Bookmark Now

Beatrice.com (www.beatrice.com)

Long-running blog/e-zine by New York-based book critic Ron Hogan. Includes an extensive collection of interviews with contemporary authors.

Bookslut.com (bookslut.com/blog)

Immensely popular Chicago-based blog of daily book and publishing news. Founded and edited by Jessa Crispin.

Backstory (http://mjroseblog.typepad.com/backstory/)

Author M. J. Rose features a weekly essay from an author discussing the origins of her or his most recent novel.

Buzz, Balls, Hype (http://mjroseblog.typepad.com/buzz_balls_hype/)

Another M. J. Rose project on contemporary book marketing and publicity issues.

Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind (www.sarahweinman.com/)

Focuses on mystery novels and thrillers. Edited by Sarah Weinman, mystery critic for the Baltimore Sun.

Cupcake Series Blog (http://cupcakeseries.blogspot.com/)

Supports the NYC Cupcake Reading series, featuring the city’s best women writers. Discusses gender issues in publishing, favorite female authors, and “the evils of chick lit.”

The Elegant Variation (www.elegant.com)

Daily publishing news, author interviews, and book reviews from L.A.-based screenwriter Mark Sarvas.

Librarian.net (www.librarian.net)

All things libraries, librarians, and the freedom to read without the government spying on your choices. Run by Vermont-based librarian Jessamyn West.

Maud Newton (www.maudnewton.com/blog/)

The book blog all the others read. Maud is a Brooklyn-based attorney who also edits and writes fiction.

Moby Lives (www.mobylives.com/)

One of the original book Web logs, fiercely and thoroughly edited by Dennis Loy Johnson, founder of the Melville House Press.

My Favorite Book-Related Magazines (Print)

The Believer

www.believermag.com

Very long interviews with authors as well as essays about books and bibliophilic whatnots.

Black Issues Book Review

www.bibookreview.com/

Bimonthly discussion of books by and about African-Americans.

Bookmarks Magazine

www.bookmarksmagazine.com/

A monthly compendium of book reviews from multiple sources.

Rain Taxi

www.raintaxi.com/

A powerhouse quarterly out of Minneapolis. Also produces a reading series and a line of chapbooks.

Three Penny Review

www.threepennyreview.com/

Supa-heady lit journal out of Berkeley, California. These people have read more than you ever will.

Women’s Review of Books

www.wellesley.edu/WomensReview/

A feminist stronghold for over twenty years. Based at Wellesley College.

(Online)

Arts & Letters Daily

www.aldaily.com

A massive online broadsheet of hundreds of links to new books, arts and culture news, and political commentary. Updated six days a week and just as dizzying as it sounds. Owned by the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Arts Journal

www.artsjournal.com

A “Daily Digest of Arts, Culture and Ideas” edited by Seattle-based journalist Douglas McLennan. Includes sections on publishing, media, and dance as well as blogs by renowned critics and several newsletters. You could get lost here for weeks.

The Backlist

www.thebacklist.net

Superb e-zine focusing on contemporary African-American publishing and literary issues. Published by Emerson College graduate student Felicia Pride.

Good Reports

http://www.goodreports.net

Essays and critiques by Canadian bibliophile Alex Good.

www.identitytheory.com/

“A literary website, sort of.” Hundreds of interviews, reviews and essays. Founded and edited by Matt Borondy of Gainsville, Florida, with help from about a dozen other terrifyingly smart people.

McSweeney’s Internet Tendency

www.mcsweeneys.net/

The online companion to the revolutionary publisher. I’m not exactly sure which came first, but the Web site is updated just about every day.

New Pages

www.newpages.com

A gianormous portal of links and news focusing on nonmainstream books, magazines, literary journals, independent bookstores, and record labels. Published out of Alpena, Michigan, by Casey and Denise Hill, who are either related, married, or a happy coincidence.

Small Publishers I Support and/or Who Have Sent Me Free Stuff

AK Press

www.akpress.com/

Oakland, California-based workers’ co-op which publishes and distributes radical materials.

Drawn & Quarterly

www.drawnandquarterly.com/

Montreal-based comics and graphic-novel powerhouse. Publishes Adrian Tomine, Julie Doucet, Debbie Dreschler, and Seth.

Fantagraphics

www.fantagraphics.com

Seattle-based champion of the graphic novel. Publishes R. Crumb, Chris Ware, Dan Clows, Jessica Abel and handles reprints of Peanuts.

Manic D. Press

www.manicdpress.com

San Francisco house specializing in poetry, performance writings, and literary fiction with an urban edge.

Seal Press

www.sealpress.com/

Seattle-based, mostly nonfiction press, focusing on women’s issues and authors. Famous for anthologies.

Seven Stories Press

www.sevenstories.com/

Fiction and writings of conscience. Has published Ralph Nader, Howard Zinn, Kurt Vonnegut, and Angela Davis.

So New Media

www.sonewmedia.com

Ultra-mirco publisher out of Austin, Texas, that made its name publishing books for popular Web loggers. Uses a laser printer and the U.S. Mail.

Soft Skull Press

www.softskull.com/

New York outfit specializing in cultural criticism and poetry.

Edgy and smart.

Conferences and Festivals Worth Crashing

The 215 Festival (Philadelphia, PA)

www.215festival.com/

Annual confluence of literature, righteous music, and arts-inspired lunacy. As hip as these things get.

AWP Annual Conference (rotating locations)

www.awpwriter.org/conference/index.htm

AWP stands for Associated Writing Programs, so we’re mostly talking about students, professors, and administrators. Stuffier than the average book-related affair but seems to be loosening up. A great event if your goal is teaching writing or studying it in an academic setting.

Book Expo America (rotating locations)

www.bookexpoamerica.com

The annual Mardi Gras of the book business, except that it happens in early June. Thousands of booksellers, publishers, authors, and journalists convene every year to mingle and report on the state of this nutty business. Also, famously media-friendly, so I’d recommend asking your local college newspaper/radio station/Web zine to fax in a press pass request for you. Oh, and the parties are legendary.

Book Punk (Austin, TX)

www.bookpunk.com/

“Literature, Rock n’ Roll, Beer” usually on the same raucous stage. Normally a monthly happening.

Idea Festival (Lexington, KY)

www.ideafestival.com

New annual conference on the scene with an old-school premise: Throw a bunch of really smart, creative people in the same room, get them talking, and see what happens. Had a bunch of poets and performers in 2004. Who knows where it will go next?

Info Demo (Atlanta, GA)

www.jsassociate.com/bpa.htm

Half variety show, half lecture series, all art. Sporadic but always worth it.

L.A. Times Festival of Books (Los Angeles, CA)

www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks/

The biggest of its kind on the West Coast and dripping with star power thanks to its Hollywood locale. Some of the educational sessions attract thousands of attendees. Annually in April or May.

Litquake (San Francisco, CA)

www.litquake.org/

The Bay Area’s biggest, baddest literary festival. Nearly two hundred authors (including Dave Eggers, Amy Tan, and Lemony Snicket) were featured in the nine-day 2004 festival. Includes readings, panels, film screenings, and a literary-themed pub crawl. Usually in October.

Little Gray Books Lecture Series (Brooklyn, NY)

www.littlegraybooks.com

A near-monthly how-to series of talks featuring writers artists, actors, radio producers, and musicians. Hosted by former-agent-turned-arts-impresario John Hodgeman.

New York Is Book Country (NYC)

www.nyisbookcountry.com/

Annual celebration of books, authors, and reading. Held in the fall.

Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism (Cambridge, MA)

www.nieman.harvard.edu

Annual winter gathering of the smartest journalists in the land. Past speakers have included Ken Burns, Hilton Als, Adrian Nicole LeBlanc, and Susan Orlean.

South by Southwest (Austin, TX)

www.sxsw.com

Annual March gathering of creative professionals in music, film, and the Web, with an increasing author presence. Although attended by plenty of suits, the focus remains on creativity and innovation, not product launches and quarterly reports. Still affordable enough for interested amateurs and hence draws a bunch.

Texas Book Festival (Austin, TX)

www.texasbookfestival.org

Annual fall festival benefiting libraries throughout the Lone Star State. Normally draws a prestigious cadre of authors and a dedicated corps of volunteers.

Virginia Festival of the Book (Charlottesville, VA)

www.vabook.org

One of the strongest of the smaller regional festivals with an exceedingly friendly class of attendees. Annually in the spring.

Start Here

Booksense

www.booksense.com

The easiest way to find and support your local independent bookstore.

Poets & Writers

www.pw.org

An aspiring writer’s best friend. The most comprehensive and honest publication on how to work and live as a writer.

Publisher’s Lunch

www.caderbooks.com