Today’s post is something new. I’d really like your feedback on this: do you like it? Should we do more of this from time to time?

Inspired by two of my favorite bloggers, Mitch Joel and Chris Brogan, both of whom blog about social media and interactive marketing, we present you with Pixelated: A Virtual Book Conference. Mitch had the idea to present a virtual conference through videos that are available online, and Chris had the idea to spread the idea further among the blog world. You can “attend” this conference from your desk or living room softa, at your convenience, watching all of the videos at once, or in dribs and drabs.

I’ve always thought that there should be a huge book conference with author panels and publishers and sessions that would appeal to the general book reader who is not in the publishing industry. So this is my attempt to bring one to you here on our blog. Some of these videos are quite short, and others are an hour long. These are some of my favorite books right now, and I hope you enjoy this peek into the authors’ worlds.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is one of those books that I can’t stop thinking (or talking) about. Sadly, author Stieg Larsson died shortly after the novel was first published in Sweden. Here, Sonny Mehta, publisher of Knopf, talks about the book. (00:04:06)

Richard Russo on his latest novel, Bridge of Sighs, which has just been published in paperback. Bridge of Sighs was my favorite book of 2008. (00:11:21)

Dexter Filkins, author of The Forever War, tells us about his experiences in Afghanistan and Iraq, and about his incredible book. This is one of my current favorites, and I spoke about it on Books on the Nightstand podcast episode #13 (01:05:33)

Michael Greenberg talks about being a writer, and about Hurry Down Sunshine, a memoir of his daughter Sally’s “crackup” at the age of 15. Heartbreaking and poignant, the video gives you an unvarnished look at a family dealing with mental illness. (00:04:58)

As our nation discusses and obsesses about politics, author Stephen Carter brings us Palace Council, a novel about politics in another time. (00:01:40)

One of the most unusual novels published this year is The Gone-Away World, by Nick Harkaway. It is unusual not just in terms of content, but it is one of the most unique book jackets I’ve ever seen or felt. Those of you in the United States must take a look at the book in a bookstore. Nick, the son of novelist John LeCarre, talks here about making the transition from film scriptwriter to novelist. (00:02:00)

So what do you think? Would you like to see more of these “virtual conferences?” Would you like more videos, longer ones, shorter ones? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments._______________________________

(all information is the U.S. editions)