Wednesday, September 15th, 2010
Featuring: Laurie Halse Anderson, Jon Scieszka & Leonard Marcus
Link here for more information and to register
Archive for the ‘EarlyWord’ Category
Going Graphic
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
The book trade eNewsletter Shelf Awareness published a dedicated issue on graphic novels today, offering an overview of the format. We’re delighted to see librarians featured, and partcularly our own Robin Brenner, who writes the weekly EarlyWord “Go Graphic!” column (see her latest here), as well as her friend and colleague, Eva Volin, supervising children’s librarian at the Alameda (CA) Free Library.
Robin reveals that, in the Brookline (MA) Public Library, circ of graphic novels has now surpassed DVD’s. Just goes to show what effect a knowledgeable selector can have. A story on indie bookstores reveals that they, too, often need an evangelist to get them to try the format.
Rounding out the issue is an overview of popular novelists adopting the format (Jodi Picoult does Wonder Woman) and interviews with Dark Horse editor Sierra Hahn as well as wife and husband comics creators, Kathryn and Stuart Immonen Patsy Walker: Hellcat.
GalleyChat Tomorrow
Monday, July 12th, 2010Please join us at 4 p.m., EDT, tomorrow, to talk about galleys of forthcoming books (if you haven’t joined a GalleyChat before, click here for details).
Many of you have unpacked your ALA boxes, so there will be lots to talk about.
Here’s some titles that may come up:
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This title has come up at every one of our previous GalleyChats. I read it during the recent NYC heat wave and it was the perfect antidote. There’s plenty of heat because it’s set in South Florida, but there is also plenty of swimming, boating and a community of summer homes built on stilts. No high drama or madness here, thank heaven; just an engrossing story of an “ordinary” woman as she meets the man she will marry, forms lasting friendships, and raises a family. It’s refreshing to read about good, caring people who struggle with many of the same issues we all do, but who bring an extra ounce of wisdom to it.
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Of course, Laura Lippman already has a following, but this standalone is poised to bring her to a whole new audience.
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This book had me at the opening line, “Pimps make the best librarians.” The author knows; he had to draw on prison inmates to help run his library.
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I met author Rebecca Costa during her signing at ALA. She’s a real force and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her on the talk shows this fall. The book’s scary subtitle addresses her central question; “Why can’t we think our way out of our problems any more?”
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This debut sounds like a good, old-fashioned saga about a 76-year old former Russian ballerina who reviews her past as she puts together an auction catalog of her jewels.
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Isabel was the last speaker on the First Author panel at ALA and she had us hanging on her every word as she spoke passionately about the migration of African Americans to the North, told through the stories of ordinary people who made the trek.
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The true story of a woman recovering from an illness. Her friend gives her a very strange gift; a snail in a terrarium
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By the author of An Arsonist’s Guide to Writer’s Home in New England; it was a librarians’ Shout & Share pick at BEA and was featured at Algonquin’s booth at ALA.
Second Galley Chat!
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010We enjoyed the last one so much, that we’re doing it again, tomorrow at 4 p.m., Eastern.
Here’s your opportunity to let your fellow librarians know what galleys to move to the top (or bottom) of their To Be Read piles. Log on to Twitter at 4 p.m.; hashtag is #ewgc (for more explicit directions, click here).
Some of you may have more to add about the titles that came up last time (see Galley Chat!). Here’s a few others you may have received lately:
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One of the authors who will be featured at the AAP’s Librarian Lunch coming up at BEA.
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Author is appearing at the ALTAFF Tea at ALA next month.
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One of the Harper Buzz titles (check it out here). It sounded great even before we got to see this terrific cover.
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She was a riot grossing us out at the AAP Breakfast at PLA (everything floats at zero gravity, including dead skin — like being in a snow globe). Let’s see how she handles Jon Stewart, who is the MC of BEA’s Author Breakfast on Thurs, May 27th.
Galley Chat!
Monday, April 19th, 2010Thanks to all of you who joined in on Galley Chat on Friday. Twenty-five contributed to the discussion and we’re guessing many others were lurking. Thanks, also, to the library marketing folks from Penguin and Random House, who jumped in and offered galleys to those who wanted them.
This was our first attempt, so we didn’t know what would happen. It turned out to be very lively; like doing RA with a bunch of colleagues (in 140 characters, which, although limiting, isn’t as difficult as I expected).
So, we’re going to try it again. While Fridays at 4 EDT seems like a good time, at least for those who showed up at this one, it conflicts with Follow The Reader‘s weekly librarian/bookseller chat (we had complaints from several, who were bouncing back and forth between the two). So, for our next Galley Chat, we are going to try Wednesday, May 12, at 4 p.m. EDT. Info on how to join here.
Below are the titles that elicited the most comments during Friday’s chat, in reverse order by pub month.
AUGUST TITLES
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Virginia Stanley, HarperCollins library marketing, made an impression when she talked about this first novel at PLA (she also presented it at MidWinter, listen here). Robin Beerbower of Salem, OR sent a comment in advance, saying it’s a “terrific first novel about a long marriage” and was particularly taken with the setting, a community of homes on pilings in Biscayne Bay, FL.
JULY TITLES
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Still Missing, St. Martin’s big thriller debut, was the most-discussed of the Galley Chat titles. One library had just added it and is already getting holds, so is planning to buy more.
JUNE TITLES
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Rebecca Vnuk particularly loves The One That I Want and is planning to write about this for her women’s fiction blog.
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RH’s Marcie Purcell presented Lemon Cake movingly at PLA; about a young girl who discovers she can taste her mother’s despair in the cake she baked for her daughter’s birthday. Many said it’s on their list to read next.
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Those who have read it say it’s tough to talk about The Passage without introducing spoilers, but they were clearly dying to talk about specific sections. We may need a to feature this in a discussion that is only open to those that have read it.
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Audio; UNABR; 978-1-4272-1215-3; $39.99
Lots of excitement about Crashers; a sabotaged jet crashes and investigators have a race against the clock to prevent another. Said one person, “Page-burning suspense. Keep the Dramamine handy.”
MAY TITLES
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Ship Breaker is a YA title (one person says it’s perfect for those who love Hunger Games), but with potential cross over to adult. The author’s first book, The Wind-up Girl was on many end-of-the-year best lists and is nominated for a Hugo Award.
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The Lonely Polygamist is long, but readers say it’s engrossing and the writing is beautiful. Daniel Golden, the owner of Boswell and Books in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a big fan and has been blogging about it and about “hating, then loving big, fat books.”
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Audio; Penguin Audio; UNABR; 9780142427699; $39.95
The only nonfiction title that came up. Nobody in the group had read it yet, but is definitely high up on TBR lists. At PLA Book Buzz, Nancy Pearl gave it kudos, saying it shows Custer as you never imagined him.
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Many said they thought it sounded wonderful. If you want a copy, go here,. For just a taste, you can to Tablet Magazine, where it is being serialized.
APRIL TITLES
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Audio; Penguin Audio; 9780142427996; $39.95
A “non-cliched” Chinese immigrant coming-of-age tale, with potential YA crossover.
Galley Chat This Friday
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010We’re hearing from librarians about the galleys they want to talk about during our first Galley Chat this Friday at 4 p.m., EDT (info on how to join here).
Of course, there’s Justin Cronin’s The Passage (if you think you don’t have the galley, check again; Random House has been papering the earth with it).
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There’s also growing interest in St. Martin’s big debut thriller, Still Missing.
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Also on people’s lips is Workman library marketer Mike Rockliff’s favorite, The Frozen Rabbi (which is tied for “Most Memorable Title of the Season” with Norton’s The Lonely Polygamist).
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Others are excited about Stiltville, which HarperCollins’ Virginia Stanley presented succinctly at PLA; “An ordinary tale made extraordinary by the writing. It’s my story, it’s your story.”
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