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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
April 2, 2010 |
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Spring Break and Happy Easter
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Proving that I can write anywhere with my laptop, I am seated at the tiki bar behind the house we are renting on the Outer Banks tapping out this note on Thursday afternoon. As we rent this house in December and March or April, we never put the tiki bar to use, but in my determination to be outside as much as possible, this works as a spot to write because there is no sun glare. It's been a fun week here so far. My younger son brought one of his friends, Josh --- the one we call Son 2A --- and they have been having a blast playing golf with my husband and hanging out. Basically they move between the game room and their bedroom and emerge for meals. They are both big readers, and thus there is a fair stash of books between them, and Josh has been reading a manga series online. I took them to see Diary of a Wimpy Kid the other day, which I loved. They enjoyed it, but prefer the books. Loved hearing that!
I have been reading and working in between relaxing and sleeping off jetlag, the latter of which was really rough. I finished Scott Turow’s upcoming book, INNOCENT, which will be in stores on May 4th. As previously noted, it is a follow-up to PRESUMED INNOCENT, and it delivers so well. It definitely works as a stand-alone, but if there are any of you who have not yet read PRESUMED INNOCENT, now might be a good time for a read…or a re-read for those of you who have forgotten it. Turow takes his time between books, which is tough for fans, but when a book this good is delivered, it is worth waiting for.
Next I read STILTSVILLE by Susanna Daniel, which will be in stores August 3rd. My friend Virginia Stanley had talked this one up at two library conferences, and since I trust her taste, it was an easy decision for me to pack. It is set in the Miami area with locations that have become familiar to me in my travels --- Coral Gables, the Biltmore Hotel (the pool there, which is my favorite pool, is mentioned) and Stiltsville, which is off the coast in Key Biscayne, which I had learned about when I took a tour of the Cape Florida lighthouse a few years ago. These locations form the backdrop for a novel about love, marriage and life that I thoroughly enjoyed. Each time I picked it up, I felt I was visiting people I knew, and I was waiting to see what happened for them next. You can read more about the actual Stiltsville here. Sadly many of these homes were destroyed during Hurricane Andrew. I would love to get out there by boat at some point after reading this book.
Right now I am reading I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD by Pete Nelson, which will be in stores on April 13th. So far it’s just great; I am loving the voice and the ease of the writing. There still is quite a pile here for me to read, and I am hoping things get quiet tomorrow and over the weekend for me to get more reading done. The weather is wonderful, and I am hoping with the Easter holiday that things will close down early on Friday.
When I left you last week, I was headed to an event with a number of thriller/mystery authors, which proved worth taking a later flight for. Karin Slaughter, who is a favorite author of mine, was the first speaker, and she opened her talk with comments about how as a country we should be funding libraries and education the way we fund national defense. In fact, she feels that library funding is a matter of national security, and I do agree. She went on to talk about the children who live in the area in north Georgia where she writes. There they flock to the libraries to stand on line to use a computer or the Internet, and a day off from school means there are no hot meals.
When I shared this story with Jamie Layton, the manager of Duck’s Cottage in Duck on the Outer Banks, she told me about a program in effect in Dare County called Food for Thought, where elementary school children who are on subsidized meal plans all week at school are provided with nutritious child-pleasing non-perishable breakfasts and lunches each weekend during the school year. I also visited the library in Dare County, where there were lines for using the Internet. It brought home the comment I heard from Sherman Alexie last year about why he does not support his work being digitized, as the kids on reservations like those he grew up on would not be able to take advantage of them. A library for many is more than a place to get books; it’s a resource for information on a much broader scale. Over the next weeks I want to work on ideas for how we at The Book Report Network can help libraries get to the front of the minds of those in power in this country. More and more library funding is being cut instead of grown at a time when people are turning to them more than ever.
Karin’s next book, BROKEN, will be in stores on June 22nd, and I am looking forward to reading it. She also will have news about a new contest coming soon, and as she has some of the most innovative contests for readers, I look forward to hearing about it. She gave me some clues, and it sounds great.
I also got to hear from Jo Nesbø. Jo (pronounced Yo) rarely visits the States, and thus I had been invited to events at the Norwegian Embassy and an evening event while he was in New York. I was in Seattle. When he was in Seattle, I was somewhere else. And the two of us were not in the same place until Portland, which he found amusing to hear when we caught up at a cocktail party. He talked about his background as a stockbroker and a singer, both jobs he held simultaneously, and, yes, this is a pretty amusing combo. He was on a flight to Australia when he decided to write a book, and from Oslo to Sydney he came up with the plot for his first book, THE RED BREAST. We are happy to bring you the review of his latest book, THE DEVIL'S STAR, this week. And whew, I feel lucky I finally caught up with him! Like I won a prize.
Ted Dekker, whose upcoming book THE BRIDE COLLECTOR will be in stores on April 13th, grew up in Indonesia where his parents were missionaries among a group of headhunters. I kid you not. He saw his first body burned when he was six and picked up his first skull at age 7. What he witnessed as a child clearly infused his later work. He remembers when he finally went to a school where there was a library with books, and remembers a book about a jet pilot and how reading that book made him feel. I think people who grew up in a world where books were not readily available see them as even more precious than those who were always surrounded by them.
Cara Black is an author who I have heard about for years, but this was the first occasion where I have heard her speak. A confirmed Frankophile, on a trip to Paris, she met a woman who returned to her home there after school one day in the 1940s to find everyone in her family gone. People cared for her during the war, and she later learned as she walked the streets with a sandwich board with photos of her parents and her sister (as was the custom at the time) that her sister had been last seen on a train bound for Auschwitz. That story stayed with Cara, who remembered something Elizabeth George told her years ago: “Write what you are passionate about.” Thus Cara writes about a detective, Aimee Leduc, who lives in France, and I have to say the French phrases that dotted her talk made me want to travel there. Her latest book, MURDER IN THE PALAIS ROYAL, is just out.
Meg Gardiner was very funny as she told stories about how her neighbors have caught her working out scenes for her books outside her home. I could just picture her practicing murder moves as the neighbors looked on. Her latest is THE LIAR'S LULLABY, which will be out June 24th.
Dana Haynes --- the author of CRASHERS, which will be in stores on June 22nd and which I loved --- wrapped up the morning. He shared that his book was finished in August 2001. Given the events that took place a few weeks later, there was scant market for a book about a flight taken down by terrorists. The book for me is about a lot more. I loved reading about the National Transportation Safety Board team that investigates all plane crashes and how they work. His attention to detail clearly shows his talents in researching that were honed through his years of reporting for The Oregonian. He is very funny when he talks about how he had no knowledge of technology, as in his VCR flashes 12:00 year round, but did spend hours buying books at the Powell’s store in Portland that solely stocks technology books. That research makes the book work.
As promised, there is not one but two photo galleries from my recent adventures. Click here to see photos from Seattle and here for Portland. The photos from Portland are courtesy of friends as my camera charger was among the cords I managed to leave in the rental car I decided not to rent. As I changed cars, the cords stayed in a case in the back seat. Kudos to Hertz for finding them and returning them to me…impressive!
Reminder that this week a book that I really enjoyed, LOVE IN MID AIR by Kim Wright, is in stores. Two people meet on an airplane. They are attracted to each other. They both are married. The book is about what happens next. Jesse Kornbluth, currently of HeadButler.com fame and co-founder of Bookreporter.com, shares his review here. This week we're also launching a Fantasy feature for SUCCUBUS SHADOWS by Richelle Mead, who is an author at the forefront of the increasingly popular urban fantasy genre. You can enter to win one of 20 copies by signing up here. You can also catch up with our Facebook posts throughout the week here.
Tuesday my husband and I celebrated our 25th anniversary; we met 28 years ago to the day. I was skiing in Crested Butte wearing a lavender ski jacket. Unbeknownst to me, he was on a chairlift and was watching me ski, noting my jacket; we met later that day. We were married in New Jersey and headed for our honeymoon to Crested Butte/Snowmass/Vail/Aruba. It was amusing --- and very typical --- that we celebrated our 25th on the Outer Banks with Cory and his friend. People always ask if my husband minds my traveling. Well, the way I see it is, when he met me I was on a two-week ski trek on my own and the following summer I took off for a week in the mountains; he knew from the start I was infused with wanderlust.
Proving that wanderlust and bookish travel runs in the family, on his recent trip Greg shopped at the Garden District Book Shop in New Orleans where he chatted with the shop owner and bought a copy of THE WORLD THAT MADE NEW ORLEANS by Ned Sublette. One nice thing about local shops like that is that they carry books about local history. I always find the same at Duck’s Cottage here.
Happy Easter to all those who are celebrating. And continued Happy Passover to our Jewish friends. Josh has had us experiencing matzos pizza here. I am serving lamb for an early celebration tonight as we are traveling on Sunday. Joining us will be neighbors here who we met through one of our readers, Judy. Judy sent some mandel bread with them for dinner. I love the way my worlds collide. It’s really special. Read on….
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
PS: I am toasting you with cranberry juice from the tiki bar! It was Greg's idea. He felt the tiki bar needed a cocktail.
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Sandra Dallas, Author of WHITER THAN SNOW |
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Sandra Dallas --- the bestselling author of nine works of fiction, including PRAYERS FOR SALE, TALLGRASS and NEW MERCIES --- tackles themes of loss, forgiveness and faith in her latest historical novel, WHITER THAN SNOW, which depicts a sleepy Colorado mining town as its residents cope with the effects of a natural disaster. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Bronwyn Miller, Dallas recounts a personal tragedy that helped her tap into similar feelings of bereavement experienced by her characters and discusses one particularly challenging aspect of writing about such harrowing circumstances. She also explains how she authentically captures the speech, behavior and attitudes of the time periods and settings during which her books take place, shares what she hopes readers will take away about ideas regarding fate (or luck) and tragedy, and offers details about the bear of a novel she’s currently working on.
WHITER THAN SNOW by Sandra Dallas (Fiction)
WHITER THAN SNOW opens in 1920, on a spring afternoon in Swandyke, a small town near Colorado’s Tenmile Range. Just moments after 4:00, a large split of snow separates from Jubilee Mountain high above the tiny hamlet and hurtles down the rocky slope, enveloping everything in its path including nine young children who are walking home from school. But only four children survive. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
-Click here to read a review of WHITER THAN SNOW.
-Click here to read an excerpt from WHITER THAN SNOW.
-Click here to see the reading group guide for WHITER THAN SNOW.
-Click here to read Sandra Dallas's bio.
-Click here to read critical praise for Sandra Dallas's books.
-Visit Sandra Dallas's official website, www.SandraDallas.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
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Click here to read our interview with Sandra Dallas.
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Gayle Lynds, Author of THE BOOK OF SPIES |
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Gayle Lynds’s latest novel, THE BOOK OF SPIES, is the first book in a series that follows museum curator Eva Blake and former intelligence agent Judd Ryder as they attempt to uncover a terrorist plot linked to Ivan the Terrible’s legendary Library of Gold. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Joe Hartlaub, Lynds describes how she first became interested in this historical mystery and explains what aspect of writing and researching the subject thrilled her the most. She also stresses the importance of keeping things simple while plotting complex storylines, shares her own theories about the location of the legendary library, and reveals why THE BOOK OF SPIES was personally a significant accomplishment for her to complete.
THE BOOK OF SPIES by Gayle Lynds (Thriller)
For centuries, emperors, historians and even the Vatican have tried to locate Ivan the Terrible's magnificent Library of Gold. Now one of its volumes, The Book of Spies, has surfaced, and along with it the secret book club that owns the fabled library. They form a cabal of the globe's most powerful men --- men who will do anything to achieve their aims and protect their interests. An intelligence officer and a rare books curator now must do what other global agencies can't --- find the library and stop them. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read a review of THE BOOK OF SPIES.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE BOOK OF SPIES.
-Click here to see the reading group guide for THE BOOK OF SPIES.
-Click here to read Gayle Lynds's bio.
-Click here to read critical praise for THE BOOK OF SPIES.
-Visit Gayle Lynds's official website, www.GayleLynds.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
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Click here to read our interview with Gayle Lynds.
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New Featured Fantasy Author: Richelle Mead, Author of SUCCUBUS SHADOWS
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Richelle Mead, the bestselling author of urban fantasy novels for both adults and teens, returns with SUCCUBUS SHADOWS, the fifth installment in her Georgina Kincaid series. These books tell the story of a reluctant succubus who can't touch the man she loves without dire side effects. She also must deal with Hell's middle management team and the many supernatural threats that come her way.
We have 20 copies of SUCCUBUS SHADOWS to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, April 9th at noon ET.
-Click here to read an excerpt from SUCCUBUS SHADOWS.
-Click here to read Richelle Mead's bio.
-Click here to see Richelle Mead's backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for Richelle Mead's books.
-Visit Richelle Mead's official website, www.RichelleMead.com.
More about SUCCUBUS SHADOWS:
Georgina Kincaid has formidable powers. Immortality, seduction, shape-shifting into any human form she desires, walking in heels that would cripple mere mortals --- all child’s play to a succubus like her. Helping to plan her ex-boyfriend’s wedding is a different story. Georgina isn’t sure which is worse --- that Seth is marrying another woman, or that Georgina has to run all over Seattle trying on bridesmaid dresses. Still, there are distractions. Georgina’s roommate, Roman, is cluttering her apartment with sexual tension. Then there’s Simone, the new succubus in town, who’s intent on corrupting Seth.
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Click here to read more about Richelle Mead and SUCCUBUS SHADOWS.
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Now in Stores: SOLAR by Ian McEwan
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SOLAR by Ian McEwan (Fiction)
Bestselling author Ian McEwan’s new novel uses a decidedly antiheroic protagonist to deliver a wickedly funny work that’s full of sly insights on the climate change controversy and equally perceptive ones on the follies of human nature. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg. |
Click here to read a review of SOLAR.
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Now in Stores: DECEPTION by Jonathan Kellerman
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DECEPTION: An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman (Psychological Thriller)
Homicide detective Milo Sturgis is assigned to probe the hallowed halls of Windsor Prep Academy after a DVD found near the lifeless body of a teacher reveals that her sadistic tormentors are faculty members at this prestigious prep school. If ever he could use Dr. Alex Delaware’s psychological prowess, now would be the time. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
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Click here to read a review of DECEPTION.
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Now in Stores: MEMORY by Donald E. Westlake
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MEMORY by Donald E. Westlake (Psychological Thriller)
When a stage actor on tour has a violent run-in with a jealous husband, his memory isn’t the only thing he is in danger of losing. MEMORY is the final, never-before-published novel by the late great Donald E. Westlake. Reviewed by Tom Callahan.
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Click here to read more about MEMORY.
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2010 Spring Baseball Roundup
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In a baseball era when much of the discussion has centered on who may have taken shortcuts to superstardom, it’s refreshing that 2010 sees several titles harkening back to a simpler time and heroes who won their glory through hard work and, at times, in the face of adversity. Bookreporter.com’s Ron Kaplan takes a look at these recently (and soon-to-be) released books, along with two nostalgic selections about baseball cards, which served as a way of connecting fans across the country with far-away players and teams.
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Click here to read Ron Kaplan’s roundup of spring baseball titles.
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New in Paperback for April
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April’s roundup of New in Paperback titles includes THE HOST, Stephenie Meyer’s first book for adults, which revolves around alien “souls” taking over the minds and bodies of humans; BORDERLINE, Nevada Barr’s latest Anna Pigeon novel that finds the National Park Service Ranger in a fragile mental state after returning from a harrowing experience in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula; RELENTLESS, Dean Koontz’s chilling story of a likable, successful family man who is drawn into a confrontation with a foe of unimaginable malice; SUMMER ON BLOSSOM STREET by Debbie Macomber, whose protagonist --- Lydia Goetz, owner of A Good Yarn on Seattle’s Blossom Street --- offers a class called “Knit to Quit” for people who want to quit something (or someone) and start a new phase of their lives; THE MEMORIST, M.J. Rose's riveting follow-up to THE REINCARNATIONIST, in which a strange letter sets a woman on a journey to unlock the mystery of who she once was; and THE GIRLS FROM AMES by Jeffrey Zaslow, a moving tribute to female friendships, with the inspiring true story of 11 girls and the 10 women they became.
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Click here to see our New in Paperback feature for April.
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Books into Movies/Books into Movies on DVD for April |
Rediscover your punk roots this month as the buzzworthy music biopic The Runaways hits the big screen in wide release on April 9th. Written and directed by artist and music video director Floria Sigismondi, this coming-of-age drama follows a couple of spunky, rebellious teens as they form the now-legendary all-girl band that gave rise to icons Joan Jett, Cherie Currie and Lita Ford.
And in case you missed it last winter, Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones --- based on Alice Sebold’s heartwrenching debut novel about a young girl who watches over her family from beyond the grave --- is releasing on DVD April 20th.
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Click here for more details about April’s films.
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Calling All Kids and Teens! Vote for Your Favorite Books, Authors and Illustrators of 2009 in the Children's Choice Book Awards
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The Children’s Book Council has announced the finalists for the third annual Children's Choice Book Awards. The favorite book finalists were determined by close to 15,000 children and teens. Thousands more can cast their votes for their favorite books, authors and illustrators at bookstores, schools, libraries and at www.BookWeekOnline.com until May 3rd.
The Children’s Choice Book Awards winners will be announced live at the Children’s Choice Book Awards gala on May 11th in New York City as part of Children’s Book Week (May 10-16th), the oldest national literacy event in the United States.
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Click here to cast your votes for the 2010 Children's Choice Book Awards.
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This Week's Reviews
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THE SILENT SEA: A Novel of the Oregon Files by Clive Cussler with Jack Du Brul (Thriller/Action & Adventure)
On December 7, 1941, five brothers exploring a shaft on a small island off the coast of Washington State make an extraordinary discovery, only to be interrupted by news of Pearl Harbor. In the present, Cabrillo, chasing the remnants of a crashed satellite in the Argentine jungle, stumbles upon a shocking revelation of his own. Reviewed by Marge Fletcher.
LOVE IN MID AIR by Kim Wright (Fiction)
A chance encounter with a stranger on an airplane sends Elyse Bearden into an emotional tailspin. Suddenly Elyse is willing to risk everything: her safe but stale marriage, her seemingly perfect life in an affluent Southern suburb, and her position in the community. As she embarks on a risky affair, her longtime friend Kelly and the other women in their book club begin to question their own decisions about love, sex, marriage and freedom. Reviewed by Jesse Kornbluth.
-Click here to see the reading group guide for LOVE IN MID AIR.
THE BARBARY PIRATES: An Ethan Gage Adventure by William Dietrich (Historical Thriller)
THE BARBARY PIRATES is William Dietrich’s fourth swashbuckling adventure in his highly energetic Ethan Gage series (which also includes NAPOLEON’S PYRAMIDS, THE ROSETTA KEY and THE DAKOTA CIPHER). Fans of action/adventure, espionage and historical fiction will not want to miss this latest entry. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE DEVIL'S STAR by Jo Nesbø (Mystery)
Oslo is sweltering in the summer heat when a young woman is murdered in her flat. One finger has been cut off and a tiny red diamond in the shape of a pentagram --- a five-pointed star --- is found under her eyelid. Detective Harry Hole is assigned the case with Tom Waaler, a colleague he neither likes nor trusts. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
DIMITER by William Peter Blatty (Thriller)
This gracefully written and brilliantly created novel opens with a Biblical quote from Acts and takes the reader on a dazzling and mysterious journey. Set in the atheist state of Albania in 1973 and shifting to 1974 war-ravaged Jerusalem, DIMITER is an intelligent and unforgettable tale of redemption, sacrifice, courage and love. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt.
WILLIE MAYS: THE LIFE, THE LEGEND by James S. Hirsch (Biography)
With 3,283 hits, 660 home runs and 338 stolen bases, Willie Mays was a blend of power, speed and stylistic bravado that enraptured fans for more than two decades. Now, in the first biography authorized by and written with the cooperation of Willie Mays, James Hirsch reveals the man behind the player. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.
A TWISTED FAITH: A Minister's Obsession and the Murder That Destroyed a Church by Gregg Olsen (True Crime)
In the late 1990s, God spoke to a youth pastor of a small church in an idyllic part of Washington State --- or at least that’s what he told the women he convinced to have sex with him. But they finally came to the realization that it was more likely Satan than God who had the man’s ear. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
EGGSECUTIVE ORDERS: A White House Chef Mystery by Julie Hyzy (Mystery)
When NSA bigshot Carl Minkus dies right after eating the dinner Olivia Paras's staff had prepared, all forks point to them. Now the Secret Service is picking apart the kitchen --- and scrutinizing the staff's every move. The timing couldn't be worse with the White House Lawn Easter Egg Roll to prep for without access to a kitchen. Ollie must find the real culprit --- before she cracks under pressure. Reviewed by Amy Alessio.
THE GUILT PROJECT: Rape, Morality, and Law by Vanessa Place (Criminal Law)
Assuming a society can and must be judged by the way it treats its most despicable members, THE GUILT PROJECT looks at the way the American legal system defines, prosecutes and punishes sex offenders, how it has transformed our conception of who is guilty and how they ought to be treated, and how this has come to undo our deeper humanity. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
STRESS FRACTURE by D.P. Lyle (Psychological Thriller)
When Dub Walker’s close friend, Sheriff Mike Savage, becomes the victim of a gruesome murder, the forensic expert is called upon to track down the serial killer who's been terrorizing the county. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
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Click here to read this week's reviews.
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Poll and Question of the Week: Bookish Pride |
Poll:
Are you proud of the books on your bookshelf and what they say about you?
Yes, I am proud of all of them.
Yes, I am proud of some of them.
No
Not sure
I don’t own enough books to answer this question properly.
-Click here to answer our poll.
Question:
Name up to five books on your bookshelf that “define” you.
-Click here to answer our question.
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As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online or change your preferences below.
Those of you who wish to send mail to Bookreporter.com, please see the form on the Write to Us page. If you would like to reach me, please write [email protected]. Writing any of the respond buttons below will not get to us.
Those who are subscribed to the Bookreporter.com newsletter by April 30, 2010 automatically are entered in our Monthly Newsletter Contest. This month, one winner will be selected to win the following five books: THE BLACK CAT: A Richard Jury Mystery by Martha Grimes, DELIVER US FROM EVIL by David Baldacci, THE DOUBLE COMFORT SAFARI CLUB: The New No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Novel by Alexander McCall Smith, EVERY LAST ONE by Anna Quindlen and THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE by Mary Higgins Clark. Audri from Westmont, IL was last month's winner. She won CAUGHT by Harlan Coben, HELL GATE by Linda Fairstein, HUSH by Kate White, SHATTERED by Karen Robards and THINK TWICE by Lisa Scottoline.
Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: ReadingGroupGuides.com, GraphicNovelReporter.com, FaithfulReader.com, Teenreads.com, Kidsreads.com, AuthorsOnTheWeb.com and AuthorYellowPages.com.
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