Skip to content

grin and bare it

A blog by Matthew Dicks

Book clubs: A good use of my time? Or just plain fun?

By Matthew Dicks | July 1, 2009

As a first-time novelist, the publishing process is new to me, so I’m not quite sure what typical authors do to promote their books, communicate with readers, and make themselves available to the general public.…

Read More

The Dark Tower: A must read

By Matthew Dicks | June 30, 2009

The Guardian recently charged its readers to “stop sneering at fantasy readers,” arguing that fantasy and science fiction should no longer be considered the realm of the geek, the dork, and the socially awkward. “The…

Read More

The actual book!

By Matthew Dicks | June 29, 2009

A carton of books arrived at my home today. My book! Something Missing. The honest-to-goodness version of the book. The  same that will be found in bookstores in two weeks. As required by my contract…

Read More

RJ Julia

By Matthew Dicks | June 28, 2009

My wife and I (and Clara, our five-month-old daughter) took a trip to Madison, CT, the hometown of RJ Julia, an independent bookstore that has remarkably supported me and my book. It’s more than an…

Read More

Odd business combinations. Again.

By Matthew Dicks | June 27, 2009

In the spirit of odd but perhaps brilliant business combinations, The Spin Cycle Cafe in Newington is a laundromat/bar/restaurant. They advertise dry cleaning beside the lunch specials. Happy hour alongside wash-dry-fold. I almost wish I…

Read More

Product placement

By Matthew Dicks | June 26, 2009

In reading some of my Amazon reviews (I know I shouldn’t, but they’re still very good), I noticed that two people commented on the specificity to which I wrote about specific brand names in Something…

Read More

Writer’s Digest feature

By Matthew Dicks | June 22, 2009

An article about me and my book, Something Missing, appears in the July/August issue of Writer’s Digest. It’s great. A full-page article that includes a photograph of me (27 pounds heavier than I am today)…

Read More

Odd business combinations

By Matthew Dicks | June 21, 2009

I spent the evening at the Latchis Hotel in Brattleboro, Vermont, for a writing and booksellers’ conference. My publicist arranged the accommodations, so I was unfamiliar with the hotel when I arrived. According to its…

Read More

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies!

By Matthew Dicks | June 18, 2009

I don’t often recommend books sight unseen, but I saw this book on the NY Times bestseller list (trade paperback) and couldn’t resist immediately purchasing it. It’s published by Quirk Books, which also sounds right…

Read More

Drippy and syrupy and just plain inexplicable

By Matthew Dicks | June 17, 2009

Being a novelist and an English major, I truly believe that I love books just about as much as a person can, and while I hate to criticize the legitimacy of any written text, could…

Read More

Subscribe ToThe Grin & Bare It Newsletter

Sign up to conveniently receive my daily blog post from "Grin & bare It" into your inbox daily.

You have Successfully Subscribed!