Many of the big titles of the fall debut on best seller lists this week, but several of summer’s hits continue.

The biggest word-of-mouth hit in recent memory, Gone Girl, (RH/Crown; RH Audio; BOT), is right behind J.K. Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy on the Indie Hardcover Fiction list (expect to see the same story when the NYT list is released later today) and continues to rival it in holds.

As predicted by holds, J.R. Moehringer’s debut novel, Sutton, (Hyperion, 9/25; Hyperion Audio; Thorndike Large Print), arrives on the list, at #13, which puts it below Maria Semple’s “divinely funny” (NYT) summer debut, Where’d You Go, Bernadette, (Hachette/Little, Brown; Hachette Audio; Thorndike Large Type in Dec) still on the list after 7 weeks. Another summer debut, The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (S&S/Scribner; Large type coming in November from Thorndike) continues at #14.

Just slipping off the Indie Best Seller list this week, Jess Walter’s Beautiful Ruins (Harper, 6/12) continues to show heavy holds (thanks to Liam Hegarty at Westchester County for the alert). It arrived to nearly rapturous reviews in June and rose steadily, peaking at #4 in its tenth week on sale. It moves to the extended list this week.

Character names as movie titles are currently in vogue. There’s the two Jacks — Jack Reacher (based on Lee Child’s One Shot, in theaters 12/21) and Jack Ryan (based on Tom Clancy’s character, scheduled to arrive a year later) — as well as Alex Cross (based on James Patterson’s character, Oct 19).

Just released is a trailer for Parker, based on the character featured in 24 novels by Donald Westlake, writing as Richard Stark. The U. of Chicago Press, which has been reissuing the novels, describes Parker as displaying “chilling tenacity and laconic anticharm.” The former is on full display in this trailer; not so sure about the latter.

The movie, directed by Taylor Hackford and starring Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez, opens Jan. 25.

Parker has been featured in several earlier movies. The most famous are Point Blank, 1967, with Lee Marvin in the lead (for some reason, the character’s name was changed to “Walker”) and Mel Gibson in Payback, 1999 (again the name was changed, this time to “Porter”).

The University of Chicago Press is releasing Flashfire as a tie-in (like the other Parker novels, the publisher is making them available in ebook via OverDrive. An audio is being released by AudioGo).

As part of the Penguin First Flights program, the authors of the upcoming debut novel, City of Dark Magic (pictured above) joined us for an online chat on October 3. Click below to read a transcript of the event.

This is the fifth episode in the program. To learn about upcoming titles and to find out how to join, click here.

Live Chat with Magnus Flyte, CITY OF DARK MAGIC

(10/03/2012)

  

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3:18	Thanks for joining us; the event will begin at 4 p.m., Eastern Wednesday October 3, 2012 3:18

3:37	Magnus Flyte Site Wednesday October 3, 2012 3:37

3:38	I just posted a link to the Magnus Flyte site, for those of you who may want to explore it while we are waiting to begin. Wednesday October 3, 2012 3:38

3:48	Beethoven's music is featured in CITY OF DARK MAGIC -- one of the Magnus Flyte authors (did we tell you that there are TWO of them?) put together a soundtrack ... Wednesday October 3, 2012 3:48

3:48	Soundtrack Wednesday October 3, 2012 3:48

3:50	Hello, this is Meg....or one half of Magnus Flyte. Looking forward to chatting with everyone! Wednesday October 3, 2012 3:50

3:52	Other half equally excited! Wednesday October 3, 2012 3:52

3:54	Welcome to both of you -- we'll begin in about five minutes -- I already see a group gathering. Wednesday October 3, 2012 3:54

3:59	Welcome everyone to our live online chat with the authors of CITY OF DARK MAGIC. They write under the collective name of Magnus Flyte. In real life they are Christina (Chris) Lynch and Meg Howrey. Here's a photo of the two of them. Wednesday October 3, 2012 3:59

4:00	The Two Halves of Magnus Flyte Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:00

4:00	What's with the horses, guys? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:00

4:00

Those are actually supermodel horses we had flown in from Sweden for the day at great expense. Kidding! The bay mare is Sabrie, and the gray is Nuryev. They are my lovely Arabian old timers who, when offered carrots, have no fear of lightstands, ladders, or photographers. By the way, Nury sneezed on my laptop during this shoot and I still can’t quite get the carrot goo off my screen… Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:00

4:02	We took a standard "author photo" but thought we looked too normal in it. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:02

4:02	Here's the jacket of CITY OF DARK MAGIC Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:02

4:02	City of Dark Magic Cover Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:02

4:02	It is set in Prague. Here’s one of the authors’ photos of the Vitava River – taken from a significant spot - Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:02

4:02	Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:02

4:03	Here's Meg in the Czech Republic, doing research for the book.. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:03

4:03	Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:03

4:03	You HAVE to tell us about that place, Meg. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:03

4:03	[Comment From Andrienne Andrienne : ]  Hi! I enjoyed your book a lot! I'm a librarian from Azusa. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:03 Andrienne

4:04	Welcome, Andrienne. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:04

4:04	And by the way the river photo is the window Sherbatsky jumped from! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:04

4:04	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  Hello from the Midwest Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:04 Lucy

4:04	[Comment From Sue D Sue D : ]  Greetings from St. Charles! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:04 Sue D

4:04

That was taken at the Sedlec Ossuary in Kutna Hora, Czech Republic. It’s a chapel, estimated to contain the skeletons of 70,000 people. In the 13th century, an abbot from Sedlec traveled to the Holy Land and brought back a few handfuls of the Holy Land, which he sprinkled in the cemetery. So then everybody wanted to be buried there, then there was the Black Death, and the Hussite Wars, so the skeletons kind of piled up. A local woodcarver in the 19th century got the job of putting the bones in order, and he got creative. There’s a chandelier of bones, bones strung like garlands, bones in the Schwarzenburg coat of arms. Enormous piles of…skulls. It’s quite something. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:04

4:04	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  Oh, I like the picture: authors with laptops and horses and books - Oh, my! :-) Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:04 Lucy

4:04	[Comment From Sue D Sue D : ]  How did you come up with the name of Magnus Flyte? It sounds magical and fitting in with the novel perfectly. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:04 Sue D

4:05

Magnus comes from a usurping Roman senator (not so dissimilar from our usurping American senator), and Flyte from Sebastian Flyte, Evelyn’s Waugh’s tragic aristocrat in Brideshead Revisited. Max is a lot less tragic, but he inherited a house like Brideshead, full of stuff, with all the implications. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:05

4:05	Here's a photo of Chris in Prage -- less creepy surroundings! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:05

4:05	Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:05

4:05

Congrats on the great reviews just in from Kirkus and from PW – you must love the opening line from the Kirkus review – “The riddle of Beethoven's "Immortal Beloved," alchemy and clandestine love fuse in this fast-paced, funny, romantic mystery.” It also has this killer finish, “Even the minor characters are drawn ingeniously in this exuberant, surprising gem.” Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:05

4:06	Yes, Meg took this one while I was taking notes at the balcony café inside Lobkowicz Palace—balcony! There’s a large cold beer in front of me, which it’s hard to believe I’m ignoring. Shows you how singleminded we get while researching! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:06

4:06	Speaking of research -- here's a question -- Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:06

4:06

[Comment From Lily Lily : ]  I will be on a public desk and won't be able to participate. My question would be about the specifics of collaborating on the book. Did they each take different chapters, sit together while writing, and what happened when they didn't agree? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:06 Lily

4:06	The Kirkus and PW reviews were great! Very exciting. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:06

4:07	Chris will answer about how we wrote... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:07

4:07	Librarians wil tell you that Kirkus isn't often that enthusiastic. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:07

4:07	We love Kirkus and PW! Five stars for both! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:07

4:07

After Meg and I had talked about maybe writing a book together set in Prague, and how that might work, I took a few days and thought about it and then wrote chapter one and sent it to her with the subject line “Tag you’re it!” She took the challenge and wrote chapter 2 and we were off. The rules were 1) each chapter should be 3-14 pages, which is about the amount a tired person can read at night before falling asleep. 2) Each chapter had to have something historical, something mysterious, something sexy, something funny, and end with a cliffhanger, and 3) no going back until we were done. So each chapter built on the previous. We had only the roughest of outlines, and we never talked about chapters until we wrote them, so every time the email dinged, it was a huge surprise. It became a real game, to try to confound each other and leave poor Sarah hanging! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:07

4:08	Speaking of Prague, let's find out what the participants think of it... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:08

4:08	What do you think about Prague? Visited it; love it  ( 17% ) Visited; won't go back  ( 0% ) Want to go now  ( 78% ) Not interested  ( 0% ) I hate to fly  ( 6% ) Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:08

4:08	When we disagreed we engaged in tests of strength. Whoever could roll the tire wheel up the hill fastest, won. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:08

4:09	A Sysiphean partnership! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:09

4:09	How did you meet? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:09

4:09

We met a writer’s retreat on the east coast. We liked each other’s work, and became friends. When we got back to California, I started going up to visit Chris at her place. We were both working on our literary fiction novels, but at one point we started joking about writing something together, something fun that would involve travel that we could write off as a business expense on our tax returns. The very first ideas for City of Dark Magic were hatched during a hike that Chris’s dog, Max, took us on. Chris recently got him a very smart dog collar at Harrods as a thank you present. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:09

4:10	From the poll, it looks like the majority are ready to take a trip to Prague. Why did you choose that city for your setting? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:10

4:10	Max: Best dog currently lying on my kitchen floor! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:10

4:11	Here's a map of Prague that shows the the locations featured in the book... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:11

4:11	I have family in Prague, and it's always intrigued me... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:11

4:11	CITY OF DARK MAGIC; Map of Prague Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:11

4:11	I had always wanted to visit... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:11

4:11	So much history, incredible architecture, and all those defenestrations! It's really ripe territory for novelists. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:11

4:12	Love the term "denfenestration" -- were there really that many occurances? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:12

4:12	Yes! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:12

4:12	[Comment From Catherine Catherine : ]  First I'd like to say how much I love the settoIng for the novel. It brought back so many nice memories of my visit to Prague and the castle about 4 years ago.. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:12 Catherine

4:13	From the 1600s right up to WWII! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:13

4:13	[Comment From Catherine Catherine : ]  The reviews are well deserved. What a rollicking ride of a novel...mystery, political intrigue, romance, time travel, and eccentricities all wrapped up in a fantastic story! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:13 Catherine

4:13	Catherine, I hope your visit was somewhat less dramatic than Sarah's. Thank you so much! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:13

4:13	I think our partcipants will enjoy this poll ... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:13

4:13	Thanks, Catherine! So lovely of you to say! We had a blast writing it, too. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:13

4:14	What advice would you give Sarah in her role as an archivist? Wear the gloves!  ( 25% ) No post it notes!  ( 31% ) None; did your best  ( 44% ) Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:14

4:14	Thank you to Andrienne, too! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:14

4:15

[Comment From Ginny Griffith Gustin Ginny Griffith Gustin : ]  I am a recently retired librarian in Northern California. I was a reviewer for School Library Journal before I retired, and would have loved to receive this book as a reviewing assignment! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:15 Ginny Griffith Gustin

4:15	[Comment From Catherine Catherine : ]  Hearing you describe your writing collaboration and emails gives a whole new meaning to Words With Friends! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:15 Catherine

4:16	Here's a question we received in advance: This book is so very intriguing...how did you come up this concept? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:16

4:16	Yes! Technically, Chris and I should be ready to kill each other now. But, we are still friends! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:16

4:16	Thank you to Andrienne and Ginny and Catherine! It was an incredible ride, and it's great to see others enjoying it so much. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:16

4:16

The concept for CODM came during a hike in the little Sierra foothills town where I live. I had just gotten an email from a family member who was working at the Lobkowicz Palace Museum and she described it in such glowing terms that Meg and I became instantly intrigued. I had been to Prague many times for family events and always wanted to set something there. I pulled out the guidebooks, and we started talking about all the history and the magic, and Meg was hooked. A month later, we got a plane! Any Prague fans out there? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:16

4:17	We're about to address an advance question about Sarah's character, but first, let's see what the readers think... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:17

4:17	How would you describe Sarah s character/ Heroic  ( 6% ) Foolish  ( 13% ) Complex  ( 81% ) Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:17

4:17	I used to write for TV, so I've actually written with eight other people at a time. Meg is the best of all! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:17

4:18

So, here's the question: Sarah's appetite for adventure was entertaining, but some of her choices seem to be so risky that they feel kind of dumb and irritating. If--as one would hope--she pops up in future adventures, is she likely to "grow up" a bit without losing her joie de vivre? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:18

4:19	[Comment From Jackie Osting Jackie Osting : ]  Librarian in Indiana. I loved this book and really want to use it for a book club selection-so much to discuss! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:19 Jackie Osting

4:20	Thanks, Jackie! We put together a pretty interesting Readers Guide, I think. There are a lot of good themes under all that fizz! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:20

4:20	I think Chris is answering the Sarah question, so I'll say Hey to Jackie in Indiana. My parents live in Greenwood now! I was just at the Greenwood Library last month! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:20

4:21	Speaking of that -- one of our readers loved the mention of Youngstown Ohio in the first chapter. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:21

4:21	I think the best heroes tend to get themselves in some danger, because they're willing to take chances that the rest of us might find "dumb." Isn't walking on the moon a little dumb when you think about it? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:21

4:22	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  I would love to hear what the inspiration for Pollina was; loved that character. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:22 Lucy

4:23	[Comment From Catherine Catherine : ]  Readers can live vicariously through a character like Sarah. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:23 Catherine

4:23	I'd love to take this one... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:23

4:23	Cool, I'll take the Pollina question... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:23

4:23	Ha! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:23

4:23

[Comment From Ginny Griffith Gustin Ginny Griffith Gustin : ]  I agree with Jackie that this would make for a good book discussion. I was expecting a book of high fantasy and was delighted to find that it was so much more. There really are many themes lurking here. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:23 Ginny Griffith Gustin

4:23	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  Politics, intrigue, inheritance, historical artifacts, and ownership, to name a few - lots of good discussion themes Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:23 Lucy

4:23	Go, Chris! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:23

4:24	Meanwhile, maybe you'd like to respond to this one, Meg -- Sounds like this reader had a problem with one aspect of the book -- I didn't think Sarah's sexual proclivities added much to the story. What was the point? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:24

4:24	Pollina is one of our favorite characters. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:24

4:25	Let's ask the readers about one of the less likable characters... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:25

4:25	What did you think of Charlotte Yates? Devious  ( 8% ) Ex-CIA turncoat  ( 0% ) Highly sexual  ( 0% ) Loves beautiful things  ( 0% ) Wants to be president  ( 0% ) All of the above  ( 92% ) Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:25

4:25	I would respond to that reader with: Do you think James Bond's sexual proclivities add much to his stories? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:25

4:25	Also, if you read the first Pols chapter closely, and you look at a picture of Velasquez's Infanta, you will see some similarities. Guess what the name of the dwarf at the Spanish court was? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:25

4:26	[Comment From Sue D Sue D : ]  When you were writing, did you actually listen to any classical music for inspiration? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:26 Sue D

4:26	CONSTANTLY listened to classical music. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:26

4:26	[Comment From Beverly Beverly : ]  I actually like the sexual scenes/references in the book I thought that it added a different element/layer to the story Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:26 Beverly

4:27	I think we can both answer this one! Definitely! I was also writing program copy for a series of concerts here, so I got a big education in a hurry. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:27

4:27

Thanks, Beverly! I wish I had been more like Sarah when I was young. When I was her age, I lived in Italy and took care of horses on a farm while working as a journalist, so I was physically strong like she is but I lacked her confidence. I should have had more torrid affairs with princes! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:27

4:28	Ah, our misspent youths! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:28

4:28	This question is from me -- The book is published as an original trade paperback – libraries will appreciate the lower price. There’s some debate about how effective it is to release a book that way. What’s your opinion? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:28

4:28	My mother told me that she thought the sex scenes were very funny. I love my mom. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:28

4:29	Your mom has a great sense of humor! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:29

4:29	Well, the industry is trending that way, I think to stay competitive with e-books. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:29

4:29	The following poll is a bit of a pop quizz... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:29

4:29	Who did the Chihuahua belong to? Swedish pop star  ( 11% ) Marchesa Elisa  ( 33% ) Both; he was stolen  ( 56% ) Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:29

4:29	How do librarians feel about e-books? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:29

4:30	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  I haven't checked is there an eBook for City of Dark Magic? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:30 Lucy

4:30	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  Don't misspent snd youth sort of go hand in hand? :-) Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:30 Lucy

4:30	[Comment From Andrienne Andrienne : ]  I'm with Beverly. A little unexpected sex is not a bad thing. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:30 Andrienne

4:30	Yes, and an audiobook, too. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:30

4:31	We are very excited about the reader for the audiobook. She's wonderful! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:31

4:31	I love when the questions and answers cross a little--sex and ebooks! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:31

4:32	Yup; that's Fifty Shades of Ebooks! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:32

4:32	[Comment From Jackie Osting Jackie Osting : ]  How long did it take to do research for the book? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:32 Jackie Osting

4:32	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  Our customers love eBooks but unfortunately we can't get all of the ones they want - sigh... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:32 Lucy

4:33	I don't know if we can publicly announce who the audiobook reader is yet? Check in with our FB page or website and we will reveal all soon.. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:33

4:33	We researched as we wrote, which took about 14 months. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:33

4:33	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  Sex and eBooks - Freudian? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:33 Lucy

4:33	[Comment From Jennifer Jennifer : ]  The plot is so seamless. I am fascinated by the process two authors use to create a work; was the process difficult? Did you work together, send chapters back and forth, rewrite each others' work? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:33 Jennifer

4:34	We did it in a relay! Sending chapters back and forth... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:34

4:34	Back to Sarah and sex -- those who read the book closely will recognize this statue... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:34

4:34	Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:34

4:34	We did rewrite each other's work! No egos involved! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:34

4:35	[Comment From Andrienne Andrienne : ]  e-books are kind of iffy. They're pricey and publishers seem to want to sell them more than have libraries lend them. IMO Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:35 Andrienne

4:35

Yes, we wrote in a relay: I wrote chapter one and sent it to Meg with the subject line “Tag you’re it!” She took the challenge and wrote chapter 2 and we were off. Did I mention the rules? The rules were 1) each chapter should be 3-14 pages, which is about the amount a tired person can read at night before falling asleep. 2) Each chapter had to have something historical, something mysterious, something sexy, something funny, and end with a cliffhanger, and 3) no going back until we were done. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:35

4:36	Rewriting is so much easier with two people! You have to trust the other person and surrender, like skydiving. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:36

4:36	You make the process sound like so much fun. Were there any down moments? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:36

4:36	We moved things around quite a bit in the rewriting, blending two chapters into one, cutting, pasting, switching, adding. So the book's voices aren't A/B anymore. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:36

4:36	[Comment From Jackie Osting Jackie Osting : ]  Who came up with the drug idea? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:36 Jackie Osting

4:36	There was the occasional moment of despair. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:36

4:36	[Comment From Karyn Karyn : ]  I love those rules! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:36 Karyn

4:36	[Comment From Beverly Beverly : ]  Great writing formula for the chapters - love it! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:36 Beverly

4:37	I was really sad when something Meg had written about spontaneous combustion had to be cut because we just couldn't fit it in without stopping the story. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:37

4:37	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  So, not only collabrative writing but collaborative editing. Cool! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:37 Lucy

4:37	How difficult was it to get the book published? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:37

4:38	ABout the drugs: our standard answer is always: me (from both of us!). No one's taking the blame singlehandedly... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:38

4:38	We were VERY lucky in our publishing experience. The book sold quickly. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:38

4:38	Yay, Penguin! We love you! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:38

4:39	Chris is blaming the sex scenes on me when her aunt reads the book. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:39

4:39	You each sent me photos of your writing desks -- Meg thought hers was more messy, but I think they are remarkably similar... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:39

4:39	Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:39

4:39	Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:39

4:39	Mine is the one with the red blinds! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:39

4:39	Oops -- mixed those up -- Chris thought hers was the more messy! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:39

4:40	Ha ha! I am the Queen of Clutter! Only the cat is missing from that photo! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:40

4:40	We need a photo of the cat!! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:40

4:40	Chris has the better view. I live next to an Auto Collision center. I'm waving to the dudes right now! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:40

4:40	He's a little camera shy, but he's always wearing a tuxedo! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:40

4:41	I do have a good view of two pomegranate trees and an olive. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:41

4:41	I mentioned the map before, but wanted to bring it up again. Was it created for the book? Will it appear in the finished copy? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:41

4:41	CITY OF DARK MAGIC; Map of Prague Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:41

4:41	Yes and Yes! Isn't it lovely? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:41

4:42	We have an amazing creative team at Penguin. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:42

4:42	Our participants have mentioned before that they love maps in books -- helps to ground the story. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:42

4:42	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  I was hoping you would say that - having the map will be a great addition to the final book Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:42 Lucy

4:42	Penguin has gone all out for us. That map was a labor of love! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:42

4:42	[Comment From Karyn Karyn : ]  How did you choose your pseudonym? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:42 Karyn

4:43	Wine was involved. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:43

4:43	Did you have a anyone specific in mind when you created the US Senator character? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:43

4:43

Magnus comes from a usurping Roman senator (not so dissimilar from our usurping American senator), and Flyte from Sebastian Flyte, Evelyn’s Waugh’s tragic aristocrat in Brideshead Revisited. Max is a lot less tragic, but he inherited a house like Brideshead, full of stuff, with all the implications. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:43

4:43	Back to the question about the poison in the toenail -- that is SO specific. How did you come up with it? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:43

4:44	Ha! We had a few...inspirations for the Senator. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:44

4:44	[Comment From Catherine Catherine : ]  In addition to the map, the cover design is also beautiful. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:44 Catherine

4:44	Charlotte pretty much grabbed the stage the moment she arrived. I don't think either of us expected her to be so larger than life--I have no idea who we were channeling!!! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:44

4:44

The toenail is a great example of how one person built on the other's lead in surprising ways. First there was a pillbox. Then the other person added the toenails. And later the toenail became a pill. And since the pill came from Tycho, then the pillbox was in the shape of his copper nose. None of that was planned! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:44

4:45	Click on the cover and you will see how many elements it incorporates from the story... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:45

4:45	City of Dark Magic Cover Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:45

4:45	The book is coming out soon -- how are you feeling leading up to publication date? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:45

4:45	Can we say it? ANXIOUS! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:45

4:46	Incredibly excited and looking for something to hide under. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:46

4:46	[Comment From Jackie Osting Jackie Osting : ]  Because the story moves so quickly from place to place I think the map will be very helpful to readers. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:46 Jackie Osting

4:46	[Comment From Andrienne Andrienne : ]  I like how you treated the pseudo time travelling. It gave new meaning why people visit monuments and museums. The energies people leave behind. It also made me think of ghosts. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:46 Andrienne

4:46	[Comment From Catherine Catherine : ]  Love the creativity behind the pseudonym...must have been really great wine :) Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:46 Catherine

4:46	Wine, cats, sex -- that's what librarian respond to! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:46

4:47	Andrienne...yes, that's how we feel in museums so we built on that... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:47

4:47	About the time travel: for a year or so I lived in an apartment in Italy that was built in 1250. I used to lie in bed and think about all the people who had lived and died and been born in the room... happy ghosts, I guess, because they never bothered me! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:47

4:47	It sounds like you enjoyed this experience together so much -- what's next? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:47

4:48	Wine, cats, dogs, horses and BOOKS!!!!! That is life. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:48

4:48	The sequel is next! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:48

4:48	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  I also liked the idea of Sarah deciding she wanted to leave her own 'engery' behind for the future by living life to the fullest. :-) Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:48 Lucy

4:48	Next: the sequel! City of something! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:48

4:48	Lucy: yes! I think about that now, too. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:48

4:49	We talk about that a lot, Lucy! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:49

4:49	[Comment From Ginny Griffith Gustin Ginny Griffith Gustin : ]  It was the cover art that made me expect high fantasy, but now I see I should have examined it more closely. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:49 Ginny Griffith Gustin

4:49	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  When will the sequel be coming out? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:49 Lucy

4:49	December 2013! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:49

4:49	Sequel comes out Dec. 2013. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:49

4:50	I love this haunting photo you sent me .. tell us about it... Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:50

4:50	Max Lobkowicz Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:50

4:50	"We are writing it now," she said, breaking out in a full-body sweat. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:50

4:50	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  Sorry, that should have been 'energy' Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:50 Lucy

4:50	That's the real Max Lobkowicz. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:50

4:51	Isn't that stunning? That;s the real Grandpa Max who had to flee Lobkowicz Palace in 1939 and again in 1948. He never got to go back. Left with the coat on his back and the hat on his head and little else. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:51

4:51	[Comment From Jackie Osting Jackie Osting : ]  Can't wait for another adventure! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:51 Jackie Osting

4:51	[Comment From Ginny Griffith Gustin Ginny Griffith Gustin : ]  Can't wait for that sequel! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:51 Ginny Griffith Gustin

4:51	[Comment From Catherine Catherine : ]  A sequel....yay!!! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:51 Catherine

4:51	Thanks, Jackie! And Ginny! And Catherine! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:51

4:51	The portrait hangs in the Lobkowicz Palace Museum, which is a must visit if you are in Prague. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:51

4:51	I think there's a bit of enthusiasm for the sequel! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:51

4:52	You will see a lot of familiar objects! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:52

4:52	Loving the enthusiasm for a sequel! (more sweat.) Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:52

4:52	We're getting close to the end. Any questions the authors want to ask the librarians? Anything we didn't ask? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:52

4:52	About the sequel: so glad! And, of course, anxious. But in a good, sweaty way! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:52

4:53	We think the book is sort of a hybrid of genres...do you agree? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:53

4:53	Looks like our readers did well with the poll about Charlotte Yates -- she was indeed all of those things! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:53

4:53

Just a big thank you for doing what you do: libraries were my favorite escape as a kid (and still are). I was an early and fast reader and I used to check out as many books as I could carry, mostly about horses. I mastered the dewey decimal system very early—though I still miss card catalogs! They had a certain smell that I loved. Even with all the media available to us, there’s still no better escape than a good book. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:53

4:54	Thanks, Chris -- we appreciate that! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:54

4:54	[Comment From Laura Laura : ]  It's such a rich cast of characters it would be a shame NOT to do a sequel - did you ever have trouble balancing all the characters? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:54 Laura

4:55	Yes, I love Meg's question and I wonder how you guys feel about the distinctions reviewers make between literary fiction and genre fiction? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:55

4:55	[Comment From Faythe Faythe : ]  I've been telling a lot of people to look for the book no matter what their "genre" of choice is. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:55 Faythe

4:55	We went to the library every week when I was a kid. I still go to the library every week. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:55

4:55	We had some disagreement about the owner of the Chihuahua -- who was it? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:55

4:55	[Comment From Sarah Sarah : ]  Thank you for writing this book! I will enjoy recommending it to everyone! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:55 Sarah

4:56	[Comment From Jackie Osting Jackie Osting : ]  I agree with Faythe--it has broad appeal Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:56 Jackie Osting

4:56	About the large cast: yes! We have all those great characters from CODM and now some new ones... juggling is happening as we speak! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:56

4:56	[Comment From Ginny Griffith Gustin Ginny Griffith Gustin : ]  I agree the book is a very intriguing hybrid of genres. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:56 Ginny Griffith Gustin

4:56	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  As to the sequel -- I'm thinking Christmas 2013 presents! :-) Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:56 Lucy

4:56	Laura - we had a running list of who was who...we spelled Nico's name about a hundred different ways...so yes, sometimes it was confusing! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:56

4:56	The chihuahua belonged to Hilda, then the Marchesa brought it to Nela, and then Max took it at the end. Happy ending! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:56

4:57	I love that 78% of people want to go to Prague now! Go! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:57

4:57	Only the chihuahua ever knew its whole story, like all rescue dogs. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:57

4:57	Yes -- I love that, too. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:57

4:57	I have to admit that I feared a chat with two authors might be confusing, but you guys clearly work well together. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:57

4:57	[Comment From Catherine Catherine : ]  Yes, you have a nice mix of genres in the story, and as another librarian commented, it is seamlessly done. That's very impressive! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:57 Catherine

4:58	Go to Prague! It's so wonderful! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:58

4:58	I'm fascinated by how many people are commenting on the mix of genres -- will make it easy to recommend. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:58

4:58	[Comment From Karyn Karyn : ]  Genres have certain expectations - it took me a bit to switch from expecting fantasy coding. But that's not a bad thing :) Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:58 Karyn

4:58	Thanks--remember that line from Best In Show: "it's like we have one brain between us." Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:58

4:58	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  Forgot to ask about Max's character, why a drummer in a rock band? Do you know someone who fits that bill? Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:58 Lucy

4:59	All my ex-boyfriends. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:59

4:59	This was so much fun! Thank you all so much. Great questions, great feedback. Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:59

4:59	Oh, no, Meg -- the drummers are always trouble! Wednesday October 3, 2012 4:59

5:00	Yes, thank you! Such fun! Wednesday October 3, 2012 5:00

5:00	We're be ending here -- thanks so much "Magnus Flyte" Librarians -- thanks for all your great comments. If you enjoyed this, please tell your friends about the program. Wednesday October 3, 2012 5:00

5:01	Just a few more comments coming in... Wednesday October 3, 2012 5:01

5:01	[Comment From Beth Beth : ]  Visited Prague 40 years ago and have never forgotten it--or Kutna Hora! Wednesday October 3, 2012 5:01 Beth

5:01	[Comment From Catherine Catherine : ]  Drummers are the typical bad boys! Wednesday October 3, 2012 5:01 Catherine

5:01	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  Sexy for the Romance romance readers, history for the historical fiction reader, spies and such for the adventure/thrillers readers, local color for the NF travel readers. How can we miss on recommendations? :-) Wednesday October 3, 2012 5:01 Lucy

5:01	[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ]  Thank you! Wednesday October 3, 2012 5:01 Lucy

5:02	Over and out! Wednesday October 3, 2012 5:02

5:02	Thank you so much! Wednesday October 3, 2012 5:02

5:02	[Comment From Jennifer Jennifer : ]  Thank you for taking your time. Looking forward to the sequel. Wednesday October 3, 2012 5:02 Jennifer

 

 

Libraries are ordering more copies of Sutton, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist J.R. Moehringer’s debut novel (Hyperion, 9/25; Hyperion Audio; Thorndike Large Print), due to rising holds, according to librarians on yesterday’s GalleyChat. Interest is a result of the popularity of the author’s best selling previous title, a memoir, The Tender Bar (Hyperion, 2005).

He was interviewed on NPR’s Fresh Air last week and explained that he chose one of the most famous bank robbers in history as the subject of his novel because, “it would be healthy to live vicariously through a bank robber at [the] moment that bankers were ruining the world.”

After its win at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, The Silver Linings Playbook is considered a candidate for several Oscar nominations. A new trailer has been released, giving a better impression of the story than the teaser that came out in June.

Based on the novel by Matthew Quick (one of Nancy Pearl’s picks for summer reading, 2009), it arrives in theaters on Nov. 21. It stars Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro.

Love the opening segment.

—

Tie-in:

The Silver Linings Playbook [movie tie-in edition]l Matthew Quick Retail Price: $15.00 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Sarah Crichton Books – (2012-10-16) ISBN / EAN: 0374533571 / 9780374533571

Simon Winchester has covered many broad sweeping subjects in his writing career, but in his latest book, he focuses on a single collection.

Of course, it is a pretty remarkable collection; thousands of skulls, from the smallest, that of a wren, up to a hippopotamus skull, housed, improbably in the owner’s bedroom.

Skulls: An Exploration of Alan Dudley’s Curious Collection, is featured in the NYT Science section today. It wasn’t reviewed prepub, so few libraries have ordered it.

Skulls: An Exploration of Alan Dudley’s Curious Collection Simon Winchester Retail Price: $29.95 Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers – (2012-10-09) ISBN / EAN: 1579129129 / 9781579129125

Critics were wowed by the premiere of Ang Lee’s Life of Pi, based on the book by Yann Martel, at the New York Film Festival on Friday. It’s now considered a shoe-in for multiple Oscar nominations.

The rest of us won’t get to see it until the regular run begins on Nov. 21.

Official Web site: LifeOfPiMovie.com

Below is the latest trailer, released last week.

In addition to the movie tie-in and the audio version from HighBridge, a behind-the-scenes book is being published by Harper Design.

The Making of Life of Pi: A Film, a Journey Jean-Christophe Castelli Retail Price: $35.00 Hardcover: 160 pages Publisher: Harper Design – (2012-10-30) ISBN / EAN: 0062114131 / 9780062114136

To recognize libraries for their support of Attica Locke’s new book The Cutting Season, HarperCollins Library Marketing is offering an opportunity for a library to host an event with the author.

To enter, please fill out the form here, including information on how you would make an Attica event special.

Proposals are being solicited until October 12, 2012.  The visit would occur before the end of this calendar year.

The UK’s Observer just reviewed the book, saying, “Belles, balls and bloody deeds mingle to dazzling effect in Attica Locke’s evocation of the deep south past and present.”

Team Attica Locke member Columbus (OH) Metropolitan Library has built up substantial holds on the book because of staff recommendations and are hosting a Facebook chat with Attica on Oct. 23rd.

The new book, Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic by David Quammen (Norton), featured on NPR’s Weekend Edition yesterday, is so frightening that the interviewer asked how people can continue with their lives once they learn that a virus far worse than SARS is in our future. Some may take solace in another new book, Regenesis, by George M. Church (Perseus/Basic Books), which gets the Colbert treatment on Thursday. The author claims that, because of “synthetic biology,” we can look forward to “a future in which human beings have become immune to all viruses, in which bacteria can custom-produce everyday items, like a drinking cup, or generate enough electricity to end oil dependency.”

On Wednesday, Kenny Rogers will sit down with Colbert to talk about his memoir, Luck or Something Like It (Harper/Morrow; Dreamscape Audio; ebook and audio on OverDrive), which releases tomorrow.

Tonight, on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Arnold Schwarzenegger continues his media blitz for his memoir, Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story by Arnold Schwarzenegger (S&S; Thorndike Press; S&S Audio). He appeared on Sixty Minutes last night. The book is reviewed by Janet Maslin in the New York Times today.
 

PBS calls their upcoming season the strongest fall schedule in years. This weekend brings the debut of two of the programs in the lineup, both based on books, Call the Midwife (see earlier story) and Half the Sky, which runs on Oct 1 and Oct 2.

You may also get demand from the schools; Random House Academic Marketing is making a push to high schools and colleges, including screenings of the documentaty at the upcoming National Council of Teachers of English and National Council of Social Studies. Online teaching resources will also be available

The PBS seal appears on new printings of the book, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (RH/Vintage).

The DVD will be released in November.

It is also available in audio from HighBridge Audio.

[NOTE: If you linked here from the 10/5 newsletter, we posted the wrong one. The correct one is New Title Radar: October 8 – 14]

Politics rules nonfiction this week, with a memoir by former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and new books by political pundits Stephen Colbert, Bill O’Reilly and Ann Coulter. In fiction, returning favorites include Mark Helprin and Per Patterson, plus there’s a charming debut by Robin Sloan. Usual suspects include Dennis Lehane, John Sandford, Nora Roberts, Christine Feehan and Sylvia Day. In YA, Rick Riordan returns with much anticipation and adult author Jasper Fforde starts a fantasy series.

Watch List

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (Macmillan/FSG) is a modern fantasy about a laid off web designer turned bookstore clerk in San Francisco who uses old and new media to crack a variety of codes. Kirkus says, “Sloan’s debut novel takes the reader on a dazzling and flat-out fun adventure, winding through the interstices between the literary and the digital realms.” It was a BEA Librarian’s Shout ‘n’ Share pick and continues as a favorite on GalleyChat. That cover glows in the dark.

Returning Favorites

In Sunlight and in Shadow by Mark Helprin (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Blackstone Audio) gets the thumbs up from People magazine, which gives it 4 of 4 stars and designates it a People Pick in the new issue: “Helprin’s delightful new novel is a 705-page mash note to Manhattan in the years immediately following World War II. Like Winters Tale, the 1983 bestseller that made his name, it’s a paean to women and their beauty… Helprin paints a dazzling portrait of the city… and evokes the universal, dizzy delight of falling head over heels in love.” NPR’s All Things Considered also gave it a strong review. The film of Helprin’s Winter’s Tale, to begin production in Manhattan on October 27, stars Colin Farrell, Downton Abbey‘s Jessica Brown Findlay, William Hurt, Will Smith and Russell Crowe.

It’s Fine By Me by Per Patterson (Graywolf Press) explores the youth of Arvid Jensen, last seen in Patterson’s I Curse the River of Time (2010). This book is a reissue of a 1992 novel by Norwegian author Patterson, who first broke out with Out Stealing Horses, which won the 2007 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. LJ calls this one “Essential for upmarket readers.”

Usual Suspects

Live by Night by Dennis Lehane (Harper/ Morrow; Harperluxe; HarperAudio) is a crime novel set in the Prohibition era about the rise of an Irish-American gangster. It gets a B+ in Entertainment Weekly, which calls it a “ripping, movie-ready yarn that jumps from a Boston prison to Tampa speakeasies to a Cuban tobacco farm.”

Mad River by John Sandford (Penguin/Putnam; Center Point Large Print; Penguin Audiobooks) is the fifth novel featuring Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agent Virgil Flowers, who investigates an armed rampage by three teens in rural Minnesota. It was featured on NPR’s Weekend edition Saturday.

The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts (Penguin/Berkley; Thorndike Large Print; Brilliance Audio) is the final installment in the Inn Boonsboro trilogy.

Dark Storm by Christine Feehan (Penguin/Berkley; Thorndike Press; Penguin Audiobooks) is the latest in the Carpathian series of paranormal romances.

Reflected in You by Sylvia Day (Berkley; Brilliance Audio; Thorndike Large print) — is the second in the Crossfire series, which began with the self-published Bared to You, widely regarded as a successor to Fifty Shades of Grey (and with covers that underscore the similarity). UPDATE: We had the wrong pub. date. It’s actually Oct. 23, which means you still have time to request the digital ARC via Edelweiss and NetGalley.

Young Adult

The Mark of Athena:(Heroes of Olympus, Book 3) by Rick Riordan (Hyperion Books; Thorndike Press; Listening Library) has been right behind J.K. Rowling’s new book on Amazon’s sales rankings and rivals the Nora Roberts title for the most holds on this list.

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde (Harcourt Children’s Books; Brilliance Audio) is a YA fantasy novel by the British author of the fanciful Thursday Next literary mysteries and the Nursery Crime series. PW says, “There’s a lot of setup for later books in Fforde’s Chronicles of Kazam, but it’s so inventive and charming that readers will happily stick with it (though the tragic death of a major character will hit some of them hard) and be impatient for the next episode.”

Movie Tie-Ins

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (Random House Trade) is one of two titles, long considered unfilmable, that will actually be released this fall. News of the movie sent Mitchell’s 2004 title back to best seller lists (the regular trade paperback edition is at #5 on the 10/7 NYT best seller list, after 8 weeks). Starring Tom Hanks, Jim Sturgess, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Susan Sarandon and Hugh Grant, the movie arrives in theaters on Oct. 26.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel (HMH; Random House Large Print Publishing; HighBridge Audio) is the second of the two titles coming out this fall that were long considered unfilmable. Directed by Ang Lee, it releases on Nov. 21. The Making of Life of Pi : A Film, a Journey by Jean-Christophe Castelli will be released on 10/30.

Nonfiction

Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story by Arnold Schwarzenegger (Simon & Schuster; Thorndike Press; Simon & Schuster Audio)  is a memoir by the former California governor about his rise from Austrian bodybuilder to Mr. Universe, business man, movie star, Kennedy family member via marriage to Maria Shriver, Republican leader, and his affair and child with a longtime family employee. It will be featured on 60 Minutes on Sunday, Sept. 30, and has been promoted in advance on CBS This Morning

America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren’t by Stephen Colbert (Hachette/Grand Central; Hachette Audio) is the latest political satire from the host of Comedy Central’s Colbert Report.

Call the Midwife, the BBC series that, incredibly, beat the UK ratings for Downton Abbey‘s second season, debuts on PBS this Sunday.

People calls it ” the soppily tender story of ’50s midwives in London’s East End” and gives it 3.5 of a possible 4 stars.

The UKs Telegraph wonders “Will Downton Abbey’s stateside fans stomach the Call the Midwife crises?” and warns that, “with recent UK period drama focusing on upper-class glamour … US viewers … may be in for a bit of a shock – despite PBS’s carefully describing the drama as ‘colourful’ (as in blood-drenched).” Adding that “close-ups … will support the US view of the lamentable state of British dentistry.”

But US critics are won over. The Washington Post ranks it as one of the best of the new season, saying,

The cast is marvelous, the gritty, post-war set pieces are meticulously recreated and, even with all the warm-water enemas and splattered afterbirth, the story always has its eye on uplift and good cheer.

Watch Call the Midwife – Preview on PBS. See more from Call the Midwife.

The series is based on Jennifer Worth’s memoirs, released as a tie-in edition in August. In addition, there is a companion volume and an audio from HighBridge.

The Life and Times of Call the Midwife: The Official Companion to Season One and Two Heidi Thomas Retail Price: $29.99 Hardcover: 288 pages Publisher: Harper Design – (2012-10-23) ISBN / EAN: 0062250035 / 9780062250032

Taylor Swift has signed on to play Joni Mitchell in Sony Pictures’ adaptation of Sheila Weller’s Girls Like Us (S&S; Atria, 2008), which chronicles the lives of Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon.

Up for the part of Carly Simon are Allison Williams (Marnie in Girls), Jessica Pare (Megan Draper in Mad Men), and Analeigh Tipton (Crazy, Stupid, Love).

Reportedly under consideration for Carole King are Alison Pill (Newsroom‘s Maggie Jordan), Olivia Thirlby (Juno),  Ari Graynor (For a Good Time Call…), and Zoe Kazan (Ruby Sparks).

Girls Like Us was praised by the NYT BR for “Weller’s skills as a storyteller and her understanding of the musical traditions that inspired each of her subjects.”

One of the titles shortlisted for the Booker will be released in the US on Oct. 16, the very day the winner will be announced.

Deborah Levy’s Swimming Home is published in the UK by And Other Stories, a publisher that is trying an unusual model, selling their books through annual subscriptions with the aim of helping writers whose books are not considered commercial enough to be published by mainstream houses. It is being published in the US by Bloomsbury.

The UK’s Observer reviewed Swimming Home last week and called it “dazzling.”

In betting at the UK bookmaker Ladbroke’s, Levy’s novel is currently the fifth of the six shortlisted titles

Hilary Mantel, Bring up the Bodies, Macmillan/Holt — 9 to 4

Will Self, Umbrella, Grove Press, (US pub date: Dec. 10th) — 11 to 4

Alison Moore, The Lighthouse, Salt Publishing, available in the US through Amazon Digital Services — 5 to 1

Tan Twan Eng, The Garden of Evening Mists, Perseus/ Weinstein Books — 5 to 1

Deborah Levy, Swimming Home,
Macmillan/Bloomsbury  (US pub date: Oct. 16th) — 6 to 1

Jeet Thayil, Narcopolis, Penguin Press– 8 to 1

Moving up all the Best Seller lists this week, after three weeks on sale, is How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough (HMH; 9/4/12; Tantor Audio). The author’s previous book was a look at the Harlem Children’s Project, Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and America.  In this new book, reviewed in the 8/22 NYT BR, he argues that character traits, rather than IQ, determine success in life.

Most libraries are showing  holds of 10:1.