My favorite things I’ve stumbled across while hanging out on the Internet this week:

1. How To Write A Query Letter – I’m getting closer and closer to sending my first book out to agents, in hopes that it snags someone’s interest and leads to a publishing contract. To that end, I’ve been reading a lot about querying and writings blurbs and synopses and the like. Let me know what you think of this article – and if you have any great advice!

2. AgentQuery – Of course before I can send out a query letter, I need to know whom to query! Several blogs mentioned this site, which gives tips on writing query letters, true, but also is a great resource for numerous other writerly-related things, such as finding an agent and info on publishing.

3. Jerry Seinfeld’s Productivity Secret – A friend sent this to me after I mentioned on Facebook that I’m walking more and more to build up endurance for my upcoming whirlwind trip to London. I love it, and it’s very applicable to writing, as well. And now that I realize I’ve neither walked nor written any fiction today, it’s clear I need to follow Mr. Seinfeld’s advice!

4. The Beauty of Highgate Cemetery – Speaking of London, these gorgeous photographs of Highgate Cemetery, located in London, caught my eye. I’d love to go walking amongst the grave markers there, but in truth because Highgate was founded AFTER the Regency period, it’s more likely I’ll limit myself to enjoying these pictures.

5. How Historical Figures Would Have Looked Today – Ever wonder what Queen Elizabeth, Marie Antoinette, or William Shakespeare would look like if they were running around in our time period? Would you recognize them on the street? I’ve often played this game with the early American presidents, trying to picture them without those puffy wigs, but here digital artists actually make this imaging reality, showing us some famous people in modern garb.

6. 22 Things That Belong in Every Bookworm’s Dream Home – Which of these strikes your fancy? All of them? Personally I’m most envious of number 4, but I’d love many of the others, too!

7. 40 Shirtless Guys In Kilts – Yes! It’s completely gratuitous! I could pretend I’m doing research for future novel covers, but let’s be real – I just like pretty things. Even if I’m pretty sure the Ewan McGregor one is photoshopped.

1. Facebook Groups for Indie Writers – Isn’t the internet amazing? Not only does it aid immensely in researching for writing, but it also connects authors in invaluable ways. Here’s a nice list of Facebook groups specifically geared toward indie authors. I have not checked all of them out – let me know if any are particularly wonderful.

2. 32 Books Guaranteed to Make You Laugh Out Loud – Wow, that’s quite a promise. How many have you read? Did they live up to this claim? I don’t want to admit I’ve read only 3 (hey, many more are on my ever-growing To-Read list), but I have to admit, The Princess Bride cracked me up and more than lived up to my high expectations, given that its movie version is my favorite film of all time.

3. La Belle Assemblée Links – I love Rachel Knowles’ Regency blog, with good reason; she provides concise, informative explanations and snippets about Regency life. Here she has gathered all the links she is aware of to online versions of the popular Regency fashion magazine, La Belle Assemblée. Hooray! More fashion pics for me to add to my Pinterest boards!

4. Top Ten Monsters of the Middle Ages – It’s almost Halloween; this seems like an apt time to explore the monster of the medieval period. Dragons and unicorns and giants, oh my!

5. Ten Ways to Annihilate Fear – Now that those medieval monsters have got you quaking in your boots, here are 10 ways to banish those worries. Well, O.K., maybe it would be more helpful to apply these things to modern dilemmas, but still…

6. Study: Read Romance, Be Sensitive – Do the result of this study, that people who read romance tend to be more sensitive to emotions in others, surprise you? It doesn’t me, but then again, I’m probably biased.

7. Colin Firth Was Supposed to Be What? – Yes, and now to leave all of my fellow Pride & Prejudice fans with something to drool over, read this to find out how that lake scene was really supposed to go down.