Literature

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  • Red Spectres: Russian Gothic Tales from the Twentieth Century translated by Muireann Maguire

    Bookslut
    7 May 2013 | 4:53 am
    maguire muireann red spectres

  • 10 myths about authors as explored by...an author.

    The Penguin Blog
    The Penguin Blog
    14 May 2013 | 10:28 am
    Joanna Rossiter is the author of The Sea Change (her first novel). She grew up in Dorset and studied English at Cambridge University before working as a researcher in the House of Commons and as a copy writer. In 2011 she completed an MA in Writing at Warwick University. She lives and writes in London. Last week The Sea Change was announced as one of the Richard and Judy Summer 2013 Book Club titles. Here Joanna expands on some common misconceptions about the wonderful world of writers. The Sea Change by Joanna Rossiter 1.    Being an author is glamorous. Before I had managed to write a…

  • I Want To Live Here | Best Writing of the Week

    Johann Thorsson
    Johann Thorsson
    14 May 2013 | 2:01 pm
    I’m about to finish Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus. It is a fantastic book that I put off reading for far too long. While reading it on the bus this afternoon I came across a passage that described the room I want to spend all my days in. Fix yourself a cup of tea, or get a glass of red wine and put a stack of books on the table next to you, just to get in the right mood. I’ll wait. Celia Bowen sits at a desk surrounded by piles of books. She ran out of space for her library some time ago, but instead of making the room larger she has opted to let the books become the…

  • John Lanchester: Google Glass

    London Review of Books
    22 May 2013 | 4:00 pm

  • ArtsBeat: More Staff Members Leave Granta

    NYT > Books
    By JENNIFER SCHUESSLER
    24 May 2013 | 1:54 pm
    The publisher of the magazine’s book imprint, Philip Gwyn Jones, is leaving, the latest in a string of departures.    
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    NYT > Books

  • ArtsBeat: More Staff Members Leave Granta

    By JENNIFER SCHUESSLER
    24 May 2013 | 1:54 pm
    The publisher of the magazine’s book imprint, Philip Gwyn Jones, is leaving, the latest in a string of departures.    

  • TBR: Inside the List

    By GREGORY COWLES
    24 May 2013 | 10:12 am
    Crime sellers in the spotlight and Dan Brown’s “Inferno” makes its debut on the hardcover fiction list at No. 1.    

  • Maria Semple: By the Book

    24 May 2013 | 9:27 am
    The author of “Where’d You Go, Bernadette” calls Franzen her “big daddy” — “My favorite kind of book is a domestic drama that’s grounded in reality yet slightly unhinged.”    

  • ArtsBeat: Book Review Podcast: Lamenting Defectors, Soviet and Otherwise

    By THE NEW YORK TIMES
    24 May 2013 | 9:19 am
    Elliott Holt discusses her novel “You Are One of Them”; Rick Atkinson discusses his “The Guns at Last Light”; Julie Bosman has notes from the field; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news.    

  • ‘Between My Father and the King,’ by Janet Frame

    By ALISON McCULLOCH
    24 May 2013 | 8:46 am
    Janet Frame was saved from undergoing a lobotomy when a book of her stories won a local literary prize.    
 
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    Salon.com

  • Twitter talks back: Obama’s missed salute

    24 May 2013 | 2:51 pm
    Boarding his helicopter today, President Obama gave a rather lackluster salute to the attending Marine. The President then realized his mistake or was made aware of it and returned to shake the Marine's hand. A few Twitter users took this as an invitation to share their opinion:[embedtweet id="337953875556450304"] [embedtweet id="337995871977349121"] [embedtweet id="338040343922606080"] [embedtweet id="337937502692327424"] [embedtweet id="337944382034546688"] [embedtweet id="338036553475571712"] [embedtweet id="333281623963492352"] [embedtweet id="338042303199457281"] [embedtweet…

  • Fox executive behind “Does Someone Have to Go?” leaving the network

    24 May 2013 | 1:55 pm
    Evidently, he was the one who had to go.Mike Darnell, Fox's President of Alternative Entertainment, is leaving the network, Fox said via press release.Darnell was the executive responsible for reality series like "American Idol" and "The X Factor" -- as well as the series which debuted last night, "Does Someone Have to Go?," which asks office workers to decide which of their colleagues should be fired. Writing for Salon, Willa Paskin called it "a vile show," noting "Obviously, someone does have to go, but it really should be all the cameras."Aside from the two singing-themed reality series --…

  • Mobile Entertainment: 9 Amazing Drive-In Movie Theaters Still Standing

    24 May 2013 | 1:26 pm
    As roadside relics of Americana long thought extinct, a handful of drive-in movie theaters have, much like the films they (double) feature to this day, stood the test of time.Good luck finding them, however.Nostalgic audiences jaded with the spectacle of IMAX screens, inflated ticket prices and sticky flooring, luckily, can still sniff out these surviving time capsules, and we’re here to help. See where you can motor on over to catch current and classic films alike, all from the comfort of your own car.Because the only thing cooler than an air-conditioned auditorium is watching “Back to…

  • Developers evict historic women’s shelter to build luxury hotel

    24 May 2013 | 1:24 pm
    For more than a century, the Anna Louise Inn provided housing for women fleeing abusive relationships, recovering from drug and alcohol addiction or escaping forced sex work. This month, the historic Cincinnati safe house gave up a two-year legal battle against a Fortune 500 insurance company looking to buy the building and convert it into a luxury hotel.After running out of money to sustain the legal battle and viewing the ongoing litigation as a distraction from its core service mission, the Anna Louise Inn accepted the sale last week and will move to another location. The Western &…

  • Guantánamo prisoner on hunger strike cries for help on Twitter

    24 May 2013 | 1:10 pm
    Shaker Aamer, a Guantanamo Bay prisoner who is on day 107 of a hunger strike along with 102 of his fellow inmates, was cleared for release six years ago from the Guantanamo Bay military detention camp. Although he was imprisoned before Twitter was invented, his lawyer says he's quite aware and appreciative of the social media support for #OpGTMO and his case in particular.Aware enough, in fact, to take a page from weev's book and tweet from prison (via intermediaries).Unclassified (please retweet): Shaker Aamer would like everyone to call US Embassy 020 7499-9000 to demand action on…
 
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    The Book Designer

  • Direct Marketing, Scottsdale Arizona, and Why a $10 Ebook Can Change Your Life

    Joel Friedlander
    24 May 2013 | 12:22 am
    One of the first things I did when I started my blog was write “foundation posts.” These posts—on basic concepts, terms, and processes in your field—are really important to build on as you continue to develop content for your blog. Along with the posts on book design and book construction, I wrote an article about what should be on your copyright page. It’s a simple topic but necessary for self-publishers to get right, and over the years I’ve linked back to that post on many occasions. That’s one of the great things about foundation posts—they…

  • Wednesday Mailbag: Answers to 18 Self-Publishing Questions

    Joel Friedlander
    22 May 2013 | 12:01 am
    Once in a while I like to reach into the Mailbag and answer some of the many self-publishing questions I get every day. Here’s a representative sampling from the last few months. If this inspires you to ask your own question, go ahead and leave it in the comments where everyone will be able to profit from the exchange. Q: When typing my manuscript I have it double spaced, but when it’s in print or on Kindle, what’s the spacing? The reason I ask is I’m trying to decided on the size, so as not to make it too bulky. It appears to me that it looks like 1.5? A: We…

  • Planning Your Book Launch, an IBPA Webinar

    Joel Friedlander
    21 May 2013 | 11:49 pm
    This is very short notice, but I’ll be giving a webinar this morning for the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). In this webinar we’ll take a look at the part your book launch plays within your marketing plan the multitude of ways you can leverage your launch my “sane survival” model for launching your book seven keys that will guide you through the launch However, this webinar is taking place this morning, Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific time. If you can make it, check out the details and register here: Planning Your Book Launch, an IBPA…
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    book-blog.com

  • April 2013: Book notices

    Debra Hamel
    30 Apr 2013 | 6:00 pm
    Richard Russo's Kindle Single Nate in Venice tells the story of Nate's visit to Venice with a group that includes his older brother Julian. In something like 90 pages Russo manages to tell enough of the brothers' backstory to flesh out the relationship fully. And he hints enough at their likely future for us to fill in the blanks. My first thought was that the book ended a bit too abruptly. Now I'm not so sure. Maybe I just wasn't prepared for it because I hadn't realized I was so close to finished: Russo certainly doesn't leave the story unfinished. Definitely recommended.

  • March 2013: Book notices

    Debra Hamel
    1 Apr 2013 | 7:29 am
    John Rector's Kindle Single Lost Things is a story about what happens after a pair of friends are attacked one night on a deserted street. It's an exciting and fast read, though the ending seemed to me too abrupt. But the Single did its job. It introduced me to an author I'd never heard of before, and I've now downloaded a sample of Rector's novel Already Gone to my Kindle. Pretty much every man, woman, and child in beautiful Pagford and its ugly, socioeconomically depressed appendage known as "The Fields" lives a miserable existence. Children hate parents, spouses hate spousees, everyone is…

  • February 2013: Book notices

    Debra Hamel
    28 Feb 2013 | 1:39 pm
    Red Eye's Greg Gutfeld is very smart and very funny, and what he has to say in The Joy of Hate about the abuses of the modern culture of tolerance will make most readers angry--or should. I don't think his humor comes across as well in print as it does on TV. If you're a regular watcher you won't have problems reading the book in his voice, but people new to him may find references to transgendered unicorns and the like rather strange. The Thief is the bleak story about the bleak life of a skillful Japanese pickpocket. The point of the whole thing seems to be that, at least for some--maybe…

  • January 2013: Book notices

    Debra Hamel
    31 Jan 2013 | 6:00 pm
    Mr. Monk Gets Even (2012) is the 15th book in the Monk series and the last one that Lee Goldberg will be writing. (I see from Amazon that Hy Conrad will be continuing the series.) So, a bittersweet read, as I've enjoyed the series for many years now. This one wasn't quite as funny or even quite as moving as some have been in the past, but it did wrap things up well--wrapped up, at least, as the end of an era rather than of the whole series. I won't give anything away, but Mr. Monk does get even, at least for now: given a universe as unbalanced as ours, things are likely to become odd for…

  • December 2012: Book notices

    Debra Hamel
    31 Dec 2012 | 7:00 pm
    Frank Welsh, Building the Trireme (1988). I read this one for my current project, but, unusually, I really did read it cover to cover. Welsh was one of the three men who came up with the idea, in the early 1980s, of building a reconstruction of an ancient Athenian trireme. The others were ancient historian John Morrison and John Coates, a naval architect. Coates designed a ship based on Morrison's ideas, and the trireme was built by the Greek navy and launched in 1987. A series of trials at sea followed during which the capabilities of the vessel were tested. Welsh tells the background story…
 
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    Chronicle Books Blog

  • From the Chronicle Kitchen: The Little Paris Kitchen

    Alexis Watts
    22 May 2013 | 4:25 pm
    That One Time I Made Cheese. Bonjour Mes Amis! Have you missed me? M’avez-vous manquer? Fear not – for I have returned, for (sadly) the last installment of the Lexie/Rachel Project. If you are joining us for the first time, you may not know that I have been on a culinary journey of sorts with The Little Paris Kitchen as my guide. Think Julie/Julia but in a California set, awkward 20-something kinda way, ya dig? You can catch up by checking out my first and second adventures if you like. Today will be about that one time I made Cheese. No really, I did, for reals, make cheese. Why this…

  • From the Design Desk: Midcentury Children’s Books

    Allison Weiner
    20 May 2013 | 12:33 pm
    As I get ready to be a new mom (now T-minus 2 months), I find myself swimming in diaper decisions, car seat queries, and the like. There’s one pure delight amidst all the slogs through online round-ups and reviews, and that’s picking out what I’m going to read to the little tyke. I’ve always had a soft spot for vintage children’s books. Last year I blogged about late nineteenth century picture books, and lately I’ve been obsessed with children’s books from the 1950s and ‘60s, especially essentially plotless ones where the illustrations take center stage. A Kiss is Round, from…

  • The Art of Chronicle Books HQ Clean Up

    Peter Perez
    17 May 2013 | 7:06 pm
    The staff of Chronicle Books was so lucky to get to meet Ursus Wehrli, author of international bestseller The Art of Clean Up last month when he was in San Francisco as a presenter at the TYPO International Design Talk. His visit was a special occurrence, since Ursus, based in Zurich, has an incredibly busy year-round performance schedule. Perhaps you saw this profile the New York Times featured about him in the Home & Garden section in March. We invited Ursus to our offices so he could meet the team who’s been working quite successfully to spread the Art of Clean Up word throughout…

  • In Memory

    Laura Lee Mattingly
    16 May 2013 | 4:23 pm
    The Chronicle community is heartbroken over the loss of one of our beloved authors today. Kathreen Ricketson was an incredibly talented quilter, pillar of the online craft community, inspiring blogger, and devoted wife and mother. Kathreen dedicated her work to fostering community. As she says in Little Bits Quilting Bee, the craft community is about “learning together, sharing ideas, and helping each other.” Let’s all continue to be inspired by Kathreen. Let’s make stuff and share it. Learn and connect. Tap into the power of craft and creativity to bring us together. In the spirit of…

  • From the Chronicle Kitchen: Roots

    Diane Morgan
    15 May 2013 | 9:00 am
    Big congratulations to our guest blogger for this week, Diane Morgan—winner of 2013 IACP and James Beard Foundation cookbook awards! (She is also the author of 17 other cookbooks.) Roots has been included on lists of featured cookbooks for 2012 by The New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, The Seattle Times, Epicurious.com, and The Daily Meal.com. Finding Our Roots by Diane Morgan I was young when the back-to-the-earth natural foods movement of the 1960s started. When Frances Moore Lappe’s seminal book, Diet for a Small Planet, was published in 1971,…
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    My Book Club

  • Who wants to Think Like a Rockstar?

    Peg
    2 May 2013 | 11:30 pm
    Why have customers when you can have FANS? This is the message of Mack Collier’s book Think Like a Rockstar: How to Create Social Media and Marketing Strategies that Turn Customers into Fans. We were so excited to have Mack Collier join us on #MyBookClub! Here is a Storify summary of the chat. (refresh if the [...]
 
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    800 CEO Read

  • 24 May 2013 | 11:34 am

    dylan
    24 May 2013 | 11:34 am
    Tweet➻ Laura Hazard Owen has Six book publishing lessons from Open Road Media’s first three years up at paidContent that are relevant for everyone working in the industry. (I especially like their approach to video.) But the big takeaway for me was that, five years after leaving her job as CEO of HarperCollins, Jane Friedman thinks the future is bright for the small guys in publishing: The fact that Friedman built her company before ebooks had really taken off helped it get its footing and get ahold of digital rights that big publishers hadn’t yet focused on. Nearly four years in, it…

  • Hidden in Plain Sight

    Sally
    23 May 2013 | 12:16 pm
    Tweet It must be a lot of pressure to live up to the billing of “James Bond of design research” and the “Indiana Jones of technology for the developing world.” I mean, what do you wear? A tux with a dusty brimmed hat? Action adventure movie references aside, Chipchase takes us on a rollicking global adventure in his new book, Hidden in Plain Sight: How to Create Extraordinary Products for Tomorrow’s Customers, which hit the bookshelves in April. Design research, Chipchase explains in his first chapter, “Crossing State (of Mind) Lines,” concerns itself…

  • Ctrl Alt Delete

    Jon
    22 May 2013 | 7:59 am
    TweetThere’s a certain urgency to the new book by Mitch Joel, Ctrl Alt Delete: Reboot Your Business. Reboot Your Life. Your Future Depends On It. Its sentiment has also been expressed by authors such as Gary Vaynerchuk: Business is changing and if you don’t keep up, you’ll be left behind. And that’s putting it nicely. What Joel is saying is that if we don’t change, our companies will go out of business, and we ourselves will become unemployable. Scary stuff, yes, but the good news is the book has the answers to avoid these problems. Both Joel (and authors like…

  • KnowledgeBlocks Giveaway: The One Thing

    Sally
    21 May 2013 | 7:25 am
    Tweet If I were to ask my husband to make a “to-do” list of the things he wants to get done over the weekend, the list would top out at around 20 items. On it would be anything from cleaning out the garage and going to the bank…to moving our garden to the east side of the yard and building a new set of stairs. Over the 16 years we’ve been married, I’ve been a witness to his inability to whittle that list down to something manageable many times, and the inevitable result that he gets none of those 20 things done because he is overwhelmed and distracted. He wants…

  • Reinventing You

    Michael
    20 May 2013 | 10:39 am
    Tweet“What do people think of you? What do they say when you leave the room?” Maybe you don’t think you have a brand. Hopefully you don’t think that. As Dorie Clark demonstrates in her new book, Reinventing You, taking control of your professional future hinges on your acceptance and understanding of your current brand, and your ability to take control of where that brand is going. OK—we can call it a reputation, if that makes you feel better. As Clark points out early on, we simply can’t afford to disregard the impact that our personal brand has on our success. The idea that you…
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    Charles Petzold

  • Two Outstanding Documentaries

    17 May 2013 | 12:00 pm
    In December 2008 — between the election of Barack Obama and his inauguration — the Bush administration decided to give a farewell present to the oil industry by selling off drilling rights on parcels of public land in Utah's pristine redrock area. A 27-year-old environmental activist and University of Utah student named Tim DeChristopher showed up at the auction, was asked if he had come to bid, said that he was, and was given a bidding paddle with the number 70. ... more ...

  • Don’t Just Read “The Great Gatsby”

    10 May 2013 | 5:00 am
    Something like the fifth movie version of The Great Gatsby is opening today, but it's silly to actually go see such a thing. The novel itself is quite short. You can probably read it in less time than it would take to go and see the movie, and you'll emerge from the experience much more fulfilled and satisfied because you'll have read F. Scott Fitzgerald's original novel rather what appears to be — at least judging from the trailers — a crazed 3D monstrosity by Baz Luhrmann. ... more ...

  • A Data Binding to the Text Property of Run?

    15 Apr 2013 | 5:03 am
    Sometimes a programmer will encounter a situation where it's convenient to embed a changeable data value in a paragraph of text, and for this paragraph to re-wrap itself when the text representation of this data value acquires a different character width. ... more ...

  • Spinning a Record Like a DJ in Windows 8

    2 Apr 2013 | 3:44 am
    Windows 8 has some exceptionally powerful facilities for working with sound, and in the latest installment of the DirectX Factor column in MSDN Magazine I show how to display a file picker that allows you to select an MP3 or WMA file from your Windows 8 Music Library, display cover art as well as album and artist information, load and decode the file using the Media Foundation APIs, and shovel the resultant audio buffers into XAudio2 voices to play back the file. ... more ...

  • Fast Map Zooming Using DirectX

    9 Mar 2013 | 4:00 am
    Do you know that movie that starts out with a far-off view of Earth from outer space, and then the camera seems to move in closer and closer as if you're heading towards Earth in a rocket, and in what seems to be one continuous take you plunge through the clouds and go straight down to the Earth's surface, with more and more detail quickly coming into view, and then you zoom right into someone's backyard, and two people are sitting by the side of a swimming pool, and one of them is dead? ... more ...
 
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    The Millions

  • A Taste of Saudade

    Thomas Beckwith
    24 May 2013 | 1:00 pm
    A few months ago, I wrote about Norwegian Granta, which included stories by Jennifer Egan, Roberto Bolano and Alice Munro in its first issue. Now the magazine is launching Granta Portugal, which debuts with five sonnets by the poet Fernando Pessoa. Related posts: Next Up, Denmark After waking us up to their favorite Brazilian novelists, the... The Best Single Issue of Any Literary Magazine, Ever What is the best single issue of any literary magazine?... Poetic Doubles: A Review of Jose Saramago’s The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis Zach Brennan is staff writer for two health…

  • Kid-Friendly

    Thomas Beckwith
    24 May 2013 | 11:00 am
    Masha Gessen (who recently agreed to write a book on the Boston bombers) told a journalist in New Zealand she’s “probably” moving out of Russia. Why? “It’s one thing to bring up your kids in a place that’s risky and difficult; I think in many ways it’s enriching them, and I’m glad my kids have that experience,” she said. “It’s another thing to bring up your kids in a place that’s hopeless. “ Related posts: To Teach a Kid How to Read, Teach a Kid How to Think If you have not been paying attention to trends in... Nicholson Baker and Friendly’s Nicholson Baker…

  • Neuroscience and Creativity

    Sonya Chung
    24 May 2013 | 10:59 am
    Over at Bloom, Dr. Francine Toder—a retired psychotherapist and author of The Vintage Years, who learned to play the cello in her 60s—writes about the neuroscience studies that support creative blooming in later life.  Check out also this excerpt from The Vintage Years. Related posts: On Creativity and Psychiatry Good news for you! If you’re a creative person, you’re... This is your brain on metaphor Annie Murphy Paul looks to neuroscience to understand the pleasure... The Science of Language and Creativity At the Philadelphia Inquirer, neurologists look at cases where serious...

  • Orwell in Burma

    Thomas Beckwith
    24 May 2013 | 9:00 am
    Three weeks ago, Vishwas Gaitonde wrote a piece for us about a house in India once owned by the family of George Orwell. Now, in the Times, Jane Perlez pays a visit to Burma, where Orwell served in the Imperial Police Force and gathered impressions for his first novel, Burmese Days.  Related posts: “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” Continuing Tin House’s great “The Art of The Sentence” series, Vishwas... On the Fall of the House of Orwell Orwell’s birth home has languished in dilapidation for decades. Damaged... Salman Rushdie on George Orwell Granta posts…

  • Real Hard

    Thomas Beckwith
    24 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    What exactly is “thug lit,” and how is it related to Martha Stewart? Related posts: “This is my song, for real / Do doubt.” Andrew Marantz reviews R. Kelly’s “breezy” and “revealing” memoir, Soulacoaster:... “No real diminishment was possible.” Clive James gives Pauline Kael a serious critical appreciation in... Explore the Real NW Explore four of the spots mentioned in Zadie Smith’s NW...
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    ReadersRead.com Book Blog

  • Lea Michele to Publish Book Called Brunette Ambition

    23 May 2013 | 12:00 pm
    Glee star Lea Michele has cut a deal to publish her first book, Brunette Ambition, with Harmony Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group. The book is described as part memoir, part how-to and part how-to style guide. The publisher says Lea will provide "practical advice and lessons" for aspiring actresses that want to follow her career path. Lea said in a statement, "There wasn't a guidebook when I was growing up, that detailed everything I would need to do, and know, to get where I am today. But I believe I can write one of sorts: not a how-to-make-it-in-show-business book, but a…

  • Sharon Osbourne to Publish Children's Book Called Mama Hook Knows Best

    22 May 2013 | 1:44 pm
    Sharon Osbourne is publishing a children's for Disney Publishing called Mama Hook Knows Best: A Pirate Parent's Favorite Fables. The character is an extension of Osbourne's character from the hit Disney Junior series Jake and the Never Land Pirates. It will arrive in stores in fall 2013 and will be soldwith an audio CD featuring original narration by Sharon Osbourne. It will also be available in ebook form. The book follows Mama Hook as she reminisces about her great adventures sailing the Never Sea and the stories she told her son Captain Hook when he was a young boy. Sharon said in a…

  • 2013 Children's Choice Book Award Winners Announced

    17 May 2013 | 1:00 pm
    The winners of the 2013 Children's Choice Book Awards have been announced by the Children's Book Council and Every Child a Reader. The winners were announced a charity gala benefitting Every Child a Reader in New York City. This was the sixth annual CCBAs. Here is a list of the winners: Author of the Year: Jeff Kinney for Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7: The Third Wheel (Amulet Books/Abrams) Illustrator of the Year: Robin Preiss Glasser for Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet (HarperCollins Children's Books) Kindergarten to Second Grade Book of the Year: Nighttime Ninja by Barbara DaCosta, illustrated…

  • Martin Short to Publish Memoir With Harper

    14 May 2013 | 3:00 pm
    Comedian and actor Martin Short has announced plans to publish his memoir with Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. The memoir will be published in 2014. The autobiography is Martin's first book. Short will discuss his life and his forty-plus years in show business. It will cover his childhood in Hamilton, Canada. It will also cover his early years at SCTV and Saturday Night Live. Short will also discuss his films, including The Three Amigos and Father of the Bride. Short said in a statement, "Although I've never read a book all the way through, I'm sure excited to write one. And…

  • Zendaya Signs Book Deal With Disney Publishing

    13 May 2013 | 7:24 pm
    Zendaya, the star of Disney's Shake It Up!, has signed a book deals with Disney-Hyperion. She will pen an advice book, called Between U and Me: How to Rock Your Tween Years with Style and Confidence, which will arrive in bookstores in August. The book was co-written with Sheryl Berk. Between U and Me will will provide advice for navigating the tween years. It will also include personal photos, anecdotes, recipes, playlists, doodles, and advice from Zendaya's team of experts. Zendaya says, "The tween years can be really fun and exciting, but they can also be a tough time in a girl's life.
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    Opinions of a Teen Who Reads

  • Pulse: Review

    23 May 2013 | 12:06 pm
    Author: Patrick CarmanAge range: 12-17Content: Mild relationship content, no sexual content, mild cursing, moderate violenceGenre: Teen Science Fiction / Teen AdventurePublisher: HarperCollins PublisherWhere to get it: Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Half-Price BooksSynopsis: In the year 2051, who has a pulse. Faith Daniels discovers that she can move things with her mind. This telekinetic ability is called a "pulse" and she also finds out that a few of her classmates have the same ability including a mysterious boy named Dylan. Everyone has a heartbeat but only a few have a…

  • Thirteen Reasons Why: Review

    22 May 2013 | 9:30 am
    Author: Jay AsherAge range: 14-18Content: Moderate relationship content, mild sexual content, mild cursing, no violenceGenre: Teen Tough Stuff / Teen MysteryPublisher: Penguin Group (USA)Where to get it: Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Target, Half-Price BooksSynopsis: One day, there is a package left on Clay Jensen's front door. Inside there are cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker who killed herself two weeks earlier. The tapes tell Clay thirteen reasons why Hannah did it. And Clay is one of them.Opinions: I know I'd said last month that I'd be switching it…

  • Fever (The Chemical Gardens #2): Review

    17 May 2013 | 10:32 am
    Author: Lauren DestefanoAge range: 14-17Content: Moderate relationship content, mild sexual content, no cursing, moderate violenceGenre: Teen Science Fiction / Teen FantasyPublisher: Simon & Schuster Where to get it: Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Target, Half-Price BooksSynopsis: Rhine and Gabriel have finally escaped the mansion, but they're still in danger. Determined to get to Manhattan to find Rhine's twin brother, Rowan, the two keep going with the constant threat of being captured hanging over their heads. The road to Manhattan is long and treacherous and…

  • Best & Worst Book Series: Science Fiction / Fantasy

    13 May 2013 | 3:10 pm
    Whoa. I'm not doing a review for once. Whooooaaa. I wanted to start this month with a Best & Worst post because there are just so many book series. They can either be really good or really bad. I guess all books are like that. But with series, it's a serious commitment. So you'll want to know what you're getting yourself into. Let us begin.BEST...The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. I have raved about this series quite a bit. I've done a review on all of her books. I love Cassandra Clare. If I had to recommend one series to everyone I know on this planet, it would be…

  • The Face on the Milk Carton: Review

    26 Apr 2013 | 3:44 pm
    Author: Caroline B. CooneyAge range: 12-15Content: Mild relationship content, no sexual content, no cursing, no violenceGenre: Teen FictionPublisher: Random House Children's BooksWhere to get it: Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Target, Half-Price BooksSynopsis: Nobody pays attention to the missing kids on milk cartons. Janie was no exception. Until one day she's drawn in by the little girl's red hair so much like her own. She recognizes the little girl. Why? Because Janie is the missing child. Opinions: Again, just like Beautiful Creatures, I had such high hopes for…
 
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    Eye on Books

  • Raymond Ibrahim “Crucified Again”

    bill@eyeonbooks.com (Bill Thompson)
    24 May 2013 | 3:19 pm
    Two thousand years after St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was stoned to death for his faith, Christians are once again being systematically persecuted on a large scale and with lethal cruelty. Their antagonists? Adherents of radical Islam. Scholar Raymond Ibrahim writes, in “Crucified Again,” that the violent persecution of Christians by Muslims is now a global human rights crisis. But he says it has received little attention in the mainstream press. Listen to Raymond Ibrahim Download audio file (raymondibrahim.mp3) Don’t see a player here? Click on this link to…

  • Mary Johnson “An Unquenchable Thirst”

    bill@eyeonbooks.com (Bill Thompson)
    17 May 2013 | 4:55 am
    A life of service, sacrifice, and spirituality is what Mary Johnson had in mind when, at age 17, she joined Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity order at the end of the 1970s. What she hadn’t counted on was the pettiness, rigidity, even cruelty that she encountered. Now in her book “An Unquenchable Thirst,” Mary Johnson offers what Anne Rice has called “a candid, generous, and profound spiritual memoir.” Listen to Mary Johnson Download audio file (maryjohnson.mp3) Don’t see a player here? Click on this link to listen, or right click and “Save…

  • Elinor Lipman “The View from Penthouse B”

    bill@eyeonbooks.com (Bill Thompson)
    9 May 2013 | 10:02 pm
    Elinor Lipman is a longtime favorite novelist who is also, it turns outl, a brilliant essayist. Her tenth novel, “The View From Penthouse B.” was published at the same time as her first essay collection “I Can’t Complain.” Bringing the same warmth and easy companionship of her fiction to her essays, Lipman writes about everything from her favorite soap opera to unexpected widowhood and caring for elderly parents. Then she eases you effortlessly from the final essay .. into her novel, which centers on two sisters brought together again by circumstance to live…

  • Mary Roach “Gulp”

    bill@eyeonbooks.com (Bill Thompson)
    24 Apr 2013 | 9:04 am
    What, exactly, happens to the food we eat, after we’ve eaten it? As any school child can tell you, it goes into our stomach where it gets digested. But, how, exactly, does that happen? And what if something goes wrong? And why doesn’t your stomach digest itsefl? And why don’t we like to eat the same things animals eat? And ……. Well, clearly, once you get started, there are a thousand questions. And now, with a thousand answers, Mary Roach, whose new book “Gulp” is an adventure down the alimentary canal. Listen to Mary Roach Download audio file…

  • Jacqui Dunne & Bernard Lietaer “Rethinking Money”

    bill@eyeonbooks.com (Bill Thompson)
    22 Apr 2013 | 9:10 am
    Money makes the world go ’round, as the saying goes. But what is money? Does there have to be just one kind of currency? Now, in a new book called “Rethinking Money” journalist Jacqui Dunne and banker and consultant Bernard Lietaer explore the origins of our current monetary system, which is built on bank debt and scarcity, and compare it to new kinds of money that communities all over the world are exploring and adopting. They contend that the current centuries-old money system is actually causing many of the world’s problems. And new currencies, new ways of defining…
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    Off the Shelf

  • Greater Boston author readings May 26 –June 1

    23 May 2013 | 2:21 pm
    SUNDAY: No events MONDAY: No events TUESDAY: Joseph Gallo ("Boston Bronze and Stone Speak To Us") reads at 7 p.m. at Tewksbury Public Library, 300 Chandler St., Tewksbury … Daphne Kalotay (“Sight Reading: A Novel”) reads at 7 p.m....    

  • Greater Boston author readings May 19-25

    16 May 2013 | 8:09 am
    SUNDAY: Jackson Galaxy (“Cat Daddy: What the World's Most Incorrigible Cat Taught Me about Life, Love, and Coming Clean”) reads at 2 p.m. in Rabb Lecture Hall, Boston Public Library, Copley … James C. O'Connell (“The Hub's Metropolis: Greater...    

  • Greater Boston author readings April 14-20

    9 May 2013 | 2:59 pm
    SUNDAY: Lauren Scheuer ("Once Upon A Flock") reads at 1 p.m. at Tatnuck Bookseller, 18 Lyman St., Westborough … Laurie Collins ("The Pajamas of My Dreams") reads at 2 p.m. at Bestsellers Cafe, 24 High St., Medford … Yvette...    

  • Higgins Clark award for Hank Phillippi Ryan

    9 May 2013 | 12:59 pm
    In all the hoopla over last week's literary upset at the 2013 Edgar Awards by Dennis Lehane's "Live By Night'' over Gillian Flynn’s best-selling “Gone Girl,” another award by a local luminary slipped by. Hank Phillippi Ryan, an Emmy-award...    

  • Greater Boston author events May 12-18

    9 May 2013 | 7:24 am
    MONDAY: Rebecca Shafir (“The Zen of Listening: Mindful Communication in the Age of Distraction”) reads at 10:30 a.m. at Tewksbury Public Library, 300 Chandler St., Tewksbury … Jane Brox (“Five Thousand Days Like This One: An American Family History”)...    
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    The Book Deal: A Publishing Blog for Writers and Book People

  • How winning a literary prize can change your life

    Alan Rinzler
    14 May 2013 | 7:47 am
    “First, it got my book published,” says Kirstin Scott, whose novel Motherlunge won the 2011 Association of Writers and Writing Programs Award. “And with that, the prize gave me readers.” There’s no doubt that winning a well-respected competition can help validate your work with agents and publishers. It proves someone thinks you’re good and helps build a more credible platform. The best of these prizes include cash awards and book publication. I recently interviewed four writers each of whom has won a well-known contest. Here’s who they are and how their prizes changed their…

  • Having trouble writing? Try this famous author’s technique

    Alan Rinzler
    2 May 2013 | 10:54 pm
    “Sometimes in a nervous frenzy I just fling words as if I were flinging mud at a wall,” says Pulitzer Prize winner John McPhee. “Blurt out, heave out, babble out something – anything – as a first draft,” he says  in an article called Draft No. 4 now in The New Yorker magazine where he’s been appearing regularly for 48 years. McPhee, the author of 32 books, says he first wrote these words of advice in a letter to his daughter Jenny years ago when she was starting out as a writer herself. “The way to do a piece of writing is three or four times over, never once,” he…

  • Market sizzles for debut authors

    Alan Rinzler
    22 Apr 2013 | 9:49 am
    “Editors still love a chance at debut fiction,” says Manhattan literary agent Michelle Brower. “If the book is unique and meaningful, the debut author doesn’t yet have a bad sales track record so we can look at their book with all of the rosiness of potential rather than reality” Good news That’s some of the good news for first-time authors from agents out there on the front lines. The news is backed up by recent deals with major publishers for first novels, like Mango Bride by Marivi Soliven, an immigrant tale of two women, two cultures, family secrets and the fight to find a new…

  • Writing a memoir: Intersecting memory and story

    Alan Rinzler
    11 Mar 2013 | 1:10 pm
    Writing a memoir is one of the most stimulating but difficult literary challenges an author can undertake. Nevertheless, it’s a hugely popular genre. Five of the top ten hardcover nonfiction books on the NY Times bestseller list this week are memoirs. Aspiring memoir writers can find help in books and by searching online, but there’s nothing like a live workshop with a master teacher. One highly recommended instructor is Tamim Ansary, the Afghan-American author of the critically acclaimed literary memoir West of Kabul, East of New York (Farrar, Straus & Giroux). This spring, Ansary…

  • From spark to story: How books get started

    Alan Rinzler
    4 Mar 2013 | 8:41 am
    Where do stories come from? Are writers inspired from deep within the unconscious psyche by forces beyond their control? Or are they compelled by external cues that resonate without invitation – unexpected and accidental? As an editor, I’ve seen the muse arrive in surprising and mysterious ways. The creative spark, a blessed event to be sure, can arrive at any moment in time. Whether the source is mundane or magical, the author fans the spark into a fully realized story. From spark to finished story I asked two authors about their original impulses and how they developed into the books…
 
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    Personanondata

  • Pearson Reorganizes their Business Operations: Will Ethridge to Leave

    PersonaNonData
    23 May 2013 | 6:19 am
    Pearson announced a significant change in the way their business is organized and perhaps the most interesting aspect of this reorganization is that the FT Group will be subsumed into their new "Professional" business unit together with English Language learning and their electronic testing business.  The conclusion could be this is a catch-all for units the new executive management no longer has confidence in.  That speculation could be counter minded given the level of acquisitions and investment the company has recently made in language learning and testing.  Time will tell…

  • Ingram VitalSource and Blackboard announce Platform and Content Deal

    PersonaNonData
    21 May 2013 | 10:12 am
    Last year Blackboard announced several high profile content deals with publishers however this deal with Ingram Vitalsource could be more significant if it encourages faculty to really engage with content creation and aggregation on the Blackboard site.   Question is: Is this an exclusive deal for Ingram? Ingram and Blackboard announced an integration of the Ingram Vital Source platform onto the Blackboard learning management system. From their press release: Blackboard Inc. and Vital Source Technologies, Inc., an Ingram Content Group company, have launched pilot programs with a…

  • MediaWeek (V7, N21) Online College?, Society Publishing, Georgia Tech Online, Copyright Revision + More

    PersonaNonData
    20 May 2013 | 3:47 am
    Nathan Heller in The New Yorker: Is College moving Online? When people refer to “higher education” in this country, they are talking about two systems. One is élite. It’s made up of selective schools that people can apply to—schools like Harvard, and also like U.C. Santa Cruz, Northeastern, Penn State, and Kenyon. All these institutions turn most applicants away, and all pursue a common, if vague, notion of what universities are meant to strive for. When colleges appear in movies, they are verdant, tree-draped quadrangles set amid Georgian or Gothic (or Georgian-Gothic) buildings.

  • Flagstaff Arizona 1992

    PersonaNonData
    17 May 2013 | 5:25 pm
    At a sales conference in January 1992 I got to see some of the scenery around Sedona and Flagstaff Arizona.  I've always wanted to go back there.  It's some amazing landscapes.

  • Skip Prichard Named to Succeed Jay Jordan at OCLC

    PersonaNonData
    16 May 2013 | 5:27 pm
    From their press release: Mr. Prichard has led multi-national organizations that serve libraries across the full spectrum of library services and content needs. Most recently, he was President and CEO of Ingram Content Group Inc., which provides a broad range of physical and digital services to the book industry. Prior to his service at Ingram, he was President and CEO of ProQuest Information and Learning, a respected global publisher and information provider serving library, education, government and corporate markets with offices around the world. Mr. Prichard will succeed Jay Jordan, who…
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    Books: Books blog | guardian.co.uk

  • Reader reviews roundup

    Claire Armitstead
    24 May 2013 | 10:26 am
    Novels from Matt Beaumont and Niall Griffiths and a poetry collection from Gill McEvoy are among the books under review this week.The great feature of our newly improved user profiling system is that you can find out more about where reviewers are coming from (critical authority, as AggieH has pointed out, accrues over time). The downer, for anyone compiling this reader reviews blog, is that it can become too fascinating, dragging one across virtual mountainscapes and down digital rabbitholes. This week's reviewers included a newcomer with the intriguing name thankstoMrsWard, who filed five…

  • A brief survey of the short story part 49: Guy de Maupassant

    Chris Power
    24 May 2013 | 2:56 am
    His prolific output of sensational stories for the popular press should not obscure the incomparable art of his best work"He is a better writer than you think," Malcolm Lowry once said of Guy de Maupassant. This comment, made to David Markson, indicates the conundrum Maupassant presents to readers. A hugely influential writer of short stories, the sheer mass of his extremely uneven body of work – 300 stories, 200 articles, six novels, two plays, and three travel books churned out between 1880 and 1891 – can obscure his genius like clouds around an alp. Yet while many of those 300 stories…

  • The best books on Vietnam: start your reading here | Pushpinder Khaneka

    Pushpinder Khaneka
    23 May 2013 | 7:50 am
    Our literary trip to Vietnam reviews three books haunted by the spectres of war and authoritarian ruleThe Sorrow of War by Bao NinhThis rare account of the American (aka Vietnam) war by a North Vietnamese army veteran, although fiction, revealed truths to many people inside and outside Vietnam. The main protagonist, Kien – a thinly disguised portrait of the author – is a tortured soul whose sanity is threatened by his brutal experiences during the war.The story begins after the war, with Kien working in an army unit clearing battlefields of rotting corpses. The sites, among them the aptly…

  • The Great Gatsby meets Baz Luhrmann

    Sam Jordison
    22 May 2013 | 8:56 am
    This might be the best attempt yet to film Fitzgerald's masterpiece. Which is not to say this is a good filmWriting about Baz Luhrmann's Gatsby in relation to F Scott Fitzgerald's prose, is like trying to describe a gorilla playing with a Fabergé egg. There it is, this great hairy, wild-eyed beast, stomping, roaring, thumping its chest. It neither knows nor cares about the delicate beauty it holds in its mattock hands, and has no idea why so many people think it so precious. …That's not to say, however, that the film bears no relation to the book. In a charitable review, the reliably…

  • Which five authors are in running for the 2013 Nobel prize?

    Alison Flood
    21 May 2013 | 12:00 am
    A tweet from the Swedish Academy has unleashed a flood of speculation about the five writers they are considering - could it be Don DeLillo's year, or perhaps it's Murakami's turnThere's been a flurry of gossip over the Nobel prize for literature, thanks to GalleyCat and the Literary Saloon, who both highlighted this tweet from the Swedish Academy over the weekend, that "5 candidates have been selected for 2013 #NobelPrize in #Literature according to Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy".Tantalising! Who do we think they could be? Will it be Philip Roth's year, now he's retired from the…
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    ReadySteadyBlog

  • The only acceptable Leonard Cohen cover?

    27 Apr 2013 | 4:35 am

  • The indispensable backdoorbroadcasting.net

    19 Apr 2013 | 4:45 am
    Lots of new stuff on the indispensable backdoorbroadcasting.net: ... starting with the 2013 Hayes Robinson lecture – which is an annual lecture from the department of History at Royal Holloway:Richard Kagan – The Plaza and the Square: Perspectives on Cities in the Early Modern Atlantic Worldand the annual Hellenic Institute (also at Royal Holloway) chipped in with an interesting lecture on the Greek Diaspora:Richard Clogg – Xeniteia: the Greek diaspora in modern timesAnd one more offering from the History department at Royal Holloway:Jonathan Waterlow – No Laughing Matter? Popular…

  • WWTBD – What Would Thomas Bernhard Do

    19 Apr 2013 | 4:22 am
    Fabulous looking event: WWTBD – What Would Thomas Bernhard Do Talks, discussions, lectures, films, performances, concerts, partiesMay 17–26, 2013 Daily 2pm–2am Kunsthalle Wien Museumsquartier Museumsplatz 1 1070 Wien, Austria kunsthallewien.atAs a prelude to its repositioning, the Kunsthalle Wien organizes a ten-day festival dedicated to key issues of today's society. WWTBD – What Would Thomas Bernhard Do takes up the tradition of Thomas Bernhard's critical and recalcitrant thinking, transfers it into the present, and breaks it down into various disciplines in the sense of a concise…

  • Mitchelmore on Knausgaard

    19 Apr 2013 | 3:24 am
    Let's be clear: My Struggle is not about the life of Karl Ove Knausgaard. The interminable specifics of the content are superficial necessities for an experiment in stretching the everyday to such a degree that it becomes translucent... Stephen Mitchelmore discusses Knausgaard's My Struggle – Book 2 (A Man in Love).

  • Well this is embarrassing...

    18 Apr 2013 | 12:42 pm
    Goodness! Nothing from me for almost three months. I think that's my longest spell of blogging silence ever. I've been working too hard and playing far too little, and that looks set to continue for a while. Regardless, I have a few fine articles stacking up from kind contributors that need to see the light of day forthwith. So, expect them, and a few minor interventions from me, too, over the coming week or more.
 
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    Litopia

  • Of Leprechauns & Lawyers

    Litopia Writers' Colony
    14 May 2013 | 3:12 pm
    More news and debate from the confluence of writing, publishing and the law.   Presented by leading lawyer Donna Ballman with literary agent Peter Cox.  Don't forget - you can post topics for Donna to discuss in the Comments section, below. Links from this show: No Country For Wallflowers - The Perks of Being a Wallflower Is Banned Should Anne Frank Be Banned Too? Call For Atticus Finch - Harper Lee Goes To Law Call For G.I. Joe - Writers Sue Paramount,& MGM Over 'Stolen' Sequel ) http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/gi-joe-writers-sue-paramount-496444 … Ukraine…

  • The Singing Dentist

    Litopia Writers' Colony
    10 May 2013 | 3:27 am
    What are you going to do about a bad - really bad - online review?  This week's show features one dentist's (you read that right, folks) creative response - she owns the copyright in your review!  Plus tons of other timely topics that writers need to know about, including: Authors Sue Penguin’s Self-Publishing Platform Author Says Muslim Group's $30m Libel Suit Will Expose Terror Ties Court Expands 'Fair Use' For Artists Using Copyrighted Works Fox Censors Cory Doctorow’s “Homeland” Novel From Google Amazon Accused Of 'Corporate Censorship,' Again Presented by leading lawyer…

  • The Listener in the Shadows

    Litopia Writers' Colony
    7 May 2013 | 4:47 am
    It's not often we have a real-life spy as our special guest on LAD - but tonight, stepping out of the shadows and into our spotlight is special guest Major David Thorp - a man who has spent his entire life in signals intelligence (SIGINT)... from the Cold War to the Falklands, and everything in-between. SIGINT is one of the least-known but most important aspects of battlefield and peacetime intelligence gathering.  David's book, The Silent Listener - Falklands 1982: The Inside Story of British Electronic Surveillance and Intel Controversies, ignited a firestorm of controversy when it was…

  • Being English

    23 Apr 2013 | 2:22 am
    On this Saint George's Day, Garry welcomes Robin Tilbrook, chairman of The English Democrats, and poses the question - what exactly does it mean to be English? And just how close is patriotism to nationalism - to racism?  It's a minefield out there!  As always, Garry dispenses with the niceties of Political Correctness in the pursuit of truth.  And justice.  And the English way. A great, thought-provoking show - pass the link on! And in the meantime, join in the discussion on the website. Download the show as mp3 file Subscribe in iTunes Be a wonderful human being and…

  • Get Up, Stand Up: Stand Up For Your Rights!

    Litopia Writers' Colony
    19 Apr 2013 | 1:30 pm
    Here's whats important to writers, right now: Trade figures launch Read Petite digital venture Ebooks make up 23 percent of US publisher sales Slow Death of the American Author Blow to Rights of Broadcasters Under the Copyright Act Most censored books of 2012 Apple Goes on Censorship Spree Teacher tells fourth-graders to give up constitutional rights National Press Photographers Assoc Joins Copyright Suit Against Google Chicago Public Schools’ Ban of ‘Persepolis’ Continues HarperCollins, Open Road E-Book Suit Producers settle Spider-Man lawsuit Presented by leading lawyer Donna Ballman…
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    Omnivoracious

  • Translation as an Act of Love: Ursula K. Le Guin and Squaring the Circle

    Jeff VanderMeer
    24 May 2013 | 3:00 pm
    Acts of translation are often truly international efforts. In the case of Squaring the Circle: A Pseudotreatise of Urbogony, this is doubly true. Iconic writer Ursula K. Le Guin selected and translated 24 "Fantastic Tales" by the highly decorated Romanian writer Gheorghe Sasarma in this collection--but not in quite the usual way. Instead of translating from the original language, Le Guin translated initially from the Spanish edition of the book, La Quadratura del Círcolo. Squaring the Circle, which consists of several short tales each set in a different fantastical city, is perhaps the…

  • Graphic Novel Friday: the Old Weird

    Alex Carr
    24 May 2013 | 9:30 am
    A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to hear from China Mieville, the award-winning fantastical fiction author who currently writes an offbeat series for DC Comics, Dial H. Mr. Mieville’s writing can be difficult to pin down, but he is often classified under the genre of “New Weird,” and Dial H fits neatly into that realm. But DC isn’t only looking forward, as two recently published, significantly sized collections prove. These two works highlight the dark, charmingly awkward, and literary publishing that DC and its Vertigo imprint allowed to flourish in the 1990s. Like Mr.

  • The Patrón Way: A Conversation with a Marketing Pioneer

    Editor
    23 May 2013 | 10:11 am
    Most people assume that Patrón tequila has been around forever. But it wasn’t until 1989 that Ilana Edelstein’s late life partner, Martin Crowley, returned from Mexico with the “liquid treasure” which he, Edelstein, and co-founder John Paul DeJoria (also co-founder of the Paul Mitchell line of hair products), would grow into one of the world’s most recognized liquor brands. Amazon.com spoke with Edelstein about her first book The Patron Way: From Fantasy to Fortune - Lessons on Taking Any Business From Idea to Iconic Brand, which details the story of Patrón’s rise and paints an…

  • Dick Lehr: On Whitey Bulger and the Upcoming Trial of the Century

    Chris Schluep
    22 May 2013 | 1:08 pm
    Today he's known simply as WHITEY -- the Boston gangster whose epic crime story has become the stuff of history. It's not just he's a stone-cold, hands-on killer (he faces 19 murder charges); or his longevity (he's now 83, and his underworld reign covered decades). He's made history because he brought the Boston FBI to its knees, corrupting FBI agents so they acted as his palace guard and protected him from rivals in the underworld and from other police agencies seeking to bust him. Whitey Bulger has become America's most notorious crime boss because he's at the center of the worst informant…

  • YA Wednesday: "Gorgeous" Paul Rudnick

    Seira Wilson
    22 May 2013 | 11:00 am
    As a screenwriter, Paul Rudnick has some big hit movies under his belt and now he’s put his cinematic savvy to good use in his first young adult novel that we picked as a Best Teen book of May, Gorgeous.   In Gorgeous, Rudnick skewers Hollywood and our beauty-obsessed world with an over-the-top (in a good way) twist on the Cinderella story.  In Rudnick’s version,  Cinderella-–or Becky, in this case--is an unremarkable girl living with her obese mother in a Missouri trailer park who is offered the promise of irresistible beauty by the most famous fashion designer…
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    Latest blog entries

  • Meet Our Editors: Jen Fisher

    23 May 2013 | 11:19 am
    There are several official Editors (staff reviewers or Review Ninjas, if you will) at YA Books Central, and they all have their own taste in books. While one might give a certain book 5 stars, another might only give it 3. We like that kind of diversity here, because we know every reader is different. Every reader's opinion is valid. But we also know it's helpful to read reviews by those who share your same interests, especially when you're looking for recommendations. So which YABC Editor has your taste in books? Find out in this new blog series, Meet Our Editors! Each…

  • Cover Reveal: THE HISTORIANS by Trisha Leigh + Giveaway (International)

    23 May 2013 | 8:37 am
    Remember the amazing covers of Trisha Leigh's THE LAST YEAR series? We sure do. Who could forget how lovely they are and how perfectly they all fit together? Today, I get to reveal the cover of Trisha's NEW book from her second series: THE HISTORIANS. It's another slam dunk, I can tell you that much. Ready to see it??? First, here's a message from Trisha:   I’m thrilled to be revealing the cover for the first book in my second series, and even more excited to be working with my first love—history. The Historians mixes two things I adore—a futuristic, Firefly-type universe and the…

  • Blog Tour: Guest Interview with Georgia McBride, author of Praefatio + US Giveaway

    23 May 2013 | 7:55 am
       I was excited to have the opportunity to read the YA paranormal novel, PRAEFATIO.  Here is my interview with the author, Georgia McBride.  Make sure to check out the giveaway at the bottom of the post!   1. I find the whole premise behind PRAEFATIO fascinating.  What was the inspiration behind your story? GM: I wish I could say. The characters starting speaking to me -- literally. I was compelled to write it in order to make the characters shut up. I didn't know until I was well into the story that it was about a girl who thinks she's an angel. Sounds crazy, I…

  • Cover Reveal: THIS IS HOW I FIND HER by Sara Polsky + Giveaway (US/Canada)

    21 May 2013 | 10:40 am
    We're happy to reveal the cover for Sara Polsky's THIS IS HOW I FIND HER on the YABC Blog today! But before we get to the goods, here's a message from Sara:   Hi, YABC! Welcome to the cover reveal for THIS IS HOW I FIND HER! I'm excited to be here to share the cover of my debut novel, THIS IS HOW I FIND HER. When I opened up the cover image e-mail from my editor my first thought was, simply, "yes." The main character of THIS IS HOW I FIND HER is a 16-year-old girl named Sophie, and my wonderful publisher, Albert Whitman, got Sophie exactly right with the girl they chose for the cover.

  • Interview with Barbara Elizabeth Walsh, Author of THE POPPY LADY

    18 May 2013 | 2:31 pm
    With Memorial Day just around the corner, we here at YABC thought it would be great to speak with an author who has written about military service. Barbara Elizabeth Walsh wrote THE POPPY LADY, which details the story of Moina Belle Michael, a woman who devoted her life to helping American soldiers during World War I. Read below to find out what inspired Walsh to write Moina's story, and how readers inspired by Moina can support soldiers today. What inspired you to write Moina's story about her efforts to help soldiers? THE POPPY LADY is the result of a promise I made to my Dad when I first…
 
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    The Fine Books Blog

  • Printing and Book Studies in Paradise

    Barbara Basbanes Richter
    24 May 2013 | 6:26 am
    Tempus fugit. I attended my ten-year college reunion last weekend at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. One activity advertised the opportunity to print a broadside keepsake on an 1834 Otis Tufts iron hand press.I happily waited on line for an hour to feed a sheet of paper into the machine. Finally, I had my turn at the toggle lever and pressed an image of the college onto ivory paper.  Luckily, a local professional printer was there to assist eager compositors; without a guiding hand I would have used far less force than was required to create the…

  • Harry Potter Nabs £150,000 at Auction

    Nate Pedersen
    22 May 2013 | 10:27 pm
    A 1997 first edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, complete with personal annotations and twenty-two original illustrations by J. K. Rowling, grabbed a record-breaking £150,000 ($225,000) at a Sotheby's auction in London on May 21st.  A bidding war between two auction attendees rocketed the price skyward in increments of £25,000 until the hammer fell, to applause, at £150,000, setting a new record for Rowling.The Sotheby's auction, entitled "First Editions, Second Thoughts," was a charity effort to raise funds for PEN, an English non-profit that fights censorship and…

  • Ode to John Keats

    Rebecca Rego Barry
    22 May 2013 | 6:05 am
    Earlier this spring Bonhams revealed the news that this unique portrait had turned up in its London office. The oval miniature is catalogued as 'Circle of Charles Hayter,' perhaps obscuring the fact that the image is generally accepted as one of the Romantic poet John Keats. Housed within a gold frame, the reverse reveals strands of dark blonde hair decorated with split seed pearls and gilt-wire. It has been consigned by an American, a descendant of Earle Vonard Weller (1890-1994), an author and avid collector of English Romantic poets. He is known to have purchased this miniature in 1931…

  • Bright Young Things: David Anthem

    Nate Pedersen
    20 May 2013 | 9:32 pm
    Our series profiling the next generation of antiquarian booksellers continues today with David Anthem of The Andalusia Bookman in Philadelphia.How did you get started in rare books?I think it all started as a drooling infant surrounded by my theologian father's library; continued as a high schooler skipping school and heading to the public library; and culminated in adulthood via the typical channels: collecting; librarianship; scholarship (in the loosest most dilettantish sense of the word). My break came during my second buying trip to Andalusia Books, the best unknown book house in the…

  • Historic Collection of Rare Books Slated for Auction Despite Criticisms

    Rebecca Rego Barry
    20 May 2013 | 6:25 am
    Almost a year ago, scholars at Canterbury Cathedral and the University of Kent became alarmed when the possibility arose that a major collection of early printed books and manuscripts might be broken up and sold to the highest bidder. The Mendham collection--named for its founder, Anglican vicar Joseph Mendham--was donated to The Law Society of England and Wales in the 1860s. Since 1984, the collection has been on deposit at Canterbury Cathedral Library under a loan agreement between the Cathedral, the University of Kent, and the Society. (That agreement is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2013.)…
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    Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

  • London’s Last True Scoundrel: The ARC Winner and The Reveal!

    sarah@smartbitchestrashybooks.com
    24 May 2013 | 11:26 am
    by SB Sarah Your guesses were marvelous, and it's time to announce the winner of the ARC of London's Last True Scoundrel. Were they puce? Mauve? Chartreuse? Pink with sparkles?  Get ready. It's time to reveal the ARC cover pants. Feast your eyes on Lord Bluebottom!    It's like he's wrapped in baby flannel. Awwww. Wookit the fuzzy blue bum-bum! What a fuzzy little scoundrel he is.  And the winner of the ARC as determined by Viscount Random of Generator:  Rachel Johns, #34, who said she was hoping his pants were pink. SO CLOSE, that guess.

  • Friday Videos Like Lonely Island and Semicolons

    sarah@smartbitchestrashybooks.com
    24 May 2013 | 9:31 am
    by SB Sarah  Thank you to everyone who sent me this link!    Link! I like colons, too.  I hope your weekend is full of excellent rhymes!  Categories: Friday Videos, General Bitching

  • Friday Videos Know Where the Aardvark Goes

    sarah@smartbitchestrashybooks.com
    23 May 2013 | 11:39 pm
    by SB Sarah This week's Friday Video comes from Gry, our Norwegian Friday Videos Correspondent, and the wonderful, talented animators and storytellers in Canada:    Link! I want to be friends with Mina's parents.  I hope your weekend is filled with books you can't stop reading.  Categories: Friday Videos, General Bitching

  • Books on Sale: Suspense, Historical, and YA Fantasy and Romance

    sarah@smartbitchestrashybooks.com
    23 May 2013 | 11:49 am
    by SB Sarah  Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini is book one in the Starcrossed series. It's $2.99 digitally right now.  Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of…

  • RITA Reader Challenge: Bride by Mistake by Anne Gracie

    sarah@smartbitchestrashybooks.com
    23 May 2013 | 9:27 am
    by SB Sarah Grade: A- Title: Bride By Mistake Author: Anne Gracie Publication Info: Berkley 2012 ISBN: 9780425245798 Genre: Historical: European This RITA® Reader Challenge 2013 review was written by Nita. This story was nominated for the RITA® in the Historical Romance category. The summary:      Eight years ago, Lieutentant Luke Ripton made a hasty wartime marriage-in-name-only to protect a young girl from a forced union and left her protected in a remote mountain convent. Now, Luke is Lord Ripton, but he has been unable to obtain an annullment. Which leaves him…
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    London Review of Books

  • John Lanchester: Google Glass

    22 May 2013 | 4:00 pm

  • Brian Dillon: Eileen Gray

    22 May 2013 | 4:00 pm

  • Gary Indiana: In Havana

    22 May 2013 | 4:00 pm

  • Letters

    22 May 2013 | 4:00 pm
    The letters page from London Review of Books Vol. 35 No. 10 (23 May 2013)

  • Thomas Jones: How to Survive Climate Change

    22 May 2013 | 4:00 pm
    On a damp, chill, blustery August afternoon in Whitby a few years ago I overheard a disgruntled holidaymaker declaiming – to his family, to anyone who would listen, to the wind – that ‘global warming is a load of codswallop.’ One of his children, a boy of around ten, was valiantly trying to explain to him the difference between climate and weather. But he wasn’t paying attention, or couldn’t hear over the gale and the sound of his own voice. ‘Global warming,’ he insisted again, ‘is a load of codswallop.’ This year’s April snows provoked similar sentiments in many…
 
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    McSweeney’s

  • Senior Year is Totally Gonna Rule Because After That My Life is Going to Be an Endless Abyss of Longing! by Lane Moore

    24 May 2013 | 4:01 am
    Whoo! Another totally lame year down, another totally AWESOME year before I start realizing I’m just another cog in the wheel and will ultimately never be satisfied by the endless string of material possessions I surround myself with to go! It’s gonna be so sweet!!! I already have it all lined up. Check it out. Classes will be a breeze because everybody knows that no one cares WHAT you do when you’re a senior (hint: my parents are gonna be away A LOT this year). Plus, it’s like, this will be the last time my mind will be free from wistful longing for the days before I make…

  • Open Letters: An Open Letter to the Hot Canadian Zumba Teacher Who Pulled Me Onstage After My Mother Died by Christine Schrum

    24 May 2013 | 4:00 am
    Dear Hot Canadian Zumba Teacher, You didn’t know she’d had a heart attack a thousand miles away in Iowa. You didn’t know that I had just returned from flying there, fatal lung disease and all, to see her in a cardboard casket and watch it slide, inch by inch, into the crematorium oven. You don’t even know my name. But you’ve seen me popping and dropping and locking it like a middle-aged moron to Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger” at your class for over a year now, and you decided it was time I stepped into the spotlight. You were right. Oh, Anne—I think that’s your name,…

  • The 49ers: Oral Histories of Americans Facing 50: The 49ers, #119: Kathryn Harrison by Rob Trucks

    24 May 2013 | 4:00 am
    Writer Kathryn Harrison has published seven novels, three memoirs, and a biography of Saint Therese of Lisieux. She lives in New York with her husband Colin Harrison, a writer and editor, and their three children. She has listened to the Talking Heads’ Remain in Light more than any other album in her life. We talked in March of 2011, four days before her 50th birthday. - - -I suppose it’s some measure of accomplishment having survived half a century, but I don’t think of it as an accomplishment. I’m really somebody who thinks of it as a milestone and a moment to pause and reflect on…

  • Both Sides, Now by Teddy Wayne

    23 May 2013 | 4:01 am
    [An] Aurora parent… who has also bought a [bulletproof] Caballero rucksack for his three-year-old son, says he is “indifferent” on the issue. “I can understand both sides,” he explains. “People kill people and I don’t believe guns are as big an issue as some are making it.” — The Guardian - - I pride myself on being open-minded and able to view an issue from all sides. Gay marriage, universal healthcare, expanded rights for undocumented immigrants: I see the pros and cons with equal clarity. And though I love my young child more than anything in the world, I also…

  • List: Ways to Tell If the New Student is an Undercover Cop by Nathan Patton

    23 May 2013 | 4:00 am
    He keeps talking about his Phonebook profile. He wears jeans that are neither skinny nor sagging. He is very excited about the relationship between Conway West and Kim Cardigan. He claims to smoke the finest hashtag. He asks a stranger to take his selfie. He tries to buy an instagram of cocaine. He watches TV shows when they actually air. He arms himself with aerosol cans, and wonders where the Huffington Post is. He texts ROFL when he’s “running out for lunch”. He still has a Myspace page.
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    Podiobooker

  • Splashdown by Paul J. Joseph

    Evo
    21 May 2013 | 7:04 pm
    Paul J. Joseph has just finished the fourth installment in his Through the Fold series. If you’re all caught up, please enjoy Splashdown! (And if not, get that way…) Sally’s life on Earth becomes boring when she turns to politics, but not for long.  As UN space commissioner, Sally finds herself presiding over the aftermath of Earth’s first colonial war. Baltan City, Earth’s greatest achievement, tries to declare independence, which creates a violent and polarizing conflict. In the midst of this new cold war, an Earth ship from the future is entering the system…

  • New release! Strigoaie The Romanian Witch by Marc Vale

    Evo
    10 May 2013 | 1:15 pm
    We’ve got new audio fiction going up today by Marc Vale. Check out Strigoaie The Romanian Witch, the first book in a new series: Marie Fatan always wanted to know the truth about her father who died in the war. It took a trip to Romania for her to unveil his side of the family’s secrets, it took a kidnapping to find out her father was still alive. In Strigoaie: The Romanian Witch, Marie takes a trip through Europe with her grandmother she barely knows. During their travels, Granna Lee tells a story of her childhood. Marie questions if her grandmother’s extravagant story, as it…

  • New release! The Phoenix Conspiracy by Richard L Sanders

    Evo
    7 May 2013 | 9:17 am
    A new mysterious scifi audio book is live on the site. And as a bonus, it’s narrated by Matthew Ebel. Interested? Here’s what you’ll find inside The Phoenix Conspiracy, written by Richard L Sanders: Calvin, an intelligence operative, is sent to eliminate a dangerous traitor. But as he chases his prey across the stars, he realizes they are both pawns in a shadowy chess game–one that threatens humankind everywhere. If he is to uncover the conspiracy he must confront–and embrace–the darkest elements of the galaxy. And throw himself, his career, and everyone…

  • New release! Every Photo Tells… Book 4

    Evo
    17 Apr 2013 | 6:08 am
    Katharina Bordet & Mick Bordet are at it again, with the fourth compilation in their series. If you’re caught up, enjoy Every Photo Tells… Book 4! A voice from the future changes far more than just one man’s life.A young boy must say a final farewell to his faithful companion.Dr Simon has a lab full of pixies, but they don’t take kindly to his experiments. Visit Jacques’ Bistro, where love blooms over the seafood.Is one of Father Ian’s parishioners really being visited by a giant? These subjects and many more are visited in this fourth collection of stories…

  • New release! Demon Draw by R. Moses

    Evo
    7 Apr 2013 | 4:10 pm
    A new fantasy audio book by R. Moses can be yours in only four episodes! Check out Demon Draw: A city old in prestige and hate… A woman torn between duty and love… And a plague of demons with no end to the horror in sight… Valena is a prostitute working for the Holy Church as a demon draw. Her deadly mission is luring demons to her bed so she can collar them and send them back to the pit from which they came. Her lover, also a demon draw, is sent on an assignment to lure a succubi-without any weapons. The church refuses to allow her to help her lover. Valena suspects the…
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    The Bookshop BlogThe Bookshop Blog

  • Wonderland is Closed

    Diane Plumley
    21 May 2013 | 12:56 pm
    On a visit to Logee’s greenhouses in Connecticut, we happened across a bookstore called Wonderland. It was night, we were looking for a place to eat, so only glanced at the window and its shadows within, deciding we would make a trip back into town the next morning to check it out. We did. It was closed. Not because they weren’t open on Mondays or we were too early–they were out of business. There was stock within, but little, with fixtures laying around, rugs rolled up, giftware boxed. I was acutely disappointed. A bookstore with an Alice theme was so perfect for me, that…

  • Typography: From Metal Bits To Bytes

    Jas Faulkner
    17 May 2013 | 7:58 am
    by Jas Faulkner It all started with one of those thrift store finds that moves you to dust off and rekindle an old interest. I was there to do my biweekly stuffed animal grab for Niklas Lidstrom -aka-  Destructo the Wonder Shih Tzu when I saw they had cobbled together roughly fifty dollars worth of calligraphy supplies into a ziploc bag and with the asking price of  five dollars. This is probably a good place to hit the pause button and admit that I’m a big old typography nerd.  It was  a love of letters and alphabets of all kinds that pushed me to major in graphic design at one…

  • My Father Wrote “How To Win Friends and Influence People”

    Diane Plumley
    16 May 2013 | 8:16 pm
    When ever I’d ask my father what he was doing, he’d answer, ‘writing How to Win Friends and Influence People.’ As a kid, I’d no concept of what that meant–the entire idea of winning friends was beyond me–didn’t they just show up? And how did you ‘win’ them anyway? Like at a carnival game–shoot enough ducks and you win a stuffed friend? And the word ‘influence’ was not in my child’s vocabulary. This phrase and several others–when I’d be hungry and say so–’eat some salt and you’ll…

  • Gatsby, But Not So Great?

    Diane Plumley
    14 May 2013 | 12:20 pm
      I couldn’t resist the costumes and pomp the trailers promised. So myself and a group of women of a certain age gathered to view the newest incarnation of the novel, The Great Gatsby. I wrote about my trepidation regarding this version when viewing the coming attractions. I saw how gaudy and overblown the production values seem to be, and had that sinking feeling, oh good lord, it’s going to be another Moulin Rogue. Baz Luhrmann directed both, and the outrageous sets, computer graphics, and effects are similar, but with Gatsby, they’re on steroids. All sorts of…
 
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    Berkeley Heights Public Library Book Blog

  • Top Beach Reads for 2013

    Anne
    23 May 2013 | 10:12 am
    Spring is finally here and 30 degrees is a less than a fond memory.  Summer reading is rapidly approaching along with days at the pool or ocean.  I always count on a handful of authors with new summer titles:(click on the author's name to visit his/her website for more information)Mary Kay AndrewsLadies’ Night (release June 4, 2013) From the author's website: 'The New York Times bestselling author is back with another page-turning beach read about a woman whose life is turned upside down when she discovers her husband cheating on her.'Dorothea Benton FrankLast Original Wife…

  • Blog favorites: 'The Psychopath Test'

    Fleur
    21 May 2013 | 7:30 am
    The recent May 18, 2013 release of the 'DSM - 5', the fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, has been met with some controversy. To read more about the new DSM - 5, read Lizzie Crocker's article in the Daily Beast. In general the criticism is that the listed diagnoses have changed, either been eliminated or added; and the widely held belief that normal human behavior is being assigned a mental health diagnosis. Whether you agree, disagree, don't care or don't know, as a reference librarian I find it fascinating that any…

  • Our new, enriched catalog feature: Novelist Select

    Anne
    9 May 2013 | 12:38 pm
     The library online catalog has a nifty new feature which will help our patrons find just the right book to read next. When you search for a book on the catalog (so-called PAC or OPAC ie: patron access catalog or online patron access catalog) and then click on the title which interests you, you will see related titles and authors of interest. If the book is part of a series, the entire series will be listed in order. If the library owns the title, you can click right through to that catalog record. This new feature is produced by Novelist and has just been added to the BHPL PAC. The…

  • Reference Question Roundup: computer help

    Anne
    9 May 2013 | 10:08 am
    Returning to the ever-popular reference question roundup feature on this blog, today's post is about common computer problems. Six of the public computers that offer free internet access are right next to the Reference Desk at the Berkeley Heights Public Library and throughout the day patrons who use the computers often ask the reference librarians for help. The problems that come up most frequently are:Printing documents, text, and imagesFilling out online job applicationsHow to use a USB/flash drive or floppy disc (yes we still have floppy drives and give out free discs)Email issues such…

  • Three Steps to the Best YOU - an afternoon for ladies!

    Fleur
    29 Apr 2013 | 12:52 pm
    'An Afternoon for Ladies' at the Berkeley Heights Public LibrarySunday, May 5, 2:30 p.m. in the library meeting roomRosie Battista will be joining us on Sunday, May 5th at 2:30.  The program,3 Steps to the Best YOU, will educate, motivate, inspire and amuse.  You will find Rosie’s high energy style to be absolutely contagious, something you will want to catch.  Here is Rosie’s description of the program and her philosophy:'Rosie Battista shares her story with energy, humor and fun props leaving her audience inspired, motivated and armed with tips and ideas that they can…
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    Joe Wikert's Digital Content Strategies

  • Screwpulp: An exciting new startup (that I'm part of!)

    Joe Wikert
    22 May 2013 | 6:55 am
    One of the benefits of my previous job is that it brought me much closer to the content startup community. I've met a lot of outstanding organizations but one that really grabbed my attention is a self-publishing startup called Screwpulp. I mentioned them briefly in an earlier article after I introduced them at an investor event in Memphis. What's so special about Screwpulp? First of all, it's the people. I've spent time with each of the founding members of the company and I'd stack them up against any other startup team I've met. Every single one of them is…

  • Memphis startup community rocks

    Joe Wikert
    20 May 2013 | 7:00 am
    For the past couple of years I've had the pleasure of working with a variety of startups in the content space and most of them are located on one of the two coasts here in the U.S. Last week was an eye-opening experience for me when I traveled to Memphis to take part in the Seed Hatchery Investor Day. I was there to help represent a terrific startup I'm now part of, Screwpulp, but the opportunity to mingle with investors and the other startups was priceless. In the span of 3 hours Thursday afternoon I had the pleasure of listening to the investor pitches from six highly innovative…

  • Direct sales and community building

    Joe Wikert
    15 May 2013 | 11:41 am
    If you’ve been anywhere near publishing recently, you’ve probably been hit by the shrapnel of an exploding business model, a narrowing distribution network, or mind-numbing cutbacks. It’s fashionable for people who aren’t pouring their daily energies into words and stories to compare the changing ebook environment to the music industry. But it’s different.  Much more simple and complex at the same time. And I believe--even without gulping down an alcoholic beverage--that publishers and authors can come out on top when the dust settles.   But it will require change. And…

  • Bringing democracy back to digital

    Joe Wikert
    14 May 2013 | 7:39 am
    By exposing us to diverging viewpoints, fostering dissent, broadcasting scientific discoveries, and stretching our imagination beyond its sensory frame, books have promoted the rise of our modern social conscience. The many societal and technical revolutions of the 20th century have often been ascribed to a unique combination of readily available literature and high schooling rates. High-speed printing presses, global distribution, and the excellent editing work of our forebears, enable publishers to sell authoritative, if slightly outmoded, versions of classic works for a few pence a pop.

  • Micro-consulting projects

    Joe Wikert
    13 May 2013 | 7:40 am
    Last week's article about my search for new full-time or consulting work generated a lot of interest. It was also nice to see the resulting surge in views of my LinkedIn profile. Thanks to everyone who tweeted and help spread the word. I now have a few short-term consulting projects underway and several more longer-term ones are also being discussed. I've spoken with quite a few prospective clients over the past week and it's clear there's a significant need for consulting help but budgets are tight; not exactly surprising given all the cost-cutting and cutbacks taking…
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    First Book Blog

  • 5 Secrets Adults Won’t Tell You – Kyle Zimmer’s Commencement Speech at Saint Mary’s College

    Brian Minter
    22 May 2013 | 9:43 am
    Our intrepid leader, CEO, and co-founder of First Book, Kyle Zimmer, shared some of the wit and wisdom that motivates the First Book team on a daily basis with a crowd of graduates of Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame this Saturday. Adults Are Not Really Certain of Anything. “In my own life, it took me far too long to figure this out. When I was young, I got distracted by adults who would swagger or bluster. I assumed that anyone who was that forceful MUST know what they were talking about.” You Are Going to Fail. “The truth is that, although you can fail without ever…

  • Moore, Oklahoma – Our Hearts Are With You

    Tracy Bartley
    21 May 2013 | 8:26 am
    Yesterday afternoon a massive tornado hit the town of Moore, just outside Oklahoma City. Dozens have been killed, hundreds injured and the town was nearly leveled. This is one of the most destructive tornadoes in the history of the United States and even more destructive weather is possible in the region over the next few days. When a disaster like this hits, especially in schools and harming children as this did, we all look on, feeling empathy, wishing they could do something. Us too, here at First Book, watching the twitter feeds, the news, and holding our breath, hoping one more person…

  • The Stories for All Project: Latina Author Guadalupe Garcia McCall on Books as Hope

    Tracy Bartley
    8 May 2013 | 7:54 am
     Our guest blogger today is author/poet Guadalupe Garcia McCall, whose book “Summer of the Mariposas”, from Lee & Low Books, is part of First Book’s Stories For All Project. “First Book’s mission to make books accessible to low-income families is very close to my heart. It fills me with joy to hear that such an organization exists. Books are more than important, they fill a basic need in low-income communities—the need to connect to the world. Books for children of poverty represent hope. As a young girl, I loved books. Books were my friends. They took me places I…

  • What I Learned from Bill Clinton: How to Prepare Yourself for the Future

    Chandler Arnold
    7 May 2013 | 3:00 am
    “If you can do one thing to prepare yourself for the future… you should spend as much time as you can with people who are different than you”. — President Bill Clinton I recently had the opportunity to join Kyle Zimmer, First Book’s president and CEO, at a special event for the Thea Foundation. Founded by Linda and Paul Leopoulos shortly after the untimely death of their daughter Thea Kay, the Thea Foundation connects young people to the power of visual art, dance, drama, and creative writing across Arkansas and beyond. At First Book we’re eager to learn…

  • The Stories for All Project: Latina Author Pat Mora on the Connection Children Make with Books that Include their Culture and Language

    Tracy Bartley
    1 May 2013 | 8:26 am
    Our guest blogger today is author Pat Mora, whose book “Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico!”, from Lee & Low Books, is part of First Book’s Stories For All Project. “Once upon a time . . .” A magic phrase that can change our breathing. As far as we know, humans are the world’s story-telling creatures. Let’s think about the unique period in the lives of children when they begin to savor that phrase, when in fresh ways little ones are experiencing their surroundings and deciding where they fit. For many youngsters, media is their main source of information and entertainment. Children lucky…
 
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    University of Nebraska Press

  • Review roundup

    nebraskapress
    24 May 2013 | 6:00 am
    Body Geographic by Barrie Jean Borich in The Rumpus “In all, Body Geographic navigates fluidly between recovery narrative, travelogue, family legend (in both the literary and cartographic senses of the word), and coming-of-(middle)age story, and in so doing posits a new telling (or re-mapping) of the American story.” -Molly Beer From the Caxton Press, On the Dark Side of the Moon by Mike Medberry in Terrain.org “Mike Medberry has written a slim volume of a memoir that’s a victory in many ways. This environmentalist and writer—in his first book—offers to the reader a story of…

  • The Marketeers Club: Little Bison in the Big Apple

    nebraskapress
    22 May 2013 | 12:00 pm
    Bright lights, tall buildings, and people bustling about: in the city that never sleeps, a small bison named Benny left the familiar Great Plains in order to conquer the book publishing world. The idea of sending Benny to New York first came up in early April. The University of Nebraska Press (UNP) marketeers decided we needed to send a representative to New York City to promote the Press along with our imprint, Bison Books. Benny had dreamed of going to New York ever since he was a calf, and finally, here was his chance.   Benny traveled to New York City during the first week in May, to…

  • From the desk of Larry Ruttman

    nebraskapress
    21 May 2013 | 6:00 am
    Author Larry Ruttman describes his impressions about his book signing at the 92Y.  I must be the luckiest man alive! Imagine having the most exciting night of your life at age eighty-two. Not that my fifty-year career as a lawyer was boring. But, as an author you feel the love and admiration coming right at you during every encounter. And so it was when I took the stage at the iconic 92nd Street Y in New York City on Monday, May 13, alongside the irrepressible Alan Dershowitz, film critic and Renaissance man; Jeffrey Lyons; and former lefty Major League pitcher and convert to Judaism Bob…

  • From the desk of Barbara Loeb

    nebraskapress
    20 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    Barbara Loeb is the co-editor of The Woman Who Loved Mankind by Lilian Bullshows Hogan, the fascinating life story of a 20th-century Crow woman elder. Loeb and Mardell Plainfeather set out to tell Hogan's story in traditional Crow storytelling forms.  When Mardell Plainfeather and I recorded the life story of Mardell’s elderly Crow Indian mother, Lillian Bullshows Hogan, I wanted to write Lillian’s stories the way she talked. No easy task, but my quest led me to the idea that oral storytelling is performance, so it was important to follow the rhythms of Lillian’s voice, changing…

  • Bookish Links and Delightful Miscellany

    nebraskapress
    17 May 2013 | 8:57 am
    Let's hit it: 8-year-old's invention for keeping books dry in the bath Travel back in time with the WIRED Media Kit from 1992 Britain's most remote bookshop is for sale History of Typography Which Shakespeare Character are You? This is a Bookshop The Jacket Racket: Vintage Book Cover Design
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    The Penguin Blog

  • My Fantasy Britain by Bee Ridgway

    The Penguin Blog
    23 May 2013 | 9:26 am
    Bee Ridgway grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts. She attended Oberlin College (B.A.), then worked for a year as an editorial assistant at Elle magazine. She studied literature at Cornell University (M.A. and Ph.D.) and has worked at Bryn Mawr College since 2001. She lives in Philadelphia, PA. The River of No Return is Bee's debut novel. It publishes today. The River of No Return - Bee Ridgway So yep, I’m an American. In fact, thinking about being American is how I make my living.  I’m a professor of American literature, and I spend my days teaching Moby-Dick to young Americans.  …

  • Giovanna Fletcher presents: A day in the life of me...

    The Penguin Blog
    21 May 2013 | 10:02 am
    Author, actress and freelance journalist, Giovanna Fletcher is married to Tom Fletcher from McFly. She grew up in Essex with her Italian dad Mario, mum Kim, big sister Giorgina and little brother Mario, and spent most of her childhood talking to herself (it seems no one wanted to listen) or reading books. Giovanna is a firm believer in the power of magpies and positive energy. To find out more about Giovanna, view her blog or follow her on Twitter. Her debut novel, Billy and Me, is out this Thursday (23rd May 2013). Anyway, over to Giovanna as she tells us about a day in her life... Every…

  • 10 myths about authors as explored by...an author.

    The Penguin Blog
    14 May 2013 | 10:28 am
    Joanna Rossiter is the author of The Sea Change (her first novel). She grew up in Dorset and studied English at Cambridge University before working as a researcher in the House of Commons and as a copy writer. In 2011 she completed an MA in Writing at Warwick University. She lives and writes in London. Last week The Sea Change was announced as one of the Richard and Judy Summer 2013 Book Club titles. Here Joanna expands on some common misconceptions about the wonderful world of writers. The Sea Change by Joanna Rossiter 1.    Being an author is glamorous. Before I had managed to write a…

  • The journey of 'The Aftermath': From the screen, to the page, and back again

    The Penguin Blog
    2 May 2013 | 7:11 am
    Will Hammond is commissioning editor at Viking Books, and edited Rhidian Brook's emotional wartime thriller The Aftermath, out today. He assisted Brook during the process of turning his original film script and 60-page treatment into a novel; now, the journey is set to come full circle with the news that The Aftermath is to be adapted into a film. Here he argues why the story of The Aftermath is one that needed to be told as a novel, and examines why film-makers consistently look to the publishing industry for inspiration. One way to measure a novel’s success is to ask whether they’ve…

  • World Book Night 2013: Treasure Island and Me Before You

    The Penguin Blog
    23 Apr 2013 | 7:06 am
    Today (April 23rd) is World Book Night, a time for readers and publishers accross the world to come together to celebrate our favourite things: books. As well as live events in London, Cambridge, Edinburgh and Liverpool, World Book Night, along with publishers across the country, will give 20,000 volunteers half a million books to give away to members of their community who do not or are unable to regularly read. At Penguin we're proud to have contributed two books to this year's list of 20 World Book Night titles. The first book is an enduring classic, one of the most famous…
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    800 CEO Read

  • 24 May 2013 | 11:34 am

    dylan
    24 May 2013 | 11:34 am
    Tweet➻ Laura Hazard Owen has Six book publishing lessons from Open Road Media’s first three years up at paidContent that are relevant for everyone working in the industry. (I especially like their approach to video.) But the big takeaway for me was that, five years after leaving her job as CEO of HarperCollins, Jane Friedman thinks the future is bright for the small guys in publishing: The fact that Friedman built her company before ebooks had really taken off helped it get its footing and get ahold of digital rights that big publishers hadn’t yet focused on. Nearly four years in, it…

  • Hidden in Plain Sight

    Sally
    23 May 2013 | 12:16 pm
    Tweet It must be a lot of pressure to live up to the billing of “James Bond of design research” and the “Indiana Jones of technology for the developing world.” I mean, what do you wear? A tux with a dusty brimmed hat? Action adventure movie references aside, Chipchase takes us on a rollicking global adventure in his new book, Hidden in Plain Sight: How to Create Extraordinary Products for Tomorrow’s Customers, which hit the bookshelves in April. Design research, Chipchase explains in his first chapter, “Crossing State (of Mind) Lines,” concerns itself…

  • Ctrl Alt Delete

    Jon
    22 May 2013 | 7:59 am
    TweetThere’s a certain urgency to the new book by Mitch Joel, Ctrl Alt Delete: Reboot Your Business. Reboot Your Life. Your Future Depends On It. Its sentiment has also been expressed by authors such as Gary Vaynerchuk: Business is changing and if you don’t keep up, you’ll be left behind. And that’s putting it nicely. What Joel is saying is that if we don’t change, our companies will go out of business, and we ourselves will become unemployable. Scary stuff, yes, but the good news is the book has the answers to avoid these problems. Both Joel (and authors like…

  • KnowledgeBlocks Giveaway: The One Thing

    Sally
    21 May 2013 | 7:25 am
    Tweet If I were to ask my husband to make a “to-do” list of the things he wants to get done over the weekend, the list would top out at around 20 items. On it would be anything from cleaning out the garage and going to the bank…to moving our garden to the east side of the yard and building a new set of stairs. Over the 16 years we’ve been married, I’ve been a witness to his inability to whittle that list down to something manageable many times, and the inevitable result that he gets none of those 20 things done because he is overwhelmed and distracted. He wants…

  • Reinventing You

    Michael
    20 May 2013 | 10:39 am
    Tweet“What do people think of you? What do they say when you leave the room?” Maybe you don’t think you have a brand. Hopefully you don’t think that. As Dorie Clark demonstrates in her new book, Reinventing You, taking control of your professional future hinges on your acceptance and understanding of your current brand, and your ability to take control of where that brand is going. OK—we can call it a reputation, if that makes you feel better. As Clark points out early on, we simply can’t afford to disregard the impact that our personal brand has on our success. The idea that you…
 
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    Duffbert's Random Musings

  • Book Review - What I've Learned... So Far Part III: Banjos, Boats And Butt Dialing by Mike Ball

    Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff
    20 May 2013 | 5:41 am
    I was recently offered the book What I've Learned... So Far Part III: Banjos, Boats & Butt Dialing by Mike Ball for reading and reviewing. I know I end up turning down most of the offers I get for review copies because I'm so far behind in reading and reviewing, but it's hard to turn down a book that can somehow link banjos, boats, and butt dialing in a title. It also helped in that he delivered on it. I've never heard of Mike Ball, but it's probably easiest to think of him as a male version of Erma Bombeck. I don't think that's an insult, as he's referred to on the title as the…

  • Book Review - Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection by A. J. Jacobs

    Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff
    19 May 2013 | 9:05 am
    I've always been amused by people who are health fanatics following some particular trend or fad that promises to fix every issue known to medical science. A. J. Jacobs decided to follow all the health advice he could find for a year, and the result is his book Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection. With the type of humor displayed in his prior books, Jacobs shows just how impossible it is to follow all the health advice out there (or even a small part of it). Ultimately, you'll be dead anyway... You could probably look at Jacobs as being the everyday version of…

  • Book Review - The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail — but Some Don't by Nate Silver

    Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff
    19 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    Nate Silver is the current rock star of statistics and predictions based on the overwhelming accuracy of his forecasts in the 2012 election results. His book The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail — but Some Don't does a good job in explaining the fundamentals of statistics, probability, and predictions. If society understood these concepts, we'd spend far less time arguing from polarized positions "supported by facts"... Contents: A Catastrophic Failure of Prediction; Are You Smarter Than a Television Pundit?; All I Care About Is W's and L's; For Yours You've…

  • Book Review - Learning to Play With a Lion's Testicles: Unexpected Gifts From the Animals of Africa by Melissa Haynes

    Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff
    15 May 2013 | 7:32 pm
    This book had me in tears, both by laughter and emotional impact... Learning to Play With a Lion's Testicles: Unexpected Gifts From the Animals of Africa by Melissa Haynes. The title was enough to intrigue me into considering it for reading and reviewing. It didn't take long before I knew it was a great decision. Haynes went to South Africa to volunteer on a wild game reserve, seeking to find some perspective and purpose in her life. What sounded like an adventure quickly turned into a stubborn contest of wills between her and the park ranger, nicknamed the Drill Sergeant, who didn't much…

  • Book Review - Judaism For Dummies by Rabbi Ted Falcon PhD and David Blatner

    Thomas 'Duffbert' Duff
    12 May 2013 | 6:28 pm
    This was a book that I had put on my library "to be read" list, but decided that getting it via Amazon Vine was faster and better... Judaism For Dummies by Rabbi Ted Falcon PhD and David Blatner. I felt this was a *perfect* example of what Dummies titles are good for... context on a complex topic, enough so that you know where to go for more information. Toss in a fair amount of humor along the way, and I had a great time reading this (while learning lots). Contents: Introduction Part 1 - What Jews Generally Believe: That's Funny, You Don't Look Jewish - Who's a Jew and Why; It's…
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    Three Percent - Article

  • Open Letter at Book Expo America 2013

    Kaija Straumanis
    23 May 2013 | 2:00 pm
    As the week comes to a close, we at Open Letter Books are getting ready to join the masses of publishers, agents, authors, translators, and book people in general in for Book Expo America 2013. In addition to getting ramped up to see familiar faces and meet new ones, we’ll be toting around a copies of a few of our forthcoming titles and plenty of shiny new catalogs to wave in your faces. And since we won’t be at a booth this year, we will instead be everywhere. In the book lines, at publishers’ booths, at snack-and-wine gatherings in the aisles, not not crashing evening…

  • Latest Review: "El arte de la resurrección" ("The Art of Resurrection")

    Kaija Straumanis
    23 May 2013 | 7:00 am
    The latest piece in our Reviews Section comes to us from Jeremy Osner, and is on Hernán Rivera Letelier’s El arte de la resurrección (The Art of Resurrection) from Alfaguara. Jeremy Osner blogs about reading and translation at READIN. He is currently working on a translation of El arte de la resurrecctión (and the translated excerpts in his review are his), a novel that is looking for an English-language publisher. Here’s a bit from his review: “The small stone plaza was floating in the midday heat. The Christ of Elqui, kneeling on the ground, his gaze thrown back on…

  • Latest Review: "There Once Lived a Girl Who Seduced Her Sister’s Husband, and He Hanged Himself: Love Stories" by Ludmilla Petrushevskaya

    Kaija Straumanis
    21 May 2013 | 7:00 am
    The latest addition to our Reviews Section is by Brendan Riley on There Once Lived a Girl Who Seduced Her Sister’s Husband, and He Hanged Himself: Love Stories by Ludmilla Petrushevskaya, from Penguin. Brendan has written reviews for Three Percent in the past, and has worked for many years as a teacher, translator, editor, and writer. Brendan’s translations include works by Juan Velasco, Álvaro Enrigue, Juan Filloy, and Carlos Fuentes. Petrushevskaya’s previous collection published in English, There Once Lived A Woman Who Tried To Kill Her Neighbor’s Baby (Penguin Books),…

  • "The Black Spider" by Jeremias Gotthelf [Books I'm Excited About]

    Chad W. Post
    16 May 2013 | 7:00 am
    I think it was two summers ago that I was last in Chicago for the annual Goethe Institut Helen and Kurt Wolff Translation Prize Extravaganza. (I love these gatherings. The award ceremony, the people involved with German literature, the panels, etc. It always seems to be a beautiful couple days weather-wise as well, which makes the whole series of events even cooler. Hopefully I can get invited back sometime . . .) Anyway, at that last Extravaganza, Susan Bernofsky was telling me that she was translating the creepiest book that she’d ever worked on—something called The Black…

  • Japanese Literature in English [New Cool Things, Part III]

    Chad W. Post
    15 May 2013 | 11:00 am
    Another favorite translator—Allison Powell—has just launched Japanese Literature in English, a website that plays to all of my databasing and list making impulses. japanese literature in english is a searchable database that compiles all literary works translated from japanese to english and available in the united states (with some exceptions). entries are still being added, and suggestions for inclusion are welcome. You can search by author, title, translator, subject, publication date, and publisher, and can click on various tags, such as “japanese americans,…
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    HBR.org

  • How to Lead When You're Not in Charge

    Gary Hamel and Polly LaBarre
    24 May 2013 | 11:00 am
    For all of the books (thousands) written on leadership, individuals (millions) who have participated in leadership seminars and dollars (billions) invested in leadership development, too many leadership experts still fail to distinguish between the practice of leadership and the exercise of bureaucratic power. In order to engage in a conversation about leadership, you have to assume you have no power — that you aren't "in charge" of anything and that you can't sanction those who are unwilling to do your bidding. If, given this starting point, you can mobilize others and accomplish…

  • A.G. Lafley on Strategy's Tough Choices

    Video
    24 May 2013 | 10:05 am
    Procter & Gamble CEO A.G. Lafley explains why strategy has to be more than an aspiration. For more, see Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works, by A.G. Lafley and Roger Martin, or, from the HBR archive, his 2009 article, What Only the CEO Can Do.

  • Four Lean Advertising Campaigns That Went Viral

    Thales Teixeira
    24 May 2013 | 10:00 am
    In my research, I use eye-tracking technology, facial-expression analysis, and lab experiments to better understand why people choose to view online videos, what narrative techniques keep them watching, and what features prompt them to share videos with friends. Since writing about this work in HBR last year, I've received a steady stream of requests from companies asking: How can we put that research to use? As a result, I've been studying how companies create and distribute online video advertisements, and I've examined some of the new firms that specialize in helping them do so. I've found…

  • An Encore at P&G (Standing Ovation TBD)

    Gretchen Gavett
    24 May 2013 | 9:30 am
    A.G Lafley is back as the CEO of P&G (nothing like the day before an American holiday weekend to announce a leadership change at a major company). There's a lot we don't know about this evolving story, but we wanted to give you a few insights. In Bloomberg Businessweek, Justin Bachman points out that one investor in particular has been increasingly irritated by the company's performance relative to its earning abilities. His colleague Diane Brady notes the very different consumer landscape than the one Lafley presided over four years ago. The Economist positions Lafley's return against the…

  • The Most Overlooked Leadership Skill

    Peter Bregman
    24 May 2013 | 9:00 am
    Even before I released the disc, I knew it was a long shot. And, unfortunately, it was a clumsy one too. We were playing Ultimate Frisbee, a game similar to U.S. football, and we were tied 14-14 with a time cap. The next point would win the game. I watched the disc fly over the heads of both teams. Everyone but me ran down the field. I cringed, helplessly, as the disc wobbled and listed left. Still, I had hope it could go our way. Sam was on my team. Sam broke free from the other runners and bolted to the end zone. But the disc was too far ahead of him. He would never make it. At the very…
 
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    Books on the Nightstand

  • BOTNS #231: Unlikeable Characters

    Ann Kingman
    21 May 2013 | 5:48 pm
    This week: May short-story read-along, a new Q&A feature, our thoughts on “unlikeable characters,” and A Constellation of Vital Phenomena. I’ve announced the May Short Story Read-along, To Do by Jennifer Egan. We’d love your participation. Head on over, read the story, and then see if you can write a story in “list” format. The best way to share your story is to post it on your own blog, tumblr, or in a Google Doc, and put the link in the comments of the read-along post. If your story is very short, you can post it in the comments, but be aware that…

  • My week in short stories #19

    Ann Kingman
    18 May 2013 | 5:55 pm
      There was no theme to my reading this week, and I chose my stories more or less on a whim. Aside from my classmate’s story that I had to critique, this is what I read: The week began with “Born of Man and Woman,” an incredibly disturbing story by Richard Matheson. This book was recommended by our friend Eric Kibler. Coincidentally, I read this the day after the three missing Cleveland women were found. There are just enough similarities in setting that an indelible line formed in my mind between the story and the news. I wasn’t able to find the story online at a…

  • BOTNS #230: Paula McLain and Nichole Bernier from Booktopia Vermont

    Michael Kindness
    14 May 2013 | 6:00 pm
    This week, we’re pleased to bring you the first two author talks from Booktopia Vermont. Paula McLain and Nichole Bernier were delightful and entertaining. Enjoy!      

  • My week in short stories #18

    Ann Kingman
    12 May 2013 | 4:29 pm
    At Books on the Nightstand, we’re dubbing 2013 “The Year of the Short Story.” In celebration, Ann is reading one story a day, for the entire year. We’ll also be highlighting new story collections, lit magazines, and online resources for short fiction. Below are links to all of our posts tagged “Project Short Story” Before I talk about the stories I read this week, a few items to note: 1. The May Short Story Read-along has been posted. I suspect I may have been a bit too subtle in my post: I want you to read the story and then write one in a similar vein. Yes, that’s…

  • BOTNS #229: Books Into Movies, Movies on to Books

    Michael Kindness
    7 May 2013 | 6:00 pm
    Michael’s Short Story Month reading plan. What movies do to books, good and bad. Plus we recommend the new books from Claire Messud and David Sedaris. May is Short Story Month Ann’s been reading a short story a day, all year. That was too much for me to commit to, so I’m just doing it for the month of May, which is Short Story Month. I’ve collected all of the books I’m pulling the stories from onto one shelf in Goodreads, though of course, I’ll read other things that catch my eye, including the May Short Story Read-Along. One of the books I talk about, I…
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    Omnivoracious

  • Translation as an Act of Love: Ursula K. Le Guin and Squaring the Circle

    Jeff VanderMeer
    24 May 2013 | 3:00 pm
    Acts of translation are often truly international efforts. In the case of Squaring the Circle: A Pseudotreatise of Urbogony, this is doubly true. Iconic writer Ursula K. Le Guin selected and translated 24 "Fantastic Tales" by the highly decorated Romanian writer Gheorghe Sasarma in this collection--but not in quite the usual way. Instead of translating from the original language, Le Guin translated initially from the Spanish edition of the book, La Quadratura del Círcolo. Squaring the Circle, which consists of several short tales each set in a different fantastical city, is perhaps the…

  • Graphic Novel Friday: the Old Weird

    Alex Carr
    24 May 2013 | 9:30 am
    A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to hear from China Mieville, the award-winning fantastical fiction author who currently writes an offbeat series for DC Comics, Dial H. Mr. Mieville’s writing can be difficult to pin down, but he is often classified under the genre of “New Weird,” and Dial H fits neatly into that realm. But DC isn’t only looking forward, as two recently published, significantly sized collections prove. These two works highlight the dark, charmingly awkward, and literary publishing that DC and its Vertigo imprint allowed to flourish in the 1990s. Like Mr.

  • The Patrón Way: A Conversation with a Marketing Pioneer

    Editor
    23 May 2013 | 10:11 am
    Most people assume that Patrón tequila has been around forever. But it wasn’t until 1989 that Ilana Edelstein’s late life partner, Martin Crowley, returned from Mexico with the “liquid treasure” which he, Edelstein, and co-founder John Paul DeJoria (also co-founder of the Paul Mitchell line of hair products), would grow into one of the world’s most recognized liquor brands. Amazon.com spoke with Edelstein about her first book The Patron Way: From Fantasy to Fortune - Lessons on Taking Any Business From Idea to Iconic Brand, which details the story of Patrón’s rise and paints an…

  • Dick Lehr: On Whitey Bulger and the Upcoming Trial of the Century

    Chris Schluep
    22 May 2013 | 1:08 pm
    Today he's known simply as WHITEY -- the Boston gangster whose epic crime story has become the stuff of history. It's not just he's a stone-cold, hands-on killer (he faces 19 murder charges); or his longevity (he's now 83, and his underworld reign covered decades). He's made history because he brought the Boston FBI to its knees, corrupting FBI agents so they acted as his palace guard and protected him from rivals in the underworld and from other police agencies seeking to bust him. Whitey Bulger has become America's most notorious crime boss because he's at the center of the worst informant…

  • YA Wednesday: "Gorgeous" Paul Rudnick

    Seira Wilson
    22 May 2013 | 11:00 am
    As a screenwriter, Paul Rudnick has some big hit movies under his belt and now he’s put his cinematic savvy to good use in his first young adult novel that we picked as a Best Teen book of May, Gorgeous.   In Gorgeous, Rudnick skewers Hollywood and our beauty-obsessed world with an over-the-top (in a good way) twist on the Cinderella story.  In Rudnick’s version,  Cinderella-–or Becky, in this case--is an unremarkable girl living with her obese mother in a Missouri trailer park who is offered the promise of irresistible beauty by the most famous fashion designer…
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    GalleyCat

  • How to Share Books & eBooks with Our Troops

    Jason Boog
    24 May 2013 | 8:07 am
    As you celebrate Memorial Day this weekend, take some time to remember all our soldiers stationed overseas. If you want to help these men and women far away from home, we’ve collected five different ways you can share books with our troops. For instance, E-Books for Troops will help you send an eReader to our troops overseas. Army Sgt. Andre Corbin explained at the site: When soldiers deploy, they have a mandatory packing list of equipment/clothing which must be fitted into a rucksack and a duffel bag – and it takes good packing to get everything required stowed. Any personal items…

  • Judy Blume: ‘You cannot write with a censor on your shoulder’

    Maryann Yin
    24 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    Last night, Judy Blume and her son Lawrence Blume appeared in New York City at a special promotional event for the film Tiger Eyes. Attendees watched the film and joined a Q&A session with both Blumes. One audience member asked Judy how she dealt with the controversy and library challenges that followed her work. Judy replied with some important writing advice: “You cannot write with a censor on your shoulder … I was a fearful kid and for some crazy reason, a pretty fearless writer.” continued… New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

  • Once Sold Tales Offers Book Grab Bags

    Jason Boog
    24 May 2013 | 7:42 am
    Seattle’s Once Sold Tales is currently offering $10, $12, $18 and $20 book grab bags for readers. As we wrote earlier this week, the owner is struggling to find homes for 500,000 books before her warehouse closes at the end of the month.  If you live near Seattle, follow this Google maps link to visit the warehouses yourself. Explore all the grab bag options at this link: Paypal is the way to pay. All payments to be made to sales@oncesoldtales.com. Subject should be your products and the optional message is not optional. Make certain to share your category selections, but note:…

  • Turn Your Favorite Kid’s Book into an Audiobook

    Jason Boog
    24 May 2013 | 7:23 am
    If you want to make a personalized audiobook for the kid in your life, StorySticker can help you with the transition. Created by stkr.it, the tool will be unveiled at BEA next week. AppNewser has all the details: StorySticker lets you do create audio recordings of yourself reading their favorite book so that they can listen to your voice at bedtime. The StorySticker audio book works through the combination of an app and a unique coded sticker that attaches to the inside of any children’s book. You can buy the stickers at a book retailer and paste it into your child’s book. Then you can…

  • Watch Black Books for Free Online

    Jason Boog
    24 May 2013 | 7:23 am
    Looking for some literary Memorial Day viewing? Try Black Books, a classic British sitcom about a dysfunctional bookstore. You can watch it for free on Hulu or Netflix streaming. We’ve embedded the trailer below–any fans in the audience? BBC America has more about the show: In this TV show, Bernard Black (Dylan Moran) owns a bookstore, but he’s more keen on hanging out with his friends than helping customers, resigning to using a bullhorn to announce to shoppers that the store is closed. His gal pal Fran Katzenjammer (Tamsin Greig) has a shop next door, making it even more…
 
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    The Writing Life

  • The Constant Hunt for Excellent Writing

    Terry Whalin
    24 May 2013 | 2:29 pm
    The view on Lake Washington near Seattle, Washington Last weekend I was in beautiful Seattle at the Northwest Writers Association Conference. I've been privileged to speak at this conference several times over the years. I always find it invigorating to get away from my computer and phone for a bit to meet face to face with writers and talk about books and publishing. In today's connected world, we seem to rarely get away from our computer and phone but at least we can grab the face to face time. Several years ago at this conference, I met retired surgeon Lloyd Johnson. In recent years, Lloyd…

  • You Can Make A Difference

    Terry Whalin
    8 May 2013 | 9:51 am
    Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others? P.K. Hallinan, author of 90 children's books that have sold almost ten million copies, identifies a key need for people: to have a life which makes a difference in others. Hallinan boils it down to five steps: 1. Work hard 2. Go in the strength you have. 3. Finish what you start. 4. Be patient. 5. Help others along the way. Through a combination of personal stories, the stories of others and solid how-to information, Hallinan packs a punch in every chapter of this easy-to-read book. As he says on page 24, "You have one life, and this is…

  • The Power of Teaching

    Terry Whalin
    7 May 2013 | 4:34 pm
    While it was many years ago, to me, I can remember it as though it was yesterday. I was a sophomore in high school, my English teacher Mr. Smith suggested that I might like to join the high school newspaper. He noticed something in my writing and recommended this extracurricular activity. I took action and became a sports writer on the paper. This sports position was the only one available. I wasn’t active in sports so had to learn everything such as the terminology and the most basic of writing skills. Yet I loved it. I enjoyed observing the games and interviewing the players and the coach…

  • Laugh Out Loud Funny

    Terry Whalin
    4 May 2013 | 9:59 am
    I love reading about unusual experiences and occupations. You learn the inside of the hotel industry in HEADS IN BEDS. Tomsky started in the New Orleans hotel business and during this lively book moves into New York City. The book is peppered with advice and yet the writing is exceptional. Yes, at times a bit profane but still fascinating writing. On my way to New York, I was reading HEADS IN BEDS. Many people try to use a story to get an upgraded room when they check into a New York hotel. According to the author, these stories do not work. He worked for years as a front desk manager and…

  • The Holy Grail for Authors

    Terry Whalin
    30 Apr 2013 | 10:53 am
    Every business has a pinnacle of success. It is the ultimate mark of achievement. In book publishing, much of this mark of success is tied to winning a particular award or getting your book on a particular bestseller list. The ultimate bestseller list is to see your book on the New York Times bestseller list.. If you study this particular group of authors, you will notice the same names repeatedly land on this list.  When an author lands on the New York Times list, the achievement is forever carried with their publishing life. They are introduced as a New York Times bestselling author.
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    Storytellers Unplugged

  • FORENSICS 165: OUTDOING THE DOGS

    Robert Jones
    19 May 2013 | 5:57 am
    This essay might be of special interest to writers of detective and mystery novels who would like to enrich their stories by providing their readers with a gift of extra details. It might also be of general interest to many other readers, especially those who are CSI and NCIS fans. Smithereen is a powerful word. If one reads that something has been broken, it usually conjures an image of something that can be fixed and made useful again. If one reads that something has been smashed to smithereens, however, it conjures an image of tiny fragments of what is now utterly useless. There are…

  • Bartleby and me

    Bev Vincent
    17 May 2013 | 2:00 am
    After a long hiatus while working on other things, I’ve finally reached a place in my schedule where I can focus on a novel again. I’m not exactly starting from scratch: I have a 3000-word chapter that was thoroughly critiqued by some writer friends a couple of years ago and a fairly solid idea of where to go next. I went on a research trip to an important location a couple of months ago and took along the video camera to film the locale. I know the main character quite well, because I’ve written about him before, though only one short story featuring him has been published,…

  • Thomas Sullivan: CRYING IN YOUR CARROT JUICE AND THE MYSTERY CURSE

    Thomas Sullivan
    15 May 2013 | 12:23 pm
    Who says the cost of education is out of sight?  All you have to do is write a Q&A column and readers will send you a Doctorate’s worth of stories and thought-provoking new Q’s.  A writer couldn’t ask for more education than that.  Here are some of your most interesting posers, including straight writer Qs, generalities about this here scribe, and at least one intriguing corker I found challenging to answer. Q [Brooklyn, NY]: Which do you like writing best, humor or horror? A: Humor.  But that’s just who I am.  If you break the labels down, the gap narrows.  One of those…

  • I WRITE IN PAJAMA PANTS. HOW ABOUT YOU?

    Carole Lanham
    3 May 2013 | 10:57 am
    This month – a little quiz. My favorite column in The Writer each month is HOW I WRITE. In fact, I flip straight to the back of the magazine while carrying it in from the mailbox because HOW I WRITE is always the last thing to be found between the pages. Like the name implies, a featured author (different each issue) answers a series of simple questions and takes you step by step through their own personal method for creating new work, which usually includes spilling the beans about their daily habits and writing schedule. This passing glimpse into another writer’s world is comforting…

  • A Question of Character

    Alma Alexander
    30 Apr 2013 | 8:14 am
    In the process of writing fiction as we know it, things have always been in flux – what comes first, the plot, the idea behind the plot, the problem, the setting, the character?? Which single one of those informs all the rest to the point of being given first billing, of being considered the most important, the most essential, tool? One of the basic definitions of a story (and there are many) is A Character With A Problem.  And essentially this is where I pause and nod my head slowly – because for me, that is precisely correct, exactly the order in which things tend to come to…
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    Paulo Coelho's Blog

  • The price of hate and pardon

    Paulo Coelho
    24 May 2013 | 4:14 am
    In my notes for the year 1989 I come across some sentences jotted down from a conversation I had with J, whom I call my “master.” At that time we were talking about an unknown mystic called Kenan Rifai, about whom little has been written. “Kenan Rifai says that when people praise us we should [...]

  • Our scars

    Paulo Coelho
    21 May 2013 | 5:55 pm
    by Pramiti Sapru Scars; they seem so beautiful at times. I’ve got many, deep and shallow. They aren’t self-inflicted, well consciously they aren’t. They cover my arms, my legs, even my fingers are painted with them. To others it might seem like a cry for help or a careless attitude but for me it’s my [...]

  • Blog changes

    Paulo Coelho
    20 May 2013 | 4:36 am
    As you noticed, the blog changed its visual. Suphi did a great job, but there are probably a lot of things that we missed. So please list your comments/suggestions/etc. below Love Paulo

  • Our magic moment

    Paulo Coelho
    19 May 2013 | 7:04 pm
    Every day, God gives us the sun – and also one moment in which we have the ability to change everything that makes us unhappy. Every day, we try to pretend that we haven’t perceived the moment, that it doesn’t exist – that today is the same as yesterday and will be the same as [...]

  • Having fun today

    supi
    19 May 2013 | 3:58 pm
 
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    Advanced Fiction Writing

  • Writing Exposition in First Person Without Sounding Daft

    Randy Ingermanson
    23 May 2013 | 11:11 pm
    When you’re writing a novel in first person, how do you write exposition without it sounding weird and unnatural? Vicky posted this question on my “Ask A Question For My Blog” page: How do you write exposition from the first person without it sounding daft – unlikely the character would be thinking about how things work, she’d just know. I’m writing a fantasy, so some explainations are necessary – or aren’t they? Many thanks for your help. Randy sez: Writing exposition in a novel always feels a little unnatural, because it breaks the reader out…

  • It’s A Outrage!

    Randy Ingermanson
    16 May 2013 | 11:41 pm
    “It’s a outrage!” my plumber Sam bellowed through the phone. I held the phone as far from my ear as I could. “Um, Sam, what’s this about? I paid that invoice of yours.” “I ain’t talking about that and you know it. You gone and double-crossed me!” Given the massive amount of money Sam has overcharged me over the years for his dubious plumbing skills, I thought that was a bit ironic. “How have I double-crossed you?” “I seen it just now on Goodreads! You went and … put up a free copy of that danged book of yers.”…

  • What If Your Story Is Unconvincing?

    Randy Ingermanson
    10 May 2013 | 2:19 pm
    What if you’re halfway through your novel and it just doesn’t feel convincing? Do you scrub the project? Keep wallowing on through the muck? How do you know what’s right? Annick posted this question on my “Ask A Question For My Blog” page: I’ve had a story theme that I’ve wanted to write as a novel for 4-5 years. My first breakthrough was discovering your Snowflake method, which really helped me to get started, define where I wanted to go, and how I was going to get there (eternally grateful)… The trouble is, now I’m half way through my…

  • Those Pesky Editing Paradigms

    Randy Ingermanson
    26 Apr 2013 | 12:56 pm
    What’s the right way to edit your novel? Or … is there a right way? Noah posted this question on my “Ask A Question For My Blog” page: I am an amateur writer, and have no idea when to begin revisions. Should I start revising the first part of my writing part way through, or begin revision once I am finished with the whole work? Randy sez: This is a good question, and there’s no one right answer that works for everybody. If you’ve read my book Writing Fiction For Dummies, I have a chapter on Creative Paradigms. A Creative Paradigm is a method of getting a…

  • Amazonopoly

    Randy Ingermanson
    18 Apr 2013 | 3:49 pm
    “We got to break that Amazonopoly before it kills us all.” My plumber Sam wiped his greasy hands on his coveralls. “Amazonopoly?” I looked over Sam’s shoulder at the pinhole leak in the valve under my sink that was fizzing a thin spray of water. Sam is a big 300 pound teddy bear of a guy who suddenly became an expert on the publishing industry when he found out I’m a novelist. “Amazon is gonna crush you if you ain’t careful.” Sam grabbed a pipe wrench, leaned in under the sink, and began banging experimentally on the drywall. “Hmmm,…
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    ReadersRead.com Book Blog

  • Lea Michele to Publish Book Called Brunette Ambition

    23 May 2013 | 12:00 pm
    Glee star Lea Michele has cut a deal to publish her first book, Brunette Ambition, with Harmony Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group. The book is described as part memoir, part how-to and part how-to style guide. The publisher says Lea will provide "practical advice and lessons" for aspiring actresses that want to follow her career path. Lea said in a statement, "There wasn't a guidebook when I was growing up, that detailed everything I would need to do, and know, to get where I am today. But I believe I can write one of sorts: not a how-to-make-it-in-show-business book, but a…

  • Sharon Osbourne to Publish Children's Book Called Mama Hook Knows Best

    22 May 2013 | 1:44 pm
    Sharon Osbourne is publishing a children's for Disney Publishing called Mama Hook Knows Best: A Pirate Parent's Favorite Fables. The character is an extension of Osbourne's character from the hit Disney Junior series Jake and the Never Land Pirates. It will arrive in stores in fall 2013 and will be soldwith an audio CD featuring original narration by Sharon Osbourne. It will also be available in ebook form. The book follows Mama Hook as she reminisces about her great adventures sailing the Never Sea and the stories she told her son Captain Hook when he was a young boy. Sharon said in a…

  • 2013 Children's Choice Book Award Winners Announced

    17 May 2013 | 1:00 pm
    The winners of the 2013 Children's Choice Book Awards have been announced by the Children's Book Council and Every Child a Reader. The winners were announced a charity gala benefitting Every Child a Reader in New York City. This was the sixth annual CCBAs. Here is a list of the winners: Author of the Year: Jeff Kinney for Diary of a Wimpy Kid 7: The Third Wheel (Amulet Books/Abrams) Illustrator of the Year: Robin Preiss Glasser for Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet (HarperCollins Children's Books) Kindergarten to Second Grade Book of the Year: Nighttime Ninja by Barbara DaCosta, illustrated…

  • Martin Short to Publish Memoir With Harper

    14 May 2013 | 3:00 pm
    Comedian and actor Martin Short has announced plans to publish his memoir with Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. The memoir will be published in 2014. The autobiography is Martin's first book. Short will discuss his life and his forty-plus years in show business. It will cover his childhood in Hamilton, Canada. It will also cover his early years at SCTV and Saturday Night Live. Short will also discuss his films, including The Three Amigos and Father of the Bride. Short said in a statement, "Although I've never read a book all the way through, I'm sure excited to write one. And…

  • Zendaya Signs Book Deal With Disney Publishing

    13 May 2013 | 7:24 pm
    Zendaya, the star of Disney's Shake It Up!, has signed a book deals with Disney-Hyperion. She will pen an advice book, called Between U and Me: How to Rock Your Tween Years with Style and Confidence, which will arrive in bookstores in August. The book was co-written with Sheryl Berk. Between U and Me will will provide advice for navigating the tween years. It will also include personal photos, anecdotes, recipes, playlists, doodles, and advice from Zendaya's team of experts. Zendaya says, "The tween years can be really fun and exciting, but they can also be a tough time in a girl's life.
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    Living 2 Read

  • An Escape

    17 May 2013 | 2:09 pm
    We all have times in our lives when we need a book to give us a temporary respite from reality, and that's what Charlotte Link's The Other Childgave me. Nothing works better at those times than a British murder mystery. Don't ask me to empathize, don't ask me to analyze, just lure me in with two murders (same killer? copycat?), a charming (but menacing?) farm in rural Yorkshire, a host of characters whose back stories slowly unfold as motives and clues swirl around. The narrative stretches backward to World War II, when London children were evacuated to the countryside to avoid the Blitz, and…

  • Undercover

    3 Apr 2013 | 2:13 pm
    I think there was part of me that always wanted to be a spy. Years ago I turned down an offer to work at NSA, and perhaps I was secretly expecting a tap on the shoulder from CIA. That may explain why Ian McEwan's Sweet Toothappealed to me. It's the late 60's and the tap on shoulder of Cambridge grad Serena Frome (rhymes with plume) comes from her older lover, a Cambridge professor. She is hired by MI5, the domestic counterespionage service. (Note to the esteemed Mr. McEwan: if you want your character's name to be pronounced Frume why don't you just spell it that way?). Like virtually all the…

  • I've Been Sequestered

    18 Mar 2013 | 5:09 pm
    Yes, I've been sequestered with Patrick Melrose. At least that's how it feels. Once I read Edward St. Aubyn's first book about the fictional Patrick Melrose, “Never Mind”, I was compelled to keep going. How could a writer create such a poisonous family dynamic, in which five-year-old Patrick is a helpless pawn, and still find a way to make me laugh out loud? How could I want to read more about a father like this: “He was determined to harden the calluses of disappointment and develop the skill of detachment in his son. After all, what else did he have to offer him?”. A father whose…

  • A Year in the Life

    27 Feb 2013 | 5:21 pm
    Sometimes what leads me to a book is a straight line, sometimes it's a long twisted path, but this time it was somewhere in between. I loved David Mitchell's “Cloud Atlas', so I tried “The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet” but I just couldn't get into it. So much for David Mitchell, said I. But then I listened to the podcast of the Slate Audio Book Club where they discussed “Cloud Atlas”. (These podcasts are very entertaining, and I loved the latest one where they discussed “”Pride and Prejudice” on the occasion of its 200thbirthday). They enjoyed "Cloud Atlas"but all of them…

  • Home Again, Home Again

    11 Feb 2013 | 3:50 pm
    There was a time in 2009 where it felt as if everyone I knew was reading “Olive Kitteridge”, Elizabeth Strout's book about the residents of the small community of Crosby on the coast of Maine. Strout created a series of interlocking stories, some in which Olive is the main character and others in which she stays on the periphery, which sketched with deft strokes the strengths, the flaws, and the complicated inner lives of various residents.In her latest book The Burgess Boys Maine itself, specifically Shirley Falls, becomes one of her characters. The Burgess boys – Jim and Bob – are…
 
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    RobAroundBooks

  • Totally Fitzgerald: Retyping The Great Gatsby

    Rob
    17 May 2013 | 9:00 am
    Well, today sees the UK cinema launch of Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. For weeks now we’ve been bombarded with all of the hype, the interviews, the shiny pictures and video footage of the film, and unless you’ve been living in a cave then you’ll know that the world has gone a little bit Gatsby crazy. But of course many bookish types have been Gatsby crazy for years now. We know the power of that which lies in the novel’s slender packaging, and we have long revelled in the deliciousness of Fitzgerald’s prose. To date I’ve read The Great…

  • Introducing ‘Totally Fitzgerald’

    Rob
    17 May 2013 | 8:58 am
    Back in February/March you barely heard a peep from me, and for good reason. You see I had become totally absorbed with an author. I go through stages like this in my life, when I hook onto something – not always literature-related – and become so inextricably tangled and obsessed with it that I can’t seem to focus on anything else for a while. In the past this has happened with John Steinbeck, with New York City, with typewriters, with WW2 on the Eastern Front, with Laurel and Hardy and so on and so forth, and most recently it’s happened with the great F. Scott…

  • Bookshelf of the Week: Real Gabinete Português de Leitura

    Rob
    16 Apr 2013 | 11:31 pm
    Built between 1880-1887 and occupying a site in downtown Rio de Janiero, the subject for this edition of BookShelf of the Week is the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura (Royal Portuguese Reading Room). The stunning image of the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura, as captured by Brice Bonneau, shows at once the majesty and magnificence of the interior, as it stretches throughout its four stories from floor to ceiling, further emphasising the majesty of the place. And topping it off is the most breathtaking of skylights coupled with chandelier, which ensures that visitors have the perfect…

  • Short Story Review: ‘Faithful Wife’ by Morley Callaghan

    Rob
    16 Apr 2013 | 12:31 pm
    Story Title: Faithful Wife by Morley Callaghan Collection/Anthology?: Read from the New Yorker archive, issue dated December 28, 1929 (subscription required). Briefly: George is working his final week on the lunch counter at the station restaurant. He has long felt somewhat anonymous, as is the case with many people who are in these types of jobs, but it doesn’t stop him looking at and admiring all the pretty girls passing through, while he clings to the hope that one day he will be noticed. One girl in particular has taken George’s fancy, and while working his final shift he…

  • Introducing ‘Totally Callaghan’

    Rob
    16 Apr 2013 | 12:30 pm
    You know when you read something by an author that you’ve never read before and everything just feels right? You connect with his/her writing immediately. You find yourself hanging on every word that’s set before you. You feel as though you and the author are linked as kindred spirits. Well, this is exactly how I felt the first time I read Morley Callaghan a couple of weeks back, and it’s a feeling that’s stuck with me. I’d originally been put on to the Canadian author by Joe Queenan. In his book One for the Books. Queenan talks briefly about a memoir by Morley Callaghan that…
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    The Millions

  • A Taste of Saudade

    Thomas Beckwith
    24 May 2013 | 1:00 pm
    A few months ago, I wrote about Norwegian Granta, which included stories by Jennifer Egan, Roberto Bolano and Alice Munro in its first issue. Now the magazine is launching Granta Portugal, which debuts with five sonnets by the poet Fernando Pessoa. Related posts: Next Up, Denmark After waking us up to their favorite Brazilian novelists, the... The Best Single Issue of Any Literary Magazine, Ever What is the best single issue of any literary magazine?... Poetic Doubles: A Review of Jose Saramago’s The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis Zach Brennan is staff writer for two health…

  • Kid-Friendly

    Thomas Beckwith
    24 May 2013 | 11:00 am
    Masha Gessen (who recently agreed to write a book on the Boston bombers) told a journalist in New Zealand she’s “probably” moving out of Russia. Why? “It’s one thing to bring up your kids in a place that’s risky and difficult; I think in many ways it’s enriching them, and I’m glad my kids have that experience,” she said. “It’s another thing to bring up your kids in a place that’s hopeless. “ Related posts: To Teach a Kid How to Read, Teach a Kid How to Think If you have not been paying attention to trends in... Nicholson Baker and Friendly’s Nicholson Baker…

  • Neuroscience and Creativity

    Sonya Chung
    24 May 2013 | 10:59 am
    Over at Bloom, Dr. Francine Toder—a retired psychotherapist and author of The Vintage Years, who learned to play the cello in her 60s—writes about the neuroscience studies that support creative blooming in later life.  Check out also this excerpt from The Vintage Years. Related posts: On Creativity and Psychiatry Good news for you! If you’re a creative person, you’re... This is your brain on metaphor Annie Murphy Paul looks to neuroscience to understand the pleasure... The Science of Language and Creativity At the Philadelphia Inquirer, neurologists look at cases where serious...

  • Orwell in Burma

    Thomas Beckwith
    24 May 2013 | 9:00 am
    Three weeks ago, Vishwas Gaitonde wrote a piece for us about a house in India once owned by the family of George Orwell. Now, in the Times, Jane Perlez pays a visit to Burma, where Orwell served in the Imperial Police Force and gathered impressions for his first novel, Burmese Days.  Related posts: “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” Continuing Tin House’s great “The Art of The Sentence” series, Vishwas... On the Fall of the House of Orwell Orwell’s birth home has languished in dilapidation for decades. Damaged... Salman Rushdie on George Orwell Granta posts…

  • Real Hard

    Thomas Beckwith
    24 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    What exactly is “thug lit,” and how is it related to Martha Stewart? Related posts: “This is my song, for real / Do doubt.” Andrew Marantz reviews R. Kelly’s “breezy” and “revealing” memoir, Soulacoaster:... “No real diminishment was possible.” Clive James gives Pauline Kael a serious critical appreciation in... Explore the Real NW Explore four of the spots mentioned in Zadie Smith’s NW...
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    Thrillers, Horror, and Comics

  • So You Want to Discover Myths?

    Greg
    18 May 2013 | 1:20 pm
    This is a book list of actual myths, folklore and fairy tales — usually in translation. The best way to learn the myth stories, is by reading them in as close to the original format as possible. Edith Hamilton’s Mythology may be a great introduction to Greek, Roman and Norse myths, but it’s a pale shadow compared to the real stories. So You Want to Discover Myths? Interested in one or more of these books? Click the mouse on the book title to order it from your local CLEVNET library. The Epic of Gilgamesh: The Babylonian Epic Poem and Other Texts in Akkadian and Sumerian…

  • The Bat vs. The Owls: Batman Begins in DC Comics New 52

    Greg
    24 Apr 2013 | 12:12 pm
    Two years ago DC Comics did a major reboot of its entire superhero comic book line. Called the New 52, every comic book started fresh from issue number one and many heroes, like Firestorm, received major make-overs. Others, like Batman and Superman, had tweaks to bring them into a more modern age. For instance, Batman sports black and grey armor with a cowl, cape and utility belt. Gone is the “underpants on the outside” look. At the time of the reboot, Batman and Superman have been active for about five to six years. The Justice League formed about five years ago. Some comics…

  • So You Want to be a Screenwriter: A Book List

    Greg
    11 Apr 2013 | 5:36 pm
    Unlike other forms of writing, when you write a screenplay, a teleplay or a stage play, your job is only just beginning. And often, the easiest part is the writing itself. It’s the rest of the job — pitching the script, doing a multitude of requested rewrites, being ignored as an advisor and generally treated worse than hired help . . . and then they send your script out to somebody you’ve never heard of who rewrites the whole thing from scratch! Nonetheless, there are people who long to get their stories up on the silver screen. These books can teach you how to write the…

  • A Bad Day for Abusive Husbands — The Stella Hardesty Series

    Greg
    6 Apr 2013 | 11:59 am
    Stella Hardesty is a 50-something widow who runs a sewing shop and has a side business setting abusive men straight . . . First she has a nice little sit down talk with them . . . while they’re helplessly trussed up in some questionable bondage wear. If that doesn’t work, she has a little heart-to-heart with them — usually involving bondage and pain. . . After that, they’re “on parole” and she’s not a terribly forgiving parole officer to back-sliders. As unorthodox as her “unsanctioned” methods are, Stella has a better track record than…

  • In Search of a New Home: The Jacob’s Ladder Trilogy

    Greg
    21 Mar 2013 | 3:32 pm
    Elizabeth Bear is a science fiction author who can satisfy that midnight craving for space opera when yet another Star Trek rerun won’t do. Discover new sights and wonders as the generation ship Jacob’s Ladder limps toward its final destination and her people must adapt . . . or die. The Jacob’s Ladder Trilogy Interested in one or more of these books? Click the mouse on the book cover to order it from your local CLEVNET library. Dust (The Jacob’s Ladder Trilogy #1) Author: Bear, Elizabeth Format: Mass Market Paperback Type: Science Fiction Novel Page Count: 368pp. Pub.
 
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    Buzz, Balls & Hype

  • Hand Yelling The Age of Desire

    M.J. Rose
    19 May 2013 | 11:13 am
    I read this evoacative, atomospheric and compelling book - a novel about a novelist -  last week while on my own book tour which was an M.C. Escherish experience. I really enjoyed this intimate exploration of Edith Warton's sexual awaking even though at times I wasn't overly fond of Edith herself, or the choices she made. Which does make this an odd endorsement I suppose.But the book is fascinating for fans of Warton - since the author based so much of the story on actual letters - it was fascinating for me to learn the story of Warton's loveless marriage and the man this…

  • Hand Yelling The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro

    M.J. Rose
    14 May 2013 | 3:13 am
    I picked up this book with trepidation. I've been writing books about perfume for the last four years and am seeped in it. I expected to be either disappointed or jealous. I wasn't disappointed and I can't be jealous because the of hours of pleasure I got reading The Perfume Collector. Even though I guessed "the secret" almost right away - it didn't matter - the characters were so engaging and the writing so lovely. Perfume, Paris, passion, style, elegance, a certain "je ne sais quois", charm and good old fashioned storytelling along with a lump in my…

  • WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOUR BOOK LAUNCH? In person! 8 Events

    M.J. Rose
    13 May 2013 | 8:36 am

  • Hand Yelling Murder as a Fine Art by David Morrell

    M.J. Rose
    7 May 2013 | 3:23 am
    I've been reading David Morrell for years. Amazed most I think by how masterful every book is. How intelligent but at the same time fast paces. How smart he is but how he never makes you stop to notice it. And how he keeps reinventing himself as an author - taking on every kind of suspense novel  - and doing it as well as anyone ever has.  Now he's taken on historical suspense and you will swear that he must have used a time travel machine to write Murder As a Fine Art. You will be in gaslit London... you will smell the filth.. you will walk the dark streets... you will be scared…

  • Writing By Hand

    M.J. Rose
    5 May 2013 | 6:20 am
    When Seduction comes out on Tuesday, readers who buy the hardcover and open it will find, what I hope, will be a surprise. The endpapers (see below) show my hand written manuscript of the book along with the pen and the ink I wrote it with. Why did I write  122,833 words in ink? I love challenges, but to tell the story of Victor Hugo’s experiments with séances in his own voice? What kind of crazy idea had I come up with? Surely it was lunacy to even attempt it. I don’t have literary illusions. I had just fallen in love with Hugo’s story and wanted to tell it. What fascinated me was…
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    my mind on books

  • new book – ‘The Self Beyond Itself: An Alternative History of Ethics, the New Brain Sciences, and the Myth of Free Will’ by Heidi M. Ravven

    mymindonbooks
    23 May 2013 | 12:07 pm
    The Self Beyond Itself: An Alternative History of Ethics, the New Brain Sciences, and the Myth of Free Will by Heidi M. Ravven (New Press, 2013) (kindle ed.), (amazon.co.uk) Book description from the publisher: Why be ethical? For freedom’s sake; for joy, for pleasure, for a sense of living on in the universe of which [...]

  • new book – ‘Brainwashed: The Seductive Appeal of Mindless Neuroscience’

    mymindonbooks
    20 May 2013 | 2:22 pm
    Brainwashed: The Seductive Appeal of Mindless Neuroscience by Sally Satel and Scott O. Lilienfeld (Basic Books, 2013) (kindle ed.), (amazon.co.uk) Book description from the publisher: What can’t neuroscience tell us about ourselves? Since fMRI—functional magnetic resonance imaging—was introduced in the early 1990s, brain scans have been used to help politicians understand and manipulate voters, determine [...]

  • new book – ‘The Art of Thinking Clearly’ by Rolf Dobelli

    mymindonbooks
    17 May 2013 | 12:40 pm
    The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli (Harper, 2013) (kindle ed.), (amazon.co.uk)   Book description from the publisher: The Art of Thinking Clearly by world-class thinker and entrepreneur Rolf Dobelli is an eye-opening look at human psychology and reasoning — essential reading for anyone who wants to avoid “cognitive errors” and make better choices [...]

  • Kindle sale highlights – Big Deal at Amazon (through May 27)

    mymindonbooks
    16 May 2013 | 12:21 pm
    Amazon’s Big Deal is on through May 27, featuring over 500 titles at up to 85% off (“Individual books may have additional territory restrictions, and not all deals are available in all territories. Amazon may modify the selection of books offered at any time.”) including: How To Think Like a Neandertal by Thomas Wynn and [...]

  • new book – ‘Permanent Present Tense: The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesic Patient, H. M.’ by Suzanne Corkin

    mymindonbooks
    14 May 2013 | 12:07 pm
    Permanent Present Tense: The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesic Patient, H. M. by Suzanne Corkin (Basic Books, 2013) (kindle ed.), (amazon.co.uk) Book description from the publisher: In 1953, 27-year-old Henry Gustave Molaison underwent an experimental “psychosurgical” procedure—a targeted lobotomy—in an effort to alleviate his debilitating epilepsy. The outcome was unexpected—when Henry awoke, he could no [...]
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    Boomerang Books Blog

  • A Stagefright interview with Carole Wilkinson

    George Ivanoff
    22 May 2013 | 6:00 pm
    Many years ago there was a book called Stagefright. It was about a group of high school kids putting on a musical version of Shakespear’s Richard the Third. It was the first novel from a then unknown author named Carole Wilkinson. Carole has since gone on to find success with her Dragonkeeper and Ramose novels, as well as with lots of other books. Now Stagefright is back! And Carole is here to talk about it. I remember reading, and loving, the original version of Stagefright back in the mid 1990s. Could you tell us how this novel came to be ‘reborn’? It was the first book of mine to be…

  • Review – Ferret on the Loose

    Dimity Powell
    19 May 2013 | 5:49 pm
    Stand in the kids’ section of any library and you’ll soon discover what under 10 year old readers gravitate towards; pacey, riveting chapter books, starring jump-off-the-page characters with the odd quirky picture thrown in to keep it all real. This is precisely what New Frontier Publishing is delivering with their dynamite Little Rocket Series. Like Aussie Mates and the (now ceased) Aussie Nibbles collections, Little Rockets junior fiction is aimed at that Golden Age of reading where kids are still willing and able to suspend belief for action and fun and downright silliness. This series…

  • The Green Kitchen

    Fiona Crawford
    19 May 2013 | 2:15 am
    One of my greatest gripes about being vegan (or vegetarian—the same rules apply) is also a rather politically incorrect one. That is, that it’s assumed I thrive on the smell of incense, that I have musty-smelling dreadlocks, and that I wear tie-dyed clothes. I’m not that kind of vegan, and the mis-lumping irks me no end. I’m an urban-dwelling one who’s conscious of her carbon footprint, but who is also rather conservative. You wouldn’t at a glance be able to tell me apart from meat eaters, and even if it loses me my leftie badge, I’m actually fairly ok with that (I think it’s…

  • Magnificent Chookens (AKA How Far Would You Go To Obtain A Book?)

    Fiona Crawford
    18 May 2013 | 4:07 pm
    How far would you go to obtain a book? it seems, is actually more than a hypothetical. I waited for months in breathless, is-it-here-yet anticipation for a rerelease of The Magnificent Chicken: Portraits of the Fairest Fowl, a book about chickens (hereafter referred to as ‘chookens’). Those who know me know I have a bit of a thing for chookens and, coincidentally, Ira Glass (the latter wrote a special foreword to the book, which was first published in 2001). If I hadn’t been sold on a book with stellar photographs of unusual chookens, I’d have been sold on such a book that contained…

  • Darth Vader and Son

    Fiona Crawford
    17 May 2013 | 8:16 pm
    There are few books more suited to the Ones I Wish I’d Written category than Jeffrey Brown’s Darth Vader and Son. A pint-sized picture book, it’s brilliantly as much a book for big kids as small ones. In fact, I suspect many a new parent who grew up with Star Wars will be buying it as a nostalgic, wry chuckle-inducing alternative to reading their kids Winnie the Pooh and Teletubbies (both of which are far less gripping and far more teeth-grindingly tedious the millionth time*). The Darth Vader and Son premise is an alternate reality in which Darth Vader is closely involved in Luke…
 
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    AbeBooks' Reading Copy

  • Beautiful Devotion: Illuminated Manuscripts

    Beth Carswell
    24 May 2013 | 1:38 pm
    First created over 2000 years ago, illuminated manuscripts had drawings or paintings of ornate initials, borders, flowers, vines and other decoration to accompany text. A true illuminated manuscript was made without machines. Frequently in devotional prayer books, the most exceptional art served as a status symbol. Nowadays, original illuminated manuscripts are highly scarce. But due to the surpassing beauty of the pieces, artists have painstakingly recreated the illuminations in facsimiles and reproductions, many of which are both affordable, and unforgettable. Be Illuminated!

  • Annotated Philosopher’s Stone sells at auction for £150,000

    slaming
    23 May 2013 | 10:16 am
    The English charity PEN held an auction yesterday where they acquired a large number of first editions from various authors and then had the authors sign, annotate, and in some cases illustrate these editions.  The auction, which was entitled “First Editions, Second Thoughts” raised £439,000 for the charity whose goal is to fight censorship and advocate for freedom of expression. In total there were fifty writers who contributed to the auction some highlights included a Quentin Blake illustrated first edition of Matilda which went for £30,000, Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the…

  • 2013 Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar Contest

    Beth Carswell
    22 May 2013 | 11:43 am
    Are you thinking of becoming a rare bookseller? Or have you just started to sell collectible books? The Colorado Antiquarian Book Seminar is a week-long educational event held in Colorado Springs in August, 2013 for booksellers, librarians and collectors that offers expert discussion about rare books. The Book Seminar provides an opportunity for leading specialists to share their expertise and experience in a comprehensive survey of the rare book market, both antiquarian and modern. Basic procedures and problems are discussed both formally and informally through a series of lectures,…

  • And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini published today

    slaming
    21 May 2013 | 10:54 am
    Some authors churn out books nearly at the pace one would read them, but Khaled Hosseini takes his time with his craft.  It has been six years, less a day, since Khaled Hosseini published  A Thousand Splendid Suns; and  it is one week shy of the 10th anniversary of  his debut novel, The Kite Runner, but today the world can finally get its collective hands on the anticipated third novel And the Mountains Echoed Early reviews are coming in with the consensus that this third novel is just as powerful and emotional as any of Hosseini’s previous work, and that the author has grown even…

  • Call The Midwife Was a Book First

    Beth Carswell
    17 May 2013 | 2:43 pm
    My husband and I are expecting our first baby. It’s an exciting, wonderful, strange and occasionally terrifying time, as anyone who has been through it will remember. Both medically and emotionally, it’s an absolutely fascinating process that is affecting parts of my body and both of our hearts that neither of us ever expected. To alterately comfort and alarm myself, I’ve become totally immersed in the PBS Series Call The Midwife. Originally a BBC drama (and apparently, the highest-rated in BBC history), the show is utterly engrossing and fantastic. If you’ve never…
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    The Contemporary Reader

  • Six Worlds and a New One

    1 May 2013 | 2:02 am
    These are six books, the six different worlds, I have had the pleasure to read since arriving here in Manila. I've only been able to finish half of the total count. The moving AND the adjustment of moving to another place with a faster pace is stressful. The only good thing about Manila's transportation is that the 2-hour traffic gives me enough time to finish several chapters. I've loved

  • A Chuvaness.com gift to welcome me in Manila!

    11 Apr 2013 | 4:18 am
    Good Morning, Paranaque! Hay naku, Manila, it's another one of your extremely blinding hot days. I'm in Manila you guys! And everything is so busy and blinking and fast and noisy and fun and superlatively exciting! Since touching down last April 1st, everything has been strange. But you can't blame me, what's 10 days when compared to 26 years? All my life I've been in Davao. Suddenly, my plane

  • Hello, Healthy-Organic! Aloha, Organic Garden!

    26 Mar 2013 | 8:50 pm
    I love my city and its diverse shops that feature local produce! One of my favorite businesses is Aloha Organic Garden, and I was happy to see them at last week's SM Eco Fair. Their booth was bursting with varieties of herb plants in colorful pots, and their famous organic products lined neatly in shelves. What's amazing about Aloha Organic Garden is the shop is down-to-earth in its

  • Books from Blink.Com.Ph!

    28 Feb 2013 | 6:55 am
    I had no right to buy stuff I didn't budget/allot for. But online cashless shopping makes it easy to waive that right. I went ahead and splurged. I bought four books from Blink.com.ph all for PHP1,000 (free shipping). I've been using their online book shopping portal quite a bit now, even just for browsing at least once a week. If you ask me, I personally think that Blink is a treasure trove

  • Ryuma Coffee Shop: Davao's Premiere Spot for Gilded Chairs & General Royal Awesomeness

    13 Feb 2013 | 6:51 am
    A PALACE OF GOLD? IN MY DAVAO? Relax, it's just Ryuma Coffee Shop. These gilded chairs seem like those furniture from The Grand Kremlin Palace at Moscow! Really! Take it from  me, I have never been there. And while my companion was choosing our orders at the counter, I sat there peacefully like a Tsarina. There's nothing like elegance, sparkly things, and good food to make you think
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    About.com Bestsellers

  • Wool by Hugh Howey

    17 May 2013 | 10:11 am
    Hugh Howey's science fiction thriller, Wool, started with a self-published short story. Reader demand for more led him to publish the five sections of the complete novel serially. An electronic bestseller, Wool was first published as a hardcover book in 2012 and was recently released in paperback. Find out whether all the hype is true and if Wool is a necessary addition to your summer reading: Review of Wool by Hugh Howey Wool Book Club Discussion Questions Cover Photo Courtesy Simon & Schuster

  • Graduation Gift Ideas

    8 May 2013 | 2:58 am
    Know a recent or upcoming grad who you would like to acknowledge? These good books for recent grads make thoughtful, but affordable gifts.

  • Some Ideas for Mother's Day

    6 May 2013 | 2:53 am
    Next Sunday is Mother's Day. Here are some books from the past few years that would be great to pass on to mom. Cover Photo Courtesy Riverhead

  • New Books for May

    1 May 2013 | 7:04 am
    From vampires to conspiracies to Afghanistan...May brings books from favorite authors of several genres. May 2013 New Releases Calendar Cover Photo Courtesy Knopf Doubleday

  • New in Paperback: Gold by Chris Cleave

    29 Apr 2013 | 5:54 pm
    One of our Best Books of 2012, Gold by Chris Cleave, is now available in paperback. Chris Cleave is one of my favorite authors, and this is one not to miss. Cover Photo Courtesy Simon & Schuster
 
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    The Creative Penn

  • Self-Publishing: Who Says Your Book Isn’t Real?

    Joanna Penn
    23 May 2013 | 11:10 pm
    Increasingly it feels like self-publishing is becoming more accepted in the publishing environment. But as authors, we still come up against the stigma in the general public, even if those readers couldn’t tell the difference on a book sales page. In today’s article, author and coach Corrina Gordon-Barnes tackles the issue of what is considered real from other people’s perspective and how we can deal with that. A man and I are chatting in the conference tea break. We know each other from a while back and now he asks what I’ve been up to the last couple of years. Proudly, I…

  • Writing Fiction: Bring Your Characters To Life With Roz Morris

    Joanna Penn
    20 May 2013 | 11:26 pm
    Plot will carry you through a book as a reader, but the characters are usually what sticks with you after the book is finished. But how do you ensure your characters are memorable enough? Podcast Sponsor: Get a free audiobook and 14-day trial today by signing up at AudiblePodcast.com/thecreativepenn Podcast Interview: In today’s interview, I talk to Roz Morris, author of Nail Your Novel: Bring characters to life . Roz is the author of over a dozen novels as a ghostwriter and has also written ‘Memories of a Future Life’ under her own name. She has a series of books for…

  • What Writers Can Learn From Dan Brown’s Inferno

    Joanna Penn
    17 May 2013 | 11:10 pm
    Back in 2000, Dan Brown changed my life. I have a Masters in Theology from the University of Oxford and religion, art history, architecture and spirituality are just some of my obsessions. Up until 2000, I thought that the only option to be a successful author in that arena was to follow in the footsteps of Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose. But then Dan Brown made the religious thriller mainstream and commercial and it now has a great niche all of its own, with Steve Berry, James Rollins, Scott Mariani and others writing in the genre. There are now so many options for readers like me…

  • Let’s Get Visible. Cracking The Amazon Algorithms With David Gaughran

    Joanna Penn
    14 May 2013 | 11:45 pm
    There are two main ways that people will find your books. (1) Through your book This is all about your book retailer sales page, targeted email marketing and promotions and other things that have nothing to do with your “platform”. After all, how many books do you pick up where you know nothing about the authors at all? Quite a few I’d imagine. (2) Through you This is all about your platform and how you reach people in the world. This includes content marketing, social, multimedia, PR and anything that relates to you. One thing to keep in mind when weighing up how to spend…

  • 5 Ways Writing Short Stories Can Boost Your Writing Career

    Joanna Penn
    11 May 2013 | 11:35 pm
    Until a few months ago, I had never written a short story for publication. But then I was commissioned to write three for the Kobo Descent competition based on Dante’s Inferno for the launch of Dan Brown’s new book, also called Inferno. I read about 50 stories and lots of information on how to write them and then I jumped in. You can get all three stories here. It was a LOT of fun, and I experimented with a genre I haven’t written before. I wrote two dark mystery stories and one post-apocalyptic story which was something very new to me. So I know personally that short…
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    PubletariatPubletariat

  • Publetariat’s Back, But It’s A Work In Progress

    Publetariat
    1 May 2013 | 7:25 pm
    Thanks to the pro-bono efforts of the very generous Shawn E. Bell, Publetariat is back online and all of the original site posts were preserved. However, while the “bones” of the site and its content are here, most of the recovered content has yet to be properly categorized into the various Departments (e.g., Sell, Write, Design, [...]

  • Why, And How, Publetariat Was Hacked

    Publetariat
    1 May 2013 | 7:10 pm
    Many people have asked me why Publetariat has been repeatedly targeted by hackers, if this could be some kind of publishing establishment attack on indie authors in general, or if I feel I am being personally attacked. Let me reassure everyone: I have no reason to believe the recent problems were any kind of attack [...]

  • Authors of the Digital Age–What It Takes to Be a Real Author CEO

    Publetariat
    15 Apr 2013 | 11:00 am
    This post, by Kristen Lamb, originally appeared on Kristen Lamb's blog on 4/12/13. I do a lot of reading of other blogs, particularly blogs that aren’t about writing. I think this keeps my information fresh. As many of you might know, financial blogger Steve Tobak is one of my favorites, and he regularly inspires my writing.

  • How Self-Publishing Has Changed the Industry

    Publetariat
    15 Apr 2013 | 11:00 am
    This post, by Clare Langley-Hawthorne, originally appeared on the Kill Zone blog on 4/15/13. I read a recent blog post on The Guardian book blog about the 10 ways self-publishing has changed the book world and, after Jim's post yesterday, it got me thinking about how I would explain the current state of the book world to friends and family who are neither authors, nor wanna-be writers, but who, as book readers, are nonetheless intrigued by all the changes going on in publishing.

  • BookBinding: Making A Travel Notebook

    Publetariat
    14 Apr 2013 | 6:00 pm
    Increasingly, we work and play in a digital world. I read, write, publish, market and often interact with friends online, which I absolutely love and value highly. But recently, I’ve been craving some physical creation, so last week I went along to the London Centre for Book Arts and joined one of their awesome workshops. Because I write in so many Moleskine journals, I decided to make a Travel Notebook, complete with concertina folded envelope in the back. I’d like to eventually make my own paper, print my own work on it and bind limited editions myself – but that’s a while away! (I…
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    WritersDigest.com

  • WD Poetic Form Challenge: Senryu

    Robert Lee Brewer
    23 May 2013 | 11:42 am
    It’s been two months since our last poetic form challenge and the April PAD Challenge is over, so let’s get another one started.This time around, the challenge is to write senryu, which is a variation of the haiku. As with haiku, senryu are most often 3-line poems containing 17 (or fewer) syllables–often in a 5-7-5 pattern. Senryu does not include a cutting or seasonal word, and it’s usually about human issues (not nature, as is the case with haiku).In fact, many people write poems that they call haiku that are really senryu. So in a way, it’s a form of poetry…

  • Literary Agent Interview: Linda Epstein of Jennifer De Chiara Literary

    Chuck Sambuchino
    22 May 2013 | 9:05 pm
    “Agent Advice” (this installment featuring agent Linda Epstein of Jennifer De Chiara Literary) is a series of quick interviews with literary agents and script agents who talk with Guide to Literary Agents about their thoughts on writing, publishing, and just about anything else. This series has more than 170 interviews so far with reps from great literary agencies. This collection of interviews is a great place to start if you are just starting your research on literary agents.This installment is with Linda Epstein of the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency in NYC. Before joining the…

  • Agent Katharine Sands Teaches “From Pitch to Page One: How to Get an Agent from the Get-Go” – New May 23 Webinar With Query Critique

    Chuck Sambuchino
    22 May 2013 | 9:04 pm
    Getting a literary agent is no easy feat. It requires crafting a query and pitch to get their attention — without making any “querial killer” mistakes that will get your submission rejected. Cutting through the slush is hard work. That’s why we’re lucky to have agent Katharine Sands (Sarah Jane Freymann Literary) to teach “From Pitch to Page One: How to Get an Agent from the Get-Go,” a new webinar on Thursday, May 23, 2013. The webinar starts at 1 p.m., EST, and lasts 90 minutes. Katharine is one of the most in-demand agents at writers conferences…

  • Your Story 51: Submit Now!

    Tiffany Luckey
    22 May 2013 | 1:51 pm
    Prompt: Write a short story, of 750 words or fewer, that begins with the following line of dialogue: “Heads, we get married; tails, we break up.”Use the submission form below OR email your submission directly to yourstorycontest@fwmedia.com.IMPORTANT: If you experience trouble with the submission form, please email your submission directly to yourstorycontest@fwmedia.com within the body of your email (no attachments please).Unfortunately, we cannot respond to every entry we receive, due to volume. No confirmation emails will be sent out to confirm receipt of submission. But be assured all…

  • Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 220

    Robert Lee Brewer
    22 May 2013 | 12:31 pm
    Sorry for the late prompt today. Was finishing up some edits on Writer’s Market all morning.For this week’s prompt, write a late poem. I know, I know–how original! But seriously, write a poem in which someone or something is late. Yeah, there are a LOT of directions to take this prompt, whether you take it there on time or not.Here’s my late poem:“meeting”he slides in under the door and floats silently beneath the conference table and up into his seat (previously empty and making only the slightest squeak) so that no one realizes he was never even…
 
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    Better World Books Blog - Book Reviews, Author Interviews, Community Outreach & more

  • BWB Remembers The Books Of Our Childhood (3 of 3)

    Better World Books
    17 May 2013 | 1:45 pm
    The third and final part in our Children’s Book Week series on the books that BWB employees remember from their childhood. Don’t forget to stop by our children’s book sale, too! To chose just one favorite would be impossible but here is one that I was JUST telling my daughters about (and am about to buy at BetterWorldBooks.com). The Borrowers by Mary Norton was among my most favorite books. The story of the Clock Family and their adventures living under the floorboards of a home in England fostered my imagination and entertained me for hours…and weeks! After I read…

  • BWB Remembers The Books Of Our Childhood (2 of 3)

    Better World Books
    15 May 2013 | 11:26 am
    Children’s Book Week continues, and here’s part 2 of our the books we remember loving in our own younger years. What were yours? Let us know in the comments.   (image courtesy of Goodreads) Nuttybub & Nittersing by May Gibbs, published in 1923. I loved reading and being read to. Pretty much any book my dad read to me became a favorite. However, this one stood out in my mind and when I asked him what my favorite book was, this is the one he said without a prompt. “It’s the one you made me read over and over again with all the voices. These two little guys go…

  • Encouraging Summer Reading: Book reviews by kids, for kids

    Better World Books
    14 May 2013 | 6:20 am
    Looking for a way to encourage your young library visitors to read this summer? Then look no further than the DOGObooks Summer Reading Program sponsored by Better World Books. DOGObooks.com, the largest website dedicated to kids’ reading and book reviews-by-and-for children, has built an online program that rewards both kids and schools for reading and reviewing books. The four month online program will launch at the start of Children’s Book Week on May 13th and run through mid-September. With the help of its children’s book publisher partners, DOGObooks has assembled a…

  • BWB Remembers The Books Of Our Childhood (1 of 3)

    Better World Books
    13 May 2013 | 8:05 am
    Children’s Book Week (May 13-19) is all about igniting a love of reading for young people, one that will stick with them and positively shape the person they one day become. What books stuck with you when you were growing up? We asked Better World Books employees just that question. Throughout this week, we’ll be posting the books that we can never forget, the books that had a lifelong impact on our young minds. We also have a whole lot of children’s books on sale as part of the celebration. The Little Prince This book, The Little Prince, was presented to me when I was 12 years old by…

  • Your mama’s so smart, she probably reads lots of books!

    Better World Books
    11 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    Can we talk about your mom for a minute? She’s a classy lady. She raised you right. And (Note: moderate guilt trip beyond this point) you haven’t gotten her anything for Mother’s Day yet! Now, don’t panic. Fortunately for you, we planned for this. Mother’s Day is tomorrow, May 12. No matter where you’re shopping, the shipping is going to cost a very figurative arm-and-leg combo in order to ship something to you on time. Unless you read on, reader! Using the magic of Internet, we have devised a way to equip you with (a) the perfect present, which will (b) be ready for you to give…
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    The Reader's Advisor Online Blog

  • RA Run Down

    Cindy Orr
    19 May 2013 | 10:56 am
    The readers’s advisory librarian’s weekly update, from a scan of more than 100 blogs, newsletters, magazines, newspapers and television. This blog is brought to you by the Reader’s Advisor Online. TRY THE FREE RAO DATABASE based on Libraries Unlimited’s print Genreflecting Advisory series. Give it a whirl and let us know how you like it. We’d love to hear from you. Feel free to comment on any of our posts, or contact us at raoblog@lu.com. Also check out our free newsletter with more in-depth articles at Reader’s Advisor News. By Cindy Orr and Sarah Statz…

  • Hot Prospects for 2013

    Cindy Orr
    18 May 2013 | 5:04 am
    Publisher Weekly: The Standout Barbecue Books of Summer Conde Nast Traveler: Four Travel-Inspired Books to Add to Your Summer Reading List Marie Claire: Summer Books 2013 Clutch Magazine: Five New Books for Your Summer Reading List Seventeen: What to Read This Summer Yahoo: Top 10 Summer Books for 2013: Surefire Hits for the Silver Screen HistoryNet: Notable Books, Summer 2013 Amazon: Summer Reading Bookreporter.com: Coming Soon – June Books Examiner.com: Summer 2013 Young Adult Novel Releases, Part 1 Examiner.com: Summer 2013 Young Adult Novel Releases, Part 2 Publishers Weekly: Best…

  • New, Noteworthy, and No-Brainer

    Cindy Orr
    16 May 2013 | 4:05 am
    To be published the week of May 20 – May 26, 2013 TUESDAY FICTION Ahmad, A. X. – The Caretaker – 9781250016843 Bulawayo, Noviolet – We Need New Names – 9780316230810 Castle, Richard – Storm Front – 9781401324902 Dean, James – Pete the Cat: Pete at the Beach – 9780062110725 Foster, Alan Dean – Star Trek into Darkness – 9781476716480 Garcia, Cristina – King of Cuba – 9781476710242 Grecian, Alex – The Black Country – 9780399159336 Grisham, John – Theodore Boone: The Activist (YA) – 9780525425779…

  • Run Down

    Cindy Orr
    12 May 2013 | 10:24 am
    The readers’s advisory librarian’s weekly update, from a scan of more than 100 blogs, newsletters, magazines, newspapers and television. This blog is brought to you by the Reader’s Advisor Online. TRY THE FREE RAO DATABASE based on Libraries Unlimited’s print Genreflecting Advisory series. Give it a whirl and let us know how you like it. We’d love to hear from you. Feel free to comment on any of our posts, or contact us at raoblog@lu.com. Also check out our free newsletter with more in-depth articles at Reader’s Advisor News. By Cindy Orr and Sarah Statz…

  • SALE on select ABC-CLIO titles!

    Sarah Statz Cords
    7 May 2013 | 3:31 pm
    Just a quick note to let you know that a number of great librarianship and RA titles are currently on sale–at 50% off!*–at ABC-CLIO. The sale runs through June 14, and you can shop by following these links: Librarianship titles on sale Programming and RA titles on sale Please note that a number of great RA resources, like Sara Martinez’s Latino Literature: A Guide to Reading Interests and Rebecca Vnuk’s Read On…Women’s Fiction: Reading Lists for Every Taste, are included. *I’m not the type to get too over-excited about just any sale…but 50% off!
 
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    Follow Your Ears

  • Jack Butler (Bat Segundo Special)

    ed@edrants.com (Edward Champion)
    14 May 2013 | 10:20 am
    This one hour radio special is the first in a series of “at-large” conversations presently categorized under the old “Bat Segundo” label. It features a rare interview with Jack Butler, author of Jujitsu for Christ, a highly underrated novel that has recently been reissued by the University Press of Mississippi. Author: Jack Butler Subjects Discussed: Moving west over a lifetime, having a double bachelor’s in English and math, the yin-yang existence, reading science fiction as a boy, why the stars are so inspirational in the Delta, using the Holy Ghost as a…

  • Bullies (FYE #6)

    ed@edrants.com (Edward Champion)
    5 Mar 2013 | 10:42 am
    Bullying is the most common form of violence in America and often carries into adulthood. Every day, more than 160,000 students stay home from school because they fear being bullied. This week, we discuss bullying at length. Poet Shane Koyczan uncovers the dark beginnings of “To This Day,” a poem abut bullying that went unexpectedly viral. We talk with Emily Bazelon, author of Sticks and Stones, to learn more about the bullying phenomenon. Dr. William Copeland reveals how bullying’s long-term effects extend into adulthood and discusses an unprecedented study that followed…

  • Rebels (FYE #5)

    ed@edrants.com (Edward Champion)
    5 Mar 2013 | 10:38 am
    The rebel. You’d think that a culture that gave us John Brown, Margaret Sanger, and Rosa Parks would be more encouraging of this proud American tradition. This week we examine why rebels get the short end of the stick. We talk with historian Jeanne Theoharis about how Rosa Parks’s rebellious life has been swept under the carpet of modern American history, examine Pussy Riot’s rebellious legacy with many of the band’s supporters, and chat with a rebel journalist about a mysterious shooting in Missouri and the pros and cons of assumption. Robbie the Rebel Have you heard…

  • Aid (FYE #4)

    ed@edrants.com (Edward Champion)
    14 Feb 2013 | 4:36 am
    Giving aid to nations and people who desperately need help has been an American staple for more than a century. Yet in 2013, aid has become more beholden to red tape and incompetence than ever before. This week, we go to Staten Island to talk with the organizers and volunteers of Occupy Sandy to find out how they helped people when others could not and get a sense of their philosophy. We talk with Jonathan Katz, the only full-time American journalist stationed in Hatii during the 2010 earthquake and reveal how billions of dollars given by Americans to help the impoverished and the homeless…

  • Cycles (FYE #3)

    ed@edrants.com (Edward Champion)
    6 Feb 2013 | 5:09 am
    This week, we examine cycles. Are our lives and our culture locked within cycles? Are we aware of it? Should we be aware of it? Or is there a certain folly in paying too much attention? Our quest for answers has us talking with bike shop owners and a Finnegans Wake reading group. We reveal how Raiders of the Lost Ark caused two teenage boys to become consumed by a relentless cycle of remaking the movie they loved with limited cinematic resources. We also talk with Scottish novelist Ian Rankin about how he returned to Inspector Rebus and got caught up in cycles he couldn’t quite describe…
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    Minnesota Reads

  • Uses for Boys

    Jodi Chromey
    20 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    There’s a lot to say about Erica Lorraine Scheidt’s wonderful young-adult novel Uses for Boys, I hope I can get to them all. Where to begin? First of all, this book came to my attention on Twitter when some of my very favorite people & writers were all “USES FOR BOYS HOLY SHIT!” and “USES FOR BOYS, FOR REAL PEOPLE!” Usually I’m a little leery of YA recs that come via Twitter. YA writers are a loyal pack and I’ve been burned by their ability to put loyalty over critical thinking. This one, however, intrigued me because it’s gotten…

  • Vacation: All I ever wanted

    Christa
    17 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    Sarah Stonich got me good. I had no idea her book Vacationland was a collection of linked short stories rather than a conventional novel. So there I was, enjoying the plight of a visual artist living in an old cabin in Northern Minnesota. Her dog has just brought a severed human hand in from the cold. The usual suspense-y first chapter questions whirred in my noggin. But the story wasn’t about whose hand it was or how it fell off or whether it could be reattached through the magic of ice and modern medicine. At the end of the chapter it was over and onto the next thing, although set in the…

  • The Cydonian Pyramid

    LeAnn Suchy
    16 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    When I met briefly met Pete Hautman last year, I enthusiastically gushed over how much I loved The Obsidian Blade. Looking back, it was one of those embarrassing moments where I talked too fast, too much, and probably came off stalkerish, but trust me, I don’t have the dedication needed to stalk someone. I just thought The Obsidian Blade was one of the most unique things I read last year with great characters, strong world building, and a completely wacky plot. Wacky in the best way possible. In The Obsidian Blade, we followed Tucker Feye as he jumped through diskos searching for his…

  • Not really so unfamiliar

    Jodi Chromey
    13 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    Here’s the thing with Sarah Vowell. While I’m in the midst of her books, I’m loving them. She’s wry and smart, and the topics she chooses to write about are interesting. They’re things I only had cursory knowledge about — presidential assassinations, Hawaii, and Puritans. In the thick of her books whether I’m listening or reading, I’m all in. I love listening to her read her books. She’s a great reader & she always gets a host of co-readers which is awesome. But the thing is the moment I’m done, I have forgotten most everything…

  • Under the Dome

    LeAnn Suchy
    8 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    You may have seen commercials for “Under the Dome,” a miniseries starting in June based upon Stephen King’s novel of the same name. The premise got my attention right away: a dome suddenly, and without warning, encompasses a small town and mass chaos ensues. This series is pretty much designed for me, so for the past two weeks I’ve been making my way through Stephen King’s 1072-page behemoth. You should be very impressed that I finished it in two weeks, not only because it’s 1072 pages, but because this isn’t a small book with large print. I feel like these 1072 pages…
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    Great Books that I liked

  • Novel - The Caves of Steel - Isaav Asimov (published in 1954)

    27 Apr 2013 | 1:54 pm
    Isaac Asimov is one of the most famous science fiction writers of all time. The number of fiction and non-fiction books that he has written number in the hundreds, more than 500 books of different genres. Asimov is mostly famous for his science fiction novels, but he has written a number of others books, almost all of them on science. Along with other authors such as Arthur C Clarke and others such as Robert Heinlein, he was one of the most famous science fiction writers of all time. His most famous legacies include the 3 laws of Robotics (meant to ensure that humans have control over robots)…

  • Novel - The Naked Sun - Isaav Asimov (published in 1957)

    21 Apr 2013 | 1:29 pm
    Isaac Asimov is one of the most famous science fiction writers of all time. The number of fiction and non-fiction books that he has written number in the hundreds, more like 500 books. Although Asimov is mostly famous for his science fiction novels, he has written a number of books on science. Along with Arthur C Clarke and others such as Robert Heinlein, he was one of the most famous science fiction writers of all time, most famous now for the 3 laws of Robotics and for the Foundation series of books. For many science fiction readers, Asimov would have been the first author whose books they…

  • Never Leave Me (published in 1953) - A book by Harold Robbins, about a man on the make

    10 Mar 2012 | 9:32 am
    Harold Robins is one of the prolific writers of the 21st century. Born Harold Rubin, his parents were Russian and Polish immigrants. After dabbling in sugar futures he took up a job in Universal pictures which propelled his interest towards writing. Thus came out “Never love a Stranger” which courted a controversy for its graphic sexual content. Soon Robbins would become a prolific writer churning out innumerable best sellers. He had this knack of mixing up a thriller with sex and historical anecdotes to create a taut mystery. The worlds favorite author, Harold Robins would publish over…

  • A Stone for Danny Fisher (published in 1952) - The story of a fighter during the Great Depression

    8 Mar 2012 | 9:22 am
    Harold Robins is one of the prolific writers of the 21st century. Born Harold Rubin, his parents were Russian and Polish immigrants. After dabbling in sugar futures he took up a job in Universal pictures which propelled his interest towards writing. Thus came out “Never love a Stranger” which courted a controversy for its graphic sexual content. Soon Robbins would become a prolific writer churning out innumerable best sellers. He had this knack of mixing up a thriller with sex and historical anecdotes to create a taut mystery. The worlds favorite author, Harold Robins would publish over…

  • The Inheritors (published in 1969) - Written by Harold Robbins, about the entertainment industry

    26 Feb 2012 | 11:29 am
    Harold Robbins was one of the prolific writers of the 21st century. Born Harold Rubin, his parents were Russian and Polish immigrants. After dabbling in sugar futures he took up a job in Universal pictures which propelled his interest towards writing. Thus out came “Never love a Stranger” which courted controversy for its graphic sexual content. Soon Robbins would become a prolific writer churning out innumerable best sellers. He had this knack of mixing up a thriller with sex and historical anecdotes to create a taut mystery. The worlds favorite author, Harold Robins would publish over…
 
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    About.com Contemporary Literature

  • The Tragedy of Mister Morn by Vladimir Nabokov

    22 May 2013 | 10:21 pm
    Originally written in the winter of 1923 when Vladimir Nabokov was only 24 years old, The Tragedy of Mister Morn is the author's only full-length play. With a conflict appropriate of its time, The Tragedy of Mister Morn is pulled between two realms of Russian literature. Opening with a traditional Chekhovian setup, a story of duels and triangulated, unrequited love is quickly derailed and creeps towards the post-modern, dystopian realm of such later works like Bend Sinister and Invitation to a Beheading....Read Full Post

  • The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards by Kristpoher Jansma

    19 May 2013 | 10:20 pm
    The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards follows an uninspired writer who attempts to bend the truths around him into a compelling work of fiction. Jansma's whole book is built of nested metafictional vignettes: an author writing about authors writing about authors. This is a book not about what happens but how that story is told, and while that's a bold thesis for a novel, it doesn't leave room for much else to succeed....Read Full Post

  • Stephen King Flowchart

    16 May 2013 | 9:59 am
    Stephen King fans  - you're going to love Tessiegirl's Stephen King Universe Flowchart, a comprehensive mapping of the intricately interwoven world of Stephen King characters! Kind of difficult to read online? No worries, there. The Stephen King flowchart is available in print, self-published by the artist....Read Full Post

  • A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

    8 May 2013 | 11:12 pm
    Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being is a story about a Japanese-American novelist named Ruth who, while walking the beach of her small island, happens upon a diary that has washed ashore. The diary, belonging to a 16-year-old Japanese girl named Naoko, reveals a narrative so compelling that it draws Ruth into the world of the storyteller in a fantastic exploration of story, how we make it and how it makes us....Read Full Post

  • The World Until Yesterday by Jared Diamond

    5 May 2013 | 11:36 pm
    Jared Diamond, the author of Collapse and Guns, Germs, and Steel, delivers a fascinating portrait of primitive societies in The World Until Yesterday based upon research and his own experience living among New Guinea Highlanders. Diamond is an astute thinker draws his readers into considering the modern world in light of the experience of our predecessors....Read Full Post
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    Black Heart Magazine

  • Three poems by Merica Teng

    Gabino Iglesias
    22 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    Rejection Those hideous words, “Unfortunately, we regret to inform you…” come to me, only after I’ve poured my wishes into the new year for a fresh purpose— they come without a scene. Telling my best friend on more days than she wants to hear, during car rides where I cannot see, “If I don’t get it…I’ll die.” With pink sunlight on one side of her face, she says this, repeating in her mind her own crisis, “Stop it. You’ll be fine.” We both keep driving, so that dinner will replace our mood. “Urban rejects” (photo by Flickr user macinate) Pen Pals He and I…

  • The Cheese Man by Kelly Evans

    New Contributor
    17 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    I had a normal childhood in every way. We lived on the outskirts of town in a new housing development with plenty of woodland and fields nearby in which to play. I remember hot humid summers, crisp fresh autumns and cold sharp winters. I recall playing outside my house – kick the can, hopscotch, stick ball, all the childhood favourites. We’d be amusing ourselves and having fun when the music would start. The kid with the best hearing would suddenly stop and put his finger in the air to silence us. Say Cheese (image via Flickr user theredmission) As the music got closer, we all…

  • Three poems by Richard King Perkins II

    Gabino Iglesias
    15 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    Becoming Serpent Ex-marine seen too much killing wants to be a serpent has a plan and much money removes lips splits tongue head already shaved pulls teeth snips ears reticulates skin with tattoo cuts off fingers cuts off toes grinds down nose stitches snake-eyed lenses to his eyes fuses foot to foot hands to hips learns to wriggle and hiss and swallow things whole there is problem with sex organs and then there is not. Ex-marine transformed to serpent has a plan writes to tattoo mags and swinger rags asking to be less than a slave or man no one responds to the simple plea by the ex-sergeant…

  • Dodging Bullet Points by Andy Millman

    New Contributor
    14 May 2013 | 7:00 am
    He watches the cursor blink and feels his heart beat. They are in rhythm, which is fitting, because this should come from the heart. Even so, he can’t help but form a list of supporting points like they are evidence in a case he will argue. AP English has had some impact. He begins to type. We’ve known each other for ten years, since the third day of first grade. We eat well together. I eat your fries, you eat my dessert. We prefer the book to the movie, except for “Lord of the Rings.” We actually finish homework when we study together. You never laugh at me in gym class. I love your…

  • The Easier Thing by Brianne M. Kohl

    New Contributor
    13 May 2013 | 7:00 am
    Jonah lay dead on the black and white checkerboard tile of the bathroom. The wound in his stomach had only taken moments to bleed out, to stain through the blue towel tied around his waist. His blood began to pool and work its way through the grout lines between the porcelain tile. Margaret had laid the tile herself, a year earlier when she’d still been hopeful the apartment would sell for close to what they’d paid for it. How many times had Margaret heard the realtor say, “Relax. Be patient. It’s a buyer’s market.” Only just last week over breakfast,…
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    Flavorwire » Books

  • Life Advice From Raymond Carver

    Emily Temple
    24 May 2013 | 10:15 am
    Were it not for his untimely death, tomorrow would have been the 75th birthday of Raymond Carver, whose work has shaped readers and writers for many years. To celebrate the life of the literary giant, and to help you better emulate him, Flavorwire has collected some of Carver’s advice and musings on living and writing, from the pithy to the complex. Read his thoughts after the jump, and add any favorite quotes missing here to the comments. “Years ago I read something in a letter by Chekhov that impressed me. It was a piece of advice to one of his many correspondents, and it went…

  • Flavorwire Exclusive: Alissa Nutting on Her Favorite Short Story

    Emily Temple
    24 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    The short story can be a magical thing. It’s a breath, a moment, a captured mood — or an entire teeming world packed into a few pages. Maybe, if it’s really great, it’s both. The only trouble with short stories is that not enough people read them. So, in a series to celebrate Short Story Month (and help you add to your reading list), Flavorwire is asking some contemporary masters of the form to talk about the short stories they love. In this installment, Alissa Nutting, author of the disturbing, wonderful and disturbingly wonderful Unclean Jobs for Women and Girls and the…

  • 20 Highbrow Books to Read on the Beach This Summer

    Emily Temple
    23 May 2013 | 11:45 am
    For even the most seasoned of book nerds, a trip to the beach can raise some difficult questions. After all, you don’t want to waste your precious vacation minutes reading something you’ll forget by the time your suntan fades, but a beach towel is also (probably) not the ideal location to tackle Ulysses. With this weekend marking the unofficial start of summer, Flavorwire has you covered with a list of twenty decidedly highbrow but still totally beach-appropriate books, all of which have come out in the months since last summer (or are about to hit shelves). Check out the list…

  • What to Read to Fill the Void Left by Your Favorite TV Shows This Summer

    Chloe Pantazi
    23 May 2013 | 9:15 am
    As one television season comes to its inevitable end, and a number of our favorite shows have either finished for the summer (or for good) we’ve compiled a suggested reading list of books to binge on and fill the void of your favorite shows while we wait impatiently for them to return next season. Readers and television bingers alike, don’t forget to leave your suggestions in the comments. Girls and Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar With the somber turn Girls has taken in its second season (and the photos from filming for the third season, which show the actors wearing funeral…

  • Flavorwire Interview: Meet the Director of the Tucker Max Off-Broadway Play

    Tyler Coates
    23 May 2013 | 7:15 am
    Literary frat bro Tucker Max has sold millions of books and seen his escapades depicted in a (poorly received) film. One wouldn’t expect that his brand of humor would translate to the vaulted halls of a Broadway theater. So when the news broke that I Hope They Serve Beer on Broadway, a stage adaptation of Max’s book, would be staged off-Broadway, plenty of bloggers (myself included) reacted with skepticism or, in other cases, outrage. Jezebel writer Katie J.M. Baker’s response to the play sparked an email from its director, Chrisopher Carter Sanderson (pictured above with the…
 
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    Pixel of Ink

  • [Pixel Picks] Deals & Steals for May 24th: Part 2

    Pixel of Ink
    24 May 2013 | 9:34 am
    Ready for some more great reads? Check out these Kindle Book Deals & Steals tonight! For non-U.S. readers, Kindle content availability and pricing will vary. Genre: Chick Lit, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Romance Dead Is the New Black by Christine DeMaio-Rice Still free? Click Here to find out! Laura Carnegie gave up on the man of her dreams a long time ago. He’s fashion designer Jeremy St. James, and not only is he her boss, everyone knows he’s gay. When he’s arrested for murder, secrets come to light and nothing is what it seems. If Laura can just…

  • [Kindle Daily Deal] Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

    Pixel of Ink
    24 May 2013 | 7:35 am
    Amazon has a daily promotion called the Kindle Daily Deal. You can view this special deal every day here: http://amzn.to/KindleDailyDeal Today’s deal is… Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown Genre: History, Nonfiction Dee Brown’s powerful and unforgettable classic that awakened the world to the nineteenth-century decimation of American Indian tribes. First published in 1970, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee generated shockwaves with its frank and heartbreaking depiction of the systematic annihilation of American Indian tribes across the…

  • [Pixel Picks] Deals & Steals for May 24th: Part 1

    Pixel of Ink
    24 May 2013 | 6:19 am
    For even more of the best eBook deals, be sure to check Pixel of Ink every day! For non-U.S. readers, Kindle content availability and pricing will vary. Genre: Action & Adventure, Cookbooks, Historical Fiction, Medical Thriller, Romance Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim Still free? Click Here to find out! Moments after her birth to the mistress of a sprawling Virginia plantation, Lisbeth Wainwright is entrusted to Mattie, an enslaved wet nurse. From then on, Mattie serves as Lisbeth’s stand-in mother, nursing her, singing her to sleep, and soothing her in the night. And yet mothering…

  • [Pixel Picks] Deals & Steals for May 23rd: Part 2

    Pixel of Ink
    23 May 2013 | 9:33 am
    Take a peek at these Deals & Steals and snag your favorites while they last! For non-U.S. readers, Kindle content availability and pricing will vary. Genre: Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller Stray by Andrea K. Höst Still free? Click Here to find out! On her last day of high school, Cassandra Devlin walked out of exams and into a forest. Surrounded by the wrong sort of trees, and animals never featured in any nature documentary, Cass is only sure of one thing: alone, she will be lucky to survive. The sprawl of abandoned blockish buildings Cass discovers offers her…

  • [Hot Deal] A Widow Redefined – Only 99c!

    Pixel of Ink
    23 May 2013 | 6:43 am
    A Widow Redefined by Kim Cano Genre: Contemporary Fiction On a cold Valentine’s Day in Chicago, Amy White, a young widow who lost her husband to cancer, visits the cemetery and makes an unsettling discovery: a bouquet of fresh daffodils lying in front of her husband’s grave. Curiosity grows into obsession as Amy searches for the stranger who left the flowers, while keeping her activities a secret from her live-in mother and seven-year-old son. The search leads to an unusual friendship that transforms her world and redefines her life. Still a Hot Deal? Click Here to find out! Prices are…
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    THE FIRE WIRE

  • Dave Perillo’s Return of the Jedi Poster To Be Released On Friday May 31

    Larry Fire
    24 May 2013 | 3:31 pm
    Dave Perillo has completed his trilogy of original Star Wars Trilogy posters for Acme Archives. Return of the Jedi is a 12 x 36 inch screenprint in an edition of 250.This poster costs $50 and goes on sale Friday May 31 around 9:15am PDT. Follow @AcmeArchives for the info.

  • The New York Times Interviews Billy Joel

    Larry Fire
    24 May 2013 | 10:30 am
    It’s been 20 years since Billy Joel released his last pop album. Though the Piano Man has toured extensively, won a Tony, and even put out a collection of classical compositions over the last two decades, he hasn’t released new music since 1993′s River of Dreams. According to an interview in this week’s New York Times magazine, the singer talks about why he stopped making albums: “I got bored with it,” Joel says. “I wanted to write something other than the three-minute pop tune even though that’s an art form unto itself.” And though Joel sounds nothing but grateful for his…

  • Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox Trailer

    Larry Fire
    24 May 2013 | 9:44 am
    Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released the trailer for Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital Download on July 30th. In the film, the world is turned upside down as one of earth’s greatest super heroes – Flash – wakes up devoid of his super powers in the all-new Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. When time travel allows a past wrong to be righted for Flash and his family, the event’s temporal ripples prove disastrous, creating a fractured, alternate reality where the Justice League never formed, and even Superman is nowhere…

  • Springfield, The Simpson’s Hometown Comes to Life at Universal Orlando This Summer

    Larry Fire
    24 May 2013 | 5:00 am
    Woo Hoo! Springfield, hometown to America’s favorite animated family, The Simpsons, comes to life at Universal Orlando Resort this summer. The expansive, new area within Universal Studios will be anchored by the mega-attraction, The Simpsons Ride, and will allow guests to enter the world of The Simpsons like never before. It will be the only place in the world where guests can walk the streets of Springfield. It will include a brand-new outdoor attraction, places and foods pulled right from the show and two new Simpsons characters who will make their debut with the new area – Krusty the…

  • Read An Excerpt From Stephen King’s Joyland

    Larry Fire
    24 May 2013 | 4:00 am
    It’s been 40 years since Stephen King wrote his first novel Carrie and one year since he released his last and 62nd, book, The Dark Tower: The Wind Through The Keyhole. This summer, the prolific suspense author has another novel coming out. Click HERE to read an exclusive excerpt from the opening pages of King’s forthcoming novel: “Joyland.” The scene: It’s 1973, and a summer job as a carny at a small-town amusement park forces college student Devin Jones to confront death in a number of unusual different ways.  
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    The Truth About Lies

  • The Silence of Gethsemane

    19 May 2013 | 4:00 am
    …ecce homo…­ – John 19:5 (Latin Vulgate) Basically there are three kinds of novels: novels where everything is made up (e.g. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz), historical novels where the author aims to be as accurate as possible and often goes to great lengths to research the topic under discussion (e.g. Wolf Hall) and then there are the novels that are based on an historical event but play fast and loose with the facts (e.g. Stephen King’s 11/22/63). I mention this because on the cover of The Silence of Gethsemane is says, “A Novel” and I’m not sure what kind of novel it is.

  • Niches

    12 May 2013 | 4:00 am
    I think that there are empty ecological niches in the literary landscape crying to be filled and when a book more or less fills a niche it's seized on, even when it's a far from perfect fit – Edmund White When I think of niches I think of porn. As a kid growing up like most kids it was where I learned much about sex and the female anatomy along with words I couldn’t pronounce because I’d never heard them spoken aloud—honestly it was cun-i-ling-you-is for years. Not so much about males but we are talking Scotland in the sixties and seventies; I’d seen enough willies down the baths or…

  • The Humans

    5 May 2013 | 5:00 am
      Mark Shermin: "Have people from your world been here before?" Starman: "Before. Yes, we are interested in your species." Mark Shermin: "You mean you're some kind of anthropologist? Is that what you're doing here? Just checking us out?" Starman: "You are a strange species, not like any other... and you'd be surprised how many there are. Shall I tell you what I find beautiful about you?" Starman There’s nothing new under the sun. If you’re a writer and you really want to depress yourself spend an hour or so (as I’ve just done) clicking through the links on TVtropes.org. There…

  • A Tale for the Time Being

    28 Apr 2013 | 3:30 am
      Inspiration is a happy convergence of random factors, which if you are lucky, you notice and then can use. And it helps if you have a husband who sends you interesting links! – Ruth Ozeki This is a book about time and being, about cats—both real and figurative—and crows—both literal and mythological— about Japan and Canada and America too a little; it’s about life and death; about war and peace; about Buddhism, philosophy and quantum mechanics; about superheroes and living ghosts; about coming of age and dying with dignity; it’s about the interchangeable roles of readers…

  • Me and You

    21 Apr 2013 | 3:30 am
    A sibling may be the keeper of one's identity, the only person with the keys to one's unfettered, more fundamental self. - Marian Sandmaier I have mixed feelings about this book. When people say stuff like that I usually assume that what they mean is, “I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it as much as I might have.” That’s not really the case here. What I mean is that the book made me feel a lot of different things at the same time. It’s like one of those blended fruit drinks—5 Alive jumps to mind—that have too many flavours and confuse people like me with unrefined palettes…
 
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    Free Book Reviews

  • Honor All Mothers

    Albert Robbins III
    12 May 2013 | 5:03 am
    Today is Mother’s Day. It is the one day each year that we men put aside to honor our mothers and the mothers of our children. And they happen to be the one person we will generally buy a gift for, and we will still anguish over what to buy. If you have not yet purchased a gift for your mother or your wife, let me give you a couple of quick hints on what not to buy. Do not buy her anything that plugs in. If something needs to be plugged in, she will only see it as a tool. Also, do not get her any exercise equipment or videos, as this will lead to six months of her asking you why you think…

  • Jesus and Women

    Albert Robbins III
    12 May 2013 | 5:00 am
    “Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.” I find it interesting and very revealing that of all the people to whom Jesus could have appeared first, He chose to reveal Himself to the women in His following. I am going to begin today a short series that will deal with women and what the Bible teaches about them in the church. It is my intent to demonstrate that Jesus placed a very high value on women through His life and teachings. The place of women in the first-century Roman world and in the Jewish…

  • Author Interview: K. L. Dillon author of One Day in 2056 & Other Stories

    Albert Robbins III
    18 Apr 2013 | 6:35 am
    About Your Book One Day in 2056 & Other Stories My book, which is a short story collection, is titled "One Day in 2056 & Other Stories." While the title story is, in fact, set in the future, this isn't strictly a science fiction collection of stories. It's a collection of stories about people thrown into impossible situations. The six stories compiled into this collection span the genres of science fiction, mystery, thriller, while tackling themes such as: fate, destiny, futurism, time travel, love, loss, and revenge. The Blurb for ONE DAY IN 2056 & OTHER STORIES: “People just can’t die.

  • Book Review: Secrets by S.L. Pierce

    Albert Robbins III
    17 Apr 2013 | 8:30 am
    Description from Amazon Secrets...we all have them. Do you have a secret nobody knows? Not even your spouse? Gwen Michaels is a former assassin, emphasis on former. She walked away two years ago and had no plans to share her secret, least of all with her husband Jack. But when she is attacked in her own home by an unknown assailant, she is thrust back into her old element. More shocking to Gwen than the man hired to kill her, is that he knows nothing of her past. Now Gwen and Jack are on the run until Gwen can discover who wants her dead, and why! Secrets is a fun thriller delving into the…

  • Book Review: From Destinations Set by Christopher Nosnibor

    Albert Robbins III
    17 Apr 2013 | 8:12 am
    Description from Amazon Tim and Anthony are very different people, leading very different lives, following different careers in different cities. Tim is a conformist: office job, moderately successful, and teetering on the brink of a premature midlife crisis. Anthony is a rebellious non-conformist: a writer who sneers at the humdrum and derides 'corporate sell-outs.' But are they really so very different? The two narratives of From Destinations Set trace these characters' activities as they occur in parallel - not only in terms of time, but also literally, with the page divided into two…
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    Novelicious.com | The Women's Fiction Blog for Readers and Writers

  • Five Beautiful Sets of Book Inspired Earrings

    Sarah Painter
    24 May 2013 | 6:30 am
    We've brought you lovely bookish necklaces, t-shirts, and bracelets, but this week we're shining the spotlight on earrings. Yes, ear lobes need literary adornment, too, and the following five sets all deserve centre stage. Or at least a bit part in your jewellery box. 1. Vintage-style pen nib earrings from Bookish with silver-plated hooks. These look like Victorian pen nibs, but are actually made from vinyl (which, presumably, will be nice and light for comfortable use). The earrings are supplied in a gift box and cost £18. 2. These dinky earrings are pefect for the writer in your life -…

  • My Book Deal Moment - Giovanna Fletcher

    Kirsty
    24 May 2013 | 5:30 am
    One Wednesday morning last April I was sat in a Starbucks in Fulham, waiting for my friend to arrive so that we could go to Phillipa Lepley for the ever so exciting task of having a wedding dress fitting (my penultimate one before the big day). I was early, as always, so was slowly sipping on a Hazelnut Soya Latte whilst thinking over the events of the previous day - myself and my agent Hannah had been in to meet Claire Pelly at Penguin’s Michael Joseph. It was a wonderful meeting, not only because she provided us with the most amazing cupcakes, but because she also seemed to love Billy…

  • Ask the Author with Pippa Wright – What’s the best and worst thing that’s ever happened to you as an author?

    Kirsty
    24 May 2013 | 3:30 am
    We’re chuffed that for the month of May Pippa Wright is here at Novelicious as our author in residence. Each Friday she will be answering a question about her life as a writer. This week a Novelicious reader asks:  What’s the best and worst thing that’s ever happened to you as an author? Pippa says: This is a really good question, I liked thinking about it. The best thing is easy. I was camping in a field after a friend’s party in Norfolk last summer when my phone buzzed very early on a Sunday morning. It was my editor saying, ‘Have you seen Unsuitable Men is in the Kindle top…

  • Review – The Secret of Happy Ever After by Lucy Dillon

    Kirsty
    24 May 2013 | 2:30 am
    Reviewed by Cressida McLaughlin When Michelle arrives in the cosy town of Longhampton after the breakup of her marriage, she isn’t thinking about much more than getting herself back on her feet, trying to banish the past and starting up her new business, interiors shop Home Sweet Home. She hadn’t banked on meeting Pongo – the disobedient but loveable Dalmatian, and his owner Anna, in the dog-friendly café. Michelle isn’t necessarily keen on letting anyone into her life, but is unable to resist the friendliness – or forlornness – of Anna, and the two bond over an apology and a…

  • Win! 5 copies of Going Back by Rachael English to give away!

    Kirsty
    23 May 2013 | 4:30 pm
    Rachael English is a well known Irish broadcaster and writer, and is currently a presenter on the radio show, Morning Ireland. Going Back is her first novel and was inspired by her own experiences of visiting Boston as a student in 1988. We've got five brand new copies of the book to give away to our readers! In the summer of 1988, Elizabeth Kelly and her friends leave recession-hit Ireland for a summer of adventure and opportunity in Boston. The next four months change all of them, especially Elizabeth. Quiet and dutiful at home, she surprises herself and everyone else by falling for Danny…
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    Reading With Tequila

  • Ann Whitely-Gillen, Last Train To Omaha

    admin
    6 May 2013 | 12:26 pm
    Ann Whitely-Gillen Ann Whitely-Gillen resides in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, where she is a full time communications advisor and freelance writer. In the 1990s, Ann lived in British Columbia, Canada and Australia where she volunteered her writing and public relations expertise to organizations including Greenpeace. She is also an accomplished musician and vocalist. Ann has always wanted to write a screenplay and, in fact, Last Train to Omaha started out with that in mind. After forty pages of writing, Ann decided to turn the screenplay into her debut novel as she wanted to delve deeper into…

  • Calling All Authors

    admin
    6 May 2013 | 11:07 am
    Beth here again. So terribly sorry for being out of touch. I do intend to post more and do intend to eventually answer all of your lovely emails. I’ve had some personal trials and tribulations going on, but all that is resolved and I’m back and ready to talk books and booze. I wasn’t sure what to do with this site, but have had some time to think over this past month and decided I’d really like to make this a forum for authors to talk about their books. With that said, I’m putting out an open call for authors who want to talk about writing, life, their books, and tequila. I’m sort…

  • Interview with Kelly Keaton

    admin
    6 May 2013 | 10:26 am
    Kelly Keaton, author of Darkness Becomes Her, has been kind enough to stop by Reading with Tequila to answer some questions. Kelly loves ancient history, fantasy, and mythology. She dreams of one day attaining magical powers, discovering the secret to immortality, ridding her home of pet hair, and being crowned Mardi-Gras queen. She likes pre-Raphaelite art, moonlight on snow, and MMORPGs. She lives in North Carolina with her family, one Great Dane, and two incredibly hairy cats. Kelly’s alter ego, Kelly Gay, is a 2010 double RITA finalist and a recipient of North Carolina’s Art Council…

  • Interview with Michelle Rowen

    admin
    6 May 2013 | 10:21 am
    Interview with Michelle Rowen Michelle Rowen, author of Bloodlust, has been kind enough to stop by Reading with Tequila to answer some questions. National bestselling author Michelle Rowen writes paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and young adult fantasy. She was the winner of the 2007 Holt Medallion for Best First Book and the 2009 Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award for Vampire Romance. Michelle lives in Southern Ontario. Please feel free to contact her at michelle@michellerowen.com. She loves hearing from readers! Reading with Tequila: For an urban fantasy heroine, Jill is refreshingly…

  • Guest Author: Heather Webber

    admin
    6 May 2013 | 10:16 am
    Heather Webber, author of Truly, Madly, has been kind enough to stop by Reading with Tequila to talk about Valentine’s Day. A Little Goes A Long Way… By Heather Webber Valentine’s Day has all the earmarks of what society expects women to love. Usually a man doting on us, confessing his undying love, showering us with jewelry (“He went to Jared!”) and cards so oooey and gooey they should embarrass us but don’t (the gooier the better, am I right?). It is THE day for guys to go all out, over the top. The day to show us how much he loves us. Personally, I think yes and no. Yes,…
 
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    Blkosiner's YA and Teen Book Blog

  • Review: Impostor by Susanne Winnacker

    Brandi Kosiner
    24 May 2013 | 5:00 am
    Impostor (Variants #1) by Susanne WinnackerCan Tessa pose as Madison . . . and stop a killer before it’s too late?Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again.Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the…

  • Review: Slated by Teri Terry

    Brandi Kosiner
    23 May 2013 | 5:00 am
    Slated by Teri TerryKyla’s memory has been erased,her personality wiped blank,her memories lost for ever.She’s been Slated.The government claims she was a terrorist, and that they are giving her a second chance - as long as she plays by their rules. But echoes of the past whisper in Kyla’s mind. Someone is lying to her, and nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust in her search for the truth?Publishes in US: May 3rd 2012 by Orchard BooksGenre: YA dystopiaSource: librarySeries? Yes, the Slated series. 1st is Slated, 2nd is Fractured and it releases Apr 4 2013. 3rd releases soonBuy…

  • Tale of Mally Biddle Guest Post and Tour Giveaway

    Brandi Kosiner
    21 May 2013 | 9:55 pm
    Tour ScheduleThe Tale of Mally Biddle by M.L. LeGetteWhen Mally Biddle agreed to spy upon the King of Lenzar and his overbearing knights she knew she was heading into danger. She didn't know she'd find a family unlike any other.Posing as a servant in Bosc Castle, Mally serves tea and tends fires for the most dangerous men in the kingdom. Her goal is to learn the truth of what happened sixteen years ago, when the infant princess met her death ... a death that is surrounded by more questions than answers.Along her search for the truth, Mally meets the energized Lita Stump, the strict and…

  • Waiting on Wednesday

    Brandi Kosiner
    21 May 2013 | 9:00 pm
    Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. I also feature books that may have already released, but I am anxiously waiting to read. This week, I'm featuring:Deception (Defiance, #2)Redwine, C.J. Baalboden has been ravaged. The brutal Commander's whereabouts are unknown. And Rachel, grief stricken over her father's death, needs Logan more than ever. With their ragged group of survivors struggling to forge a future, it's up to Logan to become the leader they need—with Rachel by his…

  • Review: Elemental, Fearless and Breathless by Brigid Kemmerer

    Brandi Kosiner
    21 May 2013 | 5:00 am
    Elemental by Brigid KemmererEarth, Fire, Air, Water – they are more than you dream.As an air Elemental, 17-year-old Emily Morgan doesn’t have much power. That’s okay—she knows what happens to kids who do.Like Michael Merrick. He’s an earth Elemental, one with enough power to level cities. Which makes him sexy. Dangerous. And completely off limits. At least according to Emily’s family.But her summer job puts her in close contact with Michael, and neither of them can help the attraction they feel. When forces of nature like theirs collide, one misstep could get someone killed.
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    The Official BookBuzzr BlogThe Official BookBuzzr Blog

  • Announcing a New Tool to Get More Book Reviews

    Ranga
    10 May 2013 | 4:30 am
      How BookBuzzr’s New, One-Click-Win Feature is Different from Amazon Free Day Promotions Reviews! You can love them or hate them. But you can’t ignore them. All your marketing efforts will come to naught if your readers land on an Amazon page with just 1 or 2 reviews which look like they’ve been written by your friends. One way to get reviews for your book is running an Amazon free day promotion. This works well for many authors although I’ve read on a few forums that the efficacy is going down over time. At BookBuzzr, we’ve been playing around with a number of solutions for…

  • Find your horse to ride

    Ranga
    2 May 2013 | 3:00 am
    In life, we all need a horse to ride.  Without the horse, we are a small fraction of what we could be. When I was 13, my parents took me to a motor museum at a grand country house.  Big yawn.  Happily, there was a donkey derby alongside it, and they agreed to let me ride a donkey.  Being bigger and heavier than the other kids, nobody backed me and the bookmakers pushed my odds out to 66-1 against.  Whereupon my dad surprised them by plonking down a fiver on me – after a moment’s hesitation, the bookie took the bet and rubbed out 66-1 and put 25-1 instead. When the race started, I was…

  • Why do so many writers use words that might be difficult for some readers?

    Ranga
    15 Apr 2013 | 2:36 am
      I’ve never understood this. The message becomes more difficult to decipher, and more than half the time I quit reading due to the complexity of the article/blog/novel. Why wouldn’t you want a more simple message, that could target a broader audience? Read Quote of Laura Copeland’s answer to Writing: Why do so many writers use words that might be difficult for some readers? on Quora ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Vikram Narayan is the founder of BookBuzzr Book Marketing…

  • BookBuzzr Interviews Best Selling Author Roberta Kagan

    Ranga
    5 Apr 2013 | 11:50 pm
      BB: Hello Roberta. We recently saw that your book – ‘All My Love, Detrick’ broke into a top 10 list on Amazon. Congratulations! Thank you so much. I appreciate your taking the time to interview me. The screenshot below was taken on March 26th, 2013. BB: Can you tell us a little about yourself? Since I was a kid I loved to read.  It was my escape whenever things got rough. I learned that books can take you anywhere, to another country, to another time period, or even to a fantasy world.  When I began writing I wanted to give that same gift to others.  I wanted my readers to…

  • Easter Season is Here Again and So is the Easter Landing Page Widget from BookBuzzr

    Ranga
    12 Mar 2013 | 5:27 am
    Aah … Easter! The season conjures images of bunnies, chocolate eggs and candies. To celebrate the season, we’ve released the Easter egg widget which showcases your book with an ‘Easter spirit’. All landing page themes from BookBuzzr now come in three sizes. One size is a large, overlay screen (useful when you really want to get the attention of your visitors such as when you are doing a book launch), the second size is Enlargeable Mini (smaller in size so that it can be embedded in side bar of your website/blog; it has got a button that enables the visitor to enlarge…
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    Reading With Tequila

  • Ann Whitely-Gillen, Last Train To Omaha

    admin
    6 May 2013 | 12:26 pm
    Ann Whitely-Gillen Ann Whitely-Gillen resides in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, where she is a full time communications advisor and freelance writer. In the 1990s, Ann lived in British Columbia, Canada and Australia where she volunteered her writing and public relations expertise to organizations including Greenpeace. She is also an accomplished musician and vocalist. Ann has always wanted to write a screenplay and, in fact, Last Train to Omaha started out with that in mind. After forty pages of writing, Ann decided to turn the screenplay into her debut novel as she wanted to delve deeper into…

  • Calling All Authors

    admin
    6 May 2013 | 11:07 am
    Beth here again. So terribly sorry for being out of touch. I do intend to post more and do intend to eventually answer all of your lovely emails. I’ve had some personal trials and tribulations going on, but all that is resolved and I’m back and ready to talk books and booze. I wasn’t sure what to do with this site, but have had some time to think over this past month and decided I’d really like to make this a forum for authors to talk about their books. With that said, I’m putting out an open call for authors who want to talk about writing, life, their books, and tequila. I’m sort…

  • Interview with Kelly Keaton

    admin
    6 May 2013 | 10:26 am
    Kelly Keaton, author of Darkness Becomes Her, has been kind enough to stop by Reading with Tequila to answer some questions. Kelly loves ancient history, fantasy, and mythology. She dreams of one day attaining magical powers, discovering the secret to immortality, ridding her home of pet hair, and being crowned Mardi-Gras queen. She likes pre-Raphaelite art, moonlight on snow, and MMORPGs. She lives in North Carolina with her family, one Great Dane, and two incredibly hairy cats. Kelly’s alter ego, Kelly Gay, is a 2010 double RITA finalist and a recipient of North Carolina’s Art Council…

  • Interview with Michelle Rowen

    admin
    6 May 2013 | 10:21 am
    Interview with Michelle Rowen Michelle Rowen, author of Bloodlust, has been kind enough to stop by Reading with Tequila to answer some questions. National bestselling author Michelle Rowen writes paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and young adult fantasy. She was the winner of the 2007 Holt Medallion for Best First Book and the 2009 Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award for Vampire Romance. Michelle lives in Southern Ontario. Please feel free to contact her at michelle@michellerowen.com. She loves hearing from readers! Reading with Tequila: For an urban fantasy heroine, Jill is refreshingly…

  • Guest Author: Heather Webber

    admin
    6 May 2013 | 10:16 am
    Heather Webber, author of Truly, Madly, has been kind enough to stop by Reading with Tequila to talk about Valentine’s Day. A Little Goes A Long Way… By Heather Webber Valentine’s Day has all the earmarks of what society expects women to love. Usually a man doting on us, confessing his undying love, showering us with jewelry (“He went to Jared!”) and cards so oooey and gooey they should embarrass us but don’t (the gooier the better, am I right?). It is THE day for guys to go all out, over the top. The day to show us how much he loves us. Personally, I think yes and no. Yes,…
 
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    Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave

  • Film Review: Piranhaconda

    David M. Brown
    24 May 2013 | 6:18 am
    About Piranhaconda (2011)When a rogue scientist discovers an immense egg in the dark recesses of a rainforest he thinks he’s stumbled across his fame and fortune. But little does he know that it belongs to a terrifying hybrid monster, known only as the Piranhaconda. Soon the beast is on the loose, hunting for its unborn child, rampaging through the country and destroying everything in its path. A terrifying, edge-of-your-seat chomp romp featuring a Hollywood cast and thrills galore – in the same vein as Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus, Mega Piranha and Sand Sharks. Starring: Michael…

  • Book Review: Dinner with Churchill: Policy-Making at the Dinner Table – Cita Stelzer

    Donna Brown
    23 May 2013 | 6:24 am
    About Dinner with Churchill (2011)A friend once said of Churchill He is a man of simple tastes; he is quite easily satisfied with the best of everything. But dinners for Churchill were about more than good food, excellent champagnes and Havana cigars. Everything included the opportunity to use the dinner table both as a stage on which to display his brilliant conversational talents, and an intimate setting in which to glean gossip and diplomatic insights, and to argue for the many policies he espoused over a long life. In this riveting, informative and entertaining book, Stelzer draws on…

  • Film Review: Soldier of Orange

    David M. Brown
    23 May 2013 | 6:08 am
    About Soldier of Orange (1977)Director Paul Verhoeven’s acclaimed WWII epic. Erik (Rutger Hauer), Alex (Derek de Lint), Gus (Jeroen Krabbe) and their friends are all students at a Dutch university in the late 1930s. When the Nazi occupation begins, the members of the group all respond in different ways, with some joining the ranks of the German army, others fighting for the resistance, some escaping to England and still others falling victim to collaboration or Nazi torture. The film, based on the autobiographical novel by Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, follows the diverging adventures of…

  • Film Review: The Woman in the Fifth

    David M. Brown
    23 May 2013 | 6:07 am
    About The Woman in the Fifth (2011)A writer stranded in Paris falls into a strange relationship with a mysterious woman in this drama from writer and director Pawel Pawlikowski. Tom Ricks (Ethan Hawke) is an American novelist who has been wrestling with writers’ block since the publication of his first book. Tom is married to Nathalie (Delphine Chuillot) but their relationship has taken a turn for the worse, and after she goes home to France with their daughter Chloe (Julie Papillon) in tow, Tom flies there in hopes of reconciling with her. However, Tom is robbed shortly after arriving,…

  • Film Review: The Agent

    David M. Brown
    22 May 2013 | 3:19 am
    About The Agent (2008)It’s all in a day’s work for high-flying literary agent Alexander; manuscripts to read, deals to be done, celebrity clients to be taken out to lunch… but first there is an author to deal with whose latest book the agent thinks is, frankly, not up to scratch. However he hadn’t counted on the author’s resourcefulness… This bitingly funny film takes you behind the scenes of the publishing world to witness the wheeling and dealing required to create the next best-seller. Screenplay by Martin Wagner DVD includes the following extras: Klaus…
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    Vampire Book Club

  • Round 10: Christian MacKeltar vs. Jane Yellowrock [Alpha Showdown 2013]

    Chelsea
    23 May 2013 | 10:01 pm
    Things are advancing in the Alpha Showdown 2013. We’ve hit the second tier of the event. Winners will start battling winners. Expect the stakes to be raised and the smack talk to increase. Both alphas this round pulled out last-minute wins in earlier battles. Christian eked ahead of original Prince of Darkness Vlad while Jane Yellowrock managed to defeat our favorite enforcer Terrible. Read the pitches, then make the call. Who should advance to the next round in the Alpha Showdown? The poll at the end of this post will be open for two days. Remember, alphas don’t share titles. Your votes…

  • Round 9: Ryodan vs. Ethan Sullivan [Alpha Showdown 2013]

    Chelsea
    22 May 2013 | 10:01 pm
    Things are advancing in the Alpha Showdown 2013. We’ve hit the second tier of the event. Winners will start battling winners. Expect the stakes to be raised and the smack talk to increase. Ryodan dominated the first round of the Showdown. Taking out Mercy Thompson with the power you’d expect from one of the Nine. How will he fare against the cunning Ethan Sullivan, who already bested stellar assassin Secret McQueen? Read the pitches, then make the call. Who should advance to the next round in the Alpha Showdown? The poll at the end of this post will be open for two days. Remember,…

  • Early Review: Tempest Reborn by Nicole Peeler (Jane True #6)

    Candace
    22 May 2013 | 10:10 am
    Tempest Reborn (Jane True #6) Nicole Peeler Published: May 28, 2013 (Orbit) Purchase at: Book Depository or Amazon Reviewed by: Candace Rating (out of 5): 5 stars “Come back,” was all Anyan said, holding me even closer even as I knew he was letting me go.  “Come back to me, Jane.  And hurry…” I can not go into too much detail on this book, because it will spoil things for you. But I will tell you this—Anyan wasn’t lost to us at the end of Tempest’s Fury. Jane’s going after him, UFC style. She has the backup of everyone near to her. Speaking of everyone… When I…

  • Round 8: Reyes Farrow vs. Trehan Daciano [Alpha Showdown 2013]

    Chelsea
    21 May 2013 | 10:01 pm
    It’s officially time for Alpha Showdown 2013!  You made your nominations and we have 16 of the most badass, alpha characters from urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels locked into the bracket. Only one will be named champion and today’s first bout is sure to end in a knockout. Round eight brings the son of Satan against one mighty vampire. Will Darynda Jones’ Reyes be able to take down Kresley Cole’s Trehan? You decide. Read the pitches, then make the call. Who should advance to the next round in the Alpha Showdown? The poll at the end of this post will be open for two…

  • Review: Written in Red by Anne Bishop (The Others #1)

    Amy
    21 May 2013 | 10:30 am
    Written in Red (The Others #1) Anne Bishop Published: March 5, 2013 (NAL) Purchase at: Book Depository or Amazon Reviewed by: Amy Rating (out of 5): 4.5 stars Written in Red takes place in a modern, alternate reality where Others, or terra indigene, dominate over the humans. Luckily Anne Bishop provides a little “history of the world” introduction to explain things a little. The Others are the ruling faction in Thaisia (what we consider America). In the beginning all that humans were to Others was meat (literally). Over time, the Others have come to understand the usefulness of the…
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    LATINA BOOK CLUB

  • MAY 24 -- PBS Special on Loreta Velazquez, Confederate Soldier turned Union Spy

    Native NYer
    23 May 2013 | 2:29 pm
    REBEL - A VOCES ON PBS SPECIALFRIDAY, MAY 24 at 10:00 PM ET REBEL is the story of Loreta Velazquez, Confederate soldier turned Union spy. She was dismissed as a hoax for a hundred and fifty years, but new evidence shows Loreta, a Cuban immigrant from New Orleans, was one of an estimated 1000 secret women soldiers of the American Civil War. Deftly weaving lush dramatized scenes of Loreta's riveting tale, vivid storytellers, archival material, and animation, this is a film about a woman, a myth and the politics of national memory. Who was Loreta Velazquez? Why did she fight? And what made her…

  • REVIEW: FROM MACHETE FIGHTS TO PARADISE by Daniel DiMarzio

    Native NYer
    19 May 2013 | 9:00 pm
      The air was charged with electricity as the crowd held their breath in suspense.  Both men took their left hands, which were wrapped in their shirts, and put them behind their backs.  They then held their machetes out in their right hands and approached one another.  It looked like an ancient duel...and it was.  It was a real life duel with swords.  No rules. Real swords. May the best man win.--FROM MACHETE FIGHTS TO PARADISEDaniel DiMarzio's book about the machete fighters in the Dominican Republic intrigued me from the first, because it was ...real. …

  • HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! // FELIZ DIA DE MADRES!

    Native NYer
    11 May 2013 | 9:00 pm
    Best wishes for a beautiful day to Mother's everywhere.

  • REVIEW: GOD, PLEASE SEND ME ANGELS by Tomie Gomez

    Native NYer
    5 May 2013 | 9:00 pm
       Do you believe in Angels? For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your…

  • PICTURE FRIDAY: LITERARY WAY #2

    Native NYer
    2 May 2013 | 9:00 pm
    Here's another picture from one of the bronze plaques on New York's Literary Way, which is on 41st Street between Fifth and Park.  Happy Friday!by Emily Dickinson from 1212 
 
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    21tiger

  • Social Networks and the Death of Traditional Advertising

    Michael A. Robson
    21 May 2013 | 8:46 pm
    The earliest forms of paid advertising date back to the early 19th Century, when soap companies would try to associate their brand names with images of beautiful young men and women with perfect skin. In my research, I was hoping to find that the earliest forms of advertising were naive and sweet, and even (shudder) honest about the prices and value of the products. I’m guessing that didn’t last too long. But that’s all changing. For one thing, we have TiVo now (or specifically, DVRs are ubiquitous). We can skip ads. On the Internet, we can opt not to click on any ads…

  • The Authentic Career

    Michael A. Robson
    30 Apr 2013 | 10:29 pm
    Recently, I’ve been writing about how all of us can create “works of art” which are authentic, and why it’s so much more productive and interesting to create work of your own surroundings and your own life. So in this post I want to highlight someone who has created everything from his surroundings, and managed to make millions off it, and become incredibly famous. As it turns out, some of the most successful celebrities are ‘creative’ in the ways they’ve been able to monetize (or productize) various aspects of their lives. This is taking the…

  • Art as a Reflection of the Life you Lead

    Michael A. Robson
    26 Apr 2013 | 5:09 pm
    In Conversations with Students, legendary Graphic Designer Paul Rand put forth a challenge to all young design students to read through John Dewey’s “Art as Experience”. Rand contended that most students would not have the gumption to read the lengthy tome on Art Theory, and that its considerations went so far beyond ‘make it look pretty’ that most young students would get bored five minutes in and give up. It reminded me of a similar hammer being thrown down to young students by one Bill Gates years ago, who contended that he would hire anyone who could read…

  • On Moralism: The Truth shall set you Free

    Michael A. Robson
    12 Apr 2013 | 6:43 pm
    Lately I’ve been re-reading an amazing book called ‘Radical Honesty‘ which espouses a lifestyle of 100% complete honesty. This can obviously lead to some awkward “Yes, in fact that dress does make you look fat honey” moments, but there is a bright side: complete and total clarity. Also know as, getting your sanity back. The author, a Phd and eccentric Therapist named Brad Blanton, points to Moralism as the source of all our anxiety and stress. Moralism Definition: The practice of moralizing, esp. showing a tendency to make judgments about others’ morality.

  • Wild Horses: Renaissance 2.0 in the Technology Industry

    Michael A. Robson
    4 Apr 2013 | 10:38 pm
    “People who are really serious about software should make their own hardware.” – Alan Kay, 1982 Back in 2011, then-CEO of Google Eric Schmidt was asked which are the most important companies in the Technology business: he named Google, Apple, Amazon, and  Facebook. What do these companies have in common? Each of them dominates their respective corner of the Tech industry: Google clearly dominates Online Advertising and Services, Apple dominates Mobile Devices, Amazon dominates eCommerce and Facebook dominates Social networking. a) You may have noticed that since those words…
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    Better World Books Blog - Book Reviews, Author Interviews, Community Outreach & more

  • BWB Remembers The Books Of Our Childhood (3 of 3)

    Better World Books
    17 May 2013 | 1:45 pm
    The third and final part in our Children’s Book Week series on the books that BWB employees remember from their childhood. Don’t forget to stop by our children’s book sale, too! To chose just one favorite would be impossible but here is one that I was JUST telling my daughters about (and am about to buy at BetterWorldBooks.com). The Borrowers by Mary Norton was among my most favorite books. The story of the Clock Family and their adventures living under the floorboards of a home in England fostered my imagination and entertained me for hours…and weeks! After I read…

  • BWB Remembers The Books Of Our Childhood (2 of 3)

    Better World Books
    15 May 2013 | 11:26 am
    Children’s Book Week continues, and here’s part 2 of our the books we remember loving in our own younger years. What were yours? Let us know in the comments.   (image courtesy of Goodreads) Nuttybub & Nittersing by May Gibbs, published in 1923. I loved reading and being read to. Pretty much any book my dad read to me became a favorite. However, this one stood out in my mind and when I asked him what my favorite book was, this is the one he said without a prompt. “It’s the one you made me read over and over again with all the voices. These two little guys go…

  • Encouraging Summer Reading: Book reviews by kids, for kids

    Better World Books
    14 May 2013 | 6:20 am
    Looking for a way to encourage your young library visitors to read this summer? Then look no further than the DOGObooks Summer Reading Program sponsored by Better World Books. DOGObooks.com, the largest website dedicated to kids’ reading and book reviews-by-and-for children, has built an online program that rewards both kids and schools for reading and reviewing books. The four month online program will launch at the start of Children’s Book Week on May 13th and run through mid-September. With the help of its children’s book publisher partners, DOGObooks has assembled a…

  • BWB Remembers The Books Of Our Childhood (1 of 3)

    Better World Books
    13 May 2013 | 8:05 am
    Children’s Book Week (May 13-19) is all about igniting a love of reading for young people, one that will stick with them and positively shape the person they one day become. What books stuck with you when you were growing up? We asked Better World Books employees just that question. Throughout this week, we’ll be posting the books that we can never forget, the books that had a lifelong impact on our young minds. We also have a whole lot of children’s books on sale as part of the celebration. The Little Prince This book, The Little Prince, was presented to me when I was 12 years old by…

  • Your mama’s so smart, she probably reads lots of books!

    Better World Books
    11 May 2013 | 8:00 am
    Can we talk about your mom for a minute? She’s a classy lady. She raised you right. And (Note: moderate guilt trip beyond this point) you haven’t gotten her anything for Mother’s Day yet! Now, don’t panic. Fortunately for you, we planned for this. Mother’s Day is tomorrow, May 12. No matter where you’re shopping, the shipping is going to cost a very figurative arm-and-leg combo in order to ship something to you on time. Unless you read on, reader! Using the magic of Internet, we have devised a way to equip you with (a) the perfect present, which will (b) be ready for you to give…
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    KID BOOK RATINGS

  • Work Gets In The Way

    6 May 2013 | 6:57 pm
    Hey gang, sorry for the delay in reviewing.  Things have been crazy in non-family life.  Not bad crazy, just crazy.I'll be back later this week.  Thanks for your continued readership!!!

  • Amazing ABC

    26 Apr 2013 | 8:21 pm
    Did you know that Lego is based in Billund, Denmark?  Ironic, since you can't spell Billund without build... THREE PROSThere's a reason Lego has been so successful for so long with this age group... so why not extend its magic to another educational sector  The images of Sean Kenney's creations are a million times more fun to marvel at than your typical ABC bookThe cake and the piano are just awesomeTHREE CONS It might be a little unfair, but I have a problem with author/builder re-using his models across the Lego board book line (as evidenced by the back…

  • The Loopy Coop Hens

    24 Apr 2013 | 8:56 pm
    These birds are makin' me angry! THREE PROSIf you go to Janet Morgan Stoeke's website, you'll see it has a whole page dedicated to her illustration -- makes sense since this is her strong suit   On those days where you just want to hand a book to your kid instead of reading, this one wouldn't be a bad choiceStoeke is from the DC area, so she obviously has made some good choices in her lifeTHREE CONS Wait, let me get this straight: the hens catch the rooster in a lie and, instead of him getting his comeuppance (or at the very least learning something), the ladies fawn…

  • Hot, Hot Roti For Dada-ji

    23 Apr 2013 | 8:46 pm
    C'mon now, give it a chance... THREE PROSSurprisingly few children's books come off the way you would recount a fascinating personal tale to your child, but this one nails it  A perfect recipe composed of the following ingredients: culture, characters, mysticism, rarely seen topics, cool illustrations (by first-timer Ken Min), and pro #1If eating good roti can give me tiger powers, I've been doing it all wrong for the last three to four decadesTHREE CONS I'm afraid that title will scare a large percentage of American parents away from what is an amazing work Author F.

  • Dancing Fruit Put On A Show!

    22 Apr 2013 | 8:44 pm
    After reading this, you won't need another serving from one particular food group for at least a week. THREE PROSAuthor Ruth Wilkes (with an assist from illustrator James Cross) jams an orchard full of info in here: from gardening facts, to jokes, to recipes, and more   I almost always enjoy a book with a positive message related to kids trying something they're feeling timid aboutA banana splitting his pants - never not funnyTHREE CONS Pro #1 is also con #1 - the whole effort can be a tad overwhelming if you're dealing with a child who expects you to read cover to…
 
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    Quill & Quire

  • Judge suggests DoJ will prove Apple’s guilt, Granta turmoil continues, and more

    Sue Carter Flinn
    24 May 2013 | 9:07 am
    Judge expresses “tentative view” the government will make its case against Apple Granta Books’ billionaire owner to take over editorial and operational control Anansi announces Broken Social Scene contest winners Chinua Achebe buried in Nigerian hometown How pop culture contributes to the dictionary

  • Lydia Davis awarded Man Booker, Martin Short announces memoir, and more

    Maria Siassina
    23 May 2013 | 9:06 am
    Lydia Davis wins Man Booker International Prize Martin Short to write memoir for HarperCollins New York bookstore thrives despite uncertainty CNN anchor Piers Morgan to write memoir U.S. publishers embracing more international titles

  • Amazon launches digital platform for fan fiction

    Julie Baldassi
    22 May 2013 | 3:22 pm
    Amazon announced the launch of Kindle Worlds, a new digital publishing platform for fan fiction, touted as the first legal commercial platform of its kind. Despite the prevalence of online fan fiction, copyright laws make it illegal to profit from it. Kindle Worlds, however, has acquired licences for three book series from Warner Bros.’ Alloy Entertainment: Gossip Girl, by Cecily von Ziegesar, Pretty Little Liars, by Sara Shepard, and Vampire Diaries, by L.J. Smith. More licences will be announced soon. Royalties will be paid by Amazon to rights holders of the original work, and authors…

  • Trevor Cole wins Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award for writing

    Maria Siassina
    22 May 2013 | 1:15 pm
    Trevor Cole The Canada Council for the Arts has announced the winners of the Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Awards. The seven recipients are mid-career artists who have been recognized in the seven arts practices funded by the Canada Council: writing and publishing, integrated arts, dance, media arts, theatre, visual arts, and music. Writer Trevor Cole is one this year’s winner. Cole’s third novel, Practical Jean, won the Leacock Medal for Humour in 2011, and his first two novels were both nominated for a Governor General’s Literary Award. Before starting to write fiction, Cole…

  • Amazon announces Breakthrough Novel finalists, ChiZine putting together horror anthology, and more

    Maria Siassina
    22 May 2013 | 9:25 am
    Amazon Publishing reveals Breakthrough Novel Award finalists ChiZine accepting terror and supernatural fiction submissions Plagiarism controversy hits poetry community again Children’s publisher Barefoot Books leaves Amazon Association of American Publishers merging with the Association of Educational Publishers
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    The Goddess Blogs

  • The Long and the Short of It

    Madeline Hunter
    24 May 2013 | 12:11 am
    Back when I was a young woman I briefly had a hair dresser who had a policy about hair that I found obnoxious—which is why I used him only briefly. I noticed that every client over the age of 40 had short hair. I asked why this was and he explained how short hair visually [...]

  • Song Sung Old

    Sabrina Jeffries
    22 May 2013 | 11:53 pm
    Okay, you won’t understand my blog title unless you’re a Neil Diamond fan, but it fits my subject. Because, you see, I WAS a Neil Diamond fan in my youth. And then I wasn’t for years and years, and then a few years back I became one again. Why? I. Don’t. Know. I’m hoping to [...]

  • How does your garden grow?

    Rachel Gibson
    21 May 2013 | 10:49 pm
    My grandfather was a gardener. These days we call them landscapers. Gardener/landscaper, the man had an ultra green thumb. He grew everything from beautiful flowers to fruits and veggies. I mean the kind of vegetables not everyone can grow, not like zucchini. Everyone can grow zucchini. Although I don’t know why anyone would. I get [...]

  • Balance, or something like it.

    Karen Hawkins
    21 May 2013 | 2:30 am
    I was going to write a funny blog about my book release today, but then the tornado hit Oklahoma and I saw the rubble of two elementary schools and all of my happy juice drained right out of my heart and into my feet. I don’t have big feet, so it hurts when that happens. [...]

  • Sick Day

    Claudia Dain
    20 May 2013 | 4:04 am
    I’ve had a lot of sick days in my life. I’m what used to be called “sickly.” If I’d been born in any other century I would have been one of those “died in childhood” statistics one hears so much about regarding bygone population rates. I missed so many days in high school that my [...]
 
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    BOOKVISIONS

  • No One Else to Kill by Bob Doerr

    Linda
    20 May 2013 | 1:41 pm
      No One Else to Kill is book 5 of the Jim West Mysteries. Since this was my first Jim West book, I expected to feel as though I was missing something. I am pleased to say that I was not, and this is definitely a stand-alone book.  Jim West travels to a remote hunting lodge in New Mexico with the intent of meeting up with an old friend to do some therapeutic hiking. The friend is a no-show, but before he can head for home a murder occurs at the lodge. Not yet twenty four hours later, another murder occurs.  While Jim could have been one of the suspects, the police recognize his…

  • When a Secret Kills by Lynette Eason

    Linda
    6 May 2013 | 5:02 pm
    I didn't realize while reading When a Secret Kills that it is the third of a series.  To me, that means it is a great stand-alone book.  I never felt I was “missing something,” and I never thought that there were back-stories that needed to be explained.  We do know at the beginning that the two main characters, Colton & Jillian, had a previous relationship, and that trouble follows Jillian everywhere. This is a good mystery with a light romance. The main characters are believable and likable even when the story is not quite as believable. Even…

  • If You Were Me and Lived in Mexico... by Carole P. Roman

    Linda
    3 May 2013 | 3:17 pm
    If You Were Me and Lived in Mexicoby Carole P. Roman is part of a series of books to introduce children to different cultures around the world.  It is a nice way to establish an understanding of children who may look different but are the same in many ways.  The book explains common names, terms for parents, coins, and a variety of other daily activities in which children are interested. The book has brightly colored full-page illustrations that bring the book to life.  A few simple Spanish names and words are introduced, and included is a pronunciation guide at the back of the…

  • There Was an Old Woman by Hallie Ephron

    Linda
    21 Apr 2013 | 10:33 am
    Although There was an Old Woman was not at all what I expected, I was pleasantly surprised.  I also think that this is one of the better books I’ve read so far this year. While it doesn't have the intensity that is usually consistent with a psychological thriller, I still think it belongs in that category. If you are waiting for a slasher to jump out and cut someone’s throat, this isn’t the book for you, but if you like a slower steady story that reaches a climax and has well-developed characters, you will like There was an Old Woman.It was a good story that held my…

  • Frozen Solid by James M. Tabor

    Linda
    4 Apr 2013 | 4:42 pm
    A unique location and unique characters, Frozen Solid is set at the remote ASRS, Amundsen-Scott Research Station at the South Pole. The settings and are described very well, as is the deadly cold temperatures and their impact on the human body. The main character Hallie takes at short-term job at the Station. She is replacing a friend that died suddenly while working there. She has a complicated relationship with Wil Bowman and complicated problems that will have to wait. The book is interesting and starts off at a fast pace. I had a difficult time relating to the main character and her…
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    Assisting Authors

  • Spotlight on “Eye of the Sage by Peter J. Ochs II

    jfriesler
    13 May 2013 | 8:31 pm
    I would like to welcome  Peter OchsII   to our blog as a stop on his virtual book tour. I invited him to write a guest blog.  I am sure you will find it interesting.  I have also included an excerpt from his book,  For a complete description of the book,  Eye of the Sagc; click on the Amazon link below.  Please give a generous response by commenting or asking questions below.  Guest Post I wrote this shortly after the events of 9/11. I include it here as a blog-post because it is a story about Oman, and it is just as relevant today as it was twelve years ago. A Voice from the Sands A…

  • 6 Free Book Promotion Opportunities

    jfriesler
    27 Apr 2013 | 12:55 pm
    Now that you have decided to do a book give-away, it is time to get the word out. Thanks to Kindle Boards, I have found and tested sites where you can get free book promotions and/or reviews. So here are the links I have tested and find to be worthwhile::   Addicted to Books (http://addictedtoebooks.com/submission) :  This site is great because you can rate your book’s content for the reader so they know what they are getting.  Also  you will have your book on the front page of the site for one day and on subsequent pages after.   The requirements: You must register an account…

  • More Preparation for KDP Book Give-Away

    jfriesler
    5 Mar 2013 | 3:36 pm
    I mentioned the last post that it is important  to have from 5-10 or more book reviews on Amazon before you launch your book give-away.  I suggested that one way to get reviews is to go on a Virtual Book Tour that promises some reviews.   I also suggested that you have a contest and give-away an Amazon Gift Certificate for a Kindle Fire .  In the Rafflecopter form (see the previous post),  I give away 10 entries for a book review (honest review) that is put on Amazon.  In order to review the book they have to purchase it and I give away 25 entries for a purchase.  That is a good way to…

  • Prepare and Manage a Virtual Book Tour

    jfriesler
    27 Feb 2013 | 9:09 am
    Please read my previous two posts in this series  to make sense of this one.  Kindle Publishing Direct Select or KDP  will allow you 5 days during the 90 day period to give away your book.  I suggest that you use one or two of the days for a  Book Launch.  Your book does not have to be new to launch.  A launch is a good way to draw attention to your book,  Over the next couple of posts , I will suggest a  blue print to follow to  prepare for the launch and the Book Give-Away.  Let’s start with a Virtual Book Tour. The Virtual Book Tour should drive your launch.  I select the…

  • Why Book Give-Aways: KDP Select

    jfriesler
    17 Feb 2013 | 11:43 am
    This is t he second  post of the blog series Why Give Away Your Books for Free.   This post will explain why  Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing Select program  (KDP) is a fantastic tool to use to  promote your book.   I will explain what the program is, why you should take advantage of it, and how to use it.   Let’s get started. This is a program Amazon offers where you as an author can: Earn higher royalties  Earn your share of the KDP Select Global Fund amount when readers borrow your books from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library. Plus, earn 70% royalty for sales…
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    Market Your Book

  • Co-op Book Marketing: Antidote for the Solitary Writer Syndrome

    Jan Bear
    22 May 2013 | 12:30 pm
    Writing is a solitary occupation. It’s hard to concentrate on getting words on paper among the hubbub of ordinary life. But even as I complain about the hubbub, I know that it’s the source of anything useful I have to say. Anything creative, helpful, thought-provoking, or entertaining comes from the daily activities of acting, planning, [...]The post Co-op Book Marketing: Antidote for the Solitary Writer Syndrome appeared first on Market Your Book.

  • Author Beware: Self-Publishing Book Scams Abound

    Jan Bear
    7 May 2013 | 6:23 am
    Some aspiring authors still have the idea that once they’re published, everything will be sunshine and roses. People will buy their books, the thank-you emails will come rolling in, not to mention the royalty checks, and they can happily work on the next book in peace. Once the rejections start rolling in, reality — and [...]The post Author Beware: Self-Publishing Book Scams Abound appeared first on Market Your Book.

  • Book Review: Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins

    Jan Bear
    2 May 2013 | 11:31 am
    Novelists and screenwriters, of course, study story structure because it’s what they do. But story has become more and more prominent in nonfiction uses, too — persuasion and negotiation. Working as a management consultant and presenter, in her book Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins (affiliate link) Annette Simmons brings story into the boardroom, the [...]The post Book Review: Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins appeared first on Market Your Book.

  • I Want to Talk to a Memoirist

    Jan Bear
    1 May 2013 | 9:00 am
    My inaugural issue of Author Marketing Ideas will be released on May 9. The focus of the issue is how to market your memoir. I have some good content lined up, but what would make it really stand out would be a conversation with a memoir author. I’m looking for someone who was published in [...]The post I Want to Talk to a Memoirist appeared first on Market Your Book.

  • Use an Author Ezine to Connect with Your Audience

    Jan Bear
    30 Apr 2013 | 1:11 pm
    I often tell authors that they need an e-newsletter, often called an ezine. I subscribe to newsletters from different people and find them to be valuable sources of valuable information (if they’re not, it’s easy to unsubscribe). Expert marketers I trust add that a newsletter can introduce you, along with your knowledge and skills, to [...]The post Use an Author Ezine to Connect with Your Audience appeared first on Market Your Book.
 
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    Book Dirt

  • In Which I Go to Ireland for Other Reasons and Accidentally Find Bookish Things

    19 May 2013 | 3:08 pm
    A few weeks ago, I was sent to Ireland in my capacity as a food writer. It’s too bad the focus of Book Dirt prevents me from giving you much detail about how well I was wined and dined by the folks at Good Food Ireland, so I will simply state that Ireland’s poor food reputation is vastly undeserved (The seafood! The cheese!) and leave it at that. I took so many notes, it's a wonder I didn't get a hand cramp. (Photo by fellow foodie Eric Cathcart.)I didn’t expect the trip to have much to do with books other than what I read on the plane (J. S. Le Fanu’s Carmilla, a short by noir…

  • Bill Gates Has a Book Blog (Just Like Everyone Else)

    8 Apr 2013 | 7:26 am
    I don’t have a lot in common with Bill Gates. I’m not the second-wealthiest person in the world. (I’m barely the second-wealthiest person in my house.) I didn’t found Microsoft, and I don’t have an underwater music system. While I do have a large-ish personal library, it is not housed under an oculus, it doesn’t change temperature based on the personal preferences of whoever enters the room, and I don’t have an original Da Vinci codex for my cats to nap on.Screenshot of Bill Gates' book blog at Gatesnotes.com.But, if I ever happen to meet Bill Gates at a cocktail party, I’ve…

  • Book Review: Three Graves Full by Jamie Mason

    11 Mar 2013 | 8:03 am
    Three Graves Full/Gallery Books/February 2013A purported dark comedy proves that marketing is a very powerful thing.Three Graves Full, the debut mystery novel by Jamie Mason, has some darned compelling jacket copy. Dig this:For fans of the Coen brothers’ films or for those who just love their thrillers with a dash of sharp humor—an engaging and offbeat story about a man driven to murder, who then buries the body in his backyard only to discover that there are two other shallow graves on his property.The Coen brothers? Sharp comedy and multiple graves? Add in some fawning praise from…

  • Quotable: Poetic Subjects, Dirty Children’s Books, and Other Reader/Writerly Things

    20 Feb 2013 | 2:18 pm
    Well-loved books. Better? (Andrea_R/Creative Commons license)Another roundup of nifty things I’ve encountered around the web in my never-ending attempt to procrastinate as much as possible. Take some time to read the articles from whence these came, then get back to writing, for the love of Pete!Poet Christian Bok believes in taking poetry to new frontiers, which is why he injected poetry-encoded DNA into bacterium, essentially making the microorganisms create their own poetry. He wonders about the limited subject matter of other poets:“I am amazed that poets will continue to write about…

  • People Are Freaking Out About the New Cover of The Bell Jar

    4 Feb 2013 | 1:06 pm
    Here’s why they should calm down. Faber's new cover for The Bell Jar.Faber has published a new edition of Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar for the book’s 50th anniversary, and the internet is totally losing its shit. If that sounds like an exaggeration, consider some of these diatribes:“If Sylvia Plath hadn't already killed herself, she probably would've if she saw the new cover of her only novel The Bell JarJezebel    “What is this monstrosity?” -The Jane Dough“I think, after that Bell Jar cover, my next pitch for a kids book will be The Big Pink Book of Low…
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    But What Are They Eating?

  • FOODFIC ARCHIVE

    Shelley Workinger
    24 May 2013 | 6:10 am
    Hello, Hungry Readers!I have to take a brief (until July) blogging hiatus while I work on a major project with U.S. high and middle schools (if you know a school that would like to add SOLID to their digital library, please comment with that school librarian's email address and I will contact him/her to make it happen!).Anyway, I thought this would be a good time to revisit all the FoodFic posts (mine and guests') of the past 2 years. Check out the list below; you might find something you missed the first time! And, as always, let me know if there's a book you'd like me to discuss here.

  • FOODFIC: Please Welcome Cindy Bennett, Author of Rapunzel Untangled

    Shelley Workinger
    9 May 2013 | 6:08 am
    Imagine living your life only exposed to foods that someone else has decided you can have. Close your eyes and think of your top five favorite things to eat, the things that bring you the most pleasure. Now imagine being locked in a tower where not only can you not have those foods, you haven’t even heard of many of them.In Rapunzel Untangled, a modern-day retelling of the classic fairytale, Rapunzel is kidnapped as a baby and locked in a tower by the crazy witch Gothel. That means that she doesn’t get to experience teen life as most American’s do—or teens from anywhere, for that…

  • FOODFIC: The Space Between - Brenna Yovanoff

    Shelley Workinger
    3 May 2013 | 7:45 am
      I once saw a comedian do a bit about cave people, noting that the first man to eat a raw egg had to be the bravest person in history. My husband finds pretty much no humor and all horror at the consumption of un- and under-cooked eggs, going so far as to knock the spoon out of my hand when I’m shoveling cookie dough into my mouth and cringing almost cartoonishly when I use runny egg yolk as dip for my homefries.Whether you view it as brave, stupid, or simply a matter of (good ;) taste, Between’s heroine Daphne dives right into her first diner experience by devouring bacon swirled…

  • FOODFIC: Please Welcome Michael Gallagher, Author of Tsunami Connection

    Shelley Workinger
    25 Apr 2013 | 10:42 am
    Months spent taking tango courses in Buenos Aires provided most of the scenes relating to tango in the story. Passion for tango spills uncontrollably into life. From gun-metal colored mussel shells to raw beef turning on a spit, Argentinean cuisine reflects a diverse culture. The meal lays bare hopes and then a denouement lends a human aspect to the nature of lust and love.In this scene I used the meal to set up a fall, to be a little unpredictable.Tsunami Connection tells the story of a ballsy woman spy, Kefira. Guided by her eclectic intuitions, she builds on a chance meeting. The allure of…

  • Authors in Bloom Giveaway Hop!

    Shelley Workinger
    9 Apr 2013 | 8:15 am
    Welcome, hoppers!Now just because I only planted my first garden last summer, don’t think my post stop isn’t clearly the one you should read the most thoroughly and take to heart!I have one stellar piece of gardening advice and here it is:Leave. It. Alone.Brilliant, right? Okay, maybe I should give a little background so you can appreciate the wisdom of those words.I’ve had plants in my life. Lots, actually. And I’ve killed them all. Even my “indestructible” brain cactus grew some sort of fungus and died. (It may or may not be relevant that the rotting began after my cat ate a…
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    Packabook

  • Retracing Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales – a Modern Day Pilgrimage

    packabook
    22 May 2013 | 7:38 am
    A little while back I came across the story of some modern day pilgrims who had decided to retrace the steps of Chaucer’s pilgrims in the Canterbury Tales, by walking from London to Canterbury. I was intrigued, and thought I’d investigate further. The result was this little video… Does this inspire you to read Chaucer’s Tales for yourself? If so – which version of this 14th century collection of stories should we be tackling…? According to Henry Eliot, it’s worth having a go at the original Middle English version if you can cope with a bit of a…

  • The mystery of Easter Island…

    packabook
    27 Feb 2013 | 1:51 pm
    “Look.” Mahina pointed at the sea below them. She spun slowly in a circle. ‘’Horizon. All around.” It was true; for an entire three hundred and sixty degrees, Greer could see the hazy line of ocean meeting sky. This, then, was the grandeur. Other sights were of things: monuments, snowcapped mountains.  This view was one of absence: a horizon unblemished.  (Easter Island by Jennifer Vanderbes  - p396) Rano Kao crater on Easter Island. Image courtesy of Professor X via Wikimedia Commons Easter Island is a long way away. From anywhere. Even if you lived on Pitcairn Island, Easter…

  • And the results are in…

    packabook
    31 Jan 2013 | 2:02 pm
      Huechulafquen Lake Patagonia – Image courtesy of Andres2190 via Wikimedia Commons Thanks to one and all for your votes on which country, state and county we should be adding next to Packabook. And I’m pleased to say, the results are in… Here is the current tally following the latest voting. COUNTRIES Albania – 1 Argentina – 3 Austria – 1 Belize – 1 Canada – 1 Costa Rica – 1 Ethiopia – 1 Israel and Palestinian Territories – 1 Kenya – 1 Myanmar/Burma – 2 Scotland – 1 Seychelles – 1 Sri Lanka – 1 Qatar…

  • Thank goodness for Colin Cotterill…..Books set in Laos

    packabook
    18 Jan 2013 | 7:33 pm
    A national symbol of Laos – the Pha That Luang in Vientiane - Image courtesy of Aaron Smith via Wikimedia Commons Thank goodness for Colin Cotterill… I mean it, we are very lucky that writer Colin Cotterill exists and that he is so prolific, otherwise we’d be drawing an almost blank for the fiction section of our Laos category. Laos is not a destination of choice for most novelists who write in English, or indeed who do English translations! Let me introduce Cotterill’s creation – Dr. Siri Paiboun, the protagonist of a series of crime novels, eight of which have been…

  • January country – let’s have your votes!

    packabook
    16 Dec 2012 | 9:31 am
    …and whatever happened to Laos, Oregon and Tyne and Wear? Well, I have to apologise for being so late with our new additions to the Packabook site.  I have been doing a lot of traveling and had far less computer time than I was anticipating…but I’m pleased to say I’m on track to upload the pages for Laos, Oregon and Tyne and Wear by the end of the year!! So far I’ve come across around 50 novels set in Oregon, which I think is a pretty impressive starting score for the state. Though mostly it’s due to the work of two extremely prolific writers. I look…
 
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    Andy Straka

  • Watch History Being Made

    andy
    21 May 2013 | 1:37 pm
    Every now and then a seminal event arrives without much notice by the public. What has been occurring this past week aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush in the Pacific Ocean may well qualify as such an occurrence. For the first time ever an unmanned or “drone”-type fighter-size aircraft, Northop’s X-47B,  is being launched and test-landed on an aircraft carrier at sea. Anyone even remotely familiar with US foreign policy over the past 50 years, our projection of power across the globe via our naval fleet, and the significance of  aircraft carriers and mobile…

  • Drone Home

    andy
    19 May 2013 | 7:46 pm
    The Dragonflies series is of course fiction. But how drones are used in law enforcement and investigation is a topic that should be of concern to all.             Lawmakers eye regulating domestic surveillance drones Published May 19, 2013 FoxNews.com April 27, 2012: Seattle Police officer Reuben Omelanchuk is at the controls of the department’s new, small radio-controlled Draganflyer X6 drone with a camera attached, in Seattle. (AP) Amid growing concern over the use of drones by police and government officials for surveillance, a bipartisan group of…

  • Drones: “It’s like the Internet all over again.”

    andy
    2 May 2013 | 11:11 am
    When I first started writing Dragonflies: Shadow of Drones, the technology used in the book seemed almost far-fetched. I was soon to learn otherwise.  Check out this article by Chris Anderson from  sUASNews: WHEN THE FUTURE SNEAKS UP ON YOU Last month, at a Congressional hearing, Sentator Patrick Leahy quoted an FAA prediction that there would be “as many as 30,000 small, lightweight unmanned vehicles [drones] operating in the national airspace by the end of this decade”. That was considered a lot. And he was talking about seven years from now. Guess what. There are more than 30,000…

  • Top ten, #1 Bestseller COLD QUARRY Temporary Price Drop $0.99

    andy
    30 Apr 2013 | 6:16 pm
    In the run-up to next month’s publication of Dragonflies: Shadow of Drones we’re running a sale on the third Frank Pavlicek novel, the Shamus Award-winning Cold Quarry, temporarily lowering the e-book price to $0.99. The book has spent some time in the top ten on the Barnes & Noble NOOK Bestsellers list yesterday and today, peaking at #8. Cold Quarry also flirted with the top 100 in Amazon’s Kindle store this morning, moving to #1 in “hardboiled mysteries”, #1 in “men’s adventure fiction”, #3 on Amazon’s “Kindle Movers and…

  • Dragonflies: Shadow of Drones

    andy
    16 Apr 2013 | 8:26 am
    I’m excited to announce the publication of a new book, the first in a new series, Dragonflies: Shadow Of Drones.  Title: Dragonflies “Shadow of Drones” by Andy Straka Genre: Science Fiction, Crime, Military, Thriller Published by: LLW Media–representation and distribution by Trident Media Group, New York ISBNs: 978-1-4756-0203-6 Mobi 978-1-4756-0204 ePub Price: $2.99  Print length: 200-240 pages Synopsis:  Former Army helicopter pilot Raina Sanchez is plagued by nightmares. She can’t erase the memories of being shot down in Afghanistan, of losing her foot in the…
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    The New Podler Review of Books

  • 24 May 2013 | 1:54 pm

    24 May 2013 | 1:54 pm
    Roger North and Lewis Spender, students and friends in the early Twentieth Century, are on a mission. In order to win acceptance into a club of rational thinkers, they must solve a seemingly paranormal mystery. Spender has chosen the case of the insane playwright, Adelard Odd. One person reading Odd's writings was struck blind, and three other people disappeared while in his room at the Quartersoake asylum. Once at the asylum grounds, the two men find out soon enough that Odd's door, a door ostensibly leading to nothing, is an axis mundi that involves those entering in a myriad of shifting…

  • Smashwords Studies Its Sales

    20 May 2013 | 8:11 am
    For those who don't already know, Smashwords is an all-in-one platform for authors to publish and distribute their e-books. It has its pros and cons for both writers and readers, which I don't have the time to go into right now, but it is very popular in the indie community. Authors who publish with them are able to track their sales and story sample downloads to gauge how well their works are faring on Smashwords. There's also aggregate reports of daily sales on other platforms that Smashwords distributes your work. But last year, Smashwords began collating all of that data to see if any…

  • Embustero by Scott Cleveland

    8 May 2013 | 10:37 am
    Embustero is the follow up to Cleveland's Pale Boundaries, which I reviewed here. As there may be people who haven't read the first book, I'll try to keep the spoilers to a minimum in this review. Terson Reilly leaves Nivia via his reluctant rescuers. As he's a potential witness to their illicit activities, he's given a choice to join the crew or spend his time in the brig until they can drop him off some place safe. He ultimately decides that a working passage is better than going stir crazy in the brig, but he soon finds that fitting in on the ship, the Embustero, isn't much better than…

  • The Participants by Brian Blose

    18 Apr 2013 | 4:07 pm
    Amazon linkMeet Hess and Elza. Like Nick and Nora, Harry and Sally, Pat and Tiffany, they're a memorable couple, trading wisecracks and getting out of difficult situations. The difference with Hess and Elza is that they're linked eternally, through countless Iterations of worlds. They are Observers, a handful of humanoids sent by a Creator to observe His/Her/Its world (though, if this Creator is so omnipotent, why does “He/She/It” need anybody to do the observing for “Him/Her/It”?). Other Observers go through their Iterations as different genders, but Hess and Elza are always a man…

  • Forward Unto Social Media

    4 Apr 2013 | 7:49 am
    We've finally done it. The New Podler Review of Books has taken its first step into social media. You can now find us on GooglePlus. So why did it take us so long? Because no one wanted to do it. Back when the blog's namesake founder was here, site promotion was his responsibility. There was a MySpace page, but when he went AWOL that page stagnated and died. And then MySpace died too when everyone abandoned it for Facebook. While MySpace has come back from the dead as some music and movie industries promo monster, its new form is alien to us. So that left the members of the Podler Staff to…
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    Any New Books?

  • This week’s new Kindle ebooks

    Any new books?
    22 May 2013 | 5:21 pm
    Here are this week’s new releases for the category ‘Kindle’. ★ Our Staff Pick ★ Someone Could Get Hurt: A Memoir of Twenty-First-Century Parenthood Stores: USA By Drew Magary Publisher: Gotham Publication date: May 16, 2013 Share this book on Twitter | Facebook | Google+ And the Mountains Echoed Stores: USA | UK By Khaled Hosseini Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover Publication date: May 21, 2013 Share this book on Twitter | Facebook | Google+ The 100: Count ONLY Sugar Calories and Lose Up to 18 Lbs. in 2 Weeks Stores: USA | UK By Jorge Cruise Publisher: William…

  • This week’s new books in Travel

    Any new books?
    22 May 2013 | 4:06 pm
    Here are this week’s new releases for the category ‘Travel’. ★ Our Staff Pick ★ Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World®’s Best Kept Secrets Stores: USA | UK By Steven M. Barrett ISBN: 1937011291 Publisher: The Intrepid Traveler Publication date: May 16, 2013 Binding: Paperback Estimated price: $7.54 Share this book on Twitter | Facebook | Google+ New England Notebook: One Reporter, Six States, Uncommon Stories Stores: USA | UK | Canada By Ted Reinstein ISBN: 0762778415 Publisher: Globe Pequot Publication date: May 21, 2013 Binding: Hardcover…

  • This week’s new Teen books

    Any new books?
    22 May 2013 | 3:57 pm
    Here are this week’s new releases for the category ‘Teens’. ★ Our Staff Pick ★ Storm of Sharks Stores: USA | Canada | Italy By Curtis Jobling ISBN: 067078558X Publisher: Viking Juvenile Publication date: May 21, 2013 Binding: Hardcover Estimated price: $9.95 Share this book on Twitter | Facebook | Google+ We Need New Names: A Novel Stores: USA | Canada | Italy | Kindle | UK Kindle By NoViolet Bulawayo ISBN: 0316230812 Publisher: Reagan Arthur Books Publication date: May 21, 2013 Binding: Hardcover Estimated price: $13.99 Share this book on Twitter | Facebook |…

  • This week’s new books in Sports

    Any new books?
    22 May 2013 | 3:45 pm
    Here are this week’s new releases for the category ‘Sports’. ★ Our Staff Pick ★ Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success Stores: USA | UK | Canada | Kindle By Phil Jackson, Hugh Delehanty ISBN: 1594205116 Publisher: Penguin Press HC, The Publication date: May 21, 2013 Binding: Hardcover Estimated price: $13.92 Share this book on Twitter | Facebook | Google+ 18 in America: A Young Golfer’s Epic Journey to Find the Essence of the Game Stores: USA | UK | Canada | Kindle By Dylan Dethier ISBN: 145169363X Publisher: Scribner Publication date: May 21, 2013 Binding:…

  • This week’s new books in Self-Help

    Any new books?
    22 May 2013 | 3:27 pm
    Here are this week’s new releases for the category ‘Self-Help’. ★ Our Staff Pick ★ Finding Your Element: How to Discover Your Talents and Passions and Transform Your Life Stores: USA | UK | Canada | Italy | Kindle | UK Kindle By Ken Robinson, Lou Aronica ISBN: 0670022381 Publisher: Viking Adult Publication date: May 21, 2013 Binding: Hardcover Estimated price: $11.98 Share this book on Twitter | Facebook | Google+ Solomon Speaks on Reconnecting Your Life Stores: USA | Canada | Italy | Kindle | UK Kindle By Eric Pearl, Frederick Ponzlov ISBN: 9781401942960…
 
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    The Virginia Woolf Blog

  • Julian Bell & the Bloomsbury Group

    Rebecca Beatrice Brooks
    15 May 2013 | 8:33 am
    The Bloomsbury group was a close-knit group of friends who met during their college years at Cambridge. Yet after Julian Bell, the son of founding members Vanessa Stephen and Clive Bell, died in the Spanish Civil War in July of … Continue reading →

  • Virginia Woolf’s Best-Selling Books

    Rebecca Beatrice Brooks
    1 Apr 2013 | 1:08 pm
    During her lifetime, Virginia Woolf wrote over 10 novels and numerous non-fiction books that forever changed the landscape of modern literature. Although Virginia’s earlier books were often met with sharp criticism and poor sales, many of her later books were … Continue reading →

  • To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

    Rebecca Beatrice Brooks
    7 Mar 2013 | 8:35 am
    “To The Lighthouse“, published in 1927, is one of Virginia Woolf’s best known novels and is considered by many critics to be one of the most influential English-language novels of the 20th century. The novel is a semi-autobiographical work that … Continue reading →

  • Virginia Woolf on the Abdication of King Edward VIII

    Rebecca Beatrice Brooks
    20 Feb 2013 | 12:47 pm
    In December of 1936, King Edward VIII’s marriage proposal to Wallis Simpson, an American who was in the midst of her second divorce, sparked a constitutional crisis in the British Royal Family over whether Edward should be allowed to remain … Continue reading →

  • When Sir Leslie Stephen Met Abraham Lincoln

    Rebecca Beatrice Brooks
    6 Feb 2013 | 12:22 pm
    In 1863, Virginia Woolf’s father, Sir Leslie Stephen, embarked on his first trip to America hoping to learn more about the ongoing Civil War. It was on this trip, during a stay at Washington D.C., that Stephen met President Abraham … Continue reading →
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    Armida Books

  • Author Jenny Benjamin about her debut novel “This Most Amazing”

    Ine De Baerdemaeker
    16 May 2013 | 5:20 am
    This interview was published today on OnMilwaukee.com: Milwaukee author Jenny Benjamin talks debut novel Published May 16, 2013 at 5:31 a.m. By Colleen Jurkiewicz A lot of people who read Jenny Benjamin’s new book, “This Most Amazing,” ask her if she modeled her protagonist Dahlia Conti on herself. A Milwaukee-based poet originally from Illinois (like Benjamin), Dahlia is of Italian heritage (like Benjamin). “And it’s written in the first person,” says Benjamin. But no, Dahlia is not her literary doppelganger. “Not more than all the other characters…

  • A brand-new branded book

    Haris Ioannides
    22 Apr 2013 | 2:39 am
    As one of our readers states it, This challenging but absolutely rewarding manifesto offers the reader a deep insight into the shocking reality of our oncology centers. Definitely not an easy read and not for the fainthearted, this black-humorous book will stay in the readers’ memory because of Draenne’s mastery buy levitra in writing about cancer in such an honest way [...] Ignorance is not always bliss… Draenne, the author of this book, is a mental health professional who is trying not to go mental. If you dare to challenge your (in)sanity, dive into the first pages of…

  • Στέφανος Εὐαγγελίδης, Στυλιανή Χ., Ἐγκλήματα καί τιμωρία.

    Haris
    18 Apr 2013 | 3:23 am
    Αναδημοσίευση από e-skepsis.blogspot.gr Στέφανος Εὐαγγελίδης, Στυλιανή Χ., Ἐγκλήματα καί τιμωρία, Ἐκδόσεις Ἀρμίδα, Λευκωσία 2012, σελ. 135. Στό βιβλίο αὐτό ὁ συγγραφέας Στ. Εὐαγγελίδης ἀναδεικνύει τίς παραμέτρους ἑνός στυγεροῦ ἐγκλήματος πού διαπράχθηκε στήν Ἀγγλία κατά τό 1954. Διότι, ὅπως φαίνεται, δέν πρόκειται γιά ἕνα ἔγκλημα πού…

  • Cyprus in need of foreign currency – NEW services offered by Armida

    Haris
    4 Apr 2013 | 6:57 am
    Due to the economic crisis, we have decided to make our expertise available to all. All prices are in Euros but we even take North Korean Won…  Gratuity not included  : )     EDITING Basic copyediting – 5–10 ms pgs/hr – 13–15 Euro /hr Heavy copyediting – 2–5 ms pgs/hr – 15–17 Euro /hr PROOFREADING - 10–15 ms pgs/hr – 13–15 Euro /hr   LAYOUT Simple books – no photos - 8–10 pgs/hr – 13–15 Euro /hr   Complex books – heavy use of photos – Photoshop not included - 5–8 pgs/hr – 15–17 Euro /hr  …

  • In this miserable land of fools, I too exist

    Haris
    3 Apr 2013 | 5:43 am
      This book you’ll either love or hate <3 Wisdom by a neurotic online viagra without prescription clinical psychologist ………………………….COMING OUT IN APRIL…………………………. Black humor at its finest, the manifesto MASTER & CANCER is about a man who hates you without bias. To quench his hatred, he became a clinical psychologist  tending to those dying of cancer. His ways are the offspring of  political incorrectness. As for you, dear reader, this despicable…
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    Country Book Bumpkin

  • We've Moved!

    5 May 2013 | 2:18 pm
    Come visit me at Totally Tarah! I has the book reviews you love and so much more!

  • REVIEW: Commencement

    3 Nov 2012 | 8:16 pm
     By Paige CuccaroSeptember 2012 Entangled Publishing  In this novella Emma Hellsbane our resident Empath and girl genius is having issues.  School has been going well and keeping her best friend Mijir and fellow genius’s lusty emotions out of her system is always a challenge, but predictable.  Things though have started to get complicated, however with her boyfriend of six months and school soccer star Jason.  All of the sudden he gets these waves of complete hatred that Emma senses that are completely out of character for him. Mijir suggests that he may be…

  • REVIEW: Duck Boy

    30 Oct 2012 | 10:19 pm
    By Bill Bunn BitingDuck PressOctober 2012ISBN-10: 1938463609 ISBN-13: 978-1938463600For the past 2 years Steve Best’s life has been nothing like it used to be, not since his mom disappeared .  These days his dad barely get by; emotionally or physically.  School is a veritable hell, where he has been nicknamed “Duck Boy” for being a nice guy and trying to save a duck stuck in  frozen pond near his school. Christmas is coming and it looks like it’s going to be another crappy year.  Steve’s dad has to go on a business trip for work OVER the holiday. …

  • Books To Be Reviewed!

    6 Oct 2012 | 1:57 pm
    Hello everyone!I hope you are all well and gearing up for Halloween! I haven't decided myself if I am going to dress up or anything, but my bosses at the bookstore have been bouncing around the idea of dressing me up like Dalek from Dr. Who.  We have been real busy at the store though so finding the time to make it could be a bit of a challenge.I have managed to fit in some reading however and here is my list of books I will be posting reviews for in the coming days!Abandon Book 2: Underworld By Meg Cabot Blue Bloods Book 1By Melissa De La Cruz Thumped (sequel to Bumped)By Megan…

  • What I've Been Up To

    26 Aug 2012 | 5:00 pm
    You guys remember that bookstore I profiled that is new in town?  Well, as it happens I work there now!  They just thought I was so cute and pathetic when I said hey you guys need anything? I need something to do!  I work there Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for a few hours each and my job for lack of a Websters word is de-stickerator.  They have worked in some and owned a bookstore before so when they moved to their newest location they packed up a ton of inventory which for the most part resides in a storage unit. It is my job as they bring a few boxes in at a time to…
 
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    A Travelers' Library

  • A New Dr. Siri Laos Mystery Novel

    Vera Marie Badertscher
    24 May 2013 | 6:00 am
    We've Moved! Update your Reader Now. This feed has moved to: http://feeds.feedblitz.com/feedburner/atravelerslibrary Update your reader now with this changed subscription address to get your latest updates from us.

  • Travel to NYC for Travel Photo Thursday

    Vera Marie Badertscher
    23 May 2013 | 9:20 am
    We've Moved! Update your Reader Now. This feed has moved to: http://feeds.feedblitz.com/feedburner/atravelerslibrary Update your reader now with this changed subscription address to get your latest updates from us.

  • 8 Trips to Celebrate Memorial Day with Travel

    Dr. Jessie Voigts
    22 May 2013 | 7:00 am
    We've Moved! Update your Reader Now. This feed has moved to: http://feeds.feedblitz.com/feedburner/atravelerslibrary Update your reader now with this changed subscription address to get your latest updates from us.
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    Johann Thorsson

  • Prompted Writing | The Night That Stayed

    Johann Thorsson
    16 May 2013 | 6:09 pm
    Twitter is a place of miracles, wonder and, let’s be honest, a lot of shameless self-promotion (you know who you are). However, I somehow managed to get myself followed by a whole bunch of really interesting people who I am able to communicate with about all sorts of stuff (ok, mostly writing and books) without anyone trying to sell the other person anything. This evening, for example, I asked to be prompted for a story to write. Two very nice people responded. Beth Wodzinski with a simple image: And Josh Hanagarne with the following: @johannthors What if when the sun went down…

  • I Want To Live Here | Best Writing of the Week

    Johann Thorsson
    14 May 2013 | 2:01 pm
    I’m about to finish Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus. It is a fantastic book that I put off reading for far too long. While reading it on the bus this afternoon I came across a passage that described the room I want to spend all my days in. Fix yourself a cup of tea, or get a glass of red wine and put a stack of books on the table next to you, just to get in the right mood. I’ll wait. Celia Bowen sits at a desk surrounded by piles of books. She ran out of space for her library some time ago, but instead of making the room larger she has opted to let the books become the…

  • The Filthy Pro

    Johann Thorsson
    12 May 2013 | 4:45 pm
    So… I made the first professional short story sale of my career last month, to Fireside Magazine. This is the contract, all Instagrammed to bits so you can’t really see all the words. It’s the first time I’ve had to sign a contract for anything I’ve written, and it made me feel… official. For all other sales it’s just been a trust thing, no contracts or anything, even when I’ve been paid well (you can still make a little cash selling stories to magazines here in Iceland). Fireside put out three issues last year, each funded with it’s own…

  • Book Review | The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

    Johann Thorsson
    1 May 2013 | 4:55 pm
    How do we come to read the books we do? I mean what is it that makes us pick that book over all the rest? In the case of the book I just finished, South-African writer Lauren Beukes’ The Shining Girls, it was a few things. First off, I knew her from her much lauded Zoo-City, though I have not read it. I then heard early reviewers speak well of The Shining Girls, and I “know” Lauren from Twitter. But it was the premise of the book that made me curious enough to buy it. (So perhaps there is our formula: previous well-reviewed book, positive early reviews, personable writer…

  • Suddenly: Goosebumps. A Tribute to Chi Cheng

    Johann Thorsson
    14 Apr 2013 | 12:39 pm
    My day started with the sad news the Chi Cheng, Deftone’s bassist, died. He was in a car accident in 2008 and had been in a coma since then but his heart gave out unexpectedly last night. The Deftones’ White Pony is one of my all time favorite records, an almost perfect rock album, atmospheric, dark an beautiful. I am spending these days writing my first novel (as readers of this blog certainly know by now), which is about children who gain access to the dream world. And then, the goosebumps. Just now I was driving to the store, and put in the only Deftones CD I have in the car;…
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    My Book and My Coffee

  • Guest Post: The Invisible Line by Chanda Stafford

    24 May 2013 | 2:00 am
    Hello lovelies! Here's a guest post from Chanda Stafford, author of First (Book One of the Live Once Trilogy). Check it out; she's going to talk about "The Invisible Line"... Read on. Also, there's a giveaway at the end of this post. Be sure to enter. It will be fun!There’s a mark in the sand between the pages of every book I’ve ever read. It’s not a tangible line, and the author most certainly didn’t insert a border across the page. But even though you can’t see it, this line is one of the most critical aspects of every novel. I’ve heard it referred to before as…

  • Bargain eBook Feature: The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking Club

    23 May 2013 | 4:30 am
    Bargain Kindle eBook: The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking ClubAuthor: Duncan WhiteheadGenre: Mystery, ThrillerPrice: $2.99 (Always)Book Description: The Gordonston Ladies Dog Walking ClubSomething is not quite right in the leafy Savannah neighborhood of Gordonston.  As the friends and fellow members of her afternoon cocktail club gather to mourn the death and lament the life of their neighbor, Thelma Miller, not all is what it seems.  When old friends vie for the attention of widower, alderman and mayoral candidate Elliott, jealousies surface and friendships…

  • Free eBook Feature: Stairlift to Heaven

    23 May 2013 | 4:00 am
    Free Kindle eBook: Stairlift to HeavenAuthor: Terry RavenscroftGenre: HumorPrice: $0.00 (May 23 only)Download the free eBook here:Stairlift to HeavenBook Description ~ Stairlift to HeavenThe journal of a reluctant OAP. Although Stairlift to Heaven is written by an old age pensioner, non-coffin (casket) dodgers should not be put off by this. Everyone will be old someday, if they’re lucky, and there are valuable lessons in coping with old age to be learned here. One of many Amazon UK Customer Reviewers who gave the book 5 stars said: 'This journal really will make…

  • Bargain eBook Feature: Lady Justice and the Book Club Murders

    23 May 2013 | 3:30 am
    Bargain Kindle eBook: Lady Justice and the Book Club MurdersAuthor: Robert ThornhillMystery, ComedyPrice: $0.99 (today - June 16, 2013)Book Description: Lady Justice and the Book Club MurdersMembers of the Midtown Book Club are found murdered.It is just the beginning of a series of deaths that lead Walt and Ox into the twisted world of a serial killer.In the late 1960's, the Zodiac Killer claimed to have killed 37 people and was never caught --- the perfect crime.Oscar Roach, dreamed of being the next serial killer to commit the perfect crime.He left a calling card with each of…

  • Free eBook Feature: 100 Easy Camping Recipes

    23 May 2013 | 3:00 am
    Free Kindle eBook: 100 Easy Camping RecipesAuthor: Bonnie ScottCooking, CampingPrice: $0.00 (May 23 and 24)Book Description: 100 Easy Camping RecipesDelicious updated camping recipes for today's campers.Preparing quick meals on camping trips is easy if you have the right recipes and ingredients. Just wait until you get any of the 100 recipes in this cookbook cooking over an open flame. Camp cooking has never been easier or tastier. Complete Table of Contents and each recipe is on a separate page for your convenience.This book features quick, easy to make recipes for…
 
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    Where Writers Win

  • Don’t Sell Your Back Cover Short! 4 Tips for Authors

    Shari Stauch
    23 May 2013 | 6:00 am
    Send to KindleThanks to award-winning marketing strategist Catherine Foster, executive publisher/CEO of BlueSky Publisher Partner for this guest post! This is an exciting time to be an author because the playing field is finally leveled – you can get your book published! You don’t have to beg an agent to take you on and you don’t have to deal with those heartbreaking rejection letters. There’s no longer a stigma associated with self-publishing — in fact, many of my authors say it’s the very best option. CreateSpace was the No. 1 print self-publisher in 2011 with 39 percent of…

  • More on Google+ for Authors

    Shari Stauch
    21 May 2013 | 6:00 am
    Send to KindleWith the new Google+ design comes new advantages for authors. Here are several hints on how to utilize and grow your Google+ presence: 1. The cover photo is bigger – real big! For info on sizes and proportion and even a free template download, CLICK HERE. 2. If you are an author with a book – make sure you add a book page. Just visit the “More” icon, select pages, and take it from there. 3. Visit the “People” icon to find folks you may want to add to your circles. And, while we’re on the subject, you can make circles for anything. So…

  • Google+ Redesign: What it Means for Authors

    Shari Stauch
    19 May 2013 | 6:00 am
    Send to KindleThere’s been plenty of buzz in the past few days over the Google+ redesign options. According the Google+ release issued May 15, “190 million people are now active in the Google+ stream, and 390 million are active across Google (+1’ing apps in Google Play, making video calls in Gmail, sharing videos from YouTube…).” Their new redesign includes added features such as: A multi-column layout. You’ll see one, two, or three columns of content depending on your screen size and orientation. Awesome-sized media. Photos and videos can fill the entire width of…

  • 7 Ways to Build Your Platform Before You Publish

    Shari Stauch
    17 May 2013 | 6:00 am
    Send to KindleThanks to author Roger Harris for this guest post! Great, you’re working on a manuscript… While you’re polishing up your prose with the help of an editor (highly recommended), don’t forget to start on marketing activities that will pave the way to successfully launching your book. Building your author platform is the first step to find your readers. The goal is to create and launch a platform that quickly communicates your genre and entertainment value if you’re writing fiction, and your expertise and credibility if you’re writing non-fiction, such as a self-help…

  • How To Get Your Novel Started

    Shari Stauch
    15 May 2013 | 6:00 am
    Send to KindleThanks to Winner Circle author Jeannette de Beauvoir for this guest post! (Graphic courtesy FreeDigitalPhotos.net) The famous terror of the blank page (or computer screen!) doesn’t need to overcome your creativity. Here are some tips for getting started that will awaken your muse… and put the pen in her hand! Your first mistake is starting with the blank page/screen. Any project takes planning, and writing a novel is no exception. So accept that you have to do some reasonably heavy lifting before you even get to the pivotal scene that’s been playing in your head. That…
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    Bizzybiz Blog

  • Here We Go

    9 May 2013 | 10:18 am
    Right. It's May now, and I don't have a job anymore, and I promised you that I would start posting again when that happened, so I'm going to start doing that right now. I need to post about France, I need to post about the meet-up, and I need to finish reading that damn book so I can light it on fire. But as I'm just getting back into the swing of this, the first post you are going to get is one about a spider. Honestly, if you've been reading me for more than five minutes, you should have seen that one coming.So yesterday, while I was waiting for StereoNinja to finish watching Doctor Who so…

  • Unintentional Hiatus FAQ

    11 Apr 2013 | 9:21 pm
    Were you kidnapped and killed at the 50 Shades meet up?No, no one has been kidnapped and nobody died. Unless you mean OF LAUGHTER. We had an absolutely awesome time, once we completely abandoned the 50 Shades party game, which sucked horse cadaver balls, and switched to Cards Against Humanity (which is also when we found out that we are all terrible people). I am excited about the real post when I will actually tell you about it.In that case, where the hell have you been?All over the place, both mentally and figuratively. I was in England and in France for a good while, during which I was…

  • 50 Shades Meet Up And Why This Post Is Not About France

    8 Mar 2013 | 3:38 pm
    Hello everyone! I'm just back from France today, and I absolutely owe you a post about snails, art museum shenanigans, and a mariachi band. However this post is just a short one in order to update everyone who is not on the email list about the 50 Shades party game meet up happening this Sunday evening. I was absolutely planning to post my France recap (entitled "Is This Snails?" because I had decided that probably everything was made out of snails, including cups of tea, which I needn't have worried about because there IS NO FUCKING TEA ANYWHERE IN FRANCE) tonight, as I am currently sat in a…

  • 50 Shades Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    17 Feb 2013 | 10:19 pm
    All right, all right, you guys. I'll get back to the reviews now. It had actually been so long since I read the three chapters I'm about to do that I had to go back and skim them all again to remember what my notes were about. I realized in doing so that just being extremely busy working on grad school applications and related moving issues wasn't the only problem I was having in sitting down to write this. I also just really don't even care. I don't think anything I write today is going to be funny because I don't care about the characters in the book. There's so much unending drama that…

  • How I Celebrated Valentine's Day

    17 Feb 2013 | 12:56 pm
    Right, so I hope everyone had a happy Valentine's Day or whatever, love, roses, blah blah blah. The bartender seemed to think it was also "sabotage your roommate who has to be naked on stage in four months day" and the house is now fucking full of candy.As some of you already know, I hate Valentine's Day with only slightly less passion than I love Christmas. It's almost like it was specifically set up to be a no win situation. If you're single and sad about it, the entire day is like getting stabbed repeatedly with a magical dull knife called the Knife of Loneliness that turns your…
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    Country Book Bumpkin

  • We've Moved!

    5 May 2013 | 2:18 pm
    Come visit me at Totally Tarah! I has the book reviews you love and so much more!

  • REVIEW: Commencement

    3 Nov 2012 | 8:16 pm
     By Paige CuccaroSeptember 2012 Entangled Publishing  In this novella Emma Hellsbane our resident Empath and girl genius is having issues.  School has been going well and keeping her best friend Mijir and fellow genius’s lusty emotions out of her system is always a challenge, but predictable.  Things though have started to get complicated, however with her boyfriend of six months and school soccer star Jason.  All of the sudden he gets these waves of complete hatred that Emma senses that are completely out of character for him. Mijir suggests that he may be…

  • REVIEW: Duck Boy

    30 Oct 2012 | 10:19 pm
    By Bill Bunn BitingDuck PressOctober 2012ISBN-10: 1938463609 ISBN-13: 978-1938463600For the past 2 years Steve Best’s life has been nothing like it used to be, not since his mom disappeared .  These days his dad barely get by; emotionally or physically.  School is a veritable hell, where he has been nicknamed “Duck Boy” for being a nice guy and trying to save a duck stuck in  frozen pond near his school. Christmas is coming and it looks like it’s going to be another crappy year.  Steve’s dad has to go on a business trip for work OVER the holiday. …

  • Books To Be Reviewed!

    6 Oct 2012 | 1:57 pm
    Hello everyone!I hope you are all well and gearing up for Halloween! I haven't decided myself if I am going to dress up or anything, but my bosses at the bookstore have been bouncing around the idea of dressing me up like Dalek from Dr. Who.  We have been real busy at the store though so finding the time to make it could be a bit of a challenge.I have managed to fit in some reading however and here is my list of books I will be posting reviews for in the coming days!Abandon Book 2: Underworld By Meg Cabot Blue Bloods Book 1By Melissa De La Cruz Thumped (sequel to Bumped)By Megan…

  • What I've Been Up To

    26 Aug 2012 | 5:00 pm
    You guys remember that bookstore I profiled that is new in town?  Well, as it happens I work there now!  They just thought I was so cute and pathetic when I said hey you guys need anything? I need something to do!  I work there Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays for a few hours each and my job for lack of a Websters word is de-stickerator.  They have worked in some and owned a bookstore before so when they moved to their newest location they packed up a ton of inventory which for the most part resides in a storage unit. It is my job as they bring a few boxes in at a time to…
 
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    Printsasia

  • Guest Post by Stephen Wetta: How I Came To Write If Jack’s in Love

    Sherry Helms
    22 May 2013 | 4:08 am
      Guest Post by Stephen Wetta Many have asked me how I came to write If Jack’s in Love. The truth is, I can’t remember. My usual practice, when I am not at work on a new novel, is to sit in front of a blank screen, write a sentence or two and hope something [...]

  • Groundbreaking Books Written By Popular Celebrities

    Sherry Helms
    17 May 2013 | 4:43 am
     Author : Sherry Helms It’s human nature to be curious about something which is unrevealed, concealed or not so known. And when it comes to the lifestyle, behind the scene stories and incidents involving a celebrity, it definitely sparks curiosity in most of us. In the dusk of their career, many celebrities resort to penning [...]

  • Historical Fictions Recommended By Bibliophiles

    Sherry Helms
    14 May 2013 | 5:15 am
    Author : Sherry Helms If anyone is interested to learn about history in an enjoyable way, historical fiction novel may be just a right choice.  It is true that a deftly written historical novel along with humor herein is sure to be a big hit with historical fiction fans. Yesterday, we asked our readers to [...]

  • Mother’s Day Special: Best Books for Different Types of Mothers

    Sherry Helms
    11 May 2013 | 4:44 am
    Author : Sherry Helms Mother’s Day is here again- a very special day to honor mothers, maternal bonds and contribution of mothers in society.  It is the time to show our due love, sincere concern and deep respect to someone who has been there always throughout our life. One of the best ways to express [...]

  • Top Five Literary Crime Novels of All Time

    Sherry Helms
    9 May 2013 | 4:02 am
        Author :  Sharry Helms Crime and suspense thrillers have always been in high demand amongst fiction aficionados. These books, if well written, completely hook up the reader and prove to be a compulsive page-turner. Lately, the popularity of this genre has seen tremendous boost because of publishing of some really great write-ups.  Today, we [...]
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    Books Without Any Pictures

  • Review and Giveaway: “Glow” by Jessica Maria Tuccelli

    Grace
    22 May 2013 | 2:00 am
    Jessica Maria Tuccelli’s debut novel “Glow” is a joy to read.  I’d highly recommend it, and invite you all to participate in a giveaway sponsored by the publisher.  Just leave a comment to enter.  I’ll draw the winner out of a hat on May 31.  Please include your e-mail address so that I can contact you if you win. And now, for my review… “Glow” is a historical novel set in the American South.  The story centers around a little girl named Ella McGee.  Her father is black and her mother, a civil rights activist, is Cherokee.  When…

  • “There Once Lived a Girl Who Seduced Her Sister’s Husband, and He Hanged Himself: Love Stories” by Ludmilla Petrushevskaya

    Grace
    20 May 2013 | 7:23 pm
    I’m in a particularly grumpy/bitter mood tonight, so this is a perfect time to review this book. Disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I’m too cynical to take most stories of happily ever after seriously, and love triangles make me want to puke.  This book is different. Ludmilla Petrushevskaya’s most excellent collection of love stories, entitled “There Once Lived a Girl Who Seduced Her Sister’s Husband, and He Hanged Himself,” take a dark but humorous view on love and society.  Her stories are…

  • General Update on Life, the Universe, and Everything

    Grace
    8 May 2013 | 5:17 pm
    One of several bookshelves, arranged in the style of Tetris, or perhaps Jenga. I’ve been very quiet lately.  That’s because there’s been a lot going on, between work, school, and …moving! My new apartment is close enough to where I work that I can walk there, instead of spending almost an hour on public transit each way.  Even better, I live directly across the street from a public library.  It is glorious. Between Mike and I, we’ve managed to completely fill three bookshelves, and there are still two more boxes of books left to unpack.  My living room is…

  • “The Forever Knight” by John Marco

    Grace
    16 Apr 2013 | 7:10 pm
    I received a copy of John Marco’s “The Forever Knight” from TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. When “The Forever Knight” begins, the revered knight Lukien is an old man.  He’s got his share of battle scars, and only has one eye.  However, he’s kept alive by a spirit that dwells within his magical sword.  Lukien has lost the love of his life, and he’s bored with his immortality.  He feels as if his life no longer has a purpose.  In an attempt to find new meaning, Lukien sets out with a young girl named Cricket to find out the…

  • “A Conspiracy of Alchemists” by Liesel Schwarz

    Grace
    25 Mar 2013 | 8:27 pm
    Good evening everyone!  Today is my stop on the TLC Book Tour of Liesel Schwarz’s debut novel, “A Conspiracy of Alchemists,” which is the first book in the Chronicles of Light and Shadow series.  I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. “A Conspiracy of Alchemists” is a steampunk paranormal adventure.  Our protagonist, a young pilot named Elle, agrees to deliver a rather unusual cargo, only to find herself caught up in a plot between the various supernatural forces that share the world.  After her father is kidnapped by Alchemists,…
 
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    Susan Roebuck

  • With Friends Like This...

    Susan Roebuck
    21 May 2013 | 7:16 am
    Book promotion is the bane of many authors' lives these days, both traditionally and self-published. One of our options is to go to a company who will charge 98% of your royalties to do a spot of bugging the public. But, if you have a wonderful friend like mine, she'll make you something brilliant all for free!!!Super-talented Elin Gregory made me this advert for...for...nothing!!! And she made the banner at the top of the page.Really don't deserve it, Elin, but thank you, thank you. Um...now what am I going to do with it?  :-D . (Any constructive suggestions duly appreciated.)She…

  • Urban Legends - True Spook Stories and Elin Gregory

    Susan Roebuck
    25 Apr 2013 | 3:12 am
    Elin Gregory doesn't usually wander into the realms of horror and fantasy, but since she's a brilliant all-round writer (preferring to concentrate on historical m/m literature) she's made an exception for me today. Here's Elin (and thank you!):We've all heard these. They are often told in pubs by men who will swear blind that they are true, having had the original story from someone 'who was actually there and saw it with their own eyes'.Such as the story of the couple who came home from a night out to find their german shepherd dog choking on the landing. An emergency dash to the vet ensues…

  • A-Z = S for (True) Spook Tale and Steve Emmett

    Susan Roebuck
    22 Apr 2013 | 2:17 am
    First of all, sorry, sorry I disappeared from view. A family member had to go into hospital and last week was fraught. So, I know, I've failed this year's A-Z challenge :-( Never mind I have a True Spook Tale for you today!Steve Emmett is a British author, occasional book reviewer and a member of the Society of Authors. Born in Harrogate, the genteel Yorkshire spa town where Agatha Christie hid away from the world thirty-two years earlier. He's also the acclaimed author of the wonderful horror novel: DiavolinoRead on for the spooky tale:Steve EmmetEyes Wide OpenYorkshire village Do…

  • A-Z Blog Challenge - M = Marmalade - be careful, very careful

    Susan Roebuck
    15 Apr 2013 | 6:18 am
    They say that if you don't learn a language before you're 25 you'll never be bilingual, no matter how much you speak the second language.How true. Speaking another language can be a minefield of different meanings (or false friends) that can lead, in most cases, to hilarity (at your expense).Examples:Vou fazer marmelada. Nope, that's not 'I'm going to make marmalade'. That's 'I'm going to do some heavy-petting' (foreplay);Do not ask the grocery store man if he tem tomates? Because you're asking him if he has b**ls. Tem tomate? (singular) is much better if you're really want to know if he…

  • A-Z Blog Challenge. L = Lisboa Linda

    Susan Roebuck
    14 Apr 2013 | 4:38 am
    It's Sunday (I know, I'm a day late), so let's take a day off and take a walking trip around Lisbon. The title of this post is Beautiful Lisbon, which I think you'll agree that it is. It's a gloriously sunny, warm day - so enjoy it.All photos were taken by my niece Ana Rita Pinto who has just graduated from university as a fully-qualified nurse - she's a talented photographer too.Thank you Rita! 
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    Reading Diva

  • Crazy Little Thing

    Andrea Marsh
    27 Apr 2013 | 3:51 pm
    I recently read Crazy Little Thing by Tracy Brogan.  This is a MUST for a beach read.  I found myself laughing out loud many times during the book.  It's a simple plot that has been written about endlessly, but Brogan added such spice to her characters that I didn't mind.Sadie, the main character, spends the summer with her kooky aunt and colorful cousins.  While her children enjoy the circus like atmosphere, Sadie finds herself in a hot romance with a doctor.  Enter the ex-husband, who adds drama to the story and Sadie herself causes quite a bit of the drama as well.

  • The Scottish Prisoner

    Andrea Marsh
    2 Mar 2013 | 2:41 pm
    Im a terrible blogger, almost two months since I have made a post!!!!I recently read The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon.  It is one of her spin-off books from Outlander, and part of the Lord John Grey series.This book is incredibly bleak and sad.  Although Lord John is it's main character, Jamie Fraser is the second main.  It follows him through those "lost" years when Claire went back to her time.  After Culloden, Jamie was captured and imprisoned on a farm where he worked with the horses.  Ever the stoic, Jamie does his work, does it well and happens to father…

  • The Round House

    Andrea Marsh
    7 Jan 2013 | 3:49 pm
    My sincere apologies for being so lax in my blog posts! The holidays were very busy and I hardly had a spare minute to read, much less write!  Hopefully my crazy days are behind me and I am back to being able to post with more regularity!I recently read The Round House by by Louise Erdrich.  This book follows the son of a North Dakota Native American who has been viciously attacked.  The details of the crime are slow to come forth as Joe tries to unravel the mystery of his mom's attacker.  Joe's father, a tribal judge, also tries to come to terms with the attack…

  • A Brief Reading Hiatus

    Andrea Marsh
    22 Dec 2012 | 6:09 am
    Life has gotten in the way of my reading habit! I had started reading the Angry Women Suite and halfway through I had to stop reading.  I don't understand why reviews were praising this book.  It was very hard to follow and really the plot was hard to decipher.From there I started reading The Neighbors by Ania Ahlborn.  The book was interesting and a little different than books I've been reading.  Andrew Morrison moves away from his alcoholic mother only to find himself in the midst of an odd relationship with his neighbor Harlow.  Harlow deceives Andrew and he…

  • The Angry Women Suite

    Andrea Marsh
    7 Dec 2012 | 8:23 am
    I've been busy and apologize for not posting sooner.  I am still reading The Angry Women Suite.  I am halfway through and really do not like this book much.  The writing is fabulous and the characters are deep, however, the constant jumping between present and past has made it very difficult to stay up with the plot line.  I also don't find it very interesting.  There have been several mentions of murder, but nothing has even gotten close to explaining what that is about.  I am almost ready to call it quits and put the book down and move on.  I RARELY stop…
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    In Bed With A Writer

  • Judith Hermann

    Jan Schönherr
    8 May 2013 | 7:48 am
    In the distance, the Fernsehturm near Alexanderplatz faintly glistens in the first rays of a bland sun. Outside the bedroom door, soft music, tired voices and the lazy clinking of bottles form the soundtrack to the remnants of yet another night that came up short of the irreversible loss of all participating selves in a [...]The post Judith Hermann appeared first on In Bed With A Writer.

  • H. P. Lovecraft

    Jan Schönherr
    20 Mar 2013 | 1:51 am
    A promising name indeed – and a rightfully famous one, as its bearer has long been a splendid source of pleasure for people with somewhat darker desires. True, he’s neither elegant nor agile, neither wild and passionate nor tender and suave: usually, his moves are rather rigid, and he seeks to produce whatever effect he [...]The post H. P. Lovecraft appeared first on In Bed With A Writer.

  • Michael Chabon

    Jan Schönherr
    6 Mar 2013 | 2:56 am
    This wonder boy has clearly done his homework, too. Unlike many of his nerd brethren, however, he doesn’t shy away from using his talent and expertise to tease and excite. So, instead of studying computer sciences and spending all of his free time documenting continuity errors in episodes of Star Trek, he opened up his [...]The post Michael Chabon appeared first on In Bed With A Writer.

  • Karen Russell

    Jan Schönherr
    27 Feb 2013 | 5:11 am
    Intriguing, you thought, when you first met her at the bar in that seedy Indian casino by the Everglades Parkway (known to the locals as Alligator Alley), and she told you about all the strange people she knows: weird people who are down on their luck, people who will always be misfits, no matter how [...]The post Karen Russell appeared first on In Bed With A Writer.

  • James Fenimore Cooper

    Jan Schönherr
    20 Feb 2013 | 3:51 am
    Don’t let the slutty leather stockings fool you: James is a bumpy ride, and not in a good way. In fact, after patiently enduring this eternal greenhorn’s awkward efforts at getting me excited and his ceaseless, heavy-handed groping of all the wrong spots a little while, I just rolled over and sent him back to [...]The post James Fenimore Cooper appeared first on In Bed With A Writer.
 
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    Best Murder Books

  • J.D. Robb’s “Delusion in Death”

    Reginald Burnette
    6 May 2013 | 1:23 pm
    J.D. Robb’s Delusion In Death Publisher:The Penguin Group Copyright:2012 ISBN:978-1-62090-319-3 22 Chapters: 624 Pages   I.Murder Book Summary NYPSD’s lead homicide detective, Eve Dallas has encountered every kind murder imaginable.She’s seen a limo driver shot through the neck with a crossbow, and a prostitute slashed and mutilated “Jack the Ripper” style. It takes a lot to get past her stoic demeanor.And yet, standing in the middle of the slaughterhouse that used to be the “On the Rocks” club, even Dallas is dismayed. These victims are not just murdered.They are…

  • Gus Pelagatti’s “The Wicked Wives”

    Reginald Burnette
    7 Apr 2013 | 3:00 pm
    Gus Pelagatti’s The Wicked Wives Publisher:  MillCity Press Copyright:  2008, 2011 ISBN:  978-1-936780-63-1 46 Chapters; 292 pages   I.  Murder Book Summary It’s 1937 and Giorgio DiSipio is having the time of his life.  He’s married to a disabled woman but that isn’t stopping him from having all the wild, crazy sex he could ever hope for. He’s the owner of a tailor shop in South Philadelphia, but that’s not the source of his considerable wealth.  He’s a small-time gangster, but he doesn’t need the local “rackets” to pad his growing bank account. You see, Mr.

  • Kathy Reichs “Bones Are Forever”

    Reginald Burnette
    21 Mar 2013 | 1:25 pm
    Kathy Reichs Bones Are Forever   Publisher:  Scribner; a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc Copyright:  2012 ISBN:  978-1-4391-0243-5 40 Chapters; 283 pages   I.  Murder Book Summary 27 year old Amy Roberts is a young woman with many names and many problems.  She has been known at various times as Alma Rogers, Alva Rodriguez, and Annaliese Ruben.  She seems to have a passion for romantic types of names and changes them often. Recently Amy mysteriously showed up at The Hospital Honore’-Mercier, in Montreal, complaining of vaginal bleeding.  She appeared to be very…

  • Kathy Reichs and Guatine (Gus) Pelagatti

    Reginald Burnette
    12 Mar 2013 | 12:30 pm
    My problem as a book reviewer has always been that I’m so darn slow as a reader. That has become an especially difficult problem to deal with this past holiday season coupled with a huge computer failure and a sudden and inconvenient change of address. So, how have I decided to handle the current difficulties? By taking massive action (for me) and reading and reviewing 2 books at the same time! My first project for the New Year is Kathy Reichs “Bones Are Forever”.  The Lady whose work has inspired the FOX TV series “Bones” closed 2012 with this tale of infanticide on steroids. But…

  • Merry Christmas, Alex Cross By James Patterson

    Reginald Burnette
    28 Jan 2013 | 1:09 pm
    Merry Christmas, Alex Cross by James Patterson   Publisher: Little, Brown and Company Copyright: 2012 ISBN: 978-0-316-21068-3 Hard cover edition, 109 chapters; 323 pages There is an old-school movie that some of you may remember entitled “Death Takes A Holiday, starring Fredric March.  Released in 1934, it is about “Death” who decides to assume human form, take a 3 day break and mingle with us poor, frightened mortals. In Merry Christmas, Alex Cross, ace detective Alex wishes that crime would take a holiday, so that he (Alex) can “mingle” with his family. But then, crime is no…
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