2012 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes

Winners of the Los Angeles Times Book Prizes, which were announced Friday to launch the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, are: 

Biography: Clarence Darrow: Attorney for the Damned by John A. Farrell (Doubleday)
Current interest: Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (FSG)
Fiction: Luminarium by Alex Shakar (SoHo Press)
First fiction: Shards by Ismet Prcic (Black Cat/Grove/Atlantic)
Graphic novel: Finder: Voice by Carla Speed McNeil (Dark Horse)
History: Railroaded: The Transcontinentals and the Making of Modern America by Richard White (Norton)
Mystery/thriller: 11/22/1963 by Stephen King (Scribner)
Poetry: Double Shadow: Poems by Carl Phillips (FSG)
Science and technology: Grand Pursuit: The Story of Economic Genius by Sylvia Nasar (S&S)
Young adult literature: The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman (Scholastic)
Lifetime achievement: Rudolfo Anaya
Innovator's award: Figment, co-founded by Jacob Lewis and Dana Goodyear



Shelf Awareness Pro, April 23, 2012

Win HARD COUNTRY by Michael McGarrity

A true-blue Western with cowboys and outlaws so authentic you can smell the gunpowder as you turn the pages…

“McGarrity took great care in reviving the old West with accuracy, citing works on cowboy daily life and important historical characters in his author’s note. Any readers interested in the Western genre will be delighted by McGarrity’s take on harsh frontier life.” --Library Journal

With the recent success of True Grit and Justified, Westerns are having their moment, and there is no one better than Michael McGarrity, the Anthony Award-nominated, New York Times bestselling author of the Kevin Kerney novels, to revive the Western genre in books. As a former Santa Fe County Deputy sheriff and investigator, he has the perfect credentials. In HARD COUNTRY (Dutton; May 10, 2012), the first installment in an epic Western trilogy, McGarrity fictionalizes the history of the American Southwest from 1875-1918 narrating one family’s story of years of drought, economic boom and bust, world war, tempestuous relationships, and uneasy reconciliations. The result is the Western reinvented and enlarged – a riveting tale of survival and sacrifice, personal tragedy and redemption.


McGarrity says of the sudden popularity of the Western, “I think it’s on the upswing because we need reassuring reminders of something heroic and larger than ourselves, especially in a time when our wars never seem to end, the influence of the rich and powerful never seems to wane, and the vast majority of our citizenry is protected from mandatory national service and sacrifice.” 

HARD COUNTRY opens with the death of John Kerney’s wife at childbirth and the murder of his brother on the West Texas plains. Forced to abandon his ranch and leave his son behind, Kerney strikes out to find the murdering outlaws. Follow him west to the post-Civil War territory of New Mexico as he struggles to survive in the face of Apache raids, cattle rustling, hard times and frontier lawlessness. It is both the story of one family’s history as well as the history of America. 


McGarrity infuses the tradition of the great Western novel with historically accurate settings and intelligently drawn characters. Drawn from personal writings of pioneers, settlers, cattlemen, and other immigrants who wrote of their experiences, HARD COUNTRY is packed with an honest portrayal of people and the events that set into motion the final closing of the frontier. 

As bestselling author David Morrell puts it “HARD COUNTRY is awesome in its scope. There hasn’t been anything like it in quite a while. This is a big story with big characters in a big land,” and bestselling author Douglas Preston writes HARD COUNTRY “transcends the genre, a great and true American novel of the west with immense power, beauty and sweep.” This is a novel that resonates with a hard-bitten, atmospheric reality while celebrating the people and the land of the great Southwest by a writer who knows the land, the people and the law.

A Conversation with Michael McGarrity about Hard Country


As the author of 12 Kevin Kerney crime novels, this book is a departure for you. What inspired you to write Hard Country part one of a prequel trilogy that will follow the Kerney family from the 1870s through World War I? 
When I first put Kevin Kerney on the page as the protagonist in my crime novels, I was already imagining his family history back several generations or more. I would conjure up images of his ancestors and speculate about their lives. It helped me define him, and as the series progressed and Kerney grew and developed I knew I would someday have to tell his family’s story generation by generation. I never once entertained the notion of simply writing the back story of Kerney’s life prior to his introduction my debut novel, Tularosa. That seemed too mundane. 


Hard Country is in part an epic family saga and in part a true-blue, gun-toting, redemptive Western. How do you describe it?
You’re right that it’s a historical family saga and a Western in the sense of setting and era. The book covers a slice of American history filled with drama and conflict. From the post-Civil War expansion west, the Indian Wars, the growth of the cattle industry, Apache raids, the Spanish-America War, years of devastating drought and lawlessness, periods of economic boom and bust, and the horrors of World War I, readers will hopefully be caught up in the Kerney family’s struggle to survive and endure on one of the most beautiful and sun-blasted landscapes in the West. To my way of thinking, Hard Country is first and foremost an historical novel. What genre best describes it will hopefully become completely insignificant to readers.


What drew people west in the face of so many tremendous obstacles? 
What we might view as obstacles and difficulties were often seen by settlers as acceptable risks. Many folks were immigrants attempting to escape poverty. Many were war veterans seeking to build new lives. Others sought riches and power. They were mostly hardy, hardworking, honest, adaptable, intelligent, people, and I wanted to give a fair accounting of them to counter the cliché driven characters that populate so much of Western fiction and film.


What kind of research did you do to enhance and ensure its authenticity?
My research was extensive both in terms of on the ground exploration and historical references and documents. I’ve posted a select bibliography on my website, www.michaelmcgarrity.com that will give you a good idea of what went into it.
One of the richest sources of research came from the personal writings of pioneers, settlers, cattlemen, and other immigrants who wrote of their adventures and experiences in a new land. Many of those books were published privately and were found in restricted southwest research collections, on the shelves of small rural, volunteer-run libraries, or in bookstores that specialized in rare and collectable Western literature and history. They were treasures that helped me bring the world of Hard Country to life.


What element of your research surprised you?
Exploring different versions of historical events sometimes raised questions about what really happened. The recollections of different historical figures didn't always jibe. It made me more and more willing to question “official” history written by the academics. Or occasionally I’d find a strand in some primary source material that raised suspicions about certain aspects of motivation apparently overlooked in other reference materials. It made for some interesting hours speculating about what the truth of the matter
might have been. What I came away with was the rock solid belief that the Western code of standing by a friend no matter what almost always trumped truth.


Your experience as a former deputy sheriff for Santa Fe Country and an investigator for the New Mexico Public Defender’s Office also had to inform Hard Country as well, correct?
They do so mightily. Accuracy and authenticity are vital to good storytelling; otherwise readers get easily pulled right out of the book. I spent a quarter of a century working in the field of criminal justice in one capacity or another and I’ve often said it served as an apprenticeship for my career as a writer. With Hard Country the challenge was learning and integrating what law enforcement in the Southwest was like a hundred or more years ago. That meant gaining insight into the cultural mindset as to how people viewed
the law and justice on the frontier. I learned very quickly that friendship meant more than the rule of law,that most folks were law abiding and civil, and the true test of a man’s character was his trustworthiness.


What other characteristics would you say were part of the new frontier? Why do you think this time period in our history is important to American identity?
Rugged individualism, self-reliance, survival, courage, and resilience played an important part in the expansion of the country. Those traits are now part of an idealized version of whom and what we are, whether true or false. It’s part of a modern mythology.
I also think that physical strength and mental toughness were absolute necessities back in the preindustrial, agrarian world of the great Southwest. We’re a much softer society now. Perhaps we still unconsciously yearn for an identity more directly connected to the land and the rewards of hard, physical
work.


With the popularity True Grit and Justified, the Western genre - or the modern mythology of the Western -appears to be experiencing resurgence. Is it? And why do you think this is?
The Western contains all the stuff of legend and fable about the human drama that holds our interest. The popularity of the genre may ebb and flow but it will live on for generations to come. Right now the Western is on the upswing I think because we need reassuring reminders of something heroic and larger than ourselves, especially in a time when our wars never seem to end, the influence of the rich and powerful never seems to wane, and the vast majority of our citizenry is protected from mandatory national service and sacrifice.


Emma is a strong female character with a fiery independent temperament and a rather “modern” outlook on life that some might find unusual for a woman of that era. Would you say she fairly represents frontier women of her generation?
Insofar that she can hold her own with most men, she is no different from all the women who helped carve a life out of remote and unforgiving places. And much like many contemporary women of the era, she brought a much needed measure of civility, decency, and stability to the raw, untamed land. Her
rebellious streak and unwillingness to be completely bound by convention is somewhat unique for the times, but not unheard of. She’s a real pistol, as we say out west.


What can you tell us about the rest of the trilogy?
One thing I learned from writing Hard County is facing the difficulty of deciding what has to be left out of the rest of the Kerney family saga. There is simply too much local, national and international history that impacts the fifty year span from 1920 to the 1970 that I can’t possibly get it all in. There will be key events that affect the Kerneys: drought, the Great Depression, the arrival of nesters, World War II, the government seizure of the Tularosa, the search for Spanish riches on the Tularosa, and finally Vietnam. Throughout it all the Kerney clan will continue to face hardship, strife and family conflicts, suffer personal losses, and perhaps find love in a world rapidly changing around them.

ABOUT MICHAEL MCGARRITY
Michael McGarrity is the author of the Anthony Award-nominated Tularosa, Mexican Hat, Serpent Gate, Hermit’s Peak, The Judas Judge, Under the Color of Law, and The Big Gamble. A former deputy sheriff for Santa Fe County, he established the first sex-crimes unit. He has also served as an instructor at the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy and as an investigator for the New Mexico public defender’s office.


To win a copy of HARD COUNTRY by Michael McGarrity,  send an email to contest@gmail.com, with "HARD COUNTRY" as the subject. Make sure to include your name and mailing address in the US only. This contest is open to all adults over 18 years of age. One entry per email address, please. Your email address will not be shared or sold to anyone. All entries, including names, email addresses, and mailing addresses, will be purged after winner is notified.


This contest is only going to run for a couple of weeks so get your entry in by May 4th. Good luck!

Wine & Words with Jeff Lindsay

Jeff Lindsay was the guest of honor last night at the Palm Beach County Library's 2nd annual Wine and Words fundraiser. Jeff is the author of the bestselling Dexter books, most recently Double Dexter. Dexter is a lovable serial killer and has spawned the hugely successful series on Showtime.

“Delicious and delightful might not be the best words to describe a serial killer. Unless, of course, we’re talking about the delectable Dexter Morgan. . . . Lindsay, the novelist, just keeps getting better.” —USA Today

The party started when the guest of honor arrived. About a hundred fans enjoyed some wine and hors d'oeuvres, while Jeff mingled with them. When everyone took their seats it was time for the raffle drawing. Jeff was so generous and offered to name a character in his next book for the raffle winner. John Callahan, director of the Palm Beach County Library, drew the winning ticket - look for "Radym" to make an appearance in the next Dexter book!

Jeff took the stage and really entertained the crowd with stories about writing, his family and working with Hollywood.

After his talk he took questions from the crowd, who ranged in age from middle schoolers to senior citizens and every age in between. He was funny and honest and answered every question.

Finally, the evening wrapped up with a book signing and lots of picture taking. Everyone was patient and friendly and a good time was had by all.

This event was a fundraiser for the Friends of the Palm Beach County Library. Friends President Jane Blevins was at the bar pouring wine for the guests. The Friends are the fundraising arm of the library and without their help the library could not do a lot of the wonderful programs we do like our popular adult reading discussion groups and Writers LIVE!, our series of bestselling author events.

Guest Blogger: JEFFERSON BASS

Dr. Bill Brockton—the bone detective who runs the macabre postmortem research facility known as the Body Farm—ventures far from Tennessee in The Inquisitor’s Key, the ambitious seventh novel by NYT bestselling author “Jefferson Bass.” Fans of the Body Farm novels already know that even the author is a fiction: “Jefferson Bass” is a pen name for writer Jon Jefferson and forensic anthropologist William Bass (on whom the series’ protagonist, Dr. Brockton, is largely modeled, with a splash of Jefferson’s recklessness thrown in). In The Inquisitor’s Key—which stands on its own, requiring no prior knowledge of the series—Brockton gets an urgent summons to Avignon, France, the walled medieval city where a series of French popes held court during the 14th century. There he gets caught up in what could be the case of the millennium: determining whether an ancient, scarred skeleton unearthed beneath the Palace of the Popes really is that of Jesus Christ, as an inscription seems to claim.

Inspired by the splendor and history of Avignon—during the 1300s, the papal court there far outshone the court of the King of France—The Inquisitor’s Key features dual narratives set seven centuries apart. The result is a rich narrative tapestry that interweaves medieval mystery and modern murder. Along the way, it raises troubling questions about mixing religion and power, drawing parallels between a medieval Inquisitor-turned-pope and a power-hungry contemporary televangelist who seeks to gain control of government, education, business, and the media. Fans of “Bones,” The Da Vinci Code, and Girl with a Pearl Earring will be enthralled by The Inquisitor’s Key.




For more on Jefferson Bass, find us on Facebook here, join us at the blog, and follow @Jefferson_Bass on Twitter.
Jon Jefferson (left) and Dr. Bill Bass at the gate of the Body Farm. Photo by Erik Bledsoe.


If you'd like to win your own copy of The Inquisitor's Key by Jefferson Bass, send an email to contest@gmail.com, with "Inquisitor's Key" as the subject. Make sure to include your name and mailing address in the US only. This contest is open to all adults over 18 years of age. One entry per email address, please. Your email address will not be shared or sold to anyone. All entries, including names, email addresses, and mailing addresses, will be purged after winner is notified. This contest is only going to run for two weeks so get your entry in by April 23, 2012. Good luck!

Win THE SHOEMAKER'S WIFE by Adriana Trigiani

I loved this book so much that I begged a copy to give away to one lucky reader!

Beloved New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani returns with the most epic and ambitious novel of her career—a breathtaking multigenerational love story that spans two continents, two World Wars, and the quest of two star-crossed lovers to find each other again. The Shoemaker's Wife is replete with the all the page-turning adventure, sumptuous detail, and heart-stopping romance that has made Adriana Trigiani, “one of the reigning queens of women’s fiction” (USA Today). Fans of Trigiani’s sweeping family dramas like Big Stone Gap and Lucia, Lucia will love her latest masterpiece, a book Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help, calls “totally new and completely wonderful: a rich, sweeping epic which tells the story of the women and men who built America dream by dream.”

The majestic and haunting beauty of the Italian Alps is the setting of the first meeting of Enza, a practical beauty, and Ciro, a strapping mountain boy, who meet as teenagers, despite growing up in villages just a few miles apart. At the turn of the last century, when Ciro catches the local priest in a scandal, he is banished from his village and sent to hide in America as an apprentice to a shoemaker in Little Italy. Without explanation, he leaves a bereft Enza behind. Soon, Enza's family faces disaster and she, too, is forced to go to America with her father to secure their future.

Unbeknownst to one another, they both build fledgling lives in America, Ciro masters shoemaking and Enza takes a factory job in Hoboken until fate intervenes and reunites them. But it is too late: Ciro has volunteered to serve in World War I and Enza, determined to forge a life without him, begins her impressive career as a seamstress at the Metropolitan Opera House that will sweep her into the glamorous salons of Manhattan and into the life of the international singing sensation, Enrico Caruso.

From the stately mansions of Carnegie Hill, to the cobblestone streets of Little Italy, over the perilous cliffs of northern Italy, to the white-capped lakes of northern Minnesota, these star-crossed lovers meet and separate, until, finally, the power of their love changes both of their lives forever.

Lush and evocative, told in tantalizing detail and enriched with lovable, unforgettable characters, The Shoemaker's Wife is a portrait of the times, the places and the people who defined the immigrant experience, claiming their portion of the American dream with ambition and resolve, cutting it to fit their needs like the finest Italian silk.

This riveting historical epic of love and family, war and loss, risk and destiny is the novel Adriana Trigiani was born to write, one inspired by her own family history and the love of tradition that has propelled her body of bestselling novels to international acclaim. Like Lucia, Lucia, The Shoemaker's Wife defines an era with clarity and splendor, with operatic scope and a vivid cast of characters who will live on in the imaginations of readers for years to come.

You can read an essay by the author about her inspiration for this book and there is an excerpt on the HarperCollins website.

To win a copy of THE SHOEMAKER'S WIFE by Adriana Trigiani, send an email to contest@gmail.com, with "SHOEMAKER'S WIFE" as the subject. Make sure to include your name and mailing address in the US only. This contest is open to all adults over 18 years of age. One entry per email address, please. Your email address will not be shared or sold to anyone. All entries, including names, email addresses, and mailing addresses, will be purged after winner is notified.

This contest is only going to run for two weeks so get your entry in by April 15, 2012. Good luck!

Win AND SHE WAS by Alison Gaylin!

I am delighted that Alison Gaylin is including the BookBitchBlog on her blog tour. One lucky reader will win a copy of her new book! Keep reading for all the details on how to win.

AND SHE WAS is the first in a new series from Alison Gaylin which combines the psychological depth of Laura Lippman’s Tess Monaghan series with the fast pacing and gripping tension of Harlan Coben’s suburban thrillers. Indeed, Lippman and Coben are huge fans of this young and upcoming talent in the mystery world.

About the book:
At the core of the series is a clever, striking, and literally unforgettable premise. Missing persons investigator Brenna Spector suffers from hyperthymestic syndrome, a rare neurological disorder which gives those who suffer from it perfect autobiographical memory. Triggered by the years-ago disappearance of her older sister, the disorder forces Brenna to remember every moment that’s happened since in precise, visceral detail: the good, the bad, the mundane, and the tragic. Yet the one event she wants desperately to remember—and solve—grows foggier and foggier in her mind.

Now the disappearance of a local woman named Carol Wentz has intersected with a missing child case that Brenna investigated eleven years ago, in which six-year-old Iris Neff walked away from a Labor Day barbecue, never to be seen again. Brenna learns that Carol—like herself—had been secretly obsessed with tracking down Iris, and may indeed have found her. Reliving life—changing and deeply upsetting memories, Brenna discovers myriad ties between Carol, Iris, and other residents of the town where they live—and uncovers a shocking web of murder and deception that stretches back more than a decade.

From the author: Writing Isn’t Pretty

You know what I hate? Those scenes in movies, where a writer is sitting in front of the computer or typewriter and all of a sudden, he just “gets” it. You know the scenes I’m talking about: The big “eureka” grin appears on his face and there’s just no stopping him: The writer’s fingers are flying over the keys as if he’s a virtuoso, playing a symphony and he’s smiling at the page or screen as though he can’t believe the brilliance that’s flying out of him. And then, in the very next scene, he walks proudly up to his doubting editor or girlfriend or withholding mother or whomever, hands them a thick, completed, perfect manuscript, and says something oh-so-clever like, “Read it and weep.”

Scenes like that make me want to throw up. They’re why so many people think writing is “easy,” and “fun,” and something they could “do if they had just a little more time.”

Let me just say, right here and now, that I don’t find writing easy. I never have. For me, writing is 10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration, and if I sat in front of the computer only when I “got” it, I’d probably have written about one or two pages in the past 10 years.

The ugly truth is, I have never once written a first draft that I haven’t loathed. I write and rewrite and cut and rewrite some more. I kill darlings and tell scenes from different perspectives until I get them right and, since I write mysteries, I’ve been known to change the killer’s identity at the last possible minute – necessitating even more rewriting. It’s just the way I do it. It’s too much pressure to be perfect right out of the gate – I’d rather change and rework, so that it becomes good eventually.

Here’s an idea of how much I wind up changing: When I write a novel, I always keep a file of everything I cut. My cut file for my latest book, AND SHE WAS – I just checked it -- is 126 pages long. That’s about a third of the final draft – and it’s about normal for me. All of my writing is expendable including (and often especially) the passages I personally love most.

So I guess that’s why I hate those movie scenes. While I’d much rather look like Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone while I’m writing than Jon Turturro in Barton Fink, it’s just not reality – for me, anyway. I will say though, that there’s no greater satisfaction that finally getting it right. And awful as the writing process sometimes makes me feel, it’s always pure heaven to have written. There are two words that will never make it into my cut file: “The End.”


About the author:
Alison Gaylin’s new book AND SHE WAS, the first in a new series featuring Brenna Spector, a missing persons investigator with perfect autobiographical memory, is out now from Harper, and recently debuted on the USA Today Bestseller List. She has written four other books, including the Edgar-nominated HIDE YOUR EYES.

To win a copy of AND SHE WAS by Alison Gaylin, send an email to contest@gmail.com, with "AND SHE WAS" as the subject. Make sure to include your name and mailing address in the US only. This contest is open to all adults over 18 years of age. One entry per email address, please. Your email address will not be shared or sold to anyone. All entries, including names, email addresses, and mailing addresses, will be purged after winner is notified.

This contest is only going to run until the end of the month, so your odds of winning are pretty good - if you enter by March 31, 2012! Good luck!

I've got the cure for Downton Abbey withdrawal!

Win a copy of the book that inspired the Downton Abbey series, TO MARRY AN ENGLISH LORD by Gail MacColl and Carol McD. Wallace.

From the Gilded Age until 1914, more than 100 American heiresses invaded Britannia and swapped dollars for titles--just like Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham, the first of the Downton Abbey characters Julian Fellowes was inspired to create after reading To Marry An English Lord. Filled with vivid personalities, gossipy anecdotes, grand houses, and a wealth of period details--plus photographs, illustrations, quotes, and the finer points of Victorian and Edwardian etiquette--To Marry An English Lord is social history at its liveliest and most accessible.

To win your own copy of TO MARRY AN ENGLISH LORD by Gail MacColl and Carol McD. Wallace, just send an email to contest@gmail.com, with "ENGLISH LORD" as the subject. Make sure to include your name and mailing address in the US only. This contest is open to all adults over 18 years of age in the United States only. One entry per email address, please. Your email address will not be shared or sold to anyone. All entries, including names, email addresses, and mailing addresses, will be purged after winner is notified.

This contest is only going to run until the end of the month, so your odds of winning are pretty good - if you enter by March 31, 2012! Good luck!

Fantastic Flying Books!

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. Enjoy!

DUTTON TO RE-LAUNCH GUILT-EDGED MYSTERIES AS DEDICATED DIGITAL PROGRAM

NEW YORK, NY – February 15, 2012 –Brian Tart, President and Publisher of Dutton, a division of Penguin Group (USA), announced today the re-launch of Dutton Guilt-Edged Mysteries as a digital imprint under the direction of Dutton Editor-in-Chief Ben Sevier. From 1947 to 1956, Dutton Guilt-Edged Mysteries was a pulp noir publisher that specialized in hardboiled detective fiction, including the work of noir icon Mickey Spillane, whose first seven Mike Hammer novels were published under the Guilt-Edged logo. The new program will be dedicated to publishing original crime short stories and novellas as Penguin eSpecials. The imprint will launch in Summer 2012 to coincide with the 65th anniversary of the Guilt-Edged publication of Spillane’s first Mike Hammer novel, I, the Jury.

The inaugural title in the program will be NPR news editor Krishnadev Calamur’s debut novella Murder in Mumbai. New York Times bestselling author John Lescroart (The Hunter, Damage, etc.) has also committed an original Dismas Hardy story to the program. Dutton Guilt-Edged Mysteries aims to discover new writers, showcase new short works from today’s bestselling authors, and reissue classic mysteries from the original Guilt-Edged imprint.

Sevier says: “The re-launch of Dutton Guilt-Edged Mysteries is a fitting tribute to Mickey Spillane, one of the 20th century’s bestselling and most beloved novelists. The new imprint is built to find fresh voices in crime fiction and publish them using distinctly 21st century techniques.”

Dutton Guilt-Edged Mysteries will accept submissions from literary agents as well as individual writers. The imprint will also partner with Book Country (www.bookcountry.com) to publish at least one writer from the online fiction workshop community each year.

Dutton Guilt-Edged Mysteries will be available wherever ebooks are sold, in a variety of formats compatible with all major e-readers and devices. More information, including submission guidelines, is available at www.penguin.com/DuttonGuiltEdged

Books not to be read on an e-reader...

If you don't have an e-reader, or have one and are now wondering why you'd ever buy another physical book, I'm here to share some titles that are best read book in hand, not in Kindle or Nook or iPad.


Hot Guys and Baby Animals by Audrey Khuner and Carolyn Newman
This is a small book that is all photographs of - you guessed it - hot guys with baby animals. Every page is "awww" inspiring and is best viewed on the beautiful, high quality paper contained in this book. Nook Color or Kindle Fire perhaps, but I still prefer pictures on paper.

My Last Supper: The Next Course: 50 More Great Chefs and Their Final Meals: Portraits, Interviews, and Recipes by Melanie Dunea

This is a coffee table book and a really good conversation starter. Lots of famous chefs, some not so famous, and at least one who is not even a chef but rather a celebrity cook named Rachael Ray (and she is the first to admit that she is not a chef so please don't send me hate mail!) They all get a page for a great and often unique photograph, and another to talk about what they'd like for their last meal, where they want to have it, who they'd want to share it with and most interesting to me, who they'd like to prepare it. My non-scientific guess after perusing this book is that at least 85% of these chefs want to cook their own last meal. I think Bobby Flay put it best: "The one thing about my last supper is, I'm cooking it. I like cooking even more than I like eating." The layout makes it a really great book to just pick up and open to any page. This is actually a sequel to the 2007 My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals / Portraits, Interviews, and Recipes by Melanie Dunea.


The Thorn and the Blossom: A Two-Sided Love Story by Theodora Goss

One enchanting romance. Two lovers keeping secrets. And a uniquely crafted book that binds their stories forever.

When Evelyn Morgan walked into the village bookstore, she didn’t know she would meet the love of her life. When Brendan Thorne handed her a medieval romance, he didn’t know it would change the course of his future. It was almost as if they were the cursed lovers in the old book itself . . .

The Thorn and the Blossom is a remarkable literary artifact: You can open the book in either direction to decide whether you’ll first read Brendan’s, or Evelyn’s account of the mysterious love affair. Choose a side, read it like a regular novel—and when you get to the end, you’ll find yourself at a whole new beginning.
See this short video to see how the book works.


The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures by Caroline Preston

When Frankie Pratt graduates from high school, she gets her father's old Corona typewriter and starts keeping this scrapbook, a charming, epistolary novel about a young woman coming of age in the 1920's. Using vintage memorabilia including postcards, magazine ads, candy wrappers, menus and such, we follow Frankie from Vassar to Paris and back home again. It's a fast read since there isn't a whole lot of text, but nonetheless this is a rich, multilayered story that illuminates a brief period of American history from a distinctly feminine point of view. The memorabilia is just fascinating and really propels the story.

Win BLUE CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews!

It's the week before Christmas, and antiques dealer Weezie Foley is in a frenzy to garnish her shop for the Savannah historical district decorating contest, which she intends to win. Weezie is ready to shoot herself with her glue gun by the time she's done, but the results are stunning. She's certainly one-upped the owners of the trendy boutique around the corner, but suddenly things start to go missing from her display, and there seems to be a mysterious midnight visitor to her shop.

Still, Weezie has high hopes for the holiday—maybe in the form of an engagement ring from her chef boyfriend. But Daniel, always moody at the holidays, seems more distant than usual. Throw in Weezie's decidedly odd family, a 1950s Christmas tree pin, and even a little help from the King himself (Elvis, that is), and maybe there will be a pocketful of miracles for Weezie this Christmas Eve.

Back by popular demand, this new edition of the holiday classic includes an essay by the author, tips for "keeping the happy in holidays," additional recipes, and more. Also beginning Friday 12/9 and thru Friday 12/23, the BLUE CHRISTMAS e-book will be marked down to $1.99 at all e-book retailers!

To win your own copy of BLUE CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews, just send an email to contest@gmail.com, with "BLUE CHRISTMAS" as the subject. Make sure to include your name and mailing address in the US only. This contest is only going to run for a couple of weeks, so your odds of winning are pretty good - if you enter by December 23, 2011! Good luck!

NERO AWARD & BLACK ORCHID NOVELLA AWARD

2011 LITERARY AWARD ANNOUNCEMENTS: NERO AWARD & BLACK ORCHID NOVELLA AWARD

The Nero Award is presented each year to an author for the best American Mystery written in the tradition of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe stories. It is presented at the Black Orchid Banquet, traditionally held on the first Saturday in December in New York City. The "Nero" is considered one of the premier awards granted to authors of crime fiction.

This year, the winner is Louise Penny for Bury Your Dead (Minotaur Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group). Her award was presented by Jane K. Cleland, chair of the Wolfe Pack's literary awards.

The Black Orchid Novella Award is presented jointly by The Wolfe Pack and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine to celebrate the Novella format popularized by Rex Stout. This year's winner is James Lincoln Warren for "Inner Fire."

About the Wolfe Pack
The Wolfe Pack, founded in 1977, is a forum to discuss, explore, and enjoy the 72 Nero Wolfe books and novellas written by Rex Stout. The organization promotes fellowship and extends friendship to those who enjoy these great literary works of mystery through a series of events, book discussions, and a journal devoted to the study of the genius detective, Nero Wolfe, and his intrepid assistant, Archie Goodwin. The organization has more than 500 members worldwide.

To learn more, visit www.nerowolfe.org or send mail to Werowance@nerowolfe.org.

Guest Blogger: MEL TAYLOR

There must have been a teen in the late 1960’s who held a device called a transistor radio, listened to Top 40 music and wondered if technology had reached its zenith in pushing music through a half-inch speaker, sometimes from hundreds of miles away. Clearly, the answer was no. Technology was about to take off, just like those history-making flights to the moon. It was a time when computers filled up a room, and events were recorded on film. Fast-forward to today and you can buy a smart phone that talks to you. Technology is moving so fast, you’re concerned that new flat screen you purchased, fresh out of the box might be outdated before you get it set up. So, for mystery writers, how do you inject 3-D defying techno gadgets into your books without one day dating them right up there with BETA recorders, VHS, audio cassettes, analog TV, and Pong?

For writers, there is a balance of using technology with strong characters. Deborah Sharp, author of the great Mace Bauer mystery series, has this reflection: “I’m a technophobe, so I don’t know enough to toss around the names of all the newest gadgets. Still, I think it’s difficult to avoid any mention of cell phones, caller ID and the like, since they’re an integral part of our lives.”

Joyce Sweeney, award winning author and founder of a very successful critique group in south Florida, embraces technology: “I use current technology at the time of writing because there’s no way to really know what will happen next. If I think a certain item is waning, I would leave it out.” Even with a dated item, Sweeney says it should not be a problem. “I find that readers don’t mind ‘antiques’ in their books.”

I posed the technology question to author Paul Levine. I have read all of his books in the Jake Lassiter series: “A book has to be set in its time and place. I’m not going to worry about what technology will replace the cellphone or Netflix or Facebook. By the same token, it would be a mistake to have a character in 2011 constantly using pay phones! Technology is changing too fast to worry about it, so that what we write in 2011 might be somewhat dated by its publication in 2013, but that’s part of modern life.” Paul Levine, author of “Lassiter.”

For me as well, the key is technology can’t be avoided. The book is a snapshot of life. I mention gadgets in their proper place, as part of the flow of the story. After that, when it comes right down to the core, the direction is to pour all of my efforts into the characters, the plot, pacing, setting, and those delicious unexpected twists. In my first two mystery books, my main character is a TV reporter. Much of his world has not changed much except for the introduction of High Definition or HD, a bigger use of computers and the disappearance of the beeper. Technology will continue to flourish and that’s good. Still, in my experience, readers will share with others on what they like about how characters respond to the obstacles we writers present, rather than the model number of a fancy device.

I am sure that 1960’s teen trying to dial in Wolfman Jack would be proud.


Mel Taylor is the author of the Deadline books. Murder by Deadline and Encounter by
Deadline by Avalon Books. His character Matt Bowens is a south Florida TV reporter who works in front of a TV camera and solves crimes with the help of photographer Ike Cashing. He has just launched a collection of short stories called Deep Trouble, available on Kindle,Nook and iBooks.

Miami Book Fair Giveaway!

As regular readers know, I love, love, love the Miami Book Fair! This year the fair runs from November 13 - 20. The complete schedule is now available online.

You can read about what a fabulous time I've had there the past several years in the archives. This year, the fair looks to be truly outstanding, with almost 500 authors participating.

I am really excited to be able to offer books from a few of the participating authors at this year's fair. There is something for everyone, from the literary to crime fiction to a graphic novel and great gift books.


















Go the F**k to Sleep by Ricardo Cortes
The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
The Dewey Decimal System by Nathan Larson
Here Comes Trouble: Stories from My Life by Michael Moore
Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje
Damned by Chuck Palahniuk
Chanukah Lights by Robert Sabuda
Habibi by Craig Thompson

If you would like to win one (or more!) of these books, send an email to
contest@gmail.com with the title (or author) of the book in the subject line. Send a separate email for each title you want to win. Make sure to include your name and mailing address in the US only. The books will be sent directly from each publisher. This contest is only going to run for a couple of weeks, so your odds of winning are really great - if you enter by November 10, 2011!

Tell your friends and invite your book group to go meet your favorite authors at the fair. Trust me, the Miami Book Fair is a reader's paradise, not to be missed.

The Center For Fiction Announces New Crime Fiction Academy

New York, October 14, 2011 -- The Center for Fiction, founded in 1820 as the Mercantile Library, has announced the February 2012 debut of The Crime Fiction Academy, the first ongoing, rigorous program exclusively dedicated to crime writing in all its forms. Students accepted into the program will be taught by successful practitioners of the genre, including workshop leaders and master teachers Megan Abbott, Lawrence Block, Lee Child, Thomas H. Cook, Linda Fairstein, Susan Isaacs, Dennis Lehane, Laura Lippman, Joyce Carol Oates, SJ Rozan, Jonathan Santlofer, Karin Slaughter and more.

Crime fiction writer and CFA workshop leader Megan Abbott says, "Crime fiction doesn't just engage and entertain. It tells us volumes about the world we live in, and has helped form the foundation of American literature and storytelling. I am honored to be a part of a program that celebrates crime fiction and, more importantly, will serve as a launching pad for the next generation of crime writers and a vital incubator for hundreds of rich and exciting novels to come."

Classes will take place in The Center’s 8-story building at 17 E. 47th Street in Manhattan.

CFA’s challenging and thoroughly engaging curriculum will include:
• a 14-week writing workshop
• a monthly Master Class
• a crime fiction reading seminar
• special lectures and discussions with editors, agents and distinguished persons from the world of crime fiction and publishing
• 24-hour access to the Center for Fiction’s Writers Studio
• Use of the extensive circulating collection (the Center for Fiction recently won a Raven Award for their amazing in-depth crime fiction collection)
• Free admission to all Center for Fiction events.

CFA Program Director and crime fiction writer Jonathan Santlofer says, “It was time for someone, someplace to take crime fiction seriously enough to create an in-depth, ongoing program devoted exclusively to the genre. And what better place then New York’s own Center for Fiction, founded in 1820 as the Mercantile Library, an institution that has been dedicated to writers and readers for almost 200 years. A chance to hone one’s writing skills with successfully published crime fiction authors, to shape that novel or story you’ve been thinking about, working on, but just couldn’t finish, in one of New York City’s most intimate and nurturing environments — what more could any writer ask for?”

All classes, workshops, and lectures will take place in the evening. Students may enroll for one term, but a year-long commitment is suggested to take full advantage of the program. Admission is limited and competitive and is based on work samples. CFA will be accepting applications, beginning in November 2011 for the term beginning in February 2012. Visit http://www.centerforfiction.org/crimefiction for details.

If you would like to interview any of the writers involved, please call or email Noreen Tomassi, Noreen@centerforfiction.org or (212) 755-6710.


About The Center for Fiction

The Center for Fiction is the only nonprofit in the U.S. solely dedicated to celebrating fiction, and works every day to connect readers and writers. Time Out called The Center one of the top three reasons to stay in Manhattan for literary events, citing the innovative panels, lectures and conversations that take place in its beautiful building on East 47th Street. The Center provides workspace, grants, and classes to support emerging writers, reading groups on classic and contemporary authors, programs to help get kids reading, and centerforfiction.org to connect readers and writers around the country. The Center recognizes the best in the world of fiction through its annual awards, publishes fiction by emerging and established authors in its online magazine The Literarian, and operates one of the few independent fiction book shops in the country. The Center for Fiction is also an important piece of New York City history, continuing to build its renowned circulating library collection of 85,000 fiction titles, begun in 1820 by New York City merchants before the advent of the public library system.