Category Archives: Books

The Last Hurray of Winter and a Linkdump

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Cora

On the cusp of spring, winter returned with a vengeance this weekend for one last hurray. I don’t know how long it will lastm but for now we have approx. five centimeters of snow. I took a bunch of photos, … Continue reading →

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The Telegraph on Sex

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Cora

Apparently, it’s “Let’s talk about sex scenes in fiction” week at the Telegraph, for there are no less than four current articles about literary sex. First of all, Julian Barnes, poor dear, laments that modern authors are feeling the commercial … Continue reading →

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More on Grimdark Fantasy

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Cora

The latest reiteration of the debate about grimdark epic fantasy is happily chugging along. You can read my take (with lots of links) here. And now for a roundup of the latest responses: Foz Meadows offers her take on the … Continue reading →

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It’s that time of the year again: Grimdark Fantasy

Posted on March 3, 2013 by Cora

We’re having our annual gritty fantasy debate, because Joe Abercrombie – being one of the prime purveyors of grimdark fantasy today – launches a preemptive strike and defends dark and gritty fantasy against its critics. Of course, nobody is actually … Continue reading →

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The Evolution of the Crime Genre

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Cora

The Independent has a nice article about how crime fiction has moved on from the days of the classic “whodunnit” mystery. The article begins by listing Ronald Knox‘s* ten rules for detective fiction from 1929. Now those rules were already … Continue reading →

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February Flurry Linkdump

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Cora

Yes, it’s another linkdump today, because I’m not feeling all that great. I’ve got a nasty cluster of three aphthous ulcers on the inside of my upper lip. I have been struggling with aphthous ulcers since my teens and though … Continue reading →

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Otfried Preußler Remembered and the Nebula Awards

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Cora

On Monday, Otfried Preußler, writer of many popular German children’s books, died aged 89. Here is a more extensive obituary in German from the Süddeutsche Zeitung. I’m one of the German children and teens who grew up with Preußler’s stories … Continue reading →

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Controversy, Romance, Translation and Sex – It’s a Valentine’s Day Linkdump

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Cora

Controversy (or not): The New York Times has an interview with Jodi Picoult, which apparently caused some stir in certain circles. Honestly, I went into the interview thinking I was about to read something incredibly controversial and offensive, but the … Continue reading →

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New Release: Insomnia

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Cora

Once again, I have a new release to announce. This time around, it’s a psychological suspense novelette (now that is one monster of a term) called Insomnia, which chronicles one man’s growing madness and paranoia all due to his sudden … Continue reading →

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Rose Monday Linkdump

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Cora

Rose Monday is the main event in German carnival. Not that it affects me much, since I don’t live in a carnival region and secondary schools don’t have official carnival celebrations. Meanwhile, my cold is improving somewhat, but I’m still … Continue reading →

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