BREAKING NEWS: Books (2) http://feed.informer.com/digests/YP5CZV6YYQ/feeder BREAKING NEWS: Books (2) Respective post owners and feed distributors Wed, 08 Nov 2017 23:55:29 +0000 Feed Informer http://feed.informer.com/ Christian Scholars Applaud and Critique Jordan Peterson’s Book ‘We Who Wrestle with God’ https://www.crosswalk.com/headlines/contributors/michael-foust/christian-scholars-applaud-and-critique-jordan-petersons-we-who-wrestle-with-god.html Books urn:uuid:af68ddb7-0b6c-ade6-937d-2367e4170ff6 Tue, 18 Mar 2025 17:20:00 +0000 Jordan Peterson’s We Who Wrestle with God offers thought-provoking insights into biblical narratives but takes interpretive liberties that reshape theological meaning, according to Christian scholars Scott Rae and Sean McDowell. In a podcast discussion, they praised Peterson’s respect for Scripture while critiquing his tendency to impose a secular framework onto biblical stories, diminishing their supernatural elements. Despite these concerns, both scholars acknowledged Peterson’s impact in defending traditional values and expressed interest in further dialogue with him. New books this week: 'Hunger Games' is back, and young people navigate a new Tanzania https://www.npr.org/2025/03/18/nx-s1-5330585/new-books-hunger-games Book News & Features urn:uuid:9044b427-f774-5510-a0a3-262597ea8815 Tue, 18 Mar 2025 14:13:18 +0000 This week brings a number of promising new reads — but none more eagerly awaited than <em>Sunrise on the Reaping</em>. We offer 5 books to consider picking up. <img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2000x712+0+166/resize/2000x712!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F14%2F2d%2F343526454739bb945c15a9181103%2F6-book-covers.jpg' alt='undefined'/><p>This week brings a number of promising new reads — but none more eagerly awaited than <em>Sunrise on the Reaping</em>. We offer 5 books to consider picking up. </p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5330585' /> IndieView with Patricia Leavy, author of Shooting Stars Above https://www.theindieview.com/2025/03/18/indieview-with-patricia-leavy-author-of-shooting-stars-above/ The IndieView urn:uuid:c85cb447-d864-5a12-8f05-7dc1bcaf1275 Tue, 18 Mar 2025 13:00:36 +0000 <p>When I was 10 years old, I tried to write a novel. I don’t remember all the details, but it was a love story about two people who help each other heal. I wasn’t able to finish it when I &#8230; <a href="https://www.theindieview.com/2025/03/18/indieview-with-patricia-leavy-author-of-shooting-stars-above/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p> The post <a href="https://www.theindieview.com/2025/03/18/indieview-with-patricia-leavy-author-of-shooting-stars-above/">IndieView with Patricia Leavy, author of Shooting Stars Above</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.theindieview.com">The IndieView</a>. <p><a href="https://www.theindieview.com/?attachment_id=17696" rel="attachment wp-att-17696"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-17696" src="http://www.theindieview.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ShootingStars.jpg" alt="" width="330" height="510" srcset="https://www.theindieview.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ShootingStars.jpg 330w, https://www.theindieview.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ShootingStars-194x300.jpg 194w" sizes="(max-width: 330px) 100vw, 330px" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>When I was 10 years old, I tried to write a novel. I don’t remember all the details, but it was a love story about two people who help each other heal. I wasn’t able to finish it when I was 10. I think the seed lived inside of me my entire life. </em></p> <p style="text-align: center;">Patricia Leavy &#8211; 18 March 2025 <span id="more-17695"></span></p> <h2>The Back Flap</h2> <p>Tess Lee is a world-famous novelist. Her inspirational books explore people’s innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel—but despite her extraordinary success, she’s been unable to find personal happiness. Jack Miller is a federal agent working in counterterrorism. After spending decades immersed in a violent world, a residue remains. He’s dedicated everything to his job, leaving nothing for himself.</p> <p>The night Tess and Jack meet, their connection is palpable. She examines the scars on his body and says, “I’ve never seen anyone whose outsides match my insides.” The two embark on an epic love story, but old traumas soon rise to the surface as Jack struggles with the death of a loved one and Tess is forced to confront her childhood abuse. Can unconditional love help heal their invisible wounds? Together, will they be able to move from darkness to light?</p> <h2><strong>About the book</strong></h2> <p><strong>What is the book about?</strong></p> <p>It’s a love story. Really, it’s about the power of love to help us heal our visible and invisible wounds, and the struggle to balance darkness and light in our lives. The story follows world-famous inspirational novelist Tess Lee and counterterrorism agent Jack Miller. Both have given so much to others, but haunted by past violence, neither has been able to find personal happiness. The night Tess and Jack meet, their connection is palpable. She examines the scars on his body and says, “I’ve never seen anyone whose outsides match my insides.” Really, it’s a book about love in all forms—romantic, friendship, and learning to love ourselves.</p> <p><strong>When did you start writing the book?</strong></p> <p>I started writing it in late 2019. I was contracted to write a different novel, but I was struggling with it. One night I was sitting at my computer in my home office completely stuck. I stepped out onto the balcony and looked up at the stars. Like a bolt, <em>Shooting Stars Above</em> came to me, as a complete book.</p> <p><strong>How long did it take you to write it?</strong></p> <p>I wrote the first draft in only 10 days. I’ve never had an experience like it, not before or since. I worked day and night, completely immersed in the story world. I didn’t go online and if anyone spoke to me, I’m sure I didn’t hear a word they said. In fact, I even sent my husband away for a few days. It was the most immersive experience of my life. Of course, I’ve revised it countless times since and spent lots of time on it, but the book remains true to the original draft.</p> <p><strong>Where did you get the idea from?</strong></p> <p>When I was 10 years old, I tried to write a novel. I don’t remember all the details, but it was a love story about two people who help each other heal. I wasn’t able to finish it when I was 10. I think the seed lived inside of me my entire life. <em>Shooting Stars Above</em> is that novel.</p> <p><strong>Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?</strong></p> <p>There are some dark scenes in this book. The protagonist suffers from PTSD as a result of childhood sexual abuse and rape. Those scenes were emotionally challenging.</p> <p><strong>What came easily?</strong></p> <p>All of it. It just flowed out of me. I love these characters and their bonds more than any other characters I’ve written. I especially loved writing scenes with Tess and Jack and scenes with Tess and Omar, her best friend. He’s the kind of bestie we all want, and their bond is beautiful.</p> <p><strong>Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?</strong></p> <p>They’re fictitious but we all borrow from life. As artists, everything comes through our filter.</p> <p><strong>We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?</strong></p> <p>So many. Carolyn Ellis and Laurel Richardson have taught me to be vulnerable and brave, and how to weave social commentary into creative writing. Meg Donahue has shown me how to write with compassion and give characters depth. Colleen Hoover reminds me to be honest about women’s experiences, including their fantasies. Candace Bushnell reminds me to always have fun with it, and balance the tender moments with humor, lightness, and a little irreverence. One of my favorite authors of all time, Simone de Beauvoir inspires me to explore important themes and questions about women’s lives.</p> <p><strong>Do you have a target reader? </strong></p> <p>Anyone who enjoys a love story or who may be looking for a little inspiration.</p> <h2><strong>About Writing</strong></h2> <p><strong>Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?</strong></p> <p>I get an idea, which could come from anywhere, some personal experience, an observation, something I overhear at a café, a topic I’m interested in, a piece of art, whatever, and then I stew on it until it crystalizes in my mind. Once I can see an entire scene play out in my mind like a film, or sometimes an entire novel, I start writing, or in some cases doing research to enable me to write. While this is generally my process, the truth is, it never really happens exactly the same way twice which is why I’m still so in love with writing.</p> <p><strong>Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?</strong></p> <p>I outline extensively for nonfiction. With fiction, I fly by the seat of my pants. When I have an idea that I feel is really there—at least par baked—I just start writing. I have written novels chronologically, but more often, I write scenes, out of order, and then stitch them together.</p> <p><strong>Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?</strong></p> <p>I edit as I go, usually dozens of times per chapter or even per scene. I solicit feedback chapter by chapter and edit more. Then when I have a full draft, I edit many more times before it goes to a copyeditor, which always leads to more revisions.</p> <p><strong>Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?</strong></p> <p>I don’t, but I listen to music just about every waking moment when I’m not writing. I especially love women singer-songwriters. You can learn a lot about structure, using repetition purposefully, developing tone, building emotionality, writing with specificity but also with metaphor and symbolism, and writing from the perspectives of girls and women.</p> <h2><strong>About Publishing</strong></h2> <p><strong>Did you submit your work to Agents?</strong></p> <p>I have, but decided it was not the right path for me. You never know what the future will hold, but these days I’m really happy where I am.</p> <p><strong>What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process? </strong></p> <p>I’ve worked with all different kinds of publishers over the years. I started my career with one of the biggest with a stellar reputation. Let’s just say, it didn’t live up to my fantasies. Since then, I’ve worked with all different kinds of publishers, including other biggies. My best experiences have consistently been with indie presses. It’s more personal, more humanizing. There’s more support for what’s always a bumpy journey. You feel like you’re in it together. I’m glad to be involved in all phases of the process, from production to promotion. I also like having more ownership over my work—after two decades and 50 plus books—that’s become vitally important to me as an artist. The funny thing is, over the course of my career, my most successful books have always been with indie presses. It’s so counter to what people assume.</p> <p><strong>Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?</strong></p> <p>It was professionally done. The designer came up with several mock-ups based on my ideas. This one just felt completely right. I absolutely love it.</p> <p><strong>Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?</strong></p> <p>I was fortunate to be able to hire a terrific publicity team as well as a marketing professional. I do also have my own marketing plan, which I do for all my books, regardless of the publisher and any outside help.</p> <p><strong>Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors? </strong></p> <p>Learn as much as you can about the process. Understand that you’ll need to wear two hats, as a writer and as an author working in the publishing industry. They’re not the same thing. Writers spend their days in story worlds. It’s very private. Authors negotiate, pitch themselves and their work, deal with critique, and more. It’s very public. Try to find ways to protect the creative side of yourself, while doing what you need to do to be an author. Have fun with it.</p> <div id="attachment_17697" style="width: 379px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.theindieview.com/?attachment_id=17697" rel="attachment wp-att-17697"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17697" class="size-full wp-image-17697" src="http://www.theindieview.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Leavy_headshot.jpg" alt="" width="369" height="480" srcset="https://www.theindieview.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Leavy_headshot.jpg 369w, https://www.theindieview.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Leavy_headshot-231x300.jpg 231w" sizes="(max-width: 369px) 100vw, 369px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-17697" class="wp-caption-text">processed by AtomJPEG 1.5.0n</p></div> <h2><strong>About You</strong></h2> <p><strong>Where did you grow up?</strong></p> <p>Outside of Boston.</p> <p><strong>Where do you live now?</strong></p> <p>Maine, not far from the sea.</p> <p><strong>What would you like readers to know about you?</strong></p> <p>I had an entirely different career. I wanted to be a writer since I was very little, but was too afraid to pursue it. Instead, I became a professor. Yet writing was my true passion. For years, I pursued it as a side hustle until I finally made the leap more than a decade ago. I’ve never looked back. I share this so that others will know, it’s never too late to follow your passions.</p> <p><strong>What are you working on now?</strong></p> <p><em>Shooting Stars Above</em> is the first in the Celestial Bodies Romance series. There are six books written and I love each more than the one before. We’ll be releasing one each spring. I also have several other romances written which will be rolling out each fall. The next one is called <em>Cinematic Destinies</em>. It’s the third and final book in a trilogy that follows the love story of Ella and Finn. The first two books, <em>The Location Shoot</em> and <em>After the Red Carpet</em> are out now.</p> <p><strong>End of Interview:</strong></p> <p>For more from Patricia Leavy, check out <a href="https://patricialeavy.com/">her website</a> and follow her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WomenWhoWrite/">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/patricialeavy">Instagram</a>, and <a href="https://x.com/PatriciaLeavy">Twitter</a>.</p> <p>Get your copy of <em>Shooting Stars Above</em> from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shooting-Stars-Above-Celestial-Romances-ebook/dp/B0CYJ76ZXK/?tag=tinvw-20">Amazon US</a>.</p>The post <a href="https://www.theindieview.com/2025/03/18/indieview-with-patricia-leavy-author-of-shooting-stars-above/">IndieView with Patricia Leavy, author of Shooting Stars Above</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.theindieview.com">The IndieView</a>. Trump, Antisemitism & Academia https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2025/04/10/trump-antisemitism-academia-christopher-browning/ The New York Review of Books urn:uuid:08dcc32a-61ad-c3ad-7bc5-374551267283 Tue, 18 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000 <img src="https://www.nybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/DP882208.jpg" />If the Trump administration were truly concerned about antisemitism, it would start in its own house. Whale Eyes https://www.bookpage.com/reviews/whale-eyes-james-robinson-book-review/ BookPage.com - The Book Case Blog urn:uuid:ccb13900-b307-9093-d9bf-12a6243d49b8 Tue, 18 Mar 2025 05:00:28 +0000 James Robinson’s Whale Eyes is a superb middle grade memoir that champions empathy and understanding on every level. The Martian Contingency https://www.bookpage.com/reviews/the-martian-contingency-mary-robinette-kowal-book-review/ BookPage.com - The Book Case Blog urn:uuid:e7bec2d4-94c1-ba56-6645-3a83ef1190ec Tue, 18 Mar 2025 05:00:00 +0000 Mary Robinette Kowal’s fascinating, inspiring <b>The Martian Contingency</b> observes the emergence of a unique spacefaring culture. The House No One Sees https://www.bookpage.com/reviews/house-no-one-sees-adina-king-book-review/ BookPage.com - The Book Case Blog urn:uuid:98e6c500-f4bd-4df3-1500-b46ec32b52a3 Tue, 18 Mar 2025 05:00:00 +0000 <b>The House No One Sees</b> offers a guiding light to readers through its depiction of a young person who has built a labyrinth of trauma and grief. Stalactite & Stalagmite https://www.bookpage.com/reviews/stalactite-stalagmite-drew-beckmeyer-book-revi/ BookPage.com - The Book Case Blog urn:uuid:3ff6888a-bc9b-40a1-24b4-7870a02060d7 Tue, 18 Mar 2025 05:00:00 +0000 <b>Stalactite &#038; Stalagmite</b> is filled with opportunities for readers to ponder the wonder and beauty of our world—and the loveliness of having a trusted companion through it all. Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder https://www.bookpage.com/reviews/pomona-afton-can-so-solve-a-murder/ BookPage.com - The Book Case Blog urn:uuid:c09f7183-74d3-898d-3a54-fdb8a6c1d65a Tue, 18 Mar 2025 05:00:00 +0000 The hilarious, plucky titular character of Bellamy Rose’s <b>Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder</b> will win readers’ hearts while making them laugh out loud. Love at First Flight https://www.bookpage.com/reviews/love-at-first-flight/ BookPage.com - The Book Case Blog urn:uuid:1c62ff95-8ae7-4210-e06c-716002e8bae3 Tue, 18 Mar 2025 05:00:00 +0000 Jo Watson’s <b>Love at First Flight</b> is a laugh-out-loud funny, fake dating romance. Latvia’s Book Market Driven by Fiction and Domestic Authors https://publishingperspectives.com/2025/03/latvias-book-market-driven-by-fiction-and-domestic-authors/ Publishing Perspectives urn:uuid:e94521fa-559e-b585-59cc-55373b678009 Mon, 17 Mar 2025 22:47:59 +0000 <p>Local authors of fiction and their genre dominated the Latvian trade publishing market in 2024, in a 'stable year' of business.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://publishingperspectives.com/2025/03/latvias-book-market-driven-by-fiction-and-domestic-authors/">Latvia&#8217;s Book Market Driven by Fiction and Domestic Authors</a> appeared first on <a href="https://publishingperspectives.com">Publishing Perspectives</a>.</p> “Occasions for Poetry: Politics, Literature, and Imagination Among the Early Modern Ottomans” by Oscar Aguirre-Mandujano https://asianreviewofbooks.com/occasions-for-poetry-politics-literature-and-imagination-among-the-early-modern-ottomans-by-oscar-aguirre-mandujano/ urn:uuid:c0d76ac0-b2ac-26e0-ac56-f1695f87a090 Mon, 17 Mar 2025 22:00:03 +0000 An Iranian grandee once asked this reviewer if he had enjoyed a dish of braised sheep brains. I [&#8230;] <p class="intro"><span class="dropcap">A</span>n Iranian grandee once asked this reviewer if he had enjoyed a dish of braised sheep brains. I replied, quoting Sa’di, “a lenifying lie is better than an irksome truth.” Face saved on all sides. This incident illustrates an important aspect of Iranian and Persianate culture: the use of poetic language to shape and elevate reality. This use of poetry has existed in all cultures, from Shakespeare’s sonnets to Pushkin’s compositions for ladies’ album books. Oscar Aguirre-Mandujano argues, in <i>Occasions for Poetry</i>, that this art form is the most important cultural element by which the Ottomans expressed themselves, more important than architecture, or history writing. Mustering an immense corpus of poetry from the turn of the 16th century, Aguirre-Mandujano successfully makes his case,<a class="save-timestamp hide-if-no-js button" href="https://asianreviewofbooks.com/wp-admin/post-new.php#edit_timestamp">OK</a> though sometimes with the mass of citations he loses the forest from the trees.<span id="more-20705"></span></p> <p>Originally the Ottomans listened to bardic poetry, composed by the <i>aşıq</i>  (minstrels) in simple, folk Turkish. This tradition of ballad singing survives to this day. Alongside this, the early Ottoman court attracted poets from Iran, who declaimed poems of great complexity and depth, full of allusions and symbols. This language was prized for its ability to describe “true” reality better than the vernacular speech. But as the Ottoman state grew in size and complexity, the people responsible for the state, from Sultan to judges, generals to muftis, felt a need to describe “true” reality in their native Turkish. They invented a new language, which we call “Ottoman Turkish”, as ornate and cultivated as Persian, and more reflective of the social codes and intricate protocol of the sultan’s court.</p> <p>Contrary to what one might have expected, this new poetry did not exclusively consist of panegyrics (<i>kaside</i>), an overtly political genre where the poet might ask for money, or a new job, or even a stay of execution. The most prolific Ottoman poetic genre is the ghazal, the love lyric. These poems, resembling sonnets in their brevity and formalism, enabled the Ottomans “to signify specific moments in their lives, what I call occasions, and to live them meaningfully,” writes Aguirre-Mandujano.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p class="intro">This language emerged as poetry, but then penetrated into administrative, legal, historical and diplomatic writing. This is suggestive, says the author, of the importance of poetry in daily life. Writing poetry became a badge of membership in the Ottoman ruling class. It is one of the reasons why Turks today struggle to read Ottoman Turkish, even when transliterated from the Arabic to the Latin script: one still must penetrate the dense web of allusions, Quranic citations, echoes of other poems and esoteric symbolism.</p> <p>In the early Ottoman period (pre-1453) poetry tended to be a profession, and poets often held only marginal positions in society. The growing Ottoman state, as it absorbed literary talent into its ranks of government servants, tended to turn poets into placeholders and placeholders into poets. Many of the writers cited in <i>Occasions</i> are judges and tax collectors. Yet, paradoxically this does not diminish the quality of their poetry compared to older poets. To be a good poet helped one advance in one’s profession. A man’s poetry signified his insight, wisdom, tact and taste, all indispensable qualities in a courtier.</p> <p>What gives Ottoman poetry still appealing to modern readers is the pathos arising from the sense of vulnerability of these supposedly powerful men. I have always wondered why anyone ever wanted to become grand vizier of the Ottoman empire when over 50% of them were executed by their sultans (see <a href="https://asianreviewofbooks.com/the-lion-house-the-coming-of-a-king-by-christopher-de-bellaigue/"><i>The Lion House</i></a>). Aguirre-Mandujano’s poets suffer exile, degradation and in several cases execution, at the whim of the monarch or because of the changing tides of court sentiment. Perhaps the most tragic example is Bayezid II’s brother Cem Sultan, who lost the contest between Mehmed II’s heirs for the throne, and found himself in exile in Italy. After Cem fled the country Bayezid executed Oghuz, his nephew and Cem’s son, prompting the banished prince to pen a masterful dirge, of which the <i>radif,</i> or refrain is <i>felek</i>, meaning “fate”.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h5>You turned the light of the world Into darkness over my head,</h5> <h5> you dark-faced Fate winged with rain and dark clouds.</h5> <h5> O disloyal Fate, treacherous, unworthy, and cruel</h5> <h5>and no error-loving Fate of troubles and accidents.</h5> <h5> You that tyrannically drink the blood of the rulers of the age, o Fate</h5> <h5>full of cruelty trouble pains and cries.</h5> <h5>Since you threw me into the whirlpool of the land of the Franks</h5> <h5>bloody tears flowed down my eyes like an ocean, o Fate.</h5> <h5>Jacob did not shed this many bloody tears from his eyes</h5> <h5>Alexander the Great did not suffer what I did in the land of darkness, o Fate.</h5> <h5>How could I not tear my shirt and wail at your hand</h5> <h5>the pain of Oghuz had thrown my soul to burn in the fire, o Fate.</h5> <h5>My eyes have shed so many tears in the land of the Franks</h5> <h5> that the sea of the West has overflowed and bubbles with them, o Fate</h5> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p class="intro">Although Cem’s exile and loss of his son is the most poignant of stories captured in poetry by Aguirre-Mandujano, few of his representative poets entirely escape humiliation and degradation. In another trenchant observation, Aguirre-Mandujano says, “ to imagine that all Ottoman subjects understood their present moment and all things Ottoman is a misunderstanding.  It is likely that an Ottoman historian today knows far more about the inner workings of the palace than the average Ottoman.” So their poetry served as a talisman against disorientation, in the dizzy whirl of promotion and abasement. “Poetry not only offered a language to organize a life that would suddenly fall into chaos and disarray, it filled that life with meaning.”</p> <p>The weight of argument favors Aguirre-Mandujano’s assertion that “Poetry is part and parcel in the life of every Ottoman elite for most of the duration of the empire in a way that is difficult to imagine today.” But perhaps because of his work in the Süleymaniyye Library, the greatest collection of Islamic manuscripts in the world, Aguirre-Mandujano pursues too many poets. Indeed he gives us a careful reading of the courtier-poets of the era 1453-1512 (from the conquest of Constantinople until the death of Bayezid II), introducing many unpublished texts. Fewer could have been left to express more of themselves, and more focus could have been given to specific poems.</p> <p>Full of insights into the Ottoman mind, the text of the book is nevertheless diffuse, and suffers from repetition. One suspects a number of articles have been assembled to make a book, without a clear through-line. For example there is a chapter on letter writing and how epistolary manuals emerged—not really <i>á propos</i> of the thesis. Nevertheless Aguirre-Mandujano does make his case for the importance of Ottoman poetry to understand who the Ottomans were, and more importantly who they thought they were themselves. There is more than enough material for an anthology with facing translations, to make these poems available to a wider public.</p> <hr><h6>David Chaffetz is the author of <em><a href="https://www.threeasiandivas.com/">Three Asian Divas: Women, Art and Culture in Shiraz, Delhi and Yangzhou</a></em> (Abbreviated Press, November 2019) and <em><a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324051466">Raiders, Rulers, and Traders: The Horse and the Rise of Empire</a></em> (WW Norton, July 2024).</h6> British Book Awards: The 2025 Small Press Winners https://publishingperspectives.com/2025/03/british-book-awards-the-2025-small-press-winners/ Publishing Perspectives urn:uuid:53a1a938-84a5-3bf1-c8fb-03ac11ebb2bf Mon, 17 Mar 2025 21:59:58 +0000 <p>From Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales, small press winners now vie for the top independent publishing British Book Award.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://publishingperspectives.com/2025/03/british-book-awards-the-2025-small-press-winners/">British Book Awards: The 2025 Small Press Winners</a> appeared first on <a href="https://publishingperspectives.com">Publishing Perspectives</a>.</p> The Hold List: A blast from the past https://www.bookpage.com/features/the-hold-list-childrens-series/ BookPage.com - The Book Case Blog urn:uuid:ce902ccf-06d3-d895-666d-0d39489728f4 Mon, 17 Mar 2025 19:00:36 +0000 Dive into nostalgia with these four beloved children’s series picked by BookPage staff. Some Quick, Spoiler-Free Thoughts On “Mickey 17” https://whatever.scalzi.com/2025/03/17/some-quick-spoiler-free-thoughts-on-mickey-17/ Whatever urn:uuid:031ed0b8-ed6e-22a5-4a8e-96af99fd6593 Mon, 17 Mar 2025 17:33:34 +0000 On Friday, I went to see Mickey 17 in theaters. Unlike most movies I&#8217;ve seen in theaters recently, I actually saw a ton of marketing for Mickey 17. This was one movie I wasn&#8217;t going into completely blind, which I generally try to do. If you have yet to see one of its trailers, Mickey 17 is a science fiction film about [&#8230;] <p><strong><img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="54853" data-permalink="https://whatever.scalzi.com/2025/03/17/some-quick-spoiler-free-thoughts-on-mickey-17/screenshot-2025-03-17-at-1-30-56-pm/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-17-at-1.30.56%E2%80%AFPM.png?fit=2522%2C1340&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="2522,1340" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Screenshot 2025-03-17 at 1.30.56 PM" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-17-at-1.30.56%E2%80%AFPM.png?fit=300%2C159&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-17-at-1.30.56%E2%80%AFPM.png?fit=2522%2C1340&amp;ssl=1" class="alignright size-full wp-image-54853" src="https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-17-at-1.30.56%E2%80%AFPM.png?resize=639%2C340&#038;ssl=1" alt="" width="639" height="340" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-17-at-1.30.56%E2%80%AFPM.png?w=2522&amp;ssl=1 2522w, https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-17-at-1.30.56%E2%80%AFPM.png?resize=300%2C159&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-17-at-1.30.56%E2%80%AFPM.png?resize=768%2C408&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-17-at-1.30.56%E2%80%AFPM.png?resize=1536%2C816&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-17-at-1.30.56%E2%80%AFPM.png?resize=2048%2C1088&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-17-at-1.30.56%E2%80%AFPM.png?w=1278&amp;ssl=1 1278w, https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-17-at-1.30.56%E2%80%AFPM.png?w=1917&amp;ssl=1 1917w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 100vw, 639px" /><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" data-attachment-id="48640" data-permalink="https://whatever.scalzi.com/2023/08/01/a-spoiler-free-review-of-barbie/whsathenas2/" data-orig-file="https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/WHSAthenaS2.jpg?fit=225%2C337&amp;ssl=1" data-orig-size="225,337" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="WHSAthenaS2" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/WHSAthenaS2.jpg?fit=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/WHSAthenaS2.jpg?fit=225%2C337&amp;ssl=1" class="alignright size-full wp-image-48640" src="https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/WHSAthenaS2.jpg?resize=225%2C337&#038;ssl=1" alt="" width="225" height="337" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/WHSAthenaS2.jpg?w=225&amp;ssl=1 225w, https://i0.wp.com/whatever.scalzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/WHSAthenaS2.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" />On Friday,</strong> I went to see <em>Mickey 17 </em>in theaters. Unlike most movies I&#8217;ve seen in theaters recently, I actually saw a <em>ton </em>of marketing for <em>Mickey 17</em>. This was one movie I wasn&#8217;t going into completely blind, which I generally try to do.</p> <p>If you have yet to see one of its trailers, <em>Mickey 17 </em>is a science fiction film about a guy who volunteers to be &#8220;an expendable&#8221; on a journey across space to another planet. He&#8217;s given grueling tasks that are often fatal, and when he dies he is reprinted so he can keep on keepin&#8217; on. Most of the story revolves around the titular character, Mickey 17. Of course, hijinks ensue when Mickey 17 is still alive, but they already printed Mickey 18. This causes some issues, as &#8220;multiples&#8221; are not allowed.</p> <p>The premise definitely interested me, but what really made me want to see it was Robert Pattinson. Not gonna lie, I am a big Rob fan. Yes, I was indeed a <em>Twilight </em>kid, but more than that I think he is a fantastic actor, and to see him in increasingly strange and wonderful roles over the past few years has been a joy. I especially love his Batman.</p> <p>Watching Robert Pattinson play two characters that are the same guy but wildly different is a <em>treat</em>. The way he interacts with himself on screen is so fun and interesting. I think playing two characters shows just how impressive his range as an actor really is. It reminds me a lot of Michael Fassbender&#8217;s performance as both David and Walter in <em>Alien: Covenant</em> and how interesting it is to see him interact with what is essentially another version of himself.</p> <p>Aside from Robert Pattinson&#8217;s double whammy, Mark Ruffalo and Toni Collette both provide extremely fun performances as well. They were superbly cast, and really added to my enjoyment of the film.</p> <p>Performances aside, <em>Mickey 17 </em>was very different than I had imagined it would be. It was much more of a comedy than I anticipated, with a lot of rather goofy dialogue and line deliveries. The plot went in an unexpected direction, and I never knew what was going to happen next! It was definitely a unique movie, both in plot and in tone.</p> <p>I actually really love the whole &#8220;your memories are stored and then implanted into a new body&#8221; type stories because it raises so many ethical and moral questions. It reminds me a lot of <em>Astro Boy</em>, and how even though Toby&#8217;s &#8220;consciousness&#8221; and memories are uploaded into a robot body, the real Toby <em>did </em>die, and Astro Boy is <em>not </em>truly Toby.</p> <p>These existential dilemmas are presented in <em>Mickey 17 </em>as well. After all, how many times can you be reprinted before there&#8217;s not really any Mickey 1 left in the copies? Truly fascinating stuff, and also heartbreaking to reconcile with the knowledge that the previous &#8220;you&#8221; really did die. Love it.</p> <p>All that being said, I recommend catching this one in theaters if you can. It&#8217;s a lot of fun and I think y&#8217;all will really enjoy it. It&#8217;s nice to see some more sci-fi in the theaters, especially some that isn&#8217;t sci-fi horror like <em>Alien: Romulus</em>. I like goofy sci-fi (not biased)!</p> <p>Have you seen <em>Mickey 17 </em>yet? What did you think? Do you like clone-type stories, too? Let me know in the comments, and have a great day!</p> <p>-AMS</p> Kiss these books—they’re Irish! https://www.bookpage.com/tag-page/irish-fiction-saint-patricks-day-2025/ BookPage.com - The Book Case Blog urn:uuid:d1649905-72f8-c46f-9ad4-6c62015e7d95 Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:15:52 +0000 Irish fiction to enjoy on Saint Patrick's Day and all year long, featuring picks by Sally Rooney, John Banville, Vanessa Kelly and more. AI: Publishers Warn White House of ‘a Bloated Fair-Use Defense’ and an ‘Unworkable Opt-Out Regime’ https://publishingperspectives.com/2025/03/ai-publishers-warn-white-house-of-a-bloated-fair-use-defense/ Publishing Perspectives urn:uuid:dec2d02b-060c-d02b-414b-4aa445a6b4f7 Mon, 17 Mar 2025 15:56:04 +0000 <p>Days after the AI focus at London Book Fair, the Association of American Publishers files a statement on the US 'AI Action Plan.'</p> <p>The post <a href="https://publishingperspectives.com/2025/03/ai-publishers-warn-white-house-of-a-bloated-fair-use-defense/">AI: Publishers Warn White House of &#8216;a Bloated Fair-Use Defense&#8217; and an &#8216;Unworkable Opt-Out Regime&#8217;</a> appeared first on <a href="https://publishingperspectives.com">Publishing Perspectives</a>.</p> Is Your Author Web Site Missing These 23 Things? https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2025/03/is-your-author-web-site-missing-these.html BookMarketingBuzzBlog urn:uuid:c6555ad2-764d-8852-c724-46b201512e8f Mon, 17 Mar 2025 11:57:00 +0000 <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGvSXj2OGRlLyxBUJdbMrNzw0_RmOfSYPY7EJrWS5L5LwDmfWDYeVcJ0-FNwczoG16I2H71tJldGX2mZYUDYOMsMMSYc6ky4GNnXVDQ8JpTZHLCQT8WJLraBRJBgfdYsZTpEY3VS7_Gjwu9luiz20vYcp2QjfBFlFIkYkeoi0s3g1d24XsxtVrvPs93vS/s2800/featured-image.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1188" data-original-width="2800" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGvSXj2OGRlLyxBUJdbMrNzw0_RmOfSYPY7EJrWS5L5LwDmfWDYeVcJ0-FNwczoG16I2H71tJldGX2mZYUDYOMsMMSYc6ky4GNnXVDQ8JpTZHLCQT8WJLraBRJBgfdYsZTpEY3VS7_Gjwu9luiz20vYcp2QjfBFlFIkYkeoi0s3g1d24XsxtVrvPs93vS/w466-h198/featured-image.jpg" width="466" /></a></div><br />&nbsp;<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&nbsp;</span><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Every author needs a website If you disagree with this marketing reality and want to deny truth its sunlight, then stop reading this.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Ok, assuming you buy in and understand a website is valuable real estate for an author, you now are taxed with making sure of the following:</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The website is easy to navigate and use&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">It is not overwhelming the user with pop-ups and ads</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">That the toolbar has obvious things on it and that each term used reflects the popular way of saying something&nbsp;</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">To showcase all of your books, products, and services- and to provide buy links to everything&nbsp;</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The typeface is easy to read and the font is not too small or too big</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">That you use a clear or solid background so the reader can easily read the content without competing&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">with noisy or color-contrasting borders and backgrounds.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">You should have a contact page and provide your social media icons as well&nbsp;</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Include praise: testimonials, professional book reviews, amazon customer reviews, or goodreads reviews.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The site should be quick to load</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; line-height: normal;">&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Make sure it looks right on mobile devices as well as a desktop/ laptop.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; line-height: normal;">&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Employ images - art, photos, videos, icons/logos throughout the site.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .1in; margin-right: .1in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.1in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; line-height: normal;">&nbsp; </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Avoid big chunky paragraphs - break them up into smaller paragraphs with clear spacing between the paragraphs.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: Executive Order targets the Institute for Museum and Library Services http://www.bookbrowse.com/news/detail/index.cfm?news_item_number=3389 Bookbrowse News About Books, Authors, and Book-Related Topics urn:uuid:91bb5d63-ac8c-8dfd-4841-9b17a4085ccd Mon, 17 Mar 2025 11:00:00 +0000 In a March 14 executive order, the Trump Administration is seeking to eliminate the Institute for Museum and Library Services "to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law." The EO states that the IMLS&#8212;along with six additional entities including the U.S. Agency for Global Media and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars at the Smithsonian Institution&#8212;"shall reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law." A ticket to calamity https://www.bookpage.com/interviews/emma-donoghue-interview-the-paris-express/ BookPage.com - The Book Case Blog urn:uuid:f06b311f-6af5-ba39-f265-bb0efb3035b9 Mon, 17 Mar 2025 05:00:00 +0000 In her thrilling historical novel, <b>The Paris Express</b>, Emma Donoghue takes readers on a doomed train ride at the turn of the 20th century.