Odds and Bookends: July 30, 2010

24 Hour Blogging to Benefit First Book!

On July 31st, beginning at 6:00 a.m. (PST), a legion of bloggers from around the world will post once every thirty minutes for an entire twenty-four hour period to raise funds for charity. visit www.OpenDiary.com/ODAHQ for more information about the event, show your support, or make a pledge for First Book by clicking on Shadarus “Rather Shady Mogwi” Semloue on their official list of participants!

A Novel Approach: Free Books for Donations.

For the past two years, the Concord Free Press, has been publishing books and giving them away for free. The program thrives by the idea “A Book in Exchange for a Donation.” People are asked to make a voluntary donation to a charity; chart the donation on their website, and pass a book along to someone else so that this project keeps going.

Interview with Cor Blok about the Tolkien Calendar 2011

The Tolkien Calendar has become a publishing event eagerly looked forward to with Tolkien calendars from the past 30 years becoming collectors’ items.The official Tolkien calendar for this year will contain 13 paintings inspired by ‘The Lord of the Rings’, and will feature many previously unseen works of art by the Dutch artist, Cor Blok. Visit the Tolkien Library for more information.

Image of the Day: A Big Hug for Sara Gruen.

Sara Gruen with Tai, the elephant portraying Rosie, on the set of Water for Elephants. Gruen is the author of Water for Elephants (Algonquin). The movie is scheduled to be released by Fox 2000 in spring.