XKCD guy featured on the New Yorker Website

You can see it here.

John Updike

As a librarian I feel it is my duty to say something in regards to the death of the great American writer, John Updike. It was two years ago that I read my first Updike book. I read the first book that featured his famous character, Rabbit. The novel is called Rabbit Run. I found his writing to be good almost beyond compare. It is so good that more than once I stopped reading and took a second to appreciate the genius of the writing. Like Steinbeck, not only is his skill at a level few of us ever approach, it is also accessible. Great writing doesn't have to be difficult, just great.

Frederik Pohl on Arthur C. Clarke

I just found out from John Scalzi's blog that Frederik Pohl has a blog. I think a good place to start is his remembrance of his friend and collaborator, Arthur C. Clarke. I read the book they worked on together, The Last Theorem. I had wondered how much of the writing was done by Clarke and how much by Pohl. His long and entertaining entry answers that question.

Meeting Tonight

Sorry for the late notice but we are meeting tonight at 6 pm at the Morrison Regional Library. Remember to bring something to read. I also have a good pile of swag from the book sale to share.

Another Call for Submissions

This is for 7th, 8th and 9th graders. It's a tie in for that dog book/movie Marley and Me. You can view the guidelines here.

Formatting

If anyone ever needs to convert a document into a file format that they do not have the software available for then feel free to email me the document and I will convert it for you. Also, you might investigate Open Office. You can save documents in multiple formats with Open Office. Remember that the library has computers with MS Word if you need to have document in that format and you don't want to send the document to me.

Two calls for submissions

This website is calling for short stories from writers between the ages of 13 and 19. The prize is a Visa gift card and there are only a couple of days left.

If you have a problem with evolution then there is an essay contest here. I almost didn't post that one but the prize is $500.

Another call for submissions

Melanie has forwarded me another call for submissions by high school students. You can view the information here.

Well, Ed, I don't think you have much reason to complain about participation at that LAST meeting. We pwn the world. And since there is no mention of eyes in our newest pass-around story, enjoy:

"You like knitting neddles?"
"I," she paused. "What has that got to do with anything?"
"I don't know..."
"Well...psychologists say that knowing something like that about a person says something about them, like..."
They need to do serious time in Bedlam.
Which is England, as we have learned, where knitting is a common hobby.
"Well, I suppose I am English, therefore I knit, therefore I like knitting needles...why would it matter?"
"So you like to knit which means you like knitting needles. Though I suppose you could enjoy knitting and hate knitting needles which is like being a Beatles fan and thinking Paul McCartney is a wanker."
"Pardon, sir?" she said.
"Paul McCartney is a wanker."
She jumped up, brandishing a knife she'd taken from who-knows-where. "You take that back!" she screamed.
"NEVER!!!"
Paul McCartney then stepped out politely and coughed. "'Scuse me?"
At the very words, a swarm of fighter jets swooped in, a screech breaking the conversation. "The code word was Benny, boys! Idiots."
Then Gary Oldman walked in.
He was dressed like Batman's sidekick Robin(epic fail, Gary Oldman is the COMMISSIONER) and he looked like he had just woke(n -->epic fail again, Ed, wrong tense) up but needed a nap.
"Everyone!" he pulled the cape over his shoulder and yelled, "I am the night, I am Batman!" It turned out it was not Gary Oldman, it was
Tim Roth.

WIN.

Meeting on Monday

Let's all not forget that we are meeting tomorrow. 6 pm. Morrison Regional Library. In Charlotte, NC. At least two members of our Hall of Fame will be there so a good time is guaranteed for all.

Poetry Competition

Hey, I just recieved a flyer in the interoffice mail about a poetry competiton sponsored by the Lanier Library of Tryon, NC. It's called the Sidney Lanier Poetry Award. You can view information on it here. They even have a category for high school students.

A list of lists

Every year I go to this website for his annual lists of annual lists. I'm a big fan of year ending lists and this site lists, if not all, then enough.

Howdy Howdy

If you are interested the New York Times has published their best books of the year list here. I have only read one book on that list and I am only 100 pages into it. I am currently reading the book "Dark Side" about the Bush administration. I won't go into politics here but I am sure you can tell by the title that it is not a book that takes a favorable view of President Bush and his people.

By the way, don't forget that we are meeting this month on Monday, December 22nd. I would like to hear who can make it ahead of time this month. If we are not going to have a full group I will cancel this month's meeting a start over in January. Who is in?

Life Magazine Photographs

I know this has very little to do with writing but I had to share this with you. I've been messing with it for over a week now and it's a gold mine. Google has teamed up with Life Magazine to archive and host the magazine's photo archive. It's amazing and you can lose an hour pretty quickly by doing searches on things that interest you.

For example:

Robert Frost with an ax

T.S. Eliot at his desk.

John Steinbeck with his dog.

Gore Vidal has his morning tea.

And finally, Willie Mays ducking a bean ball. Look out, Willie!!

Howdy

I do hope attendance begins to pick back up. These meetings rely on group participation which is hard to maintain over two hours when there are only three attendees. On the upside, Jake did walk out of the meeting with about five books.

Our last meeting was the weirdest meeting ever cause there were alone 4 people there. Me(hannah), jake, katie, and ed. for half of the time we read and talked and did the exercise. And the other half we spent in ed office eating suckers(which people from the north call them like me and people from the south call them lollipops) and we got free books and free bookmarks!

pip pip cheerio peace out

--Hannah

Meeting Tonight

I meant to send this out Friday but I forgotted. We are meeting tonight at 6pm at the Morrison Library. Who is going to be there?

HEY, ED! No, I'm not posting writing, but rather, a question: was the entry from Ed McDonald of Charlotte in the Forum on the editorial page of the Observer today from you? I remember your last name being McDonald for some reason.

New Online Journal Wants Stuff

Hey, got something that is ready for submission? Check out this brand spanking new journal.

The Poet President

Obama wrote poetry when he was younger. I wonder if he still does now. According to the article he was 19 when these were published in one of them student literary magazines. The article is here and the poems are at the end of the story.