Book Banter

Those of you familiar with our blog may have noticed a teeny change in one part of it!  Our forums, the abcreads Book Banter, have changed format.  We have become a Google Group!

The Book Banter is place for online book discussion.  You can find the icon (& link) on your right.  In the past we have used this forum to start discussions on book recommendations & for online book group "meetings".  These forums are open to all abcreads readers to join & post.  To join the group & post, simply click on "Sign in to post".  You can sign in straight away if you already have a Google account; if not, it is still easy-peasy to sign up, & you can use your already established account with AOL, Yahoo, Hotmail, or a different email provider to join.

When we lost our former forum provider, we decided to replace them with Google Group forums because it seemed like a safe, secure & fun way for our readers to share their thoughts on books & media (CDs, audiobooks, & movies can also be stimulating discussion topics!).  We hope you will take a moment to join the Book Banter & let us know what you think.

Writing on the Web-It's Not All About Blogs!

The November/December issue of Writer's Digest featured a very interesting section called The Writer's Guide to the Web. Articles in this section included "The 75 Best Online Markets", "How to Lose Blog Traffic & Alienate Readers", "The Price of Privacy", "Elements of a Successful Fiction Platform", & "Be an Online Critique Geek".

"How to Lose Blog Traffic..." was addressed specifically to bloggers, but the other articles were geared towards writers seeking online publication in web-based magazines & literary journals. The 50 best online markets included: The Adirondack Review; Allegory; Word Riot; & Every Day Poetry. Best consumer magazine markets featured big named such as Slate & Salon.com. Tips for submitting to these markets were included in the article.

The "Online Critique Geek" article was interesting as it suggested virtual critique groups for aspiring writers. So you can connect with other writers from your computer now! The article recommends that newbies take an online workshop, followed by getting involved with an online writing community such as Absolute Write. Other communities such as Critique Circle feature critique forums for those "ready to start getting feedback".

In a nutshell, this is a useful feature for anybody writing on the web today. The Writer's Digest is currently available for perusal (& checkout of older issues) at the Cherry Hills, Juan Tabo, & Main Libraries.

Year of One Hundred Stories

Local writers Lisa Barrow & Mike Smith are short story buffs (as are your friends here at abcreads). This year, Lisa & Mike will be reading 100 stories each to "try to figure out what makes them tick", posting reviews of their reading on their blog, Year of One Hundred Stories.

The new year has only just begun & they have already read 2 stories each! Lisa has read "Lull" by Kelly Link & "Levitation" by Cynthia Ozick; Mike has read "Death in the Desert" by James Agee & "The Great Wall of China" by Franz Kafka. We look forward to checking in with them all year to see what insights they've gleaned!

When you visit their blog, make sure you check out the hilarious "FAQ-esque Blatherings" section, which discusses the impetus for this project & reminds readers that it's nearly impossible to discuss a short story without divulging some plot spoilers.

Books & Blogs

Last year my reading list was full of books written by bloggers. Here are some of my favorites! (Warning: most of these will be about food and/or France...both are kind of idée fixe with me.)

• A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg, who blogs about food at Orangette



• Words in a French Life: Lessons in Love and Language from the South of France by Kristin Espinasse, who blogs at French-Word-a-Day



• Julie and Julia : 365 days, 524 recipes, 1 tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell (OK, technically I read the book before the blog, but don't you want to see what the original blog looked like?)



• Petite Anglaise by Catherine Sanderson, who blogs about life in Paris at Petite Anglaise



• The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl by Ree Drummond, who blogs about country life, food, photography & homeschooling at The Pioneer Woman (We recommend the "Black Heels to Tractor Wheels" section!)



• Chocolate & Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen by Clotilde Dusoulier, a Parisian woman who shares her passion for all things food-related at Chocolate & Zucchini



• Notes from the Underwire: Adventures from My Awkward and Lovely life by Quinn Cummings, who blogs about life at The QC Report
  



• Confections of a Closet Master Baker: One Woman's Sweet Journey from Unhappy Hollywood Executive to Contented Country Baker by Gesine Bullock-Prado, who blogs mouthwateringly at Confections of a (Closet) Master Baker



• Sweater Quest: My Year of Knitting Dangerously by Adrienne Martini, who blogs on Martinimade



• The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook: 101 Asian Recipes Simple Enough for Tonight's Dinner by Jaden Hair, who blogs at Steamy Kitchen



• Make it Fast, Cook it Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking by Stephanie O'Dea, who blogs at A Year of Slowcooking



• Free-range Knitter: The Yarn Harlot Writes Again by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, who blogs at Yarn Harlot



• Belle de Jour: Diary of an Unlikely Call Girl by Anonymous. Belle du Jour was the pen name of Brooke Magnanti, who blogged at Belle de Jour. This blog became a book which became a ShowtimeTV series!