Smatterings

At the Guardian Books Blog, I reveal a deep dark secret. Though I’m trying to adjust my antenna now.

Janet Reid reveals the story of how she signed up Andrew Grant, Lee Child’s younger brother – and secured a pre-empt with Pete Wolverton at Thomas Dunne/St. Martin’s.

The fake writers are back in action. Nobody’s really learned anything post-James Frey, have they?

Charles McGrath visits Nicholson Baker in Maine to talk about the impetus for his startling, epic & miniature WWII book HUMAN SMOKE.

Richard Powers talks with Ross Simonini about his new short fiction piece, having his entire genome sequenced and “the erotics of knowledge.”

Pete Hamill talks about the retirement life with the WSJ’s Naomi Schaeffer Riley.

Various Australian crime fiction bloggers have banded together to interview local authors in snapshot fashion. Check out the current slate of them here.

Richard Gwyn has won the Charles Taylor Prize for his biography of Sir John A MacDonald.

Oline Cogdill comments on The Big Read’s newest choice, THE MALTESE FALCON.

Pavritha Srinavasan pays tribute to the Indian writer Sujatha, who passed away last week.

Widely linked but still..Janet Malcolm praising the GOSSIP GIRL books in the New Yorker..WTF?

And finally….the Rutles reunite!