Can writing make you rich?

Forbes has come out with a list of the top ten highest paid authors.  No surprises here - just proves that readers love thrillers, romance and vampires.  Maybe I should write a book about a vampire lawyer (some would say they already exist) who falls in love with a possessed cat, and together they solve international crimes against the living dead.  I could even throw in a wise and bespectacled professor who offers sage advice to the vampire / feline duo as they struggle with their unconventional romance.  It could work...

New art books

Today I was walking by a cart of books in the process of being cataloged, and my eye was caught by two titles: Japanese Woodblock Prints by Andreas Marks and Botany for the Artist by Sarah Simblet.  Both are beautiful books, and whether you're an artist or you just like looking at lovely pictures, there is plenty of eye candy to satisfy everyone.    

To text or not to text?

I have to confess something - I don't understand the obsession with texting.  I can chalk it up to my age, but I know plenty of texters who are older than me.  I could say I'm not a fan of mobile devices, but my Droid phone is pretty darn cool.  Perhaps what really annoys me the most about texting  is the deterioration of a basic human function - vocal conversation.  I say "vocal" because I know lots of people will argue that texting is conversation.  Ok, maybe so.  But when I go out to dinner and see a family sitting at a table with mobile devices in hand, and about the only time a word is uttered is when the server stops by, I just feel sad.  When a friend told me that she had gone out to eat with family she hadn't seen in a long time, she felt like the kid who sees others passing a note but isn't included.  Why?  With the exception of one other person at the table, everyone else texted throughout the entire meal.  Were they texting business associates, friends, roommates?  No, they were texting each other at the table.  I wonder, if a device runs out of power during this dinner, will the ability to engage in a face-to-face conversation kick in?   

I suppose I shouldn't worry about future generations and how they will communicate with each other.  As one author points out, texting is just another step in the evolution of communication.  Whether you're into texting or not, check out Txting: the Gr8 Db8 by David Crystal.  He feels more positive about the whole text messaging phenomenon than I do, and I find that reassuring...for now.