I hope you all had a lovely holiday weekend (or just weekend in general, for you non-U.S. types). Monday is kicking my rear today, as it likes to do when I try to ignore my e-mail for anything longer than ten minutes, but I wanted to bring you a few quick links.

For fans of crime novels, Marilyn Stasio of The New York Times has posted a handful of reviews. Some of these sound pretty intriguing.

Bookslut has their July issue up. This is the first issue to post since editor Jessa Crispin moved to Berlin, though I suspect she had a hand in it despite trying to pack and/or find homes for her enormous book collection.

And last, but certainly not least, Nalini Singh's latest installment in her Psy/Changeling series, BRANDED BY FIRE hits stores tomorrow.

Also, thanks to everyone for their thoughtful comments on my earlier post regarding Alice Hoffman and the link between an author's behavior and your interest in their books. I'm going to try to do a follow up later this week with some additional thoughts of my own.

Current Mood: working

Apparently our office is closed Thursday and Friday in observance of the 4th. I'm actually working tomorrow, in case anyone is looking for me. Frankly, I'll probably work on Friday as well, but I'll be less likely to respond to e-mail or answer the phone. Happy Independence Day to all!

Current Mood: working

I've been thinking quite a lot about the Alice Hoffman kerfuffle. I've read a number of Hoffman's books and enjoyed them over the years. I've never met her personally and I only know the sketchiest details about her life, but she's always seemed a fine writer and a nice enough person. She's enjoyed moderate success with her books; probably makes a nice enough living, though I doubt she's getting rich any time soon. I've read the odd interview and know she's had her share of difficult times and personal tragedy. Your average human being, in other words.

Now, I'm sure Alice Hoffman has also had her share of bad reviews in her day. Everyone gets them. Occasionally the New York Times Book Review will do a retrospective where they laugh at the terrible reviews they gave to books that went on to become enormous classics after the fact. So Hoffman must have developed some sort of means of self-protection against the sting of a harsh critic, or even just a disagreeing critic, over time.

Or maybe not. Pre-internet, there wasn't much a writer could do to respond to a bad review, other than call the publication and yell--in which case generally just an editor heard about it--or send in a letter of protest that might or might not get printed. Even once e-mail became popular, a writer needed to know how to get in touch with the critic through that medium before they could fire off a nasty note.

But blogs and Facebook and Twitter are all much more immediate, and none of them require a writer to have special access. No coding knowledge necessary, no searching for addresses. Just pop online and air all of your grievances, easy as pie.

There's no way of knowing if an author has always had a quick temper regarding their reaction to a less-than-favorable review, because at no previous time in history did we have access to such an immediate form of communication with an entire audience. I'm sure there are people who were following Alice Hoffman on Twitter who had never read a single one of her books, because that seems to be the nature of how Twitter works. But undoubtedly she also had many readers tuned in to her posts. That large network can be a wonderful advantage, but it can also backfire tremendously if you choose not to exercise a modicum of common sense.

But I suppose the question really is, what set Hoffman off? This wasn't a case of a single Tweet that she then regretted and retracted, but an extended series of posts in which she expressed her displeasure and got rather personal regarding the critic in question. The review itself wasn't a particularly bad one, so even if it pushed her buttons, it's hard to imagine there wasn't something else going on under the surface that has not been shared with the public.

I'm not saying that's an excuse, because that's like saying it doesn't matter if you beat a person to a pulp for saying something mean just because you're having a bad day. Adults need to be held accountable for their actions, assuming they are in control of their faculties. I am saying this behavior seemed very out of character to the image Hoffman has projected for the course of her career.

I'm curious as to how you link an author's persona with their work. Will this incident put you off reading Hoffman's novels (assuming you previously enjoyed her work)? Do you disconnect her public and personal life from her talent as a storyteller? Or are the two intertwined, where her negative behavior might cause you to lose enjoyment in her stories? Or, conversely, might this controversy spark your curiosity to the point where you'd read one of her books when you previously haven't? There have been so many interesting media flare-ups surrounding various authors in the past few years; I'm really wondering how they are affecting these authors' careers.

ETA: Writer Alain de Botton has his own online complaint regarding a review. Though apparently a much less aggressive one.

Current Mood: working

So, apparently author Alice Hoffman engaged in a reviewer-bashing brouhaha on Twitter this weekend after said reviewer found her latest novel to be of lesser quality than previous efforts. The fallout is everywhere, but you can read more on GalleyCat.

This ranks up there with people who shoot back nasty e-mails in response to a rejection letter without stopping for two seconds to insert the necessary filters. Though in this particular instance, Hoffman apparently forgot her filter numerous times--to the point of Tweeting the reviewers phone number so fans could go complain. Er...someone needs a nap. Hoffman's Twitter account has been deleted and one can only assume the requisit apology will follow.

Really people, can't we all just grow up a little? This isn't the sandbox out behind your nursery school.

Current Mood: annoyed

For everyone bemoaning the state of the economy, for everyone watching for a decline in book sales, for everyone with an eyeball on the financial situation at Borders Books or complaining that all the little independent bookstores are going the way of the dodo, I offer you the Greenlight Bookstore. Enterprising booksellers Jessica Stockton Bagnulo (whom some of you might know as Book Nerd) and Rebecca Fitting are in the process of opening a brand new independent bookstore in the neighborhood of Fort Greene in Brooklyn. They've found an excellent location and are in the process of refurbishing the interior to look less like an insurance office (which is what it used to be) and more like a lovely, cozy bookstore where you can browse and read and (hopefully) stock up on your favorite authors. They're aiming to open in September.

Given the state of the world and the book business, I can't help but applaud this pair in their brave and wonderful endeavor. I've never met these ladies, but I love them all the same. Hats off, and the next time I'm in New York, I may just have to take a little subway jaunt out to Brooklyn to buy a book or two.

Current Mood: hopeful

Anyone interested in some excellent tips on self-promotion for authors should head on over to Chloe Neill's blog The Daily Snark where today's guest is Jia Gayles, TKA's very own Director of Promotions/Public Relations. Jia's throwing out a few ideas on how to promote yourself online, a skill that becomes more and more important as the face of publishing continues to change. She touches on the basics, but also gives some excellent ideas for how to build from there.

Current Mood: working

Our own Deidre Knight has been blogging about some of her most favorite romantic scenes in movies, in honor of the advent of the summer movie season. She asked me to hop on over and guest blog, so my contribution is up today. And no, it's not a clip from Pride and Prejudice, though of course I do love that. No, I'm afraid my favorite romantic movie scene has more to do with personal nostalgia and who I was when I first saw it than it does with the great romance on the screen. Let's just say this pre-dates my first reading of P&P, and certainly pre-dates the BBC rendition. I was clearly born a geek.

Current Mood: amused

Yes, I'm link girl again. Busy, busy, but wanted to drop by and point you all toward some fun things.

The ever-entertaining John Scalzi has a post up on why new novelists tend to be older than "newcomers" in other artistic fields.

Marilyn Brant continues her AustinFest over at her blog with author Kim Wilson discussing her wonderful nonfiction books about Jane Austen. And don't forget that Marilyn continues to have fabulous giveaways going on during the Fest, so check back often.

Writer Ewan Morrison has written about the best literary menages a trois for the Guardian. I can't help but be amused...

Current Mood: working

It's another lovely book giveaway over at the Knight Agency Blog. Today we're giving away a copy of Dakota Cassidy's fun novel, ACCIDENTALLY DEAD. Stop by the blog for a chance to win a copy.

I'm also happy to announce that Dakota is going to be doing a live online chat in the TKA chat room this Thursday, June 25th, at 9pm ET. She'll be talking about her brand new release, KISS & HELL, and I suspect there will be some more giveaways taking place. You can get all the details for the chat at the TKA blog. Hope to see you there!

Happy Monday to everyone! I just wanted to thank all of you who participated in the AustenFest kick off the past few days. I've pulled a name from my trust hat, and the winner of the Advanced Reading Copy of ACCORDING TO JANE is amy_nathan. Amy, please send me an email at nephele [at] livejournal.com with your snail mail info and I'll get that out to you. Congratulations!!

For those of you who did not win, fear not! Marilyn Brant will be drawing for all sorts of goodies during her AustenFest over at her blog, Brant Flakes, including at least one more copy of her book (and possibly more), between now and the end of the month. So don't forget to head on over to "visit" with her and her guest authors, and for more chances to win.

Just dropping by to link to an interesting essay that some of you aspiring writer types might appreciate. Well, even the non-aspiring writer types...

How to Become a Writer: A Memoir by Sonya Chung.

A little over a week ago, I posted a short note about the financial woes of writer Catherynne Valente, and her online writing project that will, hopefully, help her stay afloat. Well, Catherynne has been posting her wonderful online novel for a few days now. Go check it out, read a bit, and perhaps donate or tell a friend. I might add that this project appears to be imminently suitable for reading aloud to a child.

Good old Jane Austen. She had no idea how long her books would survive, or the wealth of films, plays, spin-offs, tributes, and spoofs that she would spawn. It's rather remarkable.

In the spirit of Austen love, my client Marilyn Brant is the author of ACCORDING TO JANE, a wonderful story of a young woman who learns what is truly important to her, both in life and in love, all with a little advice from Jane herself. JANE hits stores September 29th, but around here (and at Marilyn's site), it's all Jane, all the time. At least in spirit.

So, in honor of the great Jane Austen, Marilyn is having a little AustenFest over at her blog, Brant Flakes, starting on Sunday, June 21st. She's going to have all sorts of guest authors and giveaways, and the Fest runs through the end of the month. So please do drop by and say hello, and maybe you can win something!

I wanted to kick Marilyn's AustenFest off right, so I'm doing a little giveaway of my own. I have an extra Advanced Reading Copy of Marilyn's ACCORDING TO JANE, and I thought one of you nice folks might like to have it. All you have to do is post here on my thread, any time between now and Sunday at 5 pm Pacific Time. I'll put your names in a hat and draw, and let you know here on the blog who won the ARC next Monday. No need to put any contact information here on the blog--I'll just get it from the winner--but please do make sure you have an identifiable name in your post if you're not an LJ person. I don't want to have to differentiate between several "anonymous" entries. Thanks, and happy weekend to all of you!


ETA: Just for clarification, I'll send this anywhere, so yes, feel free to respond if you're not a U.S. resident.


Thanks to everyone who included a comment! I'll post the winner tomorrow morning. And don't forget to check out Marilyn Brant's blog this week for her wonderful AustenFest, as well as the chance to win some more books--including another ARC of ACCORDING TO JANE.

6/22: I've pulled a name from my trust hat, and the winner of the Advanced Reading Copy of ACCORDING TO JANE is amy_nathan. Amy, please send me an email at nephele [at] livejournal.com with your snail mail info and I'll get that out to you. Congratulations!!

On Monday I posted a link to Deidre Knight's post on the status of e-publishers within RWA and the industry at large. Today, RWA President Pershing provides her response and comments to Deidre's thoughts and to the situation as a whole. All availabe for your perusal at the ESPAN (Electronic and Small Press Authors' Network) site.

As for me, I'll be back in a bit with some fun stuff to kick off the weekend!

Current Mood: working

I have nothing intelligent to say today as I am sleep deprieved. I saw dawn this morning from the wrong end, and still was at my desk by 8:30. Feel free to do the math--I'm not quite able to at this time.

All of this is an elaborate lead in to my invitation to you all to come back tomorrow, when things will be more interesting. And I might possibly be giving away something... Yes, actually I will. But I'm not telling you what until tomorrow. (Though I suppose you can guess in a general sort of way; it's not all that difficult.)

Current Mood: tired

Yes, it's that time of the week. Head on over to the TKA blog and post a comment for a chance to win today's book giveaway. The title for the day is Marjorie M. Liu's DARKNESS CALLS, which won't be released until June 30th. Good luck!

Current Mood: working

As per usual, I'm way behind in my reading of books with covers. So, I'll let Prairie Lights Books guru Paul Ingram give you his suggestions for a few good reads this summer. Paul is a character, and his ideas are always wonderfully diverse.

Author Patricia Bray has a great post up about the evils of online book piracy. This problem is really getting more and more prevalent. It seems like every week one of my clients is forwarding a link to me about some site where the entire text of their latest novel (or better yet, all of their novels) is up for download, free of charge. Some of these sites have information available so you can inform them of the copyright violation, but generally by the time they remove the material, it's been downloaded a thousand times. How about not putting up the copyrighted material to begin with, hmm? It's not legal just because you claim not to have known that the book someone else put on your site was copyrighted. That's simply childish. If you're paying to host the site, you are responsible for the content, and for making sure that anyone you allow posting access is following the law.

The simple truth is that most writers do not making a living wage off of their work. If they write in a genre that encourages them to be prolific and they can write and publish two or three books a year, they might manage to get by. But in general, they are forced to write for minimal wages and to support themselves in some other manner. It seems incredibly unfair that people are essentially saying that, while they want to read these stories, they don't feel the writers' efforts are worth actually paying for the book. I'm not sure writers really need fans like that.

Current Mood: aggravated

TKA's own Deidre Knight has a great blog post up about the digital age with a look at the stance taken by Romance Writers of America. While Deidre is looking specifically at how RWA's decisions affect the writers of e-romance, I think her arguments apply to the bigger picture as well.

Current Mood: working

TKA author Maria Geraci is guest blogging over at the TKA blog today. She's got a terrific recap of the TKA mini signing tour last weekend in the Atlanta area, and also gives some details from the Q&A sessions they included in several of the appearances on how to get published.

Of course, free books are always a terrific thing, and so Maria's running a contest as well! Comment on her blog post any time now through Sunday and you could win a set of autographed books from the touring authors. That's five titles in all. Not too shabby! So go check it out, and have a fabulous weekend.

Current Mood: working