How to use this Page

In the legend, Scheherazade told her king 1,000 stories; today, she would have 1,001 ways to tell them. James Atlas, writing in the New York Times, listens as we move from books to e-books to \"no-books,\" and he is happy to celebrate the long tradition of \"non-text-based\" literature (read oral literature or podcast) making a comeback. Other authors arrive in print, and come bearing gifts beyond the book itself.

Atlas cites thriller writer Jeffery Deaver, whose new audio drama for Audible, “The Starling Project,” is narrated by Alfred Molina and features 29 actors in more than 80 speaking roles, created with \"state-of-the-art sound and music design.\" It’s a dramatic audiobook, and there is no plan for a follow-on text-based book, print or e-book.

Chicago-based writer Shannon Cason shares his memories on a podcast called \"Homemade Stories.\" Called a \"storyteller’s storyteller\" by public radio’s Glynn Washington, Cason includes sound effects in his storytelling…barking dogs, a bouncing basketball…to bring us to his neighborhood and into his tale.

Utilizing print, and transforming the experience of her work by adding an art project/performance art/marketing piece, Miranda July is selling 50 items on her website that were created to be handled as if they fell directly out of the pages of her debut novel, The First Bad Man. There’s bubble-gum-flavored popcorn, a broken vase, a pink hairbrush, a secret in an envelope. In the New York Times, Alexandra Alter said, \"By allowing fans and readers to own items that previously existed only in her imagination and on the page, Ms. July is attempting to blur the line between fiction and reality, a boundary that she’s constantly puncturing through her performance art and writing.\"

Miranda July told the Times:

\"Often, these marketing-type projects are just a millimeter away from my actual work. I like people feeling like they could almost be that person in the story, crossing this line that’s not supposed to be permeable.\"

The new serial novel No Rest for the Dead features writing contributions by 25 thriller writers, including Sandra Brown, Jeffrey Deaver, R.L. Stine, Gayle Lynds and Alexander McCall Smith. Novelist David Baldacci wrote the introduction to the charity novel.

Strand magazine managing editor Andrew Gulli and Lamia Gulli edited four-year project. Proceeds from the Simon & Schuster novel will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, honoring the memory of Andrew’s mother.

Here’s more about the serial novel: “When Christopher Thomas, a ruthless curator at San Francisco’s McFall Art Museum, is murdered and his decaying body is found in an iron maiden in a Berlin museum, his wife, Rosemary, is the primary suspect, and she is tried, convicted and executed. Ten years later, Jon Nunn, the detective who cracked the case, is convinced that the wrong person was put to death.”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

In yesterday's edition of USAToday the following profile of Jeffrey Deaver was a highlight:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2010-11-01-deaver01_CV_N.htm

It was exciting for me to read because Jeffrey Deaver was one of our headliners for the 2009 Love is Murder CON. At Love is Murder we pride ourselves on being a close and exiciting CON where all of us can mingle up front and personal with New York Times best selling authors such as Jeffrey Deaver.

I have to say that he gave an extremely entertaining talk to our audience and afterwards he graciously waited around to talk with everyone who approached him, including me.

The article link above addresses his place as the author of the new Bond novel. A regular at Love is Murder is author Raymond Benson who has authored numerous Bond books.

http://www.raymondbenson.com/

So, come out to Love is Murder this Feb and rub elbows with some of the most amazing authors, readers and fans on the planet.

www.loveismurder.net

Ok, pursuing a Master's is taking up all my time, but I'm done with classes for now and don't have my next one until Nov. I'm back to work on my YA novel and finally hit the 10,000 words mark. That was my first milestone. I'm also taking a slightly different direction after discovering the incredibly gifted writer, Jeffery Deaver during my Jury Duty stint.

I'm not sure why people have such a negative attitude towards jury duty. I loved it, learned tons about our judicial system, and was fortunate to actually serve on a jury. During the two weeks I had to report, only two cases actually went to trial, so I was lucky to have served.

I also entered the Cheerio Story contest today and ordered the 2009 Children's Writers Market Guide by Alice Pope.

It feels good to be back.