tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33891122024-03-07T04:03:50.437-05:00BookBitchBlogBreaking book news from the BookBitchBookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.comBlogger965125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-79939518611837094362014-01-21T11:52:00.000-05:002014-01-21T11:52:13.234-05:00Goodbye and hello...<div class="MsoNormal">
Home is where the heart is. There’s no place like home. A
home without books is like a room without windows…<o:p></o:p></div>
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For me, that is very true, so perhaps this is the best place
to start.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have moved to a new home, <a href="http://stacyalesi.com/">stacyalesi.com</a>. But don’t worry,
<a href="http://stacyalesi.com/">bookbitch.com</a> will get you there, too. Eventually the BookBitchBlog will send you on your way but for now, please just <a href="http://stacyalesi.com/">click through</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The BookBitch is not gone, just re-imagined. It was time for
a change. A kinder, gentler home. While my home may have changed, rest assured
my opinions have not.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am packing my bags, so to speak, and moving in.
Taking all my reviews with me, and some of my reviewers as well. This will be a
process so please be patient if what you are seeking cannot be found yet.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am leaving the BookBitchBlog as it is for a while until
the move is complete. Or as complete as I care to make it. We often use moving
as an excuse to get rid of excess, to purge, to cleanse. I am hoping to have a
clean house here, and the best way to do that is to start with a clean house.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Besides the opportunity to go mainstream, I wanted all the
reviews to be more easily searchable and more easily found. I wanted to combine
my blog with my website and just have one home instead of shifting between two.
Hopefully this <a href="http://stacyalesi.com/">new site</a> will accomplish that.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My most heartfelt appreciation to <a href="http://xuni.com/">xuni.com</a> for the gorgeous
design and making everything work the way it should. Sheer genius!<o:p></o:p></div>
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All comments, suggestions, and constructive criticisms are
welcome.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I hope you’ll stop by often.</div>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-65291359597386149092013-11-05T13:30:00.002-05:002013-11-05T13:30:46.595-05:00HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS LAUNCHES “HARPERCOLLINS UNBOUND”<div align="center" class="yiv6295228430MsoNormal" id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383674973469_10596" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
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<b id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383674973469_10601"><i id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383674973469_10600">New App Enables Unique, Interactive Content to Come Alive From the Pages of Print Books</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Debuts with </i></b><b id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383674973469_10604">The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays<i> and </i>YOU: The Owner’s Manual</b></div>
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<b>New York, NY (November 4, 2013)</b><span id="yui_3_13_0_1_1383674973469_10609"> – HarperCollins Publishers today announced the launch of HarperCollins Unbound, a multi-platform interactive experience that takes readers beyond the pages of the physical book. Through HarperCollins Unbound, consumers are able to explore multimedia and interactive content related to specific topics from within a book, enhancing their understanding of certain sections, providing access to demonstrations, and bringing readers closer to authors with personal interviews, recorded readings, and more. Readers can download the free HarperCollins Unbound mobile app (compatible with iOS and Android) and scan specially marked pages in the print edition to reveal one-of-a-kind bonus content.</span></div>
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The program launches with <i>The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays </i>(on sale now), by Ree Drummond, <i>New York Times </i>bestselling author, award-winning blogger and Food Network<i> </i>personality. In her largest cookbook yet, Ree shares more than 140 delectable recipes. By using the Unbound app to scan specific pages, readers can bring the Pioneer Woman to life with six brand-new cooking videos that can be found through the Unbound experience.</div>
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The upcoming trade paperback edition of <i>YOU: The Owner’s Manual</i> by Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen, on sale December 17, 2013, will be the second book to feature HarperCollins Unbound technology. The book will include a total of 30 interactive print service pages, 20 of which will launch videos of Dr. Roizen sharing healthy living tips from <a href="http://www.sharecare.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: purple; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">Sharecare</a>, the online health and wellness engagement platform created by Dr. Oz and WebMD founder Jeff Arnold. To enhance the interactive experience – and help readers engage in the book’s details and test their own knowledge – ten of the pages will launch interactive quizzes from <span class="yiv6295228430MsoHyperlink" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">Sharecare</span></span>, such as “Ways to Love Your Heart” and “Cholesterol Check.” </div>
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“One of the most interesting questions in technology today is how we are going to ultimately bridge the gap between the physical and virtual worlds,” said Angela Tribelli, Chief Marketing Officer, HarperCollins Publishers. “We’re thrilled to be taking the lead in bridging that gap through this new offering. Thanks to Shortcut’s pioneering technology, consumers can scan a book and instantly download multimedia content straight to a mobile device – content that brings them closer to our authors. We’re especially excited to launch this new feature with authors Ree Drummond, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen.”</div>
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The HarperCollins Unbound app is powered by Shortcut Media’s interactive-print solution. The Shortcut technology allows the app to recognize symbols in a book, automatically launching content such as video clips, pictures, additional content, and more.</div>
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“Shortcut is the leading solution for creating interactive print products, and we are excited to partner with HarperCollins,” said Herbert Bay, Chief Executive Officer, Shortcut Media AG. “Shortcut is all about a better reader experience and connecting readers to the digital world directly from print, and the Unbound app offers a new dimension for HarperCollins books!"</div>
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For more information about HarperCollins Unbound please visit <a href="http://www.harpercollinsunbound.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: purple; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">www.harpercollinsunbound.com</a>.</div>
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<b><u>About HarperCollins Publishers</u></b><b> </b><br clear="none" />HarperCollins Publishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world, is a subsidiary of <a href="http://www.newscorp.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: purple; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">News Corp</a> (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NNC, NNCLV). Headquartered in New York, HarperCollins has publishing groups around the world in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and India. HarperCollins is a broad-based publisher with strengths in literary and commercial fiction, business books, children's books, cookbooks, narrative nonfiction, mystery, romance, reference, pop culture, design, health, wellness, and religious and spiritual books. With nearly 200 years of history, HarperCollins has published some of the world's foremost authors, including winners of the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Newbery Medal, and the Caldecott Medal. HarperCollins is consistently at the forefront of innovation, using digital technology to create unique reading experiences and expand the reach of its authors. You can visit HarperCollins Publishers online at: <a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: purple; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">http://www.harpercollins.com</a><span class="yiv6295228430msohyperlink">.</span></div>
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BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-44622395378522135932013-10-23T08:31:00.000-04:002013-10-23T08:31:58.721-04:00Q & A with RAYMOND KHOURY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am delighted to share a Q&A with Raymond Khoury,
author of RASPUTIN'S SHADOW, an ingenious, fast-paced historical thriller from the author
of the New York Times bestseller <i>The Last Templar.</i></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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On a cold, bleak day in 1916, all hell breaks loose in a
mining pit in the Ural Mountains. Overcome by a strange paranoia, the miners
attack one another, savagely and ferociously. Minutes later, two men—a
horrified scientist and Grigory Rasputin, trusted confidant of the tsar—hit a
detonator, blowing up the mine to conceal all evidence of the carnage.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the present day, FBI agent Sean Reilly’s search for Reed
Corrigan, the CIA mindcontrol spook who brainwashed Reilly’s son, takes a
backseat to a new, disturbing case. A Russian embassy attaché seems to have
committed suicide by jumping out of a fourth-floor window in Queens. The
apartment’s owners, a retired physics teacher from Russia and his wife, have
gone missing, and further investigation reveals that the former may not be who
the FBI believe him to be.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Joined by Russian Federal Security Service agent Larisa
Tchoumitcheva, Reilly’s investigation of the old man’s identity will uncover a
desperate search for a small, mysterious device, with consequences that reach
back in time and which, in the wrong hands, could have a devastating impact on
the modern world.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Packed with the twists, intrigue, and excitement that
Khoury’s many fans have come to expect, Rasputin’s Shadow will keep readers
turning pages long into the night.</div>
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Head on over to <a href="http://www.bookbitch.com/">www.bookbitch.com</a>
if you’d like to win a signed copy!</div>
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1. RASPUTIN’S
SHADOW is a great mix of technology, history, and action, but there is a little
romance too. How do you work to balance these in the novel?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I guess it just comes from practice, really. I’ve been a
storyteller for years, whether in screenplays of in my previous five novels,
and I suppose it’s just a personal preference for how to tell a story, for the
pacing, for having a gut feeling about when those different aspects should pop
up and not jar or crowd each other out. It’s not something I consciously map
out, I don’t outline the books; I just spend a lot of time setting up the
characters and their motivations, the triggers of the story, then I let them
loose and the story—and all the elements you refer to—come in when it feels
right.<o:p></o:p></div>
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2. In RASPUTIN’S
SHADOW, there are two distinct storylines that are woven together: one in early
Russia and the other in modern-day New York City. How important is it for you
to have both the historical and contemporary storylines in your novels?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve now done it in four our of my six novels (THE SIGN and
THE DEVIL’S ELIXIR are the two only-contemporary books). So it varies. I do enjoy
writing the historical storylines, though, and I feel the readers really love
going back in time and living through a parallel (though secondary) storyline,
especially if it feels very “real,” which is my aim. But in books like THE
SIGN, for instance, it was never part of the plan, and I love that book (which
is actually my longest to date) as much as its siblings.<o:p></o:p></div>
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3. At this point
in your writing career, what has been your most memorable moment as an author?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I guess I was spoiled early on. You have to remember that
when I wrote THE LAST TEMPLAR (my first book), it was a personal challenge, I
was just adapting the screenplay I had written in 1996 and I had zero
expectation of it being a bestseller. So I remember vividly when, the week
before it came out, my agent called and said “based on the numbers so far, we
just might have a chance of breaking into the New York Times extended list (not
the list itself). Which was amazing enough. Then that first Wednesday night
after it came out, late at night, I got the call from Mitch Hoffman, my editor
at Dutton, who told me we’re on the list, and #10. Which was surreal. Then the
following week, I completely lost my voice from nervousness while waiting for
the call which would inevitably tell me we were off the list. I was walking
back from a football game when Mitch called again and said, “Guess what? You’re
#5.” Which, I was told, never happens. And it just kept getting better from
there.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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4. What is next
for you?<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are 4 stories fighting to make it to the blank page on
my laptop screen, I wish I could write all 4 at the same time. I’m deep into
one of them, it’s a standalone, a bit of a departure from the Reilly books.
Then as soon as it’s done, the next installment of Reilly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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5. What do you
hope readers will take away from RASPUTIN’S SHADOW?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I hope they’ll have fun and not be able to put it down! I
hope they’ll have enjoyed hanging out with Reilly, Tess, Leo, Rasputin, Misha,
and the rest (maybe not so much Koschey). I hope they’ll be curious to find out
more about Russian’s history in the first decades of the 20th century, the fall
of the tsars and the brutal rise of communism. And I hope they’ll have learned
a thing or two about how our brains work, what’s possible, what technologies are
being researched out there and how horrific it would be if they were ever
deployed…</div>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-22561343518328933692013-10-07T13:06:00.000-04:002013-10-07T13:06:18.971-04:00Guest Blogger: JONATHAN SANTLOFER<div class="MsoNormal">
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<h2>
Recipe for a great serial novel</h2>
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Take 20 great writers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ask them to each write a chapter in a continuing story.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Give them both direction and a free hand.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Donate the proceeds to charity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mix it all together.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Stir. Simmer. Bring to a boil.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Voila! One great novel written in 20 voices.<o:p></o:p></div>
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To continue the recipe metaphor you could say that putting a
serial novel together is a bit like making an omelet or better yet, a soufflé.
You get all the ingredients together, whip up the eggs, put it in the oven and
hope it doesn’t deflate. The good news is that this novel rose high above my
expectations.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I started by asking a bunch of writers if they were willing
to participate, and almost everyone said yes. I had already decided to donate
the royalties to Safe Horizon, a charitable organization that aids victims of
violent crime. It just made sense that crime writers – many of whom had
profited by writing about violent crime – should be willing to give something
back to an organization that helped real life victims, and they all agreed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Then came the mechanics. A few weeks to craft a story that
was simple yet complex, this one an homage to my favorite noir writers,
Hammett, Chandler, Woolich, among others, put it together in a way that was
both old and new, familiar yet original. I knew the writers would understand
the source material and have fun writing within a known tradition. Once I had
the story, I wrote a synopsis, a long then a short version. Then a page of
character studies. After that, I broke the story into 20 chapters outlining the
main points in each. The trick was to fashion an organized plot and plan but
leave plenty of room for the authors to improvise—I did not want to cramp
anyone’s style.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Each author received the synopsis, the character studies,
individual chapter outline, and was asked to write in their own voice while
sticking to the plot points.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Then I waited (somewhat nervously) for the chapters to come
in. But I shouldn’t have worried. After all, every one of these writers is a
pro, and every one of them did the job and more—advance the plot while adding
things I’d never imagined: tension, humor, emotional resonance.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The tricky part was that everyone had to write at the same
time; no one got to read the chapters that preceded theirs. And yet, in the
end, they all hung together beautifully, as if someone had been watching over
us whispering some strange incantation that kept us all on track. Every writer
seemed to know exactly who these characters were and simply added a new layer
of complexity. Our disgraced PI, Perry Christo, became prouder and smarter and
shrewder; our heroine Angel, the kind of girl men dream of and dread, became
more and more mysterious; her mother more and more suspicious: her father more
and more devious; her boyfriends cruder and cruder; her best friend more
treacherous.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the end, the novel is fast, fun and thrilling. The
individual voices are there but the seams hardly show. As <i>Booklist</i> said in its
glowing review, "<i>The story moves as though there were a single hand on the
tiller. Not merely a genre curiosity, the book is a well-told mystery that
stands on its own two (or 40) feet</i>."
It feels to me as if a group of great writers and good friends simply
got together, put their egos aside and had a terrific time writing the best
thriller they could possibly write. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Jonathan Santlofer<o:p></o:p></div>
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October 2013, NYC</div>
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<br />
<br />
<i><br /></i>
<b><i>About the book:</i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>TO FIND AN ANGEL, HE MADE A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Pericles “Perry” Christo is a PI with a past—a former cop,
who lost his badge and his family when a corruption scandal left him broke and
disgraced. When wealthy Upper East Side matron Julia Drusilla summons him one
cold February night, he grabs what seems to be a straightforward (and
lucrative) case. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The socialite is looking for her beautiful, aimless
daughter, Angelina, who is about to become a very wealthy young woman. But as
Christo digs deeper, he discovers there’s much more to the lovely “Angel” than
meets the eye. Her father, her best friend, her boyfriends all have agendas of
their own. Angel, he soon realizes, may be in grave danger . . . and if Christo
gets too close, he just might get caught in the crossfire.</div>
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This classic noir tale twists and turns down New York’s mean
streets and along Hamptons’ beaches and back roads during a bitterly cold and
gray winter where nothing is as it seems and everyone has something to hide. In
an inventive storytelling approach, each writer brings his or her distinctive
voice to a chapter of Inherit the Dead, building the tension to a shocking,
explosive finale.<br />
<br />
<i>My thanks to Jonathan Santlofer for being my guest today. FYI, here are the amazing authors who contributed to the book:</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
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Mark Billingham, Lawrence Block, CJ Box, Ken Bruen, Alafair Burke, Stephen L. Carter, Mary Higgins Clark, Marcia Clark, Max Allan Collins, John Connolly, James Grady, Bryan Gruley, Heather Graham, Charlaine Harris, Val McDermid, SJ Rozan, Jonathan Santlofer, Dana Stabenow, Lisa Unger, and Sarah Weinman. Plus, Lee Child writes the Introduction and Linda Fairstein writes an open letter to the reader.</div>
<i><br /></i>
<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1451684754/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1451684754&linkCode=as2&tag=bookbitch-20">Inherit the Dead</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=bookbitch-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1451684754" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> is available for purchase at amazon.com or your favorite bookseller. </i><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQ0JunsY3QoN1zy3e9iOtcwifStopj1wHN5qyW49s0aAV-8JMtzeC0ekW-COvvrV6z9eqgN66ZYEm4cdPzrSeyqE9Zy4WDGOPknVACz8vekQlTblaTnvHsdF35knTePACPvmQcA/s1600/santlofer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQ0JunsY3QoN1zy3e9iOtcwifStopj1wHN5qyW49s0aAV-8JMtzeC0ekW-COvvrV6z9eqgN66ZYEm4cdPzrSeyqE9Zy4WDGOPknVACz8vekQlTblaTnvHsdF35knTePACPvmQcA/s200/santlofer.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Note: Editor Jonathan Santlofer has arranged to donate any royalties in excess of editor and contributor compensation to <a href="http://www.safehorizon.org/?gclid=CJah7_CVhboCFUkS7AodUSMAQA" target="_blank">Safe Horizon</a>, the leading victim assistance agency in the country.<br />
<br />
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Jonathan Santlofer is the author of five novels and a highly respected artist whose work has been written about and reviewed in the New York Times, Art in America, Artforum, and Arts, and appears in many public, private, and corporate collections. He serves on the board of Yaddo, one of the oldest artist communities in the country. Santlofer lives and works in New York City.</div>
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BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-46787821660726217572013-09-18T09:45:00.001-04:002013-09-18T09:45:50.975-04:00Guest Blogger: ANNA LEE HUBER!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-unsyaCA0OSqkmN80Qf3R5Z4o6eQ-Fq6CKLRYsmtqzbAdCs1RzV_QtFZhnT0utkSmQ1IBxzuOjKWLQXKkjiqOPj0scYNe2-lnhLKVKOszd7VvaSEytrhnhq23auplJ6oxX3cMw/s1600/Mortal_Arts_final_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-unsyaCA0OSqkmN80Qf3R5Z4o6eQ-Fq6CKLRYsmtqzbAdCs1RzV_QtFZhnT0utkSmQ1IBxzuOjKWLQXKkjiqOPj0scYNe2-lnhLKVKOszd7VvaSEytrhnhq23auplJ6oxX3cMw/s320/Mortal_Arts_final_cover.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><i>I am delighted to welcome my guest
blogger, Anna Lee Huber. She is the author of the The Lady Darby novels,
and one lucky reader is going to win a copy of MORTAL ARTS!</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank you so much for hosting me! For
this blog post, I decided to go to my readers, to find out what they wanted to
know. What follows are their top five questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Q.
Both of your Lady Darby novels, <i>The
Anatomist’s Wife</i> and <i>Mortal Arts</i>,
are set in Scotland 1830. What made you choose that time and place?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A. When I decided to write a
historical mystery series with a heroine who has some knowledge of anatomy, I
knew 1830 would be the perfect time period. It’s just after the trial of Burke
and Hare, two body snatchers-turned-murderers, which plays into the public’s
fear of Kiera once news of her involvement with her late husband’s dissections
comes to light, and it’s just a few years before the Anatomy Act of 1832. Not
to mention all of the other reforms being made with the Catholic Act of 1829,
the Reform Act of 1832, the beginnings of the building of railroads, the
ramping up of industrialization. It’s a very interesting period. Lots of
conflict. I initially chose Scotland because I needed an isolated location, and
the Highlands were perfect for my purposes. I stuck with Scotland because it’s
a country I love, and it’s the perfect setting for mystery. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Q.
Which of your characters have you most enjoyed writing the most?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A. Well, I certainly adore Kiera, Lady
Darby and Mr. Gage, her fellow investigator and romantic interest. They’re both
complex, mysterious people who don’t give up their secrets easily. I’ve also
fallen in love with several of my secondary characters. In <i>The Anatomist’s Wife</i>, it was that rascal Lord Marsdale who wormed
his way into my heart. There’s much more to him than meets the eyes, and I have
a feeling we’ll be seeing him again at some point in the future. In <i>Mortal Arts</i>, it was William Dalmay, and
I think anyone who reads the story will understand why. He’s such a
heartbreaking character. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Q. <b>How much alike are you and Lady Darby?</b> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A. Not much. In many ways I think I’m
more like her older sister. But Kiera and I do have several things in common.
We both feel a bit like outsiders, never really fitting in. We both feel
strongly that people should be accepted for who they are—quirks and all. We are
both artists—she is a portrait painter and I’m a writer and musician. And I
think her way of looking at the world, of processing her thoughts, is very
similar to mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Q. I shed more than a few tears reading <i>Mortal Arts</i>. You must deal with a bunch
of emotions while writing these stories. How do you deal with that? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A. Writing
the emotional scenes can definitely by tough, especially on the days when I
just don’t want to go there. And I had to go to some very dark places while
writing <i>Mortal Arts</i>. That can be
extremely draining, both physically and mentally. When I finish working on one
of those scenes, sometimes I have to make myself step away from the computer
and do something more cheerful, like taking a walk or playing with my cat. But
not always. Sometimes it’s actually cathartic. I write murder mysteries, but
really so little time is spent on thinking about the murder. Most of the book
is really about the quest for justice, the journey of the characters, their
efforts to cast light into a dark place. Each novel in the Lady Darby series is
structured around a mystery, but the main thread connecting the books is Kiera,
Lady Darby’s journey to accept herself and find happiness. That is what makes
dealing with the horrible crimes and darker emotions in the novels worth it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Q. What books do you think should be mandatory for high
schoolers to read? I always like this question because everyone has such
different views on "The Classics."<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A. I don’t
know that I’m really qualified to answer this, or that I have specific
suggestions. But I do think high school curriculum should focus more on novels
that teenagers actually have the mental and psychological maturity to connect
to and fully comprehend. So many classics that I read during school, especially
in middle school and early high school, I simply was not old enough or wise
enough to truly grasp. When I re-read some of them later as an adult I realized
how much depth and richness I had missed. There are adult concepts that
teachers can tell their students about, but that doesn’t mean they understand
them. The Classics I enjoyed reading, and feel that I had a pretty good grasp
of are: several of Shakespeare’s plays, <i>The
Scarlet Letter</i>, <i>A Tale of Two Cities</i>,
<i>Pride and Prejudice</i>, and <i>Jane Eyre</i>. I also enjoyed <i>The Great Gatsby</i> and <i>Wuthering Heights</i>, but I don’t think I
was able to fully comprehend them as a teenager. I read <i>Les Miserables</i> in college when I was about twenty years old and
absolutely loved it. To this day, it’s one of my favorite books. I think
teenagers could connect with it as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEium-i-x8vIdKT8xA23tcED_eG0e-zA5dQuMa9iAC-oBwFXwWAmYmFmndXaZ1dLf0JkJhRdF8sgIsMP8dvJ8QX6KPpvCMCgQQYwVDNRJkVv1SYPRYaTxnMkT-1RH90q4jNbwvUubg/s1600/Anna_Lee_Huber_Headshot_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEium-i-x8vIdKT8xA23tcED_eG0e-zA5dQuMa9iAC-oBwFXwWAmYmFmndXaZ1dLf0JkJhRdF8sgIsMP8dvJ8QX6KPpvCMCgQQYwVDNRJkVv1SYPRYaTxnMkT-1RH90q4jNbwvUubg/s200/Anna_Lee_Huber_Headshot_1.jpg" width="168" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">About
Anna:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Anna Lee Huber is the award-winning
author of the Lady Darby historical mystery series. Her debut, <i>The Anatomist’s Wife</i>, has won and been
nominated for numerous awards, including two 2013 RITA® Awards and a 2013 Daphne
du Maurier Award. Her second novel, M<i>ortal
Arts</i>, released September 3<sup>rd</sup>. She was born and raised in a small
town in Ohio, and graduated from Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN with a
degree in music and a minor in psychology. She currently lives in Indiana, and
enjoys reading, singing, traveling and spending time with her family. Visit her
at <a href="http://www.annaleehuber.com/">www.annaleehuber.com</a><span style="color: blue;">.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">About
Mortal Arts:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> <i><span style="color: #2e2c21;">Scotland,
1830.</span></i><span style="color: #2e2c21;"> Lady Kiera Darby is no stranger to
intrigue-in fact, it seems to follow wherever she goes. After her foray into
murder investigation, Kiera must journey to Edinburgh with her family so that
her pregnant sister can be close to proper medical care. But the city is full
of many things Kiera isn't quite ready to face: the society ladies keen on
judging her, her fellow investigator-and romantic entanglement-Sebastian Gage,
and ultimately, another deadly mystery.<br />
<br />
Kiera's old friend Michael Dalmay is about to be married, but the arrival of
his older brother-and Kiera's childhood art tutor-William, has thrown
everything into chaos. For ten years Will has been missing, committed to an
insane asylum by his own father. Kiera is sympathetic to her mentor's plight,
especially when rumors swirl about a local girl gone missing. Now Kiera must
once again employ her knowledge of the macabre and join forces with Gage in
order to prove the innocence of a beloved family friend-and save the marriage
of another...<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">If
you’d like to win a copy of MORTAL ARTS, just send an email to
contest@gmail.com, with "Mortal Arts" as the subject. Make sure to
include your name and mailing address in the US only. This is a quick contest
so your odds of winning are really good - if you enter by September 30, 2013.
Good luck!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-70314667996435392092013-09-11T10:30:00.000-04:002013-09-11T10:30:07.506-04:00Guest Blogger: CHRIS BOLTON <div id="yui_3_8_1_1_1378219465346_664" style="border: 0px none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.795454025268555px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEieueNI-ufqVA_1GaF7tlpdeIH61g4dLmyHR5ws53MnzECmjGuRAmN3tcL0dIzpPrxGuQUZUJHkk936uDJXePWFD4cD6bfu1ouvQbBByyA75gLhgCk4k2m1fzHKgMX2VQA89tA/s1600/smash.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLEieueNI-ufqVA_1GaF7tlpdeIH61g4dLmyHR5ws53MnzECmjGuRAmN3tcL0dIzpPrxGuQUZUJHkk936uDJXePWFD4cD6bfu1ouvQbBByyA75gLhgCk4k2m1fzHKgMX2VQA89tA/s320/smash.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">Please welcome my guest blogger, Chris Bolton. Chris, along with his
brother Kyle, has a new graphic novel out and will be giving away a copy to one
lucky reader! </span> <span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">INTERVIEW WITH SMASH<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">by Chris A. Bolton</span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Hello, blog readers! My name is Chris
A. Bolton and today I have something special for you. Rather than blather on
about myself, how and why I wrote the all-ages graphic novel </span></i><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Smash: Trial by Fire</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <i>(on sale September 10th from
Candlewick Press), or what it was like working wth my artist brother Kyle, I
decided to let the pint-sized superhero and star<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3389112" name="_GoBack"></a> of our
book speak for himself. Without further ado, please welcome...Smash!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH: </span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Hi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">I know you're very busy with homework and fighting crime, so thanks for
taking the time to speak with me. To start off, your real identity is--</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Whoa! Easy, there. First rule of
being a superhero: keep your secret identity a <i>secret</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">That sounds like pretty good advice.</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I got it from a guy named the
Wraith. He's this old-school crimefighter who could phase through walls and
stuff, but now he's retired and trains dogs. He's always trying to make me his
sidekick, and I have to keep telling him to go away. Sidekicks spew! I want to
be a full-on superhero, not somebody's understudy. Wraith should be <i>my</i> sidekick!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">But you're only ten years old, Smash. Isn't that a little </span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">young<i> to be fighting crime?<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I don't know. I mean, I can fly, run
really fast, and punch through walls without feeling any pain. Can <i>you</i> do all that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">No, I cannot. Where did these powers come from?</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> That's also a secret.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">This isn't going to be much of an interview if you won't answer any
questions.</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Hey, <i>you</i> called <i>me</i>, remember?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Let me tell you what we know from TV news footage. The super-powered hero
known as Defender was captured by his arch-enemy, a criminal mastermind called the
Magus. There was a freak explosion and a mysterious ball of energy erupted from
the building. Next thing we know, Defender is declared dead by the police --
and suddenly, a young boy who has his powers appears, wearing a smaller version
of his costume. Is that about right?</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Here's what I can tell you: my powers
are totally real. And yes, I am ten years old. But that's all I can say!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Were you a big fan of Defender's before you got his powers?</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Heck, yeah! Are you kidding?
Defender was the greatest hero that ever... hey, wait a second! You're trying
to trick me! I'm still not telling you if I got my powers from Defender. But
yeah, Defender was awesome. And so were his powers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">So now, as the hero called "Smash," you're attempting to pick
up where Defender left off. Even though you have his -- er, </span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">these<i> powers, do you really feel that a ten-year-old kid can carry on such a
heroic legacy?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Uh, well... I'm <i>trying</i> to! I guess I've got a few things to learn. I mean, it's not
like you get flying powers and all of a sudden you're an <i>eagle</i>, you know? Taking off and landing are HARD. So is everything
that happens <i>between</i> take-off and
landing! But I'm working at getting better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">We've also seen TV footage of you clinging to a flagpole. It kind of
looked like maybe you're afraid of heights?</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> What? NO! Who said that? I'm not
afraid of heights! I LOVE heights! Heights are the best, they're my favorite --
I wish I could fly HIGHER!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Okay, okay, relax.</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> You tell all the bad guys out there
that I'm NOT afraid of heights! Go ahead, say it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Smash is not afraid of heights.</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> That's better. Geez, thanks for
giving away my biggest weakness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">You mean, it </span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">would<i> be your weakness, </i>if<i> you were afraid of heights. But you're not,
so it isn't.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> ...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Moving on. In the new book </span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Smash: Trial by Fire<i>,
my brother and I attempt to tell your story in the graphic novel format...</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Yeah, you guys really missed the
mark on a bunch of stuff.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Such as?</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Well, for one thing, my secret
identity. You were WAY off on that one! Who's this Andrew Ryan kid? I've never
even heard of that dude!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Well, we did some research and made an educated guess...<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> WAY off! Way, way, way off!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Okay, got it. What else?</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Your brother, Kyle? He's a really
good artist, but he drew me all wrong. Like, he made my arms super-skinny and
my chest flat. But anyone can see my arms are really HUGE, with muscles on top
of muscles, and my chest is BUFF! It's like a block of concrete over a six-pack
of abs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">I'm looking at you now, and you just look like a normal kid in a costume.</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Well, you should get your eyes checked!
Because I am HUGE! I once flew past The Rock and he was all, "Whoa! That
kid's so ripped, I'm gonna quit wresting and become an actor!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">I really don't think that happened.</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> You don't know, you weren't there!
Anyway, I really liked the book except for those parts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">I want to ask you about the Magus. Here was Defender's greatest nemesis,
a criminal mastermind who commands an army of deadly Minions. After many years
of fighting, the Magus finally </span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">beat<i> Defender, once and
for all. With that in mind, how did it feel when you came face-to-face with
such a dangerous enemy?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> HA! Magus has a reputation as a big
tough guy, but he's not so bad. He took one look at me and cried like a little
baby. It was nothin'.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Interesting you say that. As a matter of fact, we invited the Magus to
join our interview--<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Uh, what?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">-- and he graciously agreed! So, let's get him in here and find out what
he thinks.</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Hang on, what's happening now..?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Mr. Magus, welcome!</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">MAGUS:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> You may simply call me
"Magus." Or, if you prefer, "Master." Or "Your
Highness."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Uh, well, I'm cool with calling you Magus...</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">MAGUS:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;">
In fact, let's go with "Master." I like that. What is your
question, fool?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <i>After
so many years of battling Defender, how did it feel coming face-to-face with
your new arch-enemy, who's a short, ten-year-old boy?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Short but RIPPED!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">MAGUS:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Frankly, I was unimpressed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> He peed himself. I saw it happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">MAGUS:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Silence, boy! The next time I
capture you, I swear, by all the powers at my disposal...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Let's talk about that. Magus, you trapped Defender so you could steal his
powers. Then, after Smash started fighting crime, you tried to captured him to
take his powers. What is your obsession with these powers?</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">MAGUS:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I merely wish to use them for the
betterment of humankind. Surely we can all agree that a small child is unworthy
to carry the mantle of "world's greatest superhero." I have had a
drastic change of heart since Defender's unfortunate passing, and I now realize
my destiny is to protect the innocent and the meek from the forces of villainy
that lurk around us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Uh, that's a stinky pack of lies! Magus
is <i>evil</i>, okay? You can't trust a word
he says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">MAGUS:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Don't listen to the boy -- listen to
your master! I mean, your <i>savior</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Are you getting all this? Magus is
obviously the BAD GUY! Someone's gotta stop him from taking over the world. And
the last time I looked, I'm the <i>only</i>
person around here with super-powers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">MAGUS:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Until I take them from you and claim
them for my own!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH: </span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;">Yeah, right! The next time you try to
take my powers, you're gonna get a tattoo of my footprint on your backside! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Okay, let's wrap this up before it gets out of control. Do you have any
last words for us?</span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">MAGUS:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I have perused this <i>Trial by Fire </i>book -- if it can truly be
called a "book" by any thinking individual -- and I find it to be
pure drivel. I never tried to hurt Defender or Smash. I only have the best
interests of the public in mind, and thus, this book is full of lies!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> And I just want to say, I kicked
Magus's butt a <i>whole</i> lot worse than
it shows in the book!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">MAGUS:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> MORE LIES!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">We'll just have to let readers decide for themselves what's true and what
isn't when they pick up their copies of </span></i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Smash: Trial by Fire<i>,
new from Candlewick Press. They'll find it everywhere books are sold starting September
10th.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Nice plug! Who are you,
Self-Promotion Man?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">MAGUS:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Okay, that was a good one. That
deserves a fist-pound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">SMASH:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> Get out of here, your FACE deserve a
fist-pound!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">CHRIS: </span></b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">And with that, we'll say goodbye.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">ABOUT THE BOOK<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Whap! Thud! Crash! An
action-packed graphic novel simultaneously spoofs and pays tribute to superhero
lore while inspiring a new generation of crimefighters.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ka-boom! Clobbered by fallout from a blast that kills the
local superhero, Defender, Andrew Ryan suddenly has super strength and speed!
And he can fly! Now it’s up to him to protect citizens from thieves, thugs, and
fearsome villains. He dons a homemade costume to hide his true identity, and
Smash is born! But fighting crime isn’t easy, especially when you’re in fifth
grade. On top of evil robots and trigger-happy bank robbers, there’s homework,
curfew, and the school bully to deal with. Not to mention the Magus, a fearsome
villain who will stop at nothing to steal Smash’s superpowers for himself!
Influenced by film, cartoons, and of course, classic comic books, this vivid
escapade features a rib-tickling, high-energy storyline and the colorful,
exaggerated figures of nostalgic comic-book art: a combo perfect for kids
longing for a secret identity of their own.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">ABOUT THE AUTHORS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>Chris A.
Bolton</b> has written comics, short fiction, stage plays, sketch comedy, and
screenplays. He wrote and directed several short films and an acclaimed web
series and recently completed his first novel. He lives in Portland, Oregon,
where he still dreams of acquiring superpowers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>Kyle Bolton</b>
has been drawing since the age of four, although SMASH is his first
professional comic work. A graduate of the Art Institute of Seattle, he has
worked for a variety of game companies creating 2D and 3D animations. Kyle
Bolton currently draws and lives in Seattle, Washington.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;">WIN A BOOK!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="line-height: 115%;">If you’d like to win your own copy of
<b>SMASH: Trial by Fire</b>, just send an
email to contest@gmail.com, with "SMASH" as the subject. Make sure to
include your name and mailing address in the US only. This is a quick contest
so your odds of winning are really good - if you enter by Sept. 25, 2013. Good
luck!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 12.727272033691406px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-60237753876465189112013-09-07T11:02:00.000-04:002013-09-07T11:02:34.167-04:00Countdown to the Miami Book Fair!<h2>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">SAVE THE DATE!<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">MIAMI BOOK FAIR INTERNATIONAL 2013<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">CELEBRATES ITS 30<sup>TH</sup>
ANNIVERSARY!<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Presented and produced by The Center For Literature and Theatre @ <br />
Miami Dade College<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Nov. 17 – 24, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The nation’s finest
and largest literary gathering,<b> Miami Book Fair
International</b>, presented by The Center for Literature and Theatre @
Miami Dade College (MDC), <b>turns 30 this year!</b>
The beloved festival will take place <b>November 17 – 24, 2013</b>,
at <b>Miami Dade MDC’s Wolfson Campus </b>in
downtown Miami. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In commemoration of
the 500 years since Ponce de Leon landed in Florida, this year the <b>Fair will celebrate the culture and literature of Spain</b>. Some
of the country’s most illustrious writers and artists will present their works
at the Fair this year.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In addition, the
artist of the <b>official Book Fair poster</b> is one
of Spain’s most important illustrators and comics artists and winner of the
2007 Premio Nacional de Comic, <b>Francisco Capdevila,</b>
better known as “Max.” The official poster, along with the <b>Generation
Genius Days poster by popular comics and graphic novels creator Paul Pope</b>,
will be unveiled September 20 at the College’s Historic Freedom Tower as part
of a DWNTWN Arts Days celebration that will bring together all of the other
MDCulture’s departments – Miami International Film Festival, MDC LiveArts,
Galleries and Museum of Art + Design and Teatro Prometeo. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Pa1" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Pa1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Miami Book Fair, one
of Miami’s flagship cultural events, will treat book lovers to eight days of
cultural and educational activities, including the beloved <i>Evenings
With… </i>series, the IberoAmerican Authors program, literacy and
learning activities for children and teens during Generation Genius Days, and The
Kitchen, <span class="A6"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">demos and panels for food enthusiasts in partnership with the college’s
Miami Culinary Institute. </span></span></b></span>Fairgoers will also enjoy more
than 200 </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">exhibitors from
around the country selling books in a festive atmosphere and hundreds of author
reading and discussing new books during the weekend Street Fair.</span></div>
<div class="Pa1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">The Center for Literature and
Theatre @ MDC Presents Celebrates 30 Miami Book Fairs with Pre-fair Author
Events<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong><b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
Center for Literature and Theatre @ Miami Dade College</span></span></b></strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
presents<strong><b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">
seven readings by superstar authors in September, October and November </span></span></b></strong><strong><b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">as a</span></span></b></strong>
prelude to the nation’s finest and largest literary gathering, Miami Book Fair
International. The six author presentations, planned to celebrate the Fair’s 30<sup>th</sup>
anniversary, also celebrate a long-standing partnership between independent
bookstore Books & Books and The Center. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Thursday, Sept. 26,
7:30 p.m.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Salman Rushdie on <i>Joseph Anton</i></span></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">,
in conversation with Mitchell Kaplan, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">co-presented with
Books & Books <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">MDC Wolfson Campus -
Chapman Conference Center, Building 3, 2<sup>nd</sup> Floor<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Tickets required;
visit www.booksandbooks.com<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Monday, Sept. 30,
7:30 p.m.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Nicholas Sparks on <i>The Longest Ride</i></span></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">,
co-presented with Books & Books <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">MDC Wolfson Campus -
Chapman Conference Center <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Tickets required;
isit www.booksandbooks.com<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Wednesday, Oct. 9,
7:30 p.m.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Elizabeth Gilbert on <i>The Signature of All Things</i></span></span></b><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, </span></span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">co-presented with
Books & Books <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">MDC Wolfson Campus –
Auditorium, Building 1, 2<sup>nd</sup> Floor<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Tickets required;
visit </span></span><a href="http://www.booksandbooks.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">www.booksandbooks.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Thursday, Oct. 24,
7:30 p.m.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Billy Collins on <i>Aimless Love: New and Selected Poems</i></span></span></b><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, </span></span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">co-presented with
Books & Books<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">MDC Wolfson Campus –
Auditorium, Building 1, 2<sup>nd</sup> Floor<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">No tickets required.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Saturday, Nov. 2<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Helen Fielding on <i>Bridget Jones: Mad about the Boy</i></span></span></b><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, </span></span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">co-presented with
Books & Books<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Time & Location
TBD <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Tickets required;
visit </span></span><a href="http://www.booksandbooks.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">www.booksandbooks.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Wednesday, Nov. 6,
7:30 p.m.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Donna Tartt on <i>The Goldfinch</i></span></span></b><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, </span></span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">co-presented with
Books & Books<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">MDC Wolfson Campus –
Auditorium, Building 1, 2<sup>nd</sup> Floor<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="Pa1" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">No tickets required.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 0in .5in 1.0in 1.5in 2.0in 2.5in 3.0in 3.5in 4.0in 4.5in 5.0in 5.5in 6.0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">To celebrate the 30<sup>th</sup> Fair is a
series of special readings by Sir Salman Rushie, Elizabeth Gilbert, Helen
Fielding, Nicholas Sparks, Donna Tartt, and Billy Collins to commence in
September. Additionally, the MBFI has launched a campaign that celebrates
Miami’s love and involvement with their hometown jewel. Visit the Fair’s social
media platforms for vintage photos, author Q&As, and a sampling of the many
reasons why Miami loves Book Fair: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/miamibookfair"><span style="color: #0000f1;">ttps://twitter.com/miamibookfair</span></a></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MiamiBookFair"><span style="color: #0000f1;">https://www.facebook.com/MiamiBookFair</span></a></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://thecenteratmdc.tumblr.com/"><span style="color: #0000f1;">http://thecenteratmdc.tumblr.com/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Miami
Book Fair International 2013 promises to be another exceptional literary event!
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">For regular updates on the Miami Book Fair</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, please visit </span></span><a href="http://www.miamibookfair.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">www.miamibookfair.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><u><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">MIAMI BOOK FAIR INTERNATIONAL AND THE CENTER FOR
LITERATURE AND THEATRE @ MIAMI DADE COLLEGE </span></span></u></b><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Miami Book Fair
International, widely considered the largest and finest literary event in the
U.S., is the premier event of The Center for Literature and Theatre @ Miami
Dade College, a part of MDCulture, the Cultural Affairs Department of the
College. The Center<b> </b>promotes reading, writing and
theater at locations throughout South Florida by consistently presenting
activities open to all. Its Generation Genius programs for children and teens
promote literacy and learning. Its creative writing program has national
appeal, and courses are taught by local and visiting authors. It is also home
to Prometeo Theatre, the nation's leading Spanish language, conservatory-style
program offering training for actors, and featuring performances throughout the
year. In 2012, the Center celebrated its tenth year with a renewed
commitment to the advancement of literary and theater arts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Miami Book Fair
International is made possible through the generous support of the State of
Florida and the National Endowment for the Arts; the City of Miami; Miami-Dade
County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the
Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; Miami-Dade County
Public Schools; the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau; the Miami
Downtown Development; and the Friends of the Fair; as well as many corporate
partners.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><u><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Miami Dade
College<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Miami Dade College<b> </b>has a long and rich history of involvement in the cultural
arts, providing South Florida with a vast array of artistic and literary
offerings including The Miami Book Fair International, The Florida Center for
the Literary Arts, The Miami International Film Festival, the MDC Live Arts
performing arts series, The MDC Tower Theater Cinema Series, the Miami
Leadership Roundtable speakers’ series, the National Historic Landmark Freedom
Tower, numerous renowned campus art galleries and theaters, and the nationally
recognized School of Entertainment and Design Technology. With an enrollment of
more than 174,000 students, MDC is the largest institution of higher education
in the country and is a national model for many of its programs. The college’s
eight campuses and outreach centers offer more than 300 distinct degree
programs including baccalaureate, Associate in Arts and Science degrees and
numerous career training certificates leading to in-demand jobs. MDC has served
nearly 2,000,000 students since it opened its doors in 1960.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-15439283665364422272013-08-29T13:50:00.000-04:002013-08-29T13:50:53.783-04:00Win MOONRISE by Cassandra King! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSV4Aqo9wSTdOSWtLKRjR41JzztlC_KUuvufg97izUS7M0Vd6aVhmW-dE2EnAT5T4KOxXMkjsjf-NFVcdVyxjWIwpGn5Oq_MymsmG5xwMAl5l7VePseA4TEAgmMFHS7rINgRZbA/s1600/Moonrise_FrontCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSV4Aqo9wSTdOSWtLKRjR41JzztlC_KUuvufg97izUS7M0Vd6aVhmW-dE2EnAT5T4KOxXMkjsjf-NFVcdVyxjWIwpGn5Oq_MymsmG5xwMAl5l7VePseA4TEAgmMFHS7rINgRZbA/s320/Moonrise_FrontCover.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;">Acclaimed author
Cassandra King's new novel is Moonrise, available on September 3rd from Maiden
Lane Press. MOONRISE is a novel of dark
secrets and second chances, New York Times’ bestselling author Cassandra King’s
homage to the gothic classic Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<h2>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">When Helen
Honeycutt falls in love with a man who has recently lost his wife in a tragic
accident, their sudden marriage creates a rift between her new husband and his
friends, who resent her intrusion into their close circle. When the newlyweds
join them for a summer at Moonrise, his late wife’s family home in the
beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, it soon becomes clear that someone is trying to
drive her away, in King’s literary homage to <i>Rebecca </i>by Daphne du
Maurier.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here Cassandra shares
a few words about relationships, family dynamics and divorce --- all present in
Moonrise.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Q:<span style="font-weight: normal;"> In Moonrise,
you’ve written about a circle of friends that includes not just women but also
men. The relationship within each couple is unique. While friendship has been a
regular theme in your previous novels, the women in Moonrise seem more capable
of betrayal than in previous novels. Would you like to comment on this? And
with the exception of your first novel, Making Waves, you’ve most often focused
on friendships between women. Do you find it harder to write about men? </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">A:
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Relationships are always complex, even the closest and most loving—or, perhaps,
especially the closest and most loving. In this book, I wanted to explore that
complexity in ways I haven’t in previous novels. Yes, friendship is a beautiful
thing, but how do we deal with rejection? We all experience rejection at some
point in our lives, and it always hurts. And what about betrayal? I wanted to
look at the darker part of friendships--what’s often hidden beneath the amiable
surface. How do friendships survive jealousy, lies, loss of trust? And if they
do, what’s left? All that intrigued me, especially as it applied to the
relationships between men and women, both friends and lovers. I find it easier
to write about men than women for some reason. I toyed with having a male point
of view in this book in addition to Helen’s and Willa’s, using Noel or Linc as
one of the narrators. But Tansy would not stand for it.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Q: <span style="font-weight: normal;">The stigma
of divorce is, for many, a thing of the past. With the increase in the divorce
rate, many more couples find themselves remarrying at midlife and having to
adjust to blended families. In Moonrise, Helen is rejected not only by her
husband’s circle of friends but also by his daughter. Which do you think is
harder to bear, and why? </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">A: <span style="font-weight: normal;">It depends
on how you define family. Most of us expand that notion well beyond bloodlines
or genetic ties, and close friends become like family to us. Certainly in a
second marriage, efforts are made all around to expand the boundaries of the
family unit. Helen and Emmet each have a child who has left the nest and
started his/her own life, making for a slightly different situation (though not
an uncommon one). Since Emmet’s daughter has lost her mother, Helen wants to
play a more significant role as stepmother than she might otherwise have done.
However, the daughter’s resentment is an obstacle that has to be overcome. From
my observations, I don’t think that’s an uncommon situation, either.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">About the
Author: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiba8lfuiGavr5LifS9na6jfhEsKJQR50EXaB6Xc5teLPtGsmumzHCkDEeaLnv_EB-V3xbsYD-FOnwb_bungNPUZMTDbMQbZRGQjNgUbIaxp6i3ytF93V3Qc4EwTGY5n1Y1qRUlkw/s1600/Cassandra+King+Photo+Credit+TamaraReynolds_5x7_300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiba8lfuiGavr5LifS9na6jfhEsKJQR50EXaB6Xc5teLPtGsmumzHCkDEeaLnv_EB-V3xbsYD-FOnwb_bungNPUZMTDbMQbZRGQjNgUbIaxp6i3ytF93V3Qc4EwTGY5n1Y1qRUlkw/s200/Cassandra+King+Photo+Credit+TamaraReynolds_5x7_300.jpg" width="140" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://cassandrakingconroy.com/" target="_blank">CASSANDRA KING</a>
is the bestselling author of four previous novels, Making Waves, The Sunday
Wife, The Same Sweet Girls and Queen of Broken Hearts, as well as numerous
short stories, essays and articles. Moonrise, her fifth novel, is set in
Highlands, North Carolina. A native of Lower Alabama, Cassandra resides in
Beaufort, South Carolina, with her husband, Pat Conroy.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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If you’d like to win your own copy of MOONRISE, just send an email to
contest@gmail.com, with "MOONRISE" as the subject. Make sure to
include your name and mailing address in the US only. This is a quick contest
so your odds of winning are really good - if you enter by Sept. 11, 2013. Good
luck!</div>
</h2>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-1408228106496408092013-08-14T13:15:00.002-04:002013-08-14T13:15:37.024-04:00Jojo Moyes Giveaway!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rpw8IBlxGcZaQSWlpSC8OEd_UmVlgPDDDHAQBeSPLcA5t6CGzptYCpBIgk49zJ2ZQJe-8Xhb6DNUfTYRMPu5Ht-7W3Hx05qpttH_eUee5HjTFwrAhG2Y8cJSccK97yKlBNFy0A/s1600/girl+you+left+behind.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rpw8IBlxGcZaQSWlpSC8OEd_UmVlgPDDDHAQBeSPLcA5t6CGzptYCpBIgk49zJ2ZQJe-8Xhb6DNUfTYRMPu5Ht-7W3Hx05qpttH_eUee5HjTFwrAhG2Y8cJSccK97yKlBNFy0A/s320/girl+you+left+behind.JPG" width="211" /></a>I
am delighted to be able to offer a copy of the new Jojo Moyes book, THE GIRL
YOU LEFT BEHIND as well as her hit ME BEFORE YOU to one lucky reader!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Moyes returns with another spellbinding and irresistible
heartbreaker of love and sacrifice. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In the small French town of St. Péronne, Sophie Lefèvre is
struggling under the German occupation. It is 1916, and with her husband (and
most other men) fighting at the front, she is barely keeping the family
restaurant—Le Coq Rouge—afloat under the strict and unforgiving rationing. To
combat the pain of a starving belly and despite the fact that it draws unwanted
attention to her family, Sophie defiantly keeps the portrait her artist husband
painted of her up on the wall. Seeing it transports her back to their lives in
Paris—full of good food and joie de vivre. When the painting catches the eye of
the new Kommandant, Sophie becomes the object of his obsession. As he spends
more time at Le Coq Rouge, Sophie is drawn into a dangerous bargain with the
German officer as she tries to protect those she loves the most. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Almost a century later, Liv Halston is living under the
shadow of her young husband’s sudden death and a growing debt. She lives in the
gorgeous flat he designed for them, but her lack of a steady job means she can
no longer afford to keep the show place that should have been her home forever.
Her prized possession, given to her by her husband as a wedding present, is the
same portrait that hung on Sophie’s wall in 1916. Enter Paul McCafferty; when
Liv meets him during a chance encounter, she starts to feel like life may have
something in store for her yet. But Paul’s work lies in the restitution of art
lost and the spoils of war. In a cruel twist, his next case: the portrait of
Sophie that Liv loves most in all the world. For Liv, her belief in what is
right will be put to the ultimate test.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Q&A with Jojo Moyes</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"> author of THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND,
though a love story, features strong female relationships as well. What made
you want to write about the connections that can form between women? If Liv and
Sophie had lived in the same time, do you think they would have been friends?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My female friendships are so important to me; I honestly
don’t know how women survive without them. I get very bored of reading
manufactured narratives that pit women against women; the working mums vs. stay
at homes, old vs. young, the ‘evil’ woman boss who is trying to keep younger
women down—I don’t recognise these images—most women I know are actually pretty
supportive of each other. So I liked having relationships in this book where
women are supportive of each other, even if their relationships are often
complex and changing. To me that reflects real life.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And yes, I think that Sophie and Liv might have been
friends—I think through her sister’s grief, Sophie might have understood Liv’s
own. And both knew what it was like to utterly adore your husband.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The reclamation of art
taken during wartime is central to the plot. How did you first encounter this
topic and what kind of research did you do to learn more about it?</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was briefly the arts correspondent for The Independent
newspaper in London, so I knew a bit about the legal issues. But I read an
amazing news story about a young woman reporter who had been asked to mind a
huge collection of stolen Nazi artwork, and was given a very valuable stolen
Cranach as a ‘thank you.’ Many decades later when it came up for auction it was
recognised and became the subject of a claim.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>It would seem the
issue of returning stolen art is clear-cut, but Liv finds herself trying to
keep a painting that may have been ill-gotten. Is there room for sympathy on
both side</i>s? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Without wanting to diminish in any way the suffering of
those who lost their precious belongings, I think there is. The more time that
goes by, the more complicated the issue becomes, as people buy and sell in good
faith, not knowing the painting’s tainted past. These things are also
complicated when great legal industries spring up around them, as seems to have
happened in the case of stolen artwork.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>You create a vivid
sense of French life under the German Occupation in WWI. Did you know much
about this period prior to writing the novel?</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No I didn’t, but the more research I did, the more
fascinated I became by it. I knew about the terrible losses suffered in
northern France during the first world war, but I knew little about life away
from the Western Front, and the fact that in a great swathe of northern France
Belgian and French people had their homes and belongings requisitioned in such
a widespread and systematic way.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Sophie and Liv exist a
century apart, but their lives are strongly connected, making the past feel
very much alive in your story. Do you feel a strong link to the past or a
particular historic figure?</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s an interesting question. I’m not sure I do. I’m
always amazed when people do past life regression and say they turned out to be
Cleopatra or Florence Nightingale... I think I’d be the anonymous girl who ran
the fruit stall near the river, or kept the accounts in the hat shop. But I do
like to look at the lives of particularly brave women in history though,
undercover women agents, in wartime or Amelia Earhart, say, and try to use
their actions to make me braver in my everyday life, like standing up to a
traffic warden....<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>What do you hope
readers will take away from THE GIRL YOU LEFT BEHIND? <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope they’ll be transported into a time and place they
didn’t know about. And I hope that they will put themselves in the place of
Sophie and Liv, and ask: what would I do in their shoes? I love writing strong,
resourceful female characters, and Sophie was one of my favourites, so I hope
some women might be a little bit inspired too. Mostly I simply hope that they
will feel glad they picked up the book and took the journey with me.</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I can’t wait to read this new book - I loved ME BEFORE YOU!
Here’s my review:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ifn1_4CKkus3nI0rgv5mwujso7MGV0ZkZsjPF4WcUf-3QTyRPTwNhyeE9BjOuPmJ-HLkV4-7TQ-MWjmq2G6RhVV2o8D_mI5D12FXaPQZHujii-vinFvngBTTdJHvNI_9lzaf8A/s1600/me+before+you.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ifn1_4CKkus3nI0rgv5mwujso7MGV0ZkZsjPF4WcUf-3QTyRPTwNhyeE9BjOuPmJ-HLkV4-7TQ-MWjmq2G6RhVV2o8D_mI5D12FXaPQZHujii-vinFvngBTTdJHvNI_9lzaf8A/s320/me+before+you.JPG" width="208" /></a>Louisa has lived in a small English village her whole life,
and even though she's in her 20's she has no plans on leaving. She loses her
job when the cafe where she works closes, and the employment office in town
offers her up one job more awful than the next, topped by their final offer;
caretaker for a quadriplegic for six months. The money is very good, and her
family relies on her income to get by, so after being assured she won't have to
wipe anyone’s bottom, she grudgingly agrees to the job. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Her new boss is a much younger man than she expected. Will
comes from money, but was a very successful businessman prior to his accident,
the type that traveled worldwide and lived life to the fullest. Struck by a
car, he is in constant pain and needs constant care. He has someone to do the
physical stuff for him; Louisa is there to be more of a companion for him. But
he's nasty and angry and she doesn't know how to reach him. </div>
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Eventually she does reach him, and she’s determined to help
him find a way to enjoy his life to the best of her ability, but will that be
enough? Will wants to die, and his parents have reluctantly agreed to assist
him, provided he give them six months. Once Louisa learns this, she becomes
more determined than ever to save him, falling in love with him along the way. What
could have been a maudlin story, or an overly sweet one, is instead a
cataclysmic love story that just resonates; this is a remarkable book.</div>
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<i><b>If you’d like to win
these books, just send an email to contest@gmail.com, with "Jojo Moyes"
as the subject. Make sure to include your name and mailing address in the US
only. This is a quick contest so your odds of winning are really good - if you enter by August 23, 2013. Good luck!</b><o:p></o:p></i></div>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-36734397877276365682013-08-12T18:51:00.001-04:002013-08-12T18:51:41.966-04:00CHARLES BUKOWSKI ON AUDIO!<div align="center" class="yiv3775069667MsoNormal" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33063" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<b id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33073"><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33072" style="font-size: 23pt;">HarperCollins To Publish</span></b></div>
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<b id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_32984"><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_32983" style="font-size: 23pt;">CHARLES BUKOWSKI’s Works In Audio For The First Time</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.545454025268555px;">and I'm a little excited about that. HAM ON RYE is my personal fave...read on for all the info</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33067" style="font-size: 11pt;">“Charles Bukowski is the Walt Whitman of Los Angeles.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">— </span><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_32988" style="font-size: 11pt;">Joyce Carol Oates</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">“Bukowski is the laureate of the Los Angeles underground – an eccentric who sees the world with a clarity of vision possessed only by artists and madmen.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">— </span><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Los Angeles Times</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">“There is real poignancy in the people encountered in Bukowski’s work.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">— </span><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">New York Times Book Review</span></i></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33059" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">In commemoration of what would have been his 93<sup>rd</sup> birthday, HarperCollins will publish eight of <b>Charles Bukowski</b>’s works in audiobook format for the first time. These eight unabridged works </span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">¾</span><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_32992" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> <i id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_32991">Post Office</i> (1971), <i>South of No North</i> (1973), <i>Factotum</i>(1975), <i>Women</i> (1978), <i>Ham on Rye</i> (1982), <i>Hot Water Music</i> (1983), <i>Hollywood</i> (1989), and <i>Pulp</i> (1994) </span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">¾</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> are all narrated by actor Christian Baskous and will be released on August 13<sup>th</sup> in the Digital Audio format.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33057" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Ecco President and Publisher Daniel Halpern says, “It would be Bukowski himself reading here, if the technology had advanced quickly enough. But his voice rings clear and deep in these renditions – and from them, the genius of Bukowski flows forth.”</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_32994" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">Often crude, brutal, and savagely funny, Bukowski was a cult hero and prolific writer, completing more than forty books of poetry, prose, and fiction. He is known for his gritty, dark honesty and the grimly hysterical worlds which he created. <i>The</i> <i>Washington Post</i>called him “the poet laureate of sour alleys and dark bars, of racetracks and long shots.” Because his work is often heavily autobiographical, Bukowski’s experiences as an underground writer are evident in novels such as <i>Post Office </i>(1971) and <i>Ham on Rye</i>(1982), as well as the stories of <i>Hot Water Music </i>(1983). Bukowski continued his examination of “broken people” in such novels as <i>Post Office</i> (1971) and <i>Ham on Rye </i>(1982), giving both a heavily autobiographical tilt<i>.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">To his legions of fans, Charles Bukowski was – and remains – the quintessential counterculture icon. A hard-drinking wild man of literature and a stubborn outsider to the poetry world, he wrote unflinchingly about booze, work, and women, in raw, street-tough poems whose truth has struck a chord with generations of readers. “He brought everybody down to earth,” says Leonard Cohen, “even the angels.”</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR</span></b><u><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span></u></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_32996" style="font-size: 10pt;">Charles Bukowski is one of America’s best-known contemporary writers of poetry and prose and, many would claim, its most influential and imitated poet. He was born in Andernach, Germany, to an American soldier father and a German mother in 1920, and brought to the United States at the age of three. He was raised in Los Angeles and lived there for fifty years. He published his first story in 1944 when he was twenty-four and began writing poetry at the age of thirty-five. He died in San Pedro, California, on March 9, 1994, at the age of seventy-three, shortly after completing his last novel, Pulp (1994). <a href="http://charlesbukowski.com/" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_32998" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; outline: 0px;" target="_blank">http://charlesbukowski.com/</a></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11pt;">·</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></b><b id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33006"><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33005" style="font-size: 16pt;">Please visit <u id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33004"><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33003" style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.happybirthdaybukowski.com/" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33002" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; outline: 0px;" target="_blank">www.HappyBirthdayBukowski.com</a></span></u><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33009" style="color: blue;"> </span>for more information </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11pt;">·</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">CHARLES BUKOWSKI</span></b></div>
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<b id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33056"><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33055" style="font-size: 11pt;">HarperAudio, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Publication Date: August 13, 2013</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">FACTOTUM</span></b></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33053" style="font-size: 11pt;">Price: $18.99 / 9780062302939 / 5hrs 8mins</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">HAM ON RYE</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Price: $21.99 / 9780062302908 / 7hrs 38mins</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">HOLLYWOOD</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Price: $18.99 / 9780062302960 / 6hrs 24mins</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">HOT WATER MUSIC</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Price: $18.99 / 9780062302977 / 5hrs 52mins</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">POST OFFICE</span></b></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33035" style="font-size: 11pt;">Price: $15.99 / 9780062302922 / 4hrs 32mins</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">PULP</span></b></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33015" style="font-size: 11pt;">Price: $13.99 / 9780062302946 / 3hrs 38mins</span></div>
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<b id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33037"><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33036" style="font-size: 11pt;">SOUTH OF NO NORTH</span></b></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33040" style="font-size: 11pt;">Price: $18.99 / 9780062302984 / 6hrs 1min</span></div>
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<b id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33051"><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33050" style="font-size: 11pt;">WOMEN</span></b></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1376345023346_33043" style="font-size: 11pt;">Price: $24.00 / 9780062302915 / 10hrs 26mins<b></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Listen to an excerpt from each audiobook at <a href="https://soundcloud.com/#harperaudio_us/sets/bukowski-audio" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; outline: 0px;" target="_blank">SoundCloud</a></span></div>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-83031931101067695932013-08-09T09:03:00.000-04:002013-08-09T09:03:48.853-04:00Guest Blogger: JEANINE PIRRO<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj0KQR9eNGe6eIcoe_o0UKHPgIRmGJ4ZEvIzjmH3xdbNTBuxu7Tz0wEIjEfcB6eQVxuYHDtOTDQ5l1uiTq2C7droZIh5JWcUEu-lhq-5jokis1HuvpLldcbh48YRbB3Xqvm_reUg/s1600/Pirro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj0KQR9eNGe6eIcoe_o0UKHPgIRmGJ4ZEvIzjmH3xdbNTBuxu7Tz0wEIjEfcB6eQVxuYHDtOTDQ5l1uiTq2C7droZIh5JWcUEu-lhq-5jokis1HuvpLldcbh48YRbB3Xqvm_reUg/s1600/Pirro.jpg" /></a><i>I am honored to have as my guest blogger Jeanine Pirro, author of the terrific Dani Fox series of legal thrillers. Who better to write about the law than the woman who lives it? Read on to learn more about the book and how you can win your own copy!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
From Jeanine Pirro:<br />
<br />
I came into law enforcement at a time when
women were nearly invisible--not as victims, there were plenty of those--but as
prosecutors, lawyers, investigators, advocates and judges. The year was 1978. Entering the courthouse in Westchester County
was like entering an all boys club. As a
woman in the District Attorney’s Office and then as the first woman District
Attorney I was most often the only woman in the room.<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB">It meant that I had to fight harder and
have a thick skin. But, I saw things the
men missed that a woman would know that made my cases even stronger. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">As I look back at that time in my career I
realize how difficult it was.</span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">Writing these novels about a naive woman prosecutor coming up
through the ranks like I did lets me take another look at this amazing period
of transition and see it in a way I couldn’t when I was focused on my role in
the criminal justice system. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">I spent years building cases--piecing
together details gathered by detectives and others, asking questions, looking
for the lies as well as for the truth. I
was looking for the bad guys but I also got an education I wasn’t
expecting: as it turns out, the justice
system is one of the best schools for writing fiction. Love, greed, desperation--I saw it all move
people to do terrible things. I realize now
that I see the world a little differently after all that--and the instincts to
see through a story in a particular way has never left me. Now I get to really dive into what moves the
detectives, what goes through the mind of a sociopath, how the politics of the
system can shift the direction of an investigation in ways the public never
realizes.</span> </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">Building a case is like creating a
blueprint for the crime—it traces back from the crime to its beginnings. You want it to be clear how each step led to
another. Writing a novel I realized
can’t be that sure-footed or you will lose the reader. It was a great challenge
to figure out how to create all the layers in Dani Fox’s, my main character,
world so that the reader would experience the case in the same way she does,
slowly, sometimes through detours, filtered by her experience and those around
her. I’ve always had an ear for the way
people express themselves—the banter of people who are used to working with
each other in difficult circumstances, the way language can be used to put
class distinctions front and center, and how the words chosen tell so much more
than the speaker even knows—so getting the voices right of each of the characters
has been some of the most fun of all. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">But believe me, it’s been hard work! Coming up with the crime is the easy
part—writing about all the people involved in solving and prosecuting it was
not. And the more intimate scenes! I wanted to make Dani Fox, my main character,
believable in every way and that meant getting not only her professional life
right on the page, but also her personal life, her love life which since she’s
young is bound to be complicated. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I didn’t know what it was going to be like
when I first started writing fiction. A
literary agent—now my agent--chased me for years before I said yes. Now, I can’t stop thi</span>nking of what Dani is
going to face next—and it’s a case I can’t wait to tackle. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujGrM7DfcuKsgR3DxVlnDA0xuVKZQRjenBKmBo09xyCm2W8ur4W31JkmsPgN9O66gg5WYyVo7uXbc91ulwUq2XpMDLj8zLfoFMBIGTxTT1TuCQee2k7DTRVEA21p1FrfMRcpbaw/s1600/clever+fox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiujGrM7DfcuKsgR3DxVlnDA0xuVKZQRjenBKmBo09xyCm2W8ur4W31JkmsPgN9O66gg5WYyVo7uXbc91ulwUq2XpMDLj8zLfoFMBIGTxTT1TuCQee2k7DTRVEA21p1FrfMRcpbaw/s320/clever+fox.JPG" width="219" /></a></div>
<i id="yui_3_7_2_1_1375748359585_25055" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><b id="yui_3_7_2_1_1375748359585_25054">CLEVER FOX</b></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> is the second installment in Pirro's adrenaline-laced series featuring Pirro's alter-ego, young assistant D.A. Dani Fox. Outspoken and fiery, Pirro has a wide-ranging perspective of the criminal justice system in which she worked for decades. Celebrated for her ground-breaking advocacy and fearless stances, this crusading prosecutor, judge, and Emmy-winning television host (</span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Justice with Judge Jeanine</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"> on the Fox News Channel) now turns to fiction to reveal a different kind of truth about crime and justice.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I loved this book! Here's my review, as published in Booklist:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
This sequel to <i>Sly Fox</i> (2012) finds prosecutor Dani Fox summoned to work on New
Year's Eve 1979. The only woman in the Westchester County district attorney's
office, she heads up the newly formed Domestic Violence Unit and fights the
entrenched old-boy network on a daily basis. A New Jersey Mafia dons daughter is
found tortured and murdered, and Fox and her journalist boyfriend, Will, rush to
the crime scene, in Yonkers. As Fox and her investigating officer start digging,
they find that the dead woman had been having an affair with her father's most
hated enemy, head of another crime family. The FBI has an eyewitness agent who
can place the don at the scene of the crime, and political pressure becomes
unbearable as Fox's boss demands immediate justice. She isn't comfortable with
charging a man based on circumstantial evidence, and as witnesses start
disappearing, the pressure really heats up. Pirro joins the ranks of fellow
prosecutors Linda Fairstein and Marcia Clark in turning out tautly written legal
thrillers, and Pirro's expertise shines on every page.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>If you would like to win a copy of CLEVER FOX, just send an email to contest@gmail.com, with "</i><i>CLEVER FOX</i><i>" as the subject. Make sure to include your name and mailing address in the US only. This contest is going to run for two weeks, so your odds of winning are pretty good - if you enter by August 23, 2013. Good luck!</i></span><br />
<div>
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BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-66923618766924984392013-08-07T09:00:00.000-04:002013-08-07T09:00:13.781-04:00Meet Ivy Pochoda<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJGlR_txG5WV7pXelQcbkig9YBXfqqHFusVbJfojfMlx-mtpRjf1Vwbl1GnFfXg7H784vNQkIly1PzdPChqdpoQ3SY-HTx77n26kebgJRinWqBZJmbC6HoVp8sRBoQYG_P_mQVQ/s1600/IvyPochodaTfest13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJGlR_txG5WV7pXelQcbkig9YBXfqqHFusVbJfojfMlx-mtpRjf1Vwbl1GnFfXg7H784vNQkIly1PzdPChqdpoQ3SY-HTx77n26kebgJRinWqBZJmbC6HoVp8sRBoQYG_P_mQVQ/s320/IvyPochodaTfest13.JPG" width="240" /></a>One of the highlights of ThrillerFest for me was getting to spend a little time with Ivy Pochoda, author of this year's summer sensation, VISITATION STREET.<br />
<br />
<b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">REVIEW</b><br />
<i><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">VISITATION STREET by Ivy Pochoda</b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">: If you're the type that
only reads one book each summer, look no further. This latest from the Dennis
Lehane imprint at HarperCollins is a tour de force, an unputdownable, powerful
read, garnering starred reviews from </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kirkus</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Publisher's Weekly</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Library
Journal</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Booklist</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, as well as being the pick of the week at </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">People</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> magazine and
</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Entertainment Weekly</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and An Amazon Best Book of the Month, July 2013. Not to mention all the glowing newspaper reviews! The praise goes on and on, with nary a negative word in sight.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQzPXnIWOXJ8sNzI-od2AfDqdDDJcjJ8TnLLUrxM-KxM1xVx5JIlvmaNrRENwgwMRREew146S1zkHZREYRnkUTv8Rzqaz4NnAjP9_TQYWB4Z5lZokIMMvJhgjfIKQH4Ox5vODEA/s1600/visitation+street.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQzPXnIWOXJ8sNzI-od2AfDqdDDJcjJ8TnLLUrxM-KxM1xVx5JIlvmaNrRENwgwMRREew146S1zkHZREYRnkUTv8Rzqaz4NnAjP9_TQYWB4Z5lZokIMMvJhgjfIKQH4Ox5vODEA/s320/visitation+street.JPG" width="212" /></a><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Usually
when there is this much hype about a book, it is almost impossible to live up
to, but Pochoda manages to pull it off. Set in Red Hook, Brooklyn, an area
divided into the "projects" and the "neighborhood" - with some crossover
bound to happen, especially with school age kids. This waterfront community
takes a hit one hot summer night. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>June and Val are best friends, fifteen years
old and in that gray area between childhood and adulthood, looking for some
fun. </i></span><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The girls have a pink inflatable raft and decide to take it out on the bay, but
that decision has devastating consequences.</i><br />
<i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Jonathan, their music teacher,
finds Val unconscious, washed up on the shore, but June has disappeared. </i></span><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jonathan is a Julliard drop out, drinking too much and spending all his free time in the neighborhood bar. </i><br />
<i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chief
suspect is Cree, a young black man from the projects that was seen in the area
that night. Cree has a guardian angel, of sorts - a young, homeless graffiti
artist has decided to befriend him, and protect him. </i><br />
<i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fadi is a Lebanese shop owner trying to assimilate into the community, and
wants his store to become the center for information on the missing girl. All
of these characters are fully brought to life, and Red Hook itself becomes yet
another character in this tightly written and moving story. </i><br />
<i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is ostensibly
a mystery, but the story revolves around the characters, and they are wondrous.
This is a memorable read, beautifully written and imaginatively conceived.
Don't miss it.</i><br />
<br />
I loved the book, and when I heard Ivy was going to be at ThrillerFest, I arranged to meet her. She was on a panel, which unfortunately I missed; timing is everything, and mine was off. Afterwards, we chatted about Brooklyn, Dennis Lehane and more.<br />
<br />
I found it very amusing that Ivy didn't even realize she was writing crime fiction. She wrote about this great place, Red Hook, which she originally was going to call something else to disguise it. But her editor convinced her to keep the real name, which to me adds something to the story when you know it is a real place. In fact, the day we met, Ivy was very nervous about going home to Red Hook and doing a reading at the bar where much of the book is set. I wasn't there but I'd bet it went really well.<br />
<br />
<i>Visitation Street</i> is her second novel. Her first, <i>The Art of Disappearing</i>, came out in 2009 to some nice reviews, but didn't do much sales-wise. I asked her what she was doing between then and now, and was surprised to learn that Ivy is a celebrity ghostwriter. She's written a couple of NY Times bestsellers for celebrities and lives in the Los Angeles area. That said, it took her two years to write <i>Visitation Street</i>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Ivy is a big fan of HarperCollins editor Lee Boudreaux, at the Ecco imprint. Lee edits literary fiction that Ivy loves, including such notable authors as David Wroblewski, Curtis Sittenfeld, and Arthur Phillips. Ivy told me she asked her agent to submit <i>Visitation Street </i>to Lee, and if she rejected it, then to try other publishers, but Lee snapped it up. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I asked how Dennis Lehane came to be involved with the project. A lot of the publicity this book has received is because it is the second book from his eponymous imprint. Turns out Lee Boudreaux sent it to him blind, looking for a blurb. Instead, he asked to publish it, so it is co-published by two very esteemed editors. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Ivy comes from a publishing family - her father was a vice president at Random House while she was growing up. He then moved to a university press, and is now retired. She learned about the business of publishing from her dad.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Ivy told me that she never thought of <i>Visitation Street</i> as crime fiction, but rather a story that answers a question. As a crime fiction reader and reviewer, I had to disagree and apparently I'm in good company. This is a memorable book that revolves around a crime, but it is the characters that bring it to life. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I had a lot of fun chatting with Ivy. She's smart, funny and energetic. I am already looking forward to her next book!</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0z87WrZ_NeWcFaBEpZ8XQS1Bu6o7CWd9r-B-CDcuiX-AbD86Asu43SENbeV5H7Qx7wPM7eT0UcDIcc8Q5k4jk0vUmil6kMwqiJL1mMhYt6pY7vM0YljCB0yHwVWChxwjnBsUvSA/s1600/IvyPochoda&BookBitch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0z87WrZ_NeWcFaBEpZ8XQS1Bu6o7CWd9r-B-CDcuiX-AbD86Asu43SENbeV5H7Qx7wPM7eT0UcDIcc8Q5k4jk0vUmil6kMwqiJL1mMhYt6pY7vM0YljCB0yHwVWChxwjnBsUvSA/s320/IvyPochoda&BookBitch.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stacy Alesi & Ivy Pochoda<br />
ThrillerFest 2013</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-22308862380240994932013-08-05T15:33:00.001-04:002013-08-05T15:33:21.279-04:00Win The Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Ynzk76dgZ7hiMNZWBY5yUJMmNpePsQN843FMnQCAB6u6E8urnYzsplpWIjkMHL5lZfQE_r2IsOXrd8UA7zEvsE0tNXjm3DyFgAUgHUr0oDwzCQYhjdMsGtRQqBFR1Jcwa7w5ew/s1600/Thinking+Womans+Guide+to+Real+Magic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Ynzk76dgZ7hiMNZWBY5yUJMmNpePsQN843FMnQCAB6u6E8urnYzsplpWIjkMHL5lZfQE_r2IsOXrd8UA7zEvsE0tNXjm3DyFgAUgHUr0oDwzCQYhjdMsGtRQqBFR1Jcwa7w5ew/s320/Thinking+Womans+Guide+to+Real+Magic.JPG" width="212" /></a>I am delighted to offer one lucky reader a copy of <i>The
Thinking Woman's Guide to Real Magic </i>by Emily Croy Barker!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>A Conversation with <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Emily Croy Barker,
author of<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>THE THINKING WOMAN’S
GUIDE TO REAL MAGIC<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Pamela Dorman
Books/Viking; on-sale August 5, 2013; 9780670023660; $27.95<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>Q. Which of the
characters in THE THINKING WOMAN’S GUIDE TO REAL MAGIC<i> </i>did you most enjoy writing?</b></div>
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A. Aruendiel, no question. He says exactly what he thinks,
and he doesn’t mind giving offense to anyone. Not something that most of us can
get away with in our daily lives.</div>
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Of course, Ilissa was also a lot of fun, too. Because she’s
also honest—Faitoren can’t tell lies—but at the same time, she’s thoroughly
deceitful.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Q. Are any parts of
this novel autobiographical?</b></div>
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A. You mean, is it about the time I stumbled into an
alternate world and started studying magic? Sadly, no. </div>
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There were things in my life that I deliberately borrowed
for the novel. The way Aruendiel talks about other magicians—I was thinking of
how my father, who was a painter, used to talk with his artist friends about
other artists, about who was doing good work and who wasn’t. My dad was the
kindest and most gentle person ever, but he was ruthless when it came to
criticizing bad art. It’s the idea that you have a calling that you have to
follow and you don’t sell out.</div>
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I gave Nora some of my interests—a penchant for memorizing bits
of poetry, a love of cooking—although she’s much better at both things than I
am. She’s also braver than me. You could never get me to go up a cliff like the
one at Maarikok, even with a levitation spell! And I let her take a path that I
considered but never took—going to grad school in English. <b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Q. Your heroine, Nora
Fischer, is swept away by magic into a kind of too good to be true
existence. Even though a part of her
knew it wasn’t right she stayed. Why would
she allow herself to be easily enchanted?</b></div>
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A. As Aruendiel himself would point out, Faitoren
enchantments are very hard to fight, because they give you something you want.
Nora was feeling bruised and defeated, and suddenly she had everything that she
thought she was missing. </div>
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I also think the kind of idealized femininity that Ilissa
offers Nora—being beautiful, being the belle of the ball, having this perfect
romantic love—is a very seductive thing, even for someone like Nora who has
read all the feminist theorists and has really chosen the life of the mind.
Maybe especially for someone like Nora.</div>
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<b>Q. You have so many
literary references, John Donne, Miguel de Cervantes, William Carlos Williams, Alice
in Wonderland and Grimm’s Fairytales, but it’s Jane Austen’s <i>Pride & Prejudice</i> that Nora ends up
with as her only possession in the alternate world. What is the significance of this particular
book? Any personal connection to it?</b></div>
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A. Well, <i>Pride and
Prejudice</i> is so modern in many ways, although written and set in a
premodern time. So it seemed like a good match for <i>A Thinking Woman’s Guide</i>, where a contemporary woman is thrown into
a world where women are still second-class citizens, at best. And <i>Pride and Prejudice</i> reflects some of the
themes that I was interested in—an intelligent woman engaging with a man who
has both higher status and worse manners than she does—without being too
closely parallel to the plot of my story. Finally, I love <i>Pride and Prejudice</i>! And so do many other readers. So I hoped it
might resonate with those who read my novel.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Q. Words are a
powerful tool and language is a very important status symbol in Nora’s new
world. Women are uneducated and don’t speak to men the same way Nora does;
something she is repeatedly frustrated by.
How did you develop Ors, the language Nora must learn in order to
communicate?</b></div>
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A. Language reflects society, so as I thought about
Aruendiel’s world, I tried to imagine what sort of linguistic rules it would
have to help keep women in their place. And as anyone who has studied a foreign
language knows, there are all kinds of subtleties that you don’t pick up right
away. You can make blooper after blooper, sometimes for years. So Nora keeps
bumping up against things like the feminine verb endings, which she never
noticed until Aruendiel rather officiously points them out to her.</div>
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I was also inspired by how Tolkien, who was a philologist,
essentially began imagining Middle-Earth by inventing various Elvish names. He
wrote poems about these characters and, eventually, fiction. I thought, wow,
what a powerful tool to create a believable fantasy universe, to develop some
kind of logical linguistic framework that underlies your story. <b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Q. You’re a
journalist by trade. What was it like, switching to fiction? Where do you
write? Do you set hours or just put pen to paper when inspiration strikes? </b></div>
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A. It took me a while to feel comfortable writing fiction.
It’s a different kind of narration. Suddenly, after years of having to be
super-careful about collecting facts and double-checking them, I could make everything
up. That felt wonderful! But what exactly do you include, what do you leave
out? Beginning writers are always told, “Show, don’t tell.” Well, in fact
there’s a lot you have to simply tell, or you’ll write twenty pages and your character
will still be finishing breakfast.</div>
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The journalistic skill that I found most useful in writing
fiction was simply the ability to sit in front of the computer and write. Even
if you’re just trying to write, even if what you’re writing isn’t great at the
moment or if all you have to show after three hours is three sentences. And
then to do it again the next day. It doesn’t matter if you have to rewrite it
all over again—because you’ll find something that’s worth keeping, or you’ll
learn what <i>not</i> to do. The important thing
is to keep going. </div>
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Usually I write at home on my laptop—sometimes on the train
when I travel. I write best during the day. If I try to write at night, I’m
usually too tired to get very far. Or occasionally I’ve had the opposite
problem—I get really into it and then suddenly it’s way past my bedtime and I’m
useless the next day. So starting out, I wrote for a couple of hours every
weekend. Then it became every spare moment of every weekend. I still owe huge
apologies to so many of my friends for turning down all their lovely
invitations to go to museums, parties, movies, et cetera, over the past seven
years.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Q. Who would be in
your dream book club? Where would you meet and what would you talk about?</b></div>
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A. Henry James, Charlotte Brontë, Scott Fitzgerald, Mary
McCarthy, Zadie Smith, and couple of my friends. We’d meet at Florian’s in the
Piazza San Marco every third Tuesday in the month—this <i>is</i> a dream, right?—and talk about whatever I happen to be reading
at the moment. I imagine it would be a lively group.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Q. Are you a fan of
other fantasy novels?</b></div>
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A. Yes, although I certainly haven’t read everything that’s
out there. I tend to like the denser, more literary kind of fantasy. Unlike
Nora, I love Tolkien. Also Neil Gaiman, Susanna Clarke, Alice Hoffman, Margaret
Atwood, Ursula LeGuin, and Kelly Link. Kate Atkinson is best known now for her
Jackson Brodie mysteries, but I’m really glad that I didn’t read her <i>Human Croquet</i> until after I wrote <i>The Thinking Woman’s Guide,</i> because in
some ways that’s the book I wanted to write.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Q. Your writing is
loaded with references from history, literature, and fantasy. What sort of
reader did you envision for this series?</b></div>
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A. I tried to write the kind of novel I would want to read,
so I guess in that sense I wrote it for myself. And as the book took shape and
it became clearer that I would actually finish a draft at some point, I decided
I would send it first to one of my oldest friends to see if she thought it was
any good. She and I grew up watching <i>Star Trek</i> and <i>Monty Python</i>, reading Sherlock Holmes and <i>The Black Stallion</i> and <i>Jane
Eyre</i>, and doing the ultimate in geekdom—taking Latin—so I trusted her
judgment. She liked it, so that encouraged me to keep revising.</div>
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Beyond that, I was thinking that it might appeal to some of
the adults who loved Harry Potter but who wanted more of a adult perspective
and a strong female character at the center of the novel.<b> </b></div>
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<b>Q. <i>The Thinking Woman’s Guide To Real Magic </i>ends
on a cliffhanger. Can you hint at what’s next for Nora and Aruendiel?</b></div>
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A. I’m pretty sure that Nora will find her way back to
Aruendiel’s world. The two of them really need to talk and to be straight with
each other, don’t you agree? And of course she has a lot more to learn about
magic—and how to use it properly. </div>
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<i>If you would like to
win a copy of <b>The Thinking Woman’s Guide
To Real Magic,</b> just send an email to contest@gmail.com, with "<b>Real Magic</b>" as the subject. Make
sure to include your name and mailing address in the US only. This contest is
going to run for less than two weeks, so your odds of winning are pretty good -
if you enter by August 19, 2013. Good luck!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-74069106977160577652013-07-28T16:22:00.005-04:002013-07-30T14:51:30.838-04:00Guest Blogger: Ellie Campbell<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJzhMoRDro_dK2pA6CzlDYn0uIxslkx1a8DeNx9EXBr81KLC7xfTPXPPDossPYkeCAHM-Zya3RU63D5GL1WMoNA5NJSY8ur1M7AsinhdDP-gzAxXPsNdJKTJyAjvW433oxghGYA/s1600/L+&+P+Sunshine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJzhMoRDro_dK2pA6CzlDYn0uIxslkx1a8DeNx9EXBr81KLC7xfTPXPPDossPYkeCAHM-Zya3RU63D5GL1WMoNA5NJSY8ur1M7AsinhdDP-gzAxXPsNdJKTJyAjvW433oxghGYA/s1600/L+&+P+Sunshine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJzhMoRDro_dK2pA6CzlDYn0uIxslkx1a8DeNx9EXBr81KLC7xfTPXPPDossPYkeCAHM-Zya3RU63D5GL1WMoNA5NJSY8ur1M7AsinhdDP-gzAxXPsNdJKTJyAjvW433oxghGYA/s1600/L+&+P+Sunshine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MEbycEv2mJ6mm9JEZmKAE2eNgCL5jntsjoLHce6dZ7iftSDn1PMm185gNHKemMVx3vAVKrXuRF0Y7Ljo8kjl7fESHm7ID0JXoz_wEvhqkNEzfy9gfgM-d4qhZUp2sBetnrhlLg/s1600/Looking+for+La+La.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MEbycEv2mJ6mm9JEZmKAE2eNgCL5jntsjoLHce6dZ7iftSDn1PMm185gNHKemMVx3vAVKrXuRF0Y7Ljo8kjl7fESHm7ID0JXoz_wEvhqkNEzfy9gfgM-d4qhZUp2sBetnrhlLg/s320/Looking+for+La+La.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<h4>
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UPDATE: Mark your calendar to get a free Amazon Kindle copy of <i>When Good Friends Go Bad</i>, (USA only) August 2-4th to celebrate National Friendship day.</div>
</h4>
<i><br /></i>
<i>Get the ebook of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Looking-for-La-ebook/dp/B00BJH29QQ" target="_blank">Looking for La La</a> free today (7/28/13) only! </i><br />
<div>
<i><br /></i>
In a recent survey 65% of mothers admitted feeling undervalued, over-criticised and constantly tired. <br />
<br />
Cathy is no exception. Her dull, uneventful days as a stay at home, mother of two, are radically transformed however with the arrival of a heavily lipsticked postcard addressed to husband, Declan. Who is the mysterious La La? Could Declan really be having an affair? And is Cathy actually being stalked?<br />
<br />
Whatever – it will definitely prove riveting gossip for the Tuesday Twice Monthlies, Cathy’s 'Mothers Restaurant Research’ group where scandal flows as recklessly as the wine. But what starts as a light-hearted investigation with best friend Raz, soon turns into something much more sinister. <br />
<br />
With a possible murderer on the scene, a sexy admirer igniting long-forgotten sparks, and all her friends hiding secrets, it’s not only Cathy’s marriage that’s in jeopardy. Add in the scheming antics of Declan’s new assistant, the stress of organising the school Save The Toilet’s dance and the stage is set for a dangerous showdown and some very unsettling, possibly deadly, revelations.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
10 Fun & Random Facts About Author Ellie Campbell (aka Pam Burks and sister Lorraine Campbell)</h3>
1) We are both mad about horses, although Lorraine has three and Pam has none, which is not fair (according to Pam). Lorraine doesn’t mind one bit.<br />
<br />
2) Pam grows most of her own vegetables in her allotment. It is in a fab location right next to a lake and a park. She loves nothing more than escaping housework and family, calling up her friend who she shares it with and sitting with her at their picnic table putting the world to rights.<br />
<br />
3) Lorraine once worked as a charter cook on a boat in Belize, sailing around the Caribbean. Not a bad job considering she is a hopeless cook.<br />
<br />
4) Pam hates cheese and olives. Lorraine loves both.<br />
<br />
5) Lorraine is pretending to write, but really she is going on an intensive training course to be a horse trainer.<br />
<br />
6) Pam is pretending to write and scolding Lorraine for sneaking off, but really she is sunbathing in the garden and reading other people’s novels.<br />
<br />
7) Lorraine once trained to be a healer – in Canada. She’s also done courses in Silva, Psych-K, massage, EFL, and had to bow 3,000 times to get certified as a Dahnhak yoga teacher.<br />
<br />
8) Pam once took a ride on Lorraine’s new young apparently docile horse and got bucked off in spectacular fashion within about three seconds.<br />
<br />
9) Both Pam and Lorraine got tossed by cows. Pam in some small village in India and Lorraine on the Isle of Skye, the highlands of Scotland.<br />
<br />
10) Both Pam and Lorraine loathe talking about themselves. But they seem to do an awful lot of it these days.<br />
<br />
BIO<br />
<br />
Who is Ellie Campbell?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJzhMoRDro_dK2pA6CzlDYn0uIxslkx1a8DeNx9EXBr81KLC7xfTPXPPDossPYkeCAHM-Zya3RU63D5GL1WMoNA5NJSY8ur1M7AsinhdDP-gzAxXPsNdJKTJyAjvW433oxghGYA/s1600/L+&+P+Sunshine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJzhMoRDro_dK2pA6CzlDYn0uIxslkx1a8DeNx9EXBr81KLC7xfTPXPPDossPYkeCAHM-Zya3RU63D5GL1WMoNA5NJSY8ur1M7AsinhdDP-gzAxXPsNdJKTJyAjvW433oxghGYA/s200/L+&+P+Sunshine.jpg" width="150" /></a>Actually ‘Ellie’ is two people – sisters and co-authors Pam Burks and Lorraine Campbell. We love all kinds of novels but particularly women’s fiction with a great story, recognizable characters and the ability to make us laugh one minute and perhaps cry the next. We still share the same sense of humor that got us into so much trouble as kids and so it has been fun writing books that allow us to enjoy the comic aspects of everyday life while still exploring some serious issues and indulging in our taste for romance, drama, and intrigue. If our imperfect heroines are often older than the average chick-lit character, and as likely to be bogged down with marriage, troublesome husbands and child-rearing as fretting over that perfect pair of designer shoes, we are still immensely proud to be considered part of the same genre that includes such talented writers as Marian Keyes and Jane Green. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://chicklitsisters.com/">http://chicklitsisters.com/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/EllieCampbellbooks">https://www.facebook.com/EllieCampbellbooks</a><br />
<br />
Twitter: @ecampbellbooks<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Excerpt</span></b></span></h2>
<br />
CHAPTER 1<br />
<br />
Not a sound is heard as it lands silently on the mat. No drums rolls, crashing thunder, shafts of light. The walls don’t start crumbling, the ground doesn’t vibrate with terrifying tremors and a yawning fissure fails to zigzag across the kitchen floor and separate my husband from his breakfast marmalade.<br />
<br />
In short, I’ve no clue as to the impact it’ll have on our lives. Mayhem. Marital breakdown. Murder. It should at least have been written in blood or come in the beak of a dark-winged raven. <br />
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It is a postcard. “Love from London” blazoned above a giant pair of pouting lips kissing a cherry-red heart.<br />
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At first sight it appears to be one of those “Please Come to Our Rave” flyers which get thrust through my door periodically. Now the chances of me, a world-weary, put-upon mother-of-two, going to a rave are slim to none, but heck it’s nice to be invited. <br />
<br />
I turn it over.<br />
<br />
Dearest, sweetest Declan – it begins. My eyes widen as I take in the blue spidery handwriting and race to the signature. ‘Love from La La.’<br />
<br />
A tiny blip courses through me as I beetle down the hall attempting to identify the exact emotion I’m feeling.<br />
<br />
Jealousy?<br />
<br />
No.<br />
<br />
Anger?<br />
<br />
Nah.<br />
<br />
It’s – I recognise it now – excitement. A blip of excitement forcing its merry way around my clogged up veins.<br />
<br />
‘Postcard for you,’ I say nonchalantly, opening the door and stepping back into the kitchen, ‘from La La.’<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I had a blip when I first spotted Declan at Bubbles, a dingy disco located east of the pier in downtown Bognor Regis. It was Sandra Mason’s leaving work party and I was nineteen years old. Sandra was tear-stained and puffy faced – partly from drink, partly emotion and partly because she always had a fairly puffy face. We’d given her a pretty good send off, bought her sexy underwear and filled an enormous padded card with witty farewells and humorous poems, all of them sounding a whole bunch better than my lowly “To Sandra, All best – Cath”. <br />
<br />
The fifth yawn of the evening had just wormed its way out of my mouth corner, when I spied Declan dancing under a glassy mirror ball, had the blip and knew immediately we were destined to become involved. I wasn’t sure how. Perhaps he’d introduce me to a mate or better-looking brother. Not that he repelled me exactly, but spiky ginger hair had never been top of my “must haves” and the way he was swinging those hips in perfect rhythm with a blonde nymphet, well, they looked set for life. In and out they gyrated to Unchained Melody, his large hands caressing her tanned shoulder blades. I found out much later she was his long-term girlfriend, Lucy. Juicy Lucy, I labelled her. Not very original maybe but it inevitably served its purpose of getting right up Declan’s nose.<br />
<br />
They made quite a couple. Lucy laughing, licking her glossy lips, and my future spouse leering lovingly at her, beads of sweat running down his freckled brow. I was entranced for a good few seconds before being beckoned back to earth by Sandra, who wanted an all-embracing photo of the girls from Credit Control. So, blocking out the blip, I pasted on a wide cheesy grin and darted across the room. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Declan?’<br />
<br />
He sits motionless, his knife suspended in the Flora margarine, blue eyes gazing into the far distance, as he listens to a heated political debate on Radio 4.<br />
<br />
‘Postcard, darling, from La La.’ I raise my voice, aware it’ll take a more urgent tone to break that level of concentration. Either that or blasting out the latest match score. Arsenal 0 – Manchester City 2. He reminds me at times of De Niro in Awakenings, forever trapped in a catatonic state. I often wonder if I throw a ball at him whether he’d whirl round in his chair and catch it in one swift movement.<br />
<br />
‘What?’ He finally looks up, granary toast perilously close to his open mouth. ‘Not more bills, surely?’<br />
<br />
‘La La,’ I repeat, handing the postcard to him.<br />
<br />
‘Who the hell’s La La?’<br />
<br />
‘Sounds like a telly tubby,’ I return to my half-eaten boiled egg, disguising my curiosity. ‘Not sure which colour though? Ask Josh and Sophie about it tonight.’ <br />
<br />
Our two children have been despatched to school by Henrietta, a fellow mum. A ruse we’d come up with so we could have “quality” time with our husbands on alternate mornings. Knowing Henrietta she’ll be using her time to bonk Neil senseless. Me – I just aimed for a halfway decent conversation and constantly missed. <br />
<br />
He’s silently reading.<br />
<br />
‘What does it say?’ I add a pinch of salt to the last millimetre of yolk. Declan hates that I add salt to food, wants it banned from the house, which makes it all the more decadent and delicious.<br />
<br />
He fishes in the drawer for his wire-framed reading glasses, perches them on the end of his nose, in a way that hides his boyish face and makes him look nearer fifty than his “recently passed forty-two”. <br />
<br />
He clears his throat. ‘‘Dearest, sweetest Declan, I long to have you in my arms again. Ever yours.” A tinge of colour slowly works its way up his cheeks. ‘And there’s a “Love from La La” at the bottom. Well, how about that?’ He starts pacing the floor, a puzzled frown etched on his forehead.<br />
<br />
‘So who do you think sent it?’ I ask eagerly.<br />
<br />
‘No idea.’ The postcard’s placed on the worktop. ‘Practical joke, I guess.’<br />
<br />
Forlornly I tackle the stack of plates lying accusingly in the sink. <br />
<br />
‘I seriously need a dishwasher,’ I mutter, squeezing a generous helping of Fairy liquid onto a brown, greasy stain. ‘Everyone’s got one, even Patience Preston.’ <br />
<br />
Patience, mate of my closest friend, Raz, lives on her own in an immaculate flat.<br />
<br />
‘Hmm.’<br />
<br />
‘All she uses her fridge for is to chill vodka. Not a scrap of food’s ever marred its spotlessness.’<br />
<br />
‘Hmmm.’<br />
<br />
Sometimes my conversations went totally one way.<br />
<br />
‘She skips breakfast, buys herself wraps lunchtime and eats out each evening. And yet she owns a dishwasher. All I’ve got is an empty space waiting to be filled.’<br />
<br />
‘Patience can probably afford a dishwasher,’ he says slowly. ‘Because she has a job.’<br />
<br />
My hackles raise a notch. ‘Ah, but she doesn’t have children to chase after all day, does she?’<br />
<br />
‘And nor do you. Now they’re both at school till four.’<br />
<br />
Another few notches of hackles are raised. ‘Half three actually. And I have to leave ages before that to pick them up.’ Rather than tromp through a well-planted minefield I decide to divert. ‘Did you know Patience’s mum owns a microphone once licked by Tom Jones?’ Occasionally a little falsehood helped deflect the shrapnel. <br />
<br />
It works, momentarily. ‘Why on earth does Tom Jones go around licking microphones?’<br />
<br />
‘Dunno, maybe someone threw their knickers at it and knocked it into his mouth.’<br />
<br />
He raises his eyebrow a fraction. ‘Anyhow a dishwasher’s not exactly a priority, is it? What with the roof space that needs lagging, windows needing replacing, boiler about to blow. Where the money’s coming from, I don’t know. My pockets aren’t…’<br />
<br />
His diatribe’s thankfully interrupted by his ringing mobile. It’s in his hand faster than Wyatt Earp with a smoking gun.<br />
<br />
‘Hi. Mm. Sure, sure. Sounds good. When? Ha, ha, ha. Have you asked Jessica-Ellen? Uh huh. Uh huh. Cathy? Nah she’s cool. ’Course. Eight p.m. it is.’<br />
<br />
‘Eight p.m. it is,’ I echo under my breath as I scrub furiously at last night’s saucepan.<br />
<br />
‘So,’ his voice is casual as he slips his phone into his pocket. ‘Wonder who sent it then?’<br />
<br />
‘Maybe someone at work fancies you.’ My chortle halts abruptly when I turn and catch his expression. He’s not been in the mood for jokes lately, his sense of humour apparently absconding the morning of his fortieth birthday.<br />
<br />
Besides he knows he’s attractive. I made the mistake of telling him he was voted “Body of the Year” by the Tuesday Twice-Monthlies – the Restaurant Research Group I attend each fortnight. Henrietta likens him to a ginger Nicholas Cage with his high cheekbones and well-defined eyebrows. Raz adores his muscley arms, “sex on elbows” she calls them. And everyone everywhere tells me how lucky I was in nabbing him. As if I was a total pleb who lured him with some secret charm they could never quite see in me. I want to rage at them all, ‘I was the one “nabbed” sisters. I was the one “bloody nabbed”.’ Of course being a coward, I never do.<br />
<br />
He turns the card over. ‘If that were true, you’d think they’d pop it in my pigeonhole rather than send it to my home, wouldn’t you?’ He drops his cup into my washing up bowl. ‘Right, I’m off.’<br />
<br />
I wipe my hands on my dressing gown as I follow him down the hall.<br />
<br />
‘You couldn’t just take my watch to be repaired? On the bedside cabinet.’ He retrieves his umbrella from the pot by the door.<br />
<br />
‘Sure, honey babe.’ I stand on tiptoes to tweak his tie.<br />
<br />
‘Oh and my black boots need soles.’<br />
<br />
‘Consider it done.’<br />
<br />
‘And do get the kids to clear up those toys in the back garden.’ His face takes on a pained expression, strange love cards already dismissed. ‘Neighbours must wonder who they’re living next to.’ <br />
<br />
‘I’m on to it.’ I resist the urge to snap into a salute.<br />
<br />
Pathetic, isn’t it? These seem to be our new roles in life. Declan barking orders, me acting the subservient housewife. Usually I’m not so wimpish but since Josh started school six months back, I realise I’m on extremely shaky ground even if it looks like the same old floor tiles. Casual mentions of spiralling debts, sharing the load or even carrying it for a change have been accumulating faster than Victoria Beckham’s Hermes handbag collection.<br />
<br />
Too bad that as the bickering increases so does my morbid fear of rejoining the workforce. Once lodged comfortably at the back of my mind, like a suspicion of woodworm you’ll get around to dealing with later, it’s morphed to become a monstrous bugbear between us.<br />
<br />
Rattle of keys. He’s already mentally in his office as he pecks me on the cheek. Smack of suit pocket to check for his wallet, quick comb of the hair to confirm it’s up to R A Wilson Inc standards, and he departs for work. I wave serenely on the doorstep before dashing back inside to put on Coral Duster’s Greatest Hits. <br />
<br />
As Coral’s dulcet tones wash over me, I head for the phone.<br />
<br />
‘Urgent sturgent! Urgent sturgent!’ I can’t disguise the thrill in my voice. Me with news? Something unexpected from the Cathy O’Farrell home front. I move aside Declan’s raincoat and Sophie’s puffa jacket, rub a hole in the dusty oval mirror and glance at my reflection. My eyes are so alive they’re practically dancing. The whites are whiter than I’ve seen for ages, the iris a more attractive shade of green and my pupils have almost doubled. Even my hair, though badly in need of brushing, seems to have a few extra auburn glints.<br />
<br />
‘What’s up?’ Raz says excitedly.<br />
<br />
I knew she’d be all ears. I don’t call her “Nose-ache Nora” for no reason. Her name’s really Rosa. Rosa Alison Zimmerman, but Raz was a pet name one of her ex’s gave her and it had kind of stuck.<br />
<br />
We met in the toilet of Johnson & Phillips Surveyors, both escaping for a clandestine ciggy and to get away from the oppressive atmosphere of the miserable men with their clacking rulers. During our regular smoke-outs we found we had much in common, i.e. sneaking off for two-hour lunches and rating the hotness factor of every guy we ran into. That was fifteen long years ago. We’d lived together, loved and lost together. We know each other better than we know ourselves.<br />
<br />
She listens quietly, as I spurt it out in a waterfall of words. ‘You think this postcard could be serious?’ she says finally.<br />
<br />
‘Nah,’ I giggle. Even my lips have a bee-stung feel about them. ‘It’s just somebody winding him up.’<br />
<br />
‘Sure about that?’ Her imagination virtually scales the same heights as mine, except she’s got minor sanity in her life – an office, desk, own direct line and, best of all, colleagues.<br />
<br />
Colleagues. Thing I miss most about working. Especially male colleagues that I can banter with, groan at their silly jokes and amaze with clever solutions to their insurmountable problems. ‘By gad you’ve got it, Cath!’ They’d exclaim in awe. ‘We’ve been struggling with that one ages’ and I’d reply, ‘No worries, lads,’ and feel their admiring eyes on my bottom as they watched me leave. <br />
<br />
Only that was before my bottom sagged to resemble Dumbo’s and my pre-children brain cells were sparkling crystals, free from today’s pea souper fog. Nowadays the only thing I could bring to the conference table would be the tea trolley.<br />
<br />
Raz and I are both silent. I’m thinking about Declan and his endless meetings and oh-so-vital budget reports. Could he really sweep them all aside for unbridled, illicit sex? Raz, from the sound of things, is drawing on her first fag of the morning. I can almost smell the sweet aroma. <br />
<br />
‘You’re obviously really really worried about it,’ she adds. ‘So...’<br />
<br />
‘I’m not really really worried about it,’ I say, starting immediately to really really worry.<br />
<br />
‘I’m on my way.’<br />
<br />
The sound of creaking and clopping, platform shoes on wooden stairs, reverberates throughout the house.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
CHAPTER 2<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It had been my great good fortune that two months ago Raz found out Jerry, her live-in lover, was a secret druggie. She kept discovering rolled up balls of silver foil near the base of the toilet and could never understand where they came from. She rang me one night about it.<br />
<br />
‘Silver foil…toilet base…hang on a sec. Look, now don’t take this badly but,’ I drew in a deep breath. ‘Do you remember when you were shacked up with Pete and I was stuck on my own in that grotty Kilburn bedsit?’<br />
<br />
‘Uh-huh.’<br />
<br />
‘And do you remember what I found…in the back of the oven?’<br />
<br />
‘Yes. Oh God. God.’<br />
<br />
‘Now listen, Raz, I want you to stay calm. Just think,’ I said the words slowly to emphasise the seriousness of the situation. ‘Have…you…checked…the tea-towels?’<br />
<br />
‘I can’t!’ she shrieked. ‘I can’t have a bloody rat living in my oven!’<br />
<br />
‘You bet you can.’ I mean why not her? Happened to me after all.<br />
<br />
The tartan tea-towels had been the first thing I noticed. Ragged at the best of times, they were becoming holier by the day. Eventually one night I followed a scratching sound and there in the dark of the kitchen a small brown head popped up from under a hot plate. I looked again and he was gone but pulling back the oven moments later, there I found him – a ruddy great rat sitting wide-eyed and somewhat guilty in a tartan nest.<br />
<br />
‘But surely silver foil isn’t that comfortable?’ Raz said bemused.<br />
<br />
‘Might be for insulation. Rats are extremely intelligent. Now deep breaths. I’ll stay at the end of the phone. You go look.’<br />
<br />
‘Right.’<br />
<br />
She came back moments later.<br />
<br />
‘It’s OK,’ she said relieved. ‘Tea-towels are all there, there’s no droppings and besides, we’ve one of those halogen hobs.’<br />
<br />
Days later Raz discovered Jerry was heavily into the old Charlie – and I’m not talking Sheen – (but could be). It was enough for her to retreat back to her parents’ home. ‘Thank Christ I found out before we moved into the new flat,’ she’d confided as I joined her in a spot of retail therapy. ‘He’d have stayed forever, burning a hole in his nose and my pocket at the same time.’<br />
<br />
‘True.’ I’d replied, peeling off yet another pair of Calvin Klein jeans I could barely manoeuvre into, let alone afford.<br />
<br />
‘But on the other hand I don’t think I can stand staying with mum and dad until the renovation’s done,’ she continued, buttoning up an immaculately-fitting black Jaeger jacket. ‘I’m already getting jaw-ache from grinding my teeth at night. I’ll have to rent. Only all the landlords want a year’s bloody contract.’<br />
<br />
‘Too bad,’ I’d sympathised, whilst inwardly formulating a cunning plan.<br />
<br />
That evening I whisked her off to Café Rouge, got her tanked up and persuaded her to move into our loft extension. ‘Just until your builders finish.’<br />
<br />
‘But you’re married now,’ she slurred, over her fourth glass of Frascati. ‘I don’t want to be a big fat gooseberry.’<br />
<br />
I glanced at her across the table, chasing her crab cakes around her plate with a fish fork. Willowy and beautiful with her delicate bone structure and slim but shapely figure. No big fatty thing about her anywhere. Not like me. Two sizes too wide, two inches too short, orange peel thighs and a large layer of belly blubber.<br />
<br />
No, Raz’s different. Everyone loves her with her famous zigzag parting, her shoulder-length stylishly-streaked blonde hair dropping down just a hint over her right eye. She has a certain sexiness in her gravelly voice, a confidence in her manner and a way with people that both intrigues and attracts them.<br />
<br />
‘You won’t be. What’s more,’ I added encouragingly. ‘It’ll dilute Declan, help with the mortgage and,’ my eyes sparkled with anticipation, ‘we might have fun. Thirty quid per week.’ I quickly chinked my glass against hers to cement the deal.<br />
<br />
After another carafe of wine, she agreed, with the proviso that she pay us eighty, wouldn’t be expected to baby-sit and I’d have to knock if I wanted to enter her private quarters. You always knew where you stood with Raz. ‘Oh and,’ she added, ‘we’ll need space for our own friends.’<br />
<br />
‘Fine! Fine! Anything you say,’ I squealed with delight and just managed to refrain from running around the restaurant clicking my heels.<br />
<br />
I’ve got to admit living with Raz and my family is a whole lot different to when it was just the two of us sharing years before in various short-term lets. Back then not only was I young, energetic and could party ‘til dawn, but I could nip to the pub at the crook of a finger, vomit down the loo all night long and nobody’d blink an eye. My commitments added up to a big round zero. But now, having gone down the baby route, I’ve turned into this safety-conscious, back-of-the-queue sort of a gal while Raz has remained in the live wild, live dangerously phase.<br />
<br />
Not forgetting that the “job” thing also stands between us. While my career, ranging from lowly filing clerk to secretary to PA slithered into oblivion at the birth of my offspring, Raz became a big cheese in the advertising world. She blossomed whereas I withered away, happily sacrificing my not-yet-glorious working life to nurture our children.<br />
<br />
Anyway, she keeps assuring me that her “room at the top” suits her perfectly for now, although recently I’ve noticed that her phone calls to the team of builders called Trev and Kev and such are sounding increasingly hysterical, overshadowing the screeches of squabbling children and day-to-day quarrelling between Declan and myself. Builders being what they are and the finish date past weeks ago. I suppose for an ad executive she’s slumming it, although she does have her own bathroom, toilet and bed under the eaves. A little nest where she gathers together countless people. I should know because I’ve tried counting them, watching enviously as they troop up, bottles in hand. Unusual hairdos, curious fashions. I’ve even managed to join them a few times, to supper or the occasional brunch, where we’ll read the Sunday rags, drink bucks fizz and gobble up grapefruit sprinkled with Demerara sugar. And I’ll borrow some of Raz’s clothes, lie back on a beanbag and feel for a tiny while young and Bohemian, forgetting about Declan downstairs with the kids. <br />
<br />
She arrives in the kitchen, notebook in one hand, half-finished cigarette in the other. I show her the postcard then perch expectantly on a stool.<br />
<br />
‘I see.’ She studies it carefully before pinning it to the fridge with a magnetic Marge Simpson. ‘Well, I’m not going in ‘til later.’ She flicks the ash into the sink. ‘So,’ she ejects my Coral Duster CD, plugs her iPod into Declan’s docking station, and turns it on, ‘let’s get down to facts.’<br />
<br />
Pumping music fills the air and I grin. We’re on a mission. Just like the old days in our shared studio when we’d jump on the other’s bed and shout, ‘Let’s hit Camden’ or ‘Let’s do the Thames’ or ‘Let’s phone that bloke that never rang you and blow raspberries at him.’ Happy times before I became a domestic prisoner.<br />
<br />
‘We’ll make a suspects list.’ She looks thoughtful as she taps into her Blackberry. ‘A. La La’s someone Declan works with having a giggle. Someone with a lousy sense of humour?’<br />
<br />
‘Definitely. They’re all rather geeky.’<br />
<br />
‘B.’ She closes her eyes a moment. ‘La La’s a man!’<br />
<br />
The hairs on my neck suddenly stand erect. ‘Gay lover?’<br />
<br />
‘Hardly! Business rival maybe. Someone with a grudge.’<br />
<br />
‘Grudge? Well probably loads of people hate him. He’s got funny habits, like the way he looks in the opposite direction when you’re attempting a conversation.’ I drum my fingers on the table.<br />
<br />
‘C. Declan’s had or is having an affair. She begged him to leave you, but he told her no. Miffed, she sent the card hoping you’ll kick him out.’ She taps away while adding. ‘Totally off the wall, but we have to consider every possibility.’<br />
<br />
‘Unlikely,’ I say dismissively. ‘If he started an affair I’d suss him out right away. He’d be all strange and psychologically different. Mooning at the moon, sighing heavily, listening to Leonard Cohen.’<br />
<br />
‘You mean like you did when you had that secret tryst behind pervy Paul’s back.’<br />
<br />
‘Yeah, well, he deserved it with that foot fetish. Can you imagine how cringey it is having your toenails idolised?’ <br />
<br />
‘So Declan’s not been acting differently in any way?’<br />
<br />
‘We-ell,’ I pause to think. ‘He has been coming home later from work…and he’s just recently bought piles of starry-designed underwear and expensive aftershave.’<br />
<br />
‘Anything else?’<br />
<br />
‘Em, silly really,’ I hesitate. ‘But there’s been a surge of brightly-coloured ties these last few weeks, not the sort he usually wears. Snake-like patterns.’<br />
<br />
‘Aha.’<br />
<br />
‘And he -’ I lower my voice. ‘God I’m embarrassed to say, but he’s been wanting me to get up to all sorts of bedroom tricks. Almost as if he’s got this teacher, showing him the ropes. But hey, I don’t think they’re signs, do you?’<br />
<br />
‘Cath,’ she rolls her eyes, ‘will you be serious for once? I mean it’s clearly a nonsense prank, but whoever sent it is playing a totally stupid and possibly dangerous game. What if you were the morbidly possessive type? Remember that idiot in the news a few months back who stabbed his girlfriend because he believed the rumours she was a prostitute.’ <br />
<br />
‘I know, I know.’ But for some mad reason I’m loving the drama. Maybe I should be getting all neurotic and jealous at the possibility of my husband of ten years finding a lover – alarm bells ringing, cue eerie music as Camera One closes in on my wedding ring – but, hey, this is fun. Perhaps it’s only that I’m stuck in a rut and clueless how to change things, but for one wild moment I want to fling everything routine from the highest rooftop. And then peer down, see how they’ve landed and go from there. Is that so very wrong?<br />
<br />
‘Apart from working longer hours than ever before, there’s zilch to report.’<br />
<br />
‘I mean, an affair. Ridiculous. He’s crazy about you.’ Raz smiles sympathetically, but continues tapping, an intense look plastered on her face.<br />
<br />
I give a weary sigh. Perhaps I’m looking at this the wrong way. Perhaps the opportunity of swapping my plain cotton-rich M&S midi knickers for a scanty pair of Agent Provocateur briefs has finally become too much for Declan. I can’t help feeling a tinge of sympathy. After all, he’d no idea when he married his coquettish flirtatious young girlfriend what sort of dreary wife she’d turn into. Although, to be fair to myself, neither did I.<br />
<br />
‘And D,’ she stubs out her ciggy. ‘Could be like fatal attraction. Insane woman, gunning for you.’<br />
<br />
‘Gee, now that makes me feel heaps better,’ I gulp.<br />
<br />
‘Well, like I said, they’re all just possibilities,’ she presses a few more buttons and the screen goes blank. ‘Probably turn out to be A. Cox’s?’ She throws me over an apple and takes one herself. <br />
<br />
‘You know, Raz,’ I bite into mine, ‘this reminds me of the last mission we undertook – the frozen shoulder conspiracy.’<br />
<br />
‘The one where you discovered people suffering from spasmodic shoulders had been infected with a strange Spanish virus?’ She bites into hers.<br />
<br />
‘Yup, but the UK doctors were keeping mum because they were getting backhanders from pharmaceutical companies.’<br />
<br />
‘Cathy,’ she smiles at me indulgently. ‘That was a dream, remember?’<br />
<br />
‘Yeah, I know,’ I admit grudgingly. ‘But it was a really realistic one.’<br />
<br />
She stands up and checks her watch. ‘Woops. Better go. Can you just sort my jacket?’<br />
<br />
I retrieve the lint roller from the kitchen drawer and carefully remove Custard’s dog hairs from her back. She looks exceptionally smart, with a crisp cream blouse underneath her cotton flared trouser suit that matches to the precise shade, her violet-blue eyes. All ready for a hard day’s work with Younger and Wilding, top London Advertising Agency. And there’s me standing behind her, unshowered, clad in grubby dressing gown with one pocket and three buttons missing, shoulder-length hair secured with one of Sophie’s discarded Barbie baubles.<br />
<br />
At thirty-four, she’s only four years younger than me, but at this nano-second in time, I feel like her old granny – the one you can shove off a bus.<br />
<br />
‘You home tonight?’ I call after her as she heads off down the front path.<br />
<br />
‘Not until late,’ she shouts back. ‘Seeing Patience up town. But I’ll google La La as soon as I get to work, see if she’s got a track record. And Cathy, if you think of anything, anything at all, call me right away. We’re going to get to the bottom of this if it kills us.’ <br />
<br />
I smile as I close the door and step back inside the house. I might not get paid a salary, my children might be speeding towards adulthood so fast we’ll be paying for Sophie’s wedding before I’ve even got her baby photos sorted, but now I have a purpose, a quest. I’m looking for La La.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
CHAPTER 3 <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I shower and change into jeans and a slightly stained black t-shirt before checking myself in the mirror. My fringe is reaching just below my eyes, so officially not a fringe anymore. Debate whether I should cut it dead short, longer but blunt across or grow it out altogether. Blunt across might make me appear like a schoolgirl. Dead short though could show up my worry lines.<br />
<br />
Maybe I should go for a whole new sexy look. Woo back my errant husband if he’s “had or is having” an affair. Fight this La La at her own game. I imagine myself with platinum-blonde tresses piled high on my head, sexy velvet choker, push up Wonderbra and tons of make-up.<br />
<br />
An hour later, shying my eyes from their big sign – Wanted: Part-Time Help – I’m trudging through Go-Buys, a sad supermarket situated on one of the main downhill streets of Crouch End. Sad because it’s too small to be a big modern superstore and too big to be a little cockney-sparrow, have-it-on-tick type corner shop. Overpriced and out-of-date produce abound alongside grizzly girls in grubby overalls. How on earth am I to conjure up a great delicacy out of this to satisfy my ever-hungry brood?<br />
<br />
It was at a supermarket in Streatham almost four years after the Bubbles episode, that I next spied Declan. Declan Phase 2 I call it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Raz was on a weekend break to Paris and Harry, my boyfriend of the time, was glued to a David Attenborough documentary and saying “Shoosh now” if I so much as made a comment. I decided some air was in order.<br />
<br />
In Sainsbury’s I beckoned over a shop assistant.<br />
<br />
‘Can you tell me where to find dry roasted peanuts, please?’ I asked politely.<br />
<br />
Her jaw was hanging down, her heavy lidded eyes semi-open and greasy hair scragged back into a thick elastic band.<br />
<br />
‘Aisle 4’. She started moving away.<br />
<br />
‘Um and have you got any, er, skins?’ I tried deciphering the writing.<br />
<br />
‘What you mean, skins?’ She lifted an Elastoplast from her left cheek and scratched underneath.<br />
<br />
‘Here,’ I pointed to the line between dry roasted peanuts and taramasalata, ‘skins.’<br />
<br />
‘Sausages in the corner. Chipolatas next to them, innit.’<br />
<br />
I stood puzzled, when suddenly this husky Irish voice boomed out.<br />
<br />
‘Ah now, I think you might want to ask for cigarette papers – you know, Rizlas.’<br />
<br />
‘Oh.’ My brain clicked into gear. I looked up and there he was – Declan. ‘Oh,’ I repeated. ‘It’s you.’<br />
<br />
He gave me a curious smile, because plainly he didn’t know me from Adam – he’d been too absorbed in tracing his fingers round his girlfriend’s bony blades. <br />
<br />
‘Bubbles, Bognor Regis.’ My downcast eyes involuntarily strayed to the crotch of his faded jeans.<br />
<br />
‘I went there on holiday once,’ he sounded puzzled, probably frantically assessing if I was someone he should remember.<br />
<br />
‘How terrible!’<br />
<br />
He stared at me a moment, bemused, and I had this uncanny impulse to bug my eyes and poke out my tongue like a Maori performing the Haka. Instead I added. ‘I lived there. Can’t imagine anyone paying to visit.’<br />
<br />
‘My ex surprised me.’<br />
<br />
‘Some surprise!’<br />
<br />
‘Actually it was fun,’ he laughed. ‘So you wanted skins?’<br />
<br />
‘Well whoever wrote the list did.’<br />
<br />
‘So who wrote the list?’ He cocked his head to one side in a flirty manner.<br />
<br />
‘Dunno. Found it in the trolley.’<br />
<br />
‘You found a list?’<br />
<br />
‘Saves thinking one up.’<br />
<br />
‘But sure and isn’t the point of writing your own list so’s you buy what you need?’<br />
<br />
‘And how monotonous is that?’ I began walking and he drifted alongside. ‘You end up with the same old, same old.’ I pulled a jar of pickled walnuts off the shelf. ‘Widens your diet.’<br />
<br />
‘I see.’<br />
<br />
‘Good.’ I had a vague feeling he was patronising me, but because I didn’t fancy him and was in a stable if lacklustre relationship, I wasn’t that fussed about this stranger’s opinion. Blip or no blip.<br />
<br />
‘But what if you were after something in particular?’<br />
<br />
‘You know, life’s for living.’ I turned my trolley around and walked off in the opposite direction. ‘Not list making.’<br />
<br />
So that was Declan Phase 2.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I return home, palms criss-crossed with welts from the cheap carrier bags. Just enough time to shove in a load of laundry before leaving for the school pick up. Meandering dreamily down the road, I think again of the mystery postcard writer. Who, what and most of all, why, had this stranger entered our lives and is the fact I’m so joyous about it, a bad omen maritally-speaking?<br />
<br />
Approaching the gates, I can see all the other mothers gathering up their children, wiping noses, carrying schoolbags. I give them each a sympathetic smile. I bet their husbands don’t have admirers writing to them. <br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
I’m shivering in the park with the other parents, watching our children dangle by their feet, fling themselves off swings and launch their little bodies recklessly headfirst down the slide in valiant attempts to break the current Whittington Hospital casualty record. And no, none of the adults know anyone called La La or so they said when I cunningly suggested it as a trendy new name to the mother who’s five months pregnant. <br />
<br />
My euphoric mood has long gone, doused by an ill-advised glance at the local paper’s classified job postings. It’s OK for Declan, I think, slapping my arms against the cold. Forcing me into the workplace again, like a leaky old barge hastily patched up and launched into the harsh unforgiving Atlantic, engines rusted from years of domestic drudgery. Well, so sorry, dear hubbie if your poor old HMS SuperworkingMum isn’t immediately made flagship. Does he honestly expect me to compete with all those shiny new liners, filled with high tech, optimism and trailing champagne bottles? And I bet none of them has my huge load of ballast. <br />
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I’m feeling pretty sorry for myself, probably because I’m bored rigid. My feet lost their last hint of sensation about the time my hands started to feel they might fall off and every time I say firmly we’re definitely leaving, Josh and Sophie wail, not yet, mummy, just five more minutes, mummy. Just another fun relaxing Cathy puts-her-feet-up quality moment in Declan’s book.<br />
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The mother next to me is moaning about her husband who sounds a right old dictator – insisting supper’s steaming on the table when he walks in from work, complaining because she takes one measly hour out a week for choir practice.<br />
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‘That’s the problem with being a stay-at-home mum.’ Another disgruntled woman clambers aboard the whinge train. ‘The loss of power. Seesaw’s always unbalanced in favour of the wage earner. When everyone knows office staff spend half their time skiving off, net surfing or gossiping about who they fancy this week.’<br />
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‘My trick is to fold laundry as soon as Henry’s headlights appear in the driveway,’ says a fellow downtrodden wife pushing her toddler on the swing with an alarming amount of force. ‘I swear I don’t stop from six in the morning until nine at night, but unless he actually sees me physically doing something, he doesn’t believe it.’<br />
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‘Chips,’ pipes up another mother, skipping the roundabout with her foot, while her four-year-old hangs onto the pole in the middle, legs flying behind. ‘Nothing puts “himself” in a happier frame of mind than the smell of frying chips.’<br />
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I sigh as I collar Sophie on the climbing frame and go for a final grab on Josh. Subservience, tricks, and cupboard love. And this is supposed to be a liberated society?<br />
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Discontent’s catching. Makes me wonder again who might be behind these postcards. And, if they really are after my husband, whether I should start investing in a sizeable amount of giftwrap…<br />
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BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-50032254687806079322013-07-21T12:39:00.001-04:002013-07-29T14:58:58.367-04:00ThrillerFest VIII<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKWUTG0KaqfRn_oRWDzuQ1G-vEm0PNhyphenhyphenx3RwcQzUPhnFkbeU8r0rxoqzXy9XeYXamoJn5NeTJFsdPcy3qTEb8HDxG2qsnsScWi9a-mLddjz-6n6gDja-bjiHfS8dyQYUy1g0A_Q/s1600/ITW+logo+w+text-jpg_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKWUTG0KaqfRn_oRWDzuQ1G-vEm0PNhyphenhyphenx3RwcQzUPhnFkbeU8r0rxoqzXy9XeYXamoJn5NeTJFsdPcy3qTEb8HDxG2qsnsScWi9a-mLddjz-6n6gDja-bjiHfS8dyQYUy1g0A_Q/s1600/ITW+logo+w+text-jpg_small.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;">I was so excited to go to ThrillerFest this year, the biggest one ever with close to 1000 attendees! I last attended in 2011, and it was great to be back. </span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZbnIVaZv0O5TEW_-qEy7mToke8btliJdJO1em_k-Kt73Hvu1SuxkLydEcy0PaWkJGzaTB5aVML_lAzhQXchakwluxCVaGutdw1SpYKzHtv9qcpeLsOmCu2d9tvAivoXmVl9VBA/s1600/CatherineCoulter&me0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj701qHiX4m50pdxu6h8QrnuJlbfK32sluap3dmgUKkm69IdMQxRKDsynFbPP-7iQJ8w2UH_lAmLZKuxJrer0vlpmnBNE4fl-cDKFBytRSpqSSEQtXDYiomWBDn3io9vsC7xFw-rw/s1600/MichaelPalmerMeDanielPalmer0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj701qHiX4m50pdxu6h8QrnuJlbfK32sluap3dmgUKkm69IdMQxRKDsynFbPP-7iQJ8w2UH_lAmLZKuxJrer0vlpmnBNE4fl-cDKFBytRSpqSSEQtXDYiomWBDn3io9vsC7xFw-rw/s320/MichaelPalmerMeDanielPalmer0713.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me beween Michael Palmer & Daniel Palmer</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1Z4at0mHPVGBSZTtoEwUoYAqVnPV-dxeu5kW6QNqb2vzp6YCihME48grcRUgZZgH9kQn0u-7yzhPs4DeBTcs-7yf7Z4pQFsa9BYS2-Svs36ykdpH0d8h9WzRyy0Of7A9UR95gQ/s1600/grippando+0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1Z4at0mHPVGBSZTtoEwUoYAqVnPV-dxeu5kW6QNqb2vzp6YCihME48grcRUgZZgH9kQn0u-7yzhPs4DeBTcs-7yf7Z4pQFsa9BYS2-Svs36ykdpH0d8h9WzRyy0Of7A9UR95gQ/s320/grippando+0713.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James Grippando</td></tr>
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Great to see old friends like Lisa Unger, Alexandra Sokoloff, Gayle Lynds, David Morrell, James Grippando and too many more to mention. And I got to meet some of the folks who email me and send me review copies of books on a regular basis - some of the great HarperCollins publicists, the Oceanview publishers, Random House publicists and more.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWmvBoTBO0QBiR6_5gowVDguSMHC-BYB2ycGpM7TG8jDUaI2sRoAYuXjEjzw0bLzeMBnDcFZIH1xFRfcVMT90D_UIwW2CXwE6bAH6e1Li1vXKyyCsR2suxn2GrTOCZih1c86nKQ/s1600/DPLyle+&+TJeffersonParker+0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWmvBoTBO0QBiR6_5gowVDguSMHC-BYB2ycGpM7TG8jDUaI2sRoAYuXjEjzw0bLzeMBnDcFZIH1xFRfcVMT90D_UIwW2CXwE6bAH6e1Li1vXKyyCsR2suxn2GrTOCZih1c86nKQ/s320/DPLyle+&+TJeffersonParker+0713.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DP Lyle & T. Jefferson Parker</td></tr>
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There were fabulous and fascinating interviews by some famous children of even more famous parents - Daniel Palmer interviewed his dad, Michael Palmer and Christopher Rice interviewed his mom, Anne Rice. Dr. D.P. Lyle interviewed one of my favorite writers, T. Jefferson Parker, who is one of only four writers who have won three Edgar awards for best novel. But my favorite interview was Jon Land's interview of Michael Connelly. Michael finally laid to rest a long running rumor - he does not write the Castle books. He discussed<i> The Black Box</i>, and how he wanted his 25th novel to span the life of his Harry Bosch series, and he did so brilliantly, as always. Finally, he mentioned that Harry Bosch is in the running for a possible TV series - fingers crossed!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivp2y4bBX31xCUqmqXcJLRTdC4PGY5QP3gMy0bI8ORqAz64piA6tKNA_LA1x3FZxM2HMLXkdHdL6R3ywOdFS2AVmKIcdD7lykI7unN2o5Mvw60QAsSXI8KMQZp7MAj9axGPYqluw/s1600/CarolFitzgerald&LynwoodBarclay+0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivp2y4bBX31xCUqmqXcJLRTdC4PGY5QP3gMy0bI8ORqAz64piA6tKNA_LA1x3FZxM2HMLXkdHdL6R3ywOdFS2AVmKIcdD7lykI7unN2o5Mvw60QAsSXI8KMQZp7MAj9axGPYqluw/s320/CarolFitzgerald&LynwoodBarclay+0713.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carol Fitzgerald (BookReporter.com) & Linwood Barclay</td></tr>
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The opening night cocktail party was a veritable who's who of the industry. I got to chat with R.L. Stine, Lee Child, James Grippando, Michael Palmer, Joseph Finder, Andrew Gross, and many others while snacking on a lovely buffet and sipping some wine. It's a tough job but someone has to do it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kQqQmYGrxg3RnuZ1GcDC3boR9RYShmr3UATw1xeI0Mnt0pp9gRHsaEQQJx39gwIzG770lk4OzCGSe6ORxVytjUYmIZwVOx9be64H1i5PV0kHWE_hmAqCFbnnrZ4PK4gH63FmKA/s1600/WardLarsen+&+JonMcGoran+0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kQqQmYGrxg3RnuZ1GcDC3boR9RYShmr3UATw1xeI0Mnt0pp9gRHsaEQQJx39gwIzG770lk4OzCGSe6ORxVytjUYmIZwVOx9be64H1i5PV0kHWE_hmAqCFbnnrZ4PK4gH63FmKA/s320/WardLarsen+&+JonMcGoran+0713.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ward Larsen & Jon McGoran</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGoabbvj2ZXiBKuGNZR6pIOPTt7kyJv1sTpBqaWxWdkJmANtBjwQDG-ntrOaSs_KhGwrK3RpJQoSl69kTe_UoQ2Qor9DRQFI0KTr9XxmlZBLsTYi5fsj4_S89xpeOHJ4_7E-NJw/s1600/Milchman+Miller+OMara.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGoabbvj2ZXiBKuGNZR6pIOPTt7kyJv1sTpBqaWxWdkJmANtBjwQDG-ntrOaSs_KhGwrK3RpJQoSl69kTe_UoQ2Qor9DRQFI0KTr9XxmlZBLsTYi5fsj4_S89xpeOHJ4_7E-NJw/s320/Milchman+Miller+OMara.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Debut authors Jenny Milchman, Jeff Miller & Tim O'Mara</td></tr>
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My favorite event is always the debut authors breakfast. This year's class was the biggest ever, with 60 authors. Twenty-seven managed to get to NY and give us their one minute spiel. I got to meet a few of the authors I had already read and loved, like Jenny Milchman (<i>Cover of Snow</i>), Jeff Miller (<i>The Bubblegum Thief</i>) and Tim O'Mara <i>(Sacrifice Fly</i>,) and I found some new authors to try. I was intrigued by <i>Playing Tyler</i> by T.L. Costa, <i>Blind Spot</i> by Laura Ellen, <i>The Colony</i> by A. J. Colucci, and <i>Black Fridays</i> by Michael Sears which was the only debut nominated for best first novel.<br />
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One of the best things about ThrillerFest is the access that fans and writers have to each other. New writers can ask questions of more experienced ones, and fans can make an author's day. There is truly something for everyone, from super technical workshops for thriller writers like visiting the F.B.I. headquarters and getting to brief department heads, and writing workshops with people like T. Jefferson Parker and Michael Connelly. Friday night was the first ever FanFest, where several popular authors got to invite a dozen each of their super fans. A smaller, more intimate gathering than the opening night party, the fans were in their glory, getting to chat to their heart's delight with their favorite authors, and of course getting their books signed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrPugBqXxPaKXWHbspln6XLvRUr-4KwZnB5Hh3mYzS2VpaXVSm8RBwxBEL_tlfxLglTten5NQq8OFvGPBb31of7yZvY18FyLOARnl-AaXuC4Kd6c_A5Rd6MODV7Ft9f53n9O3iA/s1600/anne+rice++bloody+finger+0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrPugBqXxPaKXWHbspln6XLvRUr-4KwZnB5Hh3mYzS2VpaXVSm8RBwxBEL_tlfxLglTten5NQq8OFvGPBb31of7yZvY18FyLOARnl-AaXuC4Kd6c_A5Rd6MODV7Ft9f53n9O3iA/s320/anne+rice++bloody+finger+0713.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anne Rice</td></tr>
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ThrillerFest ends with a bang, the always exciting Banquet where they announce all the winners of the Thriller awards. Here is this year's list, with links to Barnes & Noble for samples of each book. (B&N was the official bookseller of ThrillerFest)<br />
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<strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2013 Thriller Award Winners</strong></h2>
2013 THRILLERMASTER AWARD: <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/sample/read/9780345456342" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Anne Rice</a></strong><br />
2013 SILVER BULLET AWARD: <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/sample/read/9780345544506" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Steve Berry</a></strong><br />
BEST HARD COVER NOVEL: <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/sample/read/9781402798122" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Spilled Blood</a> </em>by <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Brian Freeman</strong><br />
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL: <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/sample/read/9780345533920" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Lake Country</a> </em>by <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sean Doolittle</strong><br />
BEST FIRST NOVEL: <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/sample/read/9780316198615" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The 500</a> </em>by <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Matthew Quirk</strong><br />
BEST E-BOOK ORIGINAL NOVEL: <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/sample/read/9781250014603" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Blind Faith</a> </em>by <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">C.J. Lyons</strong><br />
BEST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL: <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/sample/read/9781423149842" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">False Memory</a> </em>by <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Dan Krokos</strong><br />
BEST SHORT STORY: <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/2693382-lost-things" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Lost Things</a> </em>by <strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">John Rector</strong>l<br />
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I'm always surprised by how fast the conference goes, and this year it just flew by. I had a great time and can't wait til next year! Here are some more photos from the conference...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwf35WvKZA6S8aXzWsfJOyzVkoSTKxR-k-0X7egUWeNJNSwWUrTCWl6uqSUOIh91XjMBOiGmr2syM9p8pfZeu6AGa5_WuqtztqVd1ewDgl1_-1EfC7W-sJEMrO6ll7xN6d5APxRA/s1600/Unger+&+me+0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwf35WvKZA6S8aXzWsfJOyzVkoSTKxR-k-0X7egUWeNJNSwWUrTCWl6uqSUOIh91XjMBOiGmr2syM9p8pfZeu6AGa5_WuqtztqVd1ewDgl1_-1EfC7W-sJEMrO6ll7xN6d5APxRA/s320/Unger+&+me+0713.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisa Unger </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZbnIVaZv0O5TEW_-qEy7mToke8btliJdJO1em_k-Kt73Hvu1SuxkLydEcy0PaWkJGzaTB5aVML_lAzhQXchakwluxCVaGutdw1SpYKzHtv9qcpeLsOmCu2d9tvAivoXmVl9VBA/s1600/CatherineCoulter&me0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZbnIVaZv0O5TEW_-qEy7mToke8btliJdJO1em_k-Kt73Hvu1SuxkLydEcy0PaWkJGzaTB5aVML_lAzhQXchakwluxCVaGutdw1SpYKzHtv9qcpeLsOmCu2d9tvAivoXmVl9VBA/s320/CatherineCoulter&me0713.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catherine Coulter</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqg0uj3r_b0eYjU5_dneFG1JgZ_jMM_wYnMfmlBmnaM9mAmGl0HIR9boqc_FZdGrizW4FQ_QIQtDJ-WjWTzdqAMBBXgN2xE-zPdvIXcz4t5Fv0WygrzwjeWseTq0TD08gQY0DApw/s1600/me+&+lee+child+0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqg0uj3r_b0eYjU5_dneFG1JgZ_jMM_wYnMfmlBmnaM9mAmGl0HIR9boqc_FZdGrizW4FQ_QIQtDJ-WjWTzdqAMBBXgN2xE-zPdvIXcz4t5Fv0WygrzwjeWseTq0TD08gQY0DApw/s320/me+&+lee+child+0713.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lee Child<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtW6AYoQXVQRNU08SCu0TgP21hAVUK05ChCXgx_wJwXbkb9KiWO91xGitQPTnGB7HvsRxwn_S5Hker2V1UUhKBuFp2QS4cVvY3_pD2-GJOq5kFXY-Xm9Ju-2FCjZotUasuTs7x4Q/s1600/lescroart+0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtW6AYoQXVQRNU08SCu0TgP21hAVUK05ChCXgx_wJwXbkb9KiWO91xGitQPTnGB7HvsRxwn_S5Hker2V1UUhKBuFp2QS4cVvY3_pD2-GJOq5kFXY-Xm9Ju-2FCjZotUasuTs7x4Q/s320/lescroart+0713.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Lescroart</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-3513942815311799722013-06-20T13:08:00.004-04:002013-06-20T13:08:58.254-04:00Blog Tour: STEVE BERRY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2se-INa4huUvfdN59YXfJJhty-4AUHl63wC3bAYkVeXa-VMvtLwo5PabMyNbkgaTL3H1RdnJ9wOFvU8lKuIQOBeaBRJ3Tm9cJqH5xxUwlLQ3mW2pL7MPLtncL4aEAqJ46P6ssQ/s1600/kings+deception.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2se-INa4huUvfdN59YXfJJhty-4AUHl63wC3bAYkVeXa-VMvtLwo5PabMyNbkgaTL3H1RdnJ9wOFvU8lKuIQOBeaBRJ3Tm9cJqH5xxUwlLQ3mW2pL7MPLtncL4aEAqJ46P6ssQ/s320/kings+deception.JPG" width="206" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am proud to be the next stop on Steve Berry’s blog tour
for THE KING'S DECEPTION! Read on for a review and then a Q&A with the author.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is a very complex novel, but the ease with which Berry
ties all factors neatly together marks a truly fascinating and engrossing read.
What do Elizabethan times in British history, going from the reign of Henry
VIII to Queen Elizabeth I and her successor, the return of one of the
terrorists in the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing to Libya due to humanitarian
reasons based on his terminal cancer, and questions of territory granted to
Irish Protestants by Elizabeth I have to do with one another? </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A possible answer to this is presented by Steve Berry in his
latest Cotton Malone novel. Malone is returning to Denmark with his son Gary
via a stopover in England. His previous employer, the CIA, has asked him to
escort a teenager that fled England rather than endanger himself by providing
facts about a murder he saw. Looks like an easy drop, with a delivery of the
fugitive to British authorities than on to Denmark with Gary for a much needed
father and son get together visit. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No such luck, the boy and Gary are kidnapped by persons
unknown and Malone enters into the midst of a conspiracy involving the US CIA,
the British equivalent of the FBI, a visit to Oxford University, exploration of
London underground, and tours of the tombs of deceased British royalty interred
in Westminster Abbey. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Steve Berry and his wife, Elizabeth, are fascinated by
history and together founded a foundation called History Matters, which is
dedicated to historic preservation. He incorporates his love of history with a
great story featuring a theory about Elizabeth I changing the way she is
featured, and based upon interpretation from writings of her contemporaries as
well as an essay published by Bram Stoker, the creator of Dracula showcasing
that change in view of her. The concept of a different Elizabeth I and what it
could mean if true has the possibility of reshaping the UK. King's Deception is
fiction, but a reading of certain facts presented by Berry in the course of the
novel are sure to provoke the reception of new ideas and theories on the part
of the reader.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
In keeping with the
formats of his last several books, Steve Berry's research into other times
leads to alternative ideas of that period and I certainly look forward to his
next novel. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>--6/13 Paul Lane for the
BookBitchBlog<o:p></o:p></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OZvWG5N8xIfh01fBOtmvOHjnwsjeWTA8tb0Bf_FJqrW-T7UKZRv2P-StKetzIg4uTsQTH8-_eB22qstnL_h5xXJK2VAlwVszdpO9Qr21oskOpgkud1-CwNThI-opxil-Ros89A/s1600/berry-steve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OZvWG5N8xIfh01fBOtmvOHjnwsjeWTA8tb0Bf_FJqrW-T7UKZRv2P-StKetzIg4uTsQTH8-_eB22qstnL_h5xXJK2VAlwVszdpO9Qr21oskOpgkud1-CwNThI-opxil-Ros89A/s1600/berry-steve.jpg" /></a><b>Q&A with Steve Berry</b></h2>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1. Your latest
novel, The King’s Deception, tackles quite a controversial conspiracy
surrounding Queen Elizabeth’s real gender and identity. Do you believe the
conspiracy is legitimate or did you just find it to be a fascinating premise
for a novel?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think its
both possible and fascinating. The most
wonderful fiction always has a ring of truth to it. Here, everything centers around the Bisley
Boy legend. Three years ago, Elizabeth
and I were north of London doing some publicity work for my British publisher
when our guide told me about a local legend.
In the village of Bisley, for many centuries on a day certain, the
locals would dress a young boy in female Elizabethan costume and parade him
through the streets. How odd. I then discovered that Bram Stoker, in the
early part of the 20thcentury (the man who wrote Dracula), also heard the tale
and wrote about it in a book called Famous Imposters, which I read. I then began to read about Elizabeth I and
learned of many odd things associated with her. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2. What was so
odd about her?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Elizabeth
wore wigs all of her life. Heavy face
paint all of her life. Clothes that did
not flatter her body. She refused to
allow doctors to examine her. When she
died she left orders that there was to be no autopsy. Her number one duty as queen was to have an
heir, yet she refused to marry, refused to have a child, and proclaimed herself
the Virgin Queen. And then the strangest
of all—when she dies they bury her with her sister, Mary, in the same grave so
that their bones would mingle together.
All of that adds up to to the fact that Elizabeth I was not exactly what
she appeared. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3. Now I'm intrigued. What was the mystery?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The legend
is that Elizabeth died at age thirteen and was buried in Bisley. Her governess was so afraid of Henry VIII’s
wrath that she substituted a young boy in her place. The ruse worked and, once done, it could not
be undone. Twelve years later the
imposter became Queen and England and ruled 40 years. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
4. Is there any way to prove that? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There
is. Open the grave of Elizabeth I and do
some comparative anatomy and DNA testing.
That would answer the question.
But Elizabeth's grave has never been opened. It’s one of the few royal
tombs never breached. So I sent Cotton
Malone, my recurring hero from 7 previous novels, to England to solve the
mystery.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Visit the author's website at <a href="http://www.steveberry.org/">www.steveberry.org</a></i></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-16029021285935600432013-06-17T17:38:00.001-04:002013-06-17T17:38:18.550-04:00Win a LADIES' NIGHT prize package from Mary Kay Andrews!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRDi_1Y5a711mdE5dp_AtynQNnklz3HlGj9u87Vjmn8IRPZyr9K6vtu7VWRtvBF71KJYh6AE8-rCg5LK278lzzulc4e9fzR57UE2cCSPCl6QXfn9xSpb_48dBBxszSYcDo84koQ/s1600/ladies+night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRDi_1Y5a711mdE5dp_AtynQNnklz3HlGj9u87Vjmn8IRPZyr9K6vtu7VWRtvBF71KJYh6AE8-rCg5LK278lzzulc4e9fzR57UE2cCSPCl6QXfn9xSpb_48dBBxszSYcDo84koQ/s320/ladies+night.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white;">YOU DESERVE A LADIES’ NIGHT…</span>I am thrilled to be able to offer one lucky reader a copy of
LADIES' NIGHT by Mary Kay Andrews plus a bag filled with goodies to create the
perfect night with your girlfriends!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every June I kick off my summer reading with Mary Kay, and
she never disappoints. <i>Ladies' Night</i>
is a fun, fast read that kept me up way too late turning the pages; I couldn't
put it down until I turned the last one. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grace Stanton is a young blogger with a growing following
for her Martha Stewart-light type blog. Her husband is ambitious and has turned
her little blog into an advertiser sponsored money maker, enabling them to move
into a beautiful new McMansion, with all the upgrades they could want -
provided she blogs about them. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grace isn't entirely comfortable with her new lifestyle, but
she lets her husband push her along until the night she finds him in a
compromising position in his $175,000 car with her young assistant. Fireworks
ensue, followed by Grace driving said car into the pool, and then she moves
out. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She quickly learns that was a big mistake, as the divorce
moves forward the judge orders her into a group counseling for some anger
management. Grace moves in with her mom, who lives above the bar she owns in
this small west coast Florida town, but Grace still has plenty to be angry
about. Her husband has frozen her out of her home, bank accounts, credit cards
and most importantly, her blog. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grace starts anew, finding a new project to
blog about, an old Florida cracker cottage in desperate need of repair, and she
makes some friends as the group takes to
meeting up after their sessions at the bar where she's living. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is Mary Kay Andrews at her best, with lots of angst,
laughter, food and love. Not to mention <a href="http://us.macmillan.com/static/smp/marykayandrews/?utm_source=spaweek&utm_medium=standaloneemail&utm_term=spaweekonsale&utm_content=-na_read_bonuscontent&utm_campaign=9781250019677" target="_blank">recipes</a>! If you want
a fast, fun read to kick off your summer, read the entry information below...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>If you would like to
win a copy of LADIES’ NIGHT and the goody bag, just send an email to
<a href="mailto:contest@gmail.com" target="_blank">contest@gmail.com</a>, with "LADIES NIGHT " as the subject. Make sure to
include your name and mailing address in the US only. This contest is only
running for one week, so your odds of winning are pretty good - if you enter by
June 25, 2013. Good luck!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-23351339144621707492013-06-12T10:14:00.003-04:002013-06-12T10:14:59.231-04:00NEW $50,000 MILITARY HISTORY BOOK PRIZE<div align="center" class="yiv0467158707MsoNormal" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4699" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4698"><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4697" style="font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">NEW ANNUAL BOOK PRIZE AWARDS $50,000 TO TOP WORK IN MILITARY HISTORY</span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="yiv0467158707MsoNormal" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4700" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="yiv0467158707MsoNormal" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4703" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4702">Guggenheim-Lehrman Prize to Reward Outstanding Writing in a Neglected Discipline</b></div>
<div align="center" class="yiv0467158707MsoNormal" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4704" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="yiv0467158707MsoNormal" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4705" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv0467158707MsoNormal" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4707" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4706" style="font-size: 12pt;">NEW YORK CITY—June 12, 2013—The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation announced today the establishment of the Guggenheim-Lehrman Prize in Military History, which carries an award of $50,000. The prize will be awarded annually in recognition of the best book in the field of military history published in English during the previous calendar year. The inaugural award will be made in February 2014 for a book published in 2013.</span></div>
<div class="yiv0467158707MsoNormal" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4821" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0.15in; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv0467158707MsoNormal" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4815" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0.15in; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4816" style="font-size: 12pt;">“It is our hope that the establishment of this prize will draw public attention to the field's continuing utility as an important staple of education in international politics, diplomacy, and conflict, and to assist in the restoration of <span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4817" style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;">military history to an important place in university curricula,” said Josiah Bunting III, president of the foundation. </span>“If we do not learn from the conflicts of the past, we will be doomed to repeat them. For the sake of all, we cannot allow this area of scholarship and thinking to atrophy in the United States or abroad.”</span></div>
<div class="yiv0467158707MsoNormal" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4820" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0.15in; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv0467158707MsoNormal" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4818" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0.15in; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4819" style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt;">The winner of the prize will be selected in January 2014 from a short list of six finalists and then announced at an event at the New-York Historical Society the following month. Publishers may submit as many appropriate titles for consideration as they wish. More information about the submission process can be found at</span><a href="http://www.hfg.org/prize/main.htm" rel="nofollow" style="color: purple; outline: 0px;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt;">http://www.hfg.org/prize/main.htm</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt;">.</span></div>
<div class="yiv0467158707MsoNormal" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4822" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv0467158707MsoNormal" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4824" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0.15in; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4823" style="font-size: 12pt;">The judging committee for the prize, below, includes some of the most respected names in the field.</span></div>
<div class="yiv0467158707MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4826" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0.15in 0.0001pt 0.5in; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">· </span><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4825" style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Andrew Roberts, Ph.D., historian and journalist, Committee Chair</span></div>
<div class="yiv0467158707MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4828" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0.15in 0.0001pt 0.5in; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4848" style="font-family: Symbol;">· </span><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4827" style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Charles F. Brower IV, Ph.D., Brigadier General, USA, Ret.; Henry King Burgwyn Professor of Military History, Virginia Military Institute</span></div>
<div class="yiv0467158707MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4831" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0.15in 0.0001pt 0.5in; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4847" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4846"> </span></span><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4845" style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Josiah Bunting III, President of the HF Guggenheim Foundation;</span> R<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4830" style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">ecording Secretary to the Committee</span></div>
<div class="yiv0467158707MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4833" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0.15in 0.0001pt 0.5in; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">· </span><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4832" style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Eliot A. Cohen, Ph.D., Robert E. Osgood Professor of Strategic Studies, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University</span></div>
<div class="yiv0467158707MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4834" style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in 0.15in 0.0001pt 0.5in; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Symbol;">· </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Saul David, Ph.D.</span>, Professor of War Studies, University of Buckingham</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">· </span>Leanda de Lisle, M.A., M.B.A., historian and journalist</div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">· </span><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4836" style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">Sir Hew Strachan, Ph.D., Chichele Professor in the History of War, All Souls, Oxford University</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">· </span><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4844" style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;">H. Kirk Unruh, Jr., Rear Admiral, USNR, Ret.; Recording Secretary, Princeton University.</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1371045431132_4840" style="font-size: 12pt;">The prize recognizes the foundation's founder, Harry Frank Guggenheim, creator of <i>Newsday</i> and a distinguished naval veteran of both twentieth-century world wars. It is made possible by Lewis E. Lehrman, co-founder of the Gilder-Lehrman Institute of American History,<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"> author, and champion of studies in Ameri</span>can political and military history.</span></div>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-38623664743140794262013-06-05T13:30:00.000-04:002013-06-05T13:30:01.779-04:00Win Walt Longmire mysteries by Craig Johnson!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlgLH2NUtC4Ty_KjNYJVWYHGCh5mwtQDNgMdZyrly6qo-z_e_6iglMJF1GwladnP0mZgzW9wE7cvrlGkEdxckdcEt90HGLotSbS4b-o_4fZy0O6HYIRdYJddCgEdn_LfdvLgfJA/s1600/large_A_Serpent's_Tooth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlgLH2NUtC4Ty_KjNYJVWYHGCh5mwtQDNgMdZyrly6qo-z_e_6iglMJF1GwladnP0mZgzW9wE7cvrlGkEdxckdcEt90HGLotSbS4b-o_4fZy0O6HYIRdYJddCgEdn_LfdvLgfJA/s320/large_A_Serpent's_Tooth.jpg" width="211" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am delighted to be able to offer one lucky reader copies
of A SERPENT’S TOOTH and the new TV tie-in edition of DEATH WITHOUT COMPANY,
the second book in the series. For all the details on how to win, see below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fresh from Longmire, which had the best freshman season in
total viewers for any A&E series, scripted or non-fiction, in the network’s
history, Craig Johnson returns with his ninth Walt Longmire mystery, A
SERPENT’S TOOTH ! This time Wyoming Sheriff Walt Longmire finds himself in the
crosshairs of a brewing religious war. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s homecoming for the Durant Dogies football team when
teenaged Cord Lynear, a Mormon ‘lost boy,’ forced off his compound for
rebellious behavior, shows up in Absaroka County. Without much guidance—divine
or otherwise—Sheriff Walt Longmire, his second-in-command Victoria Moretti, and
his good friend Henry Standing Bear, search for the boy’s mother. They find
themselves in a high plains scavenger hunt that ends at the barbed wire
doorstep of an interstate polygamy group that has recently set up shop in the
neighboring town of Short Drop. The group, run by Cord’s stepfather, the
four-hundred pound polygamist Roy Lynear, is frighteningly well-armed and too
good at keeping secrets. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyO65xcaKNLevQfT_z6peRo4AtjIN_tE7GHTpSGhbuKxjZVO0xkON63CrXTMi4IAEBPyW84Bb962IUho8v1C9cIWnQaSGWtZdtZl0u4I1swRpXiXbtUCm3jRnarK9hpluYcA0sw/s1600/large_Death_Without_Company.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyO65xcaKNLevQfT_z6peRo4AtjIN_tE7GHTpSGhbuKxjZVO0xkON63CrXTMi4IAEBPyW84Bb962IUho8v1C9cIWnQaSGWtZdtZl0u4I1swRpXiXbtUCm3jRnarK9hpluYcA0sw/s320/large_Death_Without_Company.jpg" width="209" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, the Absaroka County jail is getting crowded with
the arrival of Orrin Porter Rockwell, a dangerous and delusional old man who
claims he was blessed in the flesh by Joseph Smith, and who has appointed
himself Cord’s bodyguard. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As Walt and Vic pursue the Lynears, things heat up in both
the investigation and their personal lives; butting heads with the well-armed
zealots, they hear whispers of Big Oil and the CIA and find that even with
Henry Standing Bear’s assistance, they may be in for more than they had
bargained for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THE LONGMIRE TV
SERIES<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Johnson’s series is the basis for Longmire, the hit
A&E-TV original drama, which is returning for a second season on <b>Memorial Day, May 27th at 10/9c.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here’s
the trailer: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.aetv.com/longmire/video/season-2-28630595871<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Longmire was the highest-rated scripted program in A&E’s
history and stars Robert Taylor (Matrix, Vertical Limit) as Sheriff Walt
Longmire, Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba, Young Guns) as Henry Standing Bear
and Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica, 24) as Victoria Moretti. Longmire was
developed by Shephard/Robin Productions for Warner Horizon.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Craig Johnson is the New York Times bestselling author of
the Walt Longmire mystery series. Johnson
is the recipient of the Wyoming Historical Award for fiction, the Western
Writers of America Spur Award for fiction, the Mountains and Plains Booksellers
Award for fiction, the Rocky Award for best mystery novel set on the left
coast, the Nouvel Observateur Prix du Roman Noir, and the Prix 813. He lives in
Ucross, Wyoming, population twenty-five.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>If you would like to
win a copy of </i>A SERPENT’S TOOTH and the new TV tie-in edition of DEATH
WITHOUT COMPANY, the second book in the series</span><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, just send an email to contest@gmail.com, with "LONGMIRE"
as the subject. Make sure to include your name and mailing address in the US
only. This contest is only going to run for two weeks, so your odds of winning
are pretty good - if you enter by June 18th, 2013. Good luck!</span><o:p></o:p></i></div>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-16058734985034065452013-05-16T07:49:00.000-04:002013-05-16T07:49:04.901-04:00Big Library Read is Here!<br />
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Yesterday was the rollout of the <a href="https://webmail.pbcgov.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=2r7XeWWxeEakL_DZUxL7ROhIUBrBJdAIoWdfq4hNfj_GFPPwAqfb18TvidnDKAo5YhXXeixGv8o.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.biglibraryread.com%2fbig-library-read%2f" style="color: #3399ff; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Big Library Read</a> pilot. This pilot program allows millions of patrons from more than 7,500 participating libraries to simultaneously read <a href="https://webmail.pbcgov.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=2r7XeWWxeEakL_DZUxL7ROhIUBrBJdAIoWdfq4hNfj_GFPPwAqfb18TvidnDKAo5YhXXeixGv8o.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.facebook.com%2fpages%2fMichael-Malone%2f68596694046" style="color: #3399ff; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Michael Malone</a>’s critically-acclaimed ‘<a href="https://webmail.pbcgov.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=2r7XeWWxeEakL_DZUxL7ROhIUBrBJdAIoWdfq4hNfj_GFPPwAqfb18TvidnDKAo5YhXXeixGv8o.&URL=https%3a%2f%2fsample-af529485779c1c31b20730ea33ea7dcf.read.overdrive.com%2f%3fp%3dfour-corners-of" style="color: #3399ff; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Four Corners of the Sky</a>’ in OverDrive Read, Kindle and EPUB formats. Big Library Read enables users from 10 different countries on five different continents to join in one of the largest global reading events ever to occur. From now until June 1<sup>st</sup>, users will be able to log in to their digital library website and check out this wonderful tale about love, secrets and the mysterious bonds only families can form.</div>
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<a href="https://webmail.pbcgov.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=2r7XeWWxeEakL_DZUxL7ROhIUBrBJdAIoWdfq4hNfj_GFPPwAqfb18TvidnDKAo5YhXXeixGv8o.&URL=http%3a%2f%2foverdriveblogs.com%2flibrary%2f2013%2f05%2f15%2fbig-library-read-is-here%2flv%2f" rel="attachment wp-att-13053" style="color: #3399ff; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-13053" height="118" src="http://overdriveblogs.com/library/files/2013/05/LV-300x118.jpg" style="border: none;" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRPWmTsVE3gUlfIfTyrLO9khr77gd-pBkR_IP73PKlE8VxdSrM7hhuQwsqo5_zf2UllNGoPxMTfUGRm3zlCYu4G2kvkiZXT-ImStigcodSfgyjj45JdOExmzakdMr-SoXXh-FHQ/s1600/four+corners+of+the+sky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRPWmTsVE3gUlfIfTyrLO9khr77gd-pBkR_IP73PKlE8VxdSrM7hhuQwsqo5_zf2UllNGoPxMTfUGRm3zlCYu4G2kvkiZXT-ImStigcodSfgyjj45JdOExmzakdMr-SoXXh-FHQ/s320/four+corners+of+the+sky.jpg" width="240" /></a>During this campaign, Overdrive will post discussion questions on <a href="https://webmail.pbcgov.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=2r7XeWWxeEakL_DZUxL7ROhIUBrBJdAIoWdfq4hNfj_GFPPwAqfb18TvidnDKAo5YhXXeixGv8o.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.facebook.com%2fOverDriveForLibraries" style="color: #3399ff; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://webmail.pbcgov.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=2r7XeWWxeEakL_DZUxL7ROhIUBrBJdAIoWdfq4hNfj_GFPPwAqfb18TvidnDKAo5YhXXeixGv8o.&URL=https%3a%2f%2ftwitter.com%2fOverDriveLibs" style="color: #3399ff; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, so be sure to encourage your staff and patrons to follow them and <a href="https://webmail.pbcgov.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=2r7XeWWxeEakL_DZUxL7ROhIUBrBJdAIoWdfq4hNfj_GFPPwAqfb18TvidnDKAo5YhXXeixGv8o.&URL=https%3a%2f%2ftwitter.com%2fmichaelmalone10" style="color: #3399ff; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Michael Malone</a> and be a part of the dialogue. In addition, there will be a worldwide conversation using the hashtag <a href="https://webmail.pbcgov.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=2r7XeWWxeEakL_DZUxL7ROhIUBrBJdAIoWdfq4hNfj_GFPPwAqfb18TvidnDKAo5YhXXeixGv8o.&URL=https%3a%2f%2ftwitter.com%2fsearch%3fq%3d%2523BigLibraryRead%26src%3dhash" style="color: #3399ff; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">#BigLibraryRead</a>, so tweet your thoughts often. Next week, the book’s publisher,</div>
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Sourcebooks, will host a live Facebook chat with author Michael Malone, enabling readers to have their questions answered in real time. More details will be coming soon.<br />
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If you would like to participate in this chat, please send questions during the week to Twitter (@OverDriveLibs) and stay tuned for more information. This program is the first of its kind, so head to your library’s digital collection to check out the title and join the <a href="https://webmail.pbcgov.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=2r7XeWWxeEakL_DZUxL7ROhIUBrBJdAIoWdfq4hNfj_GFPPwAqfb18TvidnDKAo5YhXXeixGv8o.&URL=https%3a%2f%2ftwitter.com%2fsearch%3fq%3d%2523BigLibraryRead%26src%3dhash" style="color: #3399ff; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">#BigLibraryRead</a> conversation!<br />
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The Palm Beach County Library System is participating, you can get your book here: <a href="http://palmbeach.lib.overdrive.com/9515AC5A-A9ED-4E80-B05A-D27A7CE23CF1/10/50/en/ContentDetails.htm?id=E1D15AF7-C8A6-4CAA-BAD0-CDA50D3AF3EF" target="_blank">FOUR CORNERS OF THE SKY</a><br />
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BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-53524666776611442682013-05-03T07:18:00.002-04:002013-05-03T07:18:42.831-04:00MWA Announces 2013 Edgar Winners<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtkahkelb7JWwsLb6ruverijJpcULvnQV8R_EukxIMhDWA2qFCTi3fBBWbk-XOoKnAKy1nJ39ZTjw4_AnvNm1Xvz5U64GywZqOKcYE4FQ4fzCigC4rajiQn21ccDH04c7KOTqaA/s1600/Edgar+Statue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJtkahkelb7JWwsLb6ruverijJpcULvnQV8R_EukxIMhDWA2qFCTi3fBBWbk-XOoKnAKy1nJ39ZTjw4_AnvNm1Xvz5U64GywZqOKcYE4FQ4fzCigC4rajiQn21ccDH04c7KOTqaA/s1600/Edgar+Statue.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><i>Congratulations to all the winners & nominees!</i></strong></span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1367579511437_2605" style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong id="yui_3_7_2_1_1367579511437_2608">Mystery Writers of America</strong> is proud to announce the winners of the 2013 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television published or produced in 2012. The Edgar® Awards were presented to the winners at our 67<sup>th</sup> Gala Banquet, May 2, 2013 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York City.<br /><br /><br /><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1367579511437_2613" style="color: firebrick;"><strong id="yui_3_7_2_1_1367579511437_2612">BEST NOVEL</strong></span><br /><br /><strong id="yui_3_7_2_1_1367579511437_2614">Live by Night</strong> by Dennis Lehane (HarperCollins Publishers – William Morrow)<br /><br /><br /><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1367579511437_2616" style="color: firebrick;"><strong id="yui_3_7_2_1_1367579511437_2615">BEST FIRST NOVEL BY AN AMERICAN AUTHOR</strong></span><br /><br /><strong>The Expats</strong> by Chris Pavone (Crown Publishers)<br /><br /><br /><span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1367579511437_2618" style="color: firebrick;"><strong id="yui_3_7_2_1_1367579511437_2617">BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL</strong></span><br /><br /><strong id="yui_3_7_2_1_1367579511437_2619">The Last Policeman: A Novel </strong>by Ben H. Winters (Quirk Books)<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: firebrick;"><strong>BEST FACT CRIME</strong></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Midnight in Peking: How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted</strong></span><strong> </strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>the Last Days of Old China</strong> by Paul French (Penguin Group USA – Penguin Books)</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /><span style="color: firebrick;"><strong>BEST CRITICAL/BIOGRAPHICAL</strong></span><br /><br /><strong>The Scientific Sherlock Holmes: Cracking the Case with Science and Forensics </strong>by James O’Brien (Oxford University Press)<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: firebrick;"><strong>BEST SHORT STORY</strong></span><br /><br /><strong>"The Unremarkable Heart" – <em>Mystery Writers of America Presents: Vengeance </em></strong>by Karin Slaughter (Hachette Book Group – Little, Brown and Company – Mulholland Books)<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: firebrick;"><strong>BEST JUVENILE</strong></span><br /><br /><strong>The Quick Fix </strong>by Jack D. Ferraiolo (Abrams – Amulet Books)<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: firebrick;"><strong>BEST YOUNG ADULT</strong></span><br /><br /><strong>Code Name Verity </strong>by Elizabeth Wein (Disney Publishing Worldwide - Hyperion)<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: firebrick;"><strong>BEST TELEVISION EPISODE TELEPLAY</strong></span><br /><br /><strong> “A Scandal in Belgravia” – <em>Sherlock,</em></strong> Teleplay by Steven Moffat (BBC/Masterpiece)<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: firebrick;"><strong>ROBERT L. FISH MEMORIAL AWARD</strong></span><br /><br /><strong>"When They Are Done With Us" – <em>Staten Island Noir </em></strong>by Patricia Smith (Akashic Books)<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: firebrick;"><strong>GRAND MASTER</strong></span><br /><br />Ken Follett<br />Margaret Maron<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: firebrick;"><strong>RAVEN AWARDS</strong></span><br /><br />Oline Cogdill<br /><br />Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore, San Diego & Redondo Beach, CA<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: firebrick;"><strong>ELLERY QUEEN AWARD</strong></span><br /> <br />Akashic Books<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: firebrick;"><strong>THE SIMON & SCHUSTER - MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD</strong></span><br />(Presented at MWA’s Agents & Editors Party on Wednesday, May 1, 2013)<br /><br /><strong>The Other Woman</strong> by Hank Phillippi Ryan (Forge Books)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> </div>
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BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-89819538439163426532013-04-08T19:36:00.001-04:002013-04-08T19:36:35.744-04:00Win BUNKER HILL by Nathaniel Philbrick!<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I am honored to be able to
offer one lucky reader of a copy of <i>Bunker
Hill</i> by National Book Award winner Nathaniel Philbrick.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">BUNKER HILL</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">: <b>A City, A Siege, A Revolution </b>tells
the story of the battle that ignited the Revolutionary War, and—because
Nathaniel Philbrick is telling it—the story has never been more interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 12pt;">In</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <b><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">BUNKER HILL,</span> </b><span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Philbrick finds new characters, and new facets to
familiar ones. The real work of choreographing rebellion falls to a
thirty-three year old physician named Joseph Warren who emerges as the
on-the-ground leader of the Patriot cause and is fated to die at Bunker Hill.
Others in the cast include Paul Revere, Warren’s fiancé the poet Mercy Scollay,
a newly recruited George Washington, the reluctant British combatant General
Thomas Gage and his more bellicose successor William Howe, who leads the three
charges at Bunker Hill and presides over the claustrophobic cauldron of a</span> city
under siege <span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">as both sides play a nervy game
of brinkmanship for control.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">Key Events Leading Up To <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 26.0pt;">BUNKER HILL</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">: A City, A Siege, A Revolution</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 26.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="border-bottom: double windowtext 4.5pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: thick-thin-small-gap windowtext 4.5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;">
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<b><span style="font-size: 22.0pt;">by Nathaniel Philbrick<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</div>
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In his new book, Nathaniel Philbrick tells the story of the
battle that transformed a revolution into a full-fledged war. Philbrick focuses his narrative on the little
known Dr. Joseph Warren, the charismatic physician who was at the forefront of
the revolution in <st1:state w:st="on">Massachusetts</st1:state> during the
spring of 1775 and was fated to die at <st1:place w:st="on">Bunker Hill</st1:place>.
What follows is an account of the events leading up to that historic battle in
June 17, 1775. </div>
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<br /></div>
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April 2: With
tensions rising, patriot families begin to evacuate <st1:place w:st="on">Boston</st1:place>.</div>
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<br /></div>
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April 13: <st1:place w:st="on">Massachusetts</st1:place> Provincial
Congress directs the Committee of Safety to create six companies of artillery.</div>
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<br /></div>
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April 17: Thomas Gage
prepares his plan to send Col. Francis Smith and 700 troops to destroy rebel
military stores in <st1:place w:st="on">Concord</st1:place>.</div>
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<br /></div>
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April 18: at 10 pm,
British grenadiers and light infantry assemble at Boston Common for
transportation to <st1:city w:st="on">Cambridge</st1:city>; learning of the
plan, Joseph Warren orders William Dawes and Paul Revere to alarm the
countryside that the soldiers are headed to <st1:city w:st="on">Concord</st1:city>.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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April 19: British
regulars fire on militiamen at Lexington Green, killing eight and wounding ten;
later in the day, men die on both sides during a clash at <st1:city w:st="on">Concord</st1:city>’s
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">North</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bridge</st1:placetype></st1:place>.</div>
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April 20: Thousands
of patriot militiamen from towns throughout <st1:state w:st="on">Massachusetts</st1:state>
flood into <st1:place w:st="on">Cambridge</st1:place>
and Roxbury. </div>
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<br /></div>
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April 23: Admiral
Graves begins building a gun battery on Copp’s Hill in <st1:city w:st="on">Boston</st1:city>’s
North End; the Provincial Congress reconvenes at <st1:place w:st="on">Watertown</st1:place> and elects Joseph Warren as
President.</div>
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May 22: The
Provincial Congress passes a resolve that all persons who remain faithful to
the king “are guilty of such atrocious and unnatural crimes against their
country, that every friend to mankind ought to forsake and detest them.”</div>
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May 27: General
Israel Putnam captures and burns the British schooner <i>Diana</i> in the Battle of Chelsea Creek. </div>
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<br /></div>
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June 14: Joseph
Warren is appointed a major general in the provincial army.</div>
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<br /></div>
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June 16: At 6 p.m.
Colonel William Prescott and 1,000 soldiers assemble in <st1:city w:st="on">Cambridge</st1:city>
with instructions to build a redoubt on Bunker Hill; for reasons that remain
unclear to this day, they build the fortification on <st1:place w:st="on">Breed’s
Hill</st1:place> instead.</div>
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<br /></div>
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June 17: Joseph
Warren is killed during the final stages of the Battle of Bunker Hill, which
proves to be the bloodiest engagement of the Revolution.</div>
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<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><i>If you would like to win a copy of BUNKER HILL, just send an email to contest@gmail.com, with " BUNKER HILL" as the subject. Make sure to include your name and mailing address in the US only. This contest is going to run for less than two weeks, so your odds of winning are pretty good - if you enter by April 22, 2013. Good luck!</i></span>BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-86972066149629805062013-03-22T08:33:00.000-04:002013-03-22T08:33:12.522-04:00Guest Blogger: LISA BLACK<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-x5pnEM4yadh67sbDbN97cvimV3ypnkknsLZYuxlI93VaE4nai49JnNgebKqyIPtrpQv58T-cXiuyuyN02_eFH0ujjcqrI0wJR_dqRg8ggohfF5Ij1NKgpHuYL0OFiYtdRhZrg/s1600/blunt+cover+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-x5pnEM4yadh67sbDbN97cvimV3ypnkknsLZYuxlI93VaE4nai49JnNgebKqyIPtrpQv58T-cXiuyuyN02_eFH0ujjcqrI0wJR_dqRg8ggohfF5Ij1NKgpHuYL0OFiYtdRhZrg/s320/blunt+cover+image.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3i-fR-DtFKaKvK5V_dYNIPOjCCZHGzZswmeeUhKRXLgpw6w03Dy0GQzY8MhVYASS_fihJg0b35Bul2vYY505k4mca0SGMVHHy7w70ww5AMjPXnkpXlXNfyS6_xQumEIIC5Ggtg/s1600/3+22+building+under+construction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS3i-fR-DtFKaKvK5V_dYNIPOjCCZHGzZswmeeUhKRXLgpw6w03Dy0GQzY8MhVYASS_fihJg0b35Bul2vYY505k4mca0SGMVHHy7w70ww5AMjPXnkpXlXNfyS6_xQumEIIC5Ggtg/s200/3+22+building+under+construction.jpg" width="197" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I must be a frustrated architect. If you’ve read my past
books you may have noticed how often a building figures into the plot—in
Takeover it was the gleaming but secretive Federal Reserve with its marble and
gilt. In Trail of Blood it was the crumbling but ominous structure with its
hidden rooms and upcoming date with the wrecking ball, and also the trains, the
churning steel behemoths that chugged along their tracks at its base. In
Defensive Wounds, of course, it was the landmark Terminal Tower with its old-money
flavor and its dizzyingly high observation deck. I like large buildings, vast
hallways carved from stone, arches and curlicues and history. This is probably
why, after a high school trip to Washington DC, I got a bachelor’s degree in
political science despite having no aptitude or talent for politics. Turns out
I didn’t like politics. I just liked the buildings.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUb7fXDbSNn6YEmomygJvz4w-gjeovQLTZtcvJxOGWedDq88Qv0-0kg9Gsue7hSFL6g1tiQGLE8MLGp50IAnJ11bNji-cMIwGovpxcNI8LKOhPKdFXNp1sSiYVtR40p_3XQTUFuQ/s1600/3+22+consttruction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUb7fXDbSNn6YEmomygJvz4w-gjeovQLTZtcvJxOGWedDq88Qv0-0kg9Gsue7hSFL6g1tiQGLE8MLGp50IAnJ11bNji-cMIwGovpxcNI8LKOhPKdFXNp1sSiYVtR40p_3XQTUFuQ/s200/3+22+consttruction.jpg" width="200" /></a>In <i>Blunt Impact</i> my tendencies are at it again. Theresa is caught in
the controversy of a new county jail—a sweeping skyscraper still under
construction. OSHA whistleblowers and missing money, criminal elements using
the site for their own purposes and a homely but smart district attorney who
becomes more interested in Theresa than the intrigue surround the forensic
scientist and her new friend, a tough but endangered little girl named
Anna—better known as Ghost. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKT6-zqu6XHKAur-ysQfuQilELXjbhpOsh6a4GmQLaYAOPmAKK70bz9JL_VErOLe8xQE__tSkNkmBg8gElbJFGJvwZSaZeBJmepTKgkTqB3LeP4pEbcsVE6cgz3l8yTVQGN2cKuw/s1600/3+22+DC+building.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKT6-zqu6XHKAur-ysQfuQilELXjbhpOsh6a4GmQLaYAOPmAKK70bz9JL_VErOLe8xQE__tSkNkmBg8gElbJFGJvwZSaZeBJmepTKgkTqB3LeP4pEbcsVE6cgz3l8yTVQGN2cKuw/s200/3+22+DC+building.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Ghost has a
unique lifestyle, loved by her construction worker mother and disabled
grandmother but constantly slipping out of her home to roam the back alleys of
the large city, looking for the father whose identity has always been kept
secret from her. Nothing all that bad ever happens—until she witnesses her mother’s
murder, the beautiful young woman thrown from the 23<sup>rd</sup> floor. Ghost
will not rest until she learns the truth, which means that Theresa cannot rest
until Ghost is safe.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU29g_mV9W0LzENDixrYsiHjrM4KJDKFWoY4D-xf9jOdiyzJUqQdCSjv_brc5J1SSJTYsrqIhGEchyphenhyphenEUc5O5IQEDkBiNfctea6wuNaqUtpsZv-Ws71jrP0uuOodKIBUT7sBW_8rQ/s1600/3+22+skyscraper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU29g_mV9W0LzENDixrYsiHjrM4KJDKFWoY4D-xf9jOdiyzJUqQdCSjv_brc5J1SSJTYsrqIhGEchyphenhyphenEUc5O5IQEDkBiNfctea6wuNaqUtpsZv-Ws71jrP0uuOodKIBUT7sBW_8rQ/s200/3+22+skyscraper.jpg" width="142" /></a> I learned
during the writing, as I always do. I learned about concrete, expensive and
specific, and funding and the difference between a beam and a column (the first
is horizontal, the second vertical). But what I really wanted to learn about
was the pervasiveness (or not) of corruption within the construction trades. Do
you think I could find one single book written about the Big Dig or any other
construction project that wound up costing much more than expected? I could
not. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The
setting, of course, gives me the opportunity to mess with the acrophobic in all
of us. But truly it’s the openness that intrigues me, the image of the wind
rushing by as my characters get an unobstructed view of the city from their
aerie, with that accompanying sense of danger and freedom and excitement so
rarely obtained in our safe, careful lives. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
And isn’t that, after all, what
books are all about?<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/072788252X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=072788252X&linkCode=as2&tag=bookbitch-20">Blunt Impact</a>, available April 1, featuring forensic scientist Theresa
MacLean and a series of murders surrounding a skyscraper under construction in downtown Cleveland. The first to die is young, sexy concrete worker Samantha,
thrown from the 23<sup>rd</sup> floor. The only witness is her 11 year old
daughter Anna, nicknamed Ghost. Ghost will stop at nothing to find her mother’s
killer, and Theresa will stop at nothing to keep Ghost safe. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
Also, Kindle owners can find a
bargain in my new book <span style="color: #0000ee; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline;">The Prague Project</span>,
written under the name <b>Beth Cheylan</b>.
A death in West Virginia sends FBI agent Ellie Gardner and NYPD
Counterterrorism lieutenant Michael Stewart on a chase across Europe as they
track stolen nukes and lost Nazi gold, hoping to avert the death of millions of
people.<br />
<div>
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<br />BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-81663404016355700512013-03-10T12:33:00.001-04:002013-03-10T12:33:39.644-04:00Interview with Maureen Johnson by Becky Lejeune<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHxxxj1KGpqmOCfikiOigg_QHsy3LML0CpDVKzi3mpwQEEaeOGrlg2vZOJZzC7eaZnYWmymiVtwnxRav3w0M6biajHXoHj0g6zipZhqoZAiqLBE3IRaco8uutSFcY3D-Ji0iLCg/s1600/madness+underneath.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHxxxj1KGpqmOCfikiOigg_QHsy3LML0CpDVKzi3mpwQEEaeOGrlg2vZOJZzC7eaZnYWmymiVtwnxRav3w0M6biajHXoHj0g6zipZhqoZAiqLBE3IRaco8uutSFcY3D-Ji0iLCg/s320/madness+underneath.JPG" width="211" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><i>I am delighted to share Becky Lejeune's interview with Maureen Johnson from her recent Tattered Cover event in Denver. This was the final stop on her MADNESS UNDERNEATH tour. MADNESS is the second installment in her Shades of London series. </i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>BL: You are very
active on Twitter, so describe the Shades of London series in a tweet:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
MJ: Madness Underneath is oh, no some ghosts!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>BL: Shades of London
is a bit different from your other books, what inspired the series?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
MJ: I wanted to write a mystery. I’m a huge mystery
reader... I read two mysteries a day as a kid and I was thinking, “I really
want to write a mystery. That’s actually what I love.” </div>
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<br /></div>
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I was doing research in England for <i>The Last Little Blue Envelope</i> and I just started to think “I really
want to set something here properly. Properly in London, properly kind of out
of the city.” I was on a historical tour and they were telling all of these
ghost stories and I was really… disappointed in the quality of the ghost
stories. I thought they were lame and I wanted to tell a better one – and make
it a mystery as well. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I sort of had it in my head that I was going to do a mystery
and then started looking for the right mystery to hang it on.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>BL: You’ve said there
are to be four books in the series as a whole. So far in we’ve got Jack the
Ripper and Bedlam, what other dark historical influences can we expect?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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MJ: There’s a lot of stuff underneath the ground. That’s all
I’m going to say. The next book is called <i>The
Shadow Cabinet</i> but if I say anymore I run the risk of spoilers.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>BL: Do you know now
how the series is going to end, or is it sort of book by book?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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MJ: I absolutely know. The ending is set: book three is all
mapped out and book four, I know exactly what that’s about. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>BL: You’ve also got a
collaborative project coming up based on Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments
and Infernal Devices series, how did that come to be?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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MJ: I’m doing a collaborative project with Cassie Clare and
Sarah Rees Brennan, called <i>The Bane
Chronicles</i>. We came up with the idea because we hang out a lot together -
we work together, we’re friends. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sarah is the funniest person in the world. Sarah reads more
than anyone I’ve ever met. I mean, I’ve met some people that read a lot but
nobody reads as fast as Sarah. One time, she was staying at my house - I went
to bed at 11 - and by the time we got up in the morning she had read two books
overnight! It’s no joke. And she can summarize books in the funniest way
possible – she isolates what’s kind of great and funny. </div>
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She did all these funny summaries of Cassie’s books and
things she wanted to have happen in them, ‘cause she has an evil imagination.
She loves to break readers’ hearts, that’s her favorite thing. I love Simon
from Cassie’s books and we had been sort of joking around and speculating on
things that we would do if we were in charge. It was through those
conversations that we realized we could actually take Magnus, who has this
whole past that has never been explored - he’s been alive for many hundreds of
years – and let the two of us loose on it. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That was the idea. It was just out of a bunch of joking
conversations that we were like, “You know what, we could actually do this. It
would be really fun.” </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>BL: When did you
decide you wanted to be an author and how did you get started?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
MJ: When I was really little. I mean it’s just sort of
always what I did – I was a very kind of indoor kid. I was writing from the
time I was little. I didn’t always know exactly how it was going to work out
but I was pretty confident – I was weirdly confident that it would be all ok.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>BL: What does your
typical writing day look like?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
MJ: I don’t have one. I don’t have a typical writing day. It
depends on what I’m doing, like right now I’m on tour so that’s very much a
tour activity and sometimes it’s very much a travel activity… but it really
depends. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I am really writing hardcore, I try to keep hours very
normal. I try to start in the morning and cut off at a certain point in the
evening. I don’t like to work into the night - I used to and then I kind of
felt fried ‘cause you work all the time. You actually come at it fresher if you
keep the hours kind of straightforward. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>BL: Are you a plotter
or a pantser?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
MJ: I have been both and I do both. I don’t have a set
method. I’m not one of those people that’s like, “I have a routine, I have to
start a fire, I have a special pen and my special hat.” It varies with me. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>BL: Since you are so
active on Twitter, how do you balance work time and Twitter?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Twitter is easy for me to do, it’s very automatic to me and
I can Tweet something in seconds. In many ways it’s like the comment I would
make to someone if there were more people sitting there… Twitter has filled in
the gap for the imaginary people I think are around me at all times and so this
has really just fed into a delusion of mine. Psychologically it is both
wonderful and - a professional might say - it’s probably bad, but I think it’s
great. </div>
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<b>BL: Is there anything
you’ve learned along the way that you wish you’d known when you started out as
an author?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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MJ: Yeah. Things I wish I’d known when I was starting out:
not to worry so much, to sort of know that you’ll never feel quite done with
the book. Not to really stress out. Sometimes you have to write and the more
time you spend worrying is sort of wasted time. You can’t really fail. A lot of
times you think, “But this time I’ve failed. This time it kills me – this book
will literally kill me!” A book has never killed anybody yet. </div>
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<b>BL: What question do you wish people would ask at
events?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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MJ: Um, would you like to hold all of these kittens that I
brought? That is the question I would like to be asked. And I eagerly await
that because I would like to hold a lot of kittens! I think that may seem like
a facetious or a simple statement but in fact that is mostly why I go places,
to be around dogs and cats. I’m staying here with Kate, my agent, and she has
two dogs… I couldn’t stop thinking for days about how, oh, the doggies will
sleep with me! I’m basically a five year old. </div>
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<b>BL: Of all of your
characters, who’s your favorite? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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MJ: You know, I don’t want to choose favorites. But having
said that, I really love the Martin family, which is a group of four characters
in <i>Suite Scarlet</i>,<i> Scarlet Fever, </i>and the upcoming third Scarlet book. I love them –
they maybe are my favorite. That’s sort of my happy place, when I’m writing
about them.</div>
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<b>BL: What advice do you have for people who want
to write?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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MJ: [My] advice to people who want to write is really just
to keep going. A lot of times – pretty much always – you’ll work on something
and think, “I can’t do this. This is too hard. I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m
lost. This is terrible. I’m the worst.” Fill in the blank. You will think you
are the worst. If you don’t, you may be fine but you may have a serious ego
problem, but in general most people feel at some point like they have failed.
Or that it’s too hard. Or that it can’t be done... If you feel that way, it’s
normal. Just keep going. Really, just keep going through that. The only way a book
doesn’t get done is if you don’t finish it, but there’s never been a book that
couldn’t be finished, I think. You will feel that way, just keep going. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span>BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389112.post-74931935703751709142013-02-13T10:35:00.001-05:002013-02-13T10:35:16.638-05:007th ANNUAL FLORIDA BOOK AWARDS <br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 14pt;">7th ANNUAL FLORIDA BOOK AWARDS ANNOUNCE BEST OF 2012 <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—
Its seventh annual competitions now complete, Florida Book Awards announces
winners for books published in 2012 in eight categories of competition.
According to Co-Director Lisa Tendrich Frank, “In its seven years, the program
has honored many of the Sunshine State’s best authors. It is already the
nation’s most comprehensive statewide program, and the program promises to
bring more distinction to our talent-rich state.”<br />
<br />
FBA 2012 Winners by
Category<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Popular
Fiction</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
Gold: DJ Niko, The
Tenth Saint (Medallion Press)<br />
Silver: Michael
Lister, Blood Sacrifice (Pulpwood Press)<br />
Bronze: Mary Anna
Evans, Plunder (Poisoned Pen Press)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizVrh3vC07gKfKnFX8gAprwtvWrDdA_NNvl8s9nW2oerDoFQj5h4iRhKY49Dv17E27sGPaWOEy8kprAUoDlDAJftzFweiHmJXD8FfrtcytllAF0uFIcALA0i1LsrYf-0S1NQSQg/s1600/LIVE+BY+NIGHT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizVrh3vC07gKfKnFX8gAprwtvWrDdA_NNvl8s9nW2oerDoFQj5h4iRhKY49Dv17E27sGPaWOEy8kprAUoDlDAJftzFweiHmJXD8FfrtcytllAF0uFIcALA0i1LsrYf-0S1NQSQg/s1600/LIVE+BY+NIGHT.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">General
Fiction</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
Gold: Dennis
Lehane, Live by Night (HarperCollins)<br />
Silver: Janis
Owens, American Ghost (Scribner)<br />
Bronze: Mary Anna
Evans, Plunder (Poisoned Pen Press)<br />
<br />
<b>Florida NonFiction</b><br />
Gold: Gilbert King,
Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a
New America (HarperCollins)<br />
Silver: Craig
Pittman, The Scent of Scandal: Greed, Betrayal, and the World's Most Beautiful
Orchid (University Press of Florida)<br />
Bronze: Larry
Eugene Rivers, Rebels and Runaways: Slave Resistance in 19th Century Florida
(University of Illinois Press)<br />
<br />
<b>General NonFiction</b><br />
Gold: Michael
Grunwald, The New New Deal: The Hidden Story of Change in the Obama Era (Simon
and Schuster)<br />
Silver: William A.
Link, Links: My Family in American History (University Press of Florida)<br />
Bronze: Tracy Crow,
Eyes Right: Confessions from a Woman Marine (University of Nebraska Press)<br />
<br />
<b>Poetry</b><br />
Gold: Campbell
McGrath, In the Kingdom of the Sea Monkeys (HarperCollins)<br />
Silver: Terri
Witek, Exit Island (Orchises Press)<br />
Bronze: Lola
Haskins, Grace to Leave (Anhinga Press)<br />
<br />
<b>Visual Arts</b><br />
Gold: Lu Vickers
and Bonnie Georgiadis, Weeki Wachee Mermaids (University Press of </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Florida)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
Silver: Robert L.
Crawford and William R. Brueckheimer, The Legacy of a Red Hills Hunting
Plantation (University Press of Florida)<br />
Bronze: Gary
Libby, Reflections II: Watercolors of Florida 1835-2000 (Museum of Arts
and Science)<br />
<br />
<b>Young Adult</b><br />
Gold: Laura
Lascarso, Counting Backwards (Simon and Schuster)<br />
Silver: Carl
Hiaasen, Chomp (Knopf Books for Young Readers)<br />
Bronze: Alex Flinn,
Bewitching (HarperCollins Children’s Books)</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Children’s
Literature</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
Gold: Henry Cole,
Unspoken (Scholastic)<br />
Silver: Adrian
Fogelin, Summer on the Moon (Peachtree Publishers)<br />
Bronze: Dianne
Ochiltree, Molly, by Golly (Boyds Mills Press)<br />
<br />
<br />
The Florida Book
Awards --the nation's most comprehensive state book awards program-- was
established in 2006 to recognize, honor, and celebrate the best Florida
literature published the previous year. It is coordinated by The Florida
State University Libraries, and co-sponsored by the Florida Center for the
Book, State Library and Archives of Florida, Florida Historical Society,
Florida Humanities Council, Florida Literary Arts Coalition, Florida Library
Association, “Just Read, Florida!,” Florida Family Literacy Initiative, Florida
Association for Media in Education, Florida Center for the Literary Arts, the
Friends of FSU Libraries, Florida Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America,
and the Florida Writers Association.<br />
<br />
Submissions were
read by juries of three members each nominated from across the state by
cosponsoring organizations. Jurors are authorized to select up to three
medalists (including one Gold Winner, one Silver Runner-up, and one Bronze
Medalist) in each of the eight categories; jurors are also authorized to make
no selections in a given year.<br />
<br />
The eight Gold
Medal Winners will be recognized on March 20th at the Historical and
Cultural Awards Ceremony sponsored by the State of Florida’s Division of
Cultural Affairs. All award recipients will be recognized at the a banquet held
at Mission San Luis March 19 in Tallahassee.<br />
<br />
To learn more about
Florida Book Awards, visit:</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://webmail.pbcgov.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=7v-PJm6il0m_yzzYoGORSixegzuT3c8I2mbgyfTVPj-79xyJRkuj_081w-ESzFzWXHlKgWySVtg.&URL=http%3a%2f%2ffsu.us2.list-manage1.com%2ftrack%2fclick%3fu%3d7473c8fdc1b20c5209df1d8f0%26id%3d28f6a47704%26e%3d7dd856214b" target="_blank">http://fsu.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=7473c8fdc1b20c5209df1d8f0&id=28f6a47704&e=7dd856214b</a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">or</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://webmail.pbcgov.org/owa/redir.aspx?C=7v-PJm6il0m_yzzYoGORSixegzuT3c8I2mbgyfTVPj-79xyJRkuj_081w-ESzFzWXHlKgWySVtg.&URL=http%3a%2f%2ffsu.us2.list-manage1.com%2ftrack%2fclick%3fu%3d7473c8fdc1b20c5209df1d8f0%26id%3df4a8d93193%26e%3d7dd856214b" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">http://fsu.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=7473c8fdc1b20c5209df1d8f0&id=f4a8d93193&e=7dd856214b</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
BookBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08235100843623762819noreply@blogger.com0