A Passion for Reading
Is reading a passionate exercise? Lisa Jardine CBE, author and historian, seems to think so. In a column in the BBC’s Magazine section, she writes, I have always cherished an active relationship with my books. I forge an intense bond with every volume that helps shape my ideas and understanding. It becomes much more than simply a tool for providing information. Throughout the article, Jardin gives several examples of book-love. She writes about Stephen Dance, a 1640s reader who cursed anyone...
Read MoreCoffee or Cocoa: color & writing, as inspired by agent Colleen Lindsay
There are certain rules about writing about my color. Be polite, but realistic. Don’t make it an issue if it’s not. Make sure the skin color of your protagonist matches the skin color of your cover model (you heard me, Bloomsbury). And don’t use cliches like “coffee colored” or “rich and smooth as cocoa”. The last one is pretty much an industry standard–last week, agent Colleen Lindsay even tweeted about it, saying, “When writing about people of color, find a way to...
Read MoreBook Covers: The Beginning of the End?
We try not to think of them–even the smallest child has heard that you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover. But, as much we may hate to admit it, book covers matter. They tell us genre, content, and reading level, all with just the briefest glance. At least, they used to. When I was growing up (oh, I feel so old now!), this was the run-down: Romance – large, bright lettered title, shiny cover, partially nude people, man with Fabio hair. Science Fiction – shiny cover,...
Read MoreNBA Controversy: Stitches
Book lists for the big awards can be pretty hot button topics. Taste in books is a very personal thing, and a title I love could be one you hate. And it’s difficult to see a title you love passed over in favor of one you’re not so keen on. But what happens when a book makes the cut–in the wrong category? Surely not! The NBA panels know what’s what! And how hard can it be, anyway? Non-fiction books go in the non-fiction category and kids’ books belong in young...
Read MoreVooks – blending books and videos into one complete story
From PW: In an experiment testing consumers’ interest in integrated print and video content, Simon & Schuster has partnered with multimedia start-up Vook to create a quartet of titles that melds print and video. The fruits of the partnership are four vooks—titles the West Coast company describes as neither book nor e-book—available as apps via the iTunes store and as web-based editions at both simonandschuster.com/aboutvook and vook.com. [Read the full article here.] The titles being...
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