The AP gives the LBC a nice write-up today, including conversations with Soft Skull publisher Richard Nash, and Pantheon senior publicist Michiko Clark.
"I'm absolutely delighted," Soft Skull publisher Richard Nash wrote in an e-mail. "The Lit Blogs are now doing what e-mail and the Web couldn't pull off: connect writers to readers more smoothly."
Should the Soft Skull book be selected, he added, "we'll go to town promoting it" and the literary blogging community.
I just learned about your new blog on Yahoo News! Excellent website! I look forward to reading your blog and I have already suggested a title. Thanks, Denise
Posted by: Denise Fletcher | Apr 15, 2005 at 03:23 AM
Happy to see you guys getting press, but have to disagree with Mr. Nash's statement - email actually does quite nicely in terms of getting readers and writers together if done in a focused manner.
Counting down to May 15!
Enjoy,
Posted by: Dan Wickett | Apr 15, 2005 at 05:57 AM
I think it's great that the LitBlog Co-Op is getting so much press, and your cause is one I support, but I find it worrisome that the news stories gathered here all revolve around what the LitBlog Co-Op will be doing rather than what's already been done. When did the news media grow satisfied with the future tense? I understand the LBC wanted to drum up interest, but why that couldn't have coincided with the annoucement of the first book is beyond me. As is, this site (meant to showcase the power of the internet) is beginning to look somewhat ironic, as it showcases more and more press clippings from the flying buttresses of the old media, the Associated Press and LA Times. Perhaps this site is designed simply to draw attention to its links; if so, and all crankiness aside, it's done something right. Enough out of me.
Posted by: stephan | Apr 16, 2005 at 09:42 AM
I just discovered this website, got all excited and eager to suggest my favorite new literary novel, "Flight" by Ginger Strand (Simon and Schuster), and when I I clicked on "suggest a Title", I got an error message reply that reads, "A connection failure has occurred". I love the website, am happy you are getting the press and want to be able to do more. Any idea why this failed for me? Thanks for your help.
Posted by: Sallie Goodman | Apr 16, 2005 at 12:19 PM
If you don't start refreshing content, people will stop showing up. My RSS feed has been the same since the day you opened. I agree with Dan Wickett--all future tense smacks of big plans with no one doing the heavy lifting--or, worse, leaving the heavy lifting to be done by people like Dan.
Posted by: Glasser | Apr 16, 2005 at 01:38 PM
While I appreciate anything good being said about the EWN, please do note that the comments about future tense were made by Stephen and not myself - I was disagreeing with Richard Nash's statement about email not being able to develop a community.
Enjoy,
Posted by: Dan Wickett | Apr 16, 2005 at 06:19 PM
A great resource for Reader's Advisories!
Posted by: Marianne | Apr 17, 2005 at 07:16 AM
The modern day equivilant of Gertrude Stein Parisian Salon or Sylvia Beach's Bookstore; the world did pay attention!!!
Posted by: Michael Pokocky | Apr 17, 2005 at 11:21 AM
Just a thought: There is a Sydney Writers Festival Down Under at the end of May. If you have any promotional material I would be happy to pass it on or you can sent it directly
http://www.swf.org.au/
[SWF Book Lust Forever!]
Of note: http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2005/4/emw229286.htm
[Winning Writers Selected as One of the 101 Best Web Sites for Writers]
LitBlog Co-op in the Digital Waters
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&lr=&client=safari&rls=en&tab=wn&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22litblog%22&btnG=Search+News
[Temporary Litblog Co-op - Google News April 2005]
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&client=safari&rls=en&q=%22litblog+co-op%22+or+Litblog+coop%22&btnG=Search
[Google: Cached Litblog Co-op (or Coop)]
Posted by: Jozef Imrich | Apr 17, 2005 at 06:46 PM