Neil Gaiman is one of the most publically available writers, constantly doing signings and readings. I was lucky enough to meet him last week with my daughter.

The Danish writer who commissioned cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, igniting violent protests across the Muslim world, says he can't find a publisher for his latest work, a translation of the Qur'an.

Go figure.

An NY literary landmark and intellectual oasis since 1927, The Strand has always been a hip, independent and romantic symbol of the city’s literary status. Nowadays, though, it’s become the scene of ire, rife with allegations of racial discrimination and accusations of tyranny. Is the independent and world’s largest used bookstore morphing into a corporate entity that cares only for profits?

Environmentally friendly and guilt free, book swapping sites are hugely popular. Aside from the obvious benefits for the trees, book swapping introduces readers to authors they normally wouldn’t have chanced. Not actually purchasing the book apparently lends freedom to the process of choosing the next read. But some authors, such as Jeanette Winterson, are not so keen on the idea.

The misguided ''Golden Compass'' has found its way to DVD -- but it's not the first book-to-big-screen project to veer off course, as fans of ''Da Vinci Code,'' ''Memoirs of a Geisha,'' ''Eyes Wide Shut,'' and%

The more the merrier! That's what I say. Now you can hear me say it live on the Wordsy Podcast.

Cory Doctorow discusses how fans can't find his new book--Little Brother--because they're looking in the wrong section. Perhaps some Wordsy readers who are adult and also male can shed some light on the assumption that going into YA sections suggests you're a child molester! Comments full of hilarity (plus recommendations).

Romantic Times had an article in their recent issue called "Stop the Series!" What the article didn’t discuss in any depth is how strong the pressure can be to continue a successful series - or invent one. I gave [my editor] a whole laundry list of stand-alone ideas in an email. At the very end of this, I added: "Or I suppose I could write a sequel." "Do that," was the response.

So you've snapped up Michael Chabon's Nebula Award winning novel The Yiddish Policeman's Union, and now you want more thoughtful alternate histories to fill your brain and bookshelf. While there are literally hundreds of alternate histories out there (many of them written by various Michael Moorcocks and Harry Turtledoves in different timelines), a few standouts will help you get into the genre.

Women stop reading serious literature and turn to 'chick-lit' after having children, research suggests. Mothers were shown to swap novels and non- fiction for lighter reads including celebrity autobiographies by the likes of Victoria Beckham and Jordan.