Bits of Lit & More!

The Writing Class by Jincy Willett (4 / 5 Stars)

2008-07-07T22:42:00.003-04:00

The Writing Class by Jincy Willet is many things: intelligently-humorous, whip-smart, well-written, entertaining, engrossing, suspenseful, and scary – just to name a few! When I grow up I want to be Jincy Willett!

This book will be a real treat for all fiction lovers, writers, and wannabe writers. The Writing Class manages to combine mystery/suspense elements with classic fiction elements making the end result a fast-paced thriller for smart readers as well as a semi-tutorial on how to write a decent story.

In the novel, reclusive eccentric Amy Gallup teaches an extension fiction writing class at the local college. At first, Amy is pleasantly surprised by the high potential exhibited by this semester’s group of students. However, her dream class soon turns into a nightmare when one of the students starts playing malevolent pranks on both Amy and on the other students. The pranks eventually escalate to murder and Amy must use everything at her disposal to try and nab the killer amongst the group. The resource with the most potential is the student’s writing and Amy examines each student’s prose for the clues.

Anyone who has participated in a writing workshop (or for that matter, in any small collegiate class) will be able to relate to the class dynamic portrayed in this novel. As is almost always the case in these courses, the class is comprised of the know-it-all, the slacker, the pretty girl, the class clown, etc. The characters are maddening, amusing, and creepy and all of the other adjectives one can remember people in school being. Ms. Willett’s descriptive talents are truly frightening (pun intended)!

Although, Amy Gallup (the workshop teacher), would admonish me for my use of cliché, I can’t help but describe this novel as a “real page turner!”

Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity by Kerry Cohen (3.5 / 5 Stars)

2008-07-07T08:53:00.005-04:00

Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity follows Kerry Cohen's harrowing trajectory from young, insecure, and confused girl to healthy, assured, and balanced adult. And what a journey it is. This memoir will leave you breathless due to the shear candor of Kerry’s tale. Kerry bares her soul wide open and it isn’t always pretty. Of course, that’s what makes Loose girl so compelling.

Kerry spent her youth looking for love and acceptance in all the wrong places and in all the wrong ways. She tried to quell her intense need and anxiety by immersing herself in shallow, physical relationships with boys. It took many years of heartbreak, broken relationships (familial, platonic and romantic), physical maladies, and soul searching before Kerry found her way out of this dark abyss. She takes her readers along every leg of this intense journey with grace, candor and perceptive insight into her own past feelings and actions.

Kerry lets the reader take a good hard look at all the pain, insecurity and intense desire for acceptance experienced by teenage girls and shows how very wrong things can go for a young girl who doesn’t have guidance, boundary limits and parental support. This memoir is as much of a cautionary tale for parents as it is anything else.

Loose Girl works as both a captivating story and as an important addition to the zeitgeist of contemporary non-fiction due to the insight it provides into the mind and motivations of a certain sub-set of teenage girls.

Loose Girl is important and relevant in much the same way that Koren Zailckas’s ground-breaking memoir Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood was – namely it can make us more tolerant, understanding and empathetic people because it is hard to be judgmental about controversial behavior once the motivation behind it is understood. Also, readers of these memoirs with similar circumstances might be able to gain enough introspection so as not to repeat the same mistakes- maybe, because as we learn by reading these memoirs, sometimes one just needs to take the journey and hope to come out okay once on the other side.

Decir Que?

2008-07-06T12:59:00.004-04:00

This week, the back page of the New York Times Book Review is devoted to an article amusingly titled, "Transloosely Literated" written by Henry Alford and prompted me to wonder how much we as readers are truly able to appreciate books originally written in foreign languages. Are we picking up on all the nuances and messages the author intended to convey? How important to the reading experience is understanding the author's intentions? The answers to those complex questions are not going to be answered on this blog, but here are some fun tibits regarding foreign translations of popular novels written by Americans:

The Russian title for J. D. Salinger’s classic tale of adolescence translates as “Above the Precipice in the Rye.”
A clerk in a Yokohama bookshop once told John Steinbeck's (author of the classic novel, "The Grapes of Wrath") wife that yes, he had a copy of Steinbeck’s “Angry Raisins.”
The Brazilian title of Curtis Sittenfeld’s novel “Prep” translates as “Pre-surgery Shaving.”
In the Brazilian edition of Jacquelyn Mitchard’s novel “The Deep End of the Ocean,” the passage “Beth truly wanted to be mad. A few bricks shy of a load. A few ants short of a picnic” was translated as “Beth felt like an ant who hadn’t been invited to the picnic.”

(p.s. the books pictured above are comical translations of the following classics: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man; The Fall of the House of Usher; Watership Down; A Farewell to Arms; Pride & Prejudice; A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius; The Satanic Verses; The Call of the Wild; The Naked and the Dead)

Celebrity Book Recommendations

2008-07-06T14:01:00.006-04:00

What does Sally Field think you should read next? The answer to that is Edna Ferber's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, So Big. Here is a brief description of the book:

Winner of the 1924 Pulitzer Prize, So Big is widely regarded as Edna Ferber's crowning achievement. A rollicking panorama of Chicago's high and low life, this stunning novel follows the travails of gambler's daughter Selina Peake Dejong as she struggles to maintain her dignity, her family, and her sanity in the face of monumental challenges.

The New York Times describes it as "A novel to read and to remember."

Salman Rushdie Appearance

2008-07-06T13:44:00.005-04:00

If you live in South Florida, don't miss the chance to see Salman Rushdie speak and have your copy of his new novel , The Enchantress of Florence, signed.

Mr. Rushdie has been described as one of the world's most important living writers. His past novels include: Midnight's Children (winner of the Booker Prize); The Satanic Verses (winner of the Whitbread Prize for Best Novel); Fury (A New York Times Notable Book); and Shalimar the Clown (a Time Book of the Year).

The event is being sponsored by Books & Books and the Florida Center for the Literary Arts. Tickets can be obtained by purchasing The Enchantress of Florence from any Books & Books location or by pre-ordering your book by phone.

SALMAN RUSHDIE

TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2008

TEMPLE JUDEA, 7:30PM

(Doors will open at 6:00pm for will-call and purchase. Only those books purchased at Books & Books will be eligible for signing.)

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-03T16:15:00.002-04:00

The Hamburger: A History

In the spirit of our great nation's birthday, I thought I would post a brief description of a new book out which focuses on the quintessential American backyard cookout favorite - the hamburger.

Here is the book description from Amazon:

This fast-paced and entertaining book unfolds the immense significance of the hamburger as an American icon. Josh Ozersky shows how the history of the burger is entwined with American business and culture and, unexpectedly, how the burger’s story is in many ways the story of the country that invented (and reinvented) it.

The hamburger played an important role in America’s transformation into a mobile, suburban culture, and today, America’s favorite sandwich is nothing short of an irrepressible economic and cultural force. How this all happened, and why, is a remarkable story, told here with insight, humor, and gusto.

I hope that everyone enjoys their burgers tomorrow! Happy 4th of July!

I'm Back!

2008-07-01T16:10:00.000-04:00

To my faithful readers (hi, Mom),

I apologize for my protracted absence and neglect of Bits of Lit & More. Things got kind of crazy at work and my blogging fell by the wayside. However, I am happy and excited to announce that I am back on track! There will be regular updates and posts on books and book news going forward!

Welcome back and thanks for understanding!

- Brianna

The Next Big Thing in Books

2008-07-05T15:33:00.010-04:00

THE NEW HARRY POTTER?

It appears that the book world is finally making its foray into the new millenium and it's starting with a new book series titled The 39 Clues. No one can deny that computers and the internet are no longer just the wave of the future - the future is here and all media is now driven by and dependent on the internet and books don't want to be left behind.

The 39 Clues, is a series that will feature 10 books (the first goes on sale in September) as well as related internet-based games, collectors’ cards and cash prizes. Now it has been announced that DreamWorks has acquired the film rights and the movies will be directed by Steven Spielberg.

Spielberg, Dreamworks, & Scholastic released the following statement:"`The 39 Clues' takes creative leaps to expand the story experience from the pages of the books to multiple stages of discovery and imagination."

The 39 Clues will be about a powerful, mysterious family that lives in upstate New York. The first installment, "The Maze of Bones," was written by Rick Riordan. Jude Watson and Gordon Korman are among those who will write future volumes.

Like Harry Potter, The 39 Clues is geared towards kids and young adults, however, I hope that also like Harry Potter, the books will be appetizing to adults as well. Can't wait!

*The Maze of Bones on Sale September 9, 2008*

Go Indie!

2008-07-05T15:10:00.004-04:00

Indie Bound is this great website whose goal is build support for independent community bookstores. Indie Bound's mission is stated as a goal "to band together with like-minded folks across the country to celebrate our independent natures, our free-thinking retailers and our unique communities".

It is a great place to find interesting, new books that you might not find at Barnes and Noble and Borders. Every week, Indie Bound lists the hottest indie bestsellers.

Check out Indie Bound at www.indiebound.org.

These are my favorite independent bookstores in South Florida:

Books and Books (Coral Gables, South Beach, Bal Harbor - www.booksandbooks.com)

The Bookstore in the Grove (Coconut Grove)

Well Read Used Books (Fort Lauderdale)

Edgar Award Winners Announced

2008-05-15T12:01:00.007-04:00

The best books representing the Myster and Thriller genre were recently regaled and lauded. The 2008 Edgar Awards, sponsored by the Mystery Writers of America, were announced on May 1. Here is a list of some of the winners:

Best Novel

Down River by John Hart

Best First Novel

In the Woods by Tana French

Best Fact Crime

Reclaiming History: The Assassination

of President John F. Kennedy

by Vincent Bugliosi

Best Young Adult

Rat Life by Tedd Arnold

See the complete list of Edgar Award winners and nominees:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=pe_24020_9162670_amb_link_1401652_6?ie=UTF8&docId=151303

When you Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris (2.5 out of 5 Stars)

2008-07-04T11:56:00.003-04:00

When You Are Engulfed in Flames is another typical effort by David Sedaris. Fans of Mr. Sedaris' previous works know exactly what to expect with a Sedaris essay collection, and although they won't be completely disappointed, they might wonder if they had already read this one before.

As a huge fan of David Sedaris' previous essay collections, it is with a heavy heart that I write my fear that Mr. Sedaris has finally exhausted his repertoire. While still somewhat amusing, the stories feel recycled and tired and seem to comprise of all the antedotes we have read before.

David Sedaris needs a new shtick because after reading When You Are Engulfed in Flames, I felt the same way I do after I watched the third sequal to a once great movie.

Songs for the Missing - A Pre-Publication Review (4 out of 5 Stars)

2008-07-04T11:41:00.003-04:00

Songs for the Missing is yet another example of Stewart O'Nan's exemplary powers of description and talent.

Songs for the Missing, O'Nan's 13th work of fiction, depicts a typical midwestern family dealing with the aftermath of the disappearance of the oldest child, Kim.

Songs for the Missing is not a mystery or a crime story, rather it is an in depth character study. Whether Kim is found or not really seems to be besides the point because we all know how these stories typically end in real life. O'Nan adroitly captures the essence of each character in the story and each character seems to really come alive on the page.

Although, I have never been to a rural, midwestern town, Mr. O'Nan's ability to write so descriptively made me feel as if I had been to this town and knew it intimately. I felt as if I had driven down the main highway, had a slurpee at the Conoco Gas Station, and went swimming at the lake.

While reading Songs for the Missing, you will find yourself so immersed in the trials and travails of Kim's family and friends that you feel as if you have lived their experience with them and will feel sad when the novel ends.

*ON SALE OCTOBER 30, 2008*

How to Be Single by Liz Tuccillo (4.5 out of 5 Stars)

2008-07-04T11:21:00.003-04:00

Liz Tuccillo deftly captures real women's experiences, thoughts, fears, and feelings in her debut novel How to Be Single.

Women who are 25 and already married or who are 38 and single (like the characters in the novel) will both be able to relate to the women portrayed in this book because deep down all women seem to share the same fears whether due to their real current situations or fear of what the future might hold. Ms. Tuccillo truly has a gift when it comes to being able to tap into the fears and anxieties of today's modern women and convey the same in her writing.

The fact that Liz Tuccillo really did traverse the globe researching how single women live all over the world adds glitz and fun to the novel. We, the reader, are treated to glimpses of how women live in Reykjavik, Beijing, Sydney, Paris, Rome, Rio de Janiero, and New York. The locales are exotic and the tales heart-wrentching and uplifting.

Like Sex and the City (for which Liz Truccillo was Executive Story Editor), How to Be Single is sure to strike a chord with women everywhere.

After reading How to Be Single, you will feel like you know Liz and wish that you really did.

My Miserable, Lonely Lesbian Pregnancy by Andrea Askowitz - A Pre-Publication Review (3 / 5 Stars)

2008-04-24T17:50:00.005-04:00

My Miserable, Lonely, Lesbian Pregnancy is author, Andrea Askowitz’s brutally honest memoir recounting the months she spent trying to get pregnant, actually pregnant, and as a new mother. As can be easily discerned from the title, Andrea did not enjoy being pregnant and she makes no effort to sugarcoat her experience. Askowitz is frank and extremely open in describing the messy and oftentimes unpleasant experiences involved with pregnancy and child birth.

What makes My Miserable, Lonely, Lesbian Pregnancy work as a memoir is the balance that Askowitz manages to maintain between candid description of her opinions and admission that those opinions might have been skewed by her own gloom. Askowitz pulls no punches in describing her bitter disappoint with her friends, her ex-girlfriend, and her family; however, her harsh judgments are tempered by her acknowledgment that her estimations were not always fair and that she was a big pain in the neck. Askowitz’s ability to call herself out on her own issues makes her endearing and likeable.

Askowitz’s ability to be so unguarded in her writing oftentimes results in uproarious hilarity. Her recounting of her arguments and passive-aggressive altercations with her therapist will leave readers in stitches. She is candid, annoying, funny, loving, infuriating, and a whole host of other contradicting descriptions that make a person complicated and interesting.

Overall, this is a thoroughly enjoyable memoir that lifts the curtain on the rosy, glowing pregnancy façade that is usually presented to reveal the difficult, hard, and ugly side of pregnancy.

I do, however, feel a responsibility to future readers to mention that this might not be the book for those who consider themselves exceptionally squeamish, prudish, or easily offended.

ON SALE IN STORES & ONLINE MAY 1, 2008

Indecision by Benjamin Kunkel (0 / 5 Stars)

2008-04-23T09:30:00.002-04:00

Indecision is about an unmotivated man named Dwight living in New York City. Dwight is in his late twenties and is stuck in a dead-end job and a dead-end life. Part of Dwight's problem is the pervasive indecision that, in Dwight's opinion, plagues his generation. As a solution to this problem, a pharmaceutical company develops a pill that cures the patient of his inability to make decisions. The pill taker will always know exactly what he or she wants at any given moment. That is as far as I got. I could not finish even half of this pedantic and obnoxious novel.

The premise gave this book so much potential. Too bad Kunkel squandered it with his need to impress and show off. Instead of attempting to write an engaging and interesting book, Kunkel used the writing of Indecision as an exercise in vanity. Every sentence seems to scream, "See how smart I am?!" The sentences and paragraphs are convoluted and annoying; the narrator’s voice insufferable.

Everyone knew “that guy” in either high school or college who felt his superior mental acuity gave him the right to condescend to everyone around him; who thought his putdowns were witty and amusing (even if only to himself); who read and quoted philosophers; and whose sarcastic vitriol was really shielding his own issues. Well both Dwight and his creator, Benjamin Kunkel, are “that guy”.

If only there was a pill that could make me forget this book!

It's YOU - NOT You're Books!

2008-04-22T06:00:00.012-04:00

I recently picked up an issue of the New York Times Book Review that I hadn't yet had time to read when I came across this essay titled "It's not You, It's Your Books" by Rachel Donadio. In the article, Rachel makes the argument that two people with drastically different tastes in literature can never be together as a couple.

That gave me pause because my husband, Adam, and I are even more polarly opposite - he doesn't even like novels! Gasp! My husband is an extremely intelligent man with varied interests - reading novels just isn't one of them.

So, you might be wondering, "how can a self-confessed bibliophile - one who keeps a bo0k blog for christ's sake - be married to a man who would rather do yard work than read a novel?" "Easy", I would answer. To me, reading is a sigularly solitary pursuit. Adam and I enjoy dinners at nice restaurants, going jogging together, having drinks with our friends, traveling, etc.
Adam is smart in ways that I am not and devotes his television watching time to programs such as documentaries explaining religion's impact on the global economy while I am in the other room watching the exploits of Heidi and Spencer on The Hills.

I actually believe that our opposites are what make our domestic routine work. For example, we spend most of our evenings together in the same room, cuddled on the couch - he watches one his many documentaries and I lay with my head in his lap devouring my latest book. This way we aren't in opposite rooms watching different programs and I reap the benefit of him passing on everything he has gleaned from his television shows without actually having to - yawn -watch them!

It's HIM, not his books!

I would love to hear what other's opinions are on this subject. Look on the right-hand column and vote!

BRINGING HOME THE BIRKIN ON SALE

2008-04-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

Bringing Home the Birkin: My Life in Hot Pursuit of the World's Most Coveted Handbag by Michael Tonello is on Sale Today!!!

Click Here to Read My Previously Posted Review

Check out http://www.bringinghomethebirkin.com/ & Enter to Win a Birkin Bag!

If you live in the Miami Area, Michael Tonello will be at Books and Books in Coral Gables on May 2, 2008 at 8 pm

The Big Over Easy: A Nursery Crime by Jasper Fforde (4.5 / 5 Stars)

2008-04-20T13:54:00.000-04:00

The Big Over Easy is a tongue-in-cheek detective novel featuring Detective Jack Spratt who investigates cases for the Nursery Crime Division (NCD) in the town of Reading. After losing his case against the Three Little Pigs for the death of the Big Bad Wolf, Jack Spratt begins investigating the suspicious death of Humpty Dumpty. However, Spratt must first jump over many hurdles including the threat of the eradication of the NCD by the police force; his arch nemesis, superstar Detective Friedland Chymes; his partner Detective Mary Mary might be in collusion with Chymes; and the fact that in this world where books mean everything, none of his cases get much mention in “True Crime” or Amazing Crime Stories”.

Fforde’s writing is deft, humorous, witty, and intelligent. His wordplay is nothing short of genius. The novel is fast-paced, amusing, and engaging. As is the case with all of Jasper Fforde’s books, this novel is truly written for the book and word lover.

As funny and entertaining as The Big Over Easy is, it also manages to capture the uniquely 21st Century problem of the public’s need for constant news entertainment created by the mass media. In the land of Reading, police investigations are constantly compromised in order to make for a better story; a detective’s true worth is not his or her ability to solve cases but how much he or she can publish and whether or not he is a member of the Detective Guild; and superstar detective, Friedland Chymes, shouts the very Donald Trump-esque catch phrase, “The Case is Closed!” after every press conference.

Rowdy in Paris by Tim Sandlin (3.5 / 5 Stars)

2008-04-19T13:48:00.000-04:00

Tim Sandlin’s fictional cowboy, Rowdy Talbot, is a conundrum of dichotomies. He is crass and honorable; sensitive and tough; sad, and funny.

In ‘Rowdy in Paris’, Rowdy Talbot’s adventure starts with a ménage a trios with two French graduate students after he wins the local rodeo bull riding contest. Rowdy wakes up the next morning to find both the girls and his prized championship belt buckle missing. Being that the buckle was the only thing that Rowdy has ever won and the fact that he feels like it is the only thing that will impress his young son, Rowdy is fit to be tied! He takes off for Paris in pursuit of his beloved buckle. Rowdy finds that things in Paris are a bit different then they are in Wyoming! For one, coffee is served in “shot glasses” and payment is required for use of “the john”. Rowdy’s flummoxed surprise with everything French is hilarious.

While attempting to recover his buckle, Rowdy uncovers a plot to sabotage McDonald’s and with the help of an ex-CIA agent hired by Starbucks (who wants to make sure that they don’t suffer the same fate as McDonald’s), Rowdy sets off to protect all that is American in France.

During the course of his adventure Rowdy gets into his fair share of bar brawls, falls in love, spies on a courtesan (who might also work for the CIA) on behalf of her husband, even begins to appreciate French espresso!

“Rowdy in Paris” is heartwarming and funny. Sandlin perfectly captures the cowboy mentality and delivers an unusual story filled with laughs.

Enlightenment for Idiots by Anne Cushmant (A Pre-publication Review - 3.5 / 5 Stars)

2008-04-21T11:03:00.005-04:00

Enlightenment for Idiots by Anne Cushman follows Amanda, a twenty-nine year old wanna-be yoga instructor who pays the bills by writing instruction manuals for the “For Idiots” series of books (as in Computers for Idiots, etc.). Like many twenty-somethings, Amanda is struggling with the realization that her life doesn’t look or feel anything like she thought it would back when she was younger. She lives in an apartment filled with beat-up furniture; has eccentric hippie roommates; is struggling to make ends meet; and she left her “perfect on paper” fiancé for a rootless photographer named Matt who makes her heart race but after three years says that he doesn’t believe in labels like “girlfriend”.

After Amanda and Matt decide to take a break from their tumultuous relationship, Amanda accepts an assignment in India where she is supposed to find enlightenment and write about it in a book called Enlightenment for Idiots. Amanda discovers more than spirituality and enlightenment in India and her life is forever changed by the monumental and unexpected discovery that she is pregnant.

Cushman’s descriptions of India are so expressive and vivid that I could almost taste the curry, see the Ganges, and smell the crowded streets of New Delhi. Cushman does a superb job of capturing the essence of India and of those who travel there to find spirituality or whatever it is they are looking for. She is masterful at capturing and conveying both the good and the bad aspects of this complicated country and it’s people – both foreign and native.

Cushman also does an exceptional job of developing her characters. This might be due in part to the fact that this novel is most likely a fictional autobiography (Cushman spent time in India writing a guide very similar to the fictional Enlightenment for Idiots). Amanda is a sympathetic and relatable figure to whom most twenty-somethings will be able to identify with. Cushman’s descriptions of Amanda’s relationship and travels through India with her friend Devi Das are touching, entertaining and humorous; as is her portrayal of Amanda’s relationship with her mother-hen-like friend, Lisa.

My only criticism of this book is that it is a bit too long. Cushman could have pared down the book by about 100 pages. I got the impression that Cushman was so moved by her own real-life travels in India that she didn’t want to leave anything out in her fictional re-telling of her adventure.

Overall, Enlightenment for Idiots is a well-written and entertaining book which highlights the joys of finding your own path and playing the hand you’re dealt with grace and acceptance that nothing is or will be perfect or the way you thought it would be. Instead of finding enlightenment, Amanda finds her true self and knowledge that acceptance of yourself and the way things are is the only true way to find nirvana.

The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian ( 0 / 5 Stars)

2008-04-18T07:05:00.000-04:00

As a fan of both The Great Gatsby and of novels with unique premises, I had such high hopes for this novel and was actually awaiting it's date of publication. Unfortunately, I was left disappointed. The Double Bind felt empty to me.

However, the biggest problem that I had with this book is that Bohjalian seemed to have a very, very (let me stress VERY)hard time writing from a female point of view. This was especially glaring due to the traumatic and deeply female nature of the plot line propelling Laurel's story through the narrative. Early on, Laurel is sexually attacked while on a bike ride. This experience shapes the rest of the story and ends in a very sloppily written "surprise ending". Bohjalian's lack of insight into the female mind left everything Laurel said and did feeling hollow and somehow wrong. Some writers are particularly adept at writing from the perspective of the opposite sex; Bohjalian is not one of these writers - at least not in this book (I have heard that he has mastered this in other works).

I wonder if all the rave reviews for this book are simply a case of the emperor having no clothes or if people are so enthralled with the albeit interesting Great Gastby angle that they are distracted from the fact that at it's core, this just isn't that great of book?

If you are looking for a well written and imaginative book using characters from well-known, classic fiction pick up Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series beginning with The Eyre Affair.

Best Seller News

2008-04-17T17:34:00.000-04:00

Best Sellers for the Week of April 14, 2008

1. Small Favor by Jim Butcher

2. Unaccustomed Earth by Jumpa Lahiri

3. Compulsion by Jonathan Kellerman

4. The Appeal by John Grisham

5. Belong to Me by Marisa de Los Santos

6. Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

7. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella

8. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

9. A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer

10. Hollywood Crows by Joseph Wambaugh

11. 7th Heaven by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

12. Winter Study by Nevada Barr

13. Guilty by Karen Robards

14. Dead Heat by Joel Rosenberg

15. Lost Souls by Lisa Jackson

A Sort-Of Writing Reality Show For Book Geeks

2008-04-16T17:50:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite podcasts is Will Write for Wine (http://www.willwriteforwine.come/) and on it, Lani Diane Rich is always talking about her book collaboration with Ann Stuart and Jennifer Cruisie. The book is titled, Dogs and Goddesses and you can watch their on-going collaborative effort on-line! Just go to http://www.dogsandgoddesses.com/ and you can "watch" as they write their book! It is facinating to watch writers at work. It is a sort of like a writing reality show! They post all of their chapter submissions and their editing and re-writes. Check it out!

Book Buying in the New Millenium

2008-04-16T17:12:00.003-04:00

Amazon Lets Readers Shop via Text Message

Have you ever been discussing a book with someone and been just dying to run home to your computer so that you can buy it on Amazon? Well, now you can eliminate the waiting part and immediately text your order to Amazon! On April 2, 2008, Amazon announced the start of it's new text buying service TextBuyIt.

Here is how it works: First you must log on to Amazon and add TextBuyIt to your Amazon account. Thereafter, all you have to do is send a text to "AMAZON" (262966) with the name of the product or ISBN code, and, within seconds, Amazon replies with the product that matches the search term along with prices. To buy, reply to the text by entering the number next to the item you want. You will then immediately receive a phone call from Amazon asking you to confirm the purchase. Done!

Technology blows my mind.....

The Fiction Class (3.5 / 5 Stars)

2008-04-16T16:58:00.001-04:00

The Fiction Class by Susan Breen is a poignant and touching tale a woman who teaches a fiction writing class who is struggling to complete her novel, caring for her ailing mother, and trying to find love.

Each chapter starts with Arabella's fiction writing class and features the lesson for that day, such as theme, voice, and pacing. Each class's writing theme is also a life theme in the novel. The students in Arabella's class are all interesting characters themselves and feature prominently in the novel; especially Chuck, who becomes Arabella's love interest.

The strongest theme in the novel is the mother/daughter relationship that has been a lifelong source of pain between Arabella and her mother, Vera. The two have had a tortured and difficult relationship since Arabella was a child. Through the course of the book, the two women gain insight and understanding into each other's motivations and thoughts through the treasured acts of reading and writing.

Not only is The Fiction Class a good read but it is also a good course in writing instruction for the budding fiction writer wannabe. Breen puts each of Arabella's writing assignments on a separate page before each chapter. I know that I will be doing the exercises to hone my writing skills!

The blurb on the back cover of this novel summarizes this book perfectly, it says: "A heartwarming story for anyone who loves books, or has a difficult mother. And, let's face it, that's practically everybody...."