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See, the thing is, we really liked Special Topics in Calamity Physics. We're suckers for anything remotely The Secret History-ish, we thought it was an impressively well-constructed mystery, and we liked the endearingly amateurish quality lent by Pessl's doodley illustrations. And we truly, honestly think that it's unfair to be prejudiced against writers because they happen to be book hot, Steve Madden ad hot, or college admissions brochure hot (unless they're Ben Kunkel). So today, when we read Meghan O'Rourke's criticism of Pessl's selection to the NYTBR top 10 books of the year, we felt almost like we needed to defend Pessl against O'Rourke.

But then we flipped open the January issue of Glamour, and realized that there is just no point, because we'll never be able to defend Pessl against her worst enemy: herself.

Contrary to popular belief, not all writers dress like boring librarians. Who ever said that you can't be serious, smart, creative, and incredibly fashionable? That's why I like this as an alternative to a boring old suit. It makes me feel so confident — perfect for negotiating my next book deal!

Also: in this picture? Eliminated first episode of Top Model Cycle hot.

Earlier: Gawker's Coverage of Marisha Pessl