Links of the day

Over at FishbowlNY, Greg Lindsay wrote one of the funniest posts I've seen in a long time, a Breakfast Club homage and Clive Thompson smackdown for that blog article everyone wishes they hadn't wasted their time reading.

Elizabeth Hayt wrote a column I actually enjoyed and identified with, about how you can't stay friends with your ex. Though I disagree that's true for everyone; I'm friends with some exes, and some I will probably never speak to again.

Agent Kristin's author Ally Carter (Cheating at Solitaire) has some important advice about working with publicists to promote your book. I've only published (so far) with small presses, and it's been a crucial learning experience for me in booking my own readings, getting the word out about my work, really working the relevant press angles. Not in an obnoxious, overbearing way, but in cultivating good relationships, being accessible and open to interviews and such. I try to spread the word about my Voice columns, too, because it's both good for me and I think if there's a given topic that might be of interest to, say, food bloggers or poly people or spankophiles, I want them to know about it. It's so ludicrious of people to think publicists can do it all, and I think I'm coming into the game stronger for all the mailings, emails, and research I do all the time to promote my books and work. I do hope to someday sign with a big publisher, but even then, I want to be actively involved in my own PR, especially because I've been the one following the field and keeping very diligent track, thanks to blogs, technorati, icerocket, google news alert, and careful study, what's going on in the areas I'm interested in. It can't all be about the marketing, but that's such a major part and to ignore it would be folly, I think. Then again, who the fuck am I? But someday, someday...