This is the archive page for the category [Arts news]; below you should see headlines and summaries of all entries found here on the subject. Click the appropriate link at each to read the entire entry.

"99 Problems:" Now surprisingly successful at Amazon | August 30, 2010
It's week three of CCLaP's newest original book, the running/writing essay collection "99 Problems" by Ben Tanzer, and we received some surprising news recently regarding it: The Kindle version cracked the top 20,000 bestsellers at Amazon this weekend, and unbelievably made the national top 10 of all sports collections being sold there. Click through for all the details! | Read entire entry

"99 Problems:" You like it! You really like it! | August 23, 2010
CCLaP's newest original book, the essay collection "99 Problems" by Ben Tanzer, enters its second week of release! Hundreds of downloads! Hundreds of dollars in donations! Critical praise out the yazoo! Amazon Kindle version now available! Click through for all the details! | Read entire entry

CCLaP's newest original book is finally here! | August 17, 2010
It's the release day of CCLaP's latest original book, the running/writing essay collection "99 Problems" by Ben Tanzer! Here, the official announcement, containing all kinds of information about the book itself, plus screenshots of it running on an iPhone and a Sony Reader. | Read entire entry

Check out the '99 Problems' story-map! | August 17, 2010
It's the release day of CCLaP's newest original book, the running/writing essay collection "99 Problems" by Ben Tanzer! Here, information on a cool promotional project we were able to put together for it -- namely, we plotted one of the essays on an actual customized Google map, complete with placemarkers and photos illustrating many of the specific locations Ben mentions in the story. | Read entire entry

Field report: Fifth House Ensemble at High Concept Laboratories | August 9, 2010
I had a chance earlier tonight to visit for the first time the new, absolutely astounding Chicago performance space High Concept Laboratories, where I watched the first concert of their new artists-in-residence, the avant-garde chamber-music group Fifth House Ensemble. Click through for details, links, and photos! | Read entire entry

Metapost: I'm hosting an artistic potluck dinner tomorrow night | July 29, 2010
This is a non-CCLaP post about an artistic potluck dinner I've been asked to host tomorrow night, down at the "ad-hoc cultural center" The Op Shop in Hyde Park, which will feature the premiere of a new piece by conceptual sound artist Kiku Hibino, which all of you are invited to. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

An interview with Ian McDonald | July 23, 2010
It's Ian McDonald Week here at CCLaP; and to cap things off here on Friday, I thought I would publish my recent text-based interview with him, done from his home in Northern Ireland via Google Chat, a wide-ranging discussion that touches on hard versus soft science-fiction, the developing world, Star Trek novels and more. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: Dead Advice | July 21, 2010
Today's obsession: The Chicago-based artistic experiment "Dead Advice," in which people pen letters on life lessons learned only after their theoretical death. | Read entire entry

Metapost: CCLaP's reader meetup cancelled | June 12, 2010
Just a short note, to inform people that inclement weather has convinced me to cancel CCLaP's Printers Row reader meetup, which had been scheduled for later today. Sorry! | Read entire entry

Hope to see you at CCLaP's Printers Row reader meetup tomorrow! | June 11, 2010
Just a reminder that CCLaP is holding an extremely informal pub-based reader meetup tomorrow in the late afternoon down at the Printers Row Book Fair -- we're meeting up in the back of Kasey's Tavern, located at 701 South Dearborn. Click through for all the details! | Read entire entry

Won't you join us at CCLaP's Printers Row reader meetup? | June 9, 2010
It's official: CCLaP's pub-based reader meetup at this years Printers Row Book Fair will be taking place this Saturday, 4:30 to 6:30 pm, in the back of Kasey's Tavern at 701 South Dearborn, right in the heart of the fairground itself. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

John Reed's "TwitLit" story starts today! | June 1, 2010
All right! The latest story in CCLaP's Twitter-based serial publishing project "TwitLit" starts today, "A Cold Served Dish" by Californian John Reed, adapted from his forthcoming book "Tales of Woe." Click through for all the details, or simply visit twitter.com/cclapcenter for the actual story. | Read entire entry

CCLaP's first literary event: Success! | May 31, 2010
CCLaP's first live literary event, held this weekend in Hyde Park, was a big success, with more people there than I expected and a fun, slightly drunken time had by all. Click through for a wrap-up, as well as to see some photos from the evening. | Read entire entry

CCLaP's first live literary event is tonight! | May 28, 2010
It's here! It's here! CCLaP's first-ever live literary event is finally taking place tonight, down in Hyde Park. Admission is free! Bring your own spirits! Kick off Memorial Day weekend right! Click through for all the details! | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 28 May 2010 | May 28, 2010
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 28th, 2010. | Read entire entry

Only five days until CCLaP's first live literary event! | May 24, 2010
Don't forget that we're less than a week away from CCLaP's first-ever live literary event, being held this Friday down in the Hyde Park neighborhood, and featuring brand-new pieces by Sally Weigel, Ben Tanzer, Mark Brand, Jason Fisk and Katherine Hodges. Click through for all the details, if you missed them the first time. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 19 May 2010 | May 19, 2010
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 19th, 2010. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: The Dinner Party Download | May 14, 2010
Today's obsession: The wonderfully entertaining weekly recap podcast "The Dinner Party Download," produced by KPCC in southern California and distributed by American Public Media. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 14 May 2010 | May 14, 2010
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 14th, 2010. | Read entire entry

Sally Weigel's virtual book tour comes to an end! | April 12, 2010
This weekend finally saw the end of author Sally Weigel's virtual book tour, in support of her CCLaP novella "Too Young to Fall Asleep." Click through for links to the last two stops of the tour, Jason Jordan's "dcomP" and Kevin Neilson's "Between The Lines." | Read entire entry

Sally Weigel virtual book tour: Day Eleven | April 8, 2010
It's day eleven of local author Sally Weigel's virtual book tour, in support of her CCLaP novella "Too Young to Fall Asleep!" Today Sally stops by the blog of author Jason Riley, for a long talk about all kinds of issues; and don't forget that last night, she stopped by The Teenage Head as well, to offer up a playlist of music related in one way or another to the book. | Read entire entry

Beachy announces cancer fundraiser for Dave Thomas | April 7, 2010
I heard from author Kyle Beachy today, letting me know about a cancer fundraiser being held for local artist and scene supporter Dave Thomas. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Sally Weigel virtual book tour: Week Two | April 7, 2010
It's week two of Sally Weigel's virtual book tour, in support of her CCLaP novella "Too Young to Fall Asleep!" Yesterday Sally was at JA Tyler's Mud Luscious Press; click through for the link, and to see the revised schedule for the rest of the week. | Read entire entry

Sally Weigel virtual book tour: Day Five | April 2, 2010
It's day five of Sally Weigel's virtual book tour, in support of her CCLaP novella "Too Young to Fall Asleep!" Today, Sally reads a bit from her book for the new podcast from pop-culture guide "What to Wear During an Orange Alert," produced by CCLaP friend Jason Behrends. | Read entire entry

Sally Weigel virtual book tour: Day Four | April 1, 2010
It's day four of Sally Weigel's virtual book tour, in support of her CCLaP novella "Too Young to Fall Asleep!" Today Sally is at the blog of our old pal Ben Tanzer, who does a Mel-Bosworth-type two-minute video reading from her book. Click through to see it yourself. | Read entire entry

Sally Weigel virtual book tour: Day Three | March 31, 2010
It's day three of Sally Weigel's virtual book tour, in support of her CCLaP novella "Too Young to Fall Asleep!" Today Sally is at Impose Magazine, talking with Josh Spilker about the five best books she's recently read. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: Borodin | March 31, 2010
Today's obsession: Chicago musician Patrick Spiroff, otherwise known as the one-man band Borodin. | Read entire entry

Sally Weigel virtual book tour: Day Two | March 30, 2010
It's day two of Sally Weigel's virtual book tour, in support of her CCLaP novella "Too Young to Fall Asleep!" Today, Sally joins Lori Hettler at the Next Best Book Blog, a side project from the single largest discussion club at Goodreads.com. Click through for the link. | Read entire entry

Sally Weigel's virtual book tour begins! | March 29, 2010
Excelsior! Sally Weigel's virtual book tour, in support of her CCLaP novella "Too Young to Fall Asleep," begins today! Click here for the full revised schedule (plus links to tour stops), as well as info on the book's new listing at the Amazon Kindle store. | Read entire entry

Paul Bens announces support drive for priest-abuse victims | March 29, 2010
Author Paul Bens, whose priest-abuse novel "Kelland" was reviewed here last fall, has made a remarkable announcement - he's donating all the book's profits for three months to a priest-molestation support group. Click through for more. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 25 March 2010 | March 25, 2010
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for March 25th, 2010. | Read entire entry

Sally Weigel's virtual book tour starts next week! | March 23, 2010
Happy day! We're a week away from the start of author Sally Weigel's virtual book tour, being sponsored by CCLaP in support of her novella "Too Young to Fall Asleep." Click through for all the details, as well as a full list of tour stops. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: Criminal Class Press | March 8, 2010
Today's obsession: The new Chicago dark-lit small publisher Criminal Class Press. Click through for more. | Read entire entry

Today at the kid-lit blog: Twilight! Twilight! Freakin' Twilight! | March 3, 2010
Today I posted another of my occasional kid-lit reviews that I thought CCLaP's adult audience might find interesting too; in this case, that freaking "Twilight" book by that Stephanie Freaking Meyer. Guess what? I didn't think it was that bad! | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 4 February 2010 | February 4, 2010
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for February 4th, 2010. | Read entire entry

Product review: BookSwim.com | January 22, 2010
Today, a critical review of the "Netflix for books" service BookSwim.com, of which I tried out a guest membership last autumn. Verdict: meh. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 22 January 2010 | January 22, 2010
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 22nd, 2010. | Read entire entry

Field report: Chicago Tribune's Algren cocktail party | January 18, 2010
Today, photos and a report from a recent cocktail party thrown by the Chicago Tribune, unofficially celebrating their annual Nelson Algren Award but not having anything officially to do with it. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 15 January 2010 | January 15, 2010
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 15th, 2010. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 11 January 2010 | January 11, 2010
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 11th, 2010. | Read entire entry

The Year In Books 2009: The CCLaP Guilty Pleasure Awards | January 7, 2010
It's the final part of CCLaP's week-long look back at the best books reviewed in 2009; today is the much anticipated CCLaP Guilty Pleasure Awards, or a look at my seven favorite genre novels and comic books of last year. | Read entire entry

The Year In Books 2009: Best Experimental Novels | January 6, 2010
Today, it's part 3 of CCLaP's week-long look at the best books of 2009, this time concentrating on my eight favorite experimental novels of last year. | Read entire entry

The Year In Books 2009: Worth a Second Look | January 5, 2010
Today, part 2 of CCLaP's week-long look back at the books of 2009, this time highlighting nine titles that may have not been the highest scorers of the year, but are well worth taking a look at again anyway. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 5 January 2010 | January 5, 2010
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 5th, 2010. | Read entire entry

The Year In Books 2009: Best of the Best | January 4, 2010
Today, part 1 of CCLaP's look back at the 90 books reviewed here in 2009, this time concentrating on the nine titles with the highest scores out of them all. | Read entire entry

The Year In Books 2009: An introduction | January 1, 2010
It's time for CCLaP's annual best-of essay series, "The Year in Books 2009!" Today, an introduction and sneak preview to the four-part report. | Read entire entry

Product review: Sony Reader PRS-600 "Touch Edition" | January 1, 2010
Today, my review of the Sony PRS-600 eBook reader, which I recently received for Christmas, including lots and lots of photos of the device in action. | Read entire entry

Field report: Chicago Public Library mini-branch at Water Tower | December 28, 2009
Today, a field report with photos from the Chicago Public Library's new "mini-branch," inside the Chicago Visitor Center at the tourist-friendly Water Tower, carrying around 300 bestsellers and designed to boost awareness of the entire CPL system. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 8 December 2009 | December 8, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for December 8, 2009. | Read entire entry

Field report: CCLaP 2009 royalty payout party | December 7, 2009
The center's social gathering last weekend, to celebrate CCLaP's first two published authors receiving their first $100 in royalties, ended up going well. Click through for the details and lots of photos. | Read entire entry

New Chicago lit journal's first release party is tomorrow | December 7, 2009
The first release party of a new Chicago literary journal, "Two With Water," is tomorrow at indie-rock hangout the Empty Bottle. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Don't forget tomorrow's party! | December 4, 2009
Don't forget, Chicagoans, CCLaP's latest social event is tomorrow night! Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

CCLaP's throwing a party, and you're invited! | November 30, 2009
CCLaP's throwing a party! It's this Saturday! In Chicago! Click through for all the details! | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 23 November 2009 | November 23, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 23rd, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 13 November 2009 | November 13, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for November 13th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 11 November 2009 | November 11, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for November 11th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 9 November 2009 | November 9, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for November 9th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Sally Weigel interviewed at Orange Alert; and did I mention CCLaP's next party? | November 5, 2009
CCLaP author Sally Weigel was recently interviewed over at "What to Wear During an Orange Alert," which I wanted to mention; and while I was on the subject, I thought I'd mention as well CCLaP's next party, a "royalty payout" party doubling as my Chicago homecoming. Click through for more on both subjects. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 3 November 2009 | November 3, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for November 3rd, 2009. | Read entire entry

Personal essay: Guess what? I'm writing a new novel. | November 2, 2009
Guess what? I've decided to participate in Nanowrimo ("National Novel Writing Month") this year, not for commercial reasons but to keep myself humble as a book critic instead. Click through for a personal essay explaining much more on the subject. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 29 October 2009 | October 29, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for October 29th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 26 October 2009 | October 26, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for October 26th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 20 October 2009 | October 20, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for October 20th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Guess who just got his invite to Google Wave? | October 14, 2009
That's right, it's me! But I'm having trouble finding other members who are actually creative and want to try out artistic experiments with the new interactive service, which is why I'm posting this open call for new "friends" there. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 14 October 2009 | October 14, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for October 14th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 13 October 2009 | October 13, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for October 13th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: Antikörper / Antibodies | October 12, 2009
One of my friends in Germany, experimental poet Dirk Huelstrunk, has a new book out, in preparation for his second US tour coming this fall. Click through for a lot more about both. | Read entire entry

CCLaP's FTC compliance statement | October 7, 2009
The Federal Trade Commission here in the US recently updated their guidelines for bloggers, and now require websites to fully disclose any and all forms of compensation they may receive while in the course of reviewing products. Here, CCLaP's official compliance statement. | Read entire entry

Guess who received a free copy of Bolano's "2666?" | October 6, 2009
That's right, it's me! Click through for why I'm so excited by this, who ended up giving it to me, and why it's going to take me two months to make it through this 900-page freaking saga. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: TheMobileGarden.org | October 5, 2009
Today's obsession: "The Mobile Garden," an attempt to convert the back car of a Chicago "el" train into a flatbed full of local plants, chugging along throughout the city and reminding citizens of local green issues. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Personal essay: In praise of Ken Burns' "National Parks." | October 2, 2009
Today, a special personal essay, in praise of documentarian Ken Burns' latest mini-series on the national park system, just finishing up its six-part run on PBS tonight. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 2 October 2009 | October 2, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for October 2nd, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 30 September 2009 | September 30, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for September 30th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 29 September 2009 | September 29, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for September 29th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 23 September 2009 | September 23, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for September 23rd, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 21 September 2009 | September 21, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for September 21st, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 16 September 2009 | September 16, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for September 16th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Why yes, I'd be happy to read your f-cking manuscript | September 11, 2009
A new article in the Village Voice has been causing quite a stir this week, arguing how unfair it is to ask a professional writer to review your unpublished manuscript; but don't forget, as an arts administrator, I actually love receiving spec stories out of the blue. Click through for more. | Read entire entry

Personal essay: Where do litbloggers find their books? | September 9, 2009
A question recently left in a comment by a reader inspired me to write a whole essay today: Just how do litbloggers obtain the books they review, anyway? Click through for my own answer, as well as my advice to other aspiring bloggers. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 7 September 2009 | September 7, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for September 7th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Will you be going to the big Gapers Block anniversary party tonight? | September 4, 2009
Will you be going to the big sixth anniversary party tonight for Chicago arts-and-entertainment guide GapersBlock.com? Click through for all the details, if you don't know them yet! | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 31 August 2009 | August 31, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for August 31st, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 28 August 2009 | August 28, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for August 28th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Metapost: My daily reads now available as a Google Reader bundle | August 26, 2009
Ever been interested in what feeds I read daily, in order to find the items I highlight in CCLaP's "Yet More Interestingness" feature? Well, thanks to Google Reader's new "bundle" feature, you can check out the 50 I like the most with the click of a single button. Check out the full entry here for a lot more. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 26 August 2009 | August 26, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for August 26th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 24 August 2009 | August 24, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things recently found around the web, for August 24th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Orange Alert Press announces its newest book | August 24, 2009
My friend Jason Behrends at the Chicago-based Orange Alert Press has just announced their latest original book, an experimental project called "Prose. Poems. A Novel." by Atlanta author Jamie Iredell. Click through for the details, plus a reminder of CCLaP's own upcoming original book, finally coming out in just a few weeks from now. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 21 August 2009 | August 21, 2009
A collection of interesting links I've been finding around the internet over the last few days, for August 21st, 2009. | Read entire entry

Obsesson of the moment: Killin' It! with Paul Crik | August 19, 2009
Today's obsession: "Killin' It! with Paul Crik," the latest far-reaching crossmedia project by Montana conceptual-art collective Goatsilk, in which they create a new-age guru and corporate motivational speaker from scratch, then see how "real" they can make him in the eyes of the public. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 18 August 2009 | August 18, 2009
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for August 18th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Eddie Wright helps start new co-op publishing venture | July 20, 2009
I heard recently from self-publisher Eddie Wright, whose "Broken Bulbs" was favorably reviewed here earlier this year, on a new "publishing confederation" he has helped found, started by Henry Baum of the Self-Publishing Review. Click through for the details. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 4 June 2009 | June 4, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 4th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 3 June 2009 | June 3, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 3rd, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 2 June 2009 | June 2, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 2nd, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 29 May 2009 | May 29, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 29th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 28 May 2009 | May 28, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 28th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 27 May 2009 | May 27, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 27th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Jeremy Shipp is selling his new story collection as a subscription service | May 21, 2009
CCLaP friend and alt-horror veteran Jeremy Shipp wrote recently about his new story collection, "Bizarro Bytes," and its unique pricing scheme: It's sold as a subscription service instead of a bound book, where a dollar a month gets you an eBook story per month via email. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 18 May 2009 | May 18, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 18th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 13 May 2009 | May 13, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 13th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 11 May 2009 | May 11, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 11th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 8 May 2009 | May 8, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 8th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 6 May 2009 | May 6, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 6th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 4 May 2009 | May 4, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 4th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 30 April 2009 | April 30, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 30th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 21 April 2009 | April 21, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 21st, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 20 April 2009 | April 20, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 20th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 15 April 2009 | April 15, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 15th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 14 April 2009 | April 14, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 14th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 10 April 2009 | April 10, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 10th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 9 April 2009 | April 9, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 9th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 6 April 2009 | April 6, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 6th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 3 April 2009 | April 3, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 3rd, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 2 April 2009 | April 2, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 2nd, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 31 March 2009 | March 31, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for March 31st, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 27 March 2009 | March 27, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for March 27th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 25 March 2009 | March 25, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for March 25th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 16 March 2009 | March 16, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for March 16th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 4 March 2009 | March 4, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for March 4th, 2009. | Read entire entry

The Ben Tanzer virtual tour wrap-up; and have I mentioned CCLaP's next book yet? | March 2, 2009
Happy! Sad! The two-week "virtual book tour" by Chicago author Ben Tanzer, in support of his CCLaP book "Repetition Patterns," is finally over. Here, a wrap-up, including links again to all the guest entries, official numbers for the tour, and the first announcement of CCLaP's next original book, coming this summer. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 2 March 2009 | March 2, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for March 2nd, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 27 February 2009 | February 27, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for February 27th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 26 February 2009 | February 26, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for February 26th, 2009. | Read entire entry

It's day eight of the Ben Tanzer virtual book tour | February 23, 2009
It's day eight of CCLaP's latest artistic experiment, a two-week "virtual book tour" being conducted by Chicago author Ben Tanzer. Today, Ben stops by the blog of fellow Chicago author Amy Guth, where the two create the very first video interview of the entire tour. | Read entire entry

New to the CCLAPocracy: Now comment here through your Facebook account | February 22, 2009
Big day for the burgeoning CCLAPocracy community! You can now leave comments at the CCLaP website in a traditional (end of entry) way, through your existing Facebook account, and even have the comment show up in your profile's "Wall" if you want as well. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

It's day six of the Ben Tanzer virtual book tour | February 21, 2009
Huzzah! It's day six of CCLaP's newest experiment, a two-week virtual book tour being conducted by Chicago author Ben Tanzer. Today Ben visits Montana author Michael FitzGerald (Radiant Days), where the two discuss marathons, kids, the difference between a 'writer' and an 'author,' and a lot more. | Read entire entry

Virtual postcard! Ben Tanzer visits the "Land of the LOLCats" | February 20, 2009
We're just wrapping up week one of Ben Tanzer's virtual book tour; and what do you know, we finally received his first virtual postcard from the road! Here, Ben tells us about his various travails across the information superhighway, and lets us know that the Land of LOLCats didn't have him laughing at all. | Read entire entry

Personal essay: First thoughts on CCLaP's coming "wikicloud" experiment | February 19, 2009
Today, I present my first thoughts on CCLaP's newest bizarre weekend creative project idea for smartypants middle-agers; I'm reading a thousand Wikipedia entries on the subject of the 19th Century, and tracking the results in a dynamic "mind-map" graphic format. Here, an essay on why that is, and what I've already learned just a few weeks into the process. | Read entire entry

It's day four of the Ben Tanzer virtual book tour | February 19, 2009
It's day four of CCLaP's latest experiment, a two-week virtual book tour by Chicago author Ben Tanzer. Today, Ben lands at the pop-culture journal "What To Wear During An Orange Alert," where he's interviewed by fellow author Pete Anderson (PeteLit.com). | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 19 February 2009 | February 19, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for February 19th, 2009. | Read entire entry

It's day three of the Ben Tanzer virtual book tour | February 18, 2009
It's day three of CCLaP's latest artistic experiment, a two-week "virtual book tour" by Chicago author Ben Tanzer, in support of his CCLaP original book "Repetition Patterns." Today, Ben stops by the blog of author and "decomP" editor-in-chief Jason Jordan. | Read entire entry

It's day two of the Ben Tanzer virtual book tour | February 17, 2009
It's day two of CCLaP's newest experiment, a two-week "virtual book tour" by Chicago author Ben Tanzer. Today he's over at the blog of fellow Chicago author Elizabeth Crane, being interviewed on a variety of funny subjects; click through for the direct link to the finished entry. | Read entire entry

It's day one of the Ben Tanzer virtual book tour! | February 16, 2009
It's the official kickoff today of Ben Tanzer's virtual book tour, in support of the CCLaP original book "Repetition Patterns." Today, Ben finds himself at Chicago literary website PeteLit.com, where he turns in a guest essay that's "pure prose gold." | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 16 February 2009 | February 16, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for February 16th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Personal essay: How Ready Is Ready? | February 11, 2009
Today, it's another in a series of regular guest essays I do for the HarperCollinsUK website Authonomy.com, on various aspects of the writing and selling process. Here -- just when do you know that a book is "finished" and ready to be shopped around to begin with? | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 10 February 2009 | February 10, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for February 10th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Announcing the CCLaP "Repetition Patterns" 2009 virtual book tour | February 9, 2009
Happy day! CCLaP announces its next weirdo fun project, a 12-day "virtual book tour" supporting the original book "Repetition Patterns," by local author Ben Tanzer. So what's a virtual book tour? And how can you become a virtual groupie? Click through for all the details! | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 6 February 2009 | February 6, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for February 6th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 4 February 2009 | February 4, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for February 4th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 30 January 2009 | January 30, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 30th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 28 January 2009 | January 28, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 28th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 26 January 2009 | January 26, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 26th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 23 January 2009 | January 23, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 23rd, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 22 January 2009 | January 22, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 22nd, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 21 January 2009 | January 21, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 21st, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 19 January 2009 | January 19, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 19th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 16 January 2009 | January 16, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 16th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 15 January 2008 | January 15, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 15th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 9 January 2009 | January 9, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 9th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 8 January 2009 | January 8, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 8th, 2009. | Read entire entry

Announcing CCLaP's new microblog -- the "CCLAPocracy" | January 6, 2009
Announcing the latest online experiment from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography: The center's own Twitter-style microblog, in which readers debate recent reviews, announce local artistic events, post goofy personal updates and more. Today, all the details. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 5 January 2009 | January 5, 2009
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for January 5th, 2009. | Read entire entry

CCLaP's newest eBook, "The Year In Books 2008," is here | January 2, 2009
CCLaP's third "white paper," minor publications that gather up longer material first published here at the site, is finally here; it's a collection of the four-part "Year In Books 2008" report that's been running here all week. Today, every bit of information you need about the book and how to download a free copy. | Read entire entry

The Year In Books 2008: The CCLaP Guilty Pleasure Awards | January 1, 2009
It's the fourth and final report from this 2008's Year In Books report, the awarding of the coveted CCLaP Guilty Pleasure Awards; these are titles I ended up slavishly loving like the fanboy I am, but for one rational reason or another I probably shouldn't have. Yay, my favorite books of all! | Read entire entry

The Year In Books 2008: Best experimental | December 31, 2008
It's part three of the four-part CCLaP look at 2008's reviewed books, being posted here all week; today, eight of the best experimental or cutting-edge books to be originally reviewed here over the last twelve months. | Read entire entry

The Year In Books 2008: Worth a second look | December 30, 2008
It's part two of the four-part report I've been filing here this week, looking back at the forty most interesting books reviewed here at CCLaP in 2008. Today, ten books that are worth checking out again, sometimes phenomenal titles that nonetheless will only appeal to a limited audience. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 30 December 2008 | December 30, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for December 30th, 2008. | Read entire entry

The Year In Books 2008: Best of the best | December 29, 2008
It's part one of CCLaP's four-part look at the year in books for 2008, being published throughout this week. Today, the ten highest-rated books of the year, of the 83 contemporary titles that were reviewed. | Read entire entry

The CCLaP Year In Books 2008 | December 28, 2008
It's here! It's here! It's CCLaP's look back at the 83 contemporary books reviewed here this year, highlighting slowly over the week almost 40 of them again, grouped into themes each day and with brand-new micro-reviews of them all. Here, the roundup and main index. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 28 December 2008 | December 28, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for December 28th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 27 December 2008 | December 27, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for December 27th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 25 December 2008 | December 25, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for December 25th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 24 December 2008 | December 24, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for December 24th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 22 December 2008 | December 22, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for December 22nd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Announcing CCLaP's newest book: "The Great iPod Indie Rock Challenge of 2008." | December 16, 2008
Today, I'm happy to announce CCLaP's third book, the second in its "White Paper" series, minor reprints of longer material that original ran at the site; in this case, a new collection of the four essays that originally chronicled the "Great iPod Indie Rock Challenge of 2008," in which I dared my lazy middle-aged self to get all my sad old '80s and '90s rocks off my little 1-gig iPod Shuffle and replaced with brand-new music by brand-new bands as quickly as possible. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: Orange Alert Holiday Guide 2008 | December 12, 2008
Today's obsession: The fantastic little downloadable holiday guide from cultural website "What To Wear During an Orange Alert," even cooler because of it being made in a way that almost anyone could, but that only OA thought of and actually executed. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 12 December 2008 | December 12, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for December 12th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 10 December 2008 | December 10, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for December 10th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Audrey Niffenegger will be chatting next week online with the Toronto Public Library | December 9, 2008
Cool news today from our friends at the Toronto Public Library; next week they'll be sponsoring a live online chat and interview with Chicago author Audrey Niffenegger ("The Time Traveler's Wife"), and the public is invited to follow along in real time. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 8 December 2008 | December 8, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for December 8th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 7 December 2008 | December 7, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for December 7th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 1 December 2008 | December 1, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for December 1st, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 29 November 2008 | November 29, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 29th, 2008. | Read entire entry

People have been saying some nice things about "Repetition Patterns" | November 28, 2008
Now that it's Thanksgiving week here in the US and I'm taking a break from major site updates, I thought it'd be a good time to mention some of the nice things people have recently started saying about CCLaP's first original book, Ben Tanzer's "Repetition Patterns." Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 28 November 2008 | November 28, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 28th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Personal essay: How to critique -- a not-at-all definitive guide | November 25, 2008
Today, it's a reprint of my latest guest essay for the experimental literature site Authonomy.com, run by the mainstream publishing company HarperCollins. This essay: some common-sense advice on writing better book reviews and critiques. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 25 November 2008 | November 25, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 25th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 24 November 2008 | November 24, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 24th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 19 November 2008 | November 19, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 19th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 17 November 2008 | November 17, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 17th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 13 November 2008 | November 13, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 13th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 12 November 2008 | November 12, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 12th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 11 November 2008 | November 11, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 11th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 10 November 2008 | November 10, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 10th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 9 November 2008 | November 9, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 9th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 7 November 2008 | November 7, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 7th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 6 November 2008 | November 6, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 6th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 5 November 2008 | November 5, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 5th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 3 November 2008 | November 3, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 3rd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 1 November 2008 | November 1, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for November 1, 2008. | Read entire entry

"Repetition Patterns" is throwing a release party! Er, kinda! | October 31, 2008
Great news -- looks like CCLaP will be throwing an official release party next week for it's first-ever original book, Ben Tanzer's "Repetition Patterns." Even better, we're saving money by "piggybacking" to the existing event "Reading Under the Influence," which was already planning on featuring Ben at their next show. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 30 October 2008 | October 30, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 30th, 2008. | Read entire entry

It's Ben Tanzer Day at CCLaP! | October 27, 2008
Happy day! It's the official release day of CCLaP's first-ever original book, the story cycle "Repetition Patterns" by local author Ben Tanzer. Here, a little reminder of the fact, and an explanation for all the supplemental "Patterns" entries you're seeing at the blog today too. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 25 October 2008 | October 25, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 25th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Personal essay: Regarding the iPod as personal mainstream adult-contemp radio station. | October 24, 2008
Today: We've officially reached the three-quarters mark of the Great iPod Indie-Rock Challenge of 2008 (in which I as a middle-ager am trying to replace all my sad old '80s college-rock with brand-new contemporary music). Here, a tenth-month report. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 24 October 2008 | October 24, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 24th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 23 October 2008 | October 23, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 23rd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 22 October 2008 | October 22, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 22nd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: Carnegie Council Podcast | October 21, 2008
Today's obsession: The Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, a thinktank for fascinating lectures on global politics, who have recently started making those lectures available to the public as part of a free podcast. | Read entire entry

One week until "Repetition Patterns!" Er, wanna be a proofreader? | October 20, 2008
It's official -- exactly one week to go before the release of CCLaP's first-ever original book, the "story cycle" "Repetition Patterns" by local author Ben Tanzer. Here, details, a plea for volunteer proofreaders, and a look at the brand new Chuck Klosterman ripoff...er, front cover. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 20 October 2008 | October 20, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 20th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 17 October 2008 | October 17, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 17th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Personal essay: The fine art of the book pitch. | October 16, 2008
Today, the first in a new series of guest articles I've started writing for publishing company HarperCollins; in this case, how to best write one of those maddening 25-word "elevator pitches" for your unsigned novel. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 16 October 2008 | October 16, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 16th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 15 October 2008 | October 15, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 15th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 14 October 2008 | October 14, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 14th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 13 October 2008 | October 13, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 13th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 11 October 2008 | October 11, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 11th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 9 October 2008 | October 9, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 9th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 7 October 2008 | October 7, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 7th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 6 October 2008 | October 6, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 6th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 3 October 2008 | October 3, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 3rd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Obesssion of the moment: Douglas Rushkoff at Boing Boing | October 2, 2008
Today's obsession: The deliriously great guest-entries this week at pop-culture journal Boing Boing, from futurist and professor and author and philosopher Douglas Rushkoff. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 2 October 2008 | October 2, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 2nd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 1 October 2008 | October 1, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for October 1st, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 30 September 2008 | September 30, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 30th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 29 September 2008 | September 29, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 29th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 28 September 2008 | September 28, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 28th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 26 September 2008 | September 26, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 26th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 25 September 2008 | September 25, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 25th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 24 September 2008 | September 24, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 24th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 22 September 2008 | September 22, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 22nd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 17 September 2008 | September 17, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 17th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 16 September 2008 | September 16, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 16th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 15 September 2008 | September 15, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 15th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 12 September 2008 | September 12, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 12th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: Authonomy | September 11, 2008
Remember HBO's "Project Greenlight?" Where a bunch of unpublished screenwriters all uploaded their scripts to a website, then argued and argued until one finally won and was produced? Ever wonder why a publishing company has never tried that for unpublished novels? Wonder no more. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 11 September 2008 | September 11, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 11th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Field report: Ben Tanzer book release party | September 10, 2008
Chicago author Ben Tanzer has a new novel out; and last weekend was the official release party for it, held at the DvA Gallery in Lincoln Park. Here, a small report from the party, as well as some photos. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 9 September 2008 | September 9, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 9th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 6 September 2008 | September 6, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 6th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 4 September 2008 | September 4, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 4th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 2 September 2008 | September 2, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 2nd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 1 September 2008 | September 1, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for September 1st, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 29 August 2008 | August 29, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for August 29th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 22 August 2008 | August 22, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for August 22nd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 20 August 2008 | August 20, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for August 20th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 19 August 2008 | August 19, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for August 19th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 18 August 2008 | August 18, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for August 18th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 15 August 2008 | August 15, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for August 15th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Photos of the day: 2008 Olympic coverage by Kris Krüg | August 15, 2008
Today, a special look at a whole set of photos: Editorial photographer Kris Krüg's stunning candid look at the backstreets of Beijing and obscure events of the 2008 Olympics. Highly, highly recommended. | Read entire entry

Thanks for the free book, LibraryThing! | August 12, 2008
Cool news in the mail today: After months and months of applying, I finally hit the jackpot over in the "Early Reviewers" (i.e. free books) section of literary social network LibraryThing.com. Click through for the details, as well as to see which book I got. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 11 August 2008 | August 11, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for August 11th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Ben Tanzer's new book is out! All right! | August 8, 2008
Good news from the Chicago arts: CCLaP friend Ben Tanzer's new novel is out, and another friend of CCLaP published it! Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 8 August 2008 | August 8, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for August 8th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 6 August 2008 | August 6, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for August 6th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 2 August 2008 | August 2, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for August 2nd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 30 July 2008 | July 30, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for July 30th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Oh Lord, it's time again for the Booker Prize | July 30, 2008
That's right; it's time yet again for the Man Booker Prize, celebrating the best literature from the British Commonwealth and Ireland in the last year. The 2008 longlist was just announced -- click through to see it, as well as to read about CCLaP's plans for reviewing these books. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 29 July 2008 | July 29, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for July 29th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: EveryBlock at the Chicago Tribune | July 24, 2008
The city-data smart-aggregation service EveryBlock.com is at it again; they just announced this week, in fact, a new experimental gadget at the Chicago Tribune website, which tracks all the articles there in the last 48 hours and plots them on a map. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 11 July 2008 | July 11, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for July 11th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 7 July 2008 | July 7, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for July 7th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 3 July 2008 | July 3, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for July 3rd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 1 July 2008 | July 1, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for July 1st, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 30 June 2008 | June 30, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 30th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 29 June 2008 | June 29, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 29th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 27 June 2008 | June 27, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 27th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Dueling Chicago lit events tonight! Choking...from all the...hyperlinks... | June 26, 2008
Two major literary events are happening tonight in Chicago -- the Fixx reading series and the newest release party for THE2NDHAND. Here, details on both, with enough hyperlinks to choke a horse. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 26 June 2008 | June 26, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 26th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 25 June 2008 | June 25, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 25th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 24 June 2008 | June 24, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 24th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 23 June 2008 | June 23, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 23rd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 20 June 2008 | June 20, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 20th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 19 June 2008 | June 19, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 19th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 17 June 2008 | June 17, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 17th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 14 June 2008 | June 14, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 14th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 6 June 2008 | June 6, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 6th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 5 June 2008 | June 5, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 5th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 3 June 2008 | June 3, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 3rd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 2 June 2008 | June 2, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for June 2nd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 30 May 2008 | May 30, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 30th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 29 May 2008 | May 29, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 29th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 28 May 2008 | May 28, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 28th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 27 May 2008 | May 27, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 27th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Field report: Pilcrow Literary Festival | May 26, 2008
Today, a field report from the highly entertaining Pilcrow Literary Festival, which just pulled off its first successful year here in Chicago last weekend. Click through for photos and an analysis of what went right. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 26 May 2008 | May 26, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 26th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 23 May 2008 | May 23, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 23rd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 22 May 2008 | May 22, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 22nd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 21 May 2008 | May 21, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 21st, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 19 May 2008 | May 19, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 19th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 17 May 2008 | May 17, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 17th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 16 May 2008 | May 16, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 16th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 14 May 2008 | May 14, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 14th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 12 May 2008 | May 12, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 12th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 9 May 2008 | May 9, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 9th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 8 May 2008 | May 8, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for May 8th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 6 May 2008 | May 6, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for May 6th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 5 May 2008 | May 5, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for May 5th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 2 May 2008 | May 2, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for May 2nd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Personal essay: Creativity is the new leisure. | April 30, 2008
A new essay this week from cultural columnist Clay Shirky has had a lot of people talking; in it he speaks of "cognitive surplus," how in the Industrial Age it was mostly spent on passive things like TV, but now more and more actually doing creative work like YouTube videos. Today, further thoughts on the subject from me. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 30 April 2008 | April 30, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 30th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 29 April 2008 | April 29, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for April 29th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 28 April 2008 | April 28, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for April 28th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 24 April 2008 | April 24, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for April 24th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Literago and I both declare: "You will never see 'Chicago Lit 100' lists at our sites" | April 24, 2008
So have you heard about this "Brooklyn Lit 100" list that has everyone so up in arms? It inspired Eugenia Williamson of Literago to declare that they will never do a similar Chicago list; I thought this was a good idea, so have decided to declare it too. Click through for more! | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 22 April 2008 | April 22, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 22nd, 2008. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 22: Author Nick Ostdick | April 21, 2008
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: A 45-minute talk with Chicago author, small publisher and event organizer Nick Ostdick (RAGAD, "Sunbeams and Cigarettes"). | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 21 April 2008 | April 21, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for April 21st, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 18 April 2008 | April 18, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 18th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 16 April 2008 | April 16, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff recently found online, for April 16th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 15 April 2008 | April 15, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for April 15th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 14 April 2008 | April 14, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 14th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 11 April 2008 | April 11, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 11th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 10 April 2008 | April 10, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for April 10th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 8 April 2008 | April 8, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff recently found online, for April 8th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 7 April 2008 | April 7, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff recently stumbled upon online, for April 7th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 4 April 2008 | April 4, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for April 4th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 3 April 2008 | April 3, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for April 3rd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 31 March 2008 | March 31, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff recently found online, for March 31st, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 29 March 2008 | March 29, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for March 29th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 28 March 2008 | March 28, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for March 28th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Scott Sigler's first traditional book comes out in a few days | March 26, 2008
Today, some news from an acquaintance of mine, author and "podbook" wunderkind Scott Sigler; that his very first traditional paper novel, a technothriller called "Infected," is finally being released in a few days. Click through for a lot more. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 25 March 2008 | March 25, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for March 25th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 21 March 2008 | March 21, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for March 21st, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 18 March 2008 | March 18, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for March 18th, 2008. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 21: All-Music Special | March 17, 2008
Today's episode: It's yet another cold, dreary, gray day here in Chicago, which means it's time for another all-music special, collecting up all the indie-rock I've been recently enjoying and sharing it all with you. I hope you like! | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 17 March 2008 | March 17, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for March 17th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 14 March 2008 | March 14, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for March 14th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 13 March 2008 | March 13, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across online, for March 13th, 2008. | Read entire entry

The latest "Creative Screenwriting" podcast is their best yet | March 12, 2008
Just wanted to mention that one of my favorite podcasts, the one produced by "Creative Screenwriting" magazine, just put out their best episode yet -- a 90-minute talk with Drew Goddard, writer not only of "Cloverfield" but also "Lost," "Alias," "Buffy" and "Angel." (Whew!) Click through for more. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 11 March 2008 | March 11, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across on the web, for March 11th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 6 March 2008 | March 6, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across on the web, for March 6th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Personal essay: Regarding the "magic middle" of the independent arts. | March 5, 2008
For those who don't know, creative guru Kevin Kelly published a fascinating article this week, positing that it's easier than ever for independent artists to make a working living. Today, my thoughts on the essay, and what it has to do with Dave Sifry's theory of the blogosphere's "magic middle." | Read entire entry

RIP Gary Gygax, and a personal story | March 5, 2008
Sad news from the world of gaming this week: E Gary Gygax, one of the creators of legendary roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons, has died. Click through for a personal story I happen to have about the man. | Read entire entry

Holy crap, the new Chicago Public Library website looks great! | March 5, 2008
Wow, the Chicago Public Library system overhauled its website this week -- and it's freaking great! Click through for all the details, as well as copious links. | Read entire entry

Surprise bestseller "Beautiful Children" is free online for next two days | February 28, 2008
Interesting news from Random House today: that for a very short period of time, they will be giving away completely free PDF copies of surprise bestseller "Beautiful Children" by Charles Bock, no strings attached. Click through for the details and links. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: Battles | February 27, 2008
Today's obsession: The postmodern electronica band Battles, along with some thoughts on how strange it is to start getting educated on indie-rock again, ten years after I originally gave up. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 27 February 2008 | February 27, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across online, for February 27th, 2008. | Read entire entry

New basement distro is looking for your used classics | February 25, 2008
Today, news of a new used-book distribution company in the St. Louis area called "sticks and stones," started up by my friend Michael Franklin, and how they are in need of your used classics. Click through for a lot more. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 25 February 2008 | February 25, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across on the web, for February 25th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Another "Literary Death Match" coming to San Francisco soon | February 18, 2008
A little news today from CCLaP friend Todd Zuniga; that his magazine "Opium" is holding their sixth "Literary Death Match" soon in San Francisco. Click through for all the details! | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 18 February 2008 | February 18, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across on the web, for February 18th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 13 February 2008 | February 13, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across on the web, for February 13th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Toronto Public Library hosting "Michael Redhill month" online | February 12, 2008
Today, some interesting news to share from the Toronto Public Library; their online discussion club, Book Buzz, is this month featuring Michael Redhill of "Consolation" (a well-regarded Booker nominee), including lots of supplemental information. Click through for more! | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 11 February 2008 | February 11, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across on the web, for February 11th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 7 February 2008 | February 7, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across on the web, for February 7th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 6 February 2008 | February 6, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across on the web, for February 6th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Chicago Women In Publishing is having an interesting panel soon | February 5, 2008
A little news today from CCLaP friend Chris Benevich of MediaBistro; that the group Chicago Women In Publishing will be holding an interesting panel discussion soon, regarding how to best negotiate contracts when you're a freelancer. Click through for the details! | Read entire entry

Field report: The Fixx reading series | February 1, 2008
Today, photos and a write-up from my recent attendance of The Fixx reading series, a monthly event here in Chicago hosted by author and raconteur Amy Güth. This particular month featured Scott Korb and Peter Bebergal, co-authors of the book of essays "The Faith Between Us." | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 29 January 2008 | January 29, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across on the web, for January 29th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 24 January 2008 | January 24, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across on the web, for January 24th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Jeremy Shipp's "Vacation" snags a surprise Stoker nomination | January 23, 2008
Just a little news about a book that was recently featured here; that the trippy alt-horror novel "Vacation" by Jeremy Shipp has picked up a surprise "First Novel" nomination for the Stoker Awards, which usually honors traditional horror. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 22 January 2008 | January 22, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently come across on the web, for January 22nd, 2008. | Read entire entry

Field report: RAGAD #5 release party | January 21, 2008
Today, a report and photographs from the release party for issue 5 of Chicago literary magazine RAGAD, run by CCLaP friend and reader Nick Ostdick. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 17 January 2008 | January 17, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've found across the web recently, for January 17th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 14 January 2008 | January 14, 2008
Links to yet more interesting things I've recently stumbled across on the web, for January 14th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: Protagonize.com | January 10, 2008
Today's obsession: The collaborative "Choose Your Own Adventure" style literary website, Protagonize.com. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 8 January 2008 | January 8, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've recently come across on the web, for January 8th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 4 January 2008 | January 4, 2008
Links to yet more interesting stuff I've seen around the web lately, for January 4th, 2008. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 2 January 2008 | January 2, 2008
Links to other interesting things I've recently come across online, for January 2nd, 2007. | Read entire entry

Personal essay: The Year in Books, 2007 | December 31, 2007
Today, CCLaP's look at the year in books for 2007; not a look at the entire industry, of course, but rather the 50 or so books I personally got to read and review this year, including new synopses of the ones I found the best. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 27 December 2007 | December 27, 2007
Yet more interesting things I've recently seen around the web, for December 27th, 2007. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 21 December 2007 | December 21, 2007
Links to other interesting stuff I've found around the web recently, for December 21st, 2007. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 19 December 2007 | December 19, 2007
A list of links to other interesting things I've found around the web recently, for December 19th, 2007. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: 15 Dec 2007 | December 15, 2007
Links to other interesting things I've recently come across on the web, for December 15th, 2007. | Read entire entry

Personal essay: I for one welcome the coming meltdown of the television industry. | December 12, 2007
Today, a more political essay than I usually publish here at CCLaP; how I for one am looking forward to the coming meltdown of the traditional Hollywood television industry, so as to make room for a profoundly new way of doing things. Click through for a lot more. | Read entire entry

Yet more interestingness: An explanation | December 11, 2007
Today, announcing a new type of blog entry that will start getting published here -- a daily roundup of interesting stuff I come across on the web, otherwise known as a "link blog." Click through for more on how I compile this list, and what software I use. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: Movable Type 4 | December 3, 2007
Today's obsession: The newest version of content management system Movable Type, the "engine" behind many popular blogs, including CCLaP's. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: IWantSandy.com | November 29, 2007
Today's obsession: The new cutting-edge "Sandy," personal-assistant software that works through plain-language messages, sent through email or SMS or Twitter notes to a central AI database. | Read entire entry

Announcing the CCLaP winter project: Gilbert & Sullivan | November 21, 2007
Now that it's winter and I'm doing a lot less bicycling and exercising here in Chicago, I've decided that it's time to take on an extended research project in the arts. This winter's research subject is Gilbert & Sullivan; click through for a lot more. | Read entire entry

Personal essay: Some early thoughts regarding the CCLaPocracy | November 6, 2007
Today, a few early thoughts regarding a possible online community site for CCLaP's readers, a project I cheekily call the "CCLaPocracy," plus how Cory Doctorow's idea of a reputation-based economy may provide the key to its self-policing. Click through for more nerdy goodness! | Read entire entry

Personal essay: Nathaniel Hawthorne, DailyLit, and the Penny Dreadful 2.0. | October 15, 2007
I started reading the classic Hawthorne proto-horror novel "House of the Seven Gables" today, in my case through a cool free online service called DailyLit. Today, some thoughts inspired by the process, as well as the possible future of online serial publishing. | Read entire entry

National Book Award nominees are announced | October 10, 2007
They're here -- the nominees for the 2007 National Book Award have just been announced. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Personal essay: Where to start when you know no one and nothing. | September 17, 2007
A reader email this weekend gets me thinking on my past; specifically, what advice I have to artists just starting out, and who have just moved to big cities where they know no one and nothing about how that "scene" works. Today, I share that advice. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 11: Uptown Writers Space | September 10, 2007
Today on the CCLaP Podcast: An interview with Julie Saltzman and Susan Karp, co-founders of the Uptown Writers Space in my Chicago neighborhood, along with an "audio tour" of the facilities supplemented with still photos. Click through to listen and see for yourself. | Read entire entry

The latest "One Book, One Chicago" pick is announced | August 31, 2007
And it's none other than Arthur Miller's "The Crucible," the 1953 scathing indictment of the McCarthy communist witch-hunt going on at the time. Click through for more on the book, on this interesting Chicago arts program, and what exactly will be going on in the city this fall because of it. | Read entire entry

GoodReads database hits 5 million books | August 30, 2007
Good news for literary social network GoodReads.com; they recently had their five millionth book added by a user to their central database. More in today's entry, plus some thoughts on the elusive nature of literary-social-network competition. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: BookSwim.com | August 27, 2007
Today's obsession: New "Netflix for books" service BookSwim.com. Pay a flat fee per month, check out a certain amount of books, which are shipped for free and which you can ship back for free. Good service? Bad? Check this entry's comments for more! | Read entire entry

The new Star Trek fan movie is here! The new Star Trek fan movie is here! | August 24, 2007
Fun news for Star Trek fans: The newest episode of the fan series "New Voyages" is now finished and online, starring none other than George Takei ("Sulu") from the actual original series. | Read entire entry

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new Poet Laureate | August 2, 2007
And it's Charles Simic, as a matter of fact, a Surrealist poet originally from the former Yugoslavia, currently the co-Poetry Editor of the Paris Review. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Robert Olen Butler: "The Squid and the Whale" comes to life | August 1, 2007
Today, some wonderfully crazy gossip -- that not only are pretentious academic novelists Robert Olen Butler and Elizabeth Dewberry getting a divorce, but that Butler wrote an insane email to his grad students explaining the reasons, something worthy of the fictional movie "The Squid and the Whale" which I reviewed here last week. Click through for the details! | Read entire entry

Why yes, I DID illegally download the new Harry Potter book this morning. | July 31, 2007
Did you hear? There's already an illegal electronic copy of the final Harry Potter book out there...and it's ridiculously easy to find and download, too. Today, lots more details concerning the subject. | Read entire entry

The Guardian has amazing coverage of Ingmar Bergman's death | July 31, 2007
For those who don't know, famed Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman died over the weekend. Today, a look at the amazing portal of information British newspaper "The Guardian" has assembled to mark the occasion. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: Vermin on the Mount | July 24, 2007
Today's obsession: The Los Angeles literary showcase "Vermin on the Mount," organized by award-winning writer Jim Ruland in the heart of LA's Chinatown. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 05: Greater Wealth Productions | July 23, 2007
Today: A five and a half minute interview with GW Welsh of the multimedia production company Greater Wealth, shot at a recent fundraiser at Lakeview's Spot6 nightclub. Also includes footage of Chicago writer Kate Cullen, Indiana cartoonist Andrew Dimitt, and Georgia band The North And South, plus the visual artwork of "Corey." | Read entire entry

When Chicago was Hollywood, before Hollywood existed | July 23, 2007
Just wanted to point out a great article the Chicago Tribune has online right now, detailing the history behind Essanay Studios and other film production companies in Chicago at the beginning of the 20th century. Click through for the link. | Read entire entry

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Amazon's #1 reviewer | July 20, 2007
Simon Owens of Bloggasm has a great entry up right now, on the number-one most prolific book reviewer at Amazon; a woman named Harriet Klauser, who has published a whopping 12,000 book reviews in the last seven years. Click through for the details. | Read entire entry

Rocchi: "No, seriously, movies ARE getting worse in general" | July 10, 2007
James Rocchi, former lead movie critic of Netflix, has posted an interesting article at Cinematical today, arguing that it's not just your imagination -- that Hollywood movies, especially summer ones, really ARE getting worse and worse with each passing year. Click through for more. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: Small Dogs Press | July 6, 2007
Today's obsession: Self-publisher Susan Sabo of Small Dogs Press, who has sadly decided to pack things in; but not before offering to send off the remainder of her inventory for free to anyone who wants a copy. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Litblogger? Penguin would like to send you a free book, please. | July 5, 2007
Today, some very exciting news from British imprint Penguin Classics: that they're not only starting a new website featuring reviews of all 1,200 titles in their catalog, but that they're sending out free books to any litblogger who'd like to participate. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

CCLaP Podcast 01: Literago launch party | June 25, 2007
Welcome to the new CCLaP Podcast! Today, episode 1: a two-minute video report from the recent launch party for Chicago literary website Literago.org. | Read entire entry

Dr. Sketchy's is coming to Chicago | June 22, 2007
Fun news -- the "Dr. Sketchy" series of nude life-drawing classes, started by "female Crumb" illustrator Molly Crabapple, is coming to Chicago, starting tomorrow. And the first one features a friend of mine, too, burlesque dancer Michelle L'Amour. Click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Chicago litblogger? The Sun-Times would like to hear from you, please. | June 21, 2007
I caught an interview with Chicago Sun-Times Books editor Cheryl Reed today, where she makes an interesting confesson: that she wants to hire more Chicago reviewers, but can't find any Chicago reviewers. Litbloggers, click through for all the details. | Read entire entry

Lifehacker has a bunch of computer hacks for book lovers | June 20, 2007
Productivity website Lifehacker has a great entry up today, featuring a dozen pieces of software, browser extensions and more that all have something to do with books. Click through for the link. | Read entire entry

The Neo-Futurists want your zine | June 18, 2007
Here's interesting news -- cult favorites The Neo-Futurists are creating a zine library in their theatre lobby, to entertain the audience members who sometimes arrive hours before a show is to start. Click through for all the details on where to send your own publication. | Read entire entry

Obsession of the moment: Helvetica (the movie) | June 14, 2007
Today's obsession: The new documentary "Helvetica," examining both the history of "the world's most perfect font," and the various ways it's been used over the decades. Opening tomorrow in Chicago, with the filmmaker on hand too! | Read entire entry

The Telegraph has an amazing interview up with Tony Kaye | June 14, 2007
Just wanted to point people to a really amazing interview in British newspaper the Telegraph today, with famed controversial director Tony Kaye ("American History X"). | Read entire entry

Interview with Miranda July up at Powell's | June 13, 2007
Just a short heads-up, that Powell's Books has an interview up today with dark humorist Miranda July. Click through for the link. | Read entire entry

McSweeney's needs $130,000...er, now | June 13, 2007
Bad news -- the distributor for small press McSweeney's recently declared bankruptcy, erasing over $130,000 in payments that was owed to them. They're having a sale and rare-item auction to try to make up the difference; read this entry for all the details. | Read entire entry

Don't forget, the new Bookforum is online and free | June 12, 2007
Just a reminder, that the venerable paper publication "Bookforum" is now making the entirety of their content available for free online. Click through for more, and a link to the latest issue. | Read entire entry

Quill nominations announced; does anyone actually care? | June 11, 2007
It's the news you've been waiting all morning to hear -- the 2007 Quill nominations have been announced! Zuh? Click through for all the details...or better yet, don't. | Read entire entry

More about the Printers Row Book Fair, and CCLaP's first social event! | June 8, 2007
It's official -- CCLaP is throwing its first social event at tomorrow's Printer Row Book Fair! Read this entry for all the details. | Read entire entry

"Out of the Book:" Is this the future of book promotion? | June 8, 2007
Portland's "The Phoenix" let me know today about an ambitious new plan by Powell's Books to promote various titles at their stores. Called Out of the Book, it's an attempt to supplement or sometimes completely replace the traditional author... | Read entire entry

Are you ready for the Printers Row Book Fair? | June 7, 2007
Today, more information than you ever possibly wanted to know about the 22nd annual Chicago Printers Row Book Fair, the largest free outdoor literary event in the entire Midwest. | Read entire entry

New Mac software accesses your city's library database | June 7, 2007
Today, a heads-up about a new piece of Mac freeware called Library Thing, which connects to your local library's database and imports your due dates into iCal. | Read entire entry

Chicago arts: a $1 billion industry? | June 7, 2007
Today, news on a recent report that shows that Chicago's art industry generated over a billion dollars in revenue in 2005. Man, that's a lot of Monet posters! | Read entire entry