There's been some recent controversy about Justine Larbalestier's US cover for Liar. I first came across it via Read Alert who shared some relevant links, including Justine's response. Justine later shared some of the responses she's received. [Edited to add: see also]
Carissa's Weblog
The most recent episode of Jennifer Byrne Presents, the supplemental show to The First Tuesday Book Club, was on "Brave New Worlds – Utopia and Dystopia in Literature" and featured panelists Emily Maguire, Max Barry, John Marsden, and Richard Neville discuss the works of Orwell, More, Shute, Huxley and many others. A transcript and list of books and authors discussed is available, as well as wmv and mp4 downloads of the video from the podcast page.
Carissa's Weblog
Patty Jansen is hosting this month's Australian Spec Fic Blog Carnival at her LiveJournal.
Carissa's Weblog
Faster Than Light Podcast has a two part interview with Colin Wilson about his life in comics.
Carissa's Weblog
ABC Radio's The Book Show on the debate about the origin of fairytales. Audio is available to stream or download. A transcript is also available.
Carissa's Weblog
On The Book Show George Williams reviews the new collection The Best of Gene Wolfe, and James Bradley shares his theory on why Stephenie Meyer's vampires are so popular. Audio is available to stream or download, and there's a transcript of the Wolfe piece; wait a couple days and there may be one for the Bradley too.
Carissa's Weblog
Melbourne Writers' Festival is running a fundraising event on the 21st of July that features Shaun Tan introducing an early screening of the film Coraline, based on the book by Neil Gaiman. Money raised will go to the MWF Schools' Program.
Carissa's Weblog
The International Association for the Study of Popular Romance Conference will take place in Brisbane on the 13 & 14th of August.
Papers to be presented include:
– Kim Wilkins, University of Queensland, Australia: “’Deliciously contrary’: Reimagining Medieval Women’s Agency in Australian Popular Romance”,
– Margot McGovern, Flinders University, Australia: “And so the Lion Fell in Love with the Lamb: Acts of Inversion in the Young Adult Vampire Romance”, and
– Anthea Taylor, University of Queensland, Australia: “Romance, Masochistic Desire and Vampiric Subject-Formation in the Twilight Novels”
Carissa's Weblog
Mitchell Jordan interviews Shaun Tan for this month's issue (#86) of lit blog Bookslut.
Carissa's Weblog
Gary Kemble interviews Stephen M. Irwin, author of The Dead Path, for ABC News Online.
Carissa's Weblog
