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Six Publishing-Themed Movies for Every Literary Genre

The publishing industry might not be the most natural fit for exciting on-screen moments. (I’m still waiting for the reality version of So You Think You Can Write?) But that doesn’t mean that Hollywood has completely ignored the thrill that can be found in creating the written word. So if you’re looking for films featuring your beloved profession, below are some movies that tackle every aspect of the publishing industry from literary agents, to bloggers, to ghost writers, to children’s books, to the occasional psychotic editor.

Posted by Diana R. Wallach

Word On The Street in Toronto: Photo Recap

Sunday, September 22nd, 2013 was a cold day. It was also the day that the Word on the Street Festival took place at Queen’s Park.

I woke up far too early to get downtown for my morning shift as a volunteer at the festival. It was my first year ever at the festival. I was wide eyed with excitement… and from exhaustion. I made my way to the volunteer tent through the gorgeous park, and saw some great things along the way.

Posted by Ardo Omer

Wearing Reminders to Write: Vintage Typewriter Key Necklaces

Feeling nostalgic for the clack of your old Remington portable, but not ready to return to the days of Wite-Out? Indulge your memory of that mechanical clack-clack-clack with a handmade necklace from Rocky Mountain Accents. Based out of Denver, CO, Michaela Jenkins creates jewelry using vintage typewriter keys, and the necklaces are available in both one and two-letter versions. 3+ letter necklaces available by request.

Each item is made to order with a 20″ gunmetal-grey chain and a lobster-style clasp. Since the keys are taken from Jenkins’ available supply of typewriters, buyers are encouraged to double-check that their desired letters are available, as well as to specify if they prefer a white or black background.

Single letter necklaces are priced at $23, and additional letters are $10. Check them out!

Posted by Sara Habein

Our Pacific Rim Sequel? Drift Compatible Authors

Here at Quirk, we loved Pacific Rim. How could giant machines fighting giant monsters not be exciting? But it was also smart and had a lot of heart. It was an unusual summer blockbuster in that it performed moderately well in the United States, but did exceptional in the international market, which makes a sequel possible. Here’s our idea for a Pacific Rim sequel, with a literary twist.

We won the Kaiju War, but needed to make sure we were ready to cancel the apocalypse. Again. We brought the Jaegers back and built them bigger and stronger, but needed new heroes to pilot them. We found these new Rangers in the stories that helped us dream of such a creation: we found them in our favorite authors. Here are some of the newest Jaegers in the fleet, piloted by authors who’d do well in the Drift.

Posted by Brian Morell

Read One, Purl Two: Five Books for Knitting Fanatics

(Image via flickr)

Knitters are naturally creative types, so it’s no wonder that we love a good yarn. And when your eyes need a break from all the cross 2 R and EOR, it’s nice to kick back and keep your hands still for a while with a cozy knit-centric novel—the social and crafty elements can make for a tightly-woven story. Here’s five of my favorites.

Posted by Casey Murphy

8 Ways to Decorate Your Home with Books

 
Making book page table runners, via Offbeat Bride
 
Books are for reading, yes, but did you ever consider them as part of your home decor? I’m not just talking about books sitting on a shelf organized by color. Click around DIY blogs and you’ll see instructions for repurposing books into everything from storage to hanging mobiles.
 
For me, there’s only one issue with book DIYs: I can’t stand the thought of cutting up a book. A few years ago I had the brilliant idea to carve out the pages of an old Singer sewing book to make it into a storage cubby. After I flipped through the book, I realized I didn’t have the guts to take a knife to those gorgeous pages. 
 
If you feel the same, ease the pain by crafting with books that have yellowed, stained, ripped, or missing pages. Hit up your local flea market or Goodwill to find books you’re not emotionally attached to. The other option is to buy the decor so that the guilt of destruction lies with the creator.
 
Whether you decide to craft or buy, here are a few ways to use those precious books as decor around your house. 

Posted by Ashley Little