Monthly Archives: August 2006

Step away from the book

Posted on August 21, 2006 by Kirsten

In the Telegraph, Nick Hornby wonders at our insistence on reading “difficult” books: . . . we have got it into our heads that books should be hard work, and that unless they’re hard work, they’re not doing us any … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Books | 3 Comments

Another lit agent blogging: Rachel Vater

Posted on August 20, 2006 by Kirsten

OK, this is so cool. Bernita at An Innocent A-Blog has posted about some blogs she reads regularly, including one kept by literary agent Rachel Vater of Lowenstein-Yost Associates. Another agency to add to my blogroll :-) But it gets … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | 1 Comment

“Secret Society Girl,” by Diana Peterfreund

Posted on August 20, 2006 by Kirsten

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book every since making my cyber-acquaintance with Diana earlier this year. Diana’s living the dream of every aspiring writer of commercial women’s fiction: she’s pursued publication determinedly and is now reaping the rewards … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews | 4 Comments

Newspaper registration has to go

Posted on August 19, 2006 by Kirsten

The lede from this piece (which I think was taken from an AP story run on CNN.com, although it’s not clear) sums it up perfectly: Imagine if a trip to the corner newsstand required handing over your name, address, age, … Continue reading →

Posted in Internet | 5 Comments

The trout got flushed

Posted on August 18, 2006 by Kirsten

One of the first writer blogs I linked on my blogroll was Brown Trout’s Next Book, purportedly kept by an overweight, aging, thrice-divorced academic who had enjoyed a stint of literary success some years ago, but subsequently saw his career … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging | 1 Comment

Are dolphins dumb?

Posted on August 17, 2006 by Kirsten

Wouldn’t it be funny if that were the case? Whoops! Dolphins: the Chauncey Gardiners of the animal kingdom!!! Technorati Tags: dolphins

Posted in Science | Comments Off

Fake corks

Posted on August 16, 2006 by Kirsten

I can’t afford to spend a whole lotta money on wine. I tend to buy bottles in the $10-15 range (below that price point I seem to run into wines I don’t find particularly drinkable); I drink them a glassful … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Wine | 2 Comments

OK, now I get the “no attachments” thing

Posted on August 16, 2006 by Kirsten

I’ve always assumed the reason agents automatically reject e-queries that arrive with attachments is the threat of viruses. But look at what writers send to Wylie-Merrick. Writers send us e-mail attachments with nothing else in the body of the e-mail … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | 2 Comments

Comma, comma

Posted on August 16, 2006 by Kirsten

An argument for getting rid of them. Entirely. I’ve been trying to cut down on them myself. They do seem to be a punctuation mark where a little dab’ll do ya. Technorati Tags: writing, punctuation, commas

Posted in Writing | Comments Off

Rejection therapy

Posted on August 15, 2006 by Kirsten

A cheerful tip of the hat to Stephanie Elliot for this one: Lulu.com has a great way for you to, um, recycle your agent and/or publisher rejections. I don’t know if I’ll spring for a roll, myself, although I have … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | 2 Comments