Denis and I went to The Poisoned Pen this week to see two of our favorite authors, Jeffrey Siger and Timothy Hallinan. Little did I know but those two very talented men both made me feel a bit like royalty. They had "talked up" their appearance on their Facebook pages, and-- amid all the poor unfortunates bemoaning their fates-- I said I was really looking forward to seeing them both, and they returned the sentiment.
Tuesday evening Jeff and Tim were mobbed the second they stepped foot inside the bookstore, and I-- not being a fan of elbows and competitive conversation-- just kept my seat in the back and divided my time between reading and people watching. I had no idea that they would both seek me out! Jeff found me first. He shook my hand, introduced me to the people who'd followed him to the back of the store, and then he sat down and proceeded to chat with me.
Tim also found me a few minutes later. He's teased me about my "free advertising" Facebook photo (also used on my blog's sidebar) in which I'm seen holding a copy of one of his books. Tim and I also got a few precious minutes to chat before the interview began. And now I finally get to the meaning behind my post title. How did both men find me? My short white hair shines like a beacon in the bookstore's lighting. Now I know for certain that if I ever want to go anywhere incognito, I need a hat and/or a wig!
Enough hair talk. Let's get to those links!
Books, Movies & Other Interesting Tidbits
- I thought I'd seen an infographic for just about everything... but not for the aroma of books.
- A man used Twitter to get himself out when he discovered that he was locked in a London branch of Waterstones.
- Here's a quiz to see how well you know the villains of literature.
- There's a Sherlock Holmes exhibition at the Museum of London.
- One bar closer to humanity: Hopefully this video will persuade some people to put down their phones.
- Here's an enjoyable crime fiction dictionary. I have to admit that I was just as interested in seeing if I'd read the books given as examples as I was in reading the definitions.
- Amazon wants you to decide what eBooks get published with Kindle Scout.
- Do readers choose eBooks because they are cheaper?
- Local Poisoned Pen Press now has the North American rights to the British Library Crime Classics series and the British Library Spy Classics series.
- After last week's incident in which a tourist was locked inside one of their stores, Waterstones is having a contest for ten guests to win a sleepover in their Piccadilly branch.
- IKEA is coming up with some really good commercials. This time, it's a take on "The Shining."
- Join me in signing this petition showing your support for "Longmire".
Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones
- The pebbled mosaic floor they've uncovered at Amphipolis is amazing. So is the head of a sphinx that they've found.
- An MRI conducted on the remains of a 2,500-year-old woman shows that she suffered from breast cancer.
- After 91 years, the giant sphinx from The Ten Commandments has been unearthed.
- German archaeologists have found the largest pottery workshop of Greek antiquity.
- Find out why Novgorod is to Russia what Pompeii is to Italy.
- 10 amazing lost treasures no one can find. Guess which one is in Arizona!
- Anthropologists are now able to shed some light on gladiators' diet.
- Stonehenge may be mentioned in an 8th century poem.
- A witch bottle has been found during a dig at the site of the new Civil War Centre in Nottinghamshire.
- A rare Roman inscription has been uncovered in Jerusalem.
- Oops! Jack the Ripper may not be identified after all.
- A fascinating new autopsy has been performed on King Tut.
- A World War II U-boat and one of the ships it sank have been found off the coast of North Carolina.
- 1914 was a vintage year for champagne.
- The six-pound gold "Butte Nugget" is up for sale in California.
The Happy Wanderer
- An awe-inspiring view of Earth from the International Space Station.
- 30 incredible views you'd see if you were a bird.
- 21 stunning coastlines from all over the world.
- 40 lesser known travel destinations you should seek in this lifetime.
- 20 places where nightmares are born. You have been warned.
- 30 incredible places you'd rather be sitting right now.
- Stunning images from our most popular National Parks.
I ♥ Lists
- 22 things everyone who loves paper books understands.
- The 10 best detectives in books-- and they may not all be the ones you're expecting.
- An A to Z of Noah Webster's finest forgotten words.
- 10 grammar mistakes people love to correct... that aren't actually wrong.
- Want to do something less run-of-the-mill than smileys on Facebook? Here's a big list of emoticons you can use there.
- 20 creative ways to reuse old plastic bottles-- and several of them are beautiful!
- 16 great library scenes in film.
- 40 of the most creative cakes that are too cool to eat. So many of these are absolutely beautiful and/or jaw-droppers-- and a few are even book-related!
- 55 thoughts you have when you find out your favorite book will be a movie.
- 50 of the best films about writers.
- A list of classic television series that shouldn't be "rebooted."
Book Candy
- 27 cozy reading nooks that will inspire you to design one for yourself.
- Five of the best writers' sheds in pictures.
- Some marvelous artwork by Chad Gowey showing people reading books.
- 44 great American bookstores every book lover must visit. I'm particularly fond of #41....
- The Allen Memorial Medical Library makes me drool.
That's all for now. Don't forget to stop by next Friday when I'll be sharing a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure. Have a great weekend!
You're a Poisoned Pen celebrity!! Sounds like a fun event!
ReplyDeleteJeff and Tim certainly made me feel that way. What made this so funny to me were the reactions of the people following the authors. The way the authors made little mini-fusses over me, the other folks' expressions made it clear that they thought I must be "somebody," and that they wondered who I was! LOL
DeleteCathy - What a wonderful PP experience! I've often found that truly great people are like that. And thanks for those links. That crime fiction dictionary has my name on it! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThat's been my experience, too, Margot. Hope you like the crime fiction dictionary!
Delete