Archive for January, 2010
Saturday, January 30th, 2010
Overheard #3: Difficult-to-Remember Names
(Crow and Companion shopping during the holidays in high-tech Spend Bucks store packed with people.)
From next aisle over, Voice #1: Yo! What’s the name of that talking pig in that movie!
Voice #2: What movie? What pig? What are you talking about?
Voice #1: You know, that movie with the pig that talks—what’s it called? Babe. What [...]
8 Comments » - Posted in Sweet Nonsense by Michael
Friday, January 29th, 2010
Tyra Banks, America’s Next Top Reader!
Over the holidays, the Crows took some time away from the fire of agenting to read things other than manuscripts and contracts. (I know, I know—who knew there was anything else? But it turns out the world of print is far bigger than just our little grimy corner of the bookstore. Will the wonders never [...]
12 Comments » - Posted in Sweet Nonsense by Michael
Thursday, January 28th, 2010
R.I.P. J.D. Salinger
As news of J.D. Salinger’s death spread across the internet today, I couldn’t help but feel deeply saddened. Yes, he hasn’t published new work in 45 years. Yes, his reclusive ways may have overshadowed his literary talent. But goddam could the man write.
Say what you want of him: Many call him overrated or think his [...]
8 Comments » - Posted in Books We Love, Inspiration by Chris
Thursday, January 28th, 2010
Happy Thirty-fifth Birthday to Greenwillow Books!
In 1974, one of the great editors in the history of children’s books, Susan Hirschman, launched Greenwillow Books. She had left Macmillan (a long-ago and vastly different company from the one that exists now) for reasons of principle, and was asked by William H. Morrow (a long-ago and vastly different company from the one that [...]
5 Comments » - Posted in Books We Love, Inspiration, The Industry by Michael
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Apple’s iPad
So at long last, the Apple iPad has been announced and demo’d, and you can find a photostream of the presentation at Engadet. Is it a game changer? Or did Jobs—as Michael Grant writes below—punt the reader? I disagree, but then, that’s my nature—contrarian. Especially where Grant is concerned.
The iPad will probably kill the Kindle, [...]
13 Comments » - Posted in The Industry by Michael
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Freedom!
No, I’m not talking about the indentured servitude contract Chris Richman and I agreed to when we booked passage here from the Old Country. We’re still in thrall to our master and doing dishes to earn our room and board. Rather, I’m talking about a little piece of shareware called Freedom. It forcibly stops users from [...]
19 Comments » - Posted in Inspiration, Sweet Nonsense by Michael
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
How Kindle Lost My Business
Oh, Jeff Bezos. There was a time when I was a true believer. I bought the first generation Kindle relatively early on—March or April of ‘08, thereabouts. I was impressed (or flattered, anyway) by the letter from you that came with it, complimenting me on being a daring early adopter, one of the few, the [...]
17 Comments » - Posted in Sweet Nonsense, The Industry by Michael
Monday, January 25th, 2010
My 2010 Wishlist
It feels natural to follow a post about what books I really enjoyed in 2009 with a post about the sorts of books I’d love to sign in 2010. And yes, I am actively seeking new talent! In other words, GIMME GIMME GIMME.
Ahem.
My interests as listed on the Upstart Crow website serve as a general [...]
18 Comments » - Posted in Choosing an Agent/Submitting, The Industry by Chris
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
Favorite Books of 2009
It may surprise you to know that, despite the approximately seven hours of reading I do on an average work day, I try hard to find time to read for pleasure, too. It doesn’t always work–sometimes I’m burnt out after a long day to the point of eyeball explosion–but every so often I need a [...]
23 Comments » - Posted in Books We Love, Sweet Nonsense by Chris
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
We’re Back!
After taking some time with family, friends, and secretly doing work when we were supposed to be on sabbatical, we’re firing the blog back up and (partially) opening up submissions once again. Please always check out our submissions page for the latest information about how to submit your work to us.
If you’re a writer who [...]
