Kittling: Books: Getting Closer to Normal Weekly Link Round-Up

After getting some needed rain, the weather seems to have gone back to what brings this area a lot of money from tourism: brilliant blue skies, an abundance of sunshine, and balmy temperatures. Ahhhh!

To the left you can see my latest Poisoned Pen haul-- although the bottom book is from Amazon Vine. (Be forewarned, the latest Bruno book by Martin Walker has been published under two different titles. In the UK, it's known as The Children of War. Here in the US it will be published as The Children Return. The publisher must be afraid that no one will buy it if it sounds like a war book.)

After over a month's absence, Denis and I hopped in the Jeep and drove over to our favorite bookstore to see Mette Ivie Harrison, author of The Bishop's Wife. An enlightening and entertaining evening, and you know I wouldn't be able to get out of there without a book or two! The Poisoned Pen is such a great place. I'd seen that there was always a good selection of the Flavia de Luce mysteries, so I didn't even bother to order a copy of the one I needed; I knew that it would be on the shelf sooner rather than later. Tuesday night, there it was. When I mentioned it to Ariel, she told me that-- you probably guessed it-- Barbara Peters is a good friend of Alan Bradley and his wife. That woman is a treasure for any book lover!

I can't seem to get through my email and other daily computer tasks without stumbling over interesting links. (Better than dead bodies, eh?) These links are champing at the bit, so head 'em up! Move 'em out!

Books, Movies & Other Interesting Tidbits

The Art of Fiction: an interview with Simone de Beauvoir.
Can you guess which pen name belongs to which famous author?
Just because it's one of my favorite movies: 14 lessons we learned from Pretty Woman.
The literary community is speaking out against the attacks on Charlie Hebdo.
51% of children are reading a book for fun. Hallelujah! (Now let's get that percentage higher!)
How pulp fiction saved literature.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is writing a book featuring Sherlock Holmes' brother Mycroft.
Tess Gerritsen shares the inspiration for her character Jane Rizzoli.
How middle school reading lists have evolved since 100 years ago.
The 2014 holiday season was a big test for eReader usage on airlines.
The world is extremely close to eradicating a human disease for the second time in history.
I loved reading about a little bookshop named Giggles.
This man took a photo every time he saw someone reading a book on the subway.
Well, what do you know: the first ever National Readathon Day is on Saturday, January 24-- my birthday!
What makes for a brilliant book cover?

Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones

A Ming Dynasty tomb unearths opulent clothing that reveals China's imperial past.
New technologies are revealing hidden secrest at old archaeological sites.
A fossil found on the Isle of Skye has been found to be a new species of marine predator.
A haunted English castle dating from the 1300s is for sale.
Modern forensics solve 700-year-old murder mystery.
A rare American penny has just been sold for... $2.6 million.
10 tragedies that robbed us of historical treasures.

Channeling My Inner Elly Mae Clampett

This cat is the hide-and-seek champion!
Wildlife experts have been surprised by a baby California condor. (An everlasting memory of mine is seeing a California condor flying high over the Grand Canyon. *sigh*)
In the case of this particular butterfly, I suppose calling it a cross-dresser is easier than saying it exhibits bilateral gynandromorphy!
This isn't the first time a beaver has moved to the Phoenix metro area-- and I'll just bet that surprises the puddin' out of you!
A dog in Seattle has made the news by taking solo trips on the bus to the local dog park, which brings up the subject of other animal commuters around the world.

I ♥ Lists

Good thing I sometimes read something besides crime fiction! 10 weird things that start happening when you only read mystery novels.
10 signs you're a bibliophile.
19 fascinating things for book lovers to do in Edinburgh.
11 female serial killers you've never heard of.

Book Candy

50 of the most majestic libraries in the world just makes me drool!
Now I know what I want for my birthday. I just found the perfect reading spot for when I'm not in the pool!
How dare they make a mug describing me and not tell me!
Since I'm taking up knitting again, I seem to need more tote bags. I'm thinking about one that says "I Lift Hardcovers."
I found another "book artist"!