Coffee and Markets talks to Keith Urbahn about his new firm, Javelin, and publishing conservative authors. “As the only full-service book writing and publicity firm in the nation’s capital, Javelin is the first of its kind,” says Urbahn’s LinkedIn bio, “offering concrete, multi-channel services from crisis communications and social networking solutions to speech and book writing.”
All posts by Phil
S.D. Smith is the Story Warren
“There are imaginative tales burrowing into our children’s hearts, past the ‘watchful dragons’ of their minds, to inform who they are at the deepest levels. . . . We want to serve you as you seek to foster holy imagination in the children you love.” Smith rallies an admirable team to write some good, good stuff.
Imaginary Books
Mark Bertrand, whose novel Nothing to Hide (A Roland March Mystery)
Come Down to the River
I’m enjoying the enlightening discussion of Flannery O’Connor’s stories on Jonathan Rogers’ blog. You may remember that I wrote about being disturbed by “The River” last summer. That’s the story for this week, and the group has open my eyes to this terrific work. It’s still disturbing, but it’s disturbing like a Reformed pastor’s smack-down now. This will likely be one of favorite stories from now on.
What’s That Coming Around Again?
Has Google effectively taken telecommunications full circle with it’s new Google Tap? With three buttons, space, dot, and dash, Google’s app offers you the ability to send morse code to your friends.
Waitaminute… this is an April Fool’s Joke? I feel used.
“See our espalier pear trees bowing out of shape”
Matthea Harvey writes in defenses of her overgrown garden.
Last night the apple trees shook and gave each lettuce a heart
Six hard red apples broke through the greenhouse glass and
Landed in the middle of those ever-so-slightly green leaves…
Angry Birds Matter
Kevin Schut argues that games are good. They are similar to books in that they create new worlds for us. “But creative play, mental challenge, narration, and imagination in today’s games are similar to what we experience when we learn to paint, ride a bike, or bake a non-virtual cake. That’s not to say games should take over all the time we spend on those things! It’s not an either/or equation.”
Everything matters, but watch your time.
Reviewing the Reviewers of Morrison’s Home
This is curious. John Cotter holds the magnifying glass over the reviews of Toni Morrison’s new book, Home. Is it a rich, emotional book or is it not quite what reviewers hoped to read? Perhaps some of these reviewers are suffering from their own expectations? Sometimes when you expect to see the really, really, really awesome and see merely awesome, you’re disappointed. Santa has set me up like that many times.
Friday Fight: Boarspear
It occurs to me a bit late that today is Friday, and we used to feature a live steel combat video on Friday, and you know Lars is out today, on a Friday of all days, so maybe the vikings have recorded some new fights. Oh, look. They have.
Ugly Business Jargon
Forbes criticizes many useful words and phrases used by the utilitarian linguists in corporations around the world, great words like empower (“the most condescending transitive verb ever”), best practice (“pompous confection” from consultants), core competency (“Do people talk about peripheral competency?”), and take it to the next level (a reference to Super Mario Brothers).
I agree with most of this, but sometimes even these words and phrase can communicate appropriately, and while we may not choose to write with them, we don’t have to snark at those who do.