banned books

Friday Links: Plotting and Planning for the Rest of the Year

Nephele Tempest

Welcome to mid-October! The calendar insists on speeding us toward year-end, so now is the time to make some decisions. Are you doing NaNoWriMo next month? Did you promise yourself that this was the year you’d submit your writing somewhere? Have you set a reading goal for 2021?

I believe pandemic-time means being a little gentle with yourself when it comes to hitting those marks. But at the same time, you won’t get these years back, so take a few minutes to assess where things are. Maybe make a mini goal for the next couple of months. You’ll feel better come January.

This week’s links offer up the usual assortment of bookish and writerly sites to visit, but I hope a few will inspire you to do some writing or read something terrific. Wishing you a wonderful weekend. Enjoy!

This week’s links:

7 Magical Realism Short Stories Haunted by Emotional Ghosts. – A little bit of Halloween-adjacent reading.

22 Highly Anticipated Books Hitting Shelves in 2022. – Plan that TBR well in advance (and maybe clear off some more recent titles to make room for incoming.)

Literary Magazines: General Submissions. – A helpful list of places currently open to new work in Sept/Oct; note that The Lumiere Review provides an updated list every month or two, as some lit mags open to submissions seasonally.

Slightly Foxed Podcast, episode 36: Graphic Novels: A Comic Turn with Posy Simmonds & Paul Gravett. – One of my favorite podcasts looks at the history of graphic novels as well as some more recent offerings. Interesting for both newbies and fans of the format.

NaNo Tips: Preparing for National Novel Writing Month. – Some ideas to help you prep if you’re interested in participating in this year’s write-a-thon.

7 Books about Older Women Behaving Badly. – Because women don’t just disappear as they get older, and some remain visible with distinctive style.

‘Domestic Terrorists’ Challenge Books in Texas, Indiana, Maine and More. – Back-to-school season always means more uproar over what the children are reading. A roundup of recent kerfuffles.

Friday Links: Still Breathing Edition

Nephele Tempest

For those of you wondering, I’m still breathing. I know things have been a bit quiet here lately. Apologies for the radio silence, but I’ve been snowed under — by paperwork and reading, not actual snow. I hope to have some wonderful things to share with you soon. In the meantime, I’ve a collection of links that are past due posting. My browser will be so happy when I close out these tabs.

These links are a bit all over the place, mostly because I’ve been gathering them for weeks. A couple are February-centric, but they certainly won’t expire, so I hope you’ll excuse them sneaking in here at month’s end. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend, filled with books and good writing time. Enjoy!

This Week’s Links:

2017 Locus Recommended Reading List. – A roundup of the best SFF from 2017, according to Locus magazine.

Should You Write What You Know? 31 Authors Weigh In. – Writers discuss the age-old advice and how true it is.

#ReadingBlackout: 28 Days of Books By and About African Americans for Black History Month. – A terrific selection, and certainly worth reading all year long.

I’m National Book Foundation Executive Director Lisa Lucas, and This Is How I Work. – LifeHacker focuses on Lisa Lucas in their “How I Work” series.

Applications Now Open for the $35,000 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting 2018. – Details posted for how to submit for the fellowships run by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Let’s Talk about the Fantasy of the Writer’s Lifestyle. – A look at the glamorous ideal of the writer’s life in comparison to reality.

15 Banned Books and Their Reasons for Censorship. – A look at how and why various books have been banned and the route from challenge to actual censorship of a title.

Nick Harkaway Tells Strange, Chilling Tales — and Has Devoted Fans. – An interview with the author discussing the secretive nature of his stories and how that limits the conversation about his work.

On Imitation. – An intriguing look at one writer’s experiences growing up and learning about influence and imitation and where the line gets drawn to make something your own.

Banned Books Week: Stand Up for Your Freedom to Read

Nephele Tempest

Banned Books Week challenges the idea that anyone can tell you what to read. Or what not to read. This week, look through your TBR pile or scan lists of challenged books. Pick up a title you might not normally choose. Don’t let anyone tell you that a book is too racy or radical or risky for you. Dare to read dangerously.

Every year, the American Library Association tracks what books have been challenged or banned. Challenging a book involves attempting to remove access by a person or group, where banning successfully removes that book. People challenge books for many reasons, objecting to sexual content, religious ideas that conflict with their own, or subjects they find distasteful. Check out the books most frequently challenged, organized by year, and including books for children and young adults, as well as titles challenged for diverse content and even classics.

If you’re interested in recent challenges, the ALA provides handy annual infographics.

Top 10 Most Challenged Books 2016
Artwork courtesy of the American Library Association

Banned Books Week takes place every September, but people challenge or ban books all year long. They attempt to block your access to material that might change your way of thinking or open your mind to new ideas. We fight for the publication of more diverse books, but we must also stand for the right to read them.

Take a Stand

Do you love a book that people threaten to ban? Speak out this week on social media. Tell us why you love that title. If you hear about someone challenging a book in your town or city, make your opinion known. Speak up and explain what makes that book important. Check out the ALA for ways to help, ideas for boosting the signal, and resource materials. Share your love of books by helping to keep them accessible to everyone.