short stories

Friday Links

Nephele Tempest

How was everyone’s week? Mine has flown by and there’s still quite a bit on today’s to-do list. But first I wanted to swing through and leave you links to kick off your weekend. I’ve got some fun things lined up, so I hope you take a few minutes to go check them out. Regardless, wishing you a weekend filled with books and writing. Enjoy!

18 Perfect Short Stories that Pack More of a Punch than Most Novels – Great collection of both old and new.

Kelly Link: Get in Trouble – A podcast interview with the author on the occasion of the release of her latest story collection.

The Weird and Wonderful Cover Art of Mexican Paperbacks – As described. A fun assortment of artwork from various pulp titles.

The Weight of Knowledge: On Moving Books – The cost of moving an extensive personal library. I might possibly have nightmares on this topic.

25 Maps that Explain the English Language – Includes origins and influences, and gives you a hint as to why English is so complex and inconsistent.

 

Friday Links

Nephele Tempest

Enjoying some slightly cooler temperatures here, finally, and I’m hoping they hold up through the weekend so I can continue my productive streak of the last couple of days. I’ve got tons of reading and a bit of writing on my schedule. How about you?

Whatever you have planned, I’ve got some fun links for you to check out to kick off the weekend (or kill a little time before you quit for the day). I hope they inspire you to carve out a little reading and/or writing time of your own. Enjoy!

Ursula K. LeGuin Talks to Michael Cunningham about Genres, Gender, and Broadening Fiction – Wonderful interview, plus a link to a terrific e-book deal.

Pacing Doesn’t Just Mean Wearing a Groove in the Floor – John Scalzi talks about the “different thing” he did in his latest book, and why he chose to do it. (Hint: It has to do with pacing.)

Short Story: A Process of Revision – Antonya Nelson talks about her short story writing process and how she used it in teaching her latest workshop.

Lessons from Behind the Counter at a Comic Book Store – On feminism and marketing and comics.

Science Fiction and Fantasy 101: Thinking Academically about Genre – A great tie-in to my post from yesterday, with some recommendations for a “course” in SFF reading.

 

Friday Links

Nephele Tempest

Welcome to Friday, which this week happens to kick off the long Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S., the unofficial start of summer. That means vacations, BBQs, sand and surf, lazy days, stacks of books to read, and — in the publishing world — summer hours (half-day Fridays). The reality, of course, is that work does not cease simply because we have a bit more daylight (Weekend? What weekend?), but it’s nice to dream.

And on that note, I offer up this week’s selection of Friday links, some of which are a bit dreamy, and all of which I hope you’ll find intriguing/entertaining/educational, etc. Enjoy, and have a fabulous weekend!

The Art of Staying Focused in a Distracting World – Social media, email, DVR queue, etc. There’s always something vying for your attention. How do you get anything done anymore? Interesting article.

Writing Excuses: The Short Story with Mary Robinette Kowal – A great podcast on short story writing, with excellent tips for anyone looking to give them a go or simply improve on their current efforts.

Kindle Worlds: Amazon Rewrites the Rules of Fan Fiction – A look at Amazon’s announcement regarding their new plans to monetize the world of fan fiction.

Amazon’s Kindle Worlds: Instant Thoughts – Author John Scalzi’s first take on why Amazon’s new program may not be the greatest thing for writers.

Neil Gaiman’s A Calendar of Tales – Gaiman’s collaborative short story project with Blackberry is complete. Check out the results, including some very cool art created by Gaiman’s readers.