At 3 Guys 1 Book, John Minichillo writes about the process of creating his novel The Snow Whale.

• At The Book Bench, Macy Halford looks at the petition to lower St. Marks Bookshop’s rent [which one can sign here] and examines What It All Means.

• Lauren Beukes on the ways in which art has entered her novel Zoo City.

• We gather that some of you are fans of the television program Downton Abbey; thus, you may find this profile of its creator Julian Fellowes interesting. Particularly of note: the reason why his mother-in-law calls him “Evelyn.”

• Based on these excerpts, Kevin Avery’s Conversations with Clint: Paul Nelson’s Lost Interviews with Clint Eastwood – 1979-1983 has our interest piqued.