Booklorn

I’m off sunning myself on the coast, so here are some writerly sorts of links to look at while I’m gone:

It’s bad enough when anonymous people diss your book on websites, but how about when your own publisher does it in advance reader copies? All is not as it seems. Be sure to read the comments on this story.

If you have the problem of too many books to sign (some people’s problems), some publishing houses are now hiring ghost signers for their books.

Of course not all publishers are trying to help their authors out. Some publishers can’t be bothered to keep track of foreign rights royalties or even bother collecting them.

And then there are the publishers that don’t buy into the writer’s block theory. Used to be the occasional novelist could be slothful and miss their deadline for a manuscript and a publishing house would just brush it off as the cost of doing business. Not anymore, or not if you work for a movie producer.

See you next week (maybe I’ll even have written something while I’m cut off from the Internet this week).

Just got this note from Amazon.com that lets you (U.S. only “yous”) buy a Kindle for $100 off. There are a few hoops so depending on how much you want a Kindle (or don’t) this may or may not appeal to you (your mileage will vary, etc.):

Thanks to Chase, you get $100 off Kindle when you get the new Amazon.com Rewards Visa Card. Limited time only.

Don’t know when the promotion ends or any other details, but thought that anyone contemplating a Kindle might want to check this out (I can’t since I am not in the U.S. though I do read on my PDA).

Teaser Tuesdays is short and fun and a way to find new books to read (and we all need that right?). Click the Tuesday Teaser banner for the rules of this meme.

Random lines from my current read:

When I met Walter Litvinenko a year after his son died, he described how teh young Sasha once declared to his grandfather that he did not wish to grow up to become “a bloody soldier.” The old man responded by breaking a plate over his grandson’s head. (p. 21, ARC)

–The Terminal Spy: A True Story of Espionage, Betrayal, and Murder by Alan S. Cowell

Don’t forget to check out the $1 book sale at Bookcloseouts.com. Very dangerous site — your TBR pile could easily grow big enough to crush you if you get carried away.

Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 by David Petersen was brought to my attention by Nymeth, who’s review was featured in my first Word of Blog Book Finds post, which appears on Mondays (normally).

Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 is a graphic novel for children, which probably explains why I hadn’t come across it before since I a) am not a child; b) nor a child-friendly person; and c) don’t read graphic novels. I was missing a gem.

Mouse Guard is about a society of sentient mice living in medieval times who form a guard to protect mouse citizens from the creatures that would eat them. Originally released as a comic book series, the issues of Fall 1152 have been collected in a hardcover edition.

Read more »

Last week’s thread is now closed (as of 11:59 pm MST August 25th) even though I’m Internet-less at the moment and can’t lock the comments. If you’re just tuning in, here’s what you’re playing for:

An autographed copy Joy Nash’s Immortals: The Crossing mailed to you anywhere in the world (before it hits the shelves September 30th)! My drawing will be held September 15th, but I’m giving you chances to get entries every Tuesday until then.

For centuries they have walked among us–vampires, shape-shifters, the Celtic Sidhe, demons, and other magical beings. Their battle to reign supreme is constant, but one force holds them in check, a race of powerful warriors known as the IMMORTALS.

For Manannán mac Lir, a musician and Celtic demigod, life had become a blur of post-gig parties, expensive whisky, and cheap sex. And then the baby almost died–a baby he had sworn to protect. On the hunt for the would-be killer, Mac finds Artemis Black, a stunningly dangerous woman who’s inexplicably able to intertwine life magic with death magic. For the safety of his people, he should destroy her. But the aching vulnerability in her eyes calls to him. And the raw desire she inspires has nothing to do with a spell. Their love may be forbidden, but Mac and Artemis can’t go back once they’ve made…THE CROSSING

Hmmm, what can I have you do this week while I’m sunning myself on the beach? Reading an excerpt of Immortals: The Crossing shouldn’t be too much of a problem, after all that’s what you’re here for right?

Read the excerpt on Joy Nash’s site and answer some or all of the questions I list below. Before you go off and do that, read these rules carefully:

• This week E-MAIL me the answers (my e-mail is in the sidebar in my contact information).
• If you answer ONE question I’ll give you ONE entry.
• If you answer THREE questions I’ll give you TWO entries.
• If you answer ALL FIVE questions I’ll give you THREE entries. (If no one gets all 5, I’ll give 3 entries to anyone who answers 4 questions so if you can’t find them all or you’re not sure, send me what you have anyway).
• There are no trick questions. If you think you found the answer, chances are you have. I didn’t make this hard; you just have to read all the way to the end.

This is the excerpt and here are the questions:

1. What kind of creature is Gilraen?
2. What is the name of Mac’s fan blog?
3. What is the name of the dying child?
4. What kind of chocolate bar did Artemis Black eat?
5. What kind of car is Artemis Black driving?

Good luck! Remember, commenting is turned off, you must e-mail me the answers (e-mail is in sidebar in contact information).