5 Series To Turn Off Your Brain and Have Some Fun—is another handy list
How Book Synopses Set Reader Expectations and Why That Matters
A Little List of Songs Book Lovers May Appreciate!

Episode (or two) you might want to give a listen to:
No Stupid Questions Episode 64—the second question this week was dealing with “should you feel guilty if you don’t read books?” the discussion of which should interest readers of this post (nothing against the first question, it’s just not that germane).

That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
In Ten Years by Ian Shane—a When Harry Met Sally-esque take on two friends who make pact to marry at 40 if they’re both single. In case you missed the four posts here about it recently—here’s my take.
How to Be Fearless: In 7 Simple Steps by Jessica Hagy—I’ve been reading Hagy’s daily webcomic of Venn diagrams for years, here she combines them with encouragement to “shake off worry and get to work.”

I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to Marilynn Champion who followed the blog recently.

This is a book-blogger-heavy collection this week—which I love doing (hey, this is the end of Book Blogger Appreciation Week—a nice coincidence). Hope you find something you enjoy!

that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
How Extortion Scams and Review Bombing Trolls Turned Goodreads Into Many Authors’ Worst Nightmare—I know there are many other problems with Goodreads, but to get Time to cover the site? This has got to be really damaging.
A Dorothy Parker Quip for Every Occasion—I’m pretty sure I’ve linked to this a time or two before, but the Pocket app suggested this to me again this week, and who am I to argue with algorithm? Always a good time for some Parker lines.
While on LitHub, I also saw: 10 Literary Classics We (Not So) Secretly Hate—I’m sure many of you can relate to at least one of these
12 Favorite Books: Happy #NationalBookLoversDay—I’ve never done a National Book Lover’s Day post—which is weird, it seems natural around here (or, really, anywhere). My wife literally buys me a gift for it (this year a nice little “It’s Not Hoarding if It’s Books” print and a Book necktie). I’m glad to see at least someone else notes the day.
Let’s Talk About Audiobooks
I Know Science Fiction and Fantasy Can be Daunting—Bath Tabler, not at all surprisingly, knocked it out of the park with this post.
If she inspired you to stick a toe in the Fantasy water, why not grab something off one of these handy lists? Here There Be Dragons Part One—12 Books starring a beloved fantasy favorite that comes in all shapes and sizes: Dragons and Dragon Shifters and Here There Be Dragons Part Two—Round Two: Here are 12 TBR books featuring dragons that I can’t wait get my hands on!
Reviewing the Practice of Reviewing Books
Why You Should Re-Read An Old Favourite Book
How I Rate & Review DNFs
Disappointing Read & Replacement Recommendations—I like this idea: I don’t want to recommend X, but maybe this would scratch the same itch, and do it better?

That I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
Paper & Blood by Kevin Hearne—the second adventure of Al MacBharrais features a great postscript to the Iron Druid Chronicles–and is a pretty bonkers book, too. I talked about it a little recently.
Meadowlark: A Coming-of-Age Crime Story by Ethan Hawke, Greg Ruth—why, what do you know, I found a graphic novel I’m interested in without needing Lashaan to recommend it first! A father-son crime novel traces the course of one dramatic day. What little I’ve seen of the art looks great (up to the “casting” of Hawke as the father)