Our Blog

You walk down the street, or into the mall, or near a library, and you see someone dressed up as a stormtrooper. Not a cheap Halloween costume—they look like the real thing. And you think to yourself, “Who ARE these people?”

It turns out these people are probably members of the 501st Legion, a worldwide organization in which groups of people gather locally to dress up in Star Wars costumes and attend special events. The 501st has shown up at four of my six book signings so far. And before you judge, you should also know that these are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. My local group—the Cloud City Garrison of the 501st Legion, in case you were curious—recently stopped by a children’s hospital to bring joy and awe to the patients.

Imagine my surprise when, last night, I dropped by Powell’s bookstore to sign some back-ordered copies of William Shakespeare’s Star Wars. Waiting for me were members of the 501st, in costume on a hot summer’s evening, there to present me with honorary membership into the 501st Legion as well as the Rebel Legion (they wanted to make sure I had the good with the bad). Blushes, smiles, maybe even a little lump in my throat—I feel like I’ve just made the geek Hall of Fame, and that’s a very good thing.

Thanks to the members of my local Garrison, and thanks to members of the 501st Legion around the world who bring Star Wars to fans everywhere.

Need some book-related bling for your jewelry box? Here’s a collection of some of the most creative and unique pieces on Etsy that celebrate literature: necklaces, bracelets, cufflinks, and rings that celebrate (or are made from) books.

(Image via flickr)

It’s summertime, and you all know what that means: more comic book movies than you can shake a Mjolnir at (that’s Thor’s hammer, for you normals). This summer, comic book fans will get the chance to see RED 2, The Wolverine, 300: Rise of an Empire, Kick-Ass 2, and 2 Guns.

Personally, I’m pretty excited to see some of these and… not so excited to see some of the others. Despite the fact that the comic book movie has become one of the most lucrative parts of the Hollywood machine, there are many great comics which will never make it to the big screen—but still deserve the Hollywood treatment. Big producers looking for future summer goldmines, take note! Here are my suggestions.

I’m sure many of you went to see Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot Man of Steel and likely walked away pretty impressed, especially if you are not a regular reader of Superman comics. That’s because it is one of those rare comic book movies made for those of you who maybe haven’t read or even held a comic in more than a few years.

And now that you’ve seen Man of Steel, you are probably thinking you should check out some of those Superman comics you saw at the book store. Maybe see if they are as good as the movie.

But you get one look at the shelf and don’t even know where to start. You don’t want to come into the middle of a storyline and you want to make sure you know what’s going on from page one. Plus you want something that will remind you of what made Man of Steel so much fun and a blast to see in the first place.

Thankfully, Superman has a number of collections and graphic novels that are perfect for a new or lapsed fan like yourself. Each one listed below is not only an enjoyable page turner, but they are also all easy jumping on points that don’t require any previous Superman knowledge to enjoy.

Dear, Dear J.K. Rowling,

Today it’s your birthday. Well, yours and Harry’s. My present to you is a Why You’re Awesome list. Because, homegirl, without you, I’d just be some random muggle. Now I’m an informed muggle.

When JK Rowling approached the end of the tales of Harry Potter, and announced it was truly the end and to not be continued, I wasn’t fazed. By all means, end it! But this isn’t the say that we should depart from this world entirely. After all, Rowling crafted such a rich one, and it’s frankly criminal that our playtime ends with the conclusion of Harry’s adventures. I am, of course, arguing the point that Rowling and fans could come to a win-win agreement over the subject easily: give us some spin-offs and side stories based on characters who aren’t Harry Potter.

Here are some of my ideas—seven(ish) characters for seven books dedicated to Harry Potter’s story—free of charge.