Posts Tagged ‘new books’

DailyLit News: December 2010

Note from the Founder

The year is just whizzing by. Before I know it, we’ll be ringing in the New Year at 6pm. That’s right, at 6pm. My family and I celebrate New Year’s Eve on Italian time — 6pm in New York where I am, which is midnight in Italy. That way, our kids are up to help us celebrate the New Year, and we’re saved from having to stay up until midnight. But before then, we’re gearing up for the holidays here at DailyLit, and you can join us by reading one of our holiday reads, writing a letter to Santa (our creative challenge), and even making your own New Year’s (literary) resolutions.

So cheers, to fun-filled holidays and a happy new year!

-Susan

Susan Danziger
Founder and CEO, DailyLit
sdanziger [at] dailylit [dot] com
Twitter:@susandanziger, @dailylit

Oprah’s Book Club Picks
We’ve got this month’s Oprah Book Club picks: Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities. In fact, DailyLit’s the only place you can read them the way the Victorians did — as serialized novels (that is, if there were email back then).

Creative Challenge: Naughty or Nice?
Have you been naughty or nice this year? This month’s creative challenge is to write a letter to Santa. Just be sure to make it no more than 50 words — Santa doesn’t have much time to read these days. Post it here for North Pole delivery. Ho, ho, ho!

New Year’s (Literary) Resolutions
Is there that one book you’ve always wanted to tackle? Come on now, think. There must be one. Well, now’s your chance. You can call out your New Year’s (literary) resolution here. Maybe these will help (from DailyLit’s own library):

The Divine Comedy by Dante Aligheri: The Inferno (38 parts); The Purgatory (33 parts); The Paradise (33 parts)
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (145 parts)
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (240 parts)
Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust (206 parts)
Moby Dick by Herman Melville (260 parts)
Ulysses by James Joyce (332 parts)
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (423 parts)
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (579 parts)
The Arabian Nights (633 parts)
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (663 parts)

Featured Feature: Gifting a Book
You may have noticed a little “gift this book” tab when you sign up for a book on DailyLit. You can arrange to send anyone a book from DailyLit that will arrive on, say, Christmas morning (or whenever you like). It can even include your own personalized message that will appear daily in your friend’s inbox along with each installment. Here are some books that might make good gifts:

Tom Peters’ The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence (you can send daily tips to your lazy boyfriend or son-in-law)
Poems by Emily Dickinson (imagine wooing your loved one with daily poems throughout the year)
Berlitz Essential French Phrases (s’il vous plait!)
The Bible (need I say more!)
Brad Meltzer’s Heroes for My Son (a little inbox inspiration)
Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother (for the sci-fi lover)
A Collection of Beatrix Potter Stories or other children’s books (which niece wouldn’t want to find a daily email for her in her mommy’s inbox with a note from you)

New: Holiday Category (plus an instant mood-booster)
To put you in a merry mood, we’ve created a new Holiday category that includes such classics as:

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry (2 parts)
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (225 parts)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (36 parts)
And, of course, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore (1 part) — in fact, here it is (an instant mood-booster); enjoy and happy holidays!

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap–

When out on the lawn there rose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter,
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon, on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of mid-day to objects below;
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny rein-deer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blitzen–
To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall!
Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So, up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With a sleigh full of toys–and St. Nicholas too.

And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof,
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack;

His eyes how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;
His droll little month was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face, and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump–a right jolly old elf;
And I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye, and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle;
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

And to all a good night!

Words That Matter from O, the Oprah Magazine

I love this quote from Oprah, which explains why she’s celebrating 10 years of O, the Oprah Magazine with a book of, well, quotes: “Here’s what my love affair with quotations has taught me: the more you focus on words that uplift you, the more you embody the ideas contained in those words.”

We have a selection of those quotes from Words That Matter thanks to our sponsor, HarperStudio. You’ll find inspiring words from such luminaries as Maya Angelou, Eckhart Tolle, Alice Walker, Elie Wiesel, Martha Beck, and even some wisdom of the ages from figures like Virgil. It’s great daily inspiration–DailyLitspiration?–that we hope you’ll enjoy. Read it here.

Tom Peters’ The Little Big Things on DailyLit

One of DailyLit’s most popular series has been Tom Peters’ 100 Ways to Succeed/Make Money, so we’re excited to be bringing more of Tom’s wit and wisdom from his new book The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence. Thanks to our sponsor, HarperStudio, we’ve been able to make the entire book available for free on DailyLit. Check out Little Big Thing #131 for a taste of what you’ll get in the book. It’s Tom’s take on how much $.02 candies can really be worth.

#131. The Case of the Two-Cent Candy
Years ago, I wrote about a retail store in the Palo Alto environs, a good one, which had a box of two-cent candies at the checkout. I subsequently remember that “little” parting gesture of the two-cent candy as a symbol of all that is Excellent at that store. Dozens of people—from retailers to bankers to plumbing supply house owners—who have attended seminars of mine have come up to remind me, sometimes 15 or 20 years later, of “the two-cent candy story,” and to tell me how it had a sizable impact on how they did business, metaphorically and in fact.

Well, the Two-Cent Candy Phenomenon has struck again—with oomph and in the most unlikely of places.

For years Singapore’s “brand” has more or less been Southeast Asia’s “place that works.” Its legendary operational efficiency in all it does has attracted businesses of all sorts to set up shop there. But as “the rest” in the geographic neighborhood closed the efficiency gap, and China continued to rise-race-soar, Singapore decided a couple of years ago to “rebrand” itself as not only a place that works but also as an exciting/“with it” city. (I was a participant in an early rebranding conference that also featured the likes of the late Anita Roddick, Deepak Chopra, and Infosys founder and superman Narayana Murthy.)

Singapore’s fabled operating efficiency starts, as indeed it should, at ports of entry—the airport being a prime example. From immigration to baggage claim to transportation downtown, the services are unmatched anywhere in the world for speed and efficiency.

Saga …

Immigration services in Thailand, three days before a trip to Singapore, were a pain. (“Memorable.”) And entering Russia some months ago was hardly a walk in the park, either. To be sure, and especially after 9/11, entry to the United States has not been a process you’d mistake for arriving at Disneyland, nor marked by an attitude that shouted “Welcome, honored guest.”

Singapore immigration services, on the other hand:

The entry form was a marvel of simplicity.

The lines were short, very short, with more than adequate staffing.

The process was simple and unobtrusive.

And:

The Immigration Officer could have easily gotten work at Starbucks; she was all smiles and courtesy.

And:

Yes!

Yes!

And … yes!

There was a little candy jar at each Immigration portal!!!

The “candy jar message” in a dozen ways:

“WELCOME TO SINGAPORE, TOM!! WE ARE ABSOLUTELY BESIDE OURSELVES WITH DELIGHT THAT YOU HAVE DECIDED TO COME HERE!”

Wow!

Wow!

Wow!

Ask yourself … NOW:

What is my (personal, department, project, restaurant, law firm) “Two-Cent Candy”???

Does every part of the process of working with us/me include two-cent candies?

Do we, as a group, “think two-cent candies”?

Operationalizing: Make “two-centing it” part and parcel of “the way we do business around here.” Don’t go light on the so-called substance—but do remember that … perception is reality … and perception is shaped by two-cent candies as much as by that so-called hard substance.

Start: Have your staff collect “two-cent candy stories” for the next two weeks in their routine “life” transactions. Share those stories. Translate into “our world.” And implement.

Repeat regularly.

Forever.

(Recession or no recession—you can afford two cents.)

(In fact, it is a particularly Brilliant Idea for a recession—you doubtless don’t maximize Two-Cent Opportunities. And what OPPORTUNITIES they are.)

DailyLit News: April 2010

Note from the CEO

With the weather warming up, we decided to shape up and change the look of our installments so they fit neatly onto your mobile phone. Of course, there’s no form over substance with DailyLit. This month, we’re featuring a star-studded line-up with stories and inspiration from Sam Shephard; Tom Peters; and O, The Oprah Magazine. And we’re launching a new Sci Fi Channel with help from bestselling author Cory Doctorow and major sci fi publishers. If poetry’s your thing, don’t forget that it’s Poetry Month—there’s still time to sign up for daily poems from Knopf featuring John Updike, Joyce Carol Oates, and Sapphire. Oh, and don’t forget that you have until the end of this month to sign up for Berlitz’s Spanish Lessons. And then, it’s adios!

-Susan Danziger
Founder and CEO, DailyLit
sdanziger@dailylit.com

Thought we’d bring a little movie glamour this month to our Big Read (actually, three little reads). We’ll be featuring three short vignettes by movie star/author Sam Shepard. In case you’re not familiar with his written work, don’t worry, Shepard, the author, is the real deal—in fact, a Pulitzer Prize-winning real deal. Enjoy them here.

Tom Peters: The Little Big Things

Back by popular demand, management guru Tom Peters returns to DailyLit with his latest book The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence. Inspire yourself daily with tips, anecdotes, and advice—all in the pursuit of excellence. The entire book is available on DailyLit thanks to our sponsor, HarperStudio. Find it here.

Words that Matter from O, the Oprah Magazine

Words that Matter gathers some of the most inspired ideas and quotations to appear in O, the Oprah Magazine over the last decade. You’ll find insights from Maya Angelou, Eckhart Tolle, Alice Walker, Elie Wiesel, Suze Orman and dozens of others on love, friendship, gratitude, success, money and beyond. We’ve got a free taste for you, courtesy of HarperStudio. Find it here.

Reader Challenge: Your Words that Matter

We’re feeling inspired by Oprah’s words and want to know which words you live by. In just one sentence share the advice you’d like to pass on—to your children, your best friends, your family. We’ll choose three of our favorites to win a copy of Words That Matter. Make sure to post your inspirational quote in our Reader Challenge Forum no later than Friday, April 30th at 11:59pm EST to be considered.

New on DailyLit: Sci Fi Channel

Our new Sci Fi Channel is where you can discover up and coming science fiction writers, read recommendations from folks in-the-know, and enjoy excerpts from newly released sci fi books delivered right to your inbox—and it’s all on us. We’re kicking off the channel with a collection of short stories from Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, excerpts from Tor Books, and recommendations from Cory Doctorow. Find them here.

Last Chance for Berlitz Spanish Lessons

You only have have until May 1st to sign up for our exclusive Berlitz Spanish Lessons. If you’re not on board by then it’s hasta la vista, baby. Find them here.

DailyLit’s New Look

DailyLit has gotten a facelift! In order to make reading easier on mobile devices, we’ve changed the look of our installments. Hope you like our new look.

DailyLit News: March 2010

Note from the CEO
How many of you are like me, running around like crazy each day, trying to fit in work, family, and (gasp) a little fun? I’m hoping our daily installments help provide that brief respite to make your life a little richer or at least a bit more fun. You can escape down the rabbit hole with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (this month’s Big Read). Or check out essays from single mother Lisa Kogan, the Writer at Large for O, The Oprah Magazine, who writes about ambivalent men, lunch meat, and scary superstores. And if you ever have time to enjoy a movie (or just want to be in the know), you can read daily reviews from Leonard Maltin’s 151 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen. Oh, and come join the countdown to Poetry Month with poems by John Updike, Joyce Carol Oates, Sapphire, and others.

As always, I’d love to hear any suggestions you have. You can write them in our forums or feel free to write directly to me. In the meantime, cheers—to enjoying life to its fullest!

Susan Danziger
Founder/CEO, DailyLit
sdanziger[at]dailylit[dot]com

Countdown to Poetry Month with Updike, Oates and Sapphire
To celebrate April as poetry month (just around the corner), we’ve teamed up with Knopf to launch a Poem-A-Day collection featuring such bestselling authors as John Updike, Joyce Carol Oates, and Sapphire. Sign up here and join the countdown now.

Essays by Lisa Kogan, Writer at Large for O, The Oprah Magazine
Someone Will Be With You Shortly: Author Lisa Kogan writes for O, The Oprah Magazine, and in her new book discusses everything from her life as a single mother in New York City to her quest for the perfect tomato. She’s nostalgic for that time when you had to walk across a room to change channels and for when there was no such thing as a spy satellite capable of spotting a pre-cancerous mole on your inner thigh. Check out her essays here, compliments of our sponsor, HarperStudio.

Leonard Maltin’s 151 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen
Discover hidden movie gems or throw around film trivia at your next dinner party. Here’s a taste from reviewer Leonard Maltin who dug up the best movies adapted from books: “The films I’ve chosen are ‘The Door in the Floor’ (from John Irving’s A Widow for One Year) starring Jeff Bridges; ‘Thumbsucker’ (from the novel by Walter Kirn, who also wrote Up in the Air); and ‘The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio’ (from the memoir by Terry Ryan).” You can read more about each of these films here. And get a daily series, compliments of HarperStudio, here.

Big Read: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
You may have heard of a little movie called “Alice in Wonderland” which was just released. Before you see it, read the original on DailyLit, which we’re making this month’s Big Read. Check out Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland here.

Reader challenge: Before I die…
Not to be grim or overly dramatic, but I thought this month we could focus on one of the more important questions in life—that is, what does each of us want to do before we die? Inspired by the same question I saw posted on 5th Avenue (related to the launch of an MTV show, “The Buried Life”—and no, it’s not a sponsor), I thought it was important enough to ask our readers. So, in no more than 10 words, tell us: what do you want to do before you die? Post your life wishes in our Reader Challenge Forum.

DailyLit on Tumblr
We’re excited to announce that we’re bringing DailyLit to Tumblr. In case you haven’t heard of it, Tumblr is an innovative blogging platform that allows readers to follow certain blogs (also called Tumblogs) and reblog posts to share with friends. We’re offering Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland; The Art of War; Emily Dickinson’s Poems as our first, what should we call them? Tumblogbooks? Tumblooks? Well, anyway, the countdown begins now, and the books begin on Tuesday, March 30th.

New in our Book Channel
This month we’re welcoming a new guest curator to the Book Channel: Carl Lennertz. He’s a real star in the publishing industry, and I’ve been a big fan of his for years. We’ve also included The Help, featured on The Today Show’s list of “10 Must-Read Books for Spring;” a collection of new Sherlock Holmes adventures; a dazzling debut novel selected by DailyLit staffer Maggie; sensational novelist Joshua Ferris’s latest; and New York Times bestseller You Are Not a Gadget. To start receiving these recommendations sign up now for our Book Channel.

DailyLit News: January 2010

Note from the CEO

I’ve been thrilled by your enthusiastic response to DailyLit and how much you appreciate our making all our books and stories free. Now it’s time to share the love. Tell 5 friends about DailyLit—pass on the word at dinner, forward installments to your colleagues, or mention DailyLit to moms at pick up. You can also now use your address book to invite your friends to read along or publish to your Facebook page. Thanks for spreading the word!

Susan Danziger
Founder and CEO, DailyLit
sdanziger@dailylit.com

Berlitz Spanish Lessons

Ever wanted to learn Spanish? Enjoy our daily, complimentary Spanish course created exclusively for DailyLit by Berlitz. Available only through May 1st. Read it here.

DailyLit’s Big Read

January is the month of Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday, so in his honor this month’s Big Read is his short story “Murders in the Rue Morgue.” It’s the world’s first-ever detective fiction—without Poe’s Auguste Dupin there might never have been a Sherlock Holmes. Read it here.

Reader Challenge

It’s a brand new decade, full of possibilities and hope. This month’s reader challenge taps into that optimism. Complete this sentence: “What I wish for the world in 2010 is….” And remember, one complete sentence only! Share your wishes for the world—literary, political, imaginary, whatever—in our Reader Challenge Forum.

New Feature: Invite a Friend

Don’t go it alone—invite your friends to join you. Now, when you start reading a book on DailyLit, you’ll be able to instantly publish what you’re reading to Facebook, Yahoo, and other sites. And if you open up your address book, you can invite any number of friends to join in one big read-along.

New Short Fiction from Laurel Dewey

Laurel Dewey’s compelling heroine Detective Jane Perry returns in this fourth original piece of short fiction. Here Jane investigates a suspicious death and uncovers secrets she could never have imagined. Read it here. (And find three other pieces by Laurel Dewey here.)

Make 2010 the Year of The Book

Always wanted to read Anna Karenina? Moby Dick? Pride and Prejudice? Make this the year that you finally tackle The Book—you know, one major classic you ought to have read at some point in your life. Take it one day and one installment at a time—you can do it! Check out our Classics for inspiration.

Your DailyLit Story

Thanks to everyone who took our reader survey last month—we loved reading your feedback (and your kind words about DailyLit). We’d like to feature stories about your experience with DailyLit and what you’ve been able to accomplish so if you have a story to share, please email us at support@dailylit.com.

Vogue and a Man Booker Prize Winner in DailyLit’s Book Channel

We’re featuring two different but great books this week in our Book Channel. First is The World in Vogue: People, Places, and Parties edited by Vogue editors Alexandra Kotur and Hamish Bowles. The stars were out in full glamour mode for this past weekend’s Golden Globes and inspired this pick, which features Vogue’s signature brand of glitzy sophistication.

Our other featured title this week is Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. Winner of the 2009 Man Booker Prize and highlighted as a favorite by several DailyLit readers, this book takes you to the 16th century court of King Henry VIII, where the fact that the king went through six wives was just the most infamous example of the viciousness of court society.

Sign up for the DailyLit Book Channel for hand-picked recommendations and excerpts from great books like those selected for Oprah’s book club and the newest titles from bestselling authors.

Bestselling Author Elizabeth Kostova’s New Book in DailyLit’s Book Channel

Elizabeth Kostova, author of the bestselling hit The Historian, has just published her newest book, The Swan Thieves, and we’ve got an excerpt to share with you in our Book Channel.  Thanks to an advance copy I’ve already read the book and can tell you that this excerpt, which showcases Kostova’s beautiful prose and reveals the beginning of a captivating mystery, is a great taste of the novel. It’s  already received numerous glowing reviews, and you can count mine among them! I enjoyed reading this book and hope you will too.

DailyLit News: December 2009

Note from the CEO
DailyLit is now 100% free! That’s right. You heard me. It’s a new era for DailyLit—we’ve ditched the books for pay but will keep our focus on offering you the highest quality books and stories. And with the holidays upon us, remember, you can send any DailyLit book or story (maybe one with a holiday theme?) as a fun free gift to your friends (with your own personalized message in each installment). And if you go away, you can temporarily suspend your book and have it automatically resume for when you get back.
Happy Holidays!

Susan Danziger
Founder and CEO, DailyLit
sdanziger[at]dailylit[dot]com

DailyLit: Now 100% FREE
We’ve been listening to our readers, and it’s clear that you most appreciate the books we’ve made available for free. So starting now, every book, story and series featured on DailyLit will be 100% free. We’ll be relying on sponsors to help support DailyLit so let us know of any sponsors who may be interested at sponsor[at]dailylit[dot]com. And please pass it on—DailyLit books are now 100% FREE!

New! Book Channel
DailyLit Selects—our series of excerpts from new and noteworthy books—is becoming DailyLit’s Book Channel. We’ll be featuring pieces from special guest contributor Sara Nelson, author of the bestselling So Many Books, So Little Time (and former editor in chief of Publishers Weekly, currently the Books Director for O, the Oprah Magazine). And we’ve also got book recommendations from “Gotham Gal”, hailed as the “woman around town.” All free, of course. Read it.

DailyLit’s Big Read: A Christmas Carol
The choice for this month’s Big Read is a natural. Join us in celebrating the season by reading Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. Need I say it? It’s FREE. Read it.

New Reads (All Free!)
—The Book of the Shepherd: Just in time for the holidays comes The Book of the Shepherd, a parable for modern minds that comes “highly recommended for anyone interested in personal spirituality.” Read it.
—New story by Laurel Dewey: In Anonymous, the third original Jane Perry story, the heroine encounters a woman with a harrowing story to tell—and a mystery that runs far deeper than Jane at first realizes. Read it. (Missed the first two Jane Perry stories? Find them here.)

Reader Challenge—Guest Judge Anne Rice
With the holidays upon us and angels getting their wings in re-runs of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” this month’s creative challenge centers around angels. In exactly 50 words, tell a story of an encounter with an angel. Anne Rice, whose book Angel Time recently debuted, will be our guest judge this month. She’ll select her three favorites, each of whom will win a signed copy of Angel Time. Post your encounters in our Reader Challenge Forum no later than 11:59pm EST on December 31st.

Take Our Survey (you could win advance copy of major novel)
We need your help in supporting our move to be 100% free. Please take our short reader survey, which will help us attract new books and sponsors to our site. To sweeten the deal, we’ll be giving advance reader copies of internationally best-selling author Henning Mankell’s new book, The Man from Beijing, to five people who complete the survey. Take the survey.

DailyLit News: November 2009

Note from the CEO
It’s facetime here at DailyLit!  Upload a picture on your profile page and be eligible to win a free John Grisham book. It’s also time to thank Diane Von Furstenberg for sponsoring one of her favorite books of the year, Madame de Staël, now available for free on DailyLit.    And it’s time to launch our “Big Ideas” channel with inspiration from Gary Vaynerchuck, named one of this year’s most influential men.  We’ve also got free daily tips from Grammar Girl (secrets out — I love grammar!) and a new feature that allows you to automatically resume your books when you want to take a break for the holidays — just in time!

Susan Danziger
Founder and CEO, DailyLit
susan [at] dailylit [dot] com

Diane von Furstenberg Brings Favorite Book to DailyLit for Free
Iconic designer Diane von Furstenberg has a holiday gift for you: one of her favorite reads this year is now available on DailyLit for free.  Madame de Stael: The First Modern Woman is a fast-paced biography that tells the glamorous, dramatic story of a woman who was a true force to be reckoned with. Vogue Magazine called it “a timely mediation on female power and an inspiring profile of one woman’s courage.” Thanks to Diane and the publisher, it’s free through the end of January. Read it.

New! DailyLit Kicks off “Big Ideas”
“Big Ideas” is designed to inspire you with new ideas for both work and play.  Kicking off this new channel is inspiration from Gary Vaynerchuk’s new book Crush It! Cash In on your Passion.  He grew his family’s wine business and became a national industry leader, landing him at #18 on AskMen.com’s list of 50 most influential Men of 2009. Read it–FREE.

DailyLit’s Big Read: Short Story by John Grisham
Bestselling author John Grisham just released his first ever collection of short stories, Ford County–and we’ve selected one as this month’s Big Read. “Fetching Raymond” is a simple, powerful story about a day one family knew was coming but still can’t face. Read it–FREE.

Reader Challenge
As bestselling author Daniel Pink wrote, exercising your creativity leads to personal and professional success.  With that in mind, and holiday dinners fast approaching, this month’s reader challenge asks you to imagine a fictional holiday gathering and describe–in no more than 50 words–a character, conversation or event at your holiday meal. Share your mini-stories in our Reader Challenge forum. And to sweeten the pot, we’ll select three winners, each of whom will receive a copy of Mollie Katzen’s new book, Get Cooking.

New reads
–Grammar Girl: She’s on the scene to make grammar easy and fun with her “quick and dirty” tips.  We’ve got a selection from her new book that will make you a better writer. Read it–FREE.
–Jane Perry Returns: In a second piece of original writing, Laurel Dewey’s inimitible heroine Detective Jane Perry returns to DailyLit. Get into her head with “You Can’t Judge a Book by its Cover,” a blog entry by the detective. Read it–FREE. (And if you missed the first installment, “An Unfinished Death,” read it here–FREE.)

Pause Your Books for the Holidays
You’ve always been able to suspend and resume delivery of your books using the links at the end of any installment. Now, with the holidays coming up, when you want to suspend your book, you can set a date for it to automatically resume.  Just click on the “suspend” link at the bottom of any installment to set it up.

Upload Your Picture Now–You May Win a Grisham Book
To make our community a little friendlier, join us for some facetime here at DailyLit.  Help us out by uploading a personalized profile picture. Your face, your cat, your favorite painting–doesn’t matter what you choose. And everyone with a personalized picture uploaded by 11:59pm EST on Sunday, November 22nd will be automatically entered to win one of five copies of John Grisham’s new book Ford County.

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