Rowan Jones, Author at For Reading Addicts

January 17, 2019

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AZA Universe: A New Generation of Superhero

By Rowan Jones | Authors, News | No Comments

A new universe of superheroes is here thanks to a young entrepreneur from North Carolina, USA.

Jazmin Truesdale has been a proud nerd all her life, loving comic books, science fiction, and action movies, but always looking for some positive representation within those entertainment spheres. As one may imagine the worlds of graphic novels and comic books are very straight-white-male-centric, with shallow female characters. and few depictions of non-white women.

Jazmin, with her entrepreneurial mind and passion for cultural diversity, began creating characters she would want to read about and, with the help from an illustrator, her universe was born. It has not been an easy journey- finding an illustrator who knew how to draw Black women’s bodies was one particular hurdle to overcome, however Jazmin’s drive and focus ensured her goal became a reality.

January 14, 2019

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The Private Lives of Authors: Theodor ‘Dr Seuss’ Geisel

By Rowan Jones | Authors, Inspired by Literature | No Comments

Theodor Geisel is best known as the master of zany characters and clever rhymes; the father of creations such as Fox in Socks, and The Cat in the Hat: Dr Seuss.

Before he created the writer-persona of Dr Seuss, Geisel was an artist of another kind. In his spare time he created sculptures of interesting and strange creatures, using parts of real animals. Of course it is not as grotesque as it sounds- the animal parts were given to Theodor after the animals died of natural causes. His father was the superintendent of parks in Massachusetts at the time when a young Geisel was working as a fledgling author and illustrator. When zoo and park animals crossed the rainbow bridge, Geisel’s father sent him the various animals’ parts to help him create some whacky characters.

Horns, antlers, beaks, and all sorts were used by Geisel to build some of the most fantastical animals that, unsurprisingly, look like they have jumped straight out of a Dr Seuss picture book.

January 12, 2019

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Authors and Writers Offer Unique Funeral Service

By Rowan Jones | Authors, Inspired by Literature | No Comments

Writer Dana Schwartz has come up with a unique business model- Mysterious Funeral Goer.

The author of And We’re Off, and memoir Choose Your Own Disaster, offered to stand at the back of a funeral with a massive black umbrella, looking mysterious. For a small fee, of course.

Fellow authors and humorists of Twitter, including our favourite Neil Gaiman, got involved to either take her up on the offer or to join the enterprise. A surprising amount of people were up for it, prompting Schwartz to promote her latest book in place of Venmo donations.

January 10, 2019

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YA author pokes fun at Hogwarts’ strange methods

By Rowan Jones | Authors, Inspired by Literature | No Comments

Author L.L. McKinney is a young adult writer and certified nerdy gamer with a deep and abiding love for science fiction and fantasy. One her passions includes the J.K. Rowling’s magical world of Harry Potter, and all the olde-worlde tech and mystical shortcuts it contains.

Imagining herself as a Hogwarts student (and assigned to Gryffindor by the Sorting Hat, of course), McKinney found she may get into a spot of bother by pointing out some illogical practises the school implements. Why use parchment when a spiral notebook is far more practical? Since when is a quill better than an actual pen? Why did the students have to revert to such old fashioned techniques just because they’re at a magical school?

Although written with humour and a tongue set firmly in cheek, the author does have some excellent points…

January 8, 2019

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Sir Ian McKellen Backs LGBT Children’s Book

By Rowan Jones | Children's Literature, News | No Comments

LGBT books are becoming ever more popular in recent times, including children’s literature. In 2017 Promised Land was released thanks to a crowd funding project started by the creators Chaz Harris and Adam Reynolds from Wellington, New Zealand. As a follow up to the success of that romance story about a farm boy and a prince comes a new LGBT love story following the adventures of a fisherman’s daughter and a female sea captain.

Famous faces have come out (no pun intended) in support of Promised Land and Maiden Voyage– particularly LGBT celebrities such as George Takei and Sir Ian McKellen.

January 7, 2019

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Tolkien’s original illustrations to be showcased in a NY library

By Rowan Jones | Arty, Authors | One Comment

Tolkien is best known for his high fantasy novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings which feature original drawings by the author himself. The fact he created his own maps and illustrations for the fictional world comes as no surprise; Middle Earth was created by Tolkien with its own history, languages, and a clear sense of what the world looked like.

According to the library’s director, Colin B. Bailey, “The Morgan exhibition is your only opportunity in America to see the largest collection ever assembled of J.R.R. Tolkien’s original drawings, manuscripts, and maps. ”

Visitors to the Morgan Library in NY will get the chance to see book manuscripts, hand-drawn maps, original illustrations of Smaug, Sauron’s Dark Tower of Barad-dûr, and much more. Additional to the original artworks, photographs of JRR Tolkien during his childhood will also be available.

January 6, 2019

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Have you ever thought Voldemort was a bit sexy..?

By Rowan Jones | Inspired by Literature, Video | No Comments

Voldemort isn’t sexy, right? I think we can agree that the alien-like smoothness, eerie pale pallor, and snakey slit nostrils are not hot… Until now.

Florida Man, drag queen and burlesque performer, offered us a side of Voldemort we have not seen for…ever. At an Ariana Grande tribute night the fantastic artist gave the audience the ultimate Potter-themed treat, complete with wand fight and special lighting effects. Florida Man’s perfect lip-syncing made the show all the more authentic, and ends with a spectacular kiss between the villain and his foe.

Check out Florida Man’s video below, go and send them some love on their Insta or Twitter.

We have also included a few other Harry Potter-themed burlesque routines (there are literally HUNDREDS of them on YouTube) for your shock/amazement/titillation.

You are welcome?

January 2, 2019

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10 Jokes Only Reading Addicts Will Understand

By Rowan Jones | Inspired by Literature, Literature | No Comments

Reading Addicts are refined and high brow people with a sophisticated sense of humour… Usually.

Ok who are we kidding- you love the puerile, pun-tastic, and perfectly poor taste joke as much as the next person. The only difference is that we Reading Addicts occasionally mix a little literary knowledge into their humour, and come up with some jokes only fellow readers will understand.

How many of the following literary jokes do you understand? And can you come up with any more?

December 23, 2018

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Drag Queen Story Time Ruined by Religious Zealots

By Rowan Jones | Children's Literature, News | No Comments

Drag Queen Story Time is a fun and educational scheme in libraries in the USA and UK where children enjoy stories read by local drag queens. The drag queens come to read to children aged 3+, to celebrate “diversity, helping kids look beyond gender stereotypes, accepting differences, and preventing bullying.”

The scheme encourages open-mindedness, tolerance, and respect for all- something Warriors for Christ and Special Forces of Liberty could not abide. Their attorney, Chris Sevier, has a history of concocting ridiculous, bigoted schemes masquerading as equality. In 2013 he attempted to sue Apple for making computers that could access pornography, and once tried to marry his computer as an apparent show of his complete misunderstanding of marriage equality. In 2017 Sevier sued four Democratic congress people for flying a rainbow flag- one he believed established an LGBT religion…

December 21, 2018

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7-year-old Releases Debut Children’s Book

By Rowan Jones | Authors, Children's Literature | No Comments

A 7-year-old boy from the USA has written his debut book in hopes it will help other children improve their vocabulary.

Kayla and Kyle: The Walking Dictionaries was dreamt up by Nicholas Buamah after being inspired by his mother’s encouragement. Danielle Buamah told BlackNews: “I developed the character of Kayla when Nicholas was younger to help teach him expanded vocabulary. After being praised by his first grade teacher for using the word ‘collaborate’ during his first week of school, I asked Nicholas what he thought about writing a book to help his friends expand their vocabularies. He thought it was a great idea, as long as one of the main characters could be a male figure, and that’s when he created Kyle.”