In what can be seen as a well-timed follow-up to the story about the English novelist who quit in favour of becoming a teacher, The New York Times too did ask:  is there too much pressure on authors?

This is no doubt a hot-topic with debates flying all around the internet.

In Writer’s Cramp: In the E-Reader Era, a Book a Year Is Slacking, The NYT explores publishing and says the once-normal 'book a year' is now out, in favour of two books per year.

Coupled with the fact that authors also have to maintain websites, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, write short stories for release about six weeks before their novels PLUS find time to, you know, have a life/families/etc - some are asking is it little wonder authors like the English author above are quitting?

The e-book age has accelerated the metabolism of book publishing, the article says. The push for ...

An article is doing the rounds on Facebook - an article about a UK fantasy author, Ms Steph Swainston, who is quitting the book writing bizz in favour of becoming a chemistry teacher.

It's an interesting article and I'd recommend you to have a read.

I have to admit I was shaking my head when I was reading it, but, of course, I'm reading this article through the eyes of someone who wants to be in her position: what do you mean you don't like the deadlines? I'd kill to have deadlines! What do you mean you don't want to put out a book a year? I'd sell my soul to put out a book a year. What do you mean you hate the isolation? Bring it on! I'd give anything not to have to deal with poo-filled nappies or crying five-year-olds and ...

Awful news to discover that Maurice Sendak, author of Where The Wild Things Are among many other books, died on Tuesday after suffering a stroke on Friday.

You should check-out this tribute to Sendak, 'Live Your Life, Live Your Life, Live Your Life' which is just beautiful.

The LA Times also has comprehensive coverage, as do most newspapers.

Here's ten quotes from him. One that made me smile was:

"Once a little boy sent me a charming card with a little drawing on it. I loved it. I answer all my children’s letters, sometimes very hastily, but this one I lingered over. I sent him a card and I drew a picture of a Wild Thing on it. I wrote, 'Dear Jim: I loved your card.' Then I got a letter back from his mother, and she said, 'Jim loved your card so much ...