April 15, 2011

My Teal Cowboy Boots Are Made for Walking...

This week was a sharp contrast to my relaxing on a pool chair in Florida, as I pulled on my teal cowboy boots and headed to Austin, Texas for the Texas Library Association Annual Convention. Instead of swimming laps, I was walking the convention floor. Folks have been telling me about this conference for years, and I am happy that my schedule was such that I was able to visit this city that has been on my “to visit” list for a few years now. I am writing this note from an Adirondack chair behind my hotel, which is set on a lake. Bucolic experience in a city.

I am going to write about my Texas adventures next week as there is a lot to share already this week, but know that I have had a great time here and my boots and I will be back. I'm not the only one who likes teal in Texas as I snapped the above photo of President Lyndon B. Johnson's teal desk set and chair. What taste he had! Now I want to share the three books I read during the second half of my vacation.

Three people told me I would love UNSAID by Neil Abramson, and I am happy to report that they were all right. As the story opens, we learn that Helena has died at the age of 37. Her husband David is a portrait in grief; readers can feel his pain in trying to get through the day. Helena had been a veterinarian, and David is surrounded by a menagerie of animals --- dogs, cats, horses and even a pig --- that were pets of hers.

While Helena has died, she still hovers around unable to relax in death as she is consumed with decisions that she made in life that have her wondering if her life had meaning. David finally musters the strength to return to work at a law firm, and as he moves back into this cutthroat world, he has changed. The old fight is not in him. But when he is approached by a former colleague of Helena’s who has been arrested for her actions surrounding a research experiment, he sees new meaning in his profession as he argues to keep Jaycee free, not realizing that his actions could also release Helena from her burdens. I am not a huge animal lover, but this story completely captivated me, and I would love readers to discover it. It will be in stores on August 4th.

There are some authors who I always think should be better known than they are, given the depths of their talent. Robert Dugoni is one of them. Whenever I read his books, I know I am settling in for a great story. His upcoming book, MURDER ONE, once again has David Sloane as its protagonist. In this book, David, who is still recovering from the murder of his wife, reconnects with Bailey Reid, who he had opposed in a high-profile case, a case he won. She wants to hire him to represent her in a civil case against a drug dealer who she holds responsible for the drug overdose death of her daughter.

When the drug dealer is murdered, all fingers point to Bailey, and suddenly David finds himself involved in his first criminal case to defend her. At the same time, he’s fallen for her in a way he did not think possible. Robert does a great job of walking readers through the nuances of a law case without being pedantic. I knew little about the differences between civil and criminal court, but now find myself more enlightened. Twists and turns abound, and I was glued to my lounge chair reading it. Then, when I should have been packing to go to the airport, I kept reading. Once on the plane I kept reading, and was very happy that I was reading an advance copy and not on my iPad as I did not want to have to stop reading for takeoff. Note that MURDER ONE will be in stores on June 7th. By the way, Robert does a wonderful job of referencing his past work in a way that feels natural, so if you have not yet read him, you will want to read his other books once you finish MURDER ONE.

I carried a second book onto the plane knowing I had just a few pages left in MURDER ONE when I boarded, and I picked another winner. THE SOLDIER’S WIFE by Margaret Leroy captivated me from the first page. Her writing is vivid and lush, drawing me into the story and the heart and soul of Vivienne de la Mare. The story is set in Guernsey (yes, the same setting we all came to love in THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY) during World War II. Vivienne’s husband is off to war, leaving her to run the household. She has two young daughters and her mother-in-law who is suffering from dementia in her care. Her marriage has been quite loveless, and thus when she meets a German soldier who moves in next door, she is ripe for a romantic adventure regardless of the danger.

The dramatic tension in the storyline had me racing to turn the pages, while at the same time I was trying to savor every word. Readers will become privy to an intense slice of life of what unfolded on the island of Guernsey during World War II, and I would venture that no reader will close this book without wondering how they would have handled the challenges that surrounded life during the Occupation while at the same time admiring the courage of those who lived through these dark days and found a shred of hope and goodness among the fear and unknowing. It will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection when it comes out on June 28th.

This week’s lineup has a review of SAVE ME by Lisa Scottoline, which I cannot wait to read! I’ve been a longtime fan of Lisa’s but just learned that she’s dedicated SAVE ME to Joseph Drabyak, a former bookseller at Chester County Books & Music Co. in West Chester, Pennsylvania, who recently passed away. What a kind gesture and moving tribute. Reviewer Terry Miller Shannon says, “SAVE ME is a rapid-paced thriller that is based on a 'that could be me' sympathetic main character, who finds her life unraveling in a surreal yet totally believable fashion.”

Hillary Wagy also reviews CHASING FIRE by Nora Roberts and says, “Once again, Roberts makes the reader proud of heroic, strong women who know how to fight a fire, solve a mystery, and get a man all in one short summer.”

Back in January, I told you about MINDING BEN by Victoria Brown, which really resonated with me. It’s a wonderful story about a nanny from Trinidad trying to make her way in New York City, and it stirred a lot of memories of Gillian, a wonderful nanny who was with our family when my older son was young. She captures what it is like to move from a small island town to a big city and make a life. Here’s what Terry Miller Shannon has to say: “Author Victoria Brown writes vividly, setting readers directly into Grace's shoes and giving us an entirely new perspective on life for immigrants in New York City.” I really loved this book!

Sometimes we do not get our review of a book up in as timely a manner as we might like. Given the success of THE TIGER’S WIFE by Téa Obreht, I feel like we are playing major catch-up with our review here where Melanie Smith says, “It has all the characteristics of great literature.” A couple of weeks ago, I was at our high school donating some books, and the librarian there shared that Téa will be at the school on Monday to discuss her book with the senior class. I think that is pretty exciting and wish I could be there for the discussion.

We also have our review of ONE WAS A SOLDIER: A Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mystery by Julia Spencer-Fleming, where our reviewer Norah Piehl says, “Spencer-Fleming has never been afraid to grapple with difficult moral and ethical issues.” We plan to post our interview with Julia next week.

This week also marks the start of our annual Mother’s Day celebration. If you were with us last year, you’ll remember my mission to turn Mother’s Day into Mother’s Month. I’m taking the same attitude again! We’re featuring 24 fabulous titles, and 10 lucky readers will win a special basket filled with a collection of 12 of our books, as well as some lovely gifts, including a rather large Godiva chocolate bar, a collection of body products from Crabtree & Evelyn, Tazo Tea, and a 4x6 picture frame. I admit I had my fingers crossed when my son Greg and Bookreporter.com’s Ad/Promo Manager Stephen offered to do the shopping since I was away. But I think they picked some great items to fill the baskets, and I’ve learned my lesson never to underestimate them! Click here to read more about the titles and here to enter the contest. The contest ends Monday, May 2nd so we can get the baskets to our winners for Mom’s big weekend! And now with this shopping experience, I cannot wait to see what Greg has in store for me for Mother’s Day!

Today also marks the launch of our Mother’s Day blog series. Once again, we’ve collected original essays and pieces from more than 30 writers, who share what Mother’s Day and mom means to them. We have authors interviewing their mothers, tribute pieces, essays, and interviews with mother/daughter writing teams. We kick off our series with none other than Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark, who share their experiences in co-writing. This weekend we have pieces from Luanne Rice (THE SILVER BOAT), Julia Spencer-Fleming (ONE WAS A SOLDIER), and Victoria Brown (MINDING BEN).

Thanks to all of you who wrote to tell us how much you enjoyed the On Sale This Week newsletter that came out last week. Given the passionate emails that we got from you, I am kicking myself for not doing this kind of a newsletter sooner. Not signed up yet? Click here as our next issue comes out on Tuesday, April 19th.

We have a jam-packed edition this week, so our regular spaces for some of our features are missing. But you can still vote in our poll here, where we ask if you're on Facebook. You can also answer our question here: "Name up to three authors you're currently following, or would like to follow, on Facebook." You can also share what you're reading in our Word of Mouth feature here. Five readers will each receive a copy of CALEB'S CROSSING by Geraldine Brooks, EXPOSURE by Therese Fowler and TABLOID CITY by Pete Hamill.

I was also reminded of two very big book-to-screen projects on the horizon. WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, the huge bestseller and book group favorite by Sara Gruen, gets the Hollywood treatment with Oscar winners Reese Witherspoon and Christoph Waltz, and Twilight heartthrob Robert Pattinson, when it hits theaters Friday, April 22nd. Sunday night marks the series premiere of “A Game of Thrones” on HBO, adapted from the bestselling fantasy series from George R. R. Martin. I admit that it’s not quite my genre, but the trailers are impressive and every review I see is glowing. I do know that this is one of those series that readers are quite obsessive about. I had dinner with my old friend Jann when I was here, and she said her husband has been racing through the series and loving it. I like that he is trying to finish before the series begins on TV.

In the humor department, my friend Danielle told me about KNIT YOUR OWN DOG by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne, as she knew my son Cory wanted a dog. Given how much I knit, she thought I could just knit him up a dog. I think instead I should teach Cory to knit his own dog!

Out this week is Paul Simon’s new album, So Beautiful or So What, which I am enjoying. I was all too happy to pull on my headphones on the flight to Austin to escape into this music. You can read Jesse Kornbluth’s review on HeadButler.com here that does more justice to this work than I could do. My only quibble with Jesse is that I am more of a fan of Simon than Dylan, but that is an ongoing conversation between the two of us.

Flying back today to get myself in an Easter frame of mind and hoping to get the patio furniture set up since I THINK we are safe from more snowflakes flying. Wishing our Jewish readers a Happy Passover. Enjoy celebrating with family and friends. Read on….

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

 

SAVE ME by Lisa Scottoline (Fiction)
When Rose McKenna volunteers for lunch duty at her daughter's school, she finds herself with an impossible choice during a sudden emergency. Her actions ultimately endanger every relationship in her treasured family. The suspense ratchets up in a rapid-paced plot centered on love and consequences. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

-Click here to read an excerpt from SAVE ME.
-Click here to see the reading group guide for SAVE ME.
 

CHASING FIRE by Nora Roberts (Romantic Suspense)Rowan Tripp has smoke jumping in her blood. Her father is a Missoula, Montana legend, and she's been fighting fires since her 18th birthday. This year's rookie crop of jumpers is one of the strongest ever --- and hotshot Gulliver Curry is one of the best. But when a dark presence lashes out at Rowan, she knows she shouldn’t complicate things with Gull. Reviewed by Hillary Wagy.

-Click here to read an excerpt from CHASING FIRE.
 

ONE WAS A SOLDIER: A Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mystery by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Romantic Suspense)
On a warm September evening in the Millers Kill community center, five veterans sit down in rickety chairs to try to make sense of their experiences in Iraq. What they will find is murder, conspiracy, and the unbreakable ties that bind them to one another and their small Adirondack town. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

-Click here to read an excerpt from ONE WAS A SOLDIER.
-Click here to read critical praise for ONE WAS A SOLDIER.
-Click here to see the reading group guide for ONE WAS A SOLDIER.
-Click here to read Julia Spencer-Fleming’s bio.
-Click here to see Julia Spencer-Fleming’s backlist.
-Visit Julia Spencer-Fleming’s official website, www.JuliaSpencerFleming.com.
-Click here to see the winners of ONE WAS A SOLDIER.
 

Ann Packer, the bestselling author of THE DIVE FROM CLAUSEN’S PIER and SONGS WITHOUT WORDS, has written her second collection of stories, SWIM BACK TO ME. Framed by two linked narratives that express the transformation of a single family over the course of a lifetime, her tales reveal the moral predicaments that define our social and emotional lives, and the ways in which loss both shatters and remakes us. In this interview, Packer further explains her emotional themes and her decision to write about the turning point years of adolescence. She also discusses her highly literate family, her Bay Area roots, and how plot, character, setting and voice all come to her at once.

SWIM BACK TO ME by Ann Packer (Fiction/Short Stories)
In this emotional collection, characters are shattered and remade by loss. A wife struggles to make sense of her husband’s disappearance; a mother mourns her teenage son through his favorite music; and a woman reflects on the year her family collapsed. SWIM BACK TO ME is framed by two unforgettable linked narratives that express the transformation of a single family over the course of a lifetime. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

-Click here to read a review of SWIM BACK TO ME.
-Click here to read an excerpt from SWIM BACK TO ME.
-Click here to see the reading group guide for SWIM BACK TO ME.
 

Here at Bookreporter.com, Mother’s Day will be a month-long celebration with the help of some of our author friends and their mothers. During the next few weeks, we will be featuring daily blog posts from authors, including Luanne Rice, Elizabeth Noble, Chelsea Cain, Sarah Addison Allen, and more! We launch our series with none other than Mary Higgins Clark and her daughter, Carol Higgins Clark, who share some of the secrets behind their collaborations. Click here to read their post!

Reading these pieces will give you a new understanding and insight into the role Mom played as authors got their start or followed into the literary world.

We suggest you bookmark this page or set up an RSS feed so you can read these pieces every day!
 

MINDING BEN by Victoria Brown (Fiction)
Debut novelist Victoria Brown draws on her own experience to give us a vibrant page-turner starring 16-year-old Grace, who moves from Trinidad to New York. As a live-in nanny, Grace endures humiliation and unrelenting demands during the week and helps a poverty-stricken mother on the weekends. Her story is both sorrowful and hopeful --- but most of all, it is unforgettable. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.
 

From New York Times bestselling author Sandra Dallas comes THE BRIDE'S HOUSE, a novel about the secrets and passions of three generations of women who have all lived in the same Victorian home.

-Click here to read a second excerpt from THE BRIDE'S HOUSE.
-Click here to read Sandra Dallas’s bio.
-Click here to see Sandra Dallas’s backlist.
-Visit Sandra Dallas’s official website, www.SandraDallas.com.
-Click here to see the winners of THE BRIDE'S HOUSE.

Beverly Barton is back with DEAD BY MORNING, a book loaded with her trademark suspense and romance as two security officials race to uncover the clues that could lead them to the serial killer terrorizing their offices.
 

Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Kevin O’Brien, Author of DISTURBED

In DISTURBED, the latest pulse-pounding thriller from Kevin O'Brien, a newlywed tries to adjust to her new, affluent neighborhood only to learn that a brutal killer is lurking around, stalking his victims.
 

MOBBED: A Regan Reilly Mystery by Carol Higgins Clark (Mystery)
What should be a relaxing weekend at the Jersey Shore for private investigator Regan Reilly, her husband and her parents turns out to be anything but, as she must track down missing starlet Cleo Paradise; tries to prevent a successful event planner, Hayley Patton, from murdering her wayward boyfriend; and deals with a quirky cast of characters who all have their own private agendas. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

-Click here to read an excerpt from MOBBED.

THE TIGER’S WIFE by Téa Obreht (Fiction)
A charitable young doctor searches for answers behind her grandfather's sudden death and disappearance in a hostile city, within an area of the Balkans ravaged by a long war. THE TIGER'S WIFE is fascinating, a tale of old family legends, made serious and visceral by some stunning impressions of violence and war. Reviewed by Melanie Smith.

-Click here to read an excerpt from THE TIGER’S WIFE.

GONE WITH A HANDSOMER MAN by Michael Lee West (Mystery)
Teeny Templeton believes that her life is finally on track. She’s getting married, baking her own wedding cake, and leaving her troubled past behind. But then she finds her fiancé playing naked badminton with gorgeous babes. Needless to say, the wedding is off! When he’s found dead a few days later, all fingers point to Teeny, and now she must try to clear her name. Reviewed by Maggie Harding.

-Click here to read an excerpt from GONE WITH A HANDSOMER MAN.
-Visit Michael Lee West’s official website, www.MichaelLeeWest.com.

HYBRIDS by Whitley Strieber (Science Fiction/Thriller)
They look like us but are smarter, faster, stronger and fear nothing. They are also hell-bent on destroying us. These human/alien hybrids are plotting the demise of the entire human race, and only one of their own stands between them and the end of humanity as we know it. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

THE SCHOOL OF NIGHT by Louis Bayard (Mystery)
An Elizabethan scholar is hired to recover a stolen letter possibly written by Sir Walter Raleigh. What he finds appears to be a treasure map, with more than historical value. It could lead to unimaginable wealth. Or it could lead to his own death. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

THE BIG SCRUM: How Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football by John J. Miller (Sports History)
In THE BIG SCRUM, John J. Miller discusses how Teddy Roosevelt became a vocal advocate of American football. A longtime fan, Roosevelt fought to preserve the game, even as he understood the need for reform. During the early years of the 20th century, many leaders wanted to outlaw the incredibly violent, sometimes deadly sport, but Roosevelt established the NCAA in order to transform football and thus keep it alive. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.

THE TERRIBLE PRIVACY OF MAXWELL SIM by Jonathan Coe (Fiction)
Jonathan Coe’s darkly comic ninth novel traces the improbable journey of Maxwell Sim, a lonely man searching for human connection in his company-owned Prius, in a world that has substituted instant communication for emotional engagement. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

-Click here to see the reading group guide for THE TERRIBLE PRIVACY OF MAXWELL SIM.

ALTAR OF BONES by Philip Carter (Thriller)
“They didn’t have to kill him…He never drank from the altar of bones.” Cryptic dying words from a murdered homeless woman in present-day San Francisco unlock a decades-buried secret that changed history. Now a pair of ruthless assassins are sent to cut the few living "loose ends." Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

MY JANE AUSTEN SUMMER: A Season in Mansfield Park by Cindy Jones (Fiction)
Lily Berry is having a crisis or two. But she finds a way to reinvent herself via her passion for Jane Austen novels. She travels to England for a Jane Austen literary festival, where she comes upon people whose longing to live in a novel equals her own. But despite the Mansfield Park reenactments, real-life problems follow her wherever she goes. Reviewed by Kathleen M. Purcell.