DON'T TAKE WOODEN NICKELS! It's Five & Dime Friday!

Get out of that piggybank and rattle some silver change! We're back, with a little this and that from around the internets! Okay "we" is definitely a euphemism, as it's just me in this little post, but hark - from a ways away - I hear the dulcet tones of Aquafortis!

"...honking the horn is polite and expected road etiquette, not a sign of impending road rage. That one was hard to get used to. (I spent at least the first few days thinking OHMYGOD EVERYBODY IS HONKING AND ANGRY THIS IS VERY VERY BAD.) They are not angry. In fact, most trucks have "Honk Please" painted on the back."

Oh, my word! She's alive! And yes, in very,very,very,very, VERY very warm India. Sweating. You have to check out her pictures and Professor Robart's brilliant ramblings and photographs of Indian architecture. Some fine stuff there.

So, facials. Folks, did you know that some of them contain little pebbles of plastic? Which go straight down your drain??? And are eaten by fish? I did not know that. I am really peeved about that. Fortunately, I've always loved St. Ives and their little bits of apricot pits, but sheesh, facial companies, do you really need to be told that it's a bad idea to put non-biodegradable stuff in substances that go down the sink? STOP IT. The Great Lakes thank you.

And speaking of facials... um, bird poop. Well, arguably, it doesn't bother the fish when it goes down the drain, but... nightingale poop? Really, NYC? Sometimes I just have to take a moment and wonder at what comes out of the Big Apple. Fab children's books, wonderful publishing houses, fierce editors... and some of the weirdest pop culture phenomenons in the world. I mean, don't you sometimes wonder what it all means? Fish pedicures. Cronuts. Sharknado.

Oh, wait. Can't blame that last one on New York...

At CBC Diversity: "How can I possibly be making the best books for today’s teenagers when I don’t even know them?" WORD. Funny thing, to find out that John Green is kind of universal. Could that mean that - gasp! - it could work the other direction? That books which are pleasing to kids who are not "white, middle class suburban"ites could cross the street the other way? Inquiring minds want to know!

SF Signal has a really, really really good series called "Women to Read" where author A.C. Wise talks up women in speculative fiction, and gives other readers a lot of good input on what to read that features women, or books in speculative fiction with female writers. This week? young women to read about. Go Flora Segunda!!

OOOH. USA Today posted a cover reveal and sneak peek snippet of Melissa Meyer's next book after SCARLET... it's called CRESS.

"Isn’t it interesting that I’ve never been questioned for writing about an almost-pro snowboarder (I’m a cross-country skier whose idea of catching air is breathing in oxygen while hiking in the mountains)? Or about the crazy-rich (I’m still working for a living)? Or about living with a port wine stain (in fact, people with birthmarks have written to thank me for putting their experience into words)? Or for that matter, I find it remarkable that I’ve never once been questioned about writing from a white girl’s perspective." People always say, "Write what you know." readergirl & writer Justina Chen says you can also write what you don't. And, speaking of that -- funnily enough, my writing group has never talked about writing race in YA - we talk a lot about voice, and all of that, but never race. And now we can listen to Mitali talk about it.

Random Penguin House wants to read more SFF! The Suvudu Universe rolls out... now!

GAH! It's August. How did we get here? SCBWI Conference time rolls around again. I'm not going, but cheers to all of you who are, and have a great time. Off to prep for a weekend again - more company, some old friends from Scotland for the next couple of weeks - so I'll bid you adieu. Stay tuned for a lightning quick review of PIRATES and horrible prison conditions next week. Ciao!