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It’s an amazing week for bookish events in New York City. Want to know what’s even better? All of the events featured here are totally free! There are opportunities to celebrate debut novelists, hear poetry in translation, and learn something new. Tweet at us to let us know where you went!

It’s commonly thought that professional writers do nothing but sit at their desks all day and write while they’re fueled by coffee, alcohol, and angst. In reality, most authors – no matter how successful—have or had day jobs to pay the bills. Here’s a list of ten famous writers who had jobs crazier than writing.

We at Quirk Books have the distinct pleasure of being book midwives to Sam Maggs' The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy. And as we got to know the fantastic author behind all the geeky gal wisdom, we also got to know her biggest fan — her mom, Nancy! Sam and Nancy are huge supporters of one another online and off, and it's been amazing to watch them take conventions like C2E2 by storm. With Nancy as her mom, it's no surprise to us that Sam is the kick-butt feminista she is today. So this Mother's Day, we wanted to chat with these excellent ladies on what being an unstoppable mother/daughter duo is all about! 

Book Sandwich! via pebrenegre

I support your right to get your book* on anywhere and everywhere. And what better place to read than on a bookish dinner date with yourself? You deserve it. Now before you dress yourself up—or down, whatever your style—and grab your book, here are some helpful tips for a perfect restaurant book date.

*I will be using book to represent e-readers, comics, any and all reading material. We're equal opportunity readers/eaters here!

For The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy, I wanted to speak the awesomest geeky gals in the biz, all about how their experience as a fan has influenced and shaped their lives. Unfortunately, due to a tight page count and a super-mean editor (just kidding, love you Blair! <3), we could only fit a few interviews into the final book. But there was so much goodness left over that I just had to share their geek girl wisdom with the world.

Today, I bring you some fangirl fabulousness from the wicked women of the Internet, including Victoria McNally, Susana Polo, Rachael Berkey, Mia Moore, Melissa Kay, Nicole Wakelin, Kristin Hackett, and Brittney Brombacher.

Think back on the last time you went to a bookstore. That aisle of brightly-colored books with numbers on their spines. No, not the encyclopedia aisle. The other one. The manga aisle, usually full of readers squatting down by their favorite series, reading voraciously with an adoring, excited look in their eyes.

And while you may know Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, or that one with the card-playing kid with the spiky hair, you may NOT know just how many different kinds of manga there are. In fact, many manga have stories with a similar feel to some contemporary YA fiction. If you've never given manga a try, now's the time! So sit back, pull up a chair, and let’s get you reading some manga!