Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today's stories:
In the wake of the horrific tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, Alizah Salario recounts how, in 1988, as a first grader, "a woman entered my school and shot six kids." (Rumpus)
Ayana Mathis tells Salon what it was like to receive a career-changing phone call from Oprah Winfrey.
Whether it's the rise of color tablet computers, or a resistance to upgrade old electronics, something is slowing the popularity of e-readers. (Slate)
From Jimmy’s Corner to Café Loup to the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, critic Dwight Garner tours literary Manhattan. (New York Times)
Meanwhile Dwight Garner lists his ten favorite books of 2012, including Jeanette Winterson's Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? (New York Times)
On his blog, author John Scalzi has advice for certain writers on social media: "Making every tweet an unsolicited ad for your work? You’re an asshole spammer."
Graywolf Press will publish the first full-length poetry collection by actor James Franco. (Star Tribune)
The latest episode of Other People with Brad Listi features It’s Kind of a Funny Story author Ned Vizzini.
If you're anywhere near the British Library, you can see Jack Kerouac's manuscript scroll for On the Road until December 27.
