This week! Books!
First up, don’t forget out my inaugural office hours next Thursday exclusively for newsletter subscribers! If you’re not already a subscriber, now’s a great time to join. It’s free!
Now that’s August (how is it August??), we’re squarely in the dog days of publishing summer, but I still find a few links for you.
Return of the Nigerian Prince: A New Twist on Book Marketing Scams – Victoria Strauss, Writer Beware – Publishing scams are absolutely rampant right now (including someone impersonating me). Spread the word and be careful out there!
SDCC 2025: Comics Reclaim the Spotlight in Hollywood’s Absence – Heidi MacDonald, Publishers Weekly – As Hollywood pulls back from Comic-Con, in many ways the convention is returning to its roots in comic books.
Ready to “Book” Your Next Trip? How Literary Tourism Became the Hottest Vacation Trend – Rachel Chang, Thrillist – As Christine Pride posted here a few weeks back, literary tourism–including writing retreats–are a hot vacation trend.
How to Take Criticism – Jeanne Kisacky, Writer Unboxed – Taking criticism to improve your work: important but difficult!
Viable and Fun: An Interview with Speaking Agent Charles Yao – Alia Hanna Habib, Delivery & Acceptance – You probably know about literary agents, but did you know about speaking agents?
10,000 Books Just Got Delivered! Now What? – Darcy Pattison, Indie Kids Books – Some valuable advice for marketing self-published children’s books.
This week in bestsellers
Here are the top five NY Times bestsellers in a few key categories. (All links are affiliate links):
Adult print and e-book fiction:
- The Hamptons Lawyer by James Patterson and Mike Lupica
- Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson
- An Inside Job by Daniel Silva
- Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
Adult print and e-book nonfiction:
- The Idaho Four by James Patterson and Vicky Ward
- The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
- The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
- My Good Side by Scheana Shay
- A Marriage At Sea by Sophie Elmhirst
Young adult hardcover:
- Hour of the Pumpkin Queen by Megan Shepherd
- Nothing Like the Movies by Lynn Painter
- Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft
- Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw
- Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli
Middle grade hardcover:
- Wonder by R.J. Palacio
- Refugee by Alan Gratz
- Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
- Odder by Katherine Applegate
- Growing Home by Beth Ferry
This week on the blog
In case you missed them, here are this week’s posts:
And keep up with the discussion in all the places!
- Follow me on Bluesky
- Check out the Bransforums
And finally:
They Saw Their Neighbors Taken Away by ICE. Then They Made a Plan. – Michelle Goldberg, New York Times – An inspiring look at grassroots organizing in the face of horrific disappearances.
Have a great weekend!
Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!
For my best advice, check out my online classes, my guide to writing a novel, and my guide to publishing a book.
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