What's What in the (Easter) Sunday Salon

Happy Easter, and my apologies for being a missing person here last week! However, I had a very good excuse–Kim will back me up, and I will provide additional evidence in this week’s Gratuitous Photo.

What I’m reading

• in print / on screen

I’ve been trying to be more proactive this year in making specific requests from the monthly lists Shelf Awareness sends to reviewers, and it seems to be paying off–some of my best reading this year has come along that route. That’s new to me, and I like it. I’m also liking the book I’ll be reviewing there in May, The Possibilities by Kaui Hart Hemmings, author of the novel that was the basis for the movie The Descendants.

• on audio

I finished The Headmaster’s Wife last week and am catching up on podcasts while I ponder what to listen to next. Any suggestions or recommendations? Comment, please!


What I’m watching

Sticking with Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. seems to be bearing some fruit, at long last. But Arrow is still doing comic-book TV better.


What I’m writing

I’m hoping to get a couple of reviews written today–we don’t have a big day planned, so time may permit. However, I expect that blogging will continue at a poky pace for another few weeks, so I hope you will lower any of your own expectations accordingly.


What caught my eye this week (or maybe the week before)

Just a couple of shares, since the reading side of blogging has been almost as poky as the writing side:

“10 Reasons I Still Blog” at Ann’s Rants

"1. A conversation with an audience. I don’t write only because I love to write. I specifically love to write because I love interacting with an audience—whether online, on paper, or in real life.
“5. An antidote for perfectionism. Forcing publish is how I get through writer’s block, THE END. As Cheryl Strayed said “Surrender to your own mediocrity.” This is the special sauce on my pickles-onions on a sesame seed bun. I keep surrendering–letting good enough stand in for great. I keep creating, and cool things keep happening.”

“Secrets of Success: How Reading Gives You an Edge”, via Alli Worthington (we probably suspected this, but validation is nice)

“4. Reading gives you a psychological boost. There’s nothing like diving into the story of a person who lived life well to remind us that life is more than the (sometime depressing) images and messages we see on TV, life is beautiful and full of opportunity to live it well. Studies show that reading self-help books can also help lessen depression.”

What Else is New?

I haven’t signed up officially for next weekend’s 24-Hour Readathon, but it looks like I may actually be able to participate for at least a fraction of it this time. Even if it ends up being unofficial, I’ll be glad to join in at all–I’ve missed the last few!

I found The Amazing Story Generator at the Chronicle Books booth at #bookfest last weekend. I’m thinking about using it as the basis for a new participatory blog feature (let’s not call it a “meme”), but I’m still kicking around just how it might work, so watch this space…

Gratuitous Photo of the Week

Signing lines and stages--scenes from the LA Times Festival of Books, 2014