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November 2, 2001
Dear Reader:
Last week we asked...."Do you think authors should be concerned with WHO is reading and recommending their books, or just be happy that they are being read and talked about?" And you answered. Hundreds of you. I loved every minute of reading these responses --- the passion in your responses was terrific to read.
There was one email that I got a particular kick out of from WriteDoctr@aol.com, a freelance editor. Here is a portion of it that made me smile. "May I suggest that if Jonathan Franzen is that particular about who reads his books, then he should pay to have them printed up, run an ad in a local newspaper, have prospective readers fill out an application, and if they pass muster, sell them one...."
As soon as the pumpkins come down, it's time to start thinking about the holidays. On Tuesday, November 6, John Grisham's SKIPPING CHRISTMAS will be out in stores! For a sneak peek at what ensues when a couple decide to forego holiday traditions, read the excerpt here.
With the holidays in mind, I am asking for an early present. My goal is to double the readership of this newsletter --- and our websites --- in the next couple of months. With that in mind, I have a couple of requests:
1) Forward this newsletter to every booklover you know, and encourage them to subscribe and, ahem, visit the website!
2) Print out a copy of this newsletter and take it to your local library. We want librarians to subscribe and to encourage their readers to do the same.
3) Take a moment to look at the other websites in our Network --- ReadingGroupGuides.com (new content just went up there on Thursday!), AuthorsOnTheWeb.com, Teenreads.com and Kidsreads.com
If you have any other ideas on how we can "grow," please drop me a note at Carol@bookreporter.com.
This Week's Question
We think we have the perfect followup question to last week's Franzen "Oprah Moment." Here you go --- What is the most highly recommended book you have ever been told to read, and did you find it as good as it was supposed to be? Respond to the question of the week by sending mail to: Question@bookreporter.com.
Word of Mouth
Wondering what fellow Bookreporter.com readers are reading? Look no further than Word of Mouth. Then tell us what YOU are reading and you could win a copy of HOPE TO DIE. Need more details on how to participate in Word of Mouth? Click here. Send your replies to WordOfMouth@bookreporter.com.
Publisher's Pick
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New This Week
Bookreporter Talks To:
Lawrence Block, author of HOPE TO DIE, reflects on the longevity and fictional aging of his Matthew Scudder character in an interview with Bookreporter.com's Rob Cline.
Publisher's Pick
Every Good and Perfect Gift, a novel by Brenda Jernigan
"...a warm story about matters of the spirit and heart."
— Christian Science Monitor
"Brenda Jernigan has perfect pitch and a wildly original mind."
— Lee Smith
For more information go to: http://www.brendajernigan.com/
Features
THE SIGMA PROTOCOL by Robert Ludlum (Thriller)
Reviewed by Ann Bruns and excerpted.
24/7 by Jim Brown (Fiction)
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub and excerpted.
THIS ROCK by Robert Morgan (Fiction)
Reviewed by Jonathan Shipley and excerpted.
OCTOBER SUITE by Maxine Clair (Fiction)
Reviewed by Jean Marchand and excerpted.
LAST BREATH: Cautionary Tales from the Limits of Human Endurance by Peter Stark (Short Essays)
Reviewed by Carol Fitzgerald and excerpted.
HOPE TO DIE: A Matthew Scudder Novel by Lawrence Block (Mystery)
Reviewed by Rob Cline and excerpted.
Perspective
Writers on War
Jana Siciliano gathers some of the quotable thoughts and viewpoints penned by authors over the decades.
Last Week's Question
Bookreporter.com - Question of the Week Do you think authors should be concerned with WHO is reading and recommending their books, or just be happy that they are being read and talked about?
Amazon.com
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it's one more reason to shop for all your reading needs at Amazon.com!
Reviews
THE ALTAR OF THE BODY by Duff Brenna (Fiction)
Reviewed by Becky Olshen
EVERYBODY PAYS: Two Men, One Murder, and the Price of Truth by Maurice Possley and Rick Kogan (True Crime)
Reviewed by Bob Ruggiero
BELOVED STRANGER by Claire Boylan (Fiction)
Reviewed by Jana Siciliano
MISCONCEPTIONS: Truth, Lies and the Unexpected on the Journey to Motherhood by Naomi Wolf (Nonfiction)
Reviewed by Jana Siciliano
THE CASSANDRA COMPACT: A Covert-One Novel by Robert Ludlum and Philip Shelby (Thriller)
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
SAD BASTARD By Hugo Hamilton (Mystery)
Reviewed by Kate Ayers
One You Don't Want to Miss:
WHAT'S WRONG WITH TIMMY by Maria Shriver
Every parent remembers the look on their child's face when they see a developmentally disabled child for the first time. Maria Shriver gives it words --- "What's wrong with...."
Bookreporter.com marketplace
Take a minute to scroll through our mini-mall of great online shops.
Whether you're looking for elegant writing tools, downloadable reading
materials, or great bargains on books and magazines, you'll find
what you need in our collection of great online stores for readers.
Contests and Giveaways
Kidsreads.com Halloween Contest! October 31 is the night when kids of all ages get to dress up as the spookiest character they can imagine. At Kidsreads.com, Booker T. Worm plans to celebrate this frightful night by dressing up, too, and to add to the fun he's holding a special contest just for kids! One Grand Prize winner will receive a $50 collection of books; two runners-up will each win $25 worth of books! Parents, check out the contest rules and then see if your little goblin can find Booker hidden around the Kidsreads.com site in all eight of his costumes. What could be better than a bag full of books as a special Halloween treat!
This week we're giving away a copy of HOPE TO DIE by Lawrence Block to one lucky winner! Submit to Word of Mouth and your name will go in the hat for your chance to win one. By the way, if you would prefer your contribution remain anonymous, just let us know when you send in your submission.
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?
If someone can tell me WHY I am still eating candy, I would appreciate it. I do not even like chocolate! I think next year people should give gently used books instead of candy. Anyone agree with me?
--- Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@Bookreporter.com)
for The Book Report Network
Bookreporter.com * ReadingGroupGuides.com * AuthorsOnTheWeb.com * Teenreads.com * Kidsreads.com
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