Declaration of Independents, Literary Seduction, and The Supernatural Craze

At Salon, Laura Miller declares her (love for) independents, and asks readers to do the same. She writes:

An independent bookstore brings a lot to a city or a town: a showroom for the latest literary releases, an auditorium where authors share their work and meet their fans, a bookish environment in which to sip coffee and a fun place to browse in the 20 minutes before the movie starts. But what’s less immediately visible is your local bookseller’s expertise and influence when it comes to introducing great books to your community and, ultimately, to the world.

What is the most memorable book you've received for Christmas? Authors share their favorites with USA Today.

Allison Hill, President and COO of Vroman's Bookstore and Book Soup admits she has dated guys solely based on their looks books. “Books are often central to seduction, it turns out,” she writes.

When you listen to an audiobook, does it feel like you're cheating? Do you absorb the information as well? John Schwartz writes for the New York Times, that he is wired for sound.

Author Tahereh Mafi opines on why teens dig the supernatural. Turns out they have more in common with paranormal characters than one would think. She writes:

Supernatural and paranormal fiction mimics [feelings that go along with adolescence] so well that we don’t even realize it until we pay too much attention. Characters with strange powers/circumstances/destinies are different from their peers, and, in being different, give us someone to connect with; someone to relate to. Life can be pretty crappy in general, but in many ways it’s much harder for a teenager.

Taking into account the recent resurgence of zines, The Gothamist highlights six killer NYC zines.