Authors Behaving Badly: Susan Wise Bauer on authors who were caught posting anonymous positive reviews of their works and bashing their competitors’ books. Can we say bad, bad idea?

JA Konrath interviews Karen McQuestion, an entirely self-published Kindle author whose book was optioned for a movie. Interesting reading for those of us who do not have a backlist or an existing readership to help make the leap into self-publishing e-books.

On the School Library Journal Blog: The poll results for the top 100 children’s novels. I’ve read about half already (including nine of the top ten) and will probably read aloud a couple dozen more to the kids as they grow older. I was really pleased to see several childhood favorites, like The Little White Horse and The Witch of Blackbird Pond, on there. This list was obviously put together by Americans because I do not see a single Enid Blyton book on there. *grin*

And just for fun with the kids, two art projects using recycled items: paper weaving and a robot.

Oh gosh, how did it get to be Tuesday already?? My father-in-law was up visiting, so I’ve been in vacation mode for the last four days. We got back to school this morning, and the rest of my regularly scheduled activities will follow (blogging, laundry, sweeping, etc).

An older post, but still worthwhile: Ten Killer Tactics for Developing a New Skill. It can be hard for me to go about learning new skills that are not immediately related to my current work. It’s too easy to play to my strengths, rest on my laurels, read some brain candy, to push off the important-but-not-urgent to another day.

For those who blog to inform others, here’s a good reminder to  focus on solving reader problems.

Looks like the second novel in the Newbury & Hobbes series is out (I reviewed The Affinity Bridge in my last reading roundup), along with some free short fiction featuring the same characters.

This is really neat. Tor has commissioned several different artists to create new covers for the e-book releases of The Wheel of Time series, and has a number of blog posts detailing the evolution process of each cover. This one is so rich in detail and color.

Edited to change the date of posting to the correct date instead of three days earlier!

How do authors really break into publishing? Is it nepotism? The Secret Handshake? Stalking agents? Brewing potions from eye of newt and toe of frog? Author Jim C. Hines took a survey, published the results and busted a few myths along the way. I’m happy to note that I still have several years to break into the book biz.

Got a character who remains an enigma? Sit him down with chips and drinks and ask him a few questions.

LOL: SF author John C. Wright will never, not ever, include Christian allegory, themes, or images in his next book.

Book Review Bingo! I’m afraid to do this with my own reviews on this blog. Can I buy a dispensation for using “X meets X” in my next review?

Did you stumble upon anything hilarious, inspirational, thought-provoking or informative in ‘Netland this week?

In case we needed more help figuring out this whole writing gig, here are 54 tips from writers, for writers. I especially liked the quotes from Kurt Vonnegut.

Seth Godin on making the distinction between “not good” and “not for me”. Something I have to keep in mind when airing my often strong opinions about the books I read.

Too often, I have so much to accomplish, that I cannot properly savor and get into the things I am doing. The now is overshadowed by the distractions of the then. The One Thing Principle (via Handmade Homeschool) is a call to homeschoolers (and this can apply to everybody else, too!) to let ourselves focus on, explore, and relish just one thing a day. If we’re having a blast playing math and strategy games, it’s okay to let phonics slide for the day. If David and I are discussing my (admittedly wacky) worldbuilding, and ideas are bouncing thick and fast between us, it’s okay that I’m still only on lesson 7 of HTRYN. I shouldn’t let the things not done hover like grim specters over me.

Paperback Writer has ideas for Christmas gifts for the writers on your list–and the readers as well. The folks at DGLM have links to more book lists.

Looking for some new additions to your stack of Christmas read-alouds? Check out this roundup of the best Christmas picture books of the year. The Crafty Crow shares more books and related activities in daily posts.

It’s not Christmas in our household without kidmade decorations. There is a lot of fun stuff out there (keep an eye on The Crafty Crow for a selection of the best): paper snowflakes, wreathes, tissue paper angels, glittery initial ornaments, oh my!

I checked out A Classical Kids Christmas from the library, and we really liked it. The Christmas narrative is interspersed with carols (usually not the whole song, alas) and poems. This CD also includes Christmas traditions from around the world. I’m going to get a copy for our own collection.

And since Christmas apparently means cookies (I have sugar cookie dough in the fridge right now, waiting to be rolled, cut and decorated by two excitable children), check out Allrecipes’ Christmas baking collection. Yum, yum!

For those of you who are doing NaNo this year, here are a few links:

No Plot? No Problem!: Chris Baty’s book on getting through NaNo. Hey, you still have time to run down to the bookstore and speed-read it before the 1st.

Paperback Writer’s pre-NaNo checklist, with t’s crossed and i’s dotted. While you’re there, check out all the other entries in her NaNoWriMo tag.

This post on Query Tracker’s blog has more links.

And, as if trying to write 50,000 words in a month isn’t urgent enough (that’s over 1600 words a day!), you can create urgency by employing these simple and um… unconventional tactics. I would personally never use any of these, but hey, they’re good for a chuckle.

Can you come up with other ways to build urgency? I find a microwave timer beeping the end of the kids’ Quiet Times does wonders for me some days.

The Publishing and Promotion Edition

Paperback Writer’s ten widgets to help you find a title (yes, I consider coming up with a title part of the getting-published process. I wouldn’t bother otherwise. *grin*).

So you wrote a book. Now what?

Via Holly Lisle: Can an artist make a living with a base of 1,000 True Fans?

More on promotion: Building a platform.

And, why are debut novelists so long in the tooth?, or Publishing is for Old Fogeys . (Gives me hope. I’m only 29!). Hat tip: Jo