saying hi, update

Hi guys, I can't believe how swamped I've been lately--I know posting is lighter than usual. Sorry for the lack of updates on my amateur baking, pictures of baby animals, or links to cheesy jpop songs. I hope you have found a way to fill the void. In the meantime, I wanted to tell you about upcoming Editorial Ass E-Vents (get it? E because they're online? I just made it up, and I haven't had coffee yet, so it might just seem funny to me).Write Your @ss Off DayFirst, I know the ball is rolling already, but Write Your @ss Off Weekend is coming up! Pick a day, Friday 2/5, Saturday 2/6, Sunday 2/7, Monday 2/8. Here's JES's superawesome map showing where all over the world people are writing from (yes, I'm clicking back every couple of hours just to look at the pretty colors; humor me). If you do a WYAOD, send me (in comment or in email, whichever you're more comfortable with) your progress report (writing, researching, meditating, whatever your personal progress might be) at the end of the day and a link to your blog--I'll post everyone who wants to be posted on Tuesday to commemorate forever our accomplishments. Book Club 3/1: Porochista Khakpour's SONS AND OTHER FLAMMABLE OBJECTS The Undomestic Goddess and I have put our heads together and come up with an awesome Book Club E-Vent for 3/1. It will be interactive and multi-dimensional (impressive, right?) and will definitely include awesome prizes and activities. You should plan to drop by even if you haven't read the book yet.

"If you can't annoy somebody, there's little point in writing. "

Kingsley Amis

Random picks

Too Close to Home by Linwood Barclay: when Neighbourhood Watch goes terribly, terribly wrong …

When the Cutter family’s next-door neighbours, the Langleys, are gunned down in their house one hot July night, the Cutters’ safe, predictable existence is instantly shattered. For violent death to have come so close to them is as shocking as it is inexplicable. The Langleys were an ordinary suburban family. If they could be the victims of an act of random brutality, then surely nobody’s safe. But although he feels guilty for thinking it, Jim Cutter can take one positive from the tragedy: if the Langleys were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, then at least lightning is unlikely to...
An Interview with Cathi Unsworth

Cathi Unsworth takes us back to the '60s in her latest noir novel, Bad Penny Blues. Unsworth conjures a terrifying parallel universe inspired by the real-life fiend Jack the Stripper, who stalked and brutally murdered over eight working girls,...
Donald Barthelme Prize for Short Prose Wnners

The 2009 Donald Barthelme Prize for Short Prose winners are published in the newest issue of Gulf Coast (v22 i2): winner Matthew Yeager and honorable mentions Tracy Guzeman and Joseph Hold.
Contest: Alan Bradley in Toronto

Alan Bradley, who guest edited The Afterword last weekend, is in Toronto later this month for an Authors at Harbourfront Centre event alongside Michael McKinley and Andrew Pyper, who will be in conversation with the two mystery writers.Want to win a pair of ticket to the March 24 event and a copy of Bradley's latest book, The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag? Be the first person to e-mail us at theafterword@nationalpost.com with the name of the third book in Bradley's Flavia de Luce series to win. [Photo by Jeff Bassett for National Post]
Policy Cycles And Subsystems In The Us Immigration Policy

It is quite tricky to find a comprehensive definition of policy but it may be defined as a set of actions that are created with the main purpose of affecting and influencing how decisions are made. There is a distinct difference between laws and policies.