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[Photo by NASA on Unsplash]

When we think of space operas—melodramatic adventures full of interplanetary battles with a little romance thrown in—we tend to think of sweeping franchises like Star Wars and Star Trek. While there have been some space opera books (consider everything by Iain M. Banks, books by Robert Heinlein and Dave Simmons, and the countless Star Trek, Star Wars, and Battlestar Galactica book adaptations), we wondered what would happen if we could see some of our favorite space opera movies turned into books.

Today is the day the music died. On February 3rd, 1959, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson were killed in a plane crash.

And here's a spin on the classic song—Quirk author Erik Didriksen's sonnet version of "American Pie" by Don McLean. True skill. 

Find more of Erik's Shakepearean spins in his book Pop Sonnets and over on popsonnets.com.

[Featured book cover versions from Penguin Random House]

The Old Curiosity Shop II: Curiosity Never Dies

Dick Swiveller is trying to put his life together after the events of the first novel, but he’s haunted by the ghost of his fiancé—literally. Some souls are too good to stay dead, and so is Little Nell now an extra-dimensional presence only Swiveller can see.

Every year, the Langston Hughes Society presents an award to the writer they feel most embodies Langston Hughes’ life and work. To commemorate the birthday of the man himself, we’re celebrating four of the most recent winners of the Langston Hughes Society Award. 

Editor’s Note: In an effort to keep Quirk E. Cat from napping at his desk, we have assigned him to Advice Column duty. We apologize in advance.

[Movie still from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Warner Bros.]

We asked some of our favorite fictional characters what one piece of advice or word of wisdom they’d give to the average person going about their daily life. Here were their responses.