Comedic Tour-de-Force

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We admit it: we believe the celebrity memoir/novel to be a farce, Steve Martin excepted. We also find it a bit sad that there’s no good way to fade gracefully from the public eye. Once a celebrity, you are doomed to the sadism that is the entertainment press. Young Macaulay Culkin has the book world, well, Miramax, buzzing over his upcoming novel Junior. We, of course, wish him the best as he tries to achieve the heady heights of literary stardom predicted by his publisher. Lloyd Grove’s Lowdown, 5/10/2004

Square Pegs

Veracity? No, Thank You, We Just Ate

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We are on quite a few email lists (more than we care to admit), and every now and then the subject of extensive, intensive, mind boggling research arises. Generally in the context of making sure every word, thought, and gesture of a novel set in times long past are correct. As if we really know for sure how one cut her meat in 1066. Alexei Sayle discusses the notion that research can sometimes get in the way of the story (using, by way of example, Philip Roth’s glove making digression in American Pastoral). We’ve heard from some authors that they

Tools and Craft

The Artist Life as Cliche

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We admit it — we love it when artists tell the truth. We yawn at puff pieces designed to sell more books (we also sneer at the site of yet another actress appearing on a magazine cover to promote a new movie…because the accompanying article is something only a PR maven can love). Tribnet makes us smile with this profile of Marian Keyes. Not that Keyes says anything shocking, but that she’s so forthright and honest. Keyes surmounted the tortured artist myth, going on to write some of the greatest (and funniest) chicklit novels of the genre’s short-lived life. Literary

Square Pegs

Another List

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Have we mentioned our love of lists recently? Technorati is beta testing a new kind of list. Using the same sleuthing skills they use to track what’s hot on blogs, they track what books are being discussed. And they helpfully link back to the discussions. Because authors don’t have enough obsessions in life. Technorati BookTalk

Square Pegs

Editorial Change

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Sheila Curry will be moving to St. Martin’s Press’s lovely offices (it’s a view that makes us almost cry with envy…then we remember our workspace among the flowers) as new executive editor. She’ll be acquiring popular reference, self help, parenting, health and fitness, and childcare. There’s a relationship there, we just know it. She won’t actually be in the office until June 1, so hold your calls until then. Or maybe hold them until June second. It’s cruel to bother someone before they’ve found the coffee machine. St. Martin’s Press

Publishers and Editors

Public Service Announcement

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We are great believers in karma. Not enough to stop us from making inappropriate comments about people who make us crazy, but enough to force us to do something good when such comments happen. We do a lot of good. Now we are recommending My California: Journeys by Great Writers, despite the fact we weren’t invited to share (see how easy it is to have a karmic slip?). Proceeds from the anthology, which, as may be obvious, celebrates The Golden State, go to the California Arts Council. So buy the book, seethe with jealousy over the fact that we live

Books/Mags/Blogs

Industry Muck…And We Love It

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We were attracted to this article for all the usual reasons. The delicate jibe at the Los Angeles Times’ inability to review anything interesting. The assertion that the differences between the sexes extend into the world of magazines. The subtle hints for writing for women’s magazines. Maybe it’s the sheer cattiness of the subject. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s the confusion we felt at the use of “blithely” in the title while the author interviews former Ladies Home Journal editor, Myrna Blyth (out publicizing her book Spin Sisters: How the Women of the Media Sell Unhappiness and Liberalism to the

Books/Mags/Blogs

We Had Another Name for These

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When we were children (and this, perhaps, dates us), graphic-laden stories were called comic books. Then they evolved (better covers, better paper, more pictures) to become graphic novels. We were happy with this set-up. But then manga (what you might call Japanese comic books, but as long time fans — we know how to jump on a trend well in advance of its trendiness — we understand these books are so much more) caught a plane out of Narita and emigrated to the United States. Perhaps we weren’t satisfied with our graphic novels, or perhaps theirs were truly better. Only

Books/Mags/Blogs

The Fine Line Between Stalker and Admirer

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We know a few stalkers. The good kind, not the scary kind. Though, we suspect if we think long and hard, we could come up with a few of the latter as well. Our acquaintance is varied. So we enjoyed this article about a writer who fixed upon bestselling author Claire Cook (Must Love Dogs) as a mentor. As in all good stalker relationships, Cook had no clue she was a role model and guide for our heroine. Probably for the best — being admired makes one so self-conscious. Commentary: Quest for the literary life can be fraught with doubt

Square Pegs
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