Want to know Pulitzer Prize winning author Jennifer Egan’s secret? Perseverance. In an interview on The Days Of Yore blog, the author of A Visit from the Goon Squad, talked about her writing experiences and gave tips for young writers.

Here is an excerpt from the interview: “My advice is so basic. Number one: Read. I feel like it’s amazing how many people I know who want to be writers who don’t really read. I’m not convinced someone wants to be a writer if they don’t read. I don’t think the problem is that they need to read more; I think they might need to readjust their life goals. Reading is the nourishment that lets you do interesting work. To be reading good things. I feel that you should be reading what you want to write. Nothing less.”

To read the entire interview, follow this link.

Via Flavorwire.

Greg Mortenson‘s former climbing partner, Scott Darsney, sent an email to Outside magazine entitled “Three Cups of Tea Is Not Diminished by One Cup of WikiLeaks.” Darsney was one of the sources Jon Krakauer used to write his essay, ”Three Cups of Deceit”–an essay alleging that the author fabricated parts of his memoirs.

Mortenson (pictured, via) wrote about a 1993 visit to the village of Korphe in his memoir, Three Cups of Tea. In the email, Darsney wrote that during the 1993 climb up K2 mountain Mortenson had gotten lost but returned half-a-day later. He theorizes that it’s plausible Mortenson may have been in Korphe during that time.

Here’s an excerpt from Darsney’s email: “If Jon Krakauer and some of Greg’s detractors had taken the time to have three or more cups of tea with Greg and others—instead of one cup of tea with a select few who would discredit him—they would have found some minor problems and transgressions. But to the extent to call it all ‘lies’ and ‘fraud’? No way. They would have come to very different conclusions. It takes a lot longer than one journalistic research cycle to have three cups of tea with someone.”

The Mystery Writers of America have revealed the winners of this year’s Edgar Awards. The annual prize is named after beloved writer Edgar Allan Poe, awarded to the best authors in the mystery genre since 1945.

These awards recognize the following categories: novel, first novel, paperback original, fact crime, critical/biographical, short story, juvenile, young adult, play, and TV episode.

Last year’s winners included John Hart, Stefanie Pintoff, and Mary Downing Hahn. Follow the jump to see this year’s winners in a few of the top categories.

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Struggling to finish a draft of your script before the end of the month? Join a Facebook screenwriting group for inspiration.

We’ve found a huge list of groups, ranging from SCREENWRITING to Basic Screenwriting. Be sure to check out the BlueCat Fellini Awards at the BlueCat Screenwriting group.

To help all the aspiring screenwriters, comic book writers, and playwrights participating in the Script Frenzy writing marathon, we will feature a new script writing tool or tip every day this month. Read all the advice at this link.

In honor of National Poetry Month, we dug up an animated video of children’s author Lewis Carroll reading his poem, “Jabberwocky.”

The poem originated in Carroll’s novel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, the sequel to Alice in Wonderland.

The poetryreincarnations channel on YouTube features videos where great poets are “reincarnated” through animation to read some of the most celebrated poetry of all time. Check it out and you’ll find clips with Sylvia Plath, Walt Whitman, and Emily Dickinson.

Horrific tornadoes ripped through the south yesterday, killing 151 people in Alabama. Author Shiloh Walker has launched a fundraiser to help the communities hit by tornadoes in Alabama yesterday.

Leave a comment at her blog, and the author will turn your comment into a donation to United Way of Central Alabama.

Here’s more from the post: “yesterday massive storms hit the south. A tornado nearly a mile wide was reported to tear through Birmingham. I read somewhere that one entire town was wiped off the map. Because I want to do something to help, I’m going to make you help me do it. For every comment I get up to 100, I’m donating a buck to the United Way of Central Alabama. Comments must be made here at my blog, though, not via FB-just makes it easier to keep up.”

Hachette Book Group will launch a new faith imprint in summer 2012 called Jericho Books. The imprint will be based in the company’s Nashville division.

Wendy Grisham has been named vice president and publisher. Since 2007, she has served as director of publicity for Hachette UK’s faith imprint, Hodder Faith.

Here’s more from the press release: “The mission of Jericho Books is to seek new, innovative authors who reflect a growing change in the church. These non-traditional voices will appeal to the fresh perspectives in today’s culture and provide an avenue for those exploring political and social issues as they relate to faith.”

Writers from around the West Coast gathered in Santa Monica last night for our first Mediabistro Book club in California. Writers, aspiring authors and readers mingled beside the pool at the Viceroy Santa Monica Hotel.

Follow this link to see photos from the event–all photos were taken by Bea Lamar. In the photo embedded above, author and typographer Denis Wood posed with his new book, Everything Sings. Below, we’ve posted a picture of Victoria Patterson posing with her book, This Vacant Paradise.

Both of these writer will also appear at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books this weekend. This GalleyCat editor will report on the event all weekend long.

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International Thriller Writers named Goosebumps author R.L. Stine (pictured, via) Thrillermaster for the ThrillerFest VI. Stine recently launched the Hall of Horrors series with book one, Claws, in March.

In addition, Fall of Giants author Ken Follett will be teaching a novel writing class during the CraftFest portion of the annual conference. The conference will also feature AgentFest–a two-hour period where aspiring writers can pitch their proposals in three-minute sessions. Sixty agents have agreed to participate.

Other special guests who will be in attendance include authors Robert Crais, Diana Gabaldon, and John Lescroart. The event will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City from July 6th to July 9th.

Before you finish your script this month, double-check that you don’t make these ten common mistakes spotted by script consultant Dave Trottier.

Here’s one tip: “[Avoid] descriptions of things that cannot appear on the movie screen. For example: ‘John knew what he had to do, but he recalled the words of his aging mother which made him hesitate.’ John’s thoughts, feelings, insights, and inner turmoil cannot appear on the movie screen by just describing them as action. You should instead describe actions, gestures, facial expressions, and sounds that help communicate to the reader what is going on inside of John.”

To help all the aspiring screenwriters, comic book writers, and playwrights participating in the Script Frenzy writing marathon, we will feature a new script writing tool or tip every day this month. Read all the advice at this link.