Early June 2010
After weeks and months of waiting, it feels like summer is here (even though the calendar says it's still spring). The weather in the New York area has been beautiful --- sunny and hot --- feeling more like August than June. My gardens are starting to take shape; even the seeds are sprouting, which always amuses me. I assume they will not grow. I put TWO packages of basil seeds in one pot, which still has my husband laughing. It looks like a lawn of basil plants. There are few better pleasures this time of year than relaxing outside with a good book, or a stack of them. Lemonade or iced tea always helps, too.
Teacher, Masconomet Regional High School
Topsfield, Massachusetts
Today's participants in the If You Ask Me... Q&A are 20-year-old Ashely from Covington, GA and 13-year-old Vivian from Anaheim, CA. It's pretty apparent from their responses how much they love Harry Potter and Vampire Academy, so check out what they have to say about their favorite series below.
In today's post, guest blogger and author Mary Sharratt talks about the real life Bess Southerns, a woman accused of witchcraft in 1612, and how her new novel was inspired by Bess and the Lancashire Witches.
Bewitching History
You may have read this news in Publishers Weekly already today: A coalition of Japanese and American publishers has been formed to deal with the growing (and rampant) problem of online manga distribution (commonly known as "scanlation"--scanning and translating manga works for online distribution). There are 36 Japanese publishers (all members of Japan's Digital Comic Association) joined by American companies Viz, Tokyopop, Square Enix, Vertical, the Tuttle-Mori Agency, and Yen Press.
A new novel by bestselling author Claire Cook is one of the signs that beach reading season has begun. Her seventh novel, SEVEN YEAR SWITCH is getting great write-ups in USA Today, The New York Times, and The New York Post. Today’s guest post discusses why your book club might occasionally want to take its show on the road.
Congratulations to Raina Telgemeier's Smile, which was just named a 2010 Boston Globe Horn Book Award Honor Book in the nonfiction category. I remember first meeting Raina back in December at the GNR holiday party, and I told her I couldn't wait to read her book. Once I did, I was in love with it and tried to share it with friends and acquaintances. I'm so glad to see she's gotten this distinction from the Boston Globe. The book really deserves it.
