It’s never too late to start a writing career

Think you’re too old to start a writing career? In many industries, there’s an emphasis on youth, on what’s new, cutting-edge, and hip. But many beloved creative writers didn’t find success until their later years.

Raymond Chandler, best known for his mystery novels about hard-boiled detective Philip Marlowe, published his first novel, “The Big Sleep, when he was 51.

James A. Michener wrote over forty books during his career, writing until he died at age ninety.

Which other authors started writing late in life?  Read more.

HuffingtonPost

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Literary Gender War……continued

The literary gender war started with best selling writer Jennifer Weiner’s statement that the New York Times does not do a very good job covering women writers.

After a tsunami of indignation swelled across the Internet, Slate.com confirmed the problem: of the 545 books reviewed between July 2008 and August, 2010, 62 percent were by men, 38 percent were by women…and of the 101 books that were reviewed twice in that time period, 71 percent were by men.

Author Teddy Wayne added to the furor with his argument that women writers have it easier than men because of women’s book clubs.

Is there gender bias against male novelists?

Novelist Teddy Wayne takes issue with bestselling authors Jennifer Weiner and Jodi Picoult’s complaint that the “literary” media machine ignores women writers while heaping praise on male writers like Jonathan Franzen.  Weiner calculates, that of the 254 novels reviewed by the New York Times in 2011 — both in the daily pages and the Sunday book review — only 41 percent were written by women.

Wayne believes that, except for the upper echelon of male literary authors like Franzen, Jeffrey Eugenides, Don DeLillo and their ilk, plus a few younger writers like Chad Harbach who have scored much-ballyhooed advances — it’s actually harder for men than it is for women to carve out a financially stable writing career.

Shakespeare saved his life

At one of the lowest moments of his life, DG Strong started doing something he never thought he’d do.  He joined a Nashville Shakespeare Festival program called “Shakespeare Allowed.”

It could also be called “Shakespeare Aloud” because each member of the group reads one speech or line at a time…..aloud.

DG joined the group when he was in the midst of under-employment and depression.  He was amazed to see people jammed into a small room at the local library eager to read Shakespeare.  A whole world opened up to him.

NY Times versus LA Times best selling crime fiction picks

The highest combined position on this East vs. West crime fiction comparison goes to Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James. This is the second week on both lists for James’ historical novel that transplants Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice characters into a world of suspense and mystery. Death Comes to Pemberley is in the #1 spot on the LA Times list and #5 in the New York Times.

The Litigators, by John Grisham takes the second highest combined spot; it’s #7 in the LA Times and #3 in New York. Grisham’s latest novel about a young brilliant, yet burned-out, attorney who joins a shady law firm has been on both lists for eight weeks.

Dating tips from Dickens, Austen & Tolstoy

Maura Kelly and Jack Murnighan got to know each other after Maura  wrote a profile of Jack for the Daily Beast, pegged to the release of his previous book.

They became friends, in part because Maura would ask Jack for advice about her dating conundrums and Jack would tell Maura that she should take a lesson from a novel.

Eventually, Maura began to think, “I should bottle Jack and begin selling him to all my friends.” Then she thought, “Hey, we should write a book!” Read more….

Salon

Penguin’s Book Country online site helps new fiction authors

Book Country users are invited to submit work in certain genres: romance, fantasy, science fiction, thriller and mystery.  The Penguin-sponsored online site allows writers to post their own work — whether it’s an opening chapter or a full manuscript — and receive critiques from other users, who can comment on points like character development, pacing and dialogue.

The site will generate revenue by allowing users to self-publish their books for a fee by ordering printed copies.

The site will also explain the business of finding an agent, marketing and promoting a book, using social media and handling digital and subsidiary rights.

Barnes & Noble considers selling its Nook e-reader business

Despite record sales over the holiday season Barnes & Noble said it was considering spinning off its Nook business .

Holiday sales at B&N retail stores rose 2.5%, to about $1.2 billion, over the last nine weeks of 2011 compared with the same period in 2010. Sales of Nook devices and digital content rose 43% from a year earlier.

B&N CEO said, “We see substantial value in what we’ve built with our Nook business in only two years, and we believe it’s the right time to investigate our options to unlock that value,”

Which NYTimes best sellers are not available as e-books in libraries?

The only big-six publishers that make their e-books available to libraries are Random House, Penguin and Harper Collins.  However, Penguin’s new titles are no longer available and Harper Collins only allows an e-book to be borrowed 26 times before the library has to purchase a new copy.

This means that NYTimes best sellers like James Patterson’s “Kill Alex Cross,” Patricia Cornwell’s “Red Mist” and Michael Connelly’s “The Drop” cannot be borrowed as e-books.

The newest books available in libraries as e-books are all published by Random House but they are reviewing their policy and may start restricting e-book borrowing in libraries as well.

2012 films based on books

What do F. Scott Fitzgerald, Victor Hugo, Abraham Lincoln:  Vampire Hunter, Dr. Seuss and the Life of Pi have in common?

They are some of the films based on books being released in 2012.

Whether you’re interested in some new reading material or just curious about what will be leaping from the page to the screen, this slide show is for you.  It is full of information about the plots, stars and authors of 20 new movies based on books.

Want to know more about the movies?  Read more…..

BuzzSugar

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