What I Am Reading
I finished George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones, and now I understand why people are so opinionated and desperately waiting for the next installment. That book epitomizes the epic part of epic fantasy, following several different ruling families and their conflicts in a compelling narrative that manages to juggle a huge cast of POV characters with very few slips.
I also read The Rat Catcher by Kate Rothwell, a wonderful historical romance with unlikely main characters and a venture into the seedier side of historical New York crossed with a sheltered virgin whose ignorance is a source of much confusion, discomfort, and humor.
Grammar
One of these makes me weep (can you guess which one?), but it’s rare that I find a grammar post in which I can support all aspects:
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/top-ten-grammar-myths.aspx
Science
Having just enjoyed The Windup Girl, this article should make me more nervous than interested, but for those like me who didn’t know, we already have seed banks to preserve against coming disaster:
http://www.livescience.com/environment/doomsday-seed-vault-arctic-100310.html
As someone who violently opposed the introduction of the mouse and now uses a trackball to avoid those slippery rodents, I have a quibble with the beginning of this article, but after that, it becomes fascinating.
http://www.livescience.com/technology/beyond-the-mouse-100314.html
Quantum breakthrough…experiment to show quantum superposition (being in two states at once) on something in the macro (visible) world:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18669-first-quantum-effects-seen-in-visible-object.html
Promoting
Some solid tips from Maria Zannini on how to promote your book and yourself:
http://marianperera.blogspot.com/2010/03/guest-blog-skinny-on-fat-promo.html
Submitting
This is a great story about rejections with some sage advice at the end:
http://ellenjackson.net/dealing_with_rejection_61476.htm
Do I really want to be published? A look at the rough ride on the Submission Train:
http://editorialass.blogspot.com/2010/03/do-i-really-want-to-be-published-your.html
Publishing
No matter what, watch this all the way through. It’s beautifully done with a strong message about how the publishing world is seeing young people:
http://dglm.blogspot.com/2010/03/viral-video-about-publishing.html
Survey-based data on debut publishing myths:
http://www.jimchines.com/2010/03/novel-survey-results-part-i/
Writing
Tips on how to work with historical characters so you make them your own without breaking their true timeline:
http://magicalwords.net/david-b-coe/making-historical-characters-your-own/