Monthly Archives: July 2006

It’s all in the margins

Posted on July 24, 2006 by Kirsten

For unpubbed writers, it sometimes seems that the “standards” held by agents and publishers are, at best, too stringent; at worst harsh, opaque, even perverse or malicious. I don’t subscribe to that view. I think the actions of both agents … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | 4 Comments

Spam relief!!!!

Posted on July 24, 2006 by Kirsten

Although it never gets posted to my blog, because comments are moderated, the comment spam manure-pile has been growing a larger every week. Several times a day I’ve had to go through my comment queue to manually sort out the … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging | Comments Off

Golf!

Posted on July 23, 2006 by Kirsten

I bought myself a set of golf clubs today. It’s something I’ve been thinking of doing for awhile. I last played regularly as a kid. Then some years ago I started thinking I might like to play again, and from … Continue reading →

Posted in Life | 2 Comments

Everywhere else, it’s 2006

Posted on July 22, 2006 by Kirsten

But on the NY State Thruway, it’s still circa 1950, apparently. How do I know? Because I sat on it for two hours this afternoon, and the AM radio station (1620) that is supposed to provide Thruway traffic information was … Continue reading →

Posted in Rochester, New York | 7 Comments

The decline of the imperative

Posted on July 22, 2006 by Kirsten

Writing in Slate, Ben Yagoda muses on the displacement of the imperative by the construction “need to.” It’s become increasing rare to tell or be told, directly, to do something. Instead, we tell people they “need to” do this or … Continue reading →

Posted in Pop Culture, Writing | Comments Off

A writer’s advice

Posted on July 21, 2006 by Kirsten

Allison Winn Scotch, who has written for numerous magazine and has a debut novel, The Department of Lost and Found, coming out with Harper Collins next spring, is answering writer questions on her blog about topics near & dear to … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Comments Off

Promoting your novel

Posted on July 21, 2006 by Kirsten

Diana Peterfreund’s launch publicity for her debut novel, Secret Society Girls, has been an awesome sight to behold. Today she’s got a blog post up on what works and doesn’t work, for her, when it comes to book promo. Technorati … Continue reading →

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Cat names

Posted on July 21, 2006 by Kirsten

Good, bad, silly. From the Telegraph. Technorati Tags: Friday catblogging

Posted in Cats, Friday catblogging | Comments Off

Beginning a new book

Posted on July 20, 2006 by Kirsten

It’s the balm, they say, that soothes the query-monitoring itch. I’m excited about it–the new book–but it’s scary too, vertigo-like to start to peer into the widening crack that’s now opened into yet another world and realize I have no … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | 1 Comment

Are historicals about to get hot?

Posted on July 20, 2006 by Kirsten

Kristin Nelson raises the possibility.

Posted in Writing | 3 Comments