Summer Beach Bag of Books Promotion

I am writing from Coral Gables, FL where I am in town for the Books & Books 25th Anniversary activities, which include the Book Club Twister Mixer on Sunday afternoon where I will be sharing book ideas with book clubs. You can read more about all of the Books & Books events here, and if you are attending be sure to look for me to say hi.

My husband read Ken Follett's new one, WORLD WITHOUT END this week. He was a huge fan of THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH, so when I shared this one with him, I was looking forward to seeing his reaction. He started it last Friday and he did not move from the couch for hours, which as we all know is the sign of a good book. He was up until 3 a.m. reading on Sunday night ensuring me that this new book was a quantifiable success. We all know books like this. Clearly there should be "personal days" for books for those of us who just get caught up reading. Powering through books we love is an indulgence that needs to be reckoned with. I often think that Harry Potter was released in summer just so children who pulled all-nighters reading it would not have to worry about falling asleep at their desks!

As WORLD WITHOUT END has 1,024 pages, it inspires this week's poll question: "Does the length of a book factor into your decision to read it?" Let us know here.

Last weekend I was in Baltimore for a book conference. I was joined by Shannon McKenna Schmidt, a frequent contributor to Bookreporter.com, who has a book called NOVEL DESTINATIONS: Literary Landmarks From Jane Austen's Bath to Ernest Hemingway's Key West coming out next May that she wrote with another friend of ours, Joni Rendon. Shannon has been sharing stories of literary places that she has found in the course of her research. Monday afternoon we took a trip to The Poe House and Museum, where Edgar Allan Poe lived from 1829 to 1835. For a bibliophile, moments like this among the surroundings inhabited by great writers is a terrific experience. Afterwards we also visited Poe's grave, which is in a church graveyard located in downtown Baltimore. Lyng on the grave were bouquets of flowers left by those paying respects. These adventures made me look forward to reading the book and planning time to see other literary sites of interest, as either planned expeditions or experiences latched onto other travel. Trust you will hear more about this book in the months to come. There is a photo of Shannon and me at The Poe House above.

That evening I had the opportunity to attend a screening of The Kite Runner, which will be in theaters on December 14th. I loved it and have been sharing bits of it with people all week. It's a very powerful film with images that will sear themselves into your head. I left the theater emotionally spent but fulfilled, which is a good combination. For fans of the book, you will not be disappointed. For those of you who have not read the book, I encourage you to do so before you see it so you can see how your images compare with the film experience.

Tuesday I was invited to lunch with a debut author, Alan Drew, who has written a novel called GARDENS OF WATER that I just love. It will be in stores on February 5th, and we will be sharing a lot more about it in the months to come. The story is set in Istanbul right after the earthquake of 1999 and is the story of a Muslim family and what happens to them in the wake of this disaster. I really enjoyed speaking with Alan about the book and hearing more about his travels in Istanbul. He arrived with his wife for a teaching assignment just days before the quake struck, so the story he shares was inspired by his time there. Those of you who enjoy reading books about other cultures will enjoy this one.

Readers last week told us how much they enjoyed MATRIMONY by Joshua Henkin and THE DOWRY BRIDE by debut novelist Shobhan Bantwal. This week, the authors have responded to readers' questions. Click here to read Josh's responses and here for Shobhan's replies.

We're also spotlighting our Books into Movies feature for October. As a longtime Dennis Lehane fan, I am looking foward to seeing the film adaptation of GONE BABY GONE, which comes out today. Years ago when I read this series, I longed to see it made into a movie. I am happy to see that happen.

For those of you who are wondering.... the turquoise cowboy boots arrived today and my husband assures me that they will make me smile when I get back. This week my wonderful friend Harry Burton gave me a turquoise laptop bag as a gift. It was a great surprise, and I loved every moment of carrying it on the plane today! Okay, I am headed back to the pool, which I hear is the setting for spectacular Busby Berkeley-like water shows, high-dive competitions and demonstrations by superstars like Esther Williams. It's truly spectacular. I have to remember to strike a pose as I swim my laps. My hotel room is stocked with books; I can see five on a shelf above the desk. What a lovely touch!

I will be back in Miami in a few weeks for the Miami Book Fair, which is being held November 4-11. This week I got word from the Fair's organizers that they have arranged for special travel rates for people who want to travel to the Fair from New York, Chicago, Washington, DC and Los Angeles. You can read all the details here.

Have a great week...and here's to some great reading.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

We are celebrating the release of CARPOOL CONFIDENTIAL by Jessica Benson --- a touching, funny, sexy book about one woman whose life takes a turn in a completely unexpected direction --- with a special contest. Readers who answer the question correctly by reading an excerpt from the book automatically will be entered to win. Ten lucky winners will receive a finished copy of CARPOOL CONFIDENTIAL.

-Click here to read an excerpt from CARPOOL CONFIDENTIAL.

J.D. Robb, aka Nora Roberts, has written over 100 books in her illustrious career. On November 6th, CREATION IN DEATH, the 25th installment in her bestselling In Death series, will be released. As Eve Dallas --- a lieutenant in the New York Police and Security Department --- hunts for a killer known as “The Groom,” who plagued the city nine years earlier, she realizes that this new wave of attacks is becoming alarmingly personal.

-Click here to read an excerpt from CREATION IN DEATH.
-Click here to read fast facts about J.D. Robb.
-Click here to read J.D. Robb’s bio.
-Click here to see J.D. Robb's backlist.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.JDRobb.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.

More about CREATION IN DEATH:
NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas keeps the streets of a near-future New York City safe in this extraordinary series. But even she makes mistakes, and is haunted by those she couldn't save --- and the killers she couldn't capture. When the body of a young brunette is found in East River Park, artfully positioned and marked by signs of prolonged and painful torture, Eve is catapulted back to a case nine years earlier. When it becomes apparent that a gruesome killer known as “The Groom” has returned, Eve is determined to finish him once and for all.

FaithfulReader.com is our website for Christian readers with monthly updates of reviews and interviews, as well as discussion guides, book excerpts, a monthly newsletter and more. A special feature on the site is the Faithful Fifteen, in which authors answer a series of questions about writing and faith.

Here are some of the titles being featured this month on FaithfulReader.com:

AND IF I DIE: The Black or White Chronicles, Book Three by John Aubrey Anderson
EVERY SECRET THING by Ann Tatlock
FINDING HOME: An Imperfect Path to Faith and Family by Jim Daly with Bob DeMoss
FOR PARENTS ONLY: Getting Inside the Head of Your Kid by Shaunti Feldhahn and Lisa A. Rice
THE FOUR SEASONS OF MARRIAGE by Gary Chapman
THE PARTING: The Courtship of Nellie Fisher #1 by Beverly Lewis
PRICED TO MOVE: Shop-Til-U-Drop Series #1 by Ginny Aiken
A PROMISE TO REMEMBER by Kathryn Cushman
SCREAMFREE PARENTING: The Revolutionary Approach to Raising Your Kids by Keeping Your Cool by Hal Edward Runkel
SEARCHING FOR ETERNITY by Elizabeth Musser
THE YADA YADA PRAYER GROUP GETS DECKED OUT by Neta Jackson