Linda J. Spielman gave a presentation at the Nevins Center in the Cornell University Botanic Garden on July 16 at an event which celebrated the launch of her new book, A Field Guide to Tracking Mammals in the Northeast (Countryman Press/W.W. Norton). This wasn’t like any other book launch I’ve ever been to and I mean that in a good way. Cornell University provided eight rows of ten chairs and an overhead projection system. The large room backlit by panoramic views of the botanical gardens had been set up like a lecture hall. People of all ages filled every seat, and an overflow of dear friends at the back of the room made for a spectacular turnout. After Linda’s lecture, the line for book signing went on for an hour. But it was Linda J. Spielman whom they had come to see as a teacher and tracker. And now I know why. Her presentation packed a punch. Tracking wildlife is a lot like doing scientific research of any kind. And Linda is a naturalist who looks and listens from the depth and breadth of multiple scientific disciplines. She began by describing her fascination as a child with what evidence she saw in the woods back behind their house. Evidence that made her wonder who had been there and what happened when she wasn’t there. It’s the puzzle of figuring things out. What critter left that imprint in the mud? Who galloped across the field in the snow? The tracks, or evidence, tell a…
Labor Day weekend is an omen of the new school year. It’s an exciting time of year for those who love books. Last fall Lindsay Debach shared this adventure on the campus of Cornell University when she toured the unique collection of manuscripts and rare books. This fall Lindsay begins her graduate students in English Literature in the UK. We wish her well in her… [Read More]
“Have you ever been in love? Have you ever dreamed of revenge? Have you ever felt like no one knows who or where you are, and so your body may never be discovered? Have you ever wanted for a night to never end? Have you ever wanted to run away? Have you ever gone outside and seen the sky?” In an interview with girlslikegiants.wordpress.com, Leigh… [Read More]
Amanda Bennett’s memoir, The Cost of Hope: The Story of A Marriage, A Family and a Quest for Life, is one of the most intelligent memoirs I’ve read in years. Bennett takes her own personal experience fighting to save her husband’s life in his struggle against a rare form of kidney cancer and as an investigative reporter she uses his story to illustrate what all… [Read More]
Flagrant misuse of grammar rules hurts a writer’s chances for publication. Agents and editors take one quick glance and form a strong first professional impression. Don’t send up red flags and get rejected by your amateur abuse of punctuation or capitalization rules. Your email query may never be opened if you put the subject line of your message in all caps. WHEN YOU ARE USING… [Read More]
Should the “f” in Facebook be capitalized? The icon, logo and brand identity of this popular social networking site use the lowercase letter. Brilliant marketing by breaking the style rule. But what is a copyeditor to do? Of course, I googled it. (Notice as a verb, Google is not capitalized). My research revealed lots of posts and comments regarding the marketing genius behind NOT capitalizing Facebook…. [Read More]



