Last week, Lin-Manuel Miranda tweeted a thread of pop culture moments from which he has never recovered. Alongside Shakira and The Book of Mormon was praise for J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and a particular scene between Harry and Dumbledore. Or, actually, scenes—as Rowling responded, Miranda told her that the real impact was in the repetition of the same line in two difference scenes. “You’re deadly with a reprise, maestro” from Miranda is high praise indeed.
Plus, a mini-chat with John Scalzi, a new Red Rising trilogy, and a tribute to Octavia Butler—all in this morning’s publishing roundup.
- John Scalzi gives a suitably mini-interview about his short fiction collection Miniatures.
- File770 provides capsule reviews for over 30 of the novellas published this year.
- 20th-century American fiction professor Sheila Liming remembers “my neighbor Octavia.”
- Forget the best comic books—Vulture is examining 2016’s most striking and memorable comic book covers.
- Speaking of, feast your eyes on the cover launches for N.K. Jemisin’s The Stone Sky and James S.A. Corey’s latest Expanse novel Persepolis Rising.
- If you loved Serial Box’s The Witch Who Came in From the Cold, you’re in luck: Season 2 drops in February!
- Pierce Brown talks Iron Gold, the Red Rising tale that’s kicking off a new trilogy.
- Ever wondered how The New York Times Book Review chooses its 10 Best Books of the year? Pamela Paul has the answers.
- What’s that—you’ve been wanting to read harder? Finish out your 2016 TBR on a high note and find a Read Harder meetup near you.
