Stephanie Vanderslice

Writing Geek, Author, Rethinking Creative Writing

After all, it takes a certain level of confidence to send something out, because even if it's wonderful, nine times out of ten, it's going to come back. Male writers I've known don't take this personally, they just send the work right back out there and guess what? Eventually it gets published.

Dan Kennedy

Assistant Professor, School of Journalism at Northeastern University, and author of "The Wired City"

Though as a society we claim to value difference, in reality we fear it, keep it at a distance and would stamp it out if given the opportunity. And with genetic testing becoming increasingly cheap and ubiquitous, the day of opportunity is not far off.

Debra Ollivier

Contributing editor and writer at large, Huff/Post50

Why Edith Pearlman is not known to a broader audience is a mystery on par with how the pyramids were built -- so suggests Ann Patchett in the introduction to Pearlman's Binocular Vision: New & Selected Stories.

Will Weaver

Author, 'The Survivors'

The National Book Awards always stirs up serious book lovers: this author was undeserving, that author a charity case, another far too young. This year, from an unfortunate error in the announcement of the Youth Literature finalists, the NBF has already taken its fair share of abuse.

Rocco Staino

Chair, Empire State Center for the Book and the Empire State Book Festival

With the aid of technology, students from around the country were able to join kids from New York City area schools in a Teen News Conference with the five finalists for the National Book Award in Young People's Literature.

Lauren Myracle

Author, National Book Awards Un-nominee

On October 10th, I received one of the most exciting calls an author can hope to get: my novel was a finalist for the National Book Awards! And then, two hours later, came a concerned email. My gut clenched.

Elana Estrin

Features Writer and Public Affairs Representative, Harry Ransom Center and The University of Texas at Austin's College of Fine Arts

While studying art history in graduate school, novelist Nicole Krauss spent hours in the library researching Rembrandt, only to find that she preferred imagining the details of his life instead.

Holly Cara Price

Agent Provocateur

Only two pages in and I'm choked with sobs as I read how Patti Smith listened to her soul mate's breathing on the phone as he struggled in the hospita...

Bernard Starr

Psychologist; Journalist; College Professor

Historically, the big question for authors has been will my book get published? But now, the question is will I land my book with a prestigious publisher? I'm guilty of that myself.

John Lundberg

Writer, Poetry teacher

Smith has actually published numerous books of poetry. And unlike other successful rock stars who have stumbled awkwardly into verse (Jewel and Billy Corgan come to mind), Smith's work reflects that she was a poet first.

Christopher Lydon

Host of Open Source from Brown University

Colum McCann wrote the New Yorkiest and, many feel, the best of 9.11 novels, Let the Great World Spin, and won the National Book Award for it.

John Lundberg

Writer, Poetry teacher

Clifton's poems are accessible and unpretentious, short and sparse, eschewing capitalization and, often, punctuation. They also speak volumes.

Christopher Lydon

Host of Open Source from Brown University

Keith Waldrop eschews any intention or meaning that you could point to in his work. He makes statements here and there, but his poetry, he's said, is about "having nothing to say and saying it."

Bruce Harris

Publishing Consultant

Alfred A Knopf is probably looking down from book heaven, stroking his luxuriant mustaches and smiling with delight at yet another Knopf prize winner.

Nick Antosca

Writer and novelist

The Book Expo America organizers should watch and learn from the National Book Foundation's 5 under 35 event, which took place Monday night at Brooklyn's PowerHouse Arena.

Steve Leveen

CEO and co-founder of Levenger, Writer

Choose the best book of award-winning fiction of the past 60 years? Impossible! Yes, but let's do it anyway.