the muse & the marketplace

Even if we didn't share (part of) a name with this event, we'd be all over it. The dynamite lineup for Grub Street's 9th annual Muse & the Marketplace conference includes Elizabeth Strout, Lauren Grodstein, Benjamin Percy, Steve Almond, Chuck Palahniuk, Anita Shreve, and so many more--including a stellar array of agents and editors available to consult with as part of the sixth annual Manuscript Mart.

Allow us to put a special plug in for our friend Celeste Ng's "Essentials of Craft" session on Point of View. Goodness knows our own novel could use a little help in this arena, and we'd love to know what this smart, savvy writer has to say about POV.  

Boston-dwellers, hightail it over to Grub Street's registration page and sign up now! 

Additional details from Grub Street:

The Muse and the Marketplace is a two-day symposium designed to give aspiring writers a better understanding about the craft of writing fiction and non-fiction, inside information about the world of publishing, and thoughtful networking opportunities. Both days, prominent nationally-recognized authors lead craft seminars on various topics, and editors, agents and publicists lead sessions on the business aspects of creative writing. We also offer the fifth annual Manuscript Mart, where, for an additional fee, attendees meet one-on-one with an established literary agent or editor who has read their work in advance and will provide direct feedback.

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Many participating authors, editors and agents have generously donated their time so that all proceeds from The Muse and the Marketplace can be used to help fund Grub Street, Boston's only non-profit independent writing center.

Link List

We're back from a blogging vacation with some links for your enjoyment:

• The Guardian's book coverage won't quit. They're currently featuring an amazing round-up of Ten Rules for Writing Fiction culled from writers like Zadie Smith, Sarah Waters, Will Self, and Jonathan Franzen. The article is split into two parts--be sure to check them both out. Helen Simpson offers just one rule: The nearest I have to a rule is a Post-it on the wall in front of my desk saying "Faire et se taire" (Flaubert), which I translate for myself as "Shut up and get on with it."  
• Barter Elizabeth asks: How long do you pine for the last book before jumping in bed with the next? 
• We like the new covers in the "Penguin Inks" series (badass version of Bridget Jones pictured). Do you feel compelled to buy a new copy of a book you already own if you love the updated cover?
• Are you on Twitter? If so, do yourself a favor and follow @ColsonWhitehead. You'll thank us later, through your laughter. 

[Recommended] Love in the Making

Valentine's Day may be over, but love is still in the air!  Roisin Meany, two-time La Muse attendee, has a new novel out, and it's already a bestseller in Ireland. We can't wait to get our hands on Love in the Making, and urge you to pick up a copy as well.  

Beach Reads

Beach + books = bliss! Here's the caption from the Guardian's 24 hours in pictures series (worth checking out daily): Sydney, Australia: A beach goer selects books from 30 red Ikea Billy bookcases lined up to form the world's longest outdoor bookcase to celebrate the 30th birthday of the brand's signature furniture piece, at Bondi Beach.

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Bon Iver in a Monmartre Hallway

Our friend Lucy just showed us this beautiful La Blogotheque podcast on Youtube.

Performed by Bon Iver:  Justin Vernon, Sean Carey and Michael Noyce, it's a spontaneous a cappella version of "For Emma" in a Paris hallway before a house show. From the album "For Emma, Forever Ago".

The Catcher in the Rye is dead.

Just found out that The Catcher in the Rye is dead. Long live "The Catcher in the Rye."

Here's his obit in the New York Times.

Photo Friday: Here's Homer

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It felt like spring on our walk today--it was so sunny we had nearly enough skip in our step to keep up with the speediest dog in all of France.

Artists: Paint your way through Italy!

The Rome Art Program offers artists the opportunity to paint and draw in the plein-air tradition on the streets of Rome and Florence, and in the countryside of Umbria. The deadline for application is February 20 and details can be found here. 

Inspiration on Paper

The new issue of Poets & Writers is perfect for the new year. The issue's theme is Inspiration, and Chip Kidd's whirling-dervishes-meet-spirograph-swirls cover kicks it off right. Inside, things just keep getting better.

We've already enjoyed a great piece on "how the winter's biggest books got started,'" some new insights on the psychology of writer's block, and an inside look at Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi. Only the third link directs to the actual article; the other two are print only. But it's a great time to subscribe to the magazine; online literary journal Fiction Writers Review is offering a special subscription rate of only $12 (or $22 for two years) in support of Jeremiah Chamberlain's  incisive and inspiring "Inside Indie Bookstores" series.

Speaking of independent booksellers and subscribing to magazines, we're resolving to spend a little less time staring at screens this year, and a little more with the printed (on paper) word. Join us?

MLK Day

Today the United States honors Martin Luther King Jr.  We want to highlight the King Day of Service initiative, and their push to celebrate Dr. King's memory by serving others (Americans can find a local volunteer opportunity here).



Sure, we could all use a day off, especially on what some psychologists argue is the saddest day of the year. But giving feels really good! No matter how you spend your day, devote a moment to considering this King quote: "Life's most persistent question is: What are you doing for others?"

This Day

Our friend Peter Rush (aka the Pitch Doctor) sent along this Sanskrit proverb by Indian poet and playwright, Kalidasa. We thought  sharing it here would be a nice way to begin the week:

Look to this day
For it is life,
The very life of life.

In its brief course lie all
The realities and verities of existence, The bliss of growth,
The splendor of action,
The glory of power  -
For yesterday is but a dream,
And tomorrow is only a vision,
But today, well lived,
Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
 Look well, therefore, to this day.

Photo Friday: Snow Stars

La Muse is a good place to be snowed in. We're lucky to live in a place that's so beautiful, and to be safe and warm. Our hearts are with the people of Haiti; we hope you'll make a donation today.

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