For the past few weeks, I’ve been reading nonfiction almost exclusively. There have been a few novels scattered here and there, but not as many as my usual literary diet requires. So to break out of my nonfiction rut, I decided to read a bigtime, serious, attention-getting novel. I grabbed one that generated a ton…
Nothing to do with books, but guitars are my second love, so here ya go… While many listeners may still be debating the audio quality of Metallica’s new CD, Death Magnetic, that’s no reason to stop you from entering this cool contest. If you like Metallica, that is. Or, if you want a badass guitar.…
In 2005, Matt Bondurant published The Third Translation, a book that blended the study of Egypt, professional wrestling thugs, cults, London musuems, extensive research, and hieroglyphic puzzles. The debut novel received critical acclaim and was published in a number of countries around the world. Now, Bondurant is back with a dramatically different tale. Based on…
Dzanc Books, one of the coolest small, independent publishers out there, has some interesting activities in the coming weeks. Mark your calendars now, because you’ll want to get in on this action. First up, writers can submit their work-in-progress for the 2008 Dzanc Prize. The winner receives $5,000. In keeping with Dzanc’s mission of supporting…
Deciding when to move on from a story (or book or poem or play or whatever) is a challenging choice that bedevils many writers. On the one hand, there are those romantic notions of “never give up on your work!” but on the other hand, there is no doubt that as an author you must…