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If Your Favorite Literary Characters Had A Wrestling Theme Song

Imagine this: By some unforeseen chain of events, your favourite literary characters have decided to take up professional wrestling.

As they walk into the stadium, their theme songs blare on the audio system, telling us a little bit about their individual stories and providing us with endless entertainment as we try to hide our laughter.

KATNISS EVERDEEN: She’s the girl to run the world. Hell, she won The Hunger Games – nothing can stop her now. [Audio Link]

SHERLOCK HOLMES: There isn’t a case that Sherlock Holmes can’t solve. If you’ve done something wrong, one way or another, he’s going to get you. [Audio Link]

Posted by Maria Vicente

10 Excellent Reasons to Date a Bookworm

Photo via PhotoSteve101

Bookworms seem like anti-social wallflowers with their nose buried into a good novel. This is not the case! Books instill a significant amount of culture and imagination, and those are great qualities when it comes to a romantic partner.

You’d be surprised by the amount of game a bookworm has. Here are 10 reasons why you should date one.

They’re Adventurous: Ever wanted to try river rafting? How about skydiving? Bookworms spend their free time reading about far away lands and exciting adventures. They would love to be the person in the middle of the action. A bookworm is always up for trying something new and adventurous. You should definitely take the time to get to know a bookworm’s adventurous spirit. (Photo via)

They’re Romantic: The Notebook, Pride and Prejudice, Gone With The Wind—these are some classic romantic novels that bookworms eat up. They love to read all the mushy details, and stockpile those ideas for their own romantic explorations. A true bookworm will go far beyond the traditional flowers and chocolates and move onto professing their love for you in the pouring rain without an umbrella. If you’re starving for a little romance in your life—a bookworm is who you should be dating.

Posted by Jo Pincushion

Ten Celebrities We Wish Would Write Poetry

Image via Inquisitr

In case you haven’t heard the news, James Franco is scheduled to publish a collection of poetry, currently titled Directing Herbert White, in 2014. I assume he was inspired by his role as Allen Ginsberg in Howl (2010).

There are many other celebrities that I’d like to see pen poetry and so I present to you, ten celebrities Quirk wishes would write poetry. Please note, if your name is on this list and you actually do have a collection of poems sitting in your bedside table, here’s a link to our submissions page.

Posted by Maria Vicente

New Year, New Project

2013 is finally here, and you’re ready to take the bull by the horns. You’re juggling resolutions, starting fresh, and vowing to be the best you can be. Yes, 2013 is going to be your year! You’re forgetting something though—your book! You know the one– that novel that’s been bouncing around inside your head for the past few months.

You know it’s a great idea, and all you need to do is sit down and write it. 2013 is going to be the year you finally write your masterpiece. Why not? A new year is a great time to start writing a new book, and here are some tips on how to get you started.

Posted by Jo Pincushion

How to Raise A Little Geek

A Death Star, drawn by my five year old.

As a parent, there are many days when things go very badly, days when you feel you are not cut out for raising cats, let alone tiny humans. But then some days you beam with pride knowing you got it right. My five-year-old twin sons are nice to each other (unless a dispute over Matchbox cars arises). They try new foods (unless they look icky). They always let me finish my requests before they ignore them. And now, now they are learning to be good geeks.

It all started so simply. My husband and I were minding our own business playing Angry Birds on our iPads. Our sons, future geeks that they are, were instantly attracted to the buttons, sounds, and pictures. It was as if they were born to understand a touch screen. And oh how we laughed at those silly piggies and crazy birds. The sound of wood crashing and wingless birds smashing was the sound of family time. As each new iteration became available, we had one more carrot to dangle in front of our future nerds.

And then it happened. Angry Birds Star Wars was released. The boys had already taken to Angry Birds Space like, well, like geeks to video games. We had been having some fabulous discussions about space travel and planets. We even watched the NASA video demonstrating how the birds would move in space. We had implanted an idea. Space = cool.

I figured they would just see the Star Wars game as another space mission, but I underestimated the nerd blood that pulses through their veins. As soon as the title cards scrolled on the screen in that familiar pattern, they instinctively knew this was something special. We had made space even better. The birds had names. The planets were different and wonderful. There was a story that Mommy and Daddy told with each new discovery.

And now, here we are; we have two boys who spend their free time at school drawing the Death Star and Tie Fighters. To say I'm proud would be an understatement.

Having successfully indoctrinated the boys into one of our geek loves, we know we can add others. You can too; here's how.

Posted by Stephanie Ross

Gifting, Recommending, and Regifting Books

(Image via Seanmfreese)

We’re readers. We like books. I think that goes without saying. We also like giving and receiving books as gifts, but those actions bring their own special set of problems. When you pick out a book for yourself, you know what you like and what you’re in the mood to read, but how does that translate into picking books for other people? Conversely, how do your nearest and dearest pick books for you? And (horror!) what happens if you don’t like the book you’re given?

I’ve received some awesome books as gifts (like Yiddish with Dick and Jane from a friend who knew I was about to start working toward my MA in Jewish Studies). I’ve also received some epic stinkers. Interestingly, both bookish gifts were from the same well-meaning friend. I’ve recommended books to people that they’ve enjoyed (like City and the City) and books they just couldn’t get into (like Perdido Street Station), and both of these recommendations were by the same author and to the same friend.

So, really, what the heck?

Posted by Lacy LeBlanc