#the books are ny times bestsellers

[sec0nd-breakfast]

okay, so do the Simon Thorn books actually exist??? Because I have searched every piece of media, every platform for the fandom, but it's just?? not there??

Animox, are you just a fever dream or do you actually just hide from me?

[quaranmine]

now you got me curious on on earth kinda book are you reading that uses the word google too much?

It's Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. A main character works for Google. But Google was already being referenced before she showed up. But anyway yes the book basically talks about how great Google is what feels like every page and plot points are being solved by using Google machinery and Google programming and Google features and--

I want main character girl to get laid off immediately following the book.

Also I'm over 50% in and it seems like they're setting up a main plot point for the second half of the book to be "let's steal a priceless totally-unique-to-the-world book from a (private) library so we can upload it to Google and basically give ownership of it to a megacorp!" I think the place they're stealing it from is weird too (I don't know enough about it yet to agree if they're all evil or not) and the desire to have knowledge accessible is a noble one but I am just kind of stunned that this is....a plot point? That an author was like "yes, let's heavily feature a real-world company as a core plot point"? I feel like the much easier way to do this would be to like, idk, take it to a museum?

I would love it if all this Google-talk came back around to bite the characters before the end but based on the reviews I have read, it doesn't seem like Google ever gets portrayed in any other light than hero worship.... Also, the author must specify every time that the main character guy owns a Macbook. And a kindle. They talk about Skype. The product placement bores me.

The book is from 2012 so I think a lot of things just didn't age well. There's a lot of oogling at technology that now feels ancient (like video calling) and mentions of apps that were popular at the time such as Fruit Ninja. There will always be things that don't age well in fiction but I feel like as an author it is not all that difficult to minimize your references to certain things in order to keep a story grounded so it doesn't feel horribly outdated after barely a decade.

But I am also just sour because I assumed going into it that this was a kind of magical realism story about an old bookshop and instead it seems like megacorp tech worship.

[danielleurbansblog]

Review: House at Watch Hill

Synopsis: #1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning is back with a gripping, imaginative, and seductive new series in which a young woman moves to Divinity, Louisiana, to inherit a large fortune and a Gothic mansion full of mysteries and ominous secrets… Zo Grey is reeling from the sudden death of her mother when she receives a surprising call from an attorney in Divinity,…

[sarahbethdurst]

THE SPELLSHOP hit the NYT Bestseller List AGAIN!!!

It happened again. NYT. #7 again. I have no words, except THANK YOU. https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2024/08/11/hardcover-fiction/

[gesunas]

okay here are my recs and i feel like most lamen fans have read these already, but i've had these in my books app for years and read them every year or so for like a month straight....but my memory is also horrible so i kind of forget like 90% of what happens so whenever i read them again it's like i'm experiencing it for the first time LOL. BUT i am also not sure how some of them are going to be reflected in my 2024 eyes but either way im gonna be kicking my feet in the air and giggling like i havent been obsessed with them for like 8 years straight

wicked game by onekingdomonce i need to do a reread of this one but i remember this one made my chest HURTTT. it was so beautiful. i dont remember the details but this was so exciting and great to experience in so many ways. slow burn is real but i love seeing their romance happen again in a different perspective.

kings reign by idratherhaveyou this one is literally exactly what you need after the canonical series and summer palace. to me this is like canon in my heart. so well written and HEALINGGGG. my god this is a #1 must read. if you havent read this already i highly encourage u to put down whatever u are doing and just give this your time bc its SO WELL DONE.

the veretian flytrap by just_another_day okay so im currently still rereading this one but im 80% through. i was chilling on white beaches and sipping on long islands with this on my lap. it was such an experience. interesting conditions given that this is an abo fic but it really added more layers to the political sphere. i didn't feel out of the universe at all. great work and i definitely did a wide mouth smile 24/7 reading this LMAO so good!!

one the other by ruby_wednesday i still also have to reread this bc i remember it the least and havent read in a few years. but its been in my books app for even more years so i think its probably really good LOL bc i know i wouldnt keep it if i didnt think it was an absolute work of ART. sorry bc ik thats a poor description but i genuinely only remember how these fics make me feel and this one was a top 10

rereading my fav ever lamen fics while on vacation and its really bringing life into my soul…nothing like relaxing on the beach reading damen and laurent falling in love all over again 😭

[cassandraclare]

New publishing announcement!

Hi guys!

I know it’s been a long time since there’s been news about The Wicked Powers. I’ve actually been sitting on information for a long time because I was not allowed to talk about it. It was making me pull out all my hair, so I am super glad to be able to share the following announcement with you: The Wicked Powers is scheduled for publication, and will be published by Walker Books in the UK and Random House in the US.

There’s a bunch more about this announcement, including the announcement of a brand-new YA romantasy series I’ll be doing called In Fire Foretold. That will be published by Pan Macmillan in the UK (same people who published Sword Catcher) and by Random House in the US.

I know there will be a lot of questions about what my schedule is, why things are coming out when they are, whether I have anything coming out next year (Yes, The Ragpicker King, the sequel to Sword Catcher, and also for those who participated in the Kickstarter, those four books) and the overall future of everything Shadowhunter-related. So I will be doing followup announcements to address all that stuff, but first, here are both press release from my publishers in the US and then in the UK with all the info!

GLOBALLY BESTSELLING FANTASY PHENOMENON CASSANDRA CLARE TO PUBLISH  FINAL TRILOGY IN THE ‘SHADOWHUNTER CHRONICLES’  AND NEW DUOLOGY WITH ALFRED A. KNOPF BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS  First book in THE WICKED POWERS to release in Spring 2026

(New York, NY, April 5, 2024)—Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, will publish five new books from #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cassandra Clare, whose novels have sold more than 40 million copies worldwide, been translated into 43 languages, and published in more than 60 countries. The new publications will begin in Spring 2026 with the first book in THE WICKED POWERS trilogy, the sixth and final series in Clare’s 23-book, young adult fantasy franchise The Shadowhunter Chronicles. Also slated for publication with Knopf is a brand-new YA romantasy duology, IN FIRE FORETOLD. The news was announced today by Melanie Nolan, VP and Publisher, Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, who acquired North American rights from Suzie Townsend and Joanna Volpe of New Leaf Literary & Media in a highly competitive auction. Michelle Frey, Senior Executive Editor, Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, will edit both series. 

Cassandra Clare mesmerized readers across the globe with the publication of City of Bones (2007), the first book in the Mortal Instruments series, and was quickly dubbed the “New Queen of Fantasy” by the Wall Street Journal. The Mortal Instruments became the basis for the far-reaching Shadowhunter Chronicles, an intricately drawn world that has seen global success and has been adapted into both a feature film and television show. The books follow the Shadowhunters, a secretive race of humans born with angel blood, whose mission is to eliminate the demons that plague the Earth. Knopf’s first publishing collaboration with Clare, THE WICKED POWERS (Spring 2026), will follow Kit Herondale, Ty Blackthorn, and Drusilla Blackthorn from The Dark Artifices series as they are drawn into the final massive conflict between the demons and the angels. 

IN FIRE FORETOLD is a pulse-pounding YA romantasy duology set in a new world with entirely new characters. The story centers a young woman who must learn to control her dangerous magical abilities in order to save her kingdom, all while finding herself torn between two brothers—the kingdom's princes, born to a cursed royal bloodline. The publication date for IN FIRE FORETOLD, as well as news of additional books to come from Cassandra Clare and Knopf, will be announced. 

Says Cassandra Clare: "I am delighted to have Knopf and Penguin Random House as my publishers for this last trilogy in the Shadowhunters world. They truly understand what it means—both for the story and for my readers—to wrap up such an epic tale that has been told over so many years. I'm also excited to be launching my next YA series — a kickass portal fantasy that contains a ton of things I love, from a bold and reckless heroine to a magical wasteland filled with terrifying monsters that must be fought, to a love triangle with two very unusual cursed princes. I can't wait for us to bring these stories to the world."

Says Michelle Frey: “Cassandra Clare is a beloved author whose work has a massive following for good reason: she sucks you into a fully imagined world and never lets go until the last, satisfying page. I have long admired Cassie and am thrilled to be working with her on both the delectable final trilogy in the Shadowhunter Chronicles and the heart-stopping new love triangle she has dreamed up with IN FIRE FORETOLD.”

Random House Children’s Books (rhcbooks.com) is the world’s largest English-language children’s trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, and nonfiction, the imprints of Random House Children’s Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. Random House Children’s Books is a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

UK/AUS/NZ:

Walker Books will publish three new books, the final trilogy in Shadowhunter Chronicles, the first coming in Spring 2026.

Separately, First Ink will publish a brand new YA duology, introducing readers to a fantastical new world of Clare’s creation, filled with enticing new characters and heart-racing action. With sales figures for Cassandra’s novels exceeding 40 million copies worldwide, translated into 43 languages and published in more than 60 countries, these are exciting and major acquisitions for both publishing houses.

Walker will launch THE WICKED POWERS in Spring 2026 with the first book in the trilogy, The Last King of Faerie. THE WICKED POWERS is the final instalment of Clare’s 23-book, young adult fantasy series, Shadowhunter Chronicles.

THE WICKED POWERS (Spring 2026), will follow Kit Herondale, Ty Blackthorn, and Drusilla Blackthorn from The Dark Artifices series as they are drawn into the final massive conflict between the demons and the angels. The novel marks the beginning of the final trilogy in Clare’s globally beloved series.

Cassandra Clare Says about THE WICKED POWERS: "I’m thrilled to be taking this momentous step in the Shadowhunter chronicles with Walker! They published City of Bones in 2007 and now we will be bringing this huge epic to a close together. With their creativity and dedication, I know they’ll do it justice."

Denise Johnstone Burt says: “We at Walker are immensely proud to have been Cassie’s publishers from the very beginning, when City of Bones launched the Shadowhunters into the world. Since then Cassie has become one of the most beloved writers in YA fantasy all over the world, and with very good reason. Her world-building and character portrayal are absolutely second to none and her books never fail to mesmerise her fans. I am delighted that we will be returning to the world of Shadowhunters once again in THE WICKED POWERS, and know Cassie will bring the Chronicles to a conclusion with her trademark brilliance and consummate style.”

First Ink will publish IN FIRE FORETOLD, a pulse-pounding YA romantasy duology set to delight all fans of Cassie Clare. UK and Commonwealth rights were acquired by Samantha Smith, Publisher of First Ink and Macmillan Children’s Books’ Fiction, Non Fiction and Picture Book List, from Danny Baror and Heather Baror-Shapiro at Baror International.  The duology will be a super lead title for First Ink and will launch with a significant multi-channel communications campaign including national media, influencer and fan events [HBS1] and multimedia advertising.

IN FIRE FORETOLD sees the launch of a brand new world and set of entirely new characters for Clare. The story centres on a young woman who must learn to control her dangerous magical abilities in order to save her kingdom, all while finding herself torn between two brothers - the kingdom's princes - born to a cursed royal bloodline.

Cassandra Clare says about IN FIRE FORETOLD: “I’m so excited to be publishing IN FIRE FORETOLD with First Ink. This story contains so many things I love- it’s a portal fantasy that swings between worlds, where the gritty LA streets exist alongside a dangerous magical world filled with deadly monsters - and a uniquely tough heroine who’s ready to do battle on all sides. Not to mention some gorgeous princes with shady pasts. I know how much Pan Macmillan loves fantasy and how well they publish it so I’m thrilled for this partnership."

Samantha Smith, Publisher at First Ink, says: “Cassandra Clare is a phenomenon author who has delighted and surprised her millions of readers across the world for decades now. As a huge fan of both her YA Mortal Instruments series and latest adult fantasy Sword Catcher, I cannot wait for her to turn her formidable pen to a new, heart-stopping series in In the Fire Foretold and could not be more excited to welcome her onto the First Ink list”

Belinda Ioni Rasmussen, Managing Director at Macmillan Children’s Books, says: “ Welcoming Cassandra Clare to First Ink with a brand new fantasy world is very exciting - both for us and her fans.  Her storytelling is second to none and her new duology on our list is the perfect partner series to her brilliant publishing that sits on our Tor list at Pan Macmillan.”

About Walker Books

Home to books for all ages, Walker Books publishes many award-winning authors, illustrators, and literary franchisesincluding Anthony Horowitz, Angie Thomas, Cassandra Clare, Lucy Cousins, Anthony Browne, Patrick Ness, Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury, and Where’s Wally? by Martin Handford. Walker Books is part of the vibrant international Walker Books Group that includes Walker Books Australia; Candlewick Press and Walker Books US in America and Walker Productions.

About Pan Macmillan

At Pan Macmillan we publish a broad and vibrant range of books for audiences of all ages, from dazzling bestsellers to influential prize-winners; books to inspire lifelong readers and listeners to enduring classics for generations to come. The fourth largest UK publisher, we pride ourselves on publishing successfully and sustainably and are committed to working together to positively impact culture and society at large.

[cleolinda]

Re: Couch fucking

Since people saw “JD Vance fucked a couch” mentioned in the “Tampon Tim: He’ll stop the red wave” post and went “What? JD Vance fucked a couch?,” no, he did not fuck a couch in his youth. The rumor was started by a random shitpost on the service I will continue to call Twitter until the heat death of the universe:

(Archived by Snopes, now view-limited by the author)

@rickrudescalves

can't say for sure but he might be the first vp pick to have admitted in a ny times bestseller to fucking an inside-out latex glove shoved between two couch cushions (vance, hillbilly elegy, pp. 179-181)

7:58 PM • Jul 15, 2024 • 1.8M Views

No draft or edition of Vance’s book Hillbilly Elegy ever said any such thing, but the inclusion of page numbers made “JD Vance fucked a couch” look very truthy (file this away as a tactic to look for in other propaganda you see). Neither Vance nor the Trump campaign can fully deny this because that would only draw more attention to the concept of “Vice presidential candidate JD Vance fucked a couch.” In great frustration, a campaign spokesman has finally said,

"We're not going to talk about couches or coconuts or whatever weird fetish KamalaHQ is into. When we have something to say, we'll say loud and clear. If Kamala is a coward, we'll call her a coward. If Tim Walz is a liar, we'll call him a liar.”

JD Vance then proceeded to lie about Tim Walz’s 24-year military record, calling it “stolen valor.”

As much as people enjoyed Walz’s quip that he would love to debate Vance if Vance would be “willing to get off the couch,” I do agree that Democrats should not stoop to such Republican tactics as (off the top of my head)

Telling lies about presidential candidate John Kerry’s military service (which inspired the general term “swiftboating” “to describe an unfair or untrue political attack”)

Claiming that then-presidential candidate Barack Obama was born in Kenya and not an American citizen, which would disqualify him, leading to an entire “birther” movement headed by Donald Trump

Accusing Democrats of trafficking children in the basement of a pizza parlor that had no basement, leading one man who sincerely believed this to “[travel] to Comet Ping Pong to investigate the conspiracy and [fire] a rifle inside the restaurant to break the lock on a door to a storage room during his search”

Claiming that North American schools keep kitty litter on hand for students who “identify as cats,” a “joke” meant to target protections for transgender students

And, as mentioned, splitting hairs over exactly what rank Tim Walz had vs what he retired at, elevating this to a far more serious accusation of stolen valor. In fairness, this is probably revenge for the couch thing.

So yes, I agree, we shouldn’t use the same tactics that the Republicans have been using for decades. It’s tasteless and it does not make us look better. I would perhaps remind you of the saying “Live by the sword, die by the sword,” but yes, we should stop confusing people into thinking that JD Vance fucked a couch. No couch was ever fucked by JD Vance. I endorse this message.

[rinashinki]

Survey Corps vets as content creators:

Hange: you know damn well they're making the most unhinged YouTube videos of insane science experiments like mythbusters and talking endlessly about their interests and theories on anything. 0/10 editing skills but goes on live every other week and has a strong following nonetheless. Has been banned multiple times off several platforms but just keeps coming back. Has some haters but they're mostly too bemused by the content to know how to troll so they give up

Moblit: runs hange's website, updates his twitter and IG for fans to find out which platform/username they're posting on next. Blocks/reports users posting hate comments. Posts BTS clips of hange's filming and experimenting

Erwin: youtuber with video essay content about politics, history, English, and a healthy dose of anti-capitalism and socialist views. Attracts a lot of right wing/incel/neo n@zi/alpha bro red pill viewers who assume he shares the same values and he greatly enjoys dismantling their views. Also has a big following of people who just think he's hot and have no idea what's he's talking about. 8/10 editing BC it's fairly simple face-the-camera-and-talk but he also posts on a weekly schedule and breaks down the videos to reupload as short form content. No longer invited to guest on podcasts BC he takes over the conversation and wins every debate or argument. Runs multiple successful side businesses but doesn't care about selling merch BC he doesn't need to. 8 books under his name (all NY times bestsellers), 2 more books on the way.

Levi: never shows his face. Rarely responds to comments or questions. Makes calming content about types of tea and lifestyle content and it's unintentionally ASMR. 0 post schedule, either he's making content or he's gone for 5 months. Strong cult following and a billion conspiracies about who he is and Reddit threads of people taking screen caps of the backgrounds in his videos to try and work out where he is, but no ones ever figured it out. Never takes sponsorships so if you see him recommended a brand, you know it's good and the item sells out in 24hrs. 0 merch, he doesn't give a fuck, but participates in fundraiser's for good causes, especially for children coming from impoverished backgrounds.

Mike: gym bro thirst traps and workout tips on tiktok and IG reels. Occasionally posts talking vids for sponsorships, mostly protein shakes and charity fundraisers. Sometimes does cooking content and mens lifestyle like fashion and book/film recs. Likes to troll alpha bro viewers. 7/10 editing skills but mostly uses premade capcut templates to the latest trending tiktok audio clip.

Nanaba: editing queen 10/10. Day in the life of/GRWM/chatty vids, no particular angle for her content, SHE is the content. Takes no shit. Huge following. Big sis energy. Always has the most in depth and hilarious clap backs to hate comments. Rumoured to be dating Mike but neither of them confirm it (they've been together for years).

bonus Eruri headcanons- Erwin has his own office to film his videos whilst Levi pretty much used the rest of their house. Erwin always has a mug of tea when he films despite being known as a coffee drinker. It's always a tea blend that Levi has recommended before. No one's put 2 and 2 together yet.

[pluckyredhead]

hi! i'm new to comics and i got in through reading your fics and wayne family adventures. i've since started reading more of the mainstream verse and i realized that most comic fans consider wfa to be totally fanon. you're one of the few i saw that disagrees. would you mind elaborating a lil on why? i'm too new to really form an opinion either way but i'd like to know your's!

(also yes i really did stalk your blog back years worth of posts i'm sorry! 😭😭)

Aw I love this! Welcome!

So I think it's really important to be clear on definitions here:

Canon means it's part of an official text. It's literally in a comic (or book or movie or other property) published or licensed by DC.

Fanon means it's made up by fans. That doesn't mean bad or good, it just means that it comes from fandom and is not part of the official text.

Wayne Family Adventures is an official licensed comic by DC, so by definition, it cannot be fanon. That doesn't mean everyone has to like it, but it's not a fan comic. It's an official DC product. It's not fanon.

Now, WFA isn't part of the main DCU canon. It takes place in a separate universe. The Jason in Batman #138 and the Jason in WFA are not the same and they are having very different experiences. (And I'm sure the Jason in WFA would be grateful if he knew.)

But that's no different than a comic that takes place in an alternate universe, like Dark Knights of Steel or DCeased, or a movie like Blue Beetle or a show like My Adventures with Superman. They all take place in their own universes, but all of those universes are canon. None of them are fanon.

What I think most people mean when they say WFA is fanon is that WFA draws on tropes and characterizations that are popular in fandom. Which...yes, absolutely. This is on purpose, and honestly, it pisses me off when people complain about it. (Not you, anon! Your question was lovely, you just triggered my unskippable cut scene of dialogue. Sorry lol.)

Wayne Family Adventures is probably the single best idea DC has had in the 20 years I've been reading comics. (The second best was the kids and YA graphic novel lines.)

I just checked, and WFA has 1.3 MILLION subscribers. That's more than every floppy comic starring Batman sells in a month, combined. It's more than literally any superhero comic has sold in decades - in this century! The combined strips have over A HUNDRED MILLION VIEWS. That is bonkerstown. That is a readership like DC hasn't seen since the 1970s. That is unparalleled success, and it's introducing characters like Kate Kane and Duke Thomas to a whole new audience.

Now, WFA was clearly designed to appeal to Batfans who were active on social media and fanfic sites like AO3 and Wattpad, and Webtoon readers. The readership of Webtoon is mostly young and female. Fandom as a whole is mostly female. The writer of WFA is female.

And maybe I'm not being fair here, but when I see people dismiss WFA as "just fanon," I always catch a whiff of "It's not a real Batman comic. It's a girl comic for girls."

I have spent the past 20 years begging DC (and Marvel, DC is not alone in this) to see women as a viable audience - as their largest potential growth audience! I have watched in dumbfounded frustration as they ignored the juggernaut success of Raina Telgemeier and Ngozi Ukazu and Alice Oseman running rings around the NY Times bestseller list and counted a 50k shipment here and there as a resounding triumph. I have literally seen them throw out survey responses from women because "those women had an agenda." (This is a true story. 2011 was rough, y'all.)

And all of a sudden, they gave us a comic actually catering to women and young people and fandom, and they put it on the most popular, current, modern platform for comics availably - and it's brilliant. It's smart and funny and stunningly drawn and every episode makes clever, inventive use of the scrolling format. They FINALLY gave us a girl comic for girls, and it's a masterpiece.

And yes, it riffs on fanon concepts. It also has its roots firmly in mainstream DCU canon. It references deep cuts. CRC Payne and StarBite know their shit. Jason Todd being a bookworm may be a fanon staple, but he does plenty of reading - including Jane Austen - in the 100% canon mainstream DCU comics.

It's not going to be for everything, because nothing is. It's completely fine if you don't like WFA. No one has to read it or enjoy it. If you're into Batman for the darkness and the crime and the ongoing plotlines and the angst, WFA won't be for you, and that's totally fine!

But to finally, finally be valued as a reader by DC, to have them do something smart and innovative and so, so well executed, and have the exact people they made it for dismiss it out of hand because Bruce has a "World's Okayest Dad" mug or whatever? Yeah, that chafes.

[amandapalmer]

Sexy new author photo time! I never wear my hair down but I’m getting brave so you better believe I’m serious about getting back into being an author this year. And…while I have you here, a great excuse to talk about my upcoming book-y events. ✍️

Fate dealt me a great hand when I was working away in the Porter Square Books café a few months ago and I ran into the photographer Mark Ostow, who asked if he could take my portrait.

And boom, beautiful new author photo for me!

I am working on deals for several new books and it’s VERY EXCITING!!

And at the same time, I’ve been steeped in so many incredible and inspiring new books and made friends with so many POWERHOUSE GODDAMN WRITERS from the NY area…and hell, I have my own venue….

…so I decided to connect all the dots and I’m hosting three salon-style “in conversation” events this month at Graveside Variety, my little crowdfunded hidey-hole in Woodstock, NY.

Co-presented by our local indie The Golden Notebook Bookstore, only 50 tickets for every conversation (all tickets are $25 and help keep the venue afloat) and will include a Q&A with me and each author.

We are also curating a special book sale table for each event! There’ll be coffee and tea and tears and truth and I hope you all make the trip. This is the way I really wanna say goodbye to this iteration of this venue: with stories that don’t usually get told. With stories that matter. Come share in the moment.

I’ll be throwing down with authors:

Elizabeth Lesser (bestsellers “Broken Open” and “Cassandra Speaks: WHEN WOMEN ARE THE STORYTELLERS, THE HUMAN STORY CHANGES”)

May 12th - 12:30pm

Katherine Yeske Taylor (author of brand-new “SHE’S A BAD ASS: Women in Rock Shaping Feminism”)

May 18th - 1pm

Leslie Jamison (author of best-selling “The Recovering” and the new - incredible - “Splinters”)

June 1st @ 1pm

Get tickets FAST. Leslie’s day is nearing sold out. These are gonna be so so cosy and good. Read the books and come armed with questions !!!

All tickets here:

Gravesidevariety.com

We are at 33 Rock City Road, in Woodstock, NY

📚♥️🙏

[vavuska]

So all in the same week…

Neil Gaiman, author Coraline & Good Omens, was MeTooed by his former nanny, as well as a fan he met when she was 18 yrs old.

A NY Times bestselling thriller author, Brendan DuBois— who co-wrote books with James Patterson—was arrested for pedopornography.

AND

Alice Munro’s daughter revealed she was assaulted by her step father as a kid—the man admitted it—but Munro saw it as an “infidelity” and stayed with him. Even AFTER he was found guilty in court—this rembers me of Marion Zimmer Bradley's daughter (I wrote about it here). All covered up.

Seriously.

[danielleurbansblog]

Review: You Can't Escape

Synopsis: THE BIGGEST MISTAKE The branding iron glows in the moonlight as he presses the searing metal into his victim’s flesh. She must wear the devil’s sign, just like the others. He knows the curse that afflicts them—and he’ll make sure they carry it to their graves… IS BELIEVING When investigative reporter Jay “Dance” Danzinger is nearly killed in a bomb blast, journalist Jordanna Winters…

[letstalkfanfiction]

My favorite writer on Wattpad!!

One day, I was looking at a reading list by an author I loved, when suddenly I clicked on a book in it by another author. Little did I know that I'd be stuck reading it for an hour! I finished the whole thing in one night, and figured I'd check out more by this author I just discovered. If you like Hazbin Hotel, I'd DEFINETLY recommend this incredible author on Wattpad! She writes a lot of Alastor x Readers, but also does a lot of the guys from Hazbin Hotel as well. She always writes SO much detail in her stories, it literally feels like I'm in the Hellaverse. And if you're worried about her going out-of-character, then you don't need to worry anymore!! She always stays perfectly within what each character would do/say. It feels so natural! I'm talking about ValerieWinks777. Her incredible detail, the way she writes the characters, and her writing is definitely worth the reading. Actually, she's trying to post a book and get it to NY times bestselling, so please support her in that!!

https://www.wattpad.com/user/ValerieWinks777?utm_source=android&utm_medium=link&utm_content=share_profile&wp_page=user_details&wp_uname=thebreakfastclubBMTH

(I'd start with Only In My Imagination. It's. SO. GOOD.)

- Let'sTalkFanfiction

[avacoleman]

when the lights go out || a firstprince fic

summary: Henry Fox’s career is in crisis and his dating life isn’t faring much better either.  After a chance encounter with a charming man becomes memorable for all the wrong reasons, Henry throws himself into his next assignment: writing the memoir of a beloved C-list actor. Henry, however, knows Alex best for the role he played as his random, awkward one-night stand. Henry enters their professional partnership keen on keeping their relationship just that. But after Henry confesses that their hookup was less than spectacular, Alex concots an arrangement that Henry is unable to resist. In addition to ghostwriting Alex’s life story, Henry will teach him a thing or two about satisfying a man.  As they spend months out on the road together, they must decide if the connection between them is yet another story worth telling.

chapter 8/8 || rated e || read on ao3 final word count: 56.7k

Epilogue New York, NY Four months later  FROM SCREEN TO THE PAGE TO THE BROADWAY STAGE, ALEX CLAREMONT-DIAZ PROVES HE HAS THE RANGE! Vulture excerpt The Crescent Valley star’s memoir, The ABC’s of ACD, debuted at number four on the New York Times bestsellers list. With an honest look at his start in Hollywood with the role that launched him into the public eye, Claremont-Diaz’s memoir has since been dubbed a must-read for fans of the hit show and beyond. Revered for its sheer candor and care as he opens up about his sexuality, Claremont-Diaz’s memoir has struck a chord with many in the LGBTQIA+ community. Claremont-Diaz received an overwhelming show of support online from fans, many of whom have shared personal testimony that the actor’s coming out inspired them to do the same with their loved ones. It’s an honor Claremont-Diaz doesn’t take lightly.

“From the outset when dreaming about putting my story out there, I always hoped to touch at least one person, as cheesy or cliche as that might sound.. To make that kind of connection, to show them that they aren’t alone, that what they’re feeling is not only valid, but that their truth is worth living? That’s everything. Every single comment online or message that I get from someone in a similar situation feels like armor each day. I carry that with me.”

Following a two-week tour for the book’s promotions, there are no signs of Claremont-Diaz slowing down. The actor is now gearing up to add another first on his resumé. 

As mentioned in his book and previous interviews, Claremont-Diaz once did stagework as a child in Austin. These days, however, he’s finding the scale just a tad bit bigger.

“Stage was one of my first loves. It feels right to be returning to it. I couldn’t have guessed it’d be in such a major way though. Broadway,” the actor said, a clear wonder in his voice. “It’s so surreal. I still can’t believe it’s happening. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to make sense of that.”

According to sources, the bright lights of the Great White Way aren't the only thing calling Claremont-Diaz to New York City.

When asked about sightings of him with boyfriend writer Henry Fox around the Big Apple as he prepares for opening night, Claremont-Diaz only offered his signature smirk and kept tight-lipped on any details of how the two met. Though the timeline is unclear of when they initially crossed paths, one thing is for certain: They appear to be in it for the long haul.

Claremont-Diaz has been an outspoken advocate for Fox’s debut novel which is set for release next spring.

With his focus now set on embarking on a new chapter in his career, Claremont-Diaz seems assured about the road ahead, even as he settles into a brand new city in order to complete his show run.

“New York is the place I need to be right now,” he replied simply. “Everything I love most in the world can be found right here. I couldn’t ask for anything more than this.”

[luke-shywalker]

I just learned about the Reylo fanfic author who renamed all the characters in her fanfic and published it as a book and it became a NY Times bestseller and it has a movie deal now (a lá Twilight fanfic becoming Fifty Shades), and I’m gonna need the HanLeia fic writers to explain to me why they haven’t had that level of hustle

[syntax6]

Some Truest Truths about Publishing

Being a published author is a lifelong dream of mine, and many aspects of it are indeed awesome. I love telling stories and sharing them with the world. Seeing my books in a bookstore or a library will always be thrilling! Meeting new readers from all over the globe is huge fun. But there have been a bunch of “being a published author is bad for your mental health” threads lately, and I think part of why this is true is that people don’t understand how the industry works before they get into it. So, here are some things about how publishing functions that I did not know before I became part of the machine:

1. You can know your book’s likely trajectory at the time you sign the contract. The publisher decides how well your book will sell. Large publishers sell more books than mid-sized publishers, which sell more books than small- or micro-publishers. A large publisher doing minimal publicity for your book will probably still sell more copies of it than a small publisher, simply because they already have the machinery in place. But, if your large publisher does not offer you a large advance at the time of signing, they are not going to do much more than their basic-level publicity for your book. They are going to focus their efforts on books they paid a lot of money to acquire because they want to get that money back. So, if your large publisher is not offering you at least a quarter of a million dollars to acquire your book, they aren’t going to be gunning to make it a NY Times Bestseller.

2. Books are a hit-driven industry. Most books lose money so everyone is counting on the few bestsellers to finance the whole industry. This is why big names like Stephen King or Danielle Steele suck up huge amounts of the publicity budget. Publishers need their books to sell sell sell, which means reaching fans who only buy Stephen King and Danielle Steele books. These fans aren’t paying a lot of attention, so publishers need to get that “GO BUY NOW” bat signal into the sky to wake up these fans. They pull out all the advertising stops. This is why big-name authors eat up so much of the publicity budget despite being household names. Publishers need to reach those fans for each new book to ensure the book makes the $$$$ that the publishers are counting on.

3. Everyone who is in the industry is riding the same train. So when the large publishers decide which books to push (because they have paid a lot to acquire them and/or the author is already a household name), booksellers and librarians have to get on board too. Yes, librarians and independent booksellers can also promote smaller titles that they really love, and that’s GREAT, but they mostly have to march to the tune set by the large publishers. Bookstores are usually operating at razor-thin margins. They need to sell the books that people want to read. Which books do people want to read? The ones they have heard of! How did they hear about them? The big publishers spent the $ to advertise! See how it’s all connected? Libraries, too. They need to stock the titles that will rotate well; books people want to check out and read. Which ones will they stock? The ones that the large publishers are pushing, because these are the titles that people will ask for.

4. Almost nothing good happens to your book without your publisher paying for it. Often, even things that look like awards or editorial decisions involve money changing hands.

5. Because of points 1-4, the author can do very little to influence the sale of their book. Giants like Amazon or Barnes and Noble already know which books are going to be the lead titles because the publishers told them so. Outlets like the NYT know too. Libraries, indie bookstores...they all know the signs of big publisher investment. For example, if the publisher says they are going to print 250,000 copies of your book, then everyone knows the title is going to be pushed HARD. If they say they are publishing 10,000 copies, then the author has no hope of competing with the lead title. So, the author can’t, on their own, do anything to change the fate of their book. However, the author is held accountable when their book doesn’t sell, despite the fact that everyone in the industry does understand that publishers sell books, not authors.

6. Because of points 1-4, how well a book is written or how talented the author is has not much to do with how many copies the book sells. Often bestsellers are really great and the authors are extremely hardworking...but not always. And there are zillions of hugely talented, diligent authors whose books don’t sell well at all because a large publisher has never shone that kind of spotlight on them. To exist in an industry where talent and hard work don’t influence the results is maddening, and a big part of why authors go a little insane.