A Bring on the Sandpaper Weekly Link Round-Up

Today is the day I haven't been waiting for. (Why wait when I knew it would get here regardless what I did?) Today is when I go in for the first of two superficial keratectomies, which I've compared to having my corneas sanded down.

That better be the right grade sandpaper!

It would seem that some cells with minds of their own have gone rogue and formed ridges on my corneas. I've been suffering from "dry eye" and didn't even realize it. My ophthalmologist has to get rid of those cells to smooth out my corneas before he can perform cataract surgery.

I did want to take this time to let you know that I haven't worked my fingers to the bone on blog posts. If I have any problems with this procedure and can't see properly, you may not see any new posts from me for a while. However, I'm not expecting any problems. We shall see, won't we?

I also want to take this time to thank people who've emailed me with their own experiences having had the same surgeries performed. I like knowing what to expect-- have done since I was six and had a tonsillectomy. There's also a very special person out there who's turned into my year-round Secret Santa. I wish I could give you a hug, although you deserve much more than that!

I'm looking forward to a trail that's happy, smooth, and (most of all) short... and one that's not missing any blog posts because I do enjoy the time I spend with all of you. Now on to the links!

►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

• The book that terrified Neil Gaiman. And Carmen Maria Machado. And Dan Simmons.
• The future of biography.
• Home library design ideas.
• 200 years of Australian crime fiction.
• Babies' cries may predict what they will sound like as adults.
• Beijing subsidizes brick-and-mortar bookstores in the digital era.
• A day in the life of an indie publisher: Akashic Books.
• An op-ed piece in Forbes magazine said that Amazon should replace libraries. It was not well received, and eventually, Forbes deleted it.

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

• A teen archaeologist found a tooth that's more than 500,000 years old.
• An exquisite ancient mosaic has been uncovered in Israel.
• They stole a "priceless" gold bar from a museum in Key West, and they're paying the price.
• Archaeologists in Cologne have unearthed the foundations of Germany's oldest known library. 
• Archaeological finds on a barrier island off the coast of Georgia shows that 4,000-year-old trade routes stretched from the Carolinas to the Great Lakes.
• These Chilean mummies were buried in mercury-laced red clothing.

►Channeling My Inner Elly Mae Clampett◄

• Can scientists save an endangered marsupial by breeding out its taste for poisonous toads?
• The world's largest king penguin colony has suffered an 85% crash in the last thirty years.
• How American scientists are planning to thwart a salamander apocalypse.
• Lemurs smear bugs on their privates to ward off infection. Hmmm...
• A man's challenge to a bison went pretty much how you'd expect it to. (Wasn't it Jack Nicholson playing The Joker who said, "The gene pool needs a little chlorine!"?)

►I ♥ Lists◄

• Thirteen mystery and thriller books that inspired films.
• The scariest children in crime fiction.
• Ten Gothic thrillers set at the edge of the majestic, foreboding sea.
• Ten debut crime novels that were released in July.
• Nine funny mystery shows you can stream right now.
• Eight historical mysteries starring venerable sleuths.
• The literary roles of Benedict Cumberbatch.
• The best notes Atlas Obscura readers found in used books.

That's all for this week! Don't forget to stop by next Friday when I should be sharing a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure.

Have a great weekend, and read something fabulous!