By Erin L. Cox What is the difference between literary criticism and recommending a book? Is there a difference between a book blogger and a book critic? Do they mean the same thing? Do they carry the same weight? And, which sells more books? I’m not sure I’m qualified to answer any of these questions, but as a publicist who …
In Order to Compete in the Future, We Must Look Back
By Erin L. Cox Bookselling is an art. When we talk about the business of publishing, sometimes we lose sight of the fact that what compels a lot of readers is the love of a book. To get to the heart of that relationship is how writers reach their audience and the conduit is more often than not a bookseller. As we …
The CEO Panel Drinking Game–At a Conference Near You
By Erin L. Cox As Digital Book World comes to a close, I looked back at the Twitter feed to catch up on the news from sessions I missed, remind myself of the salient points from the panels I did attend, and to chuckle at the snarky comments. Yesterday, one of the main stage panels was “A CEO’s View of …
Day 9: Has Your Bag of Tricks Been Exhausted?
By Erin L. Cox So, we’re on Day 9 of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and if you watch Twitter, get the updates from the NaNoWriMo pep talkers, and hear from friends who are also writing this month, you know that the second week is said to be the most difficult. There are plenty of resources that can give you …
Clancy Gives Back to Veterans This Holiday Season
By Erin L. Cox Internationally bestselling writer, Tom Clancy, is launching a national program that encourages readers to show their support by sending messages of gratitude to veterans and active duty soldiers who are recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the nation’s largest military medical facility. Beginning today, participants can offer words of inspiration and gratitude to a recovering soldier, …
Salon’s Laura Miller Isn’t a Fan of NaNoWriMo
By Erin L. Cox If you read Salon and love Laura Miller like I do, you’ve probably already read this piece she wrote yesterday about the downside to NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), in which I (and many of you) are participating. Okay, to say she isn’t a fan is an oversimplification, but she echoes many of the comments made on …
Day One Was Easy, Day Two Is Not
By Erin L. Cox As you might’ve read in yesterday’s story, I have decided to devote this month to writing “The Great American Novel” as part of The National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). I got a lot of support (even from my father–see the comments on that story) and woke up feeling inspired. I banged out 1700 words before I even …
How do you Adapt Books for the Stage or Screen?
By Erin L. Cox Jacqueline Woodson has recently adapted her award-winning book LOCOMOTION for the Kennedy Center stage (the show premieres on October 23rd). In a piece she wrote for The Huffington Post, she talks about the inspiration for the story and how she adapted it for the stage. Earlier this summer, I worked on a film “Capture the Flag,” …
Let’s Talk About the Art of Translation
By Erin L. Cox For the last three weeks on The Paris Review daily, author and translator Lydia Davis has been sharing her experiences about her translation of Madame Bovary, which was released on September 23rd. In her blog posts, she talks about the art of translation and her process of creating another version of a much-translated book already. This week, some …
The Style of Nash
By Erin L. Cox When people talk about Richard Nash, they often talk about his brilliant ideas, his business savvy, and his vast international connections. I talk about his fashion–his classic gray suit, salt and pepper hair, dashing glasses, and, of course, his smile. Richard Nash is hard not to spot in a crowd. At Book Expo America earlier this year, …