BOOK BITS: Writing Links - Rowling, Penguin, Pew News Study

Welcome to Book Bits, a new feature on this blog which I'll run at least twice a week to bring you some of the latest writing links. You'll find links for news, reviews, how-to articles, features, commentary and opinion. I hope you enjoy the feature and find some fun-filled and helpful sources.

Here are today's links:

News: Pew Study: Television Top Source of Local News, by Merrill Knox - "Local television had its best showing in suburbs near large cities, where 75 percent of respondents said they watched a local newscast at least once per week.  Small towns and rural areas both had 72 percent and urban areas had 65 percent. " TVSPY News: Failed to Deliver Your Book? Penguin Wants its Advance Back, by Dennis Abrams - "The Smoking Gun reports that the Penguin Group has filed lawsuits against several well-known writers, claiming that they 'failed to deliver books for which they received hefty contractual advances.”' Publishing Perspectives Viewpoint: Should we Rethink Pseudonyms? by Rachelle Gardner - "They have a long history in literature and the arts, and even nowadays on the Internet, many people choose to comment on blogs or maintain their Twitter presence under a pseudonym."  Books & Such Review: JK Rowling review: 'The Casual Vacancy' breaks Harry Potter's spell, by Allison Pearson – “In 'The Casual Vacancy', JK Rowling bewilders her fans with an uneven, often harrowing book.”  The Telegraph Lists: 6 Goofs I Made That Killed My Blog — and Helped Launch My Writing Career, by Carol Tice - "I poured my heart and soul into launching my first blog, and despite my best efforts and intentions, it flopped." Make a Living WritingViewpoint:  Amendment I by Nicki Leone - "What is truly amazing about the First Amendment is that it assumes—has faith, really—that we are rational and responsible enough to live in a world where anyone can say what they think. It becomes the responsibility of the individual, not the government, to evaluate, to weigh the evidence, and to come to their own conclusions about what they read and what they hear." BiblioBuffet How To: Writing Scripts and Speeches, by Erika Enigk - "Today, we’re going to tackle two of the scariest things you may ever be asked to do: writing and delivering a speech. To help your next presentation go well, check out these quick and dirty tips for writing scripts and speeches." Grammar GirlInterview: Book details child's view of Cambodia killing fields, by Nick Olivari - "A seven-year old child is torn from a secure and happy life when the Khmer Rouge come to power in Cambodia in 1975 and send her privileged family into the misery of hard labor as the new regime destroys the established order. ‘In the Shadow of the Banyan’ is the first novel of Vaddey Ratner, 41. While the book is powerful as told through the eyes of seven-year-old Raami, Ratner's own story is more so." Reuters New Title: Moonlight and Ghosts, a short story by Malcolm R. Campbell  - “On a moonlit night, Randy's intuition is drawing him back to an abandoned psychiatric hospital where he once worked. He and his friend, Alice, have heard the ghost hunters' claims the building is haunted, filled with strange lights, apparitions and the voices of former patients calling for help. The Forgotten point Randy and Alice to a crime in progress... and there's not much time to save the victim.” Vanilla Heart Publishing on Amazon
"Book Bits" is compiled by Malcolm R. Campbell, author of contemporary fantasy and satire. Visit my website. Follow me on Twitter.