Every Friday, the PQ Weekly Roundup collects the most shared links in our social media network—bookish articles, reviews, quizzes, recommendations and more—in convenient digest form.

• Let’s get the big news out there first—Ian Hampton’s memoir Jan in 35 Pieces has been shortlisted for the RBC Taylor Prize. Congratulations Ian!
• Sometimes you just need a laugh. For those times, check out these hilarious and/or cringeworthy book titles.
• Nothing ruins an interesting book premise more than bad dialogue. Make sure you’re not making these rookie mistakes when it comes to what your characters say and how they say it.
• What happens when iconic characters like Mickey Mouse and Batman become public domain? It might not be as simple as you think. (Because copyright matters never are.)
• And finally, what’s it really like to work in publishing? How Hollywood often gets it wrong.

   

Again, big congratulations to Ian Hampton. What a ride 2019 is shaping up to be—and it’s only January!

See you back here next week,