Fussy’s favorites: The first half of December 2022

It’s easy to miss the occasional post or two online, so we’ve rounded up some of the highlights from our reader blog the past two weeks.

Awards season

• "Goblin mode," "permacrisis" are 2022 words of the year 

• Find out which book won the Oddest Book Title of the Year 

• Read the worst opening line to a novel

Misery loves company

• Debut author bummed by her book event learns she's far from alone 

• Match the rejection letter to the (later) successful book 

Meet our authors 

• Interview with Alyn Troy 

• Interview with Samman Akbarzada

Raised eyebrows 

• Expert: 2 letters supposedly from Dickens are forgeries 

• Russian soldier's memoir deal comes under intense scrutiny 

Artificial intelligence

• AI storytelling for children 

• Contest offers $300 for using AI to solve epic literary puzzle

Potpourri 

• Markings in 8th-century English manuscript are finally revealed 

• Jason Reynolds reflects on his time as ambassador for young people's literature 

• A sobering look at the US adults who struggle to -- or can't -- read