 |
|
Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
March 14, 2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
St. Patrick's Day Memories...
|
In last week's newsletter I did a little trip down my memory lane of skiing. I am continuing that theme this week since when I think of St. Patrick's Day I think of the Ravinos. They were a band of skiers who used to perform aerial jumps off a slope called First Step in Vail on St. Paddy's Day in the late '70s and early '80s. Now one must remember that this was before short skis, freestyle championships, snowboards or anything we connect with the wild side of skiing today. The Ravinos would perform inverted aerial jumps off a cliff on Vail Mountain on long skis. Those of us in the crowd watching these feats would plunk ourselves down on the snow below, have picnics and drink green beer. As green beer was drunk "non-Ravino," folks would climb up the cliff and try their hand at aerials. (For the record, I never jumped.)
Thinking back this probably was a LOT more dangerous than any of us would care to think about. But it also was great fun. And each year, when St. Patrick's Day comes around, I take a little trip back in my head to that mountain, feel the sun on my face and smile thinking of the Ravinos. Last week I did an Internet search and found this piece about the Ravinos that filled in some of the missing pieces. Oh, if you are in Vail next week they won't be there. The Ravinos were chased off the mountain by the ski patrol sometime in the mid-'80s. For a while they took their show over to Vail Pass, but then that too disappeared. Happy St. Patrick's Day to all, no matter how you celebrate. Make some memories of your own.
I had great fun writing a blog post this week in the form of a "Memo to Eliot Spitzer" that got quite a bit of media pickup. Click here to read it and see why reading might have been a better idea! Also, last Sunday I shared my plan for Daylight Savings Time, which you can read here. I still am dealing with my personal jetlag from the clocks changing. Night owl that I am, I have been staying up to read until past midnight. The other morning my older son yelled "bye" as he walked out the door to school at 7:15 and I yelled "bye" back, but then wondered how this was part of my dream. I was sound asleep! Maybe I can work on change in increments of 10 minutes and get there by next week! Then I can start making a hot breakfast again for him as he heads out to a hard day of studies. Right after I churn the butter and gather the eggs.
For those of you who enjoyed JOHN ADAMS by David McCullough, you may want to note that beginning at 8 PM this coming Sunday, March 16th, HBO airs the two-part premiere of "John Adams." The seven-part series stars Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney and will run on Sundays at 9 PM. This information was driven home to me by the huge billboard that HBO has at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel going to New Jersey. I like that billboard. It gets my attention every time. And there usually is enough traffic at the light there that I can write down what I see noted on it.
Earlier in the year in USA Today, I was quoted saying that 2008 was shaping up to be a big year for women's fiction titles. Recognizing this trend, we are pleased to announce the launch of a new feature called Women’s Fiction. The first author to be featured under this mantle is international bestseller Elizabeth Noble, whose book, THINGS I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW, will be in stores April 8th. It's a thought-provoking story about what a dying mother wants her daughters to know. As she shares her thoughts and wisdom, the daughters learn more about their mother than they ever knew. We have 10 copies of THINGS I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, March 21st.
This week we are also launching a new feature for Karen Robards, whose new romantic suspense, GUILTY, tells the story of a lawyer's past coming back to haunt her in a very deadly way. The book will be available on April 1st. We have 20 copies of GUILTY to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, March 28th.
I am looking forward to reading THE GHOST WAR --- the follow-up novel to Alex Berenson's Edgar Award-winning THE FAITHFUL SPY. In this book Berenson, a New York Times reporter, resurrects CIA agent John Wells and ratchets up the suspense. As our reviewer Donna Volkenannt raves, "This is a well-crafted thriller with engaging characters and a frightening scenario about events that bring two superpowers to the brink of war."
You may recall the wonderful feedback we received from our readers last week about NOTORIOUS by Michele Martinez. This week, Michele responds to our advance readers’ questions here.
There is news from the Left Coast Crime Conference that was held last weekend in Denver that William Kent Krueger won the Dilys Award, which is given by members of the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association (IMBA), recognizing the book they most enjoyed selling over the past year.
Tomorrow I am headed into the city for a Graphic Novel Symposium called SPLAT. We are planning to cover more on this format in the weeks and months to come, so I am looking forward to this. This week I also went to author events at local stores for Linda Fairstein and Eric Weiner. I love evenings like those since I get to hear authors talk about their work. Great crowds at both events, so I know I am not alone in enjoying evenings like this. Have a great weekend....and Happy Reading. Use a green bookmark on Monday!
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
|
|
|
|
|
Bookreporter.com Talks to Joan Johnston, Author of A STRANGER'S GAME
|
 |
Joan Johnston's latest novel, A STRANGER'S GAME, is the seventh installment in her bestselling Bitter Creek series. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Carol Fitzgerald and Hillary Wagy, Johnston describes what inspired her to write about a woman wrongly convicted of her father's murder and recalls an unfortunate experience from childhood that subconsciously surfaces in her work. She also explains what prompted her to leave her career in law to pursue writing full time, shares her thoughts on the appeal of romance novels and reveals details about her upcoming series, The Benedicts of Richmond.
A STRANGER’S GAME by Joan Johnston (Romantic Suspense)
Insatiable passions bring convicted double murderer Grace Caldwell and FBI Special Agent Breed Grayhawk to the brink of love, but first they must learn if they can trust each other. Joan Johnston leads her seventh Bitter Creek novel with violence, inserts the power and passion of romance, and closes with trust. Dirty little secrets create a sizzling page-turner full of surprises. Reviewed by Hillary Wagy.
-Click here to read a review of A STRANGER'S GAME.
-Click here to read an excerpt from A STRANGER'S GAME.
|
Click here to read our interview with Joan Johnston.
|
|
|
Bookreporter.com Talks to Katie Arnoldi, Author of THE WENTWORTHS
|
 |
Katie Arnoldi's sophomore novel, THE WENTWORTHS, offers a peak into the dysfunctional lives of an unconventional, old-moneyed family from Southern California whose carefully constructed facade begins to crumble as an outsider attempts to become one of them. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Carol Fitzgerald, Wiley Saichek, Erin Quinn and Norah Piehl, Arnoldi discusses the similarities and differences between her fictional characters and her own family, and draws connections between this book's theme with that of her previous novel, CHEMICAL PINK. She also describes how some of her own fascinations and obsessions worked themselves into her writing, explains how and why she chose to narrate the story through several of the characters, and shares details about her next project, tentatively titled ALIENATION MY WAY.
THE WENTWORTHS by Katie Arnoldi (Fiction)
Katie Arnoldi's critically acclaimed debut novel, CHEMICAL PINK, launched her onto the bestseller lists. Now, seven years later, she returns with THE WENTWORTHS. Her second work of fiction is a dark, erotic and savagely funny page-turner that satirizes the lifestyles of the rich and dysfunctional living in Los Angeles's wealthy suburbs. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
-Click here to read a review of THE WENTWORTHS.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE WENTWORTHS.
-Visit the author’s website, www.KatieArnoldi.com.
|
|
Click here to read our interview with Katie Arnoldi.
|
|
|
|
|
Now in Stores: KILLER HEAT by Linda Fairstein
|
|
KILLER HEAT by Linda Fairstein (Legal Thriller)
Just as Manhattan D.A. Alex Cooper is claiming an especially gratifying victory in a rape case, she’s informed that the body of a young woman has been found in an abandoned building. The brutality of the murder is disturbing enough, but when a second body, beaten and disposed of in exactly the same manner, is found off the Belt Parkway, the city’s top brass want the killer found fast, before the tabloids can start churning out ghoulish serial killer headlines. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read fast facts about Linda Fairstein.
-Click here to read Linda Fairstein’s bio.
-Click here to see Linda Fairstein's backlist.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.LindaFairstein.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
|
|
Click here to read a review of KILLER HEAT.
|
|
|
|
|
Introducing Bookreporter.com's New Women's Fiction Feature --- Our First Featured Author: Elizabeth Noble, Author of THINGS I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW |
 |
Elizabeth Noble is the author of three internationally bestselling novels: THE READING GROUP, THE FRIENDSHIP TEST and ALPHABET WEEKENDS. In THINGS I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW, her new book releasing on April 8th, Noble crafts a heartfelt story that celebrates the love between a dying mother and her daughters and the endless possibilities of life.
We have 10 copies of THINGS I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, March 21st.
-Click here to read Elizabeth Noble’s bio.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.ElizabethNobleBooks.com.
More about THINGS I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW:
When Barbara realizes time is running out, she writes letters to her four daughters, aware that they'll be facing the trials and triumphs of life without her at their side. But how can she leave them when they still have so much growing up to do? By drawing on the wisdom in Barbara's letters, the girls might just find a way to cope with their loss. And in coming to terms with their bereavement, can they also set themselves free to enjoy their lives with all the passion and love each deserves?
|
|
Click here to read more about Elizabeth Noble and THINGS I WANT MY DAUGHTERS TO KNOW.
|
|
|
|
|
New Featured Romantic Suspense Author: Karen Robards, Author of GUILTY
|
 |
Karen Robards is the New York Times bestselling author of over 30 books, including OBSESSION and VANISHED. In GUILTY, her new romantic suspense that hits stores on April 1st, a feisty female attorney's life is threatened when her hidden past resurfaces in an unexpected way.
We have 20 copies of GUILTY to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, March 28th.
-Click here to read Karen Robards’s bio.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.KarenRobards.com.
More about GUILTY:
Sixteen years after she and her friends committed an unspeakable crime, Kat --- now Kate --- has built a new life for herself. Now a single mom, she works as a prosecutor in the Philadelphia DA's office. But her dark past rears its head when she walks into court one day and discovers that she is to prosecute Mario Castellanos, one of her friends from that terrible night 16 years earlier. And that is only where the trouble begins… |
|
Click here to read more about Karen Robards and GUILTY.
|
|
|
Featured Romantic Suspense Author: Lisa Jackson, Author of LOST SOULS |
 |
Lisa Jackson, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 75 novels ---including ABSOLUTE FEAR and SHIVER --- delivers another harrowing thriller. In LOST SOULS, which hits stores on March 25th, a young woman’s determined hunt for a serial killer draws her into a twisted psychopath’s terrifying web.
-Click here to read a second excerpt from LOST SOULS.
-Click here to read fast facts about Lisa Jackson.
-Click here to read Lisa Jackson’s bio.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.LisaJackson.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about LOST SOULS:
Kristi Bentz wants to write true crime. All she needs is that one case that will take her to the top. She finds it when she enrolls at All Saints College after learning that three troubled girls have disappeared in one term. When the bodies are found, all blood drained from their bodies, rumors abound that vampires are on the loose. Are they? Or is there a new serial killer in New Orleans --- one more cunning than any that Detectives Rick Bentz and Reuben Montoya have gone up against before?
|
|
Click here to read more about Lisa Jackson and LOST SOULS.
|
|
|
|
|
Featured One to Watch Author: Linda Francis Lee, Author of THE EX-DEBUTANTE
|
 |
Linda Francis Lee is the bestselling author of 19 novels. In THE EX-DEBUTANTE, her new book releasing on April 1st, Lee tells a humorous and witty tale about Carlisle Wainwright Cushing, a former Texas debutante who wants nothing more than to leave the past behind her. But after receiving an urgent call from her mother, Carlisle must return to Texas and finds herself getting pulled back into her hometown drama.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE EX-DEBUTANTE.
-Click here to read Linda Francis Lee’s bio.
-Click here to see Linda Francis Lee's backlist.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.LindaFrancisLee.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about THE EX-DEBUTANTE:
Against her will, Carlisle Wainwright Cushing has been dragged from her Boston law firm back to Texas to head up Willow Creek’s 100th annual debutante ball. The high-powered lawyer is now hemming dresses and warding off catfights --- not to mention dealing with her mother’s latest impending divorce. And then there is Jack Blair, her first love --- the man who keeps making her forget she is engaged!
|
Click here to read more about Linda Francis Lee and THE EX-DEBUTANTE.
|
|
|
|
|
Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Stephen White, Author of DEAD TIME
|
 |
Stephen White is a clinical psychologist and the New York Times bestselling author of the Alan Gregory novels, which include DRY ICE and KILL ME. In his new thriller DEAD TIME, which is now available in stores, Colorado psychologist Alan Gregory is pulled into a mystery that reaches back years to a camping trip at the Grand Canyon where a young woman mysteriously vanished.
-Click here to read a review of DEAD TIME.
-Click here to read a second excerpt from DEAD TIME.
-Click here to read an interview with Stephen White.
-Click here to read fast facts about Stephen White.
-Click here to read Stephen White’s bio.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.AuthorStephenWhite.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about DEAD TIME:
Colorado psychologist Alan Gregory’s ex-wife, Merideth, reappears, seeking help she feels only Alan can give. Suddenly he is pulled into a mystery that reaches back years to a camping trip at the Grand Canyon involving Merideth’s fiancé and five friends whose lives were changed forever when a young woman mysteriously vanished from the Canyon floor. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
|
|
Click here to read more about Stephen White and DEAD TIME.
|
|
|
Now in Stores: LADY KILLER by Lisa Scottoline
|
LADY KILLER by Lisa Scottoline (Legal Thriller)
When high school rival Trish Gambone shows up at Rosato & Associates seeking assistance and protection from her mobster boyfriend, Philadelphia attorney Mary DiNunzio (last seen in 2004’s KILLER SMILE) does her best --- but will it be enough to help Trish, or will it be too little, too late? Reviewed by Amie Taylor.
-Click here to read an excerpt from LADY KILLER.
|
|
Click here to read a review of LADY KILLER.
|
|
|
|
|
Books into Movies for March |
 |
In case you’re in the mood for something with a little more substance than Hollywood blockbusters featuring superhero spoofs or scantily dressed people on the run from woolly mammoths and saber-toothed tigers, March’s Books into Movies feature offers a handful of literary alternatives for lovers of drama, independent films and even whimsical fairy tales. From the flashy 21 --- based on the true events of how MIT math whizzes turned high rollers scammed Vegas casinos out of millions --- and the edgier Gus Van Sant-ified adaptation of Blake Nelson’s YA novel PARANOID PARK, to the star-studded big-screen version of Dr. Seuss’s beloved HORTON HEARS A WHO!, this month’s movies based on books promise to be intense and thought provoking, as well as lighthearted and uplifting.
Relationship woes abound this month with the release of Married Life --- an offbeat, dark dramedy about a man’s bumbling attempts to kill his wife in order to be with a younger woman --- as well as Snow Angels, an emotionally wrought examination of two established marriages that crumble as a new romance begins to blossom. Providing a much lighter perspective on matters of the heart is Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, an adult Cinderella story based on the 1938 novel by Winifred Watson, in which a down-and-out nanny and her new boss help each other to straighten out their tangled love lives.
|
Click here to read our Books into Movies feature.
|
|
|
|
|
What's New on ReadingGroupGuides.com |
 |
With more than 2,200 discussion guides available, ReadingGroupGuides.com continues to be the leading place for book clubs to find all the resources they need on the web.
Our ReadingGroupGuides.com Blog continues to be a big hit among our readers. Throughout the month we are sharing postings from regular contributors --- including authors, librarians, book club facilitators, booksellers and experts in the publishing industry --- as well as special guests. The latest blog can be found here, and here are quick links to some recent posts:
-Not Your High School Classics Discussion
-Taking a Book Club on the Road
-From English Teacher to Book Group Facilitator
-Book Discussion Groups at the Office: If You Start One, They Will Come
-View from a Small (AKA Tiny) Resort Bookstore
-Men and Books: Who Doesn't Read?
-Today's Librarian: Concierge to Readers
The following guides are now available on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
THE BESTIARY by Nicholas Christopher
BETRAYAL by John Lescroart
THE BOOK OF AIR AND SHADOWS by Michael Gruber
CARPOOL DIEM by Nancy Star
CROSSED: A Tale of the Fourth Crusade by Nicole Galland
THE FICTION CLASS by Susan Breen
FIREFLY LANE by Kristin Hannah
KEEPER AND KID by Edward Hardy
KILLER HEAT by Linda Fairstein
LITTLE HEATHENS: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression by Mildred Armstrong Kalish
LOGAN'S HILL: The Blood Brothers of the Night by John M. Scanlan
A LONG RETREAT: In Search of a Religious Life by Andrew Krivak
LOST MEN by Brian Leung
MEMORY by Philippe Grimbert
MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE by Kip Gayden
THE PALACE OF ILLUSIONS by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
THE POST-BIRTHDAY WORLD by Lionel Shriver
REGINA'S CLOSET: Finding My Grandmother’s Secret Journal by Diana M. Raab
REMEMBER ME? by Sophie Kinsella
RESISTANCE by Owen Sheers
ROMA: The Novel of Ancient Rome by Steven Saylor
THEFT: Stories by N.S. Koenings
THE THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE by Xavier Knight
UNCOMMON ARRANGEMENTS: Seven Portraits of Married Life in London Literary Circles, 1910-1939 by Katie Roiphe
WIT'S END by Karen Joy Fowler
THE YEAR OF FOG by Michelle Richmond
We have the following new guide for Christian book groups:
TALK OF THE TOWN by Lisa Wingate
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
ACCEPTANCE by Susan Coll
BURNING BRIGHT by Tracy Chevalier
FOUR QUEENS: The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe by Nancy Goldstone
IN THE COUNTRY OF MEN by Hisham Matar
LUNCHEON OF THE BOATING PARTY by Susan Vreeland
THE OTHER SIDE OF YOU by Salley Vickers
PEONY IN LOVE by Lisa See
THE SECRET OF LOST THINGS by Sheridan Hay
THEN WE CAME TO THE END by Joshua Ferris
|
Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com.
|
|
|
|
|
This Week's Reviews
|
 |
THE SHOOTERS: A Presidential Agent Novel by W. E. B. Griffin (Political Thriller)
As Delta Force officer Charley Castillo ties up loose ends in Argentina from his investigation into the U.N. oil-for-food scandal, an Army lieutenant assigned to the United States embassy in Paraguay quietly reports to him that D.E.A. agents trying to interdict illicit drugs have been nabbed by drug lords. The lieutenant wants Castillo’s help in getting the agents back, and he has an innovative plan for dealing with the drug lords themselves. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.
THE GHOST WAR by Alex Berenson (Thriller)
In THE GHOST WAR --- the follow-up novel to the Edgar Award-winning THE FAITHFUL SPY --- Alex Berenson resurrects CIA agent John Wells and ratchets up the suspense. This is a well-crafted thriller with engaging characters and a frightening scenario about events that bring two superpowers to the brink of war. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt.
THE SILVER SWAN by Benjamin Black (Thriller)
THE SILVER SWAN, the second book that John Banville has written using the pseudonym Benjamin Black, is set in 1950s Dublin and takes readers on a fast ride through the ugly underbelly of the city. Murders are committed without a second thought, and the high tension of these crimes, among other strange goings-on, makes this novel a must-read. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
DREAMERS OF THE DAY by Mary Doria Russell (Historical Fiction)
A 40-year-old schoolteacher from Ohio still reeling from the tragedies of the Great War and the influenza epidemic, Agnes Shanklin has come into a modest inheritance that allows her to take the trip of a lifetime to Egypt and the Holy Land. She enters into the company of the historic luminaries who will, in the space of a few days at a hotel in Cairo, invent the nations of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
UNKNOWN MEANS by Elizabeth Becka (Thriller)
Evelyn James, a forensic specialist in the Cleveland Medical Examiner's office, is called in to investigate what appears to be a locked-room mystery: A wealthy woman is murdered in the penthouse suite of a luxurious, high-security building. The building's intricate surveillance system didn't pick up anything, the entrance wasn't forced and the victim's husband has an airtight alibi. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE RAIN BEFORE IT FALLS by Jonathan Coe (Fiction)
Acclaimed British novelist Jonathan Coe offers a poignant story of one family of British women spanning more than half a century, all of them damaged profoundly --- but in markedly different ways --- by the absence of love. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
BEFORE GREEN GABLES: The Prequel to Anne of Green Gables by Budge Wilson (Fiction)
In honor of the 100th anniversary of the publication of L.M. Montgomery’s classic novel ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, noted Canadian author Budge Wilson has written BEFORE GREEN GABLES, a prequel detailing all that came before in the young life of redheaded spitfire Anne Shirley. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
|
Read this week's reviews here.
|
|
|
|
|
Poll and Question of the Week: Talking About Books with Friends
|
|
Poll:
Outside of a formal book group discussion, do you talk about books with your friends?
All of the time
Some of the time
Never
I would love to do this, but I do not.
-Click here to answer our poll.
Question:
What book (name up to three) that you recently read would you most like to talk about with a friend?
-Click here to answer our question.
|
Click here
|
|
|
Word of Mouth: Tell Us What You're Reading --- TWO Prizes
|
Tell us what books YOU are reading and loving --- or even those you don't.
This week we have two great prizes: FIVE readers each will win a copy of THE CURE FOR MODERN LIFE by Lisa Tucker and HOLLYWOOD CROWS by Joseph Wambaugh, both of which will be in stores on March 25th. Tell us what you are reading and rate the titles 1-5 by noon on March 28th to ensure that you are in the running to win these books.
Please note that our next Word of Mouth update will be on March 28th.
|
Need more details about Word of Mouth? Click here.
|
|
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 March 31, 2008 automatically are entered in our Monthly Newsletter Contest. This month one winner will be selected to win the following five books: ANOTHER THING TO FALL: A Tess Monaghan Novel by Laura Lippman, CHANGE OF HEART by Jodi Picoult, THE CURE FOR MODERN LIFE by Lisa Tucker, HOLLYWOOD CROWS by Joseph Wambaugh and A PRISONER OF BIRTH by Jeffrey Archer. Anne Dixon from Astoria, NY was last month's newsletter winner. She won DEEP DISH by Mary Kay Andrews, FIREFLY LANE by Kristin Hannah, LADY KILLER by Lisa Scottoline, REMEMBER ME? by Sophie Kinsella and STRANGERS IN DEATH by Nora Roberts, writing as J.D. Robb.
Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: ReadingGroupGuides.com, AuthorsOnTheWeb.com, FaithfulReader.com, AuthorYellowPages.com, Teenreads.com, and Kidsreads.com.
The Book Report Network
250 W. 57th Street - Suite 1228
New York, New York 10107
|
|
|
