I Hope It’s More Than Twice
The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks is a damn fine novel and he’s a great writer. But sheesh, I really hope he’s gonna speak more than just two more times in his life.
continue readingDire Predictions from Updike
John Updike, making the rounds promoting his new novel, Terrorist, raised eyebrows with his passionate warnings at BEA about digital publishing. That much-discussed speech, by the way, is available as a podcast here. In the June/July 2006 issue of Details, Updike sounds yet another ominous note about the potential for young authors to build lengthy…
continue readingCongratulations to the Mavericks
On Saturday night, Jerry Stackhouse scored 13 of the Dallas Mavericks‘ 19 fourth quarter points in a victory over the Phoenix Suns. Down by as many as 18 points, the Mavericks fought back to win the game and close out the best-of-seven playoff series. The triumph sends Dallas to the NBA Finals for the…
continue readingFrom Point A to Point B
Yesterday, I referred to a New York Times article that described Kathleen McGowan’s transformation from self-published author to toast of the big-time corporate publishing world. McGowan racked up credit card debt in order to attend the 2005 BEA on her own dime, but this year, with a seven-figure advance in the bank, she signed autographs for an hour and entertained…
continue readingWhat a Difference A Year Makes
The New York Times had an interesting article about Kathleen McGowan. Last year at BEA, McGowan was a self-published author who paid her own way to the convention and “‘had to really beg people to come talk to you.’ Returning to the couple’s hotel room one night, she broke down in tears. ‘I was, like,…
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