Programming for book lovers

I confess, the posting has been sparse this week; that's what happens when Moxie takes over your life. I'm not complaining, however. If nothing else, this beck and call to tell my own story, in the context of Moxie, has yielded the world's first concise, but complete history of the enigmatic drink that Mainers (and others) either love, or hate. That, in and of itself, makes my project worthwhile.

I just wanted to let others know about Titlepage.tv. It was Mary Herman, membership director of Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance, in her weekly E-Newsletter to members that made me aware of this provocative new Internet-based talk show, where four authors, sans commercials, are given an hour to talk about books they've written.

My first foray into Titlepage.tv makes me want to revisit. The episode I viewed, their third one, was their first all non-fiction gathering. "The Horror! The Horror!" features David Hajdu, David Gilmour, Louis Masur and Mary Roach (who has written a book called Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex, which is, yes, all about sex, but as the title intimates, with a unique take on the subject).

The beauty of the Internet format, is that you can watch episodes at your leisure, like late at night, or while taking a break from your writing, which is always appreciated by anyone on a deadline. If the first month is any indication (55,000 viewers), co-founders Lina Matta and Odile Isralson may have something on their hands. So much for the prediction of reading's demise.

Calling themselves a "virtual soapbox" and "a 21st century version of the Algonquin Round Table," it's smart programming for sophisticated types.