Items of Interest: Links that Caught My Attention This Week

I like to read short stories, but mostly I go through phases where I read them all the time or then not at all. Harper Perennial is celebrating the short story this year and as such they are publishing a short story a week on the website Fifty-Two Stories. I think I can catch up, there are ten on the site now, and then read one a week going forward.

Beth over at Beth Fish Reads is excited to be hosting her very first giveaway! She is offering a copy of two different books; The Secret by Beverly Lewis and The Scavengers’ Manifesto by Anneli Rufus and Kristan Lawson. Both look great so stop by and check it out.

Do you judge people that you meet by what they’re reading? The Guardian has a piece that says that we do just that when we’re meeting someone for a date. Not only that but great pains are taken in choosing just the book to be seen with. And the verdict is, chick-lit sends men running. Now, I don’t know if I believe that.

Jen at Devourer of Books is tracking her progress as she follows the book Throw Out Fifty Things by Gail Blanke. Looks like she is making some good progress. I should really start on a program like that. I have been making a huge effort to de-clutter since I moved. I threw out a lot beforehand, but I still find that I have way more stuff that I need. That does not include books.

Lisa over at Books and Cooks is wondering just how many of us keep reading journals. I would like to keep one more often, but I am definitely guilty of keeping one sporadically. I find it’s a great way to keep track of my feeling and responses over the course of the book.

I wish that I had more time to re-read books. It’s always such a struggle for me to re-read the old books that I have loved because I am constantly hearing abut great new stuff that I want to read. Carrie at Book & Movies reminded me that I read Dragonfly In Amber, and other books in the Outlander series. I remember devouring these books when they first came out, but now I don’t remember all of the details besides how much I loved them. Maybe some day I will get back to them.

Phyllis Scheiber, the author of Willing Spirits, stopped over and guest posted at My Friend Amy’s blog and and had some interesting words to say about how much of novels are autobiographical. I enjoyed reading about the characters that she created, The Egg Sisters, based on women that she knew growing up in Washington Heights. I also love reading about different perspectives on New York City neighborhoods.

Find anything interesting in your internet travels this week? Leave me a link.