APFOL: Sept 27-Oct 3

Interesting posts and other things that have caught my eye this week. It isn’t actually everything, since I didn’t want to kill myself copy-pasting, so for the entire link collection check out my Delicious page.

And now, I present to you, my readers: Awesome Post Full of Links #5: September 27-October 3!

Books in General

• KRRP Interview with writer, blogger Lee Wind — NCAC
  “In an online chat with the Kids’ Right to Read Project, Lee Wind lends his perspecitve to the frequent challenges to LGBTQ kids’ and YA literature across the country. We talk about how these books are essential for building a new cultural “myth,” the conflation of homosexuality and sex, and the pros and cons of having a separate genre for LGBTQ.”
• Zombie-ification of Literature Shambles Onward – mediabistro.com: GalleyCat
  “Little Women and Werewolves.” WUT. The summary: “In this retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s classic, the beloved little women must keep not just the wolf, but the werewolves, from the door…and the kindly old gentlemen next door and his grandson may have some secrets to hide–or share with the March girls.”
• Move Over Hawkwind: Here Comes Age of Misrule! / Tor.com
  Bands named after books are nothing new (Harry and the Potters, Draco and the Malfoys etc), but I always think it’s a really cool idea.
• “From the Wilds of America” – Analyzing the Idea of “British Colonial America” in Steampunk [Essay] | Racialicious
  “As the saying goes, history is written by the victors; in steampunk, history can be re-written by the rebels. Steampunk gives SoCs the ability to imagine a better past: not by ignoring its mistakes or glossing over the stories of the silenced, but by re-envisioning a past, where, finally, our stories are included, our struggles are acknowledged, and the “magic of history” is imagined on our own terms.”
• Princess Diaries author Meg Cabot on Betsy-Tacy novels – WSJ.com
  “Author Meg Cabot on why the Betsy-Tacy books give today’s teen lit a run for its money”

Authors & Publishers

• Hello and Good Morning (Technically. Here in West Coast Time) / Tor.com
  Author Cherie Priest talks about what first got her into steampunk: “But a couple of years ago when I began working on Boneshaker, I couldn’t name many meaningful signifiers that screamed out “steampunk.” Oh there were goggles, sure—but no one seemed to have a good explanation for what the goggles were for apart from leaving a sweaty crease above your eyebrows. The delightful preponderance of Victorian garb was striking and fun, but the gas masks left me scratching my head. Gears made sense, even on top hats, I supposed. Watch chains were shiny, so, you know. Cool.”
• Book tours for the 21st century « The Book Publicity Blog
  “The tricky part of the virtual book tour is making sure there’s a bookselling component to the event in addition to the conversation part of it. This may mean having a bookstore host the virtual event on its Facebook page. Or it may mean that a store makes some sort of arrangement with an author to make sure books (preferably signed) are for sale.”
• Disney’s Digital Book Push – mediabistro.com: GalleyCat
  “The Walt Disney Company (DIS) pushed into the digital book market today, hoping to corner the first generation of digital book-savvy kids with a new distribution model: selling $79.95 annual subscriptions to readers, providing online access to 500 Disney storybook titles in digital form.”
• Book Pitch Gone Bad: How to Piss Off Those You Most Want to Befriend
  “One of the first rules of pitching anyone on doing a favor, especially in the world of social media, is you’ve gotta join in the conversation first. You’ve gotta give a little first. And, at a bare minimum, pretend you know who I am, who my audience is, what I care about and what I write about.” (via @mawbooks)

(Book) Blogging

• Books, Movies, and Chinese Food: How Would Jesus Enter a Blog Giveaway
  Poor Deborah has the worst luck with giveaway entrants…
• Becky’s Book Reviews: Explaining an addiction
  Becky explains what a reading challenge is, how it works, and other useful things like that.
• A Beginner’s Guide to Joining the Book Blogging Community – Farm Lane Books Blog
  Very useful tips from Jackie about getting more involved int he book blogging community! Good for both newbies and oldies– I certainly learned some new stuff!

And

• Nominations for the Cybils are Open Now! (And Why I’m SO Excited This Year!) | Maw Books
  Natasha explains what the Cybils are, how you can participate, and what her role is in them.
• Tor.com / A Hallowe’en Gift: Sarah Langan’s The Keeper available free for a month
  Sarah Langan’s debut novel The Keeper is available until the end of the month as a free e-book!
• Infinite Summer: Dracula
  Read Dracula along with a bunch of other people! I’m doing it, and it’s not too late for you to start, either. Do it! Why not, y’know?