Columns

Why The F*ck Aren’t You Reading Fuminori Nakamura?

December 18th, 2014

Image via LA Times Why The F*ck Aren't You Reading? is a feature where the columnist spotlights a writer who has a dedicated following and is well known within the writing community, but hasn't achieved the elephant-in-the-room style success of a Stephen King or Gillian Flynn—But they deserve to, dammit! Hopefully the column will help gain the author featured a few more well-deserved readers.

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Finding the Big in the Very Small with Tanka Poetry

December 18th, 2014

When I was 19 or so, I picked up a book of poems that altered the way I look at writing. Akiko Yosano (or Yosano Shiyo) revolutionized traditional Japanese poetry in the late 19th century, but hers is not a name often cited in Western literary circles. A complete antithesis of the lengthy, florid poetry of the Victorian era, Yosano’s work is fierce and openly sensual. While reading her book, titled Midaregami, I was floored by the short pieces that seemed to make up a whole person when stitched together.

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LitReactor Staff Picks: The Best Books of 2014 (part 2)

December 18th, 2014

Another year has come and gone. You know what that means, don't you? Time for a bunch of strangers to tell you what was good! And why should you care what the LitReactor writers think are the best books of the year? Trick question! You shouldn't. But what they have to say might interest you nonetheless, because they are good-looking and knowledgeable and they read like the wind. So for those who care, we submit for your approval/derision some of LitReactor's favorite reads of 2014.

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A Very YA Christmas: 5 Young Adult Novels with Holiday Themes

December 17th, 2014

The holidays are upon us, and the young adults are on break from school. What better way to get in the Yuletide spirit than with five YA novels celebrating the spirit of the season, from Christmas on to New Year’s Day? These five selections perfectly capture the atmosphere of the holidays, with plenty of snow, Christmas themes, and good old holiday cheer.

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The Ethical Author

December 17th, 2014

I recently received an email that linked to an opinion piece about how authors should be more ethical in our approach to marketing our books. This stopped me for a minute, as I feel my personal business practices are always ethical. But are they?

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Storyville: Advance Your Writing Career—NOW!

December 16th, 2014

This edition of Storyville is really for the more developed author—those of you who have published some stories, gotten in a few places, maybe put out a novel or collection, gotten an MFA—in other words, really put themselves out there, and had a bit of success, and shown that they’re serious about it all. Of course, if you’re new and still trying to break out, these tips can hopefully help you, too. But if you’re not quite to this level yet, don’t worry, keep at it—you'll get there.

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Edit My Paragraph! Episode Seven

December 16th, 2014

This week's theme: Protagonists named Jamie. For some reason. First up we have Tom Adams with the following opening to a short story:

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LitReactor Staff Picks: The Best Books of 2014

December 15th, 2014

Another year has come and gone. You know what that means, don't you? Time for a bunch of strangers to tell you what was good! And why should you care what the LitReactor writers think are the best books of the year? Trick question! You shouldn't. But what they have to say might interest you nonetheless, because they are good-looking and knowledgeable and they read like the wind. So for those who care, we submit for your approval/derision some of LitReactor's favorite reads of 2014.

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Twelve Twisted Tales For Christmas

December 15th, 2014

It's that time of year again. Shoppers are now out in full force, being rude to anyone and everyone they meet. TVs, drones, and expensive toys kids won't care about in a year are accumulating under faux-pine trees festooned with lights and ornaments. Little Jesus babies are miraculously spawning across church and residential lawns, and soon every channel on the local and cable spectrum will ceaselessly ram A Christmas Story down our collective throats (I've heard "You'll shoot your eye out" so many times now, the words have lost all meaning).

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Ursula K. Le Guin, Master of Realism

December 15th, 2014

Ursula K. Le Guin raises a whole lot of hell for an octogenarian, and her appearance this year at the National Book Awards was no exception. In her acceptance speech for the medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, which quickly went viral, she took dead-eye aim at a certain "profiteer" attempting to strongarm publishers into accepting lower prices for their books.

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