News/Misc. - The Irresponsible Reader

Saturday Miscellany—11/4/23

On November 4, 2023

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

Yeah, this is later than usual. I spent the morning at the Boise Library!’s Boise Book Faire 2023 getting to chat with several local authors about their works. I got to renew acquaintances with a few authors who have shown up here over the last 12 months or so—and met a few who I hope to feature soon.

But that’s for the future (or, I guess, the past), let’s move on to today’s Miscellany.

Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
bullet Banned books often get circulation bump, new study finds—a silver lining? Or fodder for conspiracy?
bullet Why Kids Aren’t Falling in Love With Reading: Hint: It’s not just the screens
bullet Make Humanities Fun Again
bullet How Has Big Publishing Changed American Fiction?: A new book argues that corporate publishing has transformed what it means to be an author.
bullet Does Reading Improve Health?
bullet Robert B. Parker: The Master of Crime Fiction
bullet The Story Behind the Story: “A Good Rush of Blood,” by Matt Phillips—I’m so glad I put off reading this until I’d written about the book—I’d have spent far too long working in responses to it. Secondly, I’m so glad Phillips stuck to his guns and gave us the book that he did (wouldn’t have liked it nearly as much if he’d buckled)
bullet Language and translation in Insiders – Shannon Knight—a nice little BTS about Knight’s newest book.
bullet The Science Behind Steampunk and Retrofuturistic Technology—from Jonathan Fesmire
bullet Partial Function Unboxing!—Who doesn’t like a good unboxing video? Watch JCM Berne get the first Partial Function hardcopy! (available Tuesday—order it today!)
bullet Self Published Fantasy Releases – November 2023—In case you needed to do some shopping for yourself/others. Good looking offerings here.
bullet Eternally Fascinating, the Vampire Endures—Author LindaAnn LoSchiavo stopped by Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub to talk about Blooksuckers/vamps/Fangheads/or whatever you want to call them
bullet #R3COMM3ND3D from Damppebbles is back with #R3COMM3ND3D2023. This celebration of the best new books of 2023 is guaranteed to add to your TBR.
bullet BookBlogger David of Blue Book Balloon
bullet Lisa from Owl Be Sat Reading
bullet Book Blogger Carla of Carla Loves to Read
bullet Emily Quinn of A Quintillion Words (which is just a brilliant blog name)
bullet Witty & Sarcastic also kicked-off Dragon Week 2023—Who needs “Shark Week” anyhow? I’m not going to link to every piece here, but you need to go check it out.
bullet Spells and Spaceships is yet again hosting Norsevember, where you can read fun things like The Norns and the Weaving of Fate and The Dwarves of Norse Mythology
bullet And there’s one more November-celebration—SciFiMonth! Some great-looking stuff there, too.

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet Hacker by Duncan MacMaster—Jake Mooney, a ghostwriter turned reluctant amateur-sleuth, gets pushed into solving another murder–this time of an old nemesis.

Lastly, I’d like to say hi and extend a warm welcome to cchittom and Ashleigh Mordew who followed the blog this week. I hope you enjoy the content and keep coming back.

October 2023 in Retrospect: What I Read/Listened to/Wrote About

By HCNewton

On November 3, 2023

In Books, Calendar Items, Currently Reading, News/Misc.

In October, I finished 25 titles (3 down from last month, the same number as last October), with 6,657+ pages or the equivalent (1,000-ish down from last month), and gave them an average of 3.5 stars (.3 down from last month). Nothing to write home about—but still pretty good. I enjoyed almost everything I read, which is good enough for me.

I really didn’t write enough posts about particular titles—my To Write pile is getting even more daunting all the time. But I did get a lot of other things posted, which makes me very happy.

All in all, it was a good month, a busy month, and one that had a lot of fun things here to look at and read. I’m calling it a win. Here’s a more detailed look at what happened here in October.

Books/Novels/Novellas Read/Listened to
















		Still deciding

Still Reading

Ratings

		Average =	3.54
	2		2
	2		0
	6		0
	3		0
	10

TBR Stacks/Piles/Heaps

	Audio	E-book	Physical	Goodreads Want-to-Read
End of 2022	5	45	42	143
1st of the Month	5	51	58	151
Added	3	2	7	2
Read/ Listened	2	6	3	0
Current Total	6	47	62	153

Breakdowns:
“Traditionally” Published: 15
Self-/Independent Published: 10

Genre	This Month	Year to Date
Children’s	1 (4%)	24 (9%)
Fantasy	5 (20%)	27 (11%)
General Fiction/ Literature	3 (12%)	20 (8%)
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller	7 (28%)	76 (30%)
Non-Fiction	1 (5%)	18 (7%)
Science Fiction	1 (4%)	11 (27%)
Theology/ Christian Living	1 (4%)	23 (9%)
Urban Fantasy	4 (16%)	29 (11%)
“Other” (Horror/ Humor/ Steampunk/ Western)	1 (4%)	8 (3%)

Review-ish Things Posted

Who Chose the Gospels?: Probing the Great Gospel Conspiracy by C. E. Hill: Robert Langdon Might Have Been on the Wrong Track (shocking, I know)
An Inheritance of Magic by Benedict Jacka: I Cannot Recall the Last Time I was This Excited about a New UF Series
The Ballad of Bonaduke—Episode 37: Last Leg by R. T. Slaywood: Some Aftermath, and a Glimpse of What’s to Come
Healed by Carrie Alani: She Can’t Do This All on Her Own
Partial Function by JCM Berne: A Mom With A Particular Set of Skills
Cunk on Everything: The Encyclopedia Philomena by Philomena Cunk: The Only Reference Book You Need This Year

Other Things I Wrote
Other than the Saturday Miscellanies (7th, 14th (DIY Edition), 21st, and 28th), I also wrote:

Enough about me—how Was Your Month?

WWW Wednesday, November 1, 2023

By HCNewton

On November 1, 2023

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., WWW Wednesday

Other than a lingering cough, I’ve somehow survived the Man Cold, much to the surprise of…well, me. If you’re reading this, it means I fought through the interruptions of candy-hungry scavengers to complete a thou

This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words—and shown to me by Aurore-Anne-Chehoke at Diary-of-a-black-city-girl.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Easy enough, right?

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading the second Toby Daye book of 2023, The Innocent Sleep by Seanan McGuire, and I’m listening to Black Summer by M.W. Craven, John Banks (Narrator) on audiobook (and am enjoying it just as much the second time through!).

Blank Space

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished Ian Shanes’s Sundry Notes of Music–you’ll see some very complimentary words about it here soon–and That Ain’t Witchcraft by Seanan McGuire, Emily Bauer (Narrator) on audio.

Blank Space

What do you think you’ll read next?

My next book should be Chaos Terminal by Mur Lafferty and my next audiobook should be The Door-to-Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn, Raphael Corkhill (Narrator). I’m looking forward to seeing how Lafferty follows up Station Eternity and I have no idea what to expect out Henn’s book, but I apparently have to check out every bookstore/library-related audiobook that the library presents me with.

Blank Space

How are you starting November?

Hey, Anybody! I Have Some Questions about Interviews for You!!

By HCNewton

On November 1, 2023

In Miscellany, News/Misc.

This is the last in this series of posts asking for input about Author Interviews.

I’m working on a thing about writers and interviews to present to a local author group, and I’d appreciate some help with it. I’m supposed to talk about making interviews interesting/useful—I have plenty of ideas from the Q-side of the Q&A, but I would appreciate getting input from those in the trenches with me. I’m particularly thinking about the horror stories—or those that could have qualified as such but turned out okay. The more specific you can get, the better. (obviously, I’m not asking you to name names–and if you do, I won’t use them)

I’m thinking particularly of written interviews—via email, etc. But if you have something to say to podcasters, YouTube interviewers, or what have you—chip in.

I’ll be happy to mention your participation in this when I post what I get from this–but I’ll keep particular responses anonymous. I’m asking for an email and name just so I can get clarification if I need some. (also, so I can share the results of this just in case you’re curious)

Answer one question, answer them all, or something in between. I really don’t care. Thanks for your help—and feel free to spread this to others you know who might want to opine. I could use all the input I can get!

(Some of these are phrased awkwardly, but I was fighting with the form and decided that getting it to work was better than sounding clever)

Name

Email

What do you want to see in an interview with an author?

Do you prefer more about them as a person or a writer?

Do you prefer the focus to be on particular books or on their books in general?

Do you have an ideal length of a response (I realize that is difficult to quantify)? How short is too-short? How long is too-long?

What kinds of questions tend to result in you tuning out or skipping ahead?

Have you ever read an interview and decided to read an author you had not heard of before? Do you remember what it was that made you decide that?

Have you ever read an interview and decided NOT to read an author you had notheard of before? Do you remember what it was that made you decide that?

What kind of advice would you like to pass along to authors about responding to interview questions--however awkwardly phrased?

Is there anything else you want to say on the subject?

I'm Curious

Turning the Odometer

By HCNewton

On October 31, 2023

In Miscellany, News/Misc.

I don’t know if your parents did this–or if this is still a thing that people do–but when the odometer in one of our family cars was getting close to a big round number–like 80,000 for example–my dad would make a big deal about it, count down a little bit and we’d all have to watch the numbers scroll to the string of zeroes. This is about as close to that as I get–which says more about me than the other did my father. Yesterday, my NetGalley reviews hit a landmark of sorts.

I feel like I’ve been spending more time on NetGalley over the last year or so than I have been before–that’s just an impression, when I think about it, I know I’ve actually been showing restraint lately. Either way, last night, I hit:

I didn’t even realize I was that close to it, but I saw that out of the corner of my eye when I checked my Feedback Ratio to make sure I’m near my target. I’m at 97% currently, not to brag, but I actually think that’s more impressive than the 200.

Driven by curiosity, I checked and it took me 3 years, 3 months, and 29 days from posting my first NetGalley book to my 100th, and 4 years, 1 month, and 5 days after that to get to my 200th. Yeah, I am slowing down. Guess I’ll hit 300 in late 2028/early 2029.

I can’t believe I made jokes using those two dates.
Where are the flying Cars? I was promised flying cars! I don't see any Flying Cars!! Why? Why?! Why?!?!

Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

Hey, Bloggers/Podcasters/Vloggers! I Have Some Questions about Interviews for You!!

By HCNewton

On October 31, 2023

In Miscellany, News/Misc.

This is a companion to yesterday’s post asking for input from authors, for the up to ten of you who wondered.

I’m working on a thing about writers and interviews to present to a local author group, and I’d appreciate some help with it. I’m supposed to talk about making interviews interesting/useful—I have plenty of ideas from the Q-side of the Q&A, but I would appreciate getting input from those in the trenches with me. I’m particularly thinking about the horror stories—or those that could have qualified as such but turned out okay. The more specific you can get, the better. (obviously, I’m not asking you to name names–and if you do, I won’t use them)

I’m thinking particularly of written interviews—via email, etc. But podcasters, YouTube interviewers, or what have you—chip in.

I’ll be happy to mention your participation in this when I post what I get from this–but I’ll keep particular responses anonymous. I’m asking for an email and name just so I can get clarification if I need some. (also, so I can share the results of this just in case you’re curious)

Answer one question, answer them all, or something in between. I really don’t care. Thanks for your help—and feel free to spread this to others you know who might want to opine. I could use all the input I can get!

(Some of these are phrased awkwardly, but I was fighting with the form and decided that getting it to work was better than sounding clever)

Name

Email

Start on a positive note—what kinds of responses do you love to get in an interview?

Enough positivity—what kinds of responses do you not like to get in an interview?

Do you have an ideal length of a response (I realize that is difficult to quantify)? How short is too-short? How long is too-long?

What kinds of questions tend to result in a less-than-optimal response?

What kind of advice would you like to pass along to authors about responding to interview questions--however awkwardly phrased?

How do you take a dull/uninteresting/inappropriate response (or series of them) and turn it into something you like? Do you do anything to "help" an author there?

Have you ever been asked to change an interview question? How did that go?

Do you have advice for writers about the best way to approach an interview?

Is there anything else you want to say on the subject?

I'm Curious

Hey, Authors! I Have Some Questions about Interviews for You!!

By HCNewton

On October 30, 2023

In Miscellany, News/Misc.

Hi authors—I’m working on a thing about writers and interviews to present to a local author group, and I’d appreciate some help with it. I’m supposed to talk about making interviews interesting/useful—now I have plenty of ideas from the Q-side of the Q&A, but I could use some insight from those on the A-side. I’m particularly thinking about the horror stories—or those that could have qualified as such but turned out okay. The more specific you can get, the better. (obviously, I’m not asking you to name names–and if you do, I won’t use them)

If your horror stories, or at least your “well that was blah” stories happen to involve me. That’s fine. I’ll learn something.

I’m thinking particularly of written interviews—via email, etc. But if you have something to say to podcasters, Vloggers/BookTubers, or what have you—chip in.

I’ll be happy to mention your participation in this when I post what I get from this–but I’ll keep particular responses anonymous. I’m asking for an email and name just so I can get clarification if I need some. (also, so I can share the results of this just in case you’re curious)

Answer one question, answer them all, or something in between. I really don’t care. Thanks for your help—and feel free to spread this to authors you know who might want to opine. I could use all the input I can get!

(Some of these are phrased awkwardly, but I was fighting with the form and decided that getting it to work was better than sounding clever)

I'm Curious

Saturday Miscellany—10/28/23

By HCNewton

On October 28, 2023

In Books, News/Misc., Saturday Miscellany

Odds ‘n ends about books and reading that caught my eye this week. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:
bullet How many books Americans own — and how they organize them—fun with statistics (which is good, because what those stats represent isn’t so fun)
bullet A New Fantasy and a 20th Anniversary for Christopher Paolini—I didn’t read past Eragon (but had one kid who got obsessed). But it’s hard to deny the impact he had.
bullet Addicted to Scarcity—Book Publishing’s Retail Price Problem
bullet A Big Year for Little Golden Book Bios—(not the point, but some of these look really cute)
bullet Q&A: Bruce Borgos, Author of ‘The Bitter Past’
bullet Magic to Serve, Not Solve, a Story: KJ Dell’Antonia on Magical Rules in Literature
bullet How Do You Manage Reading Expectations?

This Week’s New Releases that I’m Excited About and/or You’ll Probably See Here Soon:
bullet The Innocent Sleep by Seanan McGuire—the 18th Toby Daye novel gives Tybalt’s perspective on recent events. Given that we know how things go after reading the 17th novel, I’m curious about how this will keep my attention (but assume it will)

Opening Lines: Sir Apropos of Nothing by Peter David

By HCNewton

On October 26, 2023

In Blog Series, Currently Reading, Fantasy, Fiction, News/Misc., Opening Lines, Quotations

Head & Shoulders used to tell us that, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” That’s true for wearing dark shirts, and it’s especially true for books. Sometimes the characters will hook the reader, sometimes the premise, sometimes it’s just knowing the author—but nothing beats a great opening for getting a reader to commit.

Going back a couple of decades for this one, but I came across it recently and it just about pulled me in for a day or three.

As I stood there with the sword in my hand, the blade dripping blood on the floor, I couldn’t help but wonder if the blood belonged to my father.

The entire thing had happened so quickly that I wasn’t quite sure how to react. Part of me wanted to laugh, but most of me fairly cringed at what had just occurred. I didn’t do particularly well with blood. This tended to be something of a hardship for one endeavoring to become a knight, dedicated to serving good King Runcible of Isteria, a ruler who more often than not had his heart in the right place.

The recently slain knight also had his heart in the right place. This had turned out to be something of an inconvenience for him. After all, if his heart had been in the wrong place, then the sword wouldn’t have pierced it through, he wouldn’t be dead, and I wouldn’t have been in such a fix.

from Sir Apropos of Nothing by Peter David
Sir Apropos of Nothing Cover

Opening Lines Logo

WWW Wednesday, October 25, 2023

By HCNewton

On October 25, 2023

In Books, Currently Reading, News/Misc., WWW Wednesday

I’m suffering from the worst sickness known to humanity, while not fatal, it might as well be thanks to the degree of suffering we who have succumbed to it have to endure–yes, my friends, I have a Man Cold. Pity my poor wife.

I have still managed to read a bit, however. Let’s take a look at how things are going this week.

This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words—and shown to me by Aurore-Anne-Chehoke at Diary-of-a-black-city-girl.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Easy enough, right?