Linking me softly

All right, we know Hemingway loved to brawl during his life, but did the same sensibility have to carry over to a couple of bars vying for the right to claim that it was where the late author bought his booze? Seems a tad ridiculous, especially now that the fight’s going to court….

Congratulations go out to David Zobel, the winner of this year’s edition of the Bulwer-Lytton contest. His winning entry began like this:“She resolved to end the love affair with Ramon tonight … summarily, like Martha Stewart ripping the sand vein out of a shrimp’s tail.”. Having read that about ten times, I am only beginning to understand what it means–I think.

The 20th Anniversary of the Smarties Book Prize is this year, and the judges of the annual award for best children’s book will include Mark Lawson and Libby Purves.

Mark Billingham, whose latest novel THE BURNING GIRL is just out in the UK, picks his top ten fictional detectives for the Guardian. Many of the usual authors are listed (Michael Connelly, James Lee Burke, Lawrence Block, et al.) but interestingly, Billingham goes for Hammett over Chandler. Tres interessant….

Billingham was also profiled in several of the local London newspapers a few days ago, though it’s nothing terribly informative, I must say.

Another day, another potential celeb autobiography. This time, it’s John Travolta.

Icelandic crime fiction? Yes, ’tis true, and Jane Jakeman gives Arnaldur Indridason’s JAR CITY a very good review at the Independent.

Regis Behe of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review profiles Adam Braver, author of the already well-acclaimed DIVINE SARAH. (link from Publisher’s Lunch.)

Brandon Robshaw explains why, after all these years, Enid Blyton’s canon is so damned appealing to children, and probably always will be.

And finally, who said religion had to be boring? Not if you ask these folks…(link from that Banks boy.)