- Laura Miller on The Invisible Library, which houses imaginary books referenced or described in real books, natch. I absolutely love the device of books that exist only in a particular work of fiction. Christopher just finished a new story that includes a futuristic horse race and all the horses are named for such.
- Another typically brilliant post from Jennifer Crusie on writing, particularly romances: "The big thing that I’m always forgetting and have to relearn with every novel is that the story has to be fun. Not necessarily happy or funny but fun to read, the highs and the lows, the reader has to have a really good time suffering with the characters, even if the “really good time” means weeping helplessly."
- This essay by Ed at the Millions makes me want to read Megan Abbott immediately.
- The fabulous Kate Messner recommends some excellent non-writing-focused craft books of interest to writers. Her own new book on revision looks wonderful; I'll definitely be picking up a copy.
- An excellent post from Tess Gerritsen about the conventional wisdom of nonwhite lead characters in genre fiction being a sales curse, something she's bucking with her new book The Silent Girl. Now on my must-read list. (Via SRB.)
- Also at Murderati, an excellent post by forensic pathologist Jonathan Hayes about the role of coroners.
- The University of Chicago magazine profiles Swati Avasthi.
- Monica Edinger points to the results of a contest asking animation students to interpret Salman Rushdie's Luka and the Fire of Life. (I, too, fell hard for Midnight's Children when I read it–sophomore or junior year of h.s., I think?–and, later, Haroun.)
- And, finally, a reminder that the Summer Blog Blast Tour is in full swing. The full schedule with excerpts and links is here and today's stops are: Sarah Stevenson at Chasing Ray; Emily Howse at Bildungsroman; Ashley Hope-Perez at The Happy Nappy Bookseller; and Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich at Vivian Lee Mahony (Hip Writer Mama).