Reading Between the Lines

Guest Blogger, Allison Pang: Cover Me

2012-02-10T09:36:00.008-05:00

Don’t judge a book by its cover.

We hear that all the time, but the truth of it is that covers *do* matter. Like it or not, many readers often use covers to determine the “quality” of a book, even if what’s on the outside isn’t indicative of the inside. I know when I browse bookstores, my eye is usually drawn to particular types of covers, and on a shelf with hundreds of potential stories, I’m going to go to the ones that attract my attention first.

Not that it’s always a match.

I’m sure we’ve all found books with fabulous covers that were dogs inside…and discovered gems with lousy covers. Given the sheer number of books and eBooks out there, I do think that we tend to gauge the professionalism of a book by the care given to the outer shell.

This is probably particularly true in the self-published realm. You see a lot of advice given about editing, but it’s also fairly common to see requests to not skimp on the cover.

So what makes a good cover? What makes a bad cover?

The thing is, with some obvious exceptions, it’s hard to really tell. What one person finds appealing, another may not. What publishers are trying to bank on is finding a cover that will appeal to the largest range of potential buyers.

Which is great – but that’s when we start seeing trends. When I look over my bookshelves, I can almost immediately pick out which fantasy books were from the late 80’s – simply due to the style of the images, and the fact that they’re all done by 2 or 3 artists who were fairly popular back in the day. (Lots of dragons and scantily clad women, of course.) Or bodice ripper romances graced with manly men and women falling out of their clothes? (And random animals in the background and huge swirly fonts proclaiming Scarlet Something, or Heated Whatever.)

Take Urban Fantasy today – how many covers have kick-ass women in leather? Or shirtless men with abs of steel for Paranormal Romance? (and how many covers have we seen lately where it’s not even an entire person? Just an abdomen, glistening in the moonlight?)

And then there’s sometimes a bit of reader backlash. (And sometimes mockery. Just check out WTFbadromancecovers.tumblr.com if you want to see what I mean.)

They want something different, but how can they find that different book when they all start to look the same? And if I had to ask you, what cover have you seen in the last few years that instantly became a trendsetter? That you would recognize on sight?

For me, there are very few. Maybe Twilight, which I’ve never read, but the minimalist color scheme and stark background make for immediate recognition. (And a fair number of copycats afterward.)

It becomes a fine line, really. We want readers to know what sort of book they’re picking up because it makes it easier for them to choose what to read – I’d expect something sexy for an erotic romance, for example. But we also want to have them stand on their own. (God, it’s almost like high school, isn’t it? “Be yourself…but don’t be so different that no one will have anything to do with you!”)

So what are your favorite covers? Most hated covers? What is it about a cover that leads you to buy or read a book? Do covers matter at all?

Note about the blogger (from Danielle!): Allison's second novel in her Abby Sinclair series, A Sliver of Shadow, hits shelves Tuesday, February 28th! The sequel to A Brush of Darkness, it's highly recommended! (You can also read the first chapter excerpt HERE.)

Comment on this post for a chance to receive a set of Abby Sinclair novel bookmarks..and a copy of the new release!

The recipient will be picked at random one week from today--Friday, February 17, at 3 p.m.!

Thursday Video Fun

2012-02-09T13:12:00.006-05:00

Books AND organizing?! Yes, please!

Happy Birthday, Mr. Dickens!

2012-02-07T11:33:00.007-05:00

I'm not sure what it is about Charles Dickens that I like so much when I've only read a few of his novels. He also is the king of the run-on sentence, which usually drives me up the wall!

But even so, his stories have touched millions whether it's been through actually reading the literal book, seeing a film adaptation, experiencing a theatrical production, etc. I myself even went to a reading of A CHRISTMAS CAROL this past December at a church on the upper east side.

So, today, on what would be his 200th birthday, it doesn't surprise me that Google decided to honor Dickens in their site header. The header then inspired M ashable Tech to write a nice little mini-bio/feature:

Today’s Google Doodle celebrates the 200th birthday of writer Charles Dickens.
Born on Feb. 7 1812 in Landport, England, Charles John Huffam Dickens grew in tough, working-class conditions. At age 12, after his father was thrown into a debtors’ prison, he was forced to work at a blacking factory.

This experience later influenced many of his famous novels, including Oliver Twist, David Copperfield and Great Expectations.

Starting his career as a journalist, Dickens eventually started writing literary prose, which was published in monthly installments before being released as books.

His realistic portray of England’s lower-class life made him one of the greatest Victorian novelists and one of the most recognizable names in literature.

Dickens was also a philanthropist; together with Angela Burdett Coutts he founded the Urania Cottage, a home for “fallen” women, helping them learn to read and write.

Dickens died from the consequences of a stroke in his home on June 8, 1870. His last words were, reportedly, “Be natural my children. For the writer that is natural has fulfilled all the rules of art.”
See the original post HERE

Guest Blogger, Linnea West: "Swoon-worthy" Eugenides?

2012-02-03T09:51:00.014-05:00

So many questions come to mind when I think about the author Jeffrey Eugenides, who recently published The Marriage Plot, won a Pulitzer Prize for his novel Middlesex, and has many fans familiar with at least the screen adaptation of The Virgin Suicides. For instance, why does he have a billboard in Times Square? Possible answers I tossed around include:

Because for a cult-like following, Eugenides is remarkably mainstream, and thus worth the promotional dollars.

Because the author is a bigger selling point than the book itself.

Because the book publishing industry is suddenly flush with cash.

I tend to think the correct answer is the first option. However, as I will come to later, the middle option has turned out to be true at least by my reading of things. The third answer is categorically incorrect, and reeks of wishful thinking.

I was very much looking forward to his newest book, The Marriage Plot, after finishing Middlesex (Note: I have not read The Virgin Suicides), which might be why it doesn’t nearly measure up. After all, it is COMPLETELY different. They both deal with coming-of-age but that is the only commonality. How does Eugenides manage to write novels that sound like they come from different people? [Answer: I have no idea. It’s remarkable.]

In case you aren’t familiar, Middlesex is the story of Cal, formerly Calliope, as he navigates growing up in Detroit and discovering that he is a hermaphrodite against the epic backdrop of his Greek origins and family lore. The Marriage Plot is a love triangle composed of three 1980s-era Brown University graduates—Madeleine, Mitchell, and Leonard—and follows them as they graduate and enter the real world.

The two books differ in some key respects:

Middlesex	The Marriage Plot
Exuberant and mannered narrative voice.	Matter-of-fact narrative voice, almost lack of style.
Unusual, strange, and epic story.	Common, relatable, and realistic story.
One protagonist, who the reader loses sight of at times amid family history and tangents.	Three protagonists always at the forefront and driving the plot

But in terms of reading experience, at least my personal reading experience, they also differed:

Middlesex	The Marriage Plot
Sympathetic and identifiable characters, even though much of the family the reader knows only superficially and, statistically, the reader is not likely to be a hermaphrodite.	Unimpressive-to-unlikeable characters, though the reader gets to know the three central characters ad naseum.
Interesting, despite long-winded descriptions and stories unrelated to the central plot.	Boring, despite more focused narrative (and not even because of the long philosophical excerpts from Barthes!)

Another remarkable thing is that for all intents and purposes, The Marriage Plot is the easy book of the two to write. He’s basically pulling together ordinary characters from his own life experiences and giving them a predictable narrative enacted by thousands of people. This could be your life; it could be mine. It could be a Lifetime Made-for-TV movie. But what Eugenides fails to do is take this raw material and transform it into something more, something that is art. How odd that Middlesex, a story about things he’d never experienced or even interviewed people about, came so trippingly off his tongue, and The Marriage Plot, for all its knowable ease, is such an unimaginative, unsuccessful quagmire of words in which the reader gets stuck again and again? Perhaps the fantastical is easier to write.

Another question that torments fans of the author’s work is the long lag time between books. Eugenides is no James Patterson. The Virgin Suicides came out in 1993, Middlesex was published in 2002, and it was only this October, 2011, that The Marriage Plot entered the world. Why does he take a decade to write one book? He’s probably not a lazy fat cat living off the wealth of movie rights, although I couldn’t say for sure. In the case of The Marriage Plot, this decade-long wait occurred at least in part because he was midway through a different novel before deciding he was writing the wrong story and beginning anew. I don’t know what he was working on, but this seems like an error in judgment.

For all the hoopla, Middlesex is the novel that deserves the billboard, less so the dull and lifeless Marriage Plot.

About the blogger: Linnea West writes about art and culture and a little bit of everything else on her blog Art Ravels. You can also follow her on twitter at @linnea_west.

HUNGER GAMES Film Chatter

2012-02-01T10:41:00.007-05:00

My excitement for the film adaptation of The Hunger Games is mounting now that it's less than two months away.

*runs around flailing arms and cheering*

It seems I'm not the only one steeped in anticipated, though. Jill Slattery over at Heroes and Heartbreakers even posted a great piece this week about "the five things The Hunger Games movie needs to get right":

It’s almost here! We’re officially just two months away from finally seeing The Hunger Games movie! In some ways it feels like it was just yesterday that Lionsgate announced they were producing a film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’s wildly popular dystopian YA novel. In other ways, it feels like we’ve all been waiting an INTERMINABLY LONG TIME to see Katniss Everdeen wield her famous bow and arrow on the big screen.
But book-to-movie adaptations can sometimes be a tricky business. For every Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, there’s a Golden Compass and a Scarlett Letter (Demi Moore as Hester Prynne, ’nuff said). The Hunger Games novel is beloved by legions of fans from around the world, so the film version has some very big shoes to fill. Here are five things that I think The Hunger Games movie absolutely needs to get right in order to make a truly successful leap on the big screen.
1. The Girl Who Was On Fire
This one seems obvious but it bears saying all the same. For the Hunger Games movie to work, the character of Katniss Everdeen must work. When Jennifer Lawrence was cast in the highly coveted role there were plenty of detractors—she was too blonde, too old, too round. I understood the naysayers, to a point. All they had to go on was the image of Katniss that they had built up in their minds, and Jennifer Lawrence didn’t look like the girl from the Seam that everyone had imagined. But all of those early casting complaints will be forgotten if Lawrence can embody the vulnerable courage and the fierce determination of a girl who incites a rebellion with just a few berries. The strength of the Hunger Games movie (and of the future of the series) hinges on Jennifer Lawrence—so let’s hope her performance is just as accurate as Katniss’ aim.
2. The Violence
Depicting violence in movies can be like walking a stylistic tightrope. Action sequences, so full of quick, stylized cuts and pulsing soundtracks, can sometimes look, well, pretty. Death can seem cool. But that’s exactly the kind of thing that The Hunger Games movie should avoid. Because it is this stylized portrayal of violence, packaged and sanitized for your viewing pleasure, that Suzanne Collins is criticizing in her novel. At its heart, The Hunger Games is a story about a barbaric government that forces children to kill other children on live TV. That violence, so heartbreaking in its brutality in the novel, must also be viscerally palpable in the film. But it should always feel ugly. Likewise, Katniss’ skill at killing (and boy does girlfriend have some skills), should never seem cool. One must always remember that The Hunger Games isn’t just the story of one girl from District 12—it’s also the story of a bunch of kids who never make it out of the Arena.
3. The Peeta Puzzle
A confession: I didn’t really care for Peeta Mellark when I read The Hunger Games. I know, I know, everyone loved the boy with the bread and I was a weirdo because I preferred poor angst-ridden Gale. But setting aside those personal preferences, I’m really interested to see how Peeta translates onto the big screen. The Hunger Games is told from Katniss’ point of view, so the reader is never quite sure what Peeta is up to; there’s a flashback of him giving her bread when they were children (which Katniss considers to be an act of kindness that saved her life), then he confesses his feelings for her in a televised interview, then he appears to side with the Careers in the Arena before he is badly wounded.
That’s a lot of emotional gymnastics to go through, and I’m very interested to see how Josh Hutcherson plays the character’s arc over the course of the movie, not to mention what kind of chemistry he has with Jennifer Lawrence. Can Hutcherson live up to the image of The Boy with the Bread that millions of Hunger Games fans have in their heads? He better, otherwise the next two movies are going to be...rough.
4. The Capitol’s Cruelty
In the lead-up to The Hunger Games movie release, there has been a lot of press about the costumes, hairstyles, and make-up of the Capitol. There was a Hunger Games themed line of nail polishes from China Glaze (with a coal black color called “Smoke and Ashes,” natch) and there’s a style website called Capitol Couture that promises, “Whether you’re a Capitol fashionista or a style-crazed District citizen, there’s only one place to turn for all the tips, tricks and trends you need to look your best.”
None of this is really surprising—The Hunger Games is a big studio movie, so there are bound to be lots and lots of product tie-ins (Hollywood studios will slap a movie’s name on just about any product if they think they can make a quick buck). But I really hope that this glamorized, aspirational take on the Capitol is strictly for promotional purposes. Because the Capitol of the novel is anything but glamourous and aspirational. It’s full of surgically altered monsters and pampered, oblivious souls who watch with glee as children kill other children. The Hunger Games promo machine can keep it’s “Capitol fashionistas”, but I’m crossing my fingers that the movie gives us a Capitol that is just as grotesque and insidious as the one portrayed in the novel.
5. Haymitch Abernathy
The drunk District 12 mentor could easily become a caricature and, quite frankly, the brief glimpses that we have seen of Woody Harrelson as Haymitch have me a bit worried. I mean, what on Earth is going on with his hair?! This is a man who has survived a Hunger Games and has watched the children from District 12 die year after year, for twenty-five long years. This is a man who, when a terrified Katniss asks him for advice, merely replies, “Here’s some advice. Stay alive.” He has no time for perfectly coiffed tresses! But I’ll ignore the long blond locks as long as Harrelson’s Haymitch is every bit as acerbic, wry, and broken as he is in the book.

See the original post HERE

I've gotta say, I agree with all of the things Jill points out in this post. I'm all for film adaptations being a new vision of the original, taking some risks and making necessary changes for the medium, but the essence of the project--the tone, the characters, etc.--must remain in tact.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how they handle the world of Panem itself. The districts and the arena, all of it. It truly will set the scene, not only physically but thematically and tonally. Rue and Prim are two other characters I think are important for the film to truly capture--they aren't big roles in actuality, but they provide so much of the inspiration and motivation for the Katniss's actions that we need to really feel and believe it.

Happy Release Day! : AN AFFAIR WITH MR. KENNEDY by Jillian Stone

2012-01-31T09:01:00.007-05:00

Today is a very special day. One of my favorite acquisitions from when I was working back in editorial, an awesome Victorian historical romance called An Affair with Mr. Kennedy, is hitting the shelves!

Not only is this great series--The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard--finally going to be shared with the world but it marks the author, Jillian Stone's debut into the literary world! Whee!!

Congrats, Jill!!

In honor of this wonderful occasion, Jill and I chatted a bit about the book, her writing, and what's next for the Yard Men:

DP: Thanks for being with us today, Jill! Tell me, what was the inspiration behind An Affair with Mr. Kennedy? How did the idea for the novel come to you? Did you write it with publication in mind?

JS: I knew I wanted to write a historical romantic suspense series and got to thinking about Scotland Yard detectives. It seemed to me that Yard men were always portrayed as bumbling inspectors, five moves behind Sherlock Holmes. So I thought, what if there was an elite group of detectives? So I began to do some research and found out that there was a division of Scotland Yard created in 1882 called Special Branch. I added a dash (as in dashing) of James Bond Steampunk and that was the start of The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard.

DP: As a debut author (with two multi-book deals with two publishing houses!), you were thrown into the industry with a vengeance. What surprised you most about the book business? What was the hardest thing to adjust to? What was your reaction to the often-shocking (and grueling) editorial process?

JS: Shocking and grueling, I think you summed it up well, Danielle! No writer’s workshop can prepare you for your first set of notes/edits. Once I picked myself up off the floor, and got a grip, I started evaluating what my editor wanted to see and what I knew was right for the story. Actually, I’m not sure how I got through it. But I survived and my favorite part of learning the editing process was when I realized OMG, the book is getting even better!

DP: Tell us a little about your writing process. Do you have a designated space to write? Rituals? Etc.?

JS: My process is I’m always writing because I’m not a fast writer. Plus, I enjoy small character details and world building, and that tends to take a lot of finessing. So I’m constantly at my computer when I’m in the middle of a book.

DP: Your hero and heroine--Zeno and Cassie--are such vibrant, fun (and sexy!) characters. If you were to cast them for a film version of the story, what actor/actress would you pick?

JS: Probably Clive Owen and Scarlet Johansson.

DP: When writing a novel, almost every author has to kill some of his/her darlings, as they say. Is there a scene, character, or plot (or something else!) that was particularly difficult for you to change or cut?

JS: I was asked to cut some love scenes to keep the suspense plot moving, which I did. The opening scene between Cassie and her mother almost bit the edit dust, but I held onto it by adding more heroine GMC. And it stayed in.

DP: You paint such a detailed and visceral picture of late-Victorian life in your book. How much research do you do? What are your favorite research tricks/go-to resources? Do you research as you go or study up before you begin?

JS: I do tons of research. I have a whole library of Victorian Age reference books. My favorite go-to trick is my subscription to OED online’s historical thesaurus. Invaluable. I research up front and also do a significant amount along the way. I never foresee everything I need, so I am often surfing the internet for some weird, esoteric bit of information late at night––and always on deadline.

DP: Who are some of your favorite authors? Books? Is there a book out there that you wish you had written? (Come on, all us writers have at least one. ;) For me, it’s Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.)

JS: If you’re talking about women’s fiction or romance, I would have to go with Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I have a whole range of favorite authors from Lewis Carroll to Gabriel Garcia Marquez to Frank Herbert and Phillip K. Dick.

DP: What’s up next for you and the Yard Men?

JS: A Dangerous Liaison with Detective Lewis. The second book in the Gentlemen of Scotland Yard series is a super fast-paced road story.

Here’s a little taste:

Five years ago, pure as an angel, hot as the devil, Raphael Lewis, did something unforgivable to Fanny Greyville-Nugent. Now, the handsome Scotland Yard agent is assigned to protect the wealthy industrialist heiress. Her life is in danger from the anti-progressive Utopian Society and its leader, Bellecote Mallory, who has tumbled into madness and gone underground. One by one, the diabolical Mallory is executing prominent members of the industrialized world––by their own machines––and Fanny is next in line. Pursued by Mallory’s henchmen, Rafe and Fanny are on the run from Edinburgh to London by train, landship and submersible! Racing against the clock, they are carried away by their passions, but can Rafe ultimately redeem himself?

To further celebrate the release of An Affair with Mr. Kennedy, I just so happen to have an extra copy of the new book to send along to a random reader....

So, leave a comment by 5pm EST on Friday, Feb. 3 about the book , for Jill, or with your own casting choices for Zeno and Cassie, and you just may be that reader!

Second Time's the Charm for "A Wrinkle in Time"

2012-01-30T11:51:00.005-05:00

I first read Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time in my fifth grade English class. And I hated it. No matter what I did, I couldn't get into it. I didn't care about the heroine Meg Murry. I was bored with the writing. I also hated pink, so the edition we read made my head hurt like whoa.

I don't know what my deal was. I devoured books at that time in my life. (Well, I've always devoured books, really.) But for some reason, A Wrinkle in Time was not my cup of tea.

About five years ago, though, I decided I needed to read it again. Give it another try with fresh eyes and an open mind. And, of course, I adored it the second time around. Maybe as a kid I had been subconsciously rebelling against the fact that I totally related to Meg, that I wasn't one of the "cool kids," and didn't feel like I fit into my reality. Maybe I just wasn't ready to start liking science fiction--I had been so wrapped up in contemporary novels about babysitters and high schoolers and the like. At the time, maybe I just couldn't see it.

But whatever the reason, my mind was changed. Which is quite handy given that it means when I saw an article on NY times.com about the novel, I was actually interested in reading it. (It's awesome, by the way, though lengthier than I usually post)

And you know what that means...I can now share it with you:

Bookish girls tend to mark phases of their lives by periods of intense literary character identification. Schoolgirls of the ’70s had their Deenie and Sally J. Freedman and Margaret moments, muddling through adolescence in the guise of one Judy Blume heroine or another. And for almost a century and a half, girls have fluctuated between seasons of Amy and Meg and Jo March, imagining themselves alternately with blond corkscrew curls, eldest sister wisdom or writerly ambitions.

But for those who came of age anytime during the past half-century, the most startling transformation occurred upon reading Madeleine L’Engle’s Newbery Medal-winning classic, “A Wrinkle in Time,” which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. It was under L’Engle’s influence that we willed ourselves to be like Meg Murry, the awkward girl who suffered through flyaway hair, braces and glasses but who was also and to a much greater degree concerned with the extent of her own intelligence, the whereabouts of her missing scientist father, the looming threat of conformity and, ultimately, the fate of the universe.
Meg Murry, in short, was a departure from the typical “girls’ book” protagonist — as wonderful as many of those varied characters are. Meg was a heroine of science fiction.
In 1962, when “A Wrinkle in Time,” after 26 rejections, was acquired by John Farrar at Farrar, Straus & Giroux, science fiction by women and aimed at female readers was a rarity. The genre was thought to be down-market and not up to the standards of children’s literature — the stuff of pulp and comic books for errant schoolboys. Even today, girls and grown women are not generally fans. Half of 18- to 24-year-old men say that science fiction is their favorite type of book, compared with only one-fourth of young women, according to a 2010 study by the Codex Group, a consulting firm to the publishing industry. And while a sizable portion of men continue to read science fiction throughout their lives, women don’t. Thirty-two percent of adult male book buyers are science-fiction fans compared with only 12 percent of women. When Joanna Russ, one of the few successful female science-fiction writers, died last year, her obituary in The New York Times referred to her as a writer who helped “deliver science fiction into the hands of the most alien creatures the genre had yet seen — women.”
“A Wrinkle in Time,” the first in a trilogy that was later extended to include two more books, also defied the norm. Though a major crossover success with boys as well (with more than 10 million copies sold to date), the book has especially won over young girls. And it usually reaches them at a particularly pivotal moment of pre-adolescence when they are actively seeking to define themselves, their ambitions and place in the world.
“Part of what made it seem so liberating to so many girls is that it allowed those with an analytic mind and an interest in the pursuit of science to read about a subject that at the time was not perceived of as a suitable course of study for girls,” said Leonard Marcus, author of a biography of L’Engle, “Searching for Madeleine,” to be published this fall. “At the same time, at its core it’s about a girl’s love for her father, and that emotional level transcends the genre aspect of the book.”
[...]
Perhaps it is this softer element that distinguishes “Wrinkle” from its rocketry and light-saber brethren. But that doesn’t make the book any less weighty or challenging. In her introduction to a 2007 edition, Anna Quindlen, an enthusiast since childhood, confessed, “The truth is, I’m not a fan of science fiction, and my math and physics gene has always been weak.”
L’Engle’s book shies away from neither topic. On meeting Meg, we learn she can perform square root functions in her head — a mark, not of wallflower status, but of moral distinction. Still, Meg harbors doubts about her own intellectual abilities, and her exacting expectations rub off on the reader. If anything, the book enchants readers who might not entirely grasp its concepts with the delight in not knowing; the realization that even the most know-it-all kids do not, in fact, have all the answers and that certain questions are worth asking.
“I loved Mrs Who’s cryptic quotations, and the math that went right over my head and the fact that Charles Wallace had powers I was always struggling to understand,” said Rebecca Stead, whose Newbery Medal-winning novel, “When You Reach Me,” was in great part a homage to “A Wrinkle in Time.”
L’Engle, who was born in 1918 and grew up a child of privilege in New York City, struggled academically at her private school, though she later graduated cum laude from Smith. She first got the idea for “A Wrinkle in Time” after reading Einstein’s writings on relativity. “I used a lot of those principles to make a universe that was creative and yet believable,” she said in an interview with her publisher before her death in 2007.
Of course, science fiction is not only about science; it is also often deeply informed by politics, and can be a vehicle for commentary on the complex effects of progress in all its permutations — medical, political, technological. Russ, for example, a graduate of Yale, wrote books infused with feminist messages and digressions on philosophy. “A Wrinkle in Time” can be read as a warning against communism. L’Engle, an active liberal Episcopalian who spent many of her later years as a writer in residence at the Church of St. John the Divine in New York, tended to write allegorical works in which, as in the books of C. S. Lewis, good inevitably triumphs over evil, a message as likely to appeal to girls as it is to boys.
What is it then that makes girls averse to science fiction? Could it be the pronounced boyness of the covers — the same signal that deters girls from switching to Superman after their Betty and Veronica days have passed? Science-fiction books, whether technologically elaborate, intergalactic stories by the likes of Arthur C. Clarke and Hal Clement or the so-called “soft” science fiction of Ray Bradbury and Philip K. Dick, often wear dark washes of black and navy blue with 3-D fonts and brutal images of fire and destruction.
Yet there isn’t anything inherently unfeminine about science fiction. Some might say the dystopic fantasy, apocalyptic tales and paranormal romance so popular with today’s teenage girls are actually couched “girl-friendly” variants of science fiction. Perhaps. But why should science fiction proper be any less welcoming to girls? It may be simplistic to suggest that reading science fiction will lead women to pursue careers in chemistry and quantum physics and information technology. But then, how many female authors say they were inspired to become writers because of Jo from “Little Women”?
Surely we don’t mean to imply that science fiction, or science, is really just for boys. It is, after all, Meg’s microbiologist mother, Katherine Murry, rather than her rescued father, who later in the series wins the Nobel Prize.
Read the entire article HERE

Guest Blogger, Alex Christopher: The Artists’ Book - Beauty Between the Bindings

2012-01-27T08:00:00.005-05:00

As a new resident of New York City, I have spent the past several months enchanted with the sensory overload the metropolis offers. Some of the greatest experiences have come from simply seeing something for the first time: the towering skyscrapers, the arguing taxi driver, the old woman feeding pigeons (sorry for mentioning those awful creatures, Danielle!), the expanse of culture and creativity.

Like most newcomers, I have made an effort to visit museums to view the many pieces of fine art that I had only seen in books or on blogs. Viewing a piece of art for the first time is a breathtaking experience, particularly for an artist like myself. People can be brought to tears simply by looking at a painting. In a new city, with new things to see everyday, I can experience this over and over again. But eventually, you become immune to the stunning landmarks and the sweeping canvases. That’s the saddest thing about art. It’s the risk you take when purchasing an incredible painting or living in a city like New York--the lack of constant appreciation. Eventually, you get accustomed to striding right by it on your daily routine.

This is when the artists’ book offers more. The turning (or in many cases, unfolding) of a page reinforces what is called the “First View.” The discovery of what lies on the next page is an experience in itself, no matter how many times you go through it.

Of course, writing itself is an art form, and writers are in fact artists, but I’m not guest blogging to discuss that. The artists’ book is a developing genre of art that is gaining global recognition. The audience can see and touch every step of the process—the handmade paper, the letterpress printing, the threading that holds the pages together. Anyone viewing the artists’ book can comprehend its well-executed craft and concept.

Oftentimes, the book’s price point reflects the artistry of a book—you won’t find artists’ books for $24.95 at Barnes and Noble! An artist makes a specified quantity of an original book, called an edition. Editions can be anywhere from ten to hundreds of copies, and it is usually noted somewhere what number each book is (such as 36/250). The quantity produced (and of course the reputation of the artist) is a huge factor in the pricing of an artists’ book, which can sometimes reach the $10,000s and higher.

As book art is a developing field, many of the pieces are incredibly innovative. A standard beginning point is the eight-fold book. It’s actually a great activity to do with kids. With just a cut down the middle of the page and a series of folds, you have a book! (Check out the Brown Paper Bag 8-fold Activity.) While it would be easy to make this post a how-to guide for fun homemade books, I’d like to share with you a professional example.

I turn to a favorite artist of mine, Clemens Tobias-Lange. His stunning book, Ohne Wolken (Without Clouds), was the impetus for my own interest in the field. Each fragile page is made of fine Japanese handmade paper. It was intended to recreate the action of flying in a plane: take-off through landing, and the horizons along the way. The center spread is the most breathtaking, with a striking gradient from clear/white to bright blue. Each cover flap bound around the pages is made of spinnaker cloth (yes—like the kind used for boat sails). The only text within the book is in the very front and very back—a poem by Qu Yuan called “Li Sao” and is included in German and Chinese. This is incredibly fragile, and as many artists’ books do, it comes in a case; it is custom-designed plexiglass that the book can slide into. Tobias-Lange made only 30 copies of this book, and it is highly valued among collectors and libraries.

I recommend looking further into this field of art, as it really challenges the audience to approach a piece intellectually and to see the value of the First View. One great resource would be to look through the exhibitors (or attend an event if you can!) for the Codex Foundation.

Just think of all the possibilities books can hold for you!

About the blogger: Alex Christopher is a Californian transplant to New York City, where she works as a book publicist (quite near the cube of the lovely Danielle). Through double majoring in Global Studies and Art Studio, she became well versed in the practices of relief printing on letterpress, papermaking, and book arts. She can be found on Twitter: @alexthelady.

Thoughts on Love from Kahlil Gibran

2012-01-25T23:53:00.001-05:00

Just a week after my dear friend told me that I should read her favorite book, The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, I saw it on my boyfriend's bookshelf. Of course, I was reading about four books at the time already, so it went from his shelf to the top of my to-read pile.

Today, though, I cracked that baby open on my subway ride home from work. It's a lot to take in at once--thoughts on love, family, marriage, work, etc.--but there have been some very inspiring moments and phrases that have stuck with me.

The section on love (naturally--also the first section) is my favorite so far--powerful and true, I want to keep reading it to myself so that it sinks in deeper and deeper. And I want to share it with you all:

When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's hear.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," by rather, "I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips. (Gibran, 11-14)

(Gibran, Kahil. The Prophet. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2007.)

Turkey Troubles in Deadwood, S.D.

2012-01-25T11:03:00.002-05:00

BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

That is all.

Thank you Huffington Post:

DEADWOOD, S.D. -- Authorities in Deadwood, S.D., investigating an apparent break-in at a public library were surprised to discover the culprit: a 20-plus-pound turkey.

Deadwood Police Sgt. Ken Mertens says he didn't see any footprints near the broken window and figured a snow blower had tossed up a rock.

Mertens says a closer inspection revealed the wing-flapping culprit. And, he says, "that turkey wanted back out that hole."

Mertens and Chaney-Moodie's husband, John, spent 20 minutes trying to round up the intruder before placing a blanket over its head and escorting it outside.

The bird fled on foot.
See the original post HERE

Guest Blogger, RossH: An Intro to Webcomics

2012-01-20T10:43:00.009-05:00

I was talking to Danielle a few weeks and sharing some ideas I'd had about Christmas gifts, I sent her a link to a shirt on TopatoCo, which she later posted here, along with some other choice materials from the site. After sharing our favorites of the various witty t-shirts, we got to talking about the webcomic business, and she asked me to put together a guest post for the blog to give a bit of background on this unique slice of the publishing universe.

Many of you may be regular readers of webcomics—they definitely make up an important part of my morning—but this post focuses on the business side of webcomics, rather than simply sharing a list of my favorites (which include Questionable Content, Penny Arcade, Wondermark, A Softer World, and more).

To begin with, the basics: Virtually all webcomics are free to the reader. There was a period of time when there was some interest in the concept of "microtransactions" to support webcomics, meaning that readers would seamlessly pay a tiny amount of money to the writers and authors of a webcomic as they read it (maybe a cent a page), but this concept never really took off for webcomics—or most other content types. The transaction costs of moving this money around outweigh the profits of the plan , and can be a serious barrier to potential readers just out of sheer inconvenience. So, today, you can read the full runs of most all webcomics for free without having to input any personal or payment information before diving in.

But despite the fact that the core product of most webcomics is completely free and open, there are a number of people who have managed to make a reasonably successful living writing and drawing webcomics. Wikipedia has a list of "professional webcomic artists," folks who are supporting themselves through their work producing webcomics. And that doesn't just mean making enough money to keep yourself in ramen. Penny Arcade, one of the earliest and most successful webcomics, has built an empire—a multi-million dollar business that now includes a web-TV show, a biannual video game convention that attracts tens of thousands of fans, and more. Not bad, for comic that is often obscure to those who don't follow the minutia of the video game industry and is frequently far more filthy than the newspaper comic strips many of us grew up with.

So, how does this work? How can these comics manage to build strong businesses while giving away the heart of their work?

Ad revenues are certainly a piece of this, and there are several ad networks tailored to supporting webcomic sites. And some (again, most notably Penny Arcade) can sell access to their special niche audience for well above market rate, and even partner with gaming companies to develop comics specialized for a new game launch. In doing this, Penny Arcade is supported by a strong perception of integrity—they advertise and work with games that they themselves enjoy and want to promote. Many webcomics use ad networks to help bring in sales--Project Wonderful and IndieC lick being two of the most common for this purpose.

Of course, in the end, how much profit a webcomic can make through advertisements is dependent on the popularity of the comic itself and rate of traffic to the site. Jeph Jacques, the author of Questionable Content and internet cartoonist, for example, commented on Reddit.com that he makes 50% of his revenues from ad sales. So, where does the other 50% come from?

For Jacques—and for most successful webcomics—merchandise sales make up at least half of the pie. Many webcomics sustain themselves in some large part based on t-shirt sales, often featuring comedic elements drawn from or inspired by their most popular works. Some self-manage this process, and others work with third-party vendors (including the aforementioned TopatoCo, a company run by webcomic artist Jeffrey Rowland of Overcompensating, Wigu, and other comics that is tailored to the needs of webcomic t-shirt sales).

In support of both of these revenue streams, and in general for building and maintaining a fan base, many webcomic creators are highly engaged on Twitter, both with fans and with other creators. This provides a strong relationship between a creator and their audience that evolves with day-by-day postings of new comics and can contribute
to helping identify potential t-shirts and more.

As with everything, these models are not without their detractors. Plenty of syndicated newspaper cartoonists (which, pre-web, was the only real route to success for a comic creator) complain that webcomic producers aren't selling their comics, they're selling shirts, and in the process devaluing the art form. And, from another direction, a regular strain of discussion among webcomic producers themselves admonishes new producers who seem to focused on the business side of things before they have established a solid comic.

But ultimately, this is a model with an extremely low cost of entry that has empowered a set of creative professionals to follow their interests and build self-sustaining publishing businesses off their work. They have recognized that their core product is difficult to sell, and have thus developed ancillary income streams around it. This kind of business model begs the question: What can be learned here for traditional book publishing, which typically focuses on selling the book itself, or giving away the book in hopes of "building an audience" to later be able to sell books? Can comics show a model for a middle ground, in which an audience can actually be turned into customers in a different way?

About the Blogger: RossH is a researcher and and consultant focused on higher education and library policy. And, of course, a fan of webcomics. You can find him on Twitter: @rossh.

sings I'm a Big Girl Now! (Audiobook style)

2012-01-19T12:09:00.006-05:00

Last weekend, I spent 11-12 hours in the car driving to and from Virginia to visit Allison Pan g. (We had an AWESOME time, in case you were wondering! :-p) I hadn't done a drive that long solo in quiet some time and was a bit concerned about getting tired and, well, falling asleep at the wheel. Usually this fear will instigate the creation of numerous playlists for my "singing" pleasure. But this time, I decided to try something different.

I was going to listen to my first...audiobook....ever.

Yes, I know. It's shocking.

Me? Listening to an audiobook? I had no idea what to choose or even how to choose. So, the first thing I did was look for the best deal I could find. And that was to go with Audible.com. I don't know if this is actually the best deal, but there was a promotion so hey, it worked for me.

I kicked around the site, trying to decide what kind of book I wanted. I was leaning away from fiction for the first time in my life, fearing that I would hate the experience and then be stuck listening to someone read dramatically to me and driving me crazy in the car or I'd have thrown away some much-needed cash on something I didn't use. I know! I thought. I'll get something guaranteed to be funny so it keeps me laughing out loud!

I listened to the samples on a couple different options and then...then I found it: Bossypants, written and read by Tina Fey.

As soon as I started listening I knew it was the right choice.

Brilliantly crafted, thematically balanced, and filled with wit, sarcasm, and heartfelt honesty--I was truly impressed with Fey's memoir. Her delivery being spot-on was kind of expected, of course, and she did not disappoint. What I didn't quite expect though was how down-to-earth Fey seems, how I could relate to so many of her own personal trials and triumphs. Not to say I've accomplished anything close to what she has; my point is just that she's real. She talks about real issues, real feelings, and gives such great insight it's empowering.

I must say Bossypants was the best book I could've picked to kick-off my audiobook-listening "career."

Next up? I'm not sure yet...I'm considering Jane Lynch's memoir or something of that ilk.

I am, as always, open to recommendations!

Would You Like That Super Sized, Dear Reader?

2012-01-17T20:51:00.005-05:00

Once again, the Brits are trying something unique with their cuisine. But this time, instead of Scotch Eggs and Toad in the Hole (come on, you can't deny the "strangeness"), they are combining American fast food with....literature.

According to GalleyCat, the Telegraph reported last week that "McDonald’s plans to hand out a staggering 9 million copies of Mudpuddle Farm books by Michael Morpurgo in Happy Meal boxes around the UK" (GalleyCat).

The Telegraph discusses further:

In 2011, sales of children’s books averaged 1.16 million per week – 6.4 million in a four week period – which means that McDonald’s will be handing out considerably more children’s books than are usually sold in the UK in the same period.

A finger puppet, relating to the series of books, will also be included alongside the Happy Meal.

McDonald's said a similar book giveaway in Sweden had proved very popular.

This is the latest attempt by McDonald's to improve its reputation, following the decision to sell only organic milk, print calories on its menu boards, and refurbish all of its outlets.

[...]

Literacy campaigners said it did not matter if McDonald's decision was prompted by a desire to improve its image. Eight out of ten all families with young children visit the fast-food company at least once over the course of the year, so there was a strong chance they would end up with a book.

Jonathan Douglas, director of The National Literacy Trust, said: “Our recent research showed that one in three children in this country don’t own a book, which is extremely concerning as there is a clear link between book ownership and children's future success in life. We are very supportive of McDonald’s decision to give families access to popular books, as its size and scale will be a huge leap towards encouraging more families to read together.”

The McDonald’s Happy Meal book promotion will include six titles from the Mudpuddle Farm range: Mossop’s Last Chance; Albertine, Goose Queen; Pigs Might Fly!; Jigger’s Day Off; Martians at Mudpuddle Farm; Mum’s the Word.

Read the entire article HERE

I'm torn about my feelings toward this. While my immediate reaction to the news was "Awesome! Go literacy!" my secondary reaction was more subdued. How much of this campaign is to truly encourage reading and how much is to manipulate parents into purchasing Happy Meals for their kids with the hopes that he or she will want to read a book that Ronald McDonald "picked out"?

It's hard to say. I'm sure it's a little bit of both. And while McDonald's has taken healthier initiatives of late regarding their "side dishes" and beverages accompanying Happy Meals, I'm still not a proponent of fast food in general. Certainly not for growing children who need to be taught healthy eating habits from day one. Come to think of it, these children should also be being taught to appreciate books from day one. Hmmm. The mind boggles.

Nonfiction "Trend" Echoes Common Romance Trope

2012-01-13T11:56:00.007-05:00

When scanning the web for something to blog about today, I saw the headline "Readers fascinated by Navy SEAL books" on USA Today's Books section.

I'll admit to rolling my eyes.

This is old news, I thought to myself. Why is this being mentioned now?

I clicked through to find out, only to see that the piece was featuring a nonfiction book entitled American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History.

Upon seeing this, I went through five emotional stages in very quick succession:

1. Intrigued.
2. Bewildered.
3. Straight-up Shocked.
4. Slightly offended.
5. Sad.

Why did I go through this process, you ask?

Well, because Navy SEALs have been popular in the romance genre, particularly the subgenre of romantic suspense, for years and years and YEARS.

Yet, USA Today says of American Sniper:

It's another example of our continuing fascination with U.S. Navy SEALs since their takedown of Osama bin Laden last spring. From 1999 to 2009, the author, decorated U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, recorded the most career sniper kills in U.S. military history. SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper by Howard E. Wasdin and Stephen Templin, published last May, two weeks after bin Laden's death, rose to No. 15 on the list. SEAL Target Geronimo: The Inside Story of the Mission to Kill Osama bin Laden by Chuck Pfarrer, published in November, hit No. 32.

It's baffling to me that this is seen as a new trend. Romance writers have been exploring the culture and personalities of these same SEALs for ages--Suzanne Brockmann, Sandra Hill, Cindy Gerard, Lora Leigh , and so many others. First truly appearing in the mid-1990s (with Brockmann's Prince Joe), SEALs are such a common theme in romance that it's even considered a trope in the genre.

So, why is it not until the Navy SEAL popularity shifts to nonfiction that the theme gets any real recognition? Yes, I'm grumbling right now.

It was nice to find, however, another recent article, this on by the Washington Post, that shines the limelight on these innovative romance authors as the first to really delve into the SEALs trend. While it too, discusses the real-life impetus for the recent surge in popularity (Osama Bin Laden's capture and death), it does give the romance genre due credit:

Navy SEAL romance novels have proven to be reliable sellers in the romance suspense category, and several have made the New York Times bestseller list, including “Dark Viking” by Sandra Hill, which features a SEAL who travels in time to the land of the vikings, one of seven viking Navy SEAL books she’s written.

[...]

The woman credited with launching the Navy SEAL mini-genre is Brockmann, who decided to feature Navy SEALs in romance novels after reading a magazine story about “Hell Week,” the toughest part of the Basic Underwater Demolition training program that aspiring SEALs are put through. Less than a third typically make the final cut.

[...]

Romance authors “are writing about the human experience for readers today, so whatever setting — the 1600s, another world inhabited by vampires who are hotter than hot — readers still want something that makes sense to them,” said Amy Pierpont, executive director of Grand Central Publishing’s Forever romance imprint.
That desire for realism extends to the female characters, who, unlike heroines in decades past, are not easily swept off their feet. For instance, Natalie Benoit, the heroine in White’s new book, considers SEAL Zach MacBride with wariness: “It wasn’t right for any man to be so dangerous and so sexy at the same time. Her adrenal glands and her ovaries were locked in a shouting match now, the former insisting she needed to run away fast, the latter wishing he’d kiss her again.”
Benoit, like all of White’s heroines, is a journalist who isn’t afraid to venture into dangerous places. And that’s par for the course these days, writers and editors said.
“You definitely get some reader backlash if a heroine is too mild-mannered or too apt to acquiesce to a man’s needs,” Pierpont said.
Pierpont and others believe therein lies another aspect of the SEALs’ appeal: As the female characters have become more high-powered, mirroring the rising education and achievement levels of romance novel readers, the male love interests have had to step it up a notch. A Navy captain might have been dashing enough 20 years ago. But in today’s world, where women are secretaries of state, CEOs, single parents and soldiers, a guy’s got to have more to offer than a pretty uniform. And what man can offer more than a SEAL, the product of the military’s toughest training regime?
“They have all of these abilities that the average guy doesn’t even have,” White said. “They appeal to the side of women who want to know there are really strong men in the world who aren’t afraid to take responsibility. SEALs are not not going to pay their child support. They are not couch potatoes who don’t care. They are active in making the world better.”
In the romance world, the competency of SEALs knows no bounds. “They are trained from Day 1 to notice the tiniest detail,” Melton said. “A man who can pick up on the smallest little nuance is bound to be able to please a woman, if you catch my drift.”
Read the entire article HERE

Attention All DORIAN GRAY Fans

2012-01-10T10:45:00.003-05:00

This is kind of hilarious.

Thank you, Flavorwire, for yet another random and entertaining break from the workday:

If you’ve ever wondered what your favorite literary characters might be listening to while they save the world/contemplate existence/get into trouble, or hallucinated a soundtrack to go along with your favorite novels, well, us too. But wonder no more! Here, we sneak a look at the hypothetical iPods of some of literature’s most interesting characters. What would be on the personal playlists of Holden Caulfield or Elizabeth Bennett, Huck Finn or Harry Potter, Tintin or Humbert Humbert? Something revealing, we bet. Or at least something danceable. Read on for a cozy reading soundtrack, character study, or yet another way to emulate your favorite literary hero. This week: everyone’s favorite hedonist, Dorian Gray.

In Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, the eponymous character is a young, beautiful man who, after sitting for a portrait, finds that he no longer ages — but that each of his years and sins is reflected on the face of his painted self. Spurred on by his friends, lovers, and new sense of invincibility, he fully embraces the hedonistic life and the idea that the only things worth pursuing in life are those that feel good. Selfish, indulgent, and sometimes cruel, his portrait becomes uglier and uglier as he lives in this unchecked debauchery. Finally, of course, he must destroy the painting, destroying himself in the process. We think Dorian would have an iPod full of songs to fuel his party, reassure his ego, and lure girls to his side — what else could a handsome career partyboy ever need? Here’s what we think Dorian Gray would drink, indulge, and play Prince Charming to.

Stream the mixtape here.

“Look” — Sébastien Tellier

A master of seduction, we think Dorian Gray would pretty much swear by Sébastien Tellier. This may or may not be his closer.

“It’s a Curse” — Wolf Parade

We think the strange but sexy darkness of Wolf Parade would be on constant rotation in Gray’s pretty, twisted little head.

“The Greatest Man That Ever Lived” — Weezer

Dorian would sing along to every verse of this self-aggrandizing patchwork anthem.

“Heroin” — The Velvet Underground

For indulging his hedonism are much as humanly possible. We bet that the picture gets ten years older during this song.

“Boys Don’t Cry” — The Cure

We think Dorian would be most into the Cure’s Gothic phase — though he might dabble in other periods too. After all, he dabbles in everything.

“SexyBack” — Justin Timberlake

A modern ode to narcissism, we can see Dorian strolling through the VIP section with this playing in his head. Plus, he knows to listen to the songs that the girls like.

“Drunk Girls” — LCD Soundsystem

For embracing your hedonism.

“AA XXX” — Peaches

Dorian’s devotion to Peaches is indicative of his desire to try everything that might feel good — yes, everything. Bring it on.

“Horror Show” — The Libertines

This song would soundtrack Dorian’s more sinister drug-fueled ragers — plus, there is no way he wouldn’t pick up an album by a band called the Libertines.

“I’m Too Sexy” — Right Said Fred

For the ultimate narcissist, the ultimate song for singing into your hairbrush in the mirror.

See the original post HERE

Exciting Book Country News

2012-01-09T10:13:00.002-05:00

Today I can finally share with you all some exciting news, re: my job as Editorial Coordinator at Book Country, and Book Country in general...

We've helped orchestrate the first true discovery of a Book Country member! YAY!!

Kerry Schafer, an awesome woman from Washington State who I met through the lovely Allison Pang, was one of our beta testers for the site. I could tell from her first posting on Book Country that she had a tremendous amount of talent, so when she posted some pages of her fantasy novel, BETWEEN, I was stoked to check it out. I read it and instantly loved it! And after passing along my excitement to the Berkeley editorial staff, they did too.

Several weeks later, viola! The official Penguin press release goes out on the PR Newswire:

NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ace Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), today announced the signing of a new urban fantasy series by a writer discovered on Bookcountry.com, Penguin's nine-month-old online genre fiction workshopping community. The two-book deal marks the first acquisition from the site since the Book Country community launched in May of 2011.

BETWEEN, by debut novelist Kerry Schafer, was discovered by Susan Allison, Vice President, Editorial Director of The Berkley Publishing Group, who acquired it and its sequel, WAKEWORLD, the first two books in a planned trilogy.

"We're very excited to work with Kerry Schafer on BETWEEN and WAKEWORLD. She's a wonderful new voice in the urban fantasy genre," said Allison. "The fact that Penguin's own Book Country helped connect us to her is inspiring too. There's so much talent out there, and now we have one more way to find it. "

Schafer, a Mental Health Crisis Response Specialist in rural Washington State, talked about the importance of the online community in her road to publication. "My experience with Book Country has been amazing. I had a different novel up on the site and discovered that the feedback helped improve my writing. Criticism takes a little getting used to; my thought was that I should get some pages up and start building a thicker skin. When I uploaded BETWEEN to Book Country, I wasn't even thinking about it being picked up by an editor or an agent. What happened after that felt like pure magic."

David Shanks, CEO Penguin Group (USA), said, "Penguin is proud that Kerry Schafer, one of Book Country's original beta testers, was able to use the community's resources and will now be published by one of our own imprints. Book Country provides an exciting place for our editors to find great new talent."

Schafer's agent, Deidre Knight of The Knight Agency, said, "I marveled at the high level of talent I found on Book Country. BETWEEN is one of the most imaginative submissions I've read in a long time. I found myself compulsively reading more than half the book in one sitting."

Molly Barton, Penguin's Global Digital Director, who spearheaded the launch of the Book Country community in 2011, said, "Book Country is a constructive online place for writers to post and refine their fiction while helping other writers improve their craft. Finding such a great project to acquire in a community that is less than a year old tells me that Book Country is working exactly the way it's supposed to. I couldn't be more thrilled!"

About Penguin Group (USA)

Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children's trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Viking, G. P. Putnam's Sons, The Penguin Press, Riverhead Books, Dutton, Penguin Books, Berkley Books, Gotham Books, Portfolio, New American Library, Plume, Tarcher, Philomel, Grosset & Dunlap, Puffin, and Frederick Warne, among others. The Penguin Group (www.penguin.com) is part of Pearson plc, the international media company.

See the press release HERE

The New York Times also picked up the story and I'm sure we'll have more to come this week! It's such exciting news! The fact that it's Penguin who did the deal doesn't even really make that much of a difference to me, honestly--I mean, it's great, of course, but what this deal means is that the site and initiative is working. Writers who might not get their due recognition getting the help, appreciation, and opportunities they deserve. =)

A big congratulations to Kerry!

A New Friday Tradition

2012-01-06T10:02:00.004-05:00

So, I've decided it's time for a some regularity on this blog of mine. As such, I've decided to start "Guest Blogger Fridays," in addition to my posting at least twice a week (or so is my goal *blush*).

As such, I need guest bloggers! I have a couple lined up already but would love more. Your thoughts and opinions are worth sharing!

If you are interested in writing a guest blog for Reading Between the Lines, whether it be a piece on book news, an op-ed about publishing, a review, etc., please email me at readingbtwthelines@gmail.com.

If you don't have a topic in mind but are still interested in writing something, that's okay too; we can brainstorm together!

Looking forward to hearing from you. =)

Love, Love, Love: Literature and Deconstructing our Emotions

2012-01-05T09:25:00.006-05:00

With love on the brain (a new boyfriend will do that to a girl haha), my eyes were instantly drawn to this morning's Guardian UK article entitled "Romantic fantasy, fiction and reality." I'll admit it didn't turn me away that it had a film still from "Two Weeks Notice" as its featured photo either.

In the piece, Guardian writer Damien Walter discusses the different takes on love portrayed in three recent novels--Fated by SG Browne, The Thorn and the Blossom by Theodora Goss, and The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides (RBtL's current book club pick, FYI!):

"People would never fall in love if they hadn't heard love talked about." Or read about it in books, we can assume. Which is all very well for Francois de La Rochefoucauld, French nobleman and writer of maxims, to say – but is much harder to live by. Yes, perhaps, in the postmodern sense love is just a construct, cobbled together from bits of old Arthurian romances and BBC Jane Austen adaptations. But try telling that to your New Year's Eve date and see how far it gets you. If love is just a fantasy, what does the fantasy of today say about love?
The thing about SG Browne is, he's a romantic – and his second novel, Fated, is a book for anyone who believes that love is destined. Browne takes up the grand tradition of writers from Ovid to Pratchett by casting personified facets of the human psyche among his central characters. Fate, nickname Fabio, is the kind of handsome 30-something go-getter you might expect to find running a tech company or investment fund. Instead, he's employed to assign fates to the 83% of humanity who will never amount to much, and after an eternity of watching over petty crooks, estate agents and career politicians, Fabio is bored. Worse yet, Destiny, his beautiful blonde co-worker and occasional non-contact sex partner, gets all the really high achievers: the artists and scientists and great intellectuals; all those with a true destiny to fulfil.
Love, Browne's novel tell us, lifts us up to achieve our destiny, and escape our fate. Fabio's own redeeming love arrives in the body of Sara Griffen who, as is so often the case with mortals who play among the gods, is on the path of destiny. Not that she's the first mortal Fabio has had a fling with: in fact, over the course of eternity, his tally has reached the low six figures. But there's something different about Sara. Of course there has to be, or this wouldn't be a romance at all, would it? In Fated, Browne has written the kind of funny, satirical, romantic novel that, were I a Hollywood producer seeking a new vehicle for the talents of Hugh Grant and Jennifer Aniston, would certainly attract my million-dollar pay cheque.
But what if true love is rare – so rare that we might only find it once every ten lifetimes? Would you suffer loneliness for eternity waiting for love, or would you settle for something less? Such is the theme of The Thorn and the Blossom by Theodora Goss, a novel almost as remarkable for its format as its writing (but only almost). Packaged as a slipcased, accordion fold book, read in one direction it tells the story of Evelyn, and in the other of Brendan, two star-crossed lovers whose lives intersect again and again, but never quite find romance.
Goss has written some of the most remarkable short fantasy fiction of recent years, shortlisted for the World Fantasy award for short fiction in 2005 for The Wings of Master Wilhelm, republished in her sole collection to date, 2006's In the Forest of Forgetting. The Thorn and the Blossom is Goss's longest work to date but even with its dual stories combined it numbers less than 100 pages. Nevertheless, it extends her fascination with postmodern revisions of myth and folktale, which has led to her being labelled among the emerging "mythpunk" movement in contemporary fantasy. The Thorn and the Blossom introduces the courtly Arthurian myth of Gawain and Elowen, and recasts it in modern garb, asking the reader to wonder if the values of courtly love could survive in the modern world.
Jeffrey Eugenides' The Marriage Plot, which opens with the words of Francois de la Rochefoucauld, is not itself a work of fantasy, but rather asks if love itself is a fantasy we cling to. The novel follows the coming of age of three Ivy League students in the early 1980s, from Brown University to Cape Cod to Calcutta. By contrasting the intensity of their emotions with the intellectual detachment of the French philosophy they debate, at perhaps a little too much length, The Marriage Plot is unapologetic in its treatment of love as a construct; an idea we build from parts scavenged from thousands of stories. The Marriage Plot is also, as Eugenides discusses in his recent Guardian interview, a novel that tackles big questions of the human spirit, faith, and even God. In the end, all spiritual paths arrive at the same demand: to abandon fantasy in favour of reality. Love may be the most difficult illusion of all to let go.
Love. A truth we are destined to discover. Something rare that only comes to those willing to suffer without it. An illusion spun from works of fantasy and fiction. Whichever of the three you choose to believe, you'll certainly find a book out there to support your theory.
Read the original post HERE

It's always been interesting to me how nothing we feel, even something as universal as love, is ever straightforward. There are various interpretations of every emotion we feel, different "reasons" and motivations. There's no real way to know what is the right perception. All you can do is open your heart to all the possibilities and then let yourself believe what you believe.

And then love, of course. =)

Myers Selected as 2012 National Kid Lit Ambassador

2012-01-03T10:47:00.004-05:00

If this year's choice for national ambassador for young people’s literature is any indication, 2012 is going to be viscerally gritty, darkly honest, and powerfully inspiring.

Walter Dean Myers is a bestselling author of a variety of children's genres (nonfiction, picture books, etc.), but he's most well known for his young adult works. Tackling topics such as drugs, gangs, war, and more in their relation to teens, Myers isn't afraid to explore the truth about the world we live in. A shocking but awesome choice for our national ambassador, in my humble opinion. The New York Times reports:

On the rough-edged streets of Harlem in the 1940s, the young Walter Dean Myers knew better than to carry his library books where other children could see them.
“I was teased if I brought my books home,” said Mr. Myers, now a prolific and award-winning children’s book author. “I would take a paper bag to the library and put the books in the bag and bring them home. Not that I was that concerned about them teasing me — because I would hit them in a heartbeat. But I felt a little ashamed, having books.”
On Tuesday Mr. Myers, 74, will be named the national ambassador for young people’s literature, a sort of poet laureate of the children’s book world who tours the country for two years, speaking at schools and libraries about reading and literacy.
As an African-American man who dropped out of high school but built a successful writing career — largely because of his lifelong devotion to books — Mr. Myers said his message would be etched by his own experiences.
“I think that what we need to do is say reading is going to really affect your life,” he said in an interview at his book-cluttered house here in Jersey City, adding that he hoped to speak directly to low-income minority parents. “You take a black man who doesn’t have a job, but you say to him, ‘Look, you can make a difference in your child’s life, just by reading to him for 30 minutes a day.’ That’s what I would like to do.”
Mr. Myers is the third person to be appointed to the post, which was created in 2008 and is chosen by a committee formed by two groups: the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and Every Child a Reader, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Children’s Book Council, a trade association for children’s book publishers. He succeeds Katherine Paterson, the novelist best known for her “Bridge to Terabithia,” and the first appointee, Jon Scieszka, author of books including “The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.”
The choice of Mr. Myers represents a departure from his predecessors and is likely to be seen as a bold statement. His books chronicle the lives of many urban teenagers, especially young, poor African-Americans. While his body of work includes poetry, nonfiction and the occasional cheerful picture book for children, its standout books offer themes aimed at young-adult readers: stories of teenagers in violent gangs, soldiers headed to Iraq and juvenile offenders imprisoned for their crimes.
While many young-adult authors shy away from such risky subject material, Mr. Myers has used his books to confront the darkness and despair that fill so many children’s lives.
But he does so, critics say, with a sense of possibility. Writing in The New York Times Book Review in 2008, Leonard S. Marcus praised Mr. Myers’s body of work. “Drugs, drive-by shootings, gang warfare, wasted lives — Myers has written about all these subjects with nuanced understanding and a hard-won, qualified sense of hope,” Mr. Marcus wrote.
Robin Adelson, the executive director of the Children’s Book Council, said that while there was a hard edge to Mr. Myers’s writing, there was also the message of holding yourself up and believing in what you can do.
“I think part of what makes him such a great choice for this post is that his writing is a little bit of everything,” she said. “There’s this interest in history and this deep knowledge of history in Walter’s writing. Then there’s this definite hard-core, hard-edged realism.”
His appointment could be viewed as another volley in a debate that intensified last year about young adult literature and whether it is too grim, too dark and too violent for the age group. An essay in The Wall Street Journal in June by Meghan Cox Gurdon questioned contemporary teenage fiction that “can be like a hall of fun-house mirrors, constantly reflecting back hideously distorted portrayals of what life is.”
Read the rest of the NYT article HERE

Manuscripts + Kittens = Awesome

2011-12-21T14:34:00.002-05:00

My dear friend and former author Allison Pang sent this my way today. Apparently it reminds her of me--which after watching, I totally get. LOL

Harry Potter Puppet Fun!

2011-12-19T15:17:00.003-05:00

Oh the Harry Potterness of it all....

Only Bookstore in Astoria Closing Its Doors

2011-12-19T09:41:00.004-05:00

Not only is Seaburn Books the only independent bookstore in Astoria, Queens, but it's the only bookstore in Astoria PERIOD. (I should know; I live there!) I walk by Seaburn on a regular basis and, I'm ashamed to say it, but I have never gone in. I keep meaning to--I've heard great things about the store (and their coffee!)--and I was bummed to hear this morning via The Daily News that it'll soon be closing:

The only independent book store in Astoria selling mainstream titles is slated to close its doors for good this month.

Seaburn Bookstore has been losing money for years and its owner tried to shutter the shop last year.

But an outpouring of community support at the time — and a jump in sales — prompted the owner, Sam Chekwas, to keep the beloved store open. He even remodelled and added an Internet cafe to appeal to new customers.

But after sales began to slip again in June and he faced a five-year lease renewal and rent hike, Chekwas decided it was time to close the final chapter on his 16-year-old business.

He said he plans to open a small book shop in his Long Island City warehouse used for his independent book publishing and online sales business next year.

“I feel quite awful about it,” Chekwas said of the closing. “We gave it all we had. ... The sales were just not there to justify it.”

More and more customers were coming in asking for digital books for their NOOKs and Kindles, he said, and he simply couldn’t compete.

“Where we are is a high-rent area where you really have to sell a lot of books,” said Chekwas, who has had a hard time competing with online merchants such as Amazon.com, which sell books at a fraction of their cover price.

“In 10 years from now, kids that are born today may not have a need for paper books,” he said.

Matthew Flamm, a Crain’s New York Business reporter who covers media, said New York City booksellers also have to contend with high rents and a lousy economy.

“This transition to e-books is just an added blow,” Flamm said. “You may have survived Amazon as a book retailer, but the question is can you survive Amazon and Barnes & Noble as e-book sellers?”

Oren Teicher, CEO of the American Booksellers Association, which represents 1,600 merchants, said independent shops can and do survive.

“There are more independent book stores in the United States today than there were a few years ago,” he said, citing member data. “Nothing beats browsing for books in a physical store — despite all the quantum leaps forward in technology.”

Seaburn customer Danielle Rhodes, of Astoria, said she wished the shop would stay open.

“I’m sad it’s closing because it’s the only book store in Astoria,” Rhodes said. “It’s nice to walk in here and look for books.”
Read the original post HERE

Heartbreaking, to say the least. =(

Ryan Gosling + Library Talk = Swoon

2011-12-07T17:22:00.002-05:00

My colleague sent an amazing link my way today to a Tumblr account called "Hey Girl, I like the Library too." On the other end of this glorious link is pictures of one Ryan Gosling with library-related semi-pick up lines attached.

Hilarity (and swooning) ensued.

Friday Fun with Reading T-shirts!

2011-12-02T11:19:00.004-05:00

I think I found a new favorite online reading-related t-shirt shop: TopatoCo.com

"Fulfill your inner and/or outer librarian. Prepare for 'Dewey Decimals' to take on a whole new meaning. Just be quiet."

"She Blinded Me with Library Science" Link

"What's the difference between books and boys? People pay money for used books, hey now." *snerk*

"Books Not Boys" link

"Würdwürm has an insatiable appetite for all forms of literature. But who doesn't? It's good for the mind, and the paper is delicious."

"Insatiable Reader" Link

"From the eager mind of Extreme Canadian history artist Kate Beaton comes the most accurate t-shirt a person can buy. If you've ever read a book you understand what this is about. It is crazy."

"This Shit is Crazy" Link

HUGO Actor to Star in Adaptation of SF Classic "Ender's Game"

2011-11-30T13:25:00.006-05:00

I don't have to be shocked anymore that there isn't a film adaptation of Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game even in the works. Because now there is! GalleyCat tells us the film is currently being cast.

Asa Butterfield, who flawlessly plays Hugo Cabret in the current adaptation of The Invention of Hugo Cabret seems to have accepted the role of Ender, according to the cast list on IMBD. And after seeing the skilled young actor's performance in "Hugo," I can definitely buy him as the brilliant child protagonist Ender Wiggin.

Deadline New York tells us a bit more about the plan for the film:

Asa Butterfield, the 14-year old title star of Martin Scorsese’s 3D film Hugo, has been offered the title role in Ender’s Game, the Odd Lot Entertainment adaptation of the Orson Scott Card science fiction novel. Summit Entertainment will release the film March 15, 2013. Gavin Hood, who helmed Tsotsi and Wolverine, is directing. Ender’s Game is a seminal futuristic novel that Card originated as a short story in 1977 and then turned into a 1985 book that won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards and spawned a series. The storyline begins on Earth after a devastating alien attack, when gifted children are recruited by a government desperate to fight back. The kids train to fight the seemingly invincible, ruthless aliens on a hyper-realistic spaceflight/combat simulator referred to as the game. A young boy emerges as a genius strategist and the planet’s best hope to destroy the alien Formic race.

Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman are producing through their K/O Paper Products banner, along with Odd Lot’s Gigi Pritzker and Linda McDonough, the author and Lynn Hendee. Digital Domain is also an equity partner.

Read the original post HERE

And check out the clip below of Card himself discussing the film during a lecture at Christopher Newport University.

Thanksgivings with Morrie: What Character Would You Dine With?

2011-11-23T08:33:00.004-05:00

With Thanksgiving Eve upon us, if you will, and my energy continuing to wane from a stressful week, I thought we'd take a hint from the Huffington Post today and talk about our favorite literary characters and who you'd invite over to your Thanksgiving table.

As a child, I hated Thanksgiving, but if you'd asked me back then what character from a book I'd suffer through the turkey and stuffing with, I'm sure I would've spouted the name of ever babysitter from The Babysitter's Club, all the Sweet Valley High folk, Harold (and the Purple Crayon, of course), Ramona and Beezus (what a crazy meal that would be), and the list would go on and on.

Now that I'm grown, the tables have turned: I adore Thanksgiving food and am struggling to figure out which character I'd invite to dine. Part of me feels it'd want it to be someone from the Classics, to fulfill that whole Thanksgiving-feeling of history and culture--like Laurie from Little Women or Jean Valjean from Les Miserables. But then I think how fun it would be to chat with someone more modern, someone youthful who crosses lines and surprises people with his/her strength of character--like Lyra from The Golden Compass or Katniss from The Hunger Games.

What about you? What character would you share your Thanksgiving with if you could??

Guesting at Warrior Writers Today!

2011-11-18T15:03:00.004-05:00

I'm guest blogging today about the 8 building blocks of a great story over at Warrior Writers, the blog of the fabulous social media guru and author Kristin Lamb!

Check it out! (And if you comment, you are entered into the running to win a critique from Kristin herself--whee!)

GO HERE! --> http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/2011/11/18/taking-your-novel-from-good-to-great/

Book Country Launch! It's Official!

2011-11-16T09:47:00.004-05:00

This morning, Book Country--the project I've been slaving over for the past year--has officially launched!!!! It's stressful and scary but also super exciting so I wanted to share it with you all. Our press release is below!

BOOK COUNTRY LAUNCHES SELF PUBLISHING SERVICES

Penguin’s Online Genre Fiction Writing Community Broadens Path to Publication

NEW YORK, November 16, 2011 -- Book Country, the online community dedicated to genre fiction launched by Penguin Group (USA) earlier this year, today introduced a suite of self-publishing tools, marking the first entry by a unit of a Big Six publisher into this fast-growing, non-traditional segment of the book industry.

"In combination with free access to our community and all it offers readers and writers of original genre fiction, these professional tools provide a direct path to publication for those who choose to go the self-publishing route," said Molly Barton, president of Book Country. "And the site remains a great way for authors to get their manuscripts read, critiqued and workshopped in preparation for readers."

The BookCountry.com site has attracted more than 120,000 unique visitors since going into public beta in May and has close to 4,000 members who have posted over 500 works of genre fiction and offered thousands of constructive critiques of those works. Publishing professionals have used the site to scout for new authors. A small number of writers in the community have secured agents. The new self-publishing tools will add another way for site members to reach readers.

David Shanks, chief executive of Penguin Group (USA), said, "Penguin is committed to maintaining its leadership position in digital publishing and that includes offering self-publishing services that are consistent with our overall strategy of connecting a broad variety of writers to the reading public. With its focus on nurturing and supporting new voices, Book Country is the perfect vehicle for introducing a new kind of self publishing that offers a more professional product and provides guidance that isn't currently available from other players."

While there are dozens of book packagers and self-publishing sites, Book Country is the only one that allows writers to create an eBook and a print book in one simple flow. Book Country combines a robust peer review process, a staff with decades of book publishing experience, and groundbreaking browsing tools to help writers be discovered. Book Country also provides a cover creator tool and suggests fonts and styles that would be appropriate for the book's genre. And unlike other self-publishing sites, the author can make up to 15 free formatting changes if they need to make small refinements late in the process. Three options—user-formatted eBook only, user-formatted eBook and print, and professional eBook and print—are available. Start to finish, the Book Country self-publishing process is streamlined and simple, while offering flexibility and customization.

"Self publishing is a trend that isn't going away," said Ms. Barton. "There are a growing number of authors who simply want to go directly to readers with their books. We respect that new reality and the changed landscape that technology has brought to book publishing."

In addition to being Book Country's President, Ms. Barton leads Penguin US's efforts to publish apps, enriched eBooks, and eSpecials, which are digital-only essays and short stories. As Global Digital Director at Penguin, she is applying her vision and knowledge of digital publishing to developing key elements of Book Country's offerings.

“Book Country is egalitarian and merit-based while fostering an atmosphere of encouragement and creativity,” explains Ms. Barton. “We created the site because while writing and publishing sites have proliferated in recent years, none are focused on supporting genre fiction writers from inspiration to publication.”

Visit Book Country at www.BookCountry.com.

"Firelight" Coming to the Big Screen = I am Giddy

2011-11-15T12:53:00.007-05:00

In the past five days, I've devoured the first two books in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's new YA series--Firelight and Vanish. And I mean, DEVOURED. I zipped through them, basically drooling for more. And I have no idea how long I have to wait for the next book!

Another thing I have to wait for? The film adaptation! But I won't have to wait too long. Firelight has already been optioned by Mandalay Pictures, according to Variety.com (and Sophie herself! I met her at a conference last month and she officially rocks.):

In a pre-emptive move, Mandalay Pictures has nabbed big-screen rights to the just-published young adult novel "Firelight." Supernatural tale, the first in a three-book series, was penned by bestselling author Sophie Jordan, aka Sharie Kohler.
Story follows twin teenage sisters, the descendants of dragons who live in secret with their endangered pride. When their mother learns that the pride has a dark plan for one of the girls who possesses the rare talent of fire breathing, she spirits the twins away to live a normal life among humans.
The Harper Teen book was one of the five selected by the YA Editor's Buzz Panel at Book Expo America in May.
Peter Guber and Cathy Schulman are producing "Firelight" via their Mandalay banner. Adam Stone will oversee for the company and serve in some producing capacity.
The pre-emptive move is the latest for Mandalay, which recently optioned the bestseller "Horns" by Joe Hill, the soon-to-be-published "Machine Man" by Max Barry and "Lonely Hearts Club" by Elizabeth Eulberg.
Mandalay just wrapped the Pierce Brosnan-Ed Harris starrer "Salvation Boulevard" and the Sean McNamara-helmed drama "Soul Surfer."
The "Firelight" deal was made by Maura Kye-Casella at Don Congdon Associates. Book scout Marcy Drogin brought the material to Mandalay.
See the original post HERE

So excited I can hardly stand it!

Amazon Lending Library = FAIL

2011-11-09T21:12:00.003-05:00

Since I've been living under a big rock called "Pre-Book Country Launch" for the past week, I just heard news of Amazon's recent foray in the library world. And I kind of wish I hadn't.

I like Amazon for its ease of shopping and quick delivery. I don't like Amazon for its requirement of proprietary DRM on Kindle and the way its trying to monopolize that aspect of the industry. I had thought I was going to give Amazon another "pro" on my little pro-con list when I first got word of the lending library endeavor. But then I kept listening.

I expected the Kindle Lending Library to be much like the Nook's Lend Me feature, something which I haven't gotten to experiment with yet given none of my friends have Nooks (that I know of, at least!). But the concept is brilliant. I'd love to be able to share eBooks with friends, just as I do with print books. It's one of my favorite ways to spread the love.

But much to my dismay, the Kindle Lending Library is only available to Amazon Prime members. Which means, there's an approximately 80-dollar price tag on that sucker. And that's not all: members can only borrow one book per month. So, really, you aren't borrowing an e-book at all. You're paying over $6.50 to read an e-book that you can't even keep.

Sure, a Prime membership gets you other features like deals on shipping from Amazon, etc., but for users who strictly wanted to partake in the library? It's no longer an option. For those readers, it makes more sense just to purchase the e-book and then have it at their fingertips to read whenever they want.

Amazon FAIL.

Celebs Knocking Celebs--Funny or Fickle?

2011-11-02T10:06:00.004-04:00

When skimming the Books page at HuffingtonPost.com this morning, a headline caught my eye: 'Celebrity Autobiography: The Next Chapter' Finds Unintended Humor in Stars' Memoirs.

At first I thought, "Oh man, this is going to be great!" but as I clicked in and started reading, I realized...it's kind of just mean! I know that's part of being famous and you open yourself up to scrutiny, especially when you write a not-so-good book, but come on now. Yes, some of it is hilarious, I'll admit, and the fact that many celebs have signed on to have their own work mocked is telling, but can't we create fresh humor anymore instead of just busting on other people for laughs? I've never been much for this kind of humor--SNL's constant people-bashing bothers me and only ever so often do I find those kinds of impressions actually funny. I don't get it...it's like sports fans who, instead of cheering for their own team, just put down the other teams. It drives me crazy!

I guess this turned to a slight rant about media these days in general and their lack of originality.
Whoops.

Anyway, take a peek at what the HuffPo has to say (and watch a sample video) and choose for yourself. I'm undecided:

Among the many lessons you'll learn when attending "Celebrity Autobiography: The Next Chapter": Joining the "mile-high" club is a lot more physically demanding, and considerably less erotic, than it looks. Italian really is the language of love -- at least for one of the world's biggest pop superstars.
And finally, don't ever, ever f**k with America's sweetheart.

Ironically, a bevy of America's sweethearts both past and present are among the many celebrities given a humorous roast in "Celebrity Autobiography," the laugh-out-loud, endearingly kitschy show currently playing at New York's Triad Theatre. A unique comedy stand-up/cabaret/one-act theatrical hybrid, the show features a talented rotating cast (many of them well-known stars or media personalities in their own right) reading verbatim, usually with a wink and a nudge, from a vast array of celebrity memoirs. The self-indulgent, often eye-rollingly smug musings of a number of Hollywood and MTV A-listers, from Justin Bieber to Suzanne Somers to Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, lend the show its crispy comedic edge.

The show is a mix of monologues using straightforward passages read aloud from a given book and what creator Eugene Pack likes to call "mash-ups": different celebs' accounts on a similar theme (for example, celebrity diets) or a specific incident (a clever segment that weaves together varying accounts of the Elizabeth Taylor/Eddie Fisher/Debbie Reynolds love triangle is one of show's highlights). Yet Pack insists the show is meant purely for humor rather than to be mean-spirited toward the material's A-list, and often legendary, authors.

"When you listen to these passages, it's funny to discover what people are willing to reveal, how they reveal it and how seriously they take it," Pack, who says he developed the idea for the show after reading excerpts of Vanna White's autobiography, told The Huffington Post. "We don't ever want the show to be perceived as being skewering of celebrities. A lot of the performers in the show are actually admirers and, in some cases, close friends of those who wrote the books. If anything, we're making fun of memoirs in their own right and why we, as an audience, are fascinated by these details."

Once Pack had firmed up the idea for "Celebrity Autobiography," he and co-producer Dayle Reyfel began scouting out material for the show via used book shops as well as the hottest new releases on the celebrity memoir market. The pair continue to refresh the evening's program with fresh passages; over 300 biographies have been covered in the show to date.

"You usually can skim through the book and see if the tone is right for the show," noted Reyfel, who also performs regularly. "Burt Reynolds has so much great material in his book; some books really are golden from beginning to end."

No doubt the success of "Celebrity Autobiography" also rests on the shoulders of its many performers. The Oct. 10 line-up featured Tony Danza, "Saturday Night Live" alum Rachel Dratch and Sherri Shepherd of "The View" (who revealed a surprisingly natural talented for mimicking celebrities' accents) but Kristen Wiig, Ryan Reynolds, Justin Long and even "Brady Bunch" matriarch Florence Henderson are among those who've also dropped in for a performance.

"It's a wonderful surprise for the audience," said "Saturday Night Live" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" scribe Alan Zweibel, a regular performer in the show who lends a particularly dry wit to most of his readings. After recalling one night when he was required to physically lick Henderson during the show, Zweibel noted that, in many cases, the unintended joke is actually on the audience rather than the authors: "What's pervasive is the absolute, unmitigated ego of these celebrities who think that we care about these minute details of their lives. At the same time, everybody's got a story, and there is always someone out there who is buying these things."

Reyfel says she and Pack also maintain a running "wish list" of performers they hope to eventually feature in the show, including Ricky Gervais and Bette Midler. And to those who feel "Celebrity Autobiography" is too harsh on their idols, Pack is quick to point out that celebrities themselves have, in some cases, even suggested their memoirs for use in the show. "Brooke Shields wants us to read from her book," noted Pack. "Everyone usually seems game to jump in and really go for it."

See the original post HERE

New Release: "Unquenchable" by Natalie MacLean

2011-11-01T12:10:00.007-04:00

If you know me personally, you probably know that I am a BIG wine fan. I'm not quite a connoisseur but I know enough to understand my father when he begins the wine talk as he decants and I can follow along when visiting a vineyard or wine bar. I'd love to learn more though--and with my friend Natalie MacLean's new book, Unquenchable, releasing today I now have a great opportunity. Whee!

Natalie's traveled the world researching, tasting, and exploring some of the best bargain wines. She's taken those experiences and blended them up to provide not only entertaining anecdotes and delicious recommendations but also to give the amateur wino some real knowledge about wine. I, for one, am stoked to give it a read.

To celebrate, I just may have to raise a glass of my own favorite bargain wine find--Apothic Red (also known in my apartment as the "house red"). I'm not sure what it is about this vino, but something about it is just right!

Happy Release Day, Natalie!

Check out her book trailer below for more info and visit her website:

WSJ Adds E-Books to Bestseller List

2011-10-31T10:20:00.004-04:00

If anyone is still arguing that e-books are a passing fad, last Friday's announcement of the Wall Street Journal adding an e-book section to their bestseller list should make them think twice.

According to Publishers Lunch, this past weekend marked the inaugural weekend edition:

Starting [Saturday, October 29, 2001], the WSJ's Weekend edition will feature their own ebook bestseller lists. Like the NYT lists, the Journal will present both ebook-only lists for fiction and nonfiction, as well as combined print and ebook lists in both categories. All titles are eligible--self-published, children's, backlist, etc.--as long as they have a minimum price of 99 cents or higher.

Nielsen BookScan is aggregating the data for the WSJ, drawing on what the release calls "all major retailers," said to include Amazon, Nook, iBookstore, Sony and Google eBooks among others.

Like the other WSJ charts, the new lists will be positional only, and will not reveal actual ebook sales. Nielsen declined to indicate if or when ebook data from major retailers might be incorporate into the BookScan subscription product.

Amazon is in talks with Chinese regulators to sell their Kindle devices in China, according to a report from Soho IT. Amazon senior vp Marc Onetto is quoted as saying that talks are centered around copyright issues, and that there is no timetable for when the devices might launch in China, if at all. Amazon recently dropped the Joyo name (after the company it acquired in 2004 to gain a foothold in China) and rebranded its Chinese website to Z.cn.
Reuters

Atria will release Gary Schwartz's THE IMPULSE ECONOMY: Understanding Mobile Shoppers and What Makes Them Buy as a "smart book", with 1,000 copies stickered with an RFID chip that allows mobile phones to access special content.
Release

Finally, in the latest e-reader rumors department, a grammatically-challenged source tells the Digital Reader that Barnes & Noble will announce its newest Nook Color on November 7 and is expanding their in-store Nook boutiques in preparation.
Read the original post HERE

Topping these first WSJ e-book lists were Bonnie by Iris Johansen (fiction e-book) and Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly (nonfiction e-book).

MTV Under the Microscope in New Book

2011-10-19T08:00:00.001-04:00

My mom never let me watch MTV when I was a kid. It was crude and too mature for us, she'd say. Which, looking back, was true. (Even now it offends me a large portion of the time.) Not that VH1--which I watched religiously--was all that much better. But at least what VH1 did was truly about the musicians and the music videos and not about the late teen-early 20-something insanely unrealistic lifestyle. It had a different kind of merit, that's for sure. MTV's tactic never made much sense to me, to be honest, especially given it's supposedly music television that is less and less focused on the tunes every day.

I'm not the only one baffled by this change in concept, and I'm certainly not the only one who misses true VH1 and early MTV style video programming ("Pop-up Video" anyone? which apparently has made a recent reprise). Even people in the music biz are curious about this crazy evolution. Take former Blender editors Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum, for example. They were so intrigued they've investigated the matter for us viewers in their new book I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution.

The Observer's "Very Short List" tells us a little bit about it:

Can you imagine a world without MTV? If so, the joke’s on you, because MTV hasn’t been itself for something like 20 years now—ever since it strayed from its raison d’être and pretty much stopped airing music videos.

In this fascinating oral history, ex–Blender editors Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum tell the story of Music Television’s incredible first decade. The authors have done their homework, interviewing hundreds of VJs, musicians, and industry insiders—most of whom sound like they’ve been waiting years to get these stories off their chests. It all makes for riveting (if occasionally revolting) reading, and a book we expect to see on the best-seller lists.

See the original review HERE

I'm not typically one to be instantly curious about nonfiction titles, but this one jumped out to me. I may have to check it out.

While I decide though, let's flash back to the "Pop-up Video" phenomenon I mentioned earlier...I cannot stop thinking about it now!

Stephanie Plum actually coming to the big screen--for real this time!

2011-10-18T18:01:00.004-04:00

After a productive--and exhausting--ComicCon, I was persuaded to take the day off today. Use it as a mental health day and relax, do something fun, and reboot. I did some reading at a cafe, a little writing, and treated myself to a movie.

And what trailer did I see before the show but the ever-so-awaited ONE FOR THE MONEY!

Finally being released in January 2012, it actually looks pretty fun!

ComicCon Stirs Up Thoughts About DC--B&N Showdown

2011-10-13T10:11:00.007-04:00

ComicCon officially starts today with press night tonight from 4-7, so I'm ready with my Book Country t-shirt to head over this afternoon and start boothing it up. It's my first time at ComicCon and it's sure to be insanity but what I'm most curious about actually has nothing to do with the Con itself.

Last week, Barnes & Noble confirmed that they will be removing a number of DC Comics products from their stores due to DC's recent deal with Amazon, according to ICv2.com:

Cv2 has confirmed that Barnes & Noble, the world’s largest bookseller, is removing 100 of DC’s bestselling backlist titles from its 705 retail stores in the U.S. The action is being taken as a result of DC’s exclusive deal with Amazon on those titles for the Kindle Fire (see “Watchmen on Kindle”), making them unavailable for Barnes and Noble’s Nook e-reader. Amazon priced at least some of those titles at $9.99, or roughly half the price of the print editions (see “Kindle Launches Graphic Novel Price War”). It appears that the action, at least for now, applies only to the brick and mortar stores; BN.com is still offering Watchmen (at $10.87) as of this writing.

Barnes & Noble appears to be making an example of DC for other publishers thinking of giving Amazon exclusive content for the Kindle, and is willing to lose some sales to make its point clear.

We haven’t heard what the term of the DC exclusive with the Kindle is, but there will be a window of at least some months, including the all-important holiday season, with vastly reduced availability of those titles in chain bookstores. This will offer an opportunity for all of B&N’s competitors, and will undoubtedly hurt DC’s graphic novel sales through the end of the year.

As we wrote when this started, “DC’s deal with Amazon for the Kindle Fire is a potentially disruptive game-changer that could have far-reaching impacts on the market for physical and digital graphic novels in the future.”

Read the original article HERE

The piece goes on to provide a list of the graphic novels in question, including beloved titles like THE SANDMAN, THE GREEN LANTERN and FABLES.

With this big development, you can bet my ears will be open for commentary at the Con the next few days. I'm sure exhibitors and wanderers alike will have much to say...

Hump Day Humor: "Go the F*ck to Sleep"

2011-10-12T19:48:00.000-04:00

I'm a bit behind on this one (it happened in June....errrr), but I just about died laughing when I finally saw it.

On June 14th, Werner Herzog, documentary filmmaker and narrator, reads aloud the hilarious childrens' book for adults Go the F*ck to Sleep by Adam Mansbach at the New York Public Library.

The Outlet tells us more:

The evening at the New York Public Library began with a recording of Werner Herzog reading a dirty book. Well, it isn’t a dirty book per se. What we have is a children’s book for adults that utilizes a double narrative from a frustrated parent. One is the straightforward lullaby that the child is meant to hear. The other is the internal monologue of a parent whose rage crescendos when the unaware child just won’t “go the fuck to sleep.” Said dual nature came across seamlessly when treated with Herzog’s narration last night, and with what one can hope will be multiple audio versions coming out in the future, I can see Go the Fuck to Sleep becoming a conduit for some pretty damn amazing performance art.

Read the full article HERE

And now....the video:

P.S. Can I just add how amazing it is that Samuel L. Jackson narrates the audio version?!

Book Review: "Our Time" by Josh Seefried

2011-10-11T09:43:00.003-04:00

This month marks an important time in American history. Not only was it the 10-year anniversary of 9-11, a time we each remember all too vividly, but it is also a time of a great equalizer for the United States military. What am I talking about, you wonder: the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

A legislation passed in 1993, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" gave homosexuals the right to serve in the military--if they keep mum about it. A bogus law if I ever heard one. Sexual preference has no bearing on one's ability to protect and defend. Pure and simple.

Soldiers have suffered in silence for years, though, treated as if the disparate nature of sexuality and dedication isn't so disparate at all. Our Time: Breaking the Silence of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (Penguin Press, October 2011), a new book of essays edited by Josh Seefried, finally gives those soldiers a voice. More than 45 active-duty LGBT soldiers share their first hand accounts in this powerful and gracious collection. Seefried explains why in his Introduction:

These soldiers are an example for service in the post-"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" military. They are a reminder that respect and professionalism is already a part of our culture. What we need now is leadership. Gay service members must lead from the front openly and straight colleagues must help create an atmosphere of acceptance and respect. This is the message that the men and women who contributed to t his book are sending with their stories. It's now our time. (Our Time, 5)

It was enlightening as I began to read Our Time. I personally have a great deal of respect and am in full support of the LGBT community at large. But even so, I guess I never really understood exactly what people go through when they're unable to publicly recognize who they truly are. It's something that the hetero population can't grasp--who we feel attracted/connected to, who we love, who we want to spend our lives with is just allowed to be. It's unquestioned and natural, making it difficult to imagine what it'd be like if we couldn't just be. Reading these soldiers' stories gave me a perspective I otherwise wouldn't have really seen. I could spout my thoughts about equality and same-sex marriage and all the things, but until now, I hadn't sincerely understood the disgrace, the fear, the loneliness that so many people are forced to deal with every day, in and out of the military.

While some of the accounts may feel repetitive at times, I think that's part of the point. This is not discrimination that only rare cases deal with--it's a common occurrence that needs to stop. One particular essay, though, by Tania Dunbar, touched me very deeply, sending literal chills through me as I read:

Tania Dunbar is a warrant officer in the U.S. Army. She was deployed in Iraq at the time of writing this, and is currently stationed in Georgia.

I have been in the Army for almost twelve years. My very first day in basic training, I knew I had found my calling. I also knew that I was gay, and I wasn't supposed to be there. My recruiter had made me sign a piece of paper saying I was not gay, have never had sex with anyone of the same sex, and had never attempted to marry anyone of the same sex. I signed it because I did not understand the extent to which the Army was going to make me hide a part of myself.

For the past eleven years I have had to conceal my family from my friends. Soldiers, with whom I sweat, bleed, and cry, can't ever meet the woman I love. Soldiers who depend on me for sound judgment and advice can never know who I myself go to when I need advice or solace. Friends who would die for me can't ever meet the person who makes me want to live. Don't get me wrong--there are a few soldiers who know I am gay, but it takes a long time to learn if you can trust someone with a secret that can ruin your career. So I don't make friends easily, I never have get-togethers at my home, and I don't go to military functions very often. For me, home life cannot mix with work life.

I am in Iraq now, separated from the love of my life, and I can't share that pain with anyone. If I am hurt or I die while in combat here, my girlfriend will not be notified. She wouldn't even be able to visit me in the hospital. We have to depend on an intricate web of lies and code words to get us through a year of separation. I find it strange to think that I am in a foreign country, making sure that other people are able to exercise their democratic rights, ensuring that they get their basic civil rights--to life, liberty, and happiness--while I don't get those same basic rights. And yet our allies allow homosexuals to serve openly in their militaries; they are deployed with us, and enjoy full rights.

Department of Defense Directive 5120.36, issued in July 1963 by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, clearly states: "Every military commander has the responsibility to oppose discriminatory practices affecting his men and their dependents and to foster equal opportunity for them, not only in areas under his immediate control, but also in nearby communities where they may live or gather in off-duty hours."

That directive was issued to deal directly with racism in areas surrounding military communities fifteen years after Executive Order 9981, in which President Truman ordered the military to integrate. It was an obvious example of the military righting a wrong, just as the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" will be. The message--that military leaders have a responsibility to create an environment of tolerance and equality---is the same.

I love the Army and I love my girlfriend, and I should not have to choose between them. I volunteered to sacrifice my life for this country, but I can't even hug my girlfriend good-bye before I deploy. You have asked me to deploy twice to protect other people in other countries. You have asked me to stand vigil against terrorists in our country. I am asking the same from you now: I am asking you to treat me equally, protect me from injustice, and help me when other try to hurt me.

(Excerpted from Our Time: Breaking the Silence of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" by Josh Seefried. Reprinted by arrangement with The Penguin Press, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc. Copyright (c) Joshua David Seefried, 2011.)

When I finished this essay, I spoke aloud in my empty apartment, "Wow. I get it now." Obviously, without experiencing it myself, I'll never fully "get it," but if each and every one of us can get just a tiny bit closer to really understanding, imagine what the world could be like.

While the repeal is certainly a step in the right direction, we all know old stigmas and biases still remain. We can only hope that the discrimination and harassment that so many soldiers have dealt with prior to and under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" decreases as homosexuality begins to be acknowledged--and hopefully embraced--by all.

The Last Word: An inspiring collection shot through with a chilling hopefulness about the things we're all capable of if we truly open up to one another.

Visit me at ComicCon this week!

2011-10-10T18:10:00.002-04:00

If you're heading to ComicCon, be sure to come by the Book Country booth, #2028, and say hi to me! We also have some great swag to give away!

Check it out --> http://bookcountry.com/Industry/Article.aspx?articleId=120815

A Friday Afternoon Maimed Dog Toy Giggle...Yes, That's Right

2011-09-30T17:48:00.007-04:00

I don't have much blogging energy today--it was a rough one in the office--but I saw this featured on the theHuffingtonPost.com and had to share the giggles:

Any dog or cat owner will speak of a favored toy that, in the course of being gnawed, shredded, punctured, torn, eviscerated, has become an indispensable companion to their pet. They will recount with wonder their pet's specific manner of ravaging this toy, or even try to convince you that a deliberate pattern of transformation is at work. But do they ever really see this bedraggled object of their beloved pet's desire?

For our new photo book "Chewed," we decided to take a close look at these comically distorted creatures. We began by coaxing these casualties of tough love from pet-owning friends. Soon we were swamped with boxes containing plush animals, rubber squeakies and unidentifiable bits and pieces. We photographed these slobbery victims in a formal yet humorous style as seen through the eyes of the adoring pet.

Below are excerpts from delightful and poignant short stories by contributors who were inspired by their favorite "Chewed" photograph: visit www.chewedbook.com.

Though Bunny is now missing the upper half of its body, one can easily imagine the lack of hesitation Dog displayed as it plucked Bunny's black button eyes from its face, the satisfying snap of thread as the flat discs popped from the soft skull.

The entire head was obviously devoured. And no matter how cute those floppy, bent-at-the-tip ears may have been, they were not cute enough to stop Dog from seizing and pulverizing them with his wolf-powered, drooling, gaping maw.

Bunny's throat was gleefully sawed open with inch-long front incisors, esophagus stuffing flying through the room as Dog shook his head violently, rabidly from side to side.

Torso? Gone. Belly? Gone...

Never get divorced in California. When they say you split everything down the middle, they mean everything. What hurt most is that I was there from the beginning - a corny Hollywood story you've heard a million times, but I really thought they were different. I'd been a prize in the free throw game at the Santa Monica pier for almost a year; it's not that nobody wanted me, they all did, but I was always just out of reach (10 in a row), til he came along, Johnny Nesbitt...

Q. *Gracie. What happened?

A. I can't remember the details. I blanked out. But I'll be honest I loved every minute of it. We'd been polite for years and then one day *Georgie just lost it and he started going for it.

Q. Is there any part of it you regret?

A. In my line of work it's what you expect. You come off the assembly line fresh and fluffy and you pray for this to happen. I don't know how I can explain it to you except to say it's what I'm created for.

Q. But from the looks of things there was violence.

A. Violence? Are you kidding? Try Ecstasy!

Q. Did you learn anything?

A. I learned to surrender. To live my life. I faced my worst fears and was delighted with the outcome. Okay maybe I'm not as beautiful as I was ten years ago but who is? I considered plastic surgery but I hate it. It's so obvious and desperate. Better to look your age...
See the original post HERE

*snerk*

Amazon Announces "Fire" Tablet

2011-09-29T09:50:00.007-04:00

So, it's official: Amazon has released a tablet to compete with the iPad. And at a surpisingly low price point of $199.

Here's what Amazon had to say in their press release (courtesy of Engadget.com):

Millions of people are already reading on Kindles and Kindle is the bestselling e-reader in the world for four years running. Today, Amazon is excited to introduce an all-new Kindle family: three all-new Kindle e-readers that are smaller, lighter, and more affordable than ever before, and Kindle Fire - a new class of Kindle that brings the same ease-of-use and deep integration of content that helped Kindle re-invent reading - to movies, TV shows, music, magazines, apps, books, games, and more.

"We've now reached the magical two-digit price point for Kindle - twice: the new Kindle and Kindle Touch are only $79 and $99. Kindle Touch 3G is the new top of the line e-reader with free 3G - no monthly fees or annual contracts - and is only $149," said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com Founder and CEO. "Kindle Fire brings together all of the things we've been working on at Amazon for over 15 years into a single, fully-integrated service for customers. With Kindle Fire, you have instant access to all the content, free storage in the Amazon Cloud, the convenience of Amazon Whispersync, our revolutionary cloud-accelerated web browser, the speed and power of a state-of-the-art dual-core processor, a vibrant touch display with 16 million colors in high resolution, and a light 14.6 ounce design that's easy to hold with one hand - all for only $199. We're offering premium products, and we're doing it at non-premium prices."

[...]

The all-new Kindle Fire - with all the content, Amazon's revolutionary cloud-accelerated browser, free storage in the Amazon Cloud, Whispersync, 14.6 ounce design that's easy to hold with one hand, brilliant color touchscreen, and a fast and powerful dual core processor - is only $199. Customers in the U.S. can pre-order Kindle Fire starting today at www.amazon.com/kindlefire and it ships November 15.

See the press release HERE

The press release also details the specific content-related features of the Fire, which Engadget.com managing editor, Darren Murph, points out seems to be Amazon's focus:

It's also quite clear that Amazon's hoping to make a bigger splash on the content side of things than has been made already by Apple, and with the deals flowing like wine, we wouldn't be shocked if it does just that.

I'm not sure how I feel about this whole "Amazon Fire" thing. The name in itself makes me crazy--I keep thinking of e-bookcases being set aflame! And while I feel like Amazon is slowly taking over the world, it is nice to see more than just the iPad out there and at a more reasonable price.

A New Kind of Reading Rainbow

2011-09-26T10:17:00.005-04:00

A little over two years ago, PBS announced the ending of the beloved television show Reading Rainbow. Now, host LeVar Burton is bringing it back in a new medium, according to GalleyCat:

Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton has raised funds for a follow-up to his beloved public television show, a series of smartphone and tablet enhanced eBooks for kids. His new company is called RRKidz.
The new website includes Burton’s trademark slogan from the show: “Coming Soon … but you don’t have to take my word for it.” Burton summarized the show with a twitter hashtag: “Reading Rainbow for today’s connected kids.”

Here’s more from FishbowlLA: “Fifteen months after indicating to New York Times columnist David Pogue at a Macworld event that he was raising money for a start-up, actor LeVar Burton is fully focused on the twain of education and enhanced children’s e-books. He tells Venture Beat that his company RRKidz has got $3 million in seed funding and is compiling a library of 300 iPad and Smartphone titles, with roughly 50 of those to be voiced by Burton himself. The actor is partnered on the project with Buffalo’s WNED-TV, rights-holder to the 1983-2006 PBS series Reading Rainbow.”
See the original post HERE

I'm impressed and excited by Burton's initiative here. It makes me happy to see that he's so much more than just a host and really invested in Reading Rainbow's goals and mission statement.

Yay for reading!

Unfair Judgment of PNR Get Under My Skin

2011-09-26T09:04:00.008-04:00

Earlier this year when book reviewer Paul Goat Allen posted an article on BarnesandNoble.com about the worst sex scenes in paranormal romance I tried to brush it off. Allen's ignorance about the genre was clear to me in the fact that he'd even write such a piece in the first place, taking one of the best-selling commercial fiction categories and mocking it publicly. PNR fans certainly wouldn't find it as amusing as he.

It was also seemingly apparent that he just flipped through some books, found some lines he found funny, and just wrote them down to make fun of them. Yes, some of the excerpts he pulls might make you cringe and giggle, but he's taken them out of context and completely disregarded the fact that some of the authors may not have even meant those lines seriously. I know more than one author who landed on that list and it's not uncommon in some snarky and spunky PNR for sex scenes to be written tongue-in-cheek, with the purpose of taking a common convention and pushing it beyond its limits intentionally for a laugh of its own. In addition, some of the quotes Allen pulls here aren't even from sex scenes. For example, Nicole Peeler's quote about "seaweed pubes" (yes, gross sounding haha) was actually describing an underwater character's hair. It had nothing to do with sex.

All that to say that Allen was not winning any points in my book. Even when confronted by an author about his misuse of her work, he recognized that he took it out of context and shrugged it off, not caring that he's characterizing her in an unfair negative light knowingly. For that, my respect for him dwindled even further.

Then, last week, I see that his oh-so-hilarious (*insert sarcasm here*) article has made it into the Huffington Post. Good, just what we need--his obnoxious opinion to be put in front of more viewers. Yay.

I was upset, to say the least. Not only for my friends, whose talent is immense, but for how this man was being made out to be a credible source for this kind of thing when he surely doesn't deserve the role. It did offer some solace to know that any PNR fan probably doesn't take his opinions to heart, that anyone with a head on her shoulders would see that you can't judge a book, or even a sex scene, by a sentence or two. The only people who would really find this amusing in the first place are the ones who don't read the genre, so at least it wasn't deterring sales for readers who actually are interested. In fact, for me, it made me more curious to read these books he highlights, to see for myself if he's just being an unfair jerk (I know. I'm *awesome* with the insults haha) or if there is truth in his commentary. I'll admit that I know there are instances of both on this list. And I will also say that, in general, Allen makes some good and accurate points about writing a sex scene in general. But my opinion definitely isn't stemming from what Allen chooses is "a cheesy sex scene." I'll be using my own legitimate judgment, thankyouverymuch. I hope you will too!

Blogging over at Book Country Today

2011-09-14T15:02:00.003-04:00

Head on over to Book Country to check out my post on the experience of revising my own writing--eek!

Scary, but it had to be done.

Read it HERE

New Book to Commemmorates 9/11

2011-09-07T20:44:00.003-04:00

In the middle of a particularly bad day at work yesterday, my friend Alex and I decided to escape and head out to lunch. We sat down, ordered a beer with our food (yes, it was one of those days), and each ranted for a few minutes. Then our conversation drifted in an unexpected direction. But when you're already struggling to get through each hour, what better topic to discuss than terrorism? (*Insert sarcasm here*)

With the upcoming 10-year anniversary of 9/11, it was naturally the main focus of our chat. The heroism of those on the planes, the hatred of those orchestrating the acts, the fear and pain that settled over the nation, that still pierces so many people with just the thought of the sunshine-filled nightmare of a day.

It changed all of our lives forever. Whether we were 43 (like my parents), 17 (like me), 12 (like my friend), or 7 (like, I don't know who), it affected every one of us.

And now, a decade later, Assouline Publishing is honoring the subtle and not-so-subtle ways it's turned our world upside-down with a new book, Art for Heart: Remember 9/11. This compilation not only commemorates September 11, 2001 but also will support the museum and memorials devoted to the event, according to GalleyCat:

The book features a collection of drawings created by young children shortly after the terrorist attacks.

All of the proceeds will be donated to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, a not-for-profit organization that operates the memorial and museum at Ground Zero. Museum director Alice M. Greenwald wrote the introduction and political journalist Christy Ferer wrote the forward.

Here’s more from the release: “In Art for Heart, the innocence so profoundly disrupted that day is nowhere better demonstrated than in the words and drawings created by children following the attacks. Straightforward and heartfelt, these works reveal the human instinct to bear witness, provide comfort, and attempt to make sense out of the unthinkable.”

Read the original post HERE

Friday Morning Excitement

2011-09-02T10:59:00.003-04:00

So, apparently Lionsgate has released a trailer preview for THE HUNGER GAMES film adaptation!!!!!

Can. Not. Wait.

NPR Shares Audience Top Picks for SF/F

2011-08-31T09:14:00.005-04:00

As fantasy novels get more and more attention these days through film and TV adaptations (Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones to name a few), people seem more inclined to admit liking fantasy novels in general.

The stigma of "geekiness" or "dorkdom" that seems attached to the genre is fading and the 28-year-old football fan who secretly enjoys Robert Jordan doesn't flush so red when sharing that morsel of information.

I'm loving this new-found confidence, and the fact that NPR released the top 100 audien ce picks for their favorite science fiction and fantasy novels just buttresses the notion that things are changing. It's not to say that lists like this don't already exist from popular websites/magazines/newspapers/etc, but it's nice to see it front and center like this. (The New York Times actually wrote an interesting piece recently on the topic too.)

That said, let's see what NPR found out:

More than 5,000 of you nominated. More than 60,000 of you voted. And now the results are in. The winners of NPR's Top 100 Science-Fiction and Fantasy survey are an intriguing mix of classic and contemporary titles. Over on NPR's pop culture blog, Monkey See, you can find one fan's thoughts on how the list shaped up, get our experts' take, and have the chance to share your own.

A quick word about what's here, and what's not: Our panel of experts reviewed hundreds of the most popular nominations and tossed out those that didn't fit the survey's criteria (after — we assure you — much passionate, thoughtful, gleefully nerdy discussion). You'll notice there are no young adult or horror books on this list, but sit tight, dear reader, we're saving those genres for summers yet to come.

So, at last, here are your favorite science-fiction and fantasy novels. (And a printable version, to take with you to the bookstore.)
1. The Lord Of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Tolkien's seminal three-volume epic chronicles the War of the Ring, in which Frodo the hobbit and his companions set out to destroy the evil Ring of Power and restore peace to Middle-earth. The beloved trilogy still casts a long shadow, having established some of the most familiar and enduring tropes in fantasy literature.
2. The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams

In the first, hilarious volume of Adams' Hitchhiker's series, reluctant galactic traveler Arthur Dent gets swept up in some literally Earth-shattering events involving aliens, sperm whales, a depressed robot, mice who are more than they seem, and some really, really bad poetry.

3. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Young Andrew "Ender" Wiggin, bred to be a genius, is drafted to Battle School where he trains to lead the century-long fight against the alien Buggers.

4. The Dune Chronicles by Frank Herbert

Follows the adventures of Paul Atreides, the son of a betrayed duke given up for dead on a treacherous desert planet and adopted by its fierce, nomadic people, who help him unravel his most unexpected destiny.

5. A Song Of Ice And Fire Series by George R.R. Martin

As the Seven Kingdoms face a generation-long winter, the royal Stark family confronts the poisonous plots of the rival Lannisters, the emergence of the Neverborn demons, the arrival of barbarian hordes, and other threats.
[...]
10. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
On the plane home to attend the funerals of his wife and best friend, Shadow, an ex-con, encounters an enigmatic stranger who seems to know a lot about him. When Shadow accepts the stranger's job offer, he finds himself plunged into a perilous game with the highest of stakes: the soul of America itself.
11. The Princess Bride by William Goldman

This tale of a handsome farm boy who, aided by a drunken swordsman and a gentle giant, rescues a beautiful princess named Buttercup comes with a slyly humorous, metafictional edge: Goldman claims to have merely abridged an earlier text by one "S. Morgenstern" (actually a pseudonym) and peppers his text with clever commentary.
12. The Wheel Of Time Series by Robert Jordan
At 13 volumes and counting, this sweeping — some would say sprawling – richly imagined epic chronicles the struggle between servants of the Dark One and those of the champion of light known as the Dragon Reborn.
13. Animal Farm by George Orwell

Farm animals overthrow their human owners and set up their own deeply (and familiarly) flawed government. Orwell's mordant satire of totalitarianism is still a mainstay of ninth-grade reading lists.
14. Neuromancer by William Gibson
Gibson's groundbreaking debut novel follows Case, a burned-out computer whiz, who is asked to steal a security code that is locked in the most heavily guarded databank in the solar system. A seminal work in the genre that would come to be known as cyberpunk.
[...]
16. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov changed our perception of robots forever when he formulated the laws governing their behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the development of the robot through a series of interlinked stories: from its primitive origins in the present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant future — a future in which humanity itself may be rendered obsolete.

Check out the complete list HERE

Other authors on the list? Robert A. Heinlein, Anne McCaffery, Patrick Rothfuss, Ray Bradbury, Neal Stephenson, Roger Zelazny, and Brandon Sanderson.

What is YOUR favorite science fiction/fantasy novel??

Book Review: "Odd Thomas" by Dean Koontz

2011-08-28T19:36:00.005-04:00

I'd been meaning to read Odd Thomas for ages. But as you can imagine, my to-be-read pile is overflowing. So last week, when a new friend suggested that I read it sooner rather than later, I picked up my new Nook Color (Yes, that's right. I've read TWO eBooks so far!) and finally just bought the damn thing.

And man, am I glad I did...

Dean Koontz's fantastical and mysterious novel about a young man who can see dead people astounded me. The story kept me on the edge of my seat, yearning for more with every sentence to the point where I sometimes found myself skipping ahead--my eyes and my brain just couldn't move fast enough. Every time I caught myself though, I went back and read it again--I didn't want to miss a morsel.

Now, before you get caught up on that whole "I see dead people" thing, let me clarify: the character of Odd Thomas doesn't see these spirits a la "The Sixth Sense"--it's more he sees them and helps them move on, sometimes by solving their unfinished business for them. He's been given what some people may consider a gift, what others may consider a curse, and he's resolved himself to be selfless, to put others first, even when they're gone from the mortal realm. He's tortured and tragic and hilarious and wise. Honestly, he was not the character I was expecting. But he spoke to something deep inside me, bringing tears to my eyes even while making me snort in laughter on the subway.

I haven't so whole-heartedly appreciated a character in who knows how long. I even quoted him this week to a friend and bookmarked some lines to share with you all here. It's amazing how powerful and relatable Koontz was able to make his main character in such a commercial genre:

"Recognizing the structure of your psychology doesn't mean that you can easily rebuild it. The Chamber of Unreasonable Guilt is part of my mental architecture, and I doubt that I will ever be able to renovate that particular room in this strange castle that is me."

"Life [...] is not about how fast you run or even with what degree of grace. It's about perseverance, about staying on your feet and slogging forward no matter what."
"We are not strangers to ourselves; we only try to be."

Profound for a twenty-year-old miracle man, huh?

But don't worry, the whole book isn't teeming with such wise phrasings. However, it is full of intensity, adrenaline, and heart.

The Last Word: Brilliant plotting and pacing, smooth and consistent voice, and characters you fall in love with, Koontz hit every nail on the head with this one.

Decemberists Meet David Foster Wallace

2011-08-22T22:21:00.006-04:00

Some of you may not know this about me, but I love The Decemberists. I've seen them in concert twice (not a lot, I know, but for me that's a big deal!) and have a guitar pick of theirs that I caught at one of said concerts. I saw them as recently as this past June.

So when I saw them pop up on GalleyCat today, naturally I was intrigued. Their lyrics in themselves are poetic and powerful--maybe they're doing a book? I thought at first. But no. No, they have put out a video of one of their hits...and based it off Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace.

GalleyCat tells us more:

The new video for “Calamity Song” by The Decemberists reenacts a scene from David Foster Wallace‘s masterpiece, Infinite Jest. We’ve embedded the video above–what do you think?

In the video, a group of teenagers play Wallace’s imaginary Eschaton game, a combination of tennis match and computer simulation for nuclear war. Follow this link if you want to play the game in real life. Singer and novelist Colin Meloy told NPR he had just finished reading Infinite Jest and wanted the video to be a tribute to the late novelist.

Check it out: “I had this funny idea that a good video for the song would be a re-creation of the Enfield Tennis Academy’s round of Eschaton — basically, a global thermonuclear crisis re-created on a tennis court — that’s played about a third of the way into the book. Thankfully, after having a good many people balk at the idea, I found a kindred spirit in Michael Schur, a man with an even greater enthusiasm for Wallace’s work than my own. With much adoration and respect to this seminal, genius book, this is what we’ve come up with. I can only hope DFW would be proud.”

See the original post HERE

I'm not going to lie: I've never read David Foster Wallace. Thus I don't have much of an opinion on this, but I thought it was cool anyway. ;)

Faeries, Faeries, Everywhere

2011-08-18T10:04:00.009-04:00

When I was a kid, I didn't really read fantasy novels--no princesses trapped in towers guarded by dragons, no elves, no faeries (unless watching "Fern Gully" about 50 times counts), no trolls. I was too wrapped up in "reality": Beverly Cleary, The Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley High, and the like.

But now? Now I'm making up for lost time. All I want to read is faeries.

I'm not sure what it is about the mystical beauties that I find so compelling lately--maybe I'm just craving an escape from the everyday. But whatever it is, over the past few years, I've been flocking to the most enchanting and engaging faerie-filled YA series:

Holly Black's "A Modern Faerie Tale" series

This trilogy is one of my favorites. Holly Black's writing hooked me from the first page of book one. She meshes the modern and faerie worlds with such ease and believability. Definitely a fun and exciting ride you don't want to miss.

Melissa Marr's "Wicked Lovely" series

I've only read the first one of these books so far, but the rest are now in my queue! Marr takes the concept of solstices and uses it in an imaginative and engrossing way. Her villians are as "likeable" as her heroes, a task not easily fulfilled but one that makes for a strong, fascinating read full of emotional contradiction.

Jenna Black's "Faeriewalker" series

I powered through this trilogy. Black kept me simultaneously deeply engrossed and hovering on the edge of my seat. Her writing is smooth and pacing is quick--I would not be surprised if you read the entire series in a week (or less).

Laini Taylor's "Faeries of Dreamdark" series

This series is lushly written and sophisticated YA fantasy with a literary bent. Leisurely but enjoyable reads overflowing with detail, beauty, and power. Taylor hasn't gotten nearly as much attention as the other authors on this list but certainly not due to lack of talent!

What are some of YOUR favorite faerie novels?

Clearly, I need more recommendations... ;)

Can't Buy Love? Sure We Can!

2011-08-16T16:42:00.004-04:00

I've always been of the mind that people who don't love to read, just haven't found the right book yet. It's been a mission of mine throughout my life to help people find the kind of book they enjoy, the kind of fiction or nonfiction that they can relate to and engage with. (Speaking of, check out this GalleyCat article on the Facebook group "I hate reading.")

But sometimes it's not about the right book. Sometimes it's about having a book at all.

Not every family can afford books. Not every child has a library card. Without that access, a love of reading can never grow.

Better World Books recognizes this all too well and is doing something about it (has been for years, it seems!)...and you can too.

The Huffington Post tells us more:

You've heard of TOMS Shoes, right? Every pair you buy, TOMS donates a pair to a kid in need. TOMS was built around the notion that a "one-for-one" business model could actually turn a profit and change the world -- and it has.

But we're not talking shoes here, we're talking books.

You've now got a good reason to order those summer romance novels for your Labor Day trip to the beach: while you're in a lounge chair sifting through Emily Giffin's latest page-turner, a child somewhere also has a textbook or storybook in his or her hands, thanks to your purchase.

Better World Books announced today that it, too, is going one-for-one, or "book-for-book," in a surprising (and welcome) move that will bolster its "triple bottom line" concept of prioritizing people, planet, and profits to maximize positive social and environmental impact while generating sales.
This is by no means a copycat strategy. These folks have been donating books for almost a decade. What started in 2002 as a way to fight graduation blues -- and make a little money -- ended up winning founders Xavier Helgesen and Kreese Fuchs a "Best Social Venture" prize in a Notre Dame University Business Plan competition ... and became a blueprint for the way Better World Books operates to this day.

How does it work? In addition to selling new titles, Better World Books supports book drives and collects used books and textbooks through a network of over 1,800 college campuses and partnerships with over 2,000 libraries nationwide. So far, the company has converted more than 53 million books into $10 million in funding for literacy and education -- and, in the process, has diverted more than 60 million books from landfills. Donated books go to a variety of literacy partners, including Feed the Children, Books for Africa, Room to Read, Worldfund, Invisible Children, and the National Center for Family Literacy.

Although Better World's sales help children in many countries around the world, their donations also make an impact at home in the U.S.

Emily Kirkpatrick, Vice President of the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL), says her organization first partnered with Better World in 2005 to help the victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita -- and since has teamed to provide grants to programs such as "Every Child Ready to Read" in Dallas, Texas, which engages 5,600 families per year in literacy workshops.

That org received a $10,000 Libraries and Families Award from NCFL and Better World.

"The award refueled our mission and purpose, and is enabling us to provide important literacy information to more families in a new and exciting way," said Jasmine Africawala, Program Coordinator of the Every Child Ready to Read.

Between drop boxes, free shipping, funding for literacy, and more, Better World Books may just be on to something ... even in this digital age. Helgesen described his company to the New York Times in 2007 as "1,000 sidewalk sales rolled into one," yet today, Better World has evolved into a sustainable mechanism that benefits everyone in its supply chain -- from the donor to recipient to the communities it serves through partner programs, and, of course, you.

Because who doesn't like to feel good about buying a book?
See the original post HERE

Laughter Best Medicine in Romance Community

2011-08-13T10:24:00.005-04:00

When I heard that romance author Tessa Dare made a book trailer using nothing but her daughters' toys (GalleyCat.com), it was seemingly hilarious.

The video, no doubt, is entertaining, clever, and hysterical. I was laughing so hard I almost fell out of my chair. Watch it, you'll see.

But there was part of this funny fact that is not so funny. Dare didn't make this video just for the heck of it. Banks won it in an auction through an initiative called Operation Auction.

Operation Auction took place in late March of this year after the romance community received devastating news that one of their own had lost her husband in a brutal act of violence. Fatin Soufan is an active member of the romance community--a blogger, reviewer, administrator, and more for the site RR@H Novel Thoughts and Book Talk. She's done so much to support authors over the years and Operation Auction was the community's way to give back.

What a wonderful, heartbreaking, kind, and optimistic way to rally the troops. After all, they do say that laughter is the best medicine.

"Interstellar Pig" and Other Randomness

2011-08-04T16:29:00.005-04:00

Today, New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire got me thinking about all the semi-obscure books I read in middle school.

How, you ask? With a simple tweet, of course!

@seananmcguire: I still dream about INTERSTELLAR PIG.

That was all it took.

Because *I* still dream about Interstellar Pig too....I also occasionally ponder My Brother Sam is Dead and Homecoming.

I'm not sure why those ones in particular all stuck with me so much. They weren't books I adored. They weren't books I wanted to read a second time. They weren't books that taught me huge life lessons. The only thing they have in common is the year I read them--seventh grade.
Maybe that year was just a pivotal one for me:

It was the first year I collaborated on a writing project (ahhh, Marcus Neiman, most ridic character ever!).

It was the first year someone told me that I should consider being an editor when I grew up.

It was the first year I had a boyfriend.

It was the first year my mom dated my science teacher (*gasp!*).

But mostly, it's the first year I realized how obsessed I was with reading. I had always been voracious, but seventh grade? Seventh grade was insanity.

What random books have stuck with YOU since your childhood?

Author L.A. Banks Dies at 51

2011-08-02T15:26:00.005-04:00

As some of you may have heard, sad news has swept the publishing industry today: Beloved bestselling author L.A. Banks (also known as Leslie Esdaile Banks) passed away this morning at age51.

Banks had been in many readers thoughts this summer as she fought to beat out the adrenal cancer that was tragically caught too late. Now, our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends during this difficult time.

GalleyCat tells us more:

Leslie Esdaile wrote many novels under different pseudonyms, but published her popular Vampire Huntress Legend series and the Crimson Moon series under the name of L.A. Banks. The writer will be honored at a memorial event on August 6th.

Her fan club president posted this brief message on Facebook; add your thoughts and tributes there: “It is with profound sadness that I announce that Leslie Esdaile Banks, our Queen literary passed this morning. I will share details of funeral arrangements as soon as they become available.”

Her family and friends have established a fund to help her family cope with medical bills. Follow this link to donate.
See the original post HERE

Banks was a versatile author whose works touched the hearts of people all over the world. Writing in a variety of genres--romance, crime fiction, non-fiction, and more--her memory is sure to be remembered.

RIP.

The Nonsensical Nature of Banned Books

2011-08-02T09:04:00.006-04:00

This isn't the first time I've posted about the concept of banned books, and I'm sure it won't be the last. In an industry where writers are constantly pushing boundaries, sparking controversy, and being, well, true to life, there are always some people who aren't going to like it.

And last week, in the town of Republic, Missouri, the school board approved the banning of Sarah Ockler's Twenty Boy Summer and Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five from its high school library.

My reaction to this choice? In a word: shocking.

I've read Twenty Boy Summer and while it certainly tackles the hormonal challenges of teens in a candid way, it most certainly is not a book deserving of censorship. There are five books I can think of off the top of my head that would be more understandably banned. (No, I'm not going to list them here.) And Slaughterhouse-Five, which I'm chagrined to say I have not read despite my BA in English, is a classic novel taught in most high schools or colleges (but clearly not mine!). It's a controversial and at times gruesome book from what I know, but again, not so much so that this ruling rings reasonable.

I'm not one for banning books in the first place, but if you're going to do it, at least do it sensibly.

It seems I'm not the only one with an opinion on this matter though, according to GalleyCat. Ockler herself whipped up a blog post in response last week, admitting to her book's risque material but chastising the choice to ban it from the library.

This passage sums up her take nicely, though the entire post is definitely worth a read:

Look, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it a million times more. I get that my book isn’t appropriate for all teens, and that some parents are opposed to the content. That’s fine. Read it and decide for your own family. I wish more parents would do that — get involved in their kids’ reading and discuss the issues the books portray. But don’t make that decision for everyone else’s family by limiting a book’s availability and burying the issue under guise of a “curriculum discussion.”

But you all know my views on banning books — any books. What I really want to say today is this (close your eyes, Dr. Scroggins, as you’ll likely find this content alarming):

Not every teen who has sex or experiments with drinking feels remorseful about it. Not every teen who has sex gets pregnant, gets someone pregnant, or contracts an STD. Not every teen who has sex does so while in a serious relationship. Not every teen who has sex outside of a relationship feels guilty, shameful, or regretful later on. And you can ban my books from every damn district in the country — I’m still not going to write to send messages or make teens feel guilty because they’ve made choices that some people want to pretend don’t exist.

That’s my choice. And I’ll never be ashamed of my choice to write about real issues.
See the original post HERE

When I read this, I gave a little cheer in my chair.

Go, Sarah.

It's Another World for Westerfeld's "Uglies"

2011-07-28T20:36:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite YA series, Scott Westerfeld's Uglies, is making its manga debut, according to BleedingCool.com.

With its high-octance action sequences, vast and visual world, and powerful emotion, I'm sure Uglies will translate well into such a vivid medium. And perhaps even more vivid endeavor (depending on your take!), it's also been optioned for film!

*Squee*

IMDB is having an epic FAIL on this one though and I can't seem to gather any legit info, so more to come as it surfaces. But here's the sitch as I know it from BleedingCool:

At Comic Con [on July 24], Uglies writer Scott Westerfield announced a manga adaptation of his sci-fi novel series Uglies starting in May next year. Drawn by Steven Cumming, an American living in Tokyo, these will be four books of 200 pages each, and will retell the story of a world where people get extreme plastic surgery when they reach the age of 16, and those who rebel against this, but from main character Tally’s friend Shay.

[...]

Scott is also working on another non-Uglies-related graphic novel. But the news that got the biggest cheer was when he told the crowd that an Uglies film is being funded by special effects company Lola, responsible for the Benjamin Button and Captain America facial special effects that would be necessary for this film to work…

See the original post HERE

Bye, Bye Borders :(

2011-07-27T18:10:00.005-04:00

So, while I've been out of commission, it seems that the news that Borders was being bought is sadly outdated.

Borders has officially announced that they are closing their doors. Stores are having "Everything must go" sales and Borders bucks are drying up.

It's upsetting to most of us for sure. But it also leaves a very controversial question unanswered: What happens next?

The Atlantic posted an interesting piece about the matter this morning:

Manhattan's West Side might have more book readers than anywhere else in the United States. Until recently, the thriving cultural stretch of Broadway that includes the theater district, Lincoln Center, and some of the city's best venues for quality movies was also choc-a-block with enormous bookstores. The high-rise Barnes & Noble emporium opposite Lincoln Center closed several months ago because of soaring rents, and now the expansive and elegant Borders superstore in the Time-Warner Center on Columbus Circle is on the way out, as the chain goes into liquidation.

So, in this flourishing area of the city -- a span of more than three miles -- there is no longer a general interest bookstore. There are still many good places to browse the aisles for books elsewhere on the island -- The Strand, Posman's in Grand Central Station, and Book Culture in the Columbia University neighborhood, among others. Barnes & Noble is still going strong -- its superstores in strategic locations are bustling, B&N.com has been gaining traction, and the Nook is clearly the runner-up to Amazon's Kindle as an e-reader favorite. Nonetheless, the demise of Borders signifies a major change in the marketplace for books. The unraveling of the country's second largest book chain means a tremendous boost for digital retailers such as Amazon and the potential for a self-confident Barnes & Noble and the stronger independent stores to benefit by adding customers.

But there is no doubt -- as I have written many times in recent months -- that the book business is in a period of change so dynamic that any outcome is possible, from an era of exciting expansion to a precipitous decline in sales at brick-and-mortar stores that undermines the revenue base of publishing. A year ago it would have seemed inconceivable that Broadway's biggest bookstores would be shuttered.
In fact, until last weekend, I couldn't really fathom that Borders, for all of its mismanagement and losses, would not find a way to continue, in the jargon of bankruptcy, as a "going concern." But once the last stores are closed in September, all that will remain of this once proud and sophisticated bookseller will be remnants: the brand name (for sale), the memberships in its customer loyalty program, a struggling website, and a minority interest in the Kobo reading device. Books-A-Million, a regional chain in the south and midwest, offered to take over the leases and contents of up to thirty-five venues across the country, from among Borders remaining 399 stores (at its peak Borders had almost 1,200 stores). But that deal fell through.
It would be wrong to assume that the demise of Borders is symbolic of publishing Armageddon. And yet, the disappearance of Borders and the uncertainties that Barnes & Noble doubtless faces as it is accommodates the pace of change to digital reading are extraordinary developments. In the first five months of 2011, e-readers sales are up by 160 percent over the previous year, but there has been a sharp drop in revenue from printed books, attributable in large part to the Borders collapse.
For the moment, even some of Borders' competitors are delivering eulogies. Rachel Weaver and Jason Smith at the Book Table in Oak Park, Illinois, told Publishers Weekly:
It's a sad day for reading when there are fewer communities with bookstores, a place where someone might stumble upon a book to read who otherwise might have gone home to their television or their Internet connection for entertainment and companionship. Frankly, speaking as two people who have each worked in the industry for close to two decades, it is just plain devastating.
PaidContent.org, one of the best media business blogs, took an especially gloomy view of Borders' downfall. In a FAQ feature, Laura Hazard Owen concluded that liquidation is "unequivocally bad news for publishers and authors. Bottom line: The closure of Borders means fewer places to sell books (and promote books and book discovery). Publishers will have to reduce their print runs and shipments." By contrast, Oren Teicher, the CEO of the independents trade group, the American Booksellers Association, commiserated with the thousands of Borders employees losing their jobs but added, "We do not believe that the Borders closing is a bellwether for the future of brick-and-mortar bookstores nationwide. Rather, it is, in part an unfortunate right-sizing of bookstore landscape that has suffered from expansion in certain markets . . . we see opportunities for our current members to expand and for new stores to open."
Who is right? The answer is that no one really knows. But I especially liked the observation of Neil Strandberg, manager of operations at Denver's great independent, Tattered Cover. On PBS's Art Beat, he commented:

The work of Tattered Cover has been, then, to re-shape the business out of acknowledgment that printed book sales will continue to decline for the foreseeable future. We are smaller, retail-space wise than we were a few years ago and we will be smaller, I wager, a few years hence. Meanwhile we experiment with new product, inclusive of ebooks via our partnership with Google, food, gifts and services to local authors. I have every reason to believe that in ten years' time, there will be a retail setting that everyone recognizes as the logical descendent of today's retail bookstores. The trick for all of us is to juggle declining printed book sales with new products and new services and the appropriate amount of real estate in the right location. . . . Taking a cue from some of the technologies that have been so disruptive, collectively, the indie community is crowd-sourcing the sustainable bookstore-like thing of tomorrow. One of us is going to figure this out.

Ultimately, I believe Borders' downfall had more to do with its own strategic mistakes than what is happening in the broader landscape of publishing. But I do share the sense of those who will miss Borders, not the flailing failure it was at its end but the great contribution it made to the availability of books of all kinds to so many people when it was at its best.
Borders RIP.

See the original post HERE

Personal Update

2011-07-27T11:02:00.003-04:00

So, my recovery took a bit longer than anticipated. :(

I'm still not 100% but am on the mend, do not fear!

Posting will recommence today! Probably won't be super consistent as I finish healing and getting back into the swing of things, but I'll do my best.

Thanks for your patience!

A Two-week RBtL Sabbatical

2011-07-04T17:58:00.003-04:00

I'm sorry I've been so terrible about staying up-to-date lately. Things have been hectic and my health has not been well, making it all the more difficult. But I am hopefully going to be remedying the latter part of that statement by having surgery tomorrow to have my tonsils removed.

That said, I'll be taking a short sabbatical during my two-week recovery. Don't miss me too much and please send all the positive thoughts you can my way--I need them!

Have a lovely two weeks, darling readers, and I'll be back as soon as I can!

Borders Announces Next Move

2011-07-04T17:16:00.005-04:00

Nearly everyone in the publishing industry has been waiting to find out what's going to happen to Borders since it declared bankruptcy months ago. And now, they've announced their next step.

According to GalleyCat, Borders and the company Direct Brands will be making an "asset purchase agreement":

Borders Group announced last night that it has entered into an asset purchase agreement with Direct Brands, a portfolio company of Najafi Companies.
Under the terms of the agreement, Direct Brands would purchase substantially all of Borders’ assets for $215.1 million, as well as assume $220 million of liabilities, subject to the auction and Bankruptcy Court approval.
If the deal goes through, Borders would operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Direct Brands, which also owns the Book-of-the-Month Club as well as Columbia House. Hilco and Gordon Brothers have agreed to acquire any store locations that are ultimately not included in the sale and will close those stores in an orderly manner.
The deal is expected to go through by late July.
See the original post HERE

I'm still bummed about the whole Borders situation and how it's impacted the industry, but I must say I'm somehow glad to hear they'll at least be operating in some capacity. I don't like the idea of them closing all the store not involved in the deal, but I guess it could be worse. We'll just have to wait and see what happens, as per usual!

A Harry Potter Update

2011-06-23T15:19:00.003-04:00

Ah-ha! We have a "Pottermore" update--Harry Potter is finally going to e-book format, according to The Washington Post:

Author JK Rowling announced that Harry Potter fans will be able to read her famous series in e-book form for the first time, starting this fall.
In an announcement launching Pottermore, an interactive Harry Potter Web site and online store, Rowling said that the full series will be available in digital form. The books will be in several languages and will work on any electronic reading device.

The site will also sell digital audiobooks of the novels.

Through the site, Rowling will also share tidbits from the Harry Potter universe that she’s been “hoarding” through the years, she said in a video announcement. While the author has said she will not be writing any more novels about Harry Potter, she has hinted in the past that she would like to write an encyclopedia about the books’ universe. It seems Pottermore will be an outlet for Rowling to share backstory and other facts that did not fit into the seven-book series.

Pottermore will be open to a million users on July 31 — Harry Potter’s birthday — and open to the public in October. Fans can already submit their e-mail addresses on the site to be notified when registration opens.
Read the original post and see a video of Rowling's announcement HERE

Bella Andre Navigates the Evolving World of Self-Publishing

2011-06-22T09:30:00.003-04:00

My friend and former colleague, Nyree Belleville (published under the name Bella Andre) sent me an article this morning from the Washington Post, featuring her experience with self-publishing. I am thrilled that she's have such great success with it so I was eager to read the piece.

And then after I read it, I couldn't sit still. The article goes in-depth into the constantly evolving nature of the self-publishing world and, quite frankly, I find it very exciting. Especially since I'm on the forefront of a new self-publishing endeavor with Book Country. There's so much that can happen in this new frontier and if it's done right, authors can not only make a larger profit for themselves but we can also get higher quality work out there.

Yes, self-publishing certainly opens itself up for some less-than-stellar work to be shared, but with the decreasing stigma and all of the great critiquing/writing communities that have cropped up (yes, shameless Book Country plug :-p), the talent that is out there and just hasn't been discovered yet has a better chance to surface. Not only that, but previously traditionally published authors like Bella Andre--who are extremely talented but just not working well enough in the market for a Big 6 publisher to continue taking on with their bottom lines--can still share their writing with the world and still make money doing it.

Sonoma, Calif. — In the winter of 2010, the cheerfully effervescent romance novelist Nyree Belleville suffered the same fate as many a scribe — she was dropped by her publisher. The most any of her 12 spicy romances, penned under the name Bella Andre, had earned was $21,000.

She was, in her Cali-girl vocabulary, “bummed.” She was 36. She had two young children, a husband and a little house in the hills above this picturesque wine-making region.
A thin, pretty brunette who majored in economics at Stanford, Belleville had been a singer in her 20s, but that career died, and now her writing career was so flat line that one of her old publishers had even given her the rights to her first two novels.
So, out of sorts and feeling blue, she sat down one morning and figured out how to self-publish one of those novels, “Authors in Ecstasy,” on Amazon’s e-reader, the Kindle, just to see what would happen. It was a pain. She had zero graphic-arts skills. She had to create a cover, write her jacket copy, figure out formatting and set a price. She did it and forgot about it.
A few weeks later, she checked her account. She had sold 161 copies. She’d made $281. She was astonished.
She rushed to a lunch with three writer friends, with the numbers scrawled on a sheet of yellow paper, and slapped it down on the table. “That moment is burned in everybody’s mind now,” she says. “It was not a tipping point. It was a turning point.”
She put her other old book online and figured out how to place both on other e-readers — the Nook, the Sony Reader, the iPad, Kobo. The next month, her royalties bumped to $474. Giddy, she self-published a new e-book in July. She made a jaw-dropping $3,539. It was like the best thing ever!
“Every day, as the numbers ticked by, my husband and I were floored,” she says.
She got the rights to two more old novels. She feverishly wrote another e-novel, “Game fo r Love,” about a bad-boy pro football player and his unexpected marriage. She popped it online Dec. 15.
Earnings for that month? $19,315.
In January and February, she e-published a trilogy of young-adult novels she’d written years earlier. She called the first one “Seattle Girl” and chose a new author name, Luc y Kevin, to distinguish it from the sexually explicit Andre books.
Here’s what her first quarter looked like: 56,008 books sold; income, $116,264.
Perched on the edge of a couch in her tiny writing office, which doubles as a playroom for her kids, Belleville says: “Isn’t this just awesome?!”
Self-publishing frontier
There is no good comparison for what’s happening in the frontier world of self-published e-books, because there has never been anything like it in publishing history.
Since Johannes Gutenberg developed the printing press in the 15th century, publishers have pretty much owned the presses, the means of mass production and, therefore, of distribution. Save for tiny “vanity” printings, for the intervening 500 years or so publishing houses have controlled who was able to publish, how many copies were printed, the price and the percentage of profits paid to writers (in modern America, usually about 10 to 15 percent of the list price.)

But riding the crest of the digital revolution, powered by blogs and tweets and social media, and delivered by the explosive sales of e-readers in the past two years, some authors are sidestepping that business model.

They can write, publish, advertise, create covers, set and change prices — and haul in up to 70 percent of the sale price. It is possible for writers marketing a $4.99 self-published e-book to make more per copy than authors with a $24.95 hardcover.
It’s gold-rush crazy, and it has exploded in the past 12 months, the past six months. It’s happening right now. You hear wild stories about novelists — who are supposed to be enduring lives of artistic gratification but monetary penury — blowing past your tax bracket.
[...]

Read the rest of the article HERE

(P.S. it's worth it!)

Bella also just released her newest title, THE LOOK OF LOVE, (it's the first book in a new series) so be sure to check it out!

Celeb Steps Up with New Book to Help Prevent Bullying

2011-06-20T21:03:00.006-04:00

Though there are a number of headlines that swept the publishing blogs today--eBook release controversies, self-publishing successes, etc.--I want to talk about 50 Cent.

Yes, that's right. The rapper.

I've never been much a hip-hop/rap fan, truth be told, and I can't really even think of a single song by 50 Cent that I would recognize. But when I saw on Galley Cat today that he just signed a contract for a book about bullying, I wanted to applaud:

Hip-hop artist Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson will write a semi-autobiographical novel called Playground. The young-adult book stars “a thirteen-year-old schoolyard bully who finds redemption as he faces what he’s done.”

Penguin Group (USA)’s Razorbill imprint will release the title in January 2012. Laura Arnold will edit the book. Agency Group agent Marc Gerald brokered the deal.

The rapper (pictured, via) had this statement: “I wanted to explore how a kid becomes a bully. I drew on events from my own childhood and adolescence, but was excited to see the story take on its own life. This book would have been very helpful for me growing up and now that I have a teenage son, it is my goal that this will have a positive influence on all teenagers.”

See the original post HERE

I love the fact that one of today's celebs is taking such an active approach to helping reduce such a prominent problem. It's so refreshing.

James Rollins Launches New Book with Innovative Twitter Party

2011-06-17T09:05:00.006-04:00

As the publishing industry evolves, marketing tactics are getting more and more creative.

Last fall, Jay-Z's PR team ran a Scavenger Hunt campaign for his book De-Coded. Scholastic also took an innovative approach with the middle-grade series 39 Clues. The folks over at Bitten By Books do blog release parties for a variety of authors, complete with Q&As, contests, or even live chats. People are always coming up with fun, new ideas to get the buzz going.

And there's another one circulating the industry right now--New York Times bestselling author James Rollins is promoting his new book, The Devil Colony with a themed worldwide Twitter party this coming Tuesday, June 21. What fun!

What: Dance with the Devil
When: Around the World--All Day & All Night
Where: Twitter hashtag #DevilColony

How: Join the Worldwide Celebration of James Rollins' Hottest Release The Devil Colony by using #DevilColony

The theme of the event is the Devil (naturally) and "attendees" just need to use the hashtag #DevilColony in their tweets. There will be a photo contest with a mystery prize even for the most creative photos, in addition to random prizes given away throughout. Anyone can upload pictures of themselves "having a party" or something "devil-themed" (I am going to try to dig up a Halloween pic of me from college when i went as a half-angel half-devil! Whee!)--anything to take part and share in the fun. Such a clever and entertaining way to bring readers together all around the globe!

There might even be some pretty big names taking part, in addition to Rollins himself, that is. Lee Child, Bob Mayer, Terry Brooks--who knows who might show up to chat and celebrate! Maybe even have a glass of e-bubbly--one of my planned contributions to the party!

Personally, I adore this concept--Twitter is taking on such new life, expanding and growing in a way that many people didn't expect, especially in publishing. People are coming together on a variety of levels, making friends, debating controversial topics, sharing recommendations, and so much more. Twitter chats are also becoming a bigger trend by the week (my project, Book Country, has started a bi-weekly chat too! Check out our schedule of events HERE), so why not a Twitter release party? It's fun and a great way to network yourself, to gain and add intriguing new followers to your contacts.

Social media expert, author, and friend Kristen Lamb filled me in via email on the inspiration behind this awesome event:

Think of parties. Do you go to a birthday party just to say hello to the birthday girl? Yes, and no. You also go to socialize, have fun and hang out and meet cool people. Same here. [The] goal is to get away for gimmick and just bring people together. [...] This is organic and dynamic...not canned traditional marketing. The objective is to come together as a community.

So, stop on by on Tuesday, 6/21 at any time! It's a great event to support a talented author, and you'll have fun and make new friends in the process. Sounds to me like only good things can happen as a result. :)

Eternal Life for Harry Potter on Rowling's "Pottermore"

2011-06-16T09:45:00.003-04:00

As we approach the release of the final Harry Potter film (July 15 for those of you who are not obsessed), J.K. Rowling and her band of beloved magic-folk are in the news once more.

According to Digital Spy, Rowling has just announced a new Harry Potter website called "Pottermore." Speculation is that the creation of the site might poise the author to write and release another HP.

JK Rowling has unveiled a mysterious new website titled Pottermore, sparking speculation that more Harry Potter is on the way.

The Potter author launched Pottermore.com - currently featuring just a logo, the message "Coming soon" and Rowling's signature - on Wednesday, following a frenzied "Secret Street View" challenge.

Ten Potter websites were given co-ordinates which each pertained to a different letter in the Pottermore name, all of which were pieced together to reveal the website's address.

While no further details have been revealed about the project, a source at hpana.com, who has apparently seen the site, described it as "breathtaking in scope, detail and sheer beauty".

A Pottermore Twitter account has also been set up at twitter.com/pottermore.

The name is said to have been the last patent recorded by Rowling, who registered the word internationally in July 2009.

Rowling is currently working on several new projects and has previously confessed that she is unsure whether she would ever write another Harry Potter book.

Read the original post HERE

While I love the books, I've gotta say, I think it's time for Rowling to let go of the HP trend and try her hand at something new. The story line is complete now, and any additions would just be forced and ring untrue. At least to me. Even book 7 was pushing it, in my opinion!

I am, however, still excited for the last film. Check out the trailer below if you haven't seen it yet! *squee*

A Blast from the Past: Encyclopedias

2011-06-10T09:07:00.003-04:00

I'd been thinking recently about encyclopedias.

Strange topic to randomly consider, I know. But when I saw my nearly 7-year-old sister this past weekend and how big she's getting, how much she's learning in school, how well she's reading, etc. it also hit me that she's going to start doing research projects soon. Oof.

Not sure why that "hit" me like that--I guess because I always enjoyed doing them and learning about something new. I loved flipping through our set of Encyclopedia Britannicas searching for something specific but finding a thousand other random facts in the process. And it made me realize how different the process will be for her than it was for me.

Where I had to dig through thick, hardcover books and scour library shelves for the right tome, she'll be using search engines and finding things at the click of a button. Personally, it struck me as somewhat sad. Yes, there is an abundance of knowledge to be gained out there in this new digital world but you really only find what you're looking for. You don't randomly come across new topics or weird exotic animals to learn semi-useless facts about.

But then I saw a link to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle titled "Britannica Published E-Books for Schools, Libraries."

You can imagine my delight.

Students in elementary school through college can easily access hundreds of high-quality books on the subjects they're studying through a new Web-based e-books service available to schools and libraries from Britannica Digital Learning.

The new service, at ebooks.eb.com, makes it easier than ever to use Britannica's expert-written single-volume titles for research, papers, homework and projects. More than 300 non-fiction digital books are now available. They cover the full range of curriculum, including math, science, language arts, social studies and health.

Each e-book contains the entire text of the print edition and illustrations - many of which are striking, high-definition and full-color. Tables of contents, indexes and glossaries are hyperlinked and fully searchable.

"These books are extremely valuable in digital form. They can be searched by several students at once, making them more accessible and useful than a single bound book," said Michael Ross, senior vice president and general manager of Britannica Digital Learning.

E-books are whiteboard ready, making them ideal for use both in small classrooms and large lecture halls. Schools do not have to spend additional funds on reading devices; these e-books can be accessed 24/7 by students, teachers, and library patrons through any Web connection. All titles in a school's or library's holdings can be searched with a single keyword. Password-protected notes can be saved and the material can be printed.

Britannica plans to add hundreds of additional e-book titles in the next few years. The first 15 pages of each title are available free at ebooks.eb.com. Pricing, titles and more are available at 1-800-621-3900.
Read the original article HERE

I just hope that at least SOME kids use them the "old-fashioned" way.

Mystery Author Lilian Jackson Braun Dies at 97

2011-06-08T16:27:00.003-04:00

Yesterday the book biz lost an innovative gem of a mystery writer--Lilian Jackson Braun, 97.

With her cozy mystery series featuring "The Cat Who" and his mortal sleuth companion Jim Qwillera, Braun won the hearts of millions.

The New York Times tells us more:

Lilian Jackson Braun, a mystery novelist whose best-selling “Cat Who” series repeatedly plumbed the hearts, minds and digestive tracts of her crime-solving feline heroes, died on Saturday in Landrum, S. C. She was 97.
Her death was announced by her publisher, G. P. Putnam’s Sons.
The series began in 1966 with “The Cat Who Could Read Backwards” and concluded in 2007 with “The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers,” its 29th volume. In between were, among other titles, “The Cat Who Played Brahms”; “... Knew Shakespeare”; “... Sniffed Glue”; “... Said Cheese”; and “... Smelled a Rat.”
The novels, which have sold millions of copies and been translated into 16 languages, appeared regularly on The New York Times’s best-seller list.
Their human protagonist is Jim Qwilleran, a newspaperman, amateur sleuth and all-round sensitive guy who lives in an unspecified northerly state that seems to have a disproportionate share of homicide.
Qwilleran’s sidekick — in the opinion of many, the book’s real star — is his intrepid, preternaturally intelligent Siamese shamus, Koko. Koko’s sidekick is Yum Yum, also a Siamese. (Like her namesake of Gilbert and Sullivan fame, Yum Yum is dainty and not precisely a cognitive giant, but she proves useful throughout the series for her dexterous, conveniently larcenous paws.)
Critical response to the books was generally favorable, with many reviewers praising their essential warmth and cozy charm. Others, however, faulted what they saw as scanty plotting and an overreliance on formulaic set pieces.
But for cat lovers, those set pieces offered dependable pleasures. In book after book, readers could luxuriate in tenderly described scenes of cats purring, cats grooming, cats eating — Qwilleran fed them high-end fare like lobster and crabmeat — cats frolicking and, of course, cats sleeping.
At opportune moments, Qwilleran’s cats throw up clues, as when they pull highly significant books down from shelves. They also throw up hairballs, as cats are wont to do.
Lilian Jackson was born on June 20, 1913, in Willimansett, a village within the city of Chicopee, Mass. The Depression put a college education out of reach; as a young woman, she worked as an advertising copywriter and public-relations executive before spending many years as a lifestyle writer and editor at The Detroit Free Press.
Ms. Braun’s first husband, Louis Paul Braun, died before her. A longtime resident of Tryon, N.C., she is survived by her husband, Earl Bettinger.
After writing “The Cat Who Could Read Backwards,” Ms. Braun quickly followed the book with two more, “The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern” (1967) and “The Cat Who Turned On and Off” (Dutton, 1968).
Then, discouraged by the market’s seemingly insatiable demand for sex and violence in mystery novels — her books have little of either — she set the series aside for 18 years. After retiring from The Free Press, she resumed with “The Cat Who Saw Red,” which appeared in 1986 .
An indication of just how fully Ms. Braun’s series had insinuated itself into popular culture came in 2003 in the form of a satirical mystery novel by Robert Kaplow. Its title: “The Cat Who Killed Lilian Jackson Braun.”
Read the original post HERE

Seasons of Books

2011-06-06T08:59:00.005-04:00

Holy long time since I've blogged, Batman...I've been off having a Texas adventure!

Sorry, y'all. :)

But now I'm back and planning my Spring reading round-up of mini-reviews for you. In the meantime, though, here's a great list of books from NPR for your summer reading list, if you want to get away from the stress of today and be transported to another time:

Summer, when I was a kid, meant weekend road-trips in our family Rambler to sites of historical interest. We'd pack up deviled-ham sandwiches and Cokes and make pilgrimages from our apartment in Queens to Teddy Roosevelt's house on Long Island or Washington Irving's house in Westchester. Sometimes there were longer expeditions to Valley Forge and, once, Williamsburg. I'm not sure how much history I absorbed; I mostly remember a lot of candle-making demonstrations. But, forever after, summer, to me, has been the season for traveling back in time, either by hitting the road or, happily, hitting the books.
The Greater Journey: Americans In Paris By David McCullough, hardcover, 576 pages, Simon & Schuster, list price: $37.50

David McCullough is about as dependable as they come if you're in the mood for a narrative history that sweeps you, through luscious detail and anecdote, into a bygone age. His beguiling new book is called The Greater Journey and it departs from works like 1776 and John Adams in that it digs deep, not into a historical event or personage, but, rather, into a cultural trend. Between 1830 and 1900, scores of young Americans with ambitions to be painters, architects, doctors and scientists sailed to the Old World to soak up the education the New World couldn't offer.

Or, as McCullough puts it: "Not all pioneers went west." Specifically they traveled to Paris. Some, like Mary Cassatt and Oliver Wendell Holmes, are familiar names; others, like the educator Emma Willard and Mary Putnam — the first American woman to graduate from a French medical school — are revelations. McCullough evokes a vision of early 19th-century Paris crowded with restaurants and gambling houses, but his greatest achievement is the realization he gives readers of how new America still was back then, sans medical schools and serious art academies. He writes of American travelers in the 1830s seeing their first glimpse of the medieval cathedral at Rouen. The Americans were agog, McCullough notes, because:
The largest building in the United States at the time was the Capitol in Washington. ... Even the most venerable houses and churches at home ... dated back only to the mid-17th century. So historic a landmark as Philadelphia's Independence Hall was not yet a hundred years old.
The Final Storm: A Novel Of The War In The Pacific By Jeff Shaara, paperback, 480 pages, Ballantine Books, list price: $28
McCullough's book is essentially about building civilization; Jeff Shaara's novel, The Final Storm, is about destruction on an almost unfathomable scale. The Final Storm chronicles the Pacific campaign during World War II; it's the fourth in Shaara's series about the war and works both as a standalone novel and as the conclusion to that series. There are no post-modern literary tricks here; instead, Shaara is a master — in the Herman Wouk, Kenneth Roberts mode — of the kind of character-driven, plot-heavy page-turner that most of us think of when we think "historical novel."
In his introduction, Shaara reminds us of some of the staggering numbers of the Pacific Campaign: the two-week assault on Saipan resulted in 14,000 American deaths; Iwo Jima, 26,000 American casualties and only 300 Japanese prisoners taken alive out of the 20,000 defending the island. The Final Storm is a vivid literary addition to films like Letters from Iwo Jima and Flags of Our Fathers — all of which underscore the peculiar brutalities and sometimes under-recognized sacrifices of the War in the Pacific.

Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education Of Two Society Girls In The West By Dorothy Wickenden, hardcover, 304 pages, Simon & Schuster Adult, list price: $26, pub. date: June 21

My last recommendation is a potentially annoying one because readers will have to sit tight for a couple of weeks before they get their hands on Dorothy Wickenden's "alternative Western" called Nothing Daunted. But, I promise you, it's worth the wait. Wickenden, who is the executive editor of The New Yorker magazine, has written a superb biography that charts the adventures of her grandmother and her grandmother's best friend — society girls and Smith College graduates — who, in the summer of 1916, set out to become schoolteachers in the isolated settlement of Elkhead, Colo. Relying on photographs and letters that the women sent back to their anxious parents in Auburn, N.Y., Wickenden summons up the last moments of frontier life, where books were a luxury and, when blizzards hit, homesteader's children would ski miles to school on curved barrel staves. David McCullough may tell us that "Not all pioneers went west," but some unlikely ones sure did, and Nothing Daunted also reminds us that different strains of courage can be found, not just on the battlefield, but on the home front, too.
See the original post or listen to the story HERE

Guest Blogging over at Word Whores today!

2011-05-19T10:20:00.002-04:00

Thanks to my dear friend, Allison, I'm guest blogging over at Word Whores today, talking candidly about this week's topic: Perfection.

If you haven't checked out Word Whores yet, in general definitely give it a read. It's a great group of female writers with a lot of smart and fun musings to share!

HUNGER GAMES Film Pic Hits the Web!

2011-05-18T15:13:00.003-04:00

The New York Post shared a first glimpse of Jennifer Lawrence all dolled up as Katniss from THE HUNGER GAMES on the cover of Entertainment Weekly:

With production about to kick off in North Carolina, Entertainment Weekly has scored the first look at Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, aka District 12 Tribute, aka The Girl On Fire, aka Mockingjay, aka the biggest hero The Capital never saw coming -- and Jennifer looks every inch the part.

Portions of the first interview where she can freely talk about the role will come out in drips and drabs over the next few days, but for now, this quote is lingering with me:

“I knew that as soon as I said yes [to the role], my life would change. And I walked around an entire day thinking ‘It’s not too late, I could still go back and do indies, I haven’t said yes yet, it’s not too late.’ [But] I love this story and if I had said no, I would regret it every day.”
See the original post HERE

I have to say, for any uncertainty I may have previously had, I suddenly have a very good feeling that this adaptation is going to be A-MAZ-ING!

*Squeeeeee!*

NYPL Announces iPad App

2011-05-17T09:28:00.006-04:00

More and more libraries are slowly working their way into the digital revolution, allowing readers to "check out" eBooks. But the New York Public Library is taking a leap into digital in a very different way: They've created an iPad app.

Felicia Lee of the New York Times tells us more in her online story this morning:

Here an app, there an app, everywhere an apt app. Now, the New York Public Library has created a new iPad app that bring the library’s research collections into “the palms of the public’s hand,” as library officials put it in a statement released Tuesday. “Biblion: The Boundless Library” is the name for a series of apps available on Apple’s tablet computer that highlight different elements in the library’s collection. It was developed by the library and the design firm Potion.

The first edition showcases the library’s 1939-1940 New York World’s fair holdings, which are among the most consulted by researchers. Users will be able to turn over, zoom in and roam through hundreds of items. At the end of this week, the library is putting out an app that lets the public play “Find that Future,” from game designer Jane McGonigal, author of “Reality is Broken.” This summer, look for an app that lets the public reserve books. The new app is available at Apple’s iTunes store. A web version is to be available soon at nypl.org.
See the original post HERE

While I applaud the NYPL for taking such a leap into the digital age, I'm not sure this app is one that would be used by more than academics, researchers, and reporters. I'd be more interested in seeing them do something that reaches general readers, that engages the public in such a way that it makes them want to go to the library and take advantage of its vast catalog.

What do you think? Would you use this app? Why or why not?

RBtL wants to know!

"To Kill a Mockingbird" Gets Some New Buzz From Documentary

2011-05-15T22:19:00.009-04:00

Growing up, I read a lot of horrible books. Most of them in school. Sometimes they were "classics" that I just didn't find very interesting; other times I had no idea why I was reading it. (Take Interstellar Pig, for example. Still no clue why we were assigned that.)

But then there were still more times when we'd read a book and it would just click. I'd know exactly why it was significant to society and why it was enjoyable to individuals. One such book remains a favorite of mine to this day: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

I had always hoped to read more from Lee but she never wrote a second book. No one really knows why. Perhaps it was because she tried and failed in private, or maybe she was never inspired to write another, or maybe, maybe it was intentional. Maybe it's the singularity of her amazing work that draws it so much well-deserved attention.

I bring this up because the L.A. Times wrote a great piece last week on the book and the recent documentary "Hey, Boo" by filmmaker Mary McDonagh Murphy. It's definitely one worth sharing:

Harper Lee was working as an airline reservations agent in New York City, struggling to write a novel tentatively titled "Atticus," when a close friend gave her enough money to take time off and finish her book. Published in 1960 with an initial print run of just 5,000 copies, "To Kill a Mockingbird" became an instant phenomenon: a critically acclaimed bestseller and Pulitzer Prize winner, followed by a multiple-Oscar-winning 1962 film featuring the iconic performance of Gregory Peck as courageous Southern lawyer Atticus Finch.

Fifty years and more than 30 million copies of the book later, it's hard to find any American who doesn't know the names Scout, Boo Radley and Atticus. Lee's one and only novel has been translated into 40 languages and is the most widely read book in American high schools. The novel and film are so familiar, in fact, that last month, when the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp honoring Peck, it featured him as he appeared in that Oscar-winning role.
"I can't name another novel that has these kinds of indelible characters, a social statement without being preachy, and good prose," says filmmaker Mary McDonagh Murphy, whose documentary, "Hey, Boo: Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird," opens Friday. "It's a book that many people can relate to in many different ways."
Lee "creates a believable fictional landscape that you can go into," adds Charles J. Shields, author of "Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee." "The book asks one of the most important questions facing humans — how to get along with people different from us. It was couched in racial terms back then, but today I believe it's about people who don't believe the same as you — different religious beliefs, gays, straights. There are a lot of things that can be discussed."
And that discussion has meaning no matter the age of the reader. In fact, Murphy, an independent writer-producer who had an Emmy Award-winning career at CBS News, decided to pursue a film about Lee and her book after rereading it as an adult.
That experience, she says, "made a greater impression on me than my adolescent reading. I went exploring to see what I could find out about the novel, the novelist and its impact. And I explored the context in which it was published. The book spoke to me more about conscience and integrity this time than it had before. I began to see the story [for the film] was the novel, the novel was the phenomenon. The novel could be the story, not the novelist."
[...]
Read the rest of the piece HERE

Expecting an Unexpected Film Adaptation

2011-05-10T09:26:00.004-04:00

With Mother's Day just behind us, a headline caught my eye over at Publisher Marketplace today: "Improbable 'What to Expect' Movie Sets Mothers Day 2012 Release."

Me: Wha? That's insane! How the heck are they going to--

Then I clicked on the link and went over to the article at Variety.com.

Me: *pause* ...oh.

It seems Hollywood (Lionsgate and Phoenix Pictures, to be exact) is doing something a little different in May 2012: adapting the uber-bestselling What to Expect When Your Expecting by Heidi Murkoff, et al. into a film.

The beloved nonfiction pregnancy book has been initially adapted by "Whip It!" author Shauna Cross, a choice that I personally find quite intriguing. I loved "Whip It!" (it is also one of the few instances when I like a movie better than its literary counterpart) and Cross certainly has a voice for the screen. I guess I just didn't expect such a serious and time-honored subject to be given the wit and snark that Cross is sure to bring to the script.

But, alas, my assumptions are wrong--this movie is intended to be a comedy. Another surprising, but thought-provoking choice.

So far, Cameron Diaz is the only star even potentially attached to the project that I can find and is set to take on the lead role. She's not my fave but it'll be a kind of part for her so interesting nonetheless.

Intrigue.

An Inside Look at Writers' Homes

2011-05-09T07:23:00.007-04:00

I'll admit it...I'm a sucker for visiting famous authors' homes.

When I was in Paris, what was one of my top five things I wanted to do? See Victor Hugo's house.

When I was in Key West? Go to Hemingway's famed home and garden. (Pic of me in his garden, right).

Lucky for me, The Huffington Post ran a piece from Flavorwire last Thursday (I know, I know, I'm behind...again) taking its readers inside the walls of just these kinds of houses:

Last month, The New York Times ran a slideshow of Norman Mailer’s Brooklyn Heights apartment, which will be up for sale shortly. This got us thinking about our favorite authors, where they lived, and how much our environment shapes our work. (If it does, then we’re really in trouble, since we mostly write in a dark Brooklyn apartment with neighbors who smoke packs of cigarettes and scream at their children in languages we don’t understand.) A.N. Devers, a literary pilgrim, commissioned Michael Fusco and Emma Straub to make great, inexpensive posters of authors’ domiciles — from Emily Dickinson’s homestead to Zora Neale Hurston’s modest bungalow — and they are available here. If you’re interested in a writer’s first person account of her tour of famous authors’ homes, then check out A Skeptic’s Guide to Writers’ Houses by Anne Trubek. Click through now to take a virtual tour of some of our favorite writers’ residences.
Truman Capote in his Brooklyn Heights apartment
Slim Aarons took this photo (left) of Truman Capote in 1958, when the author was in his thirties. His penchant for all things kitsch is on display, but the silk wall hanging for whatever reason just kills us. You can view more of Aarons’ photos at Photographers Gallery.

Fyodor Dostoevsky’s desk in his apartment in Saint Petersburg, Russia
Our favorite Slavophile lived at this address during the last years of his life, when he was writing The Brothers Karamazov. The apartment was turned into a museum in the late 1990s, so fans can head over to Vladimirskaya/Dostoyevskaya metro and run their hands across the woodwork or try to create a distraction so they can sit at his desk, pretending they too have a glorious beard and intense, world-weary eyes from years of political exile. (Right, Image courtesy of the University of Washington Libraries.)

Agatha Christie’s English summer home
The BBC features images of it pre-renovation here (left), while the Telegraph has some illuminating photos here.

Agatha Christie bought Greenway, a Georgian mansion on the southern tip of England, in the late 1930s. At the time, Christie bought the mansion and 33-acre property for £6,000, and then had an architect renovate it, reportedly telling him, “I want a big bath and I need a ledge because I like to eat apples.”

See the original Flavorwire post HERE

The article also showcases the homes of Norman Mailer, Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, Yukio Mishima, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and more.