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July 27, 2001
Dear Reader:
Last week when I was writing the newsletter, I read the promo for the new James
Patterson book SUZANNE'S DIARY FOR NICHOLAS on Bookreporter.com and I was intrigued.
Now I have never read a Patterson book before this, but somehow the promo, Joe Hartlaub's
review and the interview with Patterson inspired me to pick it up. It got me to thinking
about all the advertising for books that runs in newspapers and magazines. Ever notice
that there is always something like "his best ever," "a must-read," or
some other boastful line? But, from this, do you ever get to know anything about the book
itself?
If this is something that also has you scratching your head, feel free to drop me a line
at Carol@bookreporter.com.
Back to Patterson. In this book he tells a wonderful story about five balls --- one made
of rubber and four others made of glass. I will not tell it here lest I ruin the story for
any of you, but I will tell you that it stayed with me. Which brings me to our Poll
question of the week. (Yes, the Poll is back...see the home page of Bookreporter.com to cast your vote!)
Has something in a book (e.g. storyline, character, etc.) ever made an impact on your
life?
(a) Yes, more than once
(b) Yes, I can recall at least one time
(c) Not sure
(d) No, I cannot remember this happening
And let's stay with this theme with our Question of the
Week:
If a book ever made an impact on your life, what was it? Please send your responses to: question@bookreporter.com.
Many thanks to all of you who wrote such nice letters last week about my escaping my funk
with a book. I loved reading your notes, and if I have not responded to you, I'll try to
get back to you this week.
One of my favorite features on Bookreporter.com is Word of Mouth. I love looking at
the list of books that you are reading and seeing your comments. Each week this feature
gets better and better. I encourage you to use this as your forum to talk about books, and
I suggest you peruse these lists to see what readers are saying about the books you may
want to read. Please note that the new Word of Mouth email address is WordOfMouth@bookreporter.com.
Also, appreciated how many of you forwarded our newsletter to friends encouraging them to
become Bookreporter.com readers. Here's the offer again...if you have friends who love to
read, forward a copy of this newsletter to them now and tell them to sign up at Bookreporter.com
Newsletter.
NEW THIS WEEK
Bookreporter Talks To:
Ridley Pearson, known for his immensely
popular Lou Boldt series, reveals the creative spark behind his new thriller, PARALLEL
LIES, in an interview with Bookreporter.com's Joe Hartlaub.
Julia Butterfly Hill , author of THE
LEGACY OF LUNA, reflects on the emotional undercurrent of her writing and what inspires
her to be an activist during an interview with Bookreporter.com's Jana Siciliano.
Susanne Antonetta , author of BODY
TOXIC, reveals the metamorphosis from keeping diaries to personal research to a full
length memoir in this interview with Bookreporter.com's Jana Siciliano.
Newsworthy:
In Memorium
Bookreporter.com pays tribute to one of the 20th century's finest Southern writers, Eudora
Welty (1909-2001), Pulitzer Prize-winning author of THE OPTIMIST'S DAUGHTER as well as
numerous other novels and short story collections.
On The Road With...
Ann Patchett - 6th and final installment
Ann Patchett bids good-bye to the book tour grind with a fond remembrance of a terrific
book store and an unexpected gift.
Perspectives:
BOOK MAGAZINE'S TEN MOST INFLUENTIAL
PEOPLE IN PUBLISHING: Did They Get Them Right?
Jana Siciliano shares her views on who really deserves to be on this honorary list.
The Case Against eBooks
"KEEP THE BOOKS, KILL THE "e -"Ron Kaplan puts technology in its place, and
it's not on the bookshelf.
Bookreporter Readers Say....
Does a cover affect your decision to buy a book? Which book do you think has a great cover?
Features
NEW AND NOTABLE IN PAPERBACK
Grab your shopping cart for another round of Bookreporter.com's paperback selections.
I WISH I HAD A RED DRESS by Pearl Cleage
A woman who has lost her family finds solace and strength in helping teens cope with their
troubled home lives. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano and excerpted.
ORANGE CRUSH by Tim Dorsey
No-holds-barred satire forms the basis for this fictional gubernatorial election with its
busload of quirky campaigners rolling through Florida. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub and
excerpted.
THE UP AND COMER by Howard Roughan
A lawyer on the fast-track to the top with a seemingly perfect life finds himself the
target of a blackmailer. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub and excerpted.
Reviews
CLAY'S QUILT by Silas House
A young man searches for the truth about the murder of a mother he barely remembers in his
rural Kentucky community. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.
I DON'T WANT TO GO TO JAIL by Jimmy Breslin
This New York columnist writes a thinly veiled novel about a crime lord's nephew and
"the family". Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.
THE SHAPE OF SNAKES by Minette Walters
A woman named "M" alienates friends and neighbors in her obsession to
investigate the murder of a local vagrant. Reviewed by Nancy Leake.
BACK FROM THE DEAD by Chris Petit
A series of mysterious letters from a dead girl compel a New York City cop to become
entangled in a rock star's world. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE APRIL FOOLS' DAY MURDER by Lee Harris
The latest "Holiday" mystery featuring the amateur sleuth, Christine Bennett, as
she tries to unravel the death of the town curmudgeon. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
GOING TO THE TOP by Carol Gallagher, Ph.D., with Susan
K. Golant, M.A.
A worthwhile guide to achieving even more in your chosen profession from those who have
already run the gauntlet. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
Summer Features
'TIS THE SEASON FOR SERIES
Summer is a great time to settle back with a complete collection of books at your
fingertips. Take a look at some of the series and collections we think are worth noting.
Summer Reading Tip #9: Get away and read!
Beach Books & Beyond!
Over 150 titles are featured in our something-for-everyone collection --- Beach Books and
Beyond!
And while you're choosing an intriguing book to read...
Surf the Web for Summer Reading Contest
Surf the Web for Summer Reading Contest! Nine book sites have joined together to bring
readers a chance at prizes totaling $1,000. Just search the sites for the special contest
word and follow the rules to win one of the fantastic prizes. And while you're browsing
each site, take notice of the great titles available for your summer reading pleasure.
SIZZLING SUMMER FEATURE
Check out the triple-digit heat index on these spicy summer novels.
CONTESTS AND GIVEAWAYS
This week we're giving away a copy of I WISH I HAD A RED DRESS by Pearl Cleage to one
lucky winner! Submit to Word of Mouth and your name will go
in the hat for your chance to win one.
Every month one Bookreporter.com newsletter subscriber wins a $50 Amazon.com gift
certificate. To subscribe to the newsletter and automatically be entered to win, send an
e-mail to newsletter@bookreporter.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. If you already
receive this newsletter in your e-mailbox every week, why not forward it to a friend?
Enter the Surf the Web for Summer Reading Contest
with prizes totaling $1,000! Nine different websites about books and reading have joined
together to bring you the ultimate summer contest. Check out each of the websites to find
terrific titles that will keep you turning the pages through the lazy days ahead. And
while you're there, hunt for the special contest word on each site. Arrange the nine words
into a grammatically correct sentence and email your answer to Contests@bookreporter.com.
What could be easier!
I'm heading to the deck to read. Have a great week.
--- Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@Bookreporter.com)
for The Book Report Network
Bookreporter.com * ReadingGroupGuides.com * AuthorsOnTheWeb.com * Teenreads.com * Kidsreads.com
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