January 19, 2009 Links and Plugs

Back to your scheduled programming! Here's a backlog of two week's worth of links:

• In case you haven't been following it (or caught my earlier plug), check out Jeff Vandermeer's 60 in 60. We're past the halfway mark and you can check out the latest summary.
• Matt Staggs on Book Publicity Tips.
• Great quote from Cat Sparx: When I wrote, I used to ask myself 'how can I make this good enough?' These days I ask 'How can I make it better?'
• James A. Owen on Series and Query Letters.
• Nick Kauffman shares with us his wisdom: Responding to Rejections, Cutesy Cover Letters.
• Here's a couple of author Q&A's: Pat Cadigan, Ursula K. le Guin, Hal Duncan.
• Clarkesworld is open for submissions and here's a call for submissions from Ellen Datlow regarding Best Horror of the Year Volume Two.
• On the Year's Best Fantasy (Hartwell/Cramer) end, watch out for it from Tor.com (and not Tor).
• James Van Pelt on Publishing A Short Story Collection.
• Richard Bowes on The Mosaic Novel.
• Robert Silverberg on It Wasn't All That Easy.
• Alan DeNiro on Why I Write Science Fiction: An Apology.
  
• Jeff Vandermeer on Top Five Things This Writer Hates and Building a Fantastical City. While you're at it, listen to Billie Harris read Vandermeer.
• It's John Scalzi and Mary Robinette Kowal at Borderland Books!
• Not spec fic related but helpful advice to getting laid (or rather a public service announcement!) from Catherynne M. Valente.
• Kevin W. Readercon a.k.a. Cole A. Adams = not a writer. Mamatas compiles the relevant links while Hal Duncan summarizes what transpired. Aside from Steve being a friend, I think any sense of professionalism got thrown out the window when they start telling you to go commit suicide (to say nothing of the death threat).
• Bookspot Central pulls down its 2008 Cover Girls feature.
• Jessica Faust on her Favorite Editors.
• Tess Gerritsen on Don't Be Arrogant.

Should have plugged this last week when it was released:

Timothy and the Dragon's Gate by Adrienne Kress