"His brain contains something ineradicable and restrictive that makes intimate conversations with me incredibly difficult for him. He cannot help this, just as I cannot help so many things about myself. And therefore I forgive him."
A sort of call to arms for writers, but here the arms reach out in a warm embrace and tell you to be yourself. It's not about being published; it's not about following other peoples' rules; it's about telling the stories that make your heart sing in a way that's true to you. The advice here is rooted in kindness and written with such warmth, wit, and charm that I came away feeling like I had a true ally. Thanks, Chuck. #Nonfiction#bookstodonhttps://bookshop.org/a/7949/9781440301209?utm_source=werd.io&utm_channel=mastodon&utm_campaign=mastodon
"The Eutychis graffito gives us a woman’s name, an ethnicity, a price, the hint of a good time to be had – and suggests a seamy side to the ruined town now frequented by inquisitive tourists and keen culture-vultures."—Guy D. Middleton for Aeon.
"While some consider it an act of resistance or even a spiritual exercise—a feat of reverence to our most precious resource—others approach it as a journey to trace water’s route from sea to source to better understand how it makes its way to our drinking taps." -Bobby Alemán for Texas Highways
Next week I’ll be in hospital for a small surgery. (Don’t worry, nothing very serious) I’m looking for a good #book to distract myself before and after - relatively easy to read so I can enjoy it with a mushy brain after sedation 😅 and interesting enough to draw me in. I like #scifi, #fantasy, #nonfiction, #travel, …. I read in German and English. Suggestions? Boosts welcome.
Switching back from writing for kids, to writing for adults, and I keep finding myself over-simplifying everything 😂
Writing for adults is so much easier. I can just write a sentence, or cover a complex concept, and not have to spend an hour trying to figure out how to make it understandable to an 8 year old.
For the record, I was not obsessed or even mildly interested in collecting Beanie Babies, maybe if I had been I’d be rich. Anyway, this was a fun read, I especially recommend it if you remember when these were all the rage. #books#nonfiction#read#booktoot#beaniebabies@bookstodon
"On paper, this small life above Clear Creek should have left a long list of regrets, of what ifs. But this life was the life, the very thing he and my grandmother Grace set out to make when they married in the little church up the road in 1954." —Jeremy B. Jones for The Bitter Southerner
"Just inside the door to the studio, four fibreglass dummies with perky, igloo-shaped breasts posed unabashedly in sturdy-looking black brassieres paired with black nylon Army Physical Fitness Uniform sweatpants." —Patricia Marx for The New Yorker.
"Sepple was a skilled manipulator, and she wanted to be in love. As a teenage girl, Wadsworth did not
yet understand his behaviour as abusive—problematic, yes, but without a vocabulary for abuse there was no real
framework of explanation." —Carly Lewis for Maclean's
Hey Seattle folks (or folks who moved away from Seattle but still have a working library card <whistles innocently>), you should know that Seattle Public Library currently has a great section on Libby for Pride month, over 200 LGBTQ+ nonfiction titles.
It's been a while since I did an #introduction and I'm looking for more cool peeps to engage with, so here's some of my favorite things lately. Forgive the excessive tags.
That’s it! I’m taking a stand. Whatever kind of #nonFiction you are writing, please include a detailed index. Eschewing an index reduces the utility of your book! Whether a tech book, cookbook, history or whatever, all readers benefit from access to an #index! #writers#publishing#authors#readers A table of contents is necessary but not sufficient. Bibliography too, please. #Backmatter matters.
"As I read through the guidelines, a voice inside me had whispered: 'What if this is my secret skill? A hitherto undiscovered genius I have: standing on one leg blindfolded?' I didn’t really expect to break the record. But the tiny possibility was thrilling." @guardian
#BooksOf2023 #1: #KeeperOfTheLosCities #3: Everblaze. My kids have enjoyed getting into a new series after we finished the #WingsOfFire books last year. These magical adventure books are perfect for our next series together. 📚 📕
@bookstadon#BooksOf2023#10: Francesca T. Royster’s Black Country Music. This was a great dive into the history - and present - of how Country music has a much deeper Black history than many people realize. It’s an excellent companion to Marissa R. Moss’ fabulous Her Country.
Wanted to take a moment to share a great book I'm reading right now! The Voltage Effect: How to Make Good Ideas Great and Great Ideas Scale (www.amazon.co.uk)
Cool book from John List about why many ideas that seem great on paper and in small tests suddenly fail when they are implemented at scale....
A great compilation of non-fiction BDSM books for those who want to learn about kink! I particularly recommend "The New Topping Book" and/or "The New Bottoming Book" for new users. (www.goodreads.com)