The Wednesday Web Browser: American Jewish Fiction, A Winner’s Wisdom, and An Author’s Take on True Crime

Over on my other blog, I’ve written a few words about Josh Lambert’s superb new book, American Jewish Fiction (Jewish Publication Society, 2009).
==========
The new Poets & Writers contest blog presents an interview with Cynthia Lowen, a frequent competition winner.
==========
Practicing writer Mardi Link explores “the allure of true crime” in this essay for Publishers Weekly

Online Sites Where People Critique Others’ Work "Gently and Lovingly"

Over the weekend I received an e-mail from Nancy, who describes herself as “a fairly new writer.” She’s looking for an online “community where people can share their writing and love of writing, etc. and get feedback if they want it.” She’s hoping for a site where people critique others’ work “gently and lovingly.”

I have Nancy’s permission to post this, and I am hoping some of you will have suggestions to help her out. Please share what you know on this topic in the comments section. Thank you in advance!

Friday Find: The Best of the AWP Pedagogy Papers 2009

I’m actually not going to attend the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) conference this year (for those of you who aren’t familiar with it, it’s coming up pretty soon in Chicago). But that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy perusing a selection of AWP “pedagogy papers” now posted online. The 20 one-pagers compiled for this mini-collection–determined to be “the best” of the many papers submitted this year–span multiple instructional levels and genres, and they’re bound to give you some ideas for your own teaching practice.

I’m especially happy to see some familiar names in this year’s batch of “the best,” and I send warm congratulations to my good friend Rachel Hall and to my former MFA classmate Sylvia Hoffmire for making the cut. I’m also pleased to see a topic that was at the core of an AWP panel presentation I collaborated on many years ago–the role of “work” in fiction–resurfacing in David Lumpkin’s paper (“Make Your Characters Work: Jobs and Three-Dimensional Plots in Short Fiction”).

Have I piqued your interest yet? You can download the full document here. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

John Updike, 1932-2009

In case you haven’t heard by now, the literary world lost one of its giants this week: John Updike passed away.

I have to confess I haven’t read as much Updike as I probably should have by this point in life, though reading through the tributes I’ve been inspired to go back and read some of the big books I’ve missed (Rabbit and Bech, that means you). I’m also going to be sure to read his very last book, which will be out later this year (it’s a collection of short stories).

As usual, the Literary Saloon has rounded up some of the coverage. Take some time to read at least a few of the pieces about this major American author. What I don’t yet see listed there, but recommend heartily, is this article in the Boston Globe, and the video at NYTimes.com.

The Wednesday Web Browser: Better Blogging, Fiction Finalists, and Rules for Requesting Review Copies

Check out Deonne Kahler’s excellent article on “How to Craft an Irresistible Blog.”
==========
Find out which writers/works of fiction have been named finalists in this year’s Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature.
==========
Having trouble obtaining review copies? Maybe you need to read these tips.