Friday's Recommended Reading:

* "The Mother of Possibility by Sven Birkerts at Lapham's Quarterly (a beautiful essay discussing the history and value of idleness in life and literature)

* "Around the Table with Dhamaruci" at John Barleycorn (discussing astrology and magic)

* An interview with Franny Billingsley at The Enchanted Inkpot (discussing how she set out to write a novel set in Fairyland and ended up in the English Fens instead)

* Katherine Langrish on finding her voice as a writer at An Awfully Big Blog Adventure (and we're so glad she did!)

* Catherynne Valente on blogging at Rules for Anchorites

* Rima Staines on owls  at The Hermitage

* Claire Massey on old maps at Gathering Scraps

* Ellen Kushner on fairy tale couture at Puggy's Hill

Also: Booktrust Children's Books (here in the UK) has announced the 10 winners of their 2011 Best New Illustrators Award. Click through the artists' links to see some really marvelous work.  There's also a traveling exhibition of art by these talented folks, which has kicked off at the Illustration Cupboard in London. I hope to see it when it reaches Plymouth in April.

Coming up: I've got some terrific new "On Your Desk" photos in the works for next week, and new sketches to share. Have a good weekend, everyone.

Howard, Tilly, & Tilly's friend Warlock illustrating the Birkerts essay by demonstrating the joys of idleness & play....