Shannon Hale talks about meeting hearing from her fans:
She’s so positive and enthusiastic about her readers, which I just love. I got to see Shannon Hale a couple of years ago at a reading, and she was just as warm and engaging in person.
Shannon Hale talks about meeting hearing from her fans:
She’s so positive and enthusiastic about her readers, which I just love. I got to see Shannon Hale a couple of years ago at a reading, and she was just as warm and engaging in person.
Love this video of a second grader asking Neil deGrasse Tyson about black holes colliding:
I like that he takes the question seriously and talks about how cool the physics of this situation would be without condescending to this boy. Kids at that age are just starting to learn about the universe, and it’s a great time to get them inspired by astronomy. I remember doing an astronomy unit in second grade and it was the best. More funding for science and space research/education, please!
Also, now I have this song in my head:
Do the black hole, everybody!
(via swissmiss)
In this video, YA author John Green talks about the stories he wrote when he was in high school–which, of course, made me think of my own high school attempts at fiction.
Like John says about his early work, none of mine was good. Most of it was knock-off versions of what I was reading or watching at the time. A few highlights from the past fictional files:
Pretty sure none of this will ever see the light of day. (Actually, not sure if I could track most of this down; it might be in my parents’ basement or it might have gotten tossed when they were tossing a lot of stuff from aforementioned basement.) But I am so, so glad I wrote these horrific stories. After each one, I’d learned more about writing and was excited to move onto the next project. I got to try different genres and styles without the pressure of having to show these stories to anyone in particular.
Also, they primed me for taking writing seriously as an adult. Working on my thesis novel wasn’t so bad because I knew I’d written “novels” before and would eventually get to the end through a lot of hard work and perseverance. I know that sometimes projects don’t work out, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t keep the general idea or characters tucked away for future projects.
My theory: writing is never a waste. Maybe it won’t pay off like you think it will (somehow that girl hero never landed me on the Today Show like I imagined), but it always teaches you something. And at the very least, maybe you can tell your legion of fans about it via Youtube video.
Neil Gaiman talks about making a life as an artist in his address to the 2012 graduating class of University of the Arts:
I really like the idea of constantly walking toward the mountain of your own success and hopes. Also, must remember that mistakes mean you’re “out there doing something,” especially when the mistakes or disappointments have just happened.
PS–I had problems getting this video to play at first, then went to the main page and skipped ahead a couple seconds, and it played fine after that.
(via readergirlz)
Start your Monday with a laugh about sh*t writers say:
Oxford commas are non-negotiable. This also really made me want to be on a writers’ retreat in a cool cabin somewhere with lots of other awesome writer friends.
(H/T Sarah J Schmitt)
I don’t tend to listen to audiobooks (my mind wanders too much) but this clip of Alan Rickman singing in French from the audiobook version of The Return of the Native may change my mind:
Click through for a list of other cool audiobooks to take with you on summer travels.
A few more links for Monday:
I managed to catch up on the Lizzie Bennet Diaries last night. In case you haven’t seen them yet, here’s the first video:
Such an awesome take on Pride and Prejudice, and really well executed as a web series. I’m kind of obsessed.
Apparently vikings didn’t wear horn hats. And vomitoriums? Not what you think. Check out this video for information on these topics and other common historical misconceptions:
(via The Dish)
My coworker just sent me this awesome ad for the New York Public Library’s Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy:
Love the history mystery angle! Research is a vital part of any adventure.