Mix Magic at Bourbon on Main in Columbia, SC
Dipping my toes into the Squarespace waters
After years of dealing with a lack of iWeb updates, I have decided to give Squarespace a try. I find it quite intuitive to use, though I need to get a better handle on the design options.
Anyone have any favorite tricks or templates?
"Midnight Snackers" from Shorpy
A Bit of Fry & Laurie – Concerning Language « The New Adventures of Stephen Fry
Lovely start to a Sunday. Watch and be delighted.
Much love to Denise Kiernan. Loving it so far.
So glad you’re digging it. I expect a full report later.
The Marshal of the Borgo now on sale
It’s a long story, but when we were first married Denise and I lived overseas in Italy, where she worked covering soccer for sports organizations like ESPN. We first lived in Rome, then moved to a small town an hour north. The countryside was exactly what the travel magazines depict: olive groves…
YES. So thrilled to announce my fabulous husband’s latest publication, “The Marshall of the Borgo.”
Paperback Tour for "The Girls of Atomic City"
Yes, it’s about that time to hit the road. Here are the cities I’ll be visiting in the coming months. Check back for additional dates. Hope to see some of you out on the road!
Monday, February 24, 2014
New York, NY
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
*Event Closed
Saturday, March 1, 2014, 9:15 AM
Long Beach, CA
Long Beach Festival of Authors
Long Beach Convention Center, 110 Pine Ave.
Monday, March 3, 2014, 11:15 AM
Denver, CO
American Physical Society - Annual Meeting
Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th Street
*Registration Required
Tuesday, March 11, 2014, 7:00 PM
South Hadley, MA
Odyssey Books, 9 College Street
Thursday, March 13, 2014, 7:30 PM
Fredericksburg, VA
Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall
1301 College Avenue
*Ticketed Event
Saturday, March 15, 2014, 5 PM
Asheville, NC
55 Haywood Street
Tuesday, March 18, 2014, Noon
Oak Ridge, TN
Oak Ridge High School
1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike
*Ticketed Event
Friday and Saturday, March 21 - 22, 2014, 2:00 PM
Charlottesville, VA
Monday, March 24, 2014, 7:00 PM
Austin, TX
603 N Lamar Boulevard
Tuesday, March 25, 2014, 7:00 PM
Houston, TX
2421 Bissonnet Street
Wednesday, March 26, 2014, 3:00 PM
Oxford, MS
Oxford Conference for the Book
Journalism Panel moderated by Curtis Wilkie
Overby Center at the University of Mississippi
555 Grove Loop, Suite 247
Tuesday, April 1, 2014, 7:00 PM
Ann Arbor, MI
2513 Jackson Ave. (in Westgate Shopping Center)
Wednesday, April 2, 7:00 PM
Cincinnati, OH
2692 Madison Road
Monday, April 7, 2014, 7:00 PM
Naperville, IL
123 W. Jefferson Avenue
Tuesday, April 8, 2014, 6:00 PM
Wichita, KS
4701 E. Douglas Avenue
Thursday and Friday, April 10 - 11, 2014
Boone and Hudson, NC
Caldwell Community College
Details forthcoming
A shielded dummy in a basement for atomic bomb testing in Nevada, March 1953.Photograph by Volkmar Wentzel, National Geographic
Photographed by Vadim Trunov [website]
[h/t: staceythinx]
How did I not realize that snails are magical and wondrous? Where are my fantasy novels about wide-eyed snail protagonists on quests?
These are the dreamiest photos that ever did dream.
Snails in love…
Oh how I wish I could hear how they reacted to that. Or perhaps it was just stunned silence. Go, Mayim! Bring it, math girls!
awkward question for mayim
<3
-anna f
Aw snap.
Day 1 of the 14th annual Girlfriend’s Weekend. All the Pulpwood Queens have descended on Jefferson, Texas, population 2,106. This year’s theme: Viva Las Vegas!. Authors and readers having a blast.
Don't you like books?
Grinchmas 2013! We had lots of fun with our grumpy, green guest last night.
Did they have any roast beast?
Love this! The Grinch visits Cindy Norris and the Malaprop’s gang!
BOOK GIVEAWAY: Enter to win THE GIRLS OF ATOMIC CITY by Denise Kiernan
Book giveaway over at Riffle! Three copies available. Only eight days left!
THE GIRLS OF ATOMIC CITY was hailed by top media outlets as “fascinating” and “a phenomenal story” when it was first published earlier this year. It hit The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times Best Seller lists, made Amazon’s Top 100 Best Books of…
Autographed and Personalized Books for the Holidays
It’s gift-giving-buying season once again. I am, as always, working with my fantabulous independent bookstore Malaprop’s to offer personalized, autographed copies of The Girls of Atomic City and other titles. Signed books always make great gifts and autographing eReaders simply hasn’t taken off yet. I work with Malaprop’s year round, but during the holidays I get lots of questions about wrapping and shipping and so forth.
Here’s the skinny:
The easiest way to get an autographed book is to call Malaprop’s directly at 1-800-441-9829 or 828-254-6734. The store is chock full of helpful, cheerful folks. Once one of these charmers answers the phone, just tell them…
- Which book you want to order and the author’s name.
- How you want the book personalized. To you? To the mother-in-law you’re always trying to suck up to? Do you want it to say “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,” “For a history buff,” or nothing at all?
- Give them your payment information and shipping address.
That’s it! Malaprop’s will get me in to sign and will ship your book out to you or to the person of your choice, autographed and ready to go.
But what about gift wrapping?
Yes indeed, they gift wrap. I told you they were wonderful. So, you can have that autographed book gift-wrapped AND have a gift card slapped on it. That package of holiday reading cheer will be shipped wherever you want and will arrive ready to be shoved under a tree, stuck in a (larger than usual) stocking, placed next to the menorah, or swapped at an office party.
Can I order online?
Technically, yes, but calling is much more efficient and, in the long run, will take up much less of your time.
Which books of yours can I order?
Any of them, really. Here are some of the most popular titles. Others can be found on my website.
The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II
Signing Their Rights Away: The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the Constitution
Stuff Every American Should Know
The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed
Happy shopping, and thanks for supporting a local independent bookstore!
Audiobooks, Amazon lists and Autographs
It’s shaping up to be a very exciting week over here. I may have to put on something more dressy-uppy than my “good” yoga pants.
Yesterday I found out that The Girls of Atomic City made Amazon’s 2013 Top 100 Best Books of the Year list. I was thrilled and had no idea that little tidbit of news was coming right on the heels of the GoodReads Choice Awards nomination. Double-whammy.
This morning I learned that the audiobook for Girls is coming out next Tuesday, Nov. 12. Finally! People have been asking for months. Better yet, I am very fortunate that the amazingly talented Cassandra Campbell is the narrator. Her work is fantastic. Books can be pre-ordered at Audible and at Amazon.
And it’s now official: I will be signing books at the Books-a-Million in Oak Ridge, TN—home of The Girls of Atomic City—the day after Thanksgiving, also known as Black Friday. I start at noon. It will be nuts.
Then, on Small Business Saturday, I will be participating in “Indies First” at my local bookstore Malaprop’s. Me and my hubby, Joe D’Agnese, will be working as booksellers at the coolest indie bookstore on the planet.
Phew. Fasten your seat belts. It’s going to be a bumpy November. Hope to see some of you here and there…
Happy Day for Books and Readers: GoodReads Choice Awards
Thank you.
That’s right, you, the one over there who owes me nothing, whom I’ve never met, the one who isn’t related to me or feels they have to play the part of the dutiful friend. YOU.
You just happened to hear about my book somewhere. I can’t possibly know how or what struck you about it at that particular moment as you were going about your life. For some reason you looked it over and then proceeded to spend not only your hard-earned money on something I wrote but you gave that book your time as well. What’s more, you took the time to rate it, to recommend it, to pass it along virtually and verbally and even physically. And you’re not even my mom.
When I learned that The Girls of Atomic City was nominated as one of the best history and biography titles in this year’s GoodReads Choice Awards, I was happy for all of those sadly unevolved approval-seeking reasons, sure, but what is particularly satisfying about the GoodReads Choice Awards is that they are chosen by a community of readers, a group of folks connected in the magical land of the inter-webs by their love of a good book.
In the words of nearly every nominee ever in the history of awards both great and small, “It’s great just to be nominated.” Well, guess what? It is.
You can learn more about all the awards here. There are so many wonderful books. Give them some of your ever lovin' clicks.
***Sign up for my mailing list here. Important news coming soon!
A friend sent this along knowing I’d love it.
"In 1951, A.C. Gilbert, inventor of the ERECTOR set, released the U-238 Atomic Energy Lab. Using real radioactive materials, one could witness mist trails created by particles of ionizing radiation.
The set included four Uranium-bearing ore samples, and originally sold for $49.50, and one could order replacement radioactive materials.
Note: Geiger Counter sold separately.”
Some older but ever so valid perspective from Paul Graham’s essay “How To Do What You Love” (http://www.paulgraham.com/love.html):
Prestige is just fossilized inspiration. If you do anything well enough, you’ll makeit prestigious. Plenty of things we now consider prestigious were anything but at first. Jazz comes to mind—though almost any established art form would do. So just do what you like, and let prestige take care of itself.
Prestige is especially dangerous to the ambitious. If you want to make ambitious people waste their time on errands, the way to do it is to bait the hook with prestige. That’s the recipe for getting people to give talks, write forewords, serve on committees, be department heads, and so on. It might be a good rule simply to avoid any prestigious task. If it didn’t suck, they wouldn’t have had to make it prestigious.