When Worlds Collide

Even famous authors aren't famous faces. Unlike Britney Spears or Brad Pitt, the average writer can walk through a crowd of fans and not be recognized by a single person. For most authors, that is considered a perk, not a problem.

Authorial anonymity may be on its way to the boneyard, though. Last month, literary news website GalleyCat threw down the gauntlet and asked "Should authors dance?" initiating a drive to get a writer on the TV reality show Dancing with the Stars.

Inspired by the successful campaign to get Betty White on SNL, GalleyCat launched a Facebook petition, and the votes are in: Claire Cook, author of seven novels, is the winner. GalleyCat will send a final version of the petition to the producers of Dancing with the Stars, along with our best wishes. Seriously, Ms. Cook has got to be a better choice for a guest star than Bristol Palin.

Speaking of famous faces, 80's heart-throb Andrew McCarthy, once known for brat pack movies like Pretty in Pink and St. Elmo's Fire, has won 2010 Travel Journalist of the Year in the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition. McCarthy has made quite a career in journalism, appearing in Slate, The Atlantic, and National Geographic Traveler.

Famehound Tucker Max, who was in town last week promoting Assholes Finish First, got a boost this week when San Francisco bookstore Books, Inc. featured his title in a Halloween end-row display, under the heading "Oh, the horror!" (See photo.) I couldn't agree more. Author Mike Adamick is the shutterbug who shared the joy with the Interwebs, bless his heart.

Also filed under "Bless his heart!" SFF author and wildly popular blogger John Scalzi got a signal boost this week for his post acknowledging privilege and entitlement. The post is currently pushing 1000 tweets and 500 Facebook Likes. Pretty fly for a white guy.

Last, but far from least, website TattooLit's book The Word Made Flesh: Literary Tattoos from Bookworms Worldwide is finally out. The site is promoting the book with this video trailer that is currently making the rounds of of the blogosphere. The authors/editors/curators report that Kurt Vonnegut, e.e. cummings, and Shel Silverstein top the literary skin art lists. (My own literary tattoo is not featured.)