A catchup post

Life got a bit interesting, but I hadn't realized how far behind I'd fallen in my crossover posts. While I'm seeking a better mechanism, here's what you've missed if you don't follow my main blog on http://margaretfisk.mmfcf.com/blog/:

Interesting Links for 01-14-2010
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Online Reads

This poignant story, Flower Fairies, will only be available free until the end of the week, but Kristine Kathryn Rusch is offering a fiction story for our enjoyment on her blog every Monday, with the post staying complete for one week. Click the Free Fiction Monday tag to find the latest story:
http://kriswrites.com/2011/01/10/free-fiction-monday-flower-fairies/
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The Deconstruction of Iron Man 2
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I am in the middle of reading George R.R. Martin’s A Clash of Kings, and so though I’ve read almost a normal book’s worth, I’m nowhere near done. Therefore, I thought I’d let you in on a book-related project I’ve been working on.

While my book reviews focus on my reader reactions, I often toss in a writing observation or two if I see one. Additionally, I’ve been teaching writing classes both on Forward Motion and the Muse Online Writers Conference for a while now.

Because of this, I was invited to participate in the Deconstruction Seminars, a new offering on SavvyAuthors.com. I will be deconstructing the novel Iron Man 2 by Alexander Irvine, a book I reviewed on my blog here.
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Interesting Links for 01-21-2011
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Just for Fun

This is a under 5 minute video about a boy’s imagination and where it takes him on a rainy day. Lovely little break pointed out by Lynn Viehl:
http://vimeo.com/5442611
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Thinking About Author Branding
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I was commenting on a friend’s blog post about author branding (linked below), and it got me thinking. I thought I’d share some of my thoughts with you all and see what you think as readers and writers.

Since the Internet opened ways for authors to have more control of, and responsibility for, marketing their books, writers at all stages have been told to develop a brand, something that would be tied to their books in readers’ minds.

On the surface, this makes a lot of sense because you want your name or titles to come to mind whenever a particular concept is mentioned. This is what advertising attempts to do with other types of products, which has proven successful. Marketing journals often talk about how what matters is name recognition, which is why good and bad attention serves a purpose. When someone is scanning the shelves, they’re more likely to pick up the book with an author they have heard of, even if they don’t remember where or when that connection was made...
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To keep this post from getting way too long, I'll just add that there are more interesting links and a review of A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin waiting for you as well. Come on over and enjoy: http://margaretfisk.mmfcf.com/blog/