Happy New Year! and happy reading!

Hi everyone,

First of all: Happy New Year!
Just as important: all the very best for a Personal Best Creative Year in 2010. Granted that comes true for us, Scriberspace will be one seriously buzzing, creative, inspiring and fun online place to be. :)

In the last weeks of '09, I was thinking about the kinds of publications, bookshops and websites I most often check out (or if not often, go to them for the more obscure titles, review essays, interviews with writers etc) for info about reading matter and about the writing/reading life in general. So, here are half a dozen suggestions I think are worth checking out for 2010:

*'goodreading' magazine and website: a high-quality Oz production that has been going for better part of 10 years now: http://www.goodreadingmagazine.com.au/ for the site and check out the print publication too, in big bookshops/newsagencies/borrow a friend's subscriber copy

*'Poets & Writers' magazine and website: a classy and extensive US publication that serves as main members' publication for a gigantic writers', editors' and publishers' organisation in US - consistently produces a very impressive range of content, and some drool-worthy writers' retreats and competition prizes. Site: http://www.pw.org/magazine; the magazine is generally just in very large bookshops e.g Borders.

*Paperchain bookshop in Canberra -an ACT institution of sorts: a single-site indie bookshop in inner-south suburb of Manuka -great range for one shop; site: http://www.paperchainbookstore.com.au/PaperchainBookstore/

*'New York Review of Books' -for susbtantial review essays, interview features and other stuff about the writing world: http://www.nybooks.com/

*Publisher -Bloomsbury (UK division) - this one I'm including mainly for its excellent range of author profiles, which are just as well done for the kids' writers as for general adult fiction (and rightly so, but not every publisher has done that, or manages it now): http://www.bloomsbury.com/

*One last one for now -'Australian Review of Books': http://www.australianbookreview.com.au/ Although I don't check this one as often as 'goodreading', I also recommend it for info and substantial articles, and it also runs annual competitions -including one for reviewing, that can lead to commissioned pieces in next issues.

Happy reading!
Cheers, Tim in Canberra