'Reader's Digest' Wants Your Life Story in 150 Words or Less

Oh boy, do I have a contest for you long-winded Facebookers and personal bloggers. It's called, "Your Life: The Reader's Digest Version." The venerable magazine is willing to shell out $25,000 if you can keep The Story of You to a crisp and compelling 150 words (words, not characters—this isn't Twitter). Hell, I'd fork over that much if certain "friends" would stop sending me six-page family missives disguised as Christmas cards. Short and sweet, people! You are not that interesting. Jane Lynch, star of Glee and host of next month's Emmy Awards, gets the ball rolling with her own abbreviated life story on the magazine's Facebook page (see it after the jump). Shame, it sounds nothing like her caustic Sue Sylvester character from the Fox musical. Rather, it's an earnest promo-within-a-promo for Lynch's memoir, Happy Accidents, dropping in September. More celebrities with books to hawk will follow. But if Lynch, a sought-after, award-winning actress (Best in Show, Role Models, Party Down), can give a snapshot into her psyche within just a few sentences, so can you. I'd be even happier with a haiku. Jane Lynch's entry: "At the tender age of 50, I realized that I had the family, friends and the acting career I had always wanted. I had suffered on the way, feeling out of place, overcontrolling and drinking too much, but all that suffering had not fueled anything useful. The good things were a result of happy accidents that I had been willing, and let's hope smart enough, to... Continue reading at 'AdWeek'

[ AdWeek | 2011-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #award-winning actress #role models #tender age #acting career #good things #stay open

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Amazon launches Kindle tablet and e-reader in China

After remaining quiet on the hardware front for years, Amazon.com's China business has finally brought the company's Kindle tablet and Kindle e-reader to the country. On Friday, both the Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Paperwhite went on sale through the company's site in the country. The Kindle... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2013-06-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Helping Readers Make Sense of Your Digital Brand Offers

Have a well-defined set of expectations for customers based on platform and device. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2013-06-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mirchandani signs 'Angel of Death' story

Atlantic Books has signed a non-fiction book detailing the crimes of a nurse dubbed “The... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Best Books for Middle-Grade Readers? 5 Recommended Titles from BEA

BookExpo America's Middle Grade Buzz Books panels previewed five titles editors are most excited about publishing this fall. Expect them to get a big push in bookstores. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kindle Fire and Paperwhite Readers Coming to China in June

Reports from China say Amazon will launch both the Kindle Paperwhite and Fire devices in China this June, prices range from 849 RMB ($134) for the Paperwhite and 1400-1500 RMB ($222-238) for the Fires. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Life without Amazon? Barefoot Books is the David that cut ties to Goliath

Massachusetts-based publisher Barefoot Books had previously cut ties with Barnes & Noble and Borders. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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One Week Left to Register for Reaching Readers Conference

Recharge your book marketing strategy, boost your outreach success and build lasting relationships with readers and customers at the Reaching Readers Conference on May 28. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-05-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Marketing Q&A: Wiley’s Jeanenne Ray on Building Reader Communities

Jeanenne Ray, Senior Marketing Manager at Wiley, will speak at the Reaching Readers conference about how publishers can build strong readers communities. Here is a sneak preview of her talk. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-05-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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S&S wins Vinnie story

Simon & Schuster has bought UK and Commonwealth rights in the autobiography of actor and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New York Times' Google Glass App Reads Stories to You

The New York Times is one of the initial major publishers to unveil a Google Glass app, which will allow the currently scant number of users of the wearable device to access stories on the go. The app's audio component reads headlines and story summaries aloud and provides breaking news alerts. ... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2013-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pan Mac to explore Secret Life of Dogs

Pan Macmillan has acquired Off the Leash: The Secret Life of Dogs by cartoonist Rupert Fawcett,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nickell son to tell his story

Simon & Schuster has acquired the rights to a memoir by Alexander Hanscombe, the son of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Luxury e-reader' launched by Kobo

Kobo unveiled a new luxury e-reader designed to target "the world's most passionate... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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B.J. Novak will release a book of stories in 2014

"The Office" writer B.J. Novak signed a two-book deal with Knopf. The first title will be a collection of stories based on some of his previous performances. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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And Other Stories launches in US

Independent publisher And Other Stories has teamed up with Consortium Distribution to launch a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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German Readers Finally Embracing Ebooks, Self-Publishing

Discussions at this year's Leipzig Book Fair proved that ebooks and self publishing are gaining wider acceptance in Germany, and readers are more open to digitization. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The value of the written word

Ray Bradbury imagined a world without the printed word, a universe where firemen started fires instead of stopped them, in a quest to burn forbidden books - till one of them started questioning why. Incidentally, the act of burning books is called "biblioclasm" or "libricide", and here's your... Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2013-04-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Providing Story Time in Español: Spanish Supplement Spring 2013

Despite budget cuts and insufficient bilingual staffing, United States libraries continue to invest money expanding Spanish-language children’s and YA collections. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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W&N buys Malala's story

Weidenfeld & Nicolson's deputy publishing director Arzu Tahsin has bought rights to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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NLT Young Readers Programme to expand

The National Literacy Trust’s Young Readers Programme will expand this year after increased... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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