Friday Links, Absent a Clever Subtitle, Because My Writer’s Brain Is on Strike

In case it hasn’t been obvious from the unusual level of quiet around here, I’ve been having a bit of a nose-to-grindstone month. My apologies for the shortage of posts but there’s only so much brain power to go around and it’s being funneled into a few other things right now. I hope October will give me time to be a bit chattier.

However it is Friday, which means Friday Links, and I definitely have some of those to share. I think there’s a decidedly autumnal flavor this week, unsurprising given tomorrow is the first day of October. Think of it as the literary equivalent of pumpkins everywhere. Or maybe it’s just that ongoing back-to-school vibe. I’m still feeling the need to go buy new notebooks and pens. Maybe over the weekend.

So without further ado I’m going to get right to the links. Fair number of titles to plump up that TBR, among other things. Enjoy, and don’t forget to work a little writing time into your schedule. Happy weekend!

The Haunting of Shirley Jackson – On ghosts and literary traps.

Amor Towles, A Gentleman in Gramercy Park – A brief profile with some gorgeous photos of the author’s NYC apartment. His office will give you bookcase envy. Also, his debut novel, Rules of Civility, which came out a few years back, is one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read in years. I’m twitching to find time to read his latest.

Shakespeare Lives 2016 – The Globe in London streamed a live performance of their recent production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream a few weeks ago, and you can still view the video on the site.

Win a Writer’s Retreat in Iceland – Details on how to enter to win a free spot at the Iceland Writers Retreat.

The Time I Wrote a 150,000-Word Pulp Novel in a Month to Win a Bet – A fun tale with some interesting details about the pulp genre. Perhaps inspiration for anyone gearing up for NaNoWriMo in November.

Tana French’s Intimate Crime Fiction – A profile that looks at what French has brought to the genre with her popular Dublin Murder Squad series.

Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors 2016 – Mostly who you’d expect, though there are a few nice surprises. Still, an uncomfortably white selection of writers, though a fair number of women have managed to make the list.

 

Friday Links: Ways to Make Your Writing Flow

TGIF! It’s been a long, hot week here in the L.A. area and I’m looking forward to spending my weekend in air conditioned spaces, splitting my time between reading for work and knocking out a few chores. Not very exciting, but I look forward to knocking some things off my to-do list and starting next week with that great feeling of accomplishment that comes with finally finishing tasks that have been lingering too long.

How about all of you? Fun plans for this weekend? Some quality reading and/or writing time? Whatever you’re up to, I hope you enjoy and that it leaves you excited to kick off a new week. In the meantime, I have this week’s Friday Links! It’s a good assortment, and there should be something here to intrigue just about everyone. Enjoy, and happy writing!

How to Write a Novel – An interesting look at the process, with a particular focus on “planners” vs. “pantsers.”

10 Tips for Finding Inspiration – Author Eileen Cook shares some ideas to help you get those thoughts flowing.

Want to Work in 18 Miles of Books? First, the Quiz – A look at the hiring process for The Strand bookstore in New York.

Women Crime Writers Are Not a Fad – A look at the long history of women writing in the genre, with some wonderful recommendations for anyone looking for an exciting read.

Bad Girls: An Interview with Emma Cline – Tin House talks to the young author, whose recent book has garnered a lot of attention.

Once All but Dead, Is Cursive Making a Comeback? – A strange but interesting look at a resurgence in teaching cursive writing in schools. As someone who still writes in cursive, I’ve been wondering how these new generations were going to be able to read what I wrote — or what anyone wrote by hand the last few hundred years. I’m curious to see how this pans out.

6 Tips for Cleaning Up Your Dirty Words (Grammatically, Of Course) – Ways to make profanity a seamless part of your writing when it’s appropriate to the character/genre/text.