Indulge in Literature and Liquor During Lit Crawl Brooklyn (May 19)

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Jay Fingers

Lit Crawl NYC

Those who lust for liquor and literature, such as myself, will be happy to know that tomorrow is the 2012 Brooklyn Lit Crawl.

Created by the deviant bibliophiles behind San Francisco’s Litquake, the Brooklyn Lit Crawl is exactly what you think it is: a book-and-booze fest that will feature over thirty authors (including my literary crush, author and New York Press columnist Amy Sohn) and fourteen separate events at ten different venues, including La Casita Yarn Shop, Camp, Micro Museum, Zombie Hut, and Book Court.

Oh yeah, and it’s all free.

View the entire schedule below.
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Weldon Owen Explains How A Book is Born (Infographic)

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Jay Fingers

Weldon Owen Explains How A Book is Born (Infographic)

West coast publisher Weldon Owen created a nifty little infographic (because kids love their infographics) to explain exactly how a book is “born.”

They say:

Here’s the heartwarming, only slightly messy, and roughly 74 percent accurate story of how an idea churns through the publishing process just like—as a publisher we once knew put it—a rat travels through an anaconda. Don’t think too much about that analogy. Just enjoy this flowchart that takes you from a brilliant idea to a best-selling trade book.

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Excerpt: Kisses For Tati by Jay Fingers #K4T

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Jay Fingers

Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss by Antonio Canova, photo by Jay Tong

As many of you know, I’ve been working on a short story entitled Kisses for Tati (formerly known as The Drums) for a couple years now. I don’t know why it’s taken so long for me to finish this particular piece, especially when I’m able to see the story so very clearly in my mind.

In any case, I feel I should share something with you guys, and since I’ve made some progress on Kisses for Tati, I’ve decided that’s what I’m gonna share. For those who don’t know, Kisses for Tati is about Tati (natch), a socially awkward young woman who meets the man of her dreams but whose hopes of happiness are threatened by her domineering older sister.

Check out the excerpt below: Continue reading →

Hunter S. Thompson Rejects Biography by William McKeen

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Jay Fingers

Hunter S Thompson Rejection Letter

The folks over at Flavorwire compiled a list of the harshest rejection letters received by famous authors. The list includes literary luminaries like Gertrude Stein, Kurt Vonnegut, Sylvia Plath, Vladimir Nabokov, and Jack Kerouac. But my absolute favorite is the letter you see above, written by gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson to his biographer William McKeen.

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Rant: Indie Publishing Forever!

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Jay Fingers

On Friday, YA author L.R. Giles published a post explaining to his readers why he’s been incognito as of late. The post, if you ask me, was actually full of good news: Giles signed with HarperCollins and his YA mystery will be published soon. In addition to that, he has already completed two novels that aren’t contracted to HarperCollins, but he must show them to his lit and film agents before anyone else.

“I’m not complaining,” Giles says of his good fortune. “I just want to explain why you, the loyal readers who have supported LIVE AGAIN, THE DARKNESS KEPT, and THE SHADOWS GALLERY, haven’t seen a new book from me in over a year.”

I salute and congratulate the brother on his publishing contract. I know that it was a lifelong dream for the brother, and his talent will take him far. But reading his story makes me wonder if I’d ever sign a contract should one of the Big Six approach me.

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GUESTLIST Hardcover Edition Coming Soon

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Jay Fingers

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A GUESTLIST Sequel?

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Jay Fingers

I’ve got to say, I’ve been blown away by the response my novel GUESTLIST has gotten since its release. People are enjoying the book, posting rave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and hitting me up on Facebook to let me know how much they liked it. It truly means a great deal to me, and I thank each and every one of you.

However, one thing I didn’t expect was my readers’ longing for a sequel. It’s somewhat surprising to me that folks want one because I’d always felt like the story was told in its entirety. Then again, when people connect with the characters in a novel, they don’t want the story to end. They want to continue to follow the characters’ journeys, wherever they may lead.

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Book Review: Black Silk Blindfold by Vanessa Wu

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Jay Fingers

Black Silk Blindfold by Vanessa Wu

The erotic short piece Black Silk Blindfold by Vanessa Wu is a coming-of-age tale in which a young woman plots sexual conquest over her younger colleague over the course of a short holiday.

Our unnamed narrator works for a prominent law firm, and she often finds herself flirting with the new associate Benedict Knowles. Fresh out of law school, and freshly dumped by his girlfriend, Benedict is the very definition of naïve. His innocence arouses our narrator tremendously; despite Benedict later revealing he’s found a new girlfriend, the two end up going to Helsinki, staying in the same hotel room to ostensibly save money. As the sun doesn’t set in Helsinki during the summer, our narrator declares that she will be unable to sleep without the titular silk blindfold. And so the sexual games begin.

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Event: David Sedaris at Brooklyn Academy of Music (May 7 & 8)

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Jay Fingers

David Sedaris

Humorist, comedian, and author David Sedaris appears tonight and tomorrow at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman Opera House to read from his new collection of animal fables Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary. If you’re familiar with Sedaris’ work, then you should know these ain’t gonna be your typical Aesop fables.

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Paulo Coelho to Sell eBooks for 99 Cents

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Jay Fingers

Paulo Coelho

According to GalleyCat, HarperCollins is offering ebooks from bestselling novelist Paulo Coelho for a mere 99-cents in the United States and Canada. The prices are now in effect at Amazon, iTunes, and Barnes & Noble. The only book not included in this sale is The Alchemist.

Coelho said on his blog that he wanted to make his digital books cost as much as a song in iTunes. Further, he went on to say that purchasing all his discounted books would cost $10.89 as opposed to $74.19 at regular prices.

He says, “For years I have been advocating that free content is not a threat to the book business. In lowering the price of a book and equaling it to the price of a song in iTunes, the reader will be encouraged to pay for it, instead of downloading it for free.”

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