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Is there any better way to advance the plot of a teen drama or sitcom than by having the characters learn about or perform Romeo and Juliet? It seems that just about every teen star has been forced to play the roles. First kiss drama? Insane jealousy? Learning about love? Worry that your boyfriend has been cast as Romeo while you are the nurse? These TV shows have got it all.

William Shakespeare’s Star Wars is my first book. (I like saying that, because it implies there will be others.) I’ve learned all kinds of things about the publishing world in the last year, but in these last weeks before publication a few lessons have come clearly to the forefront. Here’s what this first-time author has learned:

With Canada Day coming up on July 1st, I’d like to say a few words of thanks to important Canadian icons. These Canadians make me proud to be a Canadian myself – in the quirkiest of ways.

The thing about stories is that they make room for the weird and (almost) impossible. We’ve met characters who push our imaginations to the limit and show us all the amazing things they can do. Towns are like that too. Fictional settings can be a little strange and “off.” While they make look normal on the surface, there’s usually something odd hiding underneath. Here are six fictional towns that re-define what it means to be weird.

(Image via Flickr)

Summer is here, and it’s high time for some good Young Adult escapism. When preparing for this, I thought of all the YA books I’ve read and heard of that take place in the summer. Should be easy, right?

The National Anthem has been sung and the peanuts and crackerjacks are being tossed about. One of the all-time greats steps up to the plate. Now here comes the pitch: a literary baseball team! Which authors would you pick and at what positions would you play them? You have to keep in mind people’s strengths and place them accordingly, otherwise your team is going to get blown out!

Here’s the starting lineup for your Quirk Books Literary All-Star Team! 

Pitcher: Shakespeare – It makes sense to start Shakespeare at this position, since pitchers think their position is most important. I imagine if Shakespeare was able to look at the history of literature, he would certainly agree. Plus, what a pitch count Shakespeare has! I’m not talking about pitches he may have made, but how many times do you think someone has said “it’s like Hamlet, but with robots,” or “it’s Macbeth, but with puppies.” That’s a high pitch count.