Reminder: Tomorrow's guest blog is Alayna Williams, who will have a contest along with her post. Pop back by ( Read more... )

It was a wacky week, with Bug's baptism this past Sunday. The ceremony involved the baptism gown that I wore when I was a baby, and my sister wore when she was a baby, and now my daughter has also worn. It also involved the christening bowl from Twostripe's side of the family, which has been used now over the course of three centuries, with the ( Read more... )

I'm paging through all the e-mail in my inbox that can't just be archived and realizing that I've been keeping some of it around to post here in a link soup edition. Things are looking up, as far as finally getting caught up is concerned, but I'm taking it easy, because I think everyone needs a day or two, now and again, to just breathe ( Read more... )

First off, there are just a ton of great author interviews out there this week. Tiffany Trent is all over the blogosphere this week (she'll be here on Friday), and has the listing of her events here, along with information about a contest that none of you are allowed to enter, as I want the prize. So there. (Just kidding. Definitely go visit her ( Read more... )

On the trip home, I finally finished Depths of Madness by Erik Scott de Bie (eriksdb). This novel was far less linear than his previous book, Ghostwalker, and had a lot more character development--in sort of an odd way. Only one of the main characters who shares the story from his/her POV continues to be a main character right through the very end. The ( Read more... )

When I was in late grade school, I made the discovery of the young adult section at my local library, in good part due to Marilyn Butjer, the wonderful children's librarian, and Tamora Pierce. (Alanna: The First Adventure was shelved in the children's room; the rest of the series were rightfully shelved in young adult ( Read more... )

Philip Pullman: This is where editors come in. Their function is to snatch the book from you and run away quickly!
Tamora Pierce: Yes, and then to come back and say, "Okay, here's what you were doing." And you're sitting there: Wow. I'm smarter than I thought.
-Powells.com interview

Edit: Here's the link. http://www.powells.com/authors/paolini. ( Read more... )