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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]

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.

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.

(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?

Now is the time to meditate on the year past, memories had, friends and family we loved and also missed, the work we did, and time we spent. Now is the time to plan, think of the future, and start again.

Whether you put down a smoke, pick up a dumbbell, or continue as you were, may your year be pleasant and spirited. Happy New Year, may it be a good one, and just as Tennyson said, here’s to ringing out the false and ringing in the true!

In the spirit of 2013, here are ten more quotes, some words of wisdom in light of the New Year, from a handful of beloved writers.

It should come as no surprise that here at Quirk, we like to read. A lot. I mean, you can’t make books if you aren’t reading them too, right? Emails are frequently sent around the office about this book or that, and finished books usually end up in our lobby, free to a good home.

Below, you’ll find some of our favorite reads of the year. Some are new, some aren’t. But all of them are great.

The Odds by Stewart O’Nan: I’ve read all of Stewart O’Nan’s novels and his latest, The Odds, is one of my favorites. The story concerns a marriage on the brink of collapse; Art and Marion Fowler are unemployed fifty-somethings, drowning in debt and facing foreclosure on their home. In a last-ditch effort to save their marriage, Art plans a second honeymoon at a Niagara Falls casino, where he intends to gamble every last penny of their retirement savings on a “can’t-miss” roulette scheme.

Maybe you have to be married to fully appreciate this book (and the longer you’ve been married, the more you’ll enjoy it). It’s a short novel, only 192 pages, and I read the entire book in a single night. The suspense of the final chapters (when Art finally embarks on his roulette scheme) caught me off-guard. I realized I really cared about these characters; I really wanted them to win, even though I knew the odds were stacked against them. The last line is perfect. – Jason Rekulak, Creative Director

Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You by Dolly Parton: I love Dolly Parton’s new book. It’s a slim little volume that outlines her philosophy of life, based on her 2009 commencement speech to graduates at the University of Tennessee. But if you haven’t read any of Dolly Parton’s books yet, I’d have to recommend starting with her 1994 autobiography, Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business. It’s a great read.

And her Imagination Library is an excellent charity dedicated to fostering a love of reading among preschool children by mailing them high-quality, age-appropriate books directly to their homes. All children deserve books, regardless of their family’s income. As Dolly always says, “Never let a rhinestone go unturned.” – Margaret McGuire, Editor (@oinkoink)