My spouse has a lovely article up on Forbes about a recent trip he took. Have a read--as lots of hits might mean another trip, one I get to go along on! [link]

For the past 4 years, it has been my honor to be the director of USC's Undergraduate Writers' Conference. This year I am very excited to announce that Fran Wilde has graciously agreed to be the keynote speaker. Which means in a few weeks, I get to bogart all the Fran! I mean no, I get to share her with the wonderful USC community. link

because the internet likes carrots and publishers like buzz and preorders and library requests, I find myself in the position of trying to self promote yet again. Here we go, friends...

[link]

Chicagoistas:

Fri 3/10: Bucket O' Blood (3182 N. Elston) celebrates two decades of feminist themes and forbidden vampire love for the 20th Anniversary of Buffy with screenings of classic Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes, along with shots of "slayer's blood." 8:30-11 PM

From The Reader.

Today, I took a deep dive (with an epic picspam recap) on the 20th anniversary of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series premiere.

Please take a look back with me. If you enjoy, please tweet it out to the aether. [link]

I've learned a lot dealing with Java's diabetes the last 4 months. Here's an amazing chart for all you cat owners, compiled by a veterinarian, Lisa. Pierson . One should endeavor to give your cat the lowest possible amount of carbs, diabetes or not; it's a nutritional requirement as obligate carnivores. If you must feed your cat dry food, there is only one that has zero carbs, online mail order only, called Young Again. It's expensive but very dense and nutrition rich. The canned food chart is fabulous. It's shocking how many carbs are in some of these foods. [link]

Come hang out on Reddit/books today if you're free - might see someone you know - [link]

Hello the Buffistas! As someone I barely remember posted long, long ago, she had been a terrible friend because she never called, never wrote, never posted… but came back with something to say.

I bring good news about a new independent bookstore trying to open in my neighborhood.

The proprietress, Renee, is one of the world's most lovely people. She's even pictured in one of the murals Hayward has been painting all over the place. Here's a story from when The Book Shop thought it might still survive… East Bay Times article

And here is the link for the crowdfunding supporting Books on B. I have been watching this thing go up like a rocket, lifting my spirits the whole way. I really wanted you guys to know about it. Books on B at Indiegogo

It is fair to mention that I myself am the store's Book Artist. The Indiegogo page has a photo of the Reader's Digest books I cut up to say "BOOK LOVE" and "READ MORE BOOKS." I wouldn't have had the nerve to try destroying books for art projects if Renee hadn't called me up and threatened to throw out a whole box full of RDCB someone had dropped off.

Books on B hopes to be an author-friendly place, and my hope is that my post will attract some of the Literary Buffistas to the events that will hopefully begin to transpire before the year is out. Also if enough Buffistas collaborated, there could be a shelf with a plaque saying …. something repostable.

Every time I visit, it's like coming back home. All you people are so lovely – and so are the spelling skills!! Love and Kisses.

This is slightly unusual, but here it goes:

My housemates and I will have a three month summer vacancy in June, July, and August.

It's a large beautiful room in a large beautiful house. We're a short walk to the train and a half-hour from Grand Central. There is also ample parking available so you can live here with or without a car. The rent is $1,030 and utilities run $100-$150 a month. There is room for a couple.

This would be a good opportunity for a Buffistas (or trusted Buffista acquaintance) to spend a summer in (well, precious near) NYC.

The four of us are geeky gamer comic media people and the house is pretty chill. It's actually a duplex that we live in as one group so there are two kitchens, two living rooms, two dining rooms... there's also 2.5 baths, laundry, a patio, a little yard, five bedrooms. There is ample room for you to be private yet ample opportunity to be social.

If you're interested please mail my profile addy - and say you did in Bitches so I'll see it sooner. ;)

regular reminder that if you want your email and/or address to be on the master b.org list, you can send that to me.