Buried Treasure

Sorry for the absence last week folks. Things were a little crazy but have finally calmed down. Right. Let's get to this!

Books will often offer hidden treasures in their stories. But sometimes, you can find something more. Specifically, have you ever bought a used book and found someone else's shopping list tucked away between page 98 and 99? When I looked through one of my old books, I found the bookmark from the store where I bought it (the store had closed down years ago). Sometimes, my mom would use heavy books to press dried flowers. Musician Dan Zanes once used a book to store a prized possession given him by his mother — a rare photograph of J. D. Salinger, taken by Mrs. Zanes’s mentor, the German photographer Lotte Jacobi. Henry Alford wrote in The New York Times Book Review that one time even bacon was found within a book's pages. Though, I have to question that one.

So, how about any of you out there? Have you ever found some interesting item in a book? Any of you used a book to stash a little something?

Employee of the Month Award

I'm sure we've all encountered them when shopping before. The employee who acts as if you're wasting their time. The snooty individual who takes one look at you and assumes you can't afford that necklace. The clerk who won't be happy until you open a store charge. And one of my personal favorites, the one who just has to finish that last paragraph. But I have to tell you folks, compared to this guy, everyone else, no matter how rude or unhelpful you think they are, is a perfect model of customer service excellence.

Odds and Ends

Stark's Parker gets 'drawn' out

Richard Stark's (aka Donald Westlake), character Parker is set to be adapted into comic form. Darwyn Cook told fans at this year's Comic-Con that he will be adapting Stark's first four novels (The Hunter (aka Point Blank), The Man with the Getaway Face, The Outfit, and The Mourner) into graphic novels, the first of which is scheduled to be released late in 2009.

Potter's Fairytales
J.K. Rowling announced this past Thursday that she will publish a book of wizarding fairytales. Rowling originally produced only seven copies of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard." Each were bound in Moroccan leather and decorated with silver moonstones. Six were given to people involved with the Potter books while the seventh copy was bought at auction for roughly $4 million.

Saved By the Bell
Joining the ranks of celebrity tell-all books is Dustin "Screech" Diamond. You have to read this one for yourselves, 'cause I really have nothing to say, except yikes.

Odds and Ends

Born on this day:
Writer Franz Kafka (1883)
Playwright Tom Stoppard (1937)

Literary Hot Spots
So where are some of the most literary friendly cities? Writer's Digest recently compiled this list of "Literary Hotspots:"

• Boston
• San Francisco
• New York City
• Seattle
• Miami

If you have any hot spots that you'd like to add, please feel free.

Odds and Ends

Farewell Harvey
Comedic actor Harvey Korman, best known for his performances on The Carol Burnett Show as well as appearing in movies such as Blazing Saddles and High Anxiety, died this past Thursday at the age of 81 in Los Angeles.



Road to the Silver Screen
Following up the Oscar-winning adaptation to Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men, another one of McCarthy's novels is headed for the big screen. This time around, it will be The Road, a post apocalyptic tale of an unnamed man and his son traveling down through desolate lands, is scheduled to open on November 28 of this year. The film stars Viggo Mortenson and Kodi Smit-McPhee as the father and son.

Published Author and Creative Writing Teacher Offers Free Novella
Mike Heppner, a creative writing teacher at Emerson College in Boston and author of The Egg Code and Pike's Folly, is offering his latest work, a novella called Man Talking free on his Website. He describes it as a "hybrid novel and writing manual."

Odds and Ends

Fleming, Ian Fleming
For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond is the the latest exhibition at The Imperial War Museum in London. So, if you're a Bond fan who lives in London (or just feel like going there) be sure to stop in to see it. The exhibition is scheduled to run through March 2009.

It's kind of like...Coke buying out Pepsi
Super bookstore chain Barnes and Noble reportedly has been eying the bid to buy out rival Borders Group.

"No time for love, Dr. Jones"
Actually, there seems to be plenty of love for Indy. Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the first in the series in nineteen years, grossed $56 million dollars in it's first two days. On his blog, The Man in Black, author Jason Pinter gives a good round up of the movie. WARNING: The post contains spoilers. Don't read it unless you've seen the movie. And just for fun, don't forget to check out the official Indiana Jones Web site.

Odds and Ends

All in the family
This month, two second generation writers will all have new offerings.

• The Genius by Jesse Kellerman
• Zapped by Carol Higgins Clark

Novel Writing
There are numerous books on how to write a novel, so why aren't there any books that tell you how NOT to write a novel? Good news. Now there is. You can check it out here.

Happy Birthday Converse!
I'm sure at some point in their life, many people owned at least one pair of Chuck Taylor canvas sneakers. Today, there are a multitude of colors and patterns. It may be hard to believe, but it's been 100 years since Marquis Mills Converse began making simple, rubber-sole work shoes in a factory outside Boston that would eventually lead to one of the most popular shoes of all time. Shoes have always come and gone, but those Chucks were always there.

Odds and Ends: Strange News

Today over at Murderati, Toni McGee Causey posted a rather interesting response to the question that writer's always seem to get asked: "Where do you get your ideas?" At the end of the post, she came up with some great headlines of weird news. In that vain, allow me to add to the insanity here.

Sex Month Marathon Can Save Marriages, Pastor Tells Parishioners
Really makes you reconsider religion, doesn't it?

Alleged Car Thief Asks for Phone Call
And afterwards he asked a bank to e-mail him when it was ready to be robbed.

Driver Blames Speeding on Bad Oreo Dunk
Remember kids, don't dunk and drive.

Iowa Board OKs Ghost Hunter
Who you gonna call?

Strange News Pic
Boy, this sure gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling.



And that folks as The New York Times says, is all the news that's fit to print.

Odds and Ends: Movies about writing/writers

There are so many movies involving writers out there. Listed below are some of my favorites in no particular order.

1. Citizen Kane
2. Deathtrap
3. Misery
   
4. Adaptation
5. Throw Momma from the Train
6. Stranger than Fiction
7. Kafka
8. Barton Fink
9. Secret Window
10. Capote

If you have any favorites, please feel free to add them.