|
|
In a World Without Bookstores
Recent articles have indicated that Borders bookstores may be in trouble. They reported financial losses and are looking into selling off some of their property. Luckily for us Americans, the properties they are considering disposing of are foreign stores. While Barnes & Noble is not doing quite as badly, it's believed they would not likely consider buying Borders. But reading about the situation with Borders got me thinking. Generally, I get my books from one of three places: Borders, Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com. I would be sad if one of those choices was to disappear. My vivid imagination went running, though, and I started thinking - what would I do if there were no more bookstores? Here is my top ten list of things I would do if there were no more bookstores: 10. FINALLY catch up on my TBR pile. 9. Reread all my favorites, at least once. 8. Do all those chores around the house I have been putting off so I could read my books. 7. Spend time with family and friends - you know, those people I have neglected so I could "just finish this one last chapter!" 6. Fine tune all those other hobbies I have that I often don't do because I could be curled up on the couch, reading. 5. Go stark raving nuts because I want MORE BOOKS! 4. Take a long drive around the country, seeing the sights, visiting friends and trying to accept the fact that I can't drive and read a book at the same time anyway so the lack of new books wouldn't be that big a deal. 3. Sky dive, at last! 2. Break down into tears because I need more books, so... 1. ... Start my own bookstore! What would you do if there were no more bookstores? Nicole
The Time After an RT Convention When I "Got Sex"
By Bonnie Vanak  I'm writing this blog post just before I leave for the Dominican Republic to tour poverty-stricken areas for the day job. In addition to being an author, I work for a large international charity and travel to developing countries to write stories about poor people so we can raise money to help them. I'm leaving for DR, but my mind is on RT and Pittsburgh next month. I'm thinking about the booksigning and meeting readers, and getting Christine Feehan's newest release, partying at Heather Graham's vampire ball, my workshop with Cindy Cruciger, Sandra Hill and other panelists, greeting longtime bookseller friends like Lisa Fenton, seeing Diane, Chris and Leah from Dorchester, and old and new friends like authors Linnea Sinclair, Stacey Klemstein, Aleka Nakis, Lyn Armstrong, Cindy Holby, Renee Bernard, Marianne LaCroix, Erin McCarthy, Kathy Love, and fellow Nocturne authors Pam Palmer, Caridad Pineiro, Vivi Anna, and Patrice Michelle. But I'll also be thinking about those Ellora's Cave pins. Three years ago at RT, I went to the Ellora's Cave party as a new EC author. Blair Valentine, my evil twin, had just signed on for her first humorous erotic romance. I received a GOT SEX pin with Blair's name on it. I was so proud of that flashing marquee pin. After all, I had been an RT virgin only three years before and now I was flashing GOT SEX at everyone. RT is scads of fun. Lots of parties, gorgeous costumes, fun people and cover models. After that particular RT, I came home and almost immediately had to travel to Haiti for the day job. I didn't bother unpacking everything in the knapsack I had taken with me to the convention. The trip was to northern Haiti, touring with a priest we help who wanted to build houses for people living in mud and stick homes. As the priest is driving myself and the photographer over winding, bumpy roads, I'm digging in my knapsack to show him the lovely Mass card I got at my aunt's memorial service. And I whip out a card showing a shirtless CJ Hollenbach, showing off his impressive torso. Beet red, I'm stuttering some lame excuse as the priest's eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. "That is the Mass card?" he asks in broken English. "Oh no, no, it's in here somewhere," I mutter, while Ben the photographer is snickering. I start dumping stuff out, knowing it HAS to be in there, and suddenly there it is, flashing merrily away. My Ellora's Cave pin. It's asking GOT SEX? GOT SEX? GOT SEX? I try to turn off the pin, but can't shut it off, it's like that pink Energizer bunny and keeps going and going and going. I dump everything back into my knapsack and start asking the priest questions about the housing. All the time we're in the field, I'm carting about my backpack with the pin inside flashing GOT SEX? So this is my advice to you, be it your first RT convention or your 25th: Have fun, relax and let go. Party, attend great workshops, make new friends and collect all the cool stuff you want. Trust me, there will be plenty of author promo items available. But make sure when you get home to unpack everything and put it away. Otherwise, GOT SEX may just reach out and flash you when you least expect it.
Win Ilona Andrews Books or Critique
The Past, the Present and the Future - In Books
 My friends tell me I am their source of information when it comes to new books and new authors. So imagine my horror when I realized that I hadn't caught on that Shannon K. Butcher's new romantic suspense, NO CONTROL, had come out already. I saw an excerpt of it in Cosmopolitan magazine (don't judge - I subscribed for the possible free iPod) and realized I was behind. Speaking of Mrs. Butcher, her husband has some interesting projects coming out this year. Subterranean, a small press that specializes in creepy books, is publishing BACKUP, a novelette by Jim Butcher featuring Harry Dresden's brother, Thomas, and is due in October. Also due in October is another addition to the Dresden world. THE DRESDEN FILES: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE is a new graphic novel by Butcher, just in time for Halloween.   Another author who has a lot of books coming out this year is Richelle Mead. Two more books in her YA series, Vampire Academy, are due this year. The third Succubus book, SUCCUBUS DREAMS, is due in September. And she is launching a third series, Dark Swan, with STORM BORN in August. (If you are attending RT this year, you should be able to ask her about them.)    On a non-fiction note, I have seen something of interest. I am a big fan of memoirs and biographies, but reading them I am always aware that there is more than one side to the story. TWEAK: GROWING UP ON METHAMPHETAMINES by Nic Sheff is a recent release and tells the story about his addiction to meth and his eventual recovery. And then there is BEAUTIFUL BOY: A FATHER'S JOURNEY THROUGH HIS SON'S METH ADDICTION, by David Sheff, Nic's father. I love the idea of these two books telling the same story, but from different perspectives. While I am sure there would still be questions at the end of the day, this would go a long way towards illustrating a more complete story.   Coming soon, guest blogger Bonnie Vanak and other favorite authors that will be attending RT convention. Nicole
Guest Blogger: Dianne Castell
 So you want to go to RT! Join in the fun, meet the great authors and talk books with readers from all over the place that you've been talking to online! Well, I want to do this too. In fact, I've been planning on this trip for a year, a whole entire year since I got back from RT Houston. Except...and I can hardly write this...now I can't go to RT Pittsburg! How can that be? What did I do to deserve this? Where else can I catch a Mr. Romance Contest, and this year, a Mr. Romance reunion! How delicious is that? Where else can I legitimately and openly ogle hunky guys for long periods of time and get away with it without my husband saying...*Put you eyes back in your head, dear.* And where else can I dress up like a slut pirate and not wind up in jail? You see, I'm part of the Scamps and Vamps and we're throwing this neat reader bash, Bad Pirates Get All the Booty. Now I'm not going to get anything. And I'm so going to miss the incredible parties like the Nightwalker Stud Muffin Mixer. Does that sound like fun or what? And what am I going to do with my vampire costume and fairy costume? Anyone need a pair of spiked teeth? But as much fun as all this is, the thing I'll miss most is seeing people I've met at RT over the years. I live in Cincinnati and the only time I see Karen Kelley from Texas is at RT. Lucy Monroe is in Oregon and I never see her except for RT. And Lori Foster and I were driving together to Pittsburg and now we won't have our five hour uninterrupted gabbing session. The friendships from all the years I've attended RT are some of my dearest. Now that I've sulked and brooded to you the only thing left to do is think about next year's RT. Orlando! That's enough to perk anyone up. RT, here I come...a year late. So, those of you who have attended an RT convention, what is your favorite thing about it? What would you miss most if you couldn't go? Those of you who've never made it to an RT convention, what is the one thing you would look forward to the most? For trying to cheer me up I'll give away two HOT AND BOTHERED T-shirts from the list of responses. Thanks for chatting and happy RTing. Hugs, Dianne Castell HOT AND BOTHERED (Kensington BRAVA), April 08 http://www.diannecastell.com
Best Sellers as Barometers
 There are several table displays in my local bookstore that I will consistently head for when I walk in: the trade paperbacks, the 2-for-3 tables and the themed tables that relate to my particular interests. I play a little game with myself, checking over the tables to see which books I already have and which ones are by authors I enjoy. I do the same thing with best seller lists. I took a look at last week's Wall Street Journal fiction bestseller lists and found the following: Number one was Sophie Kinsella's REMEMBER ME? As I mentioned previously, I picked this up the day it came out and I plan to read it soon. Some say Chick Lit as a genre is dead - I say it's evolved and only the fittest have survived, including Ms. Kinsella.  OUTLAW DEMON WAILS by Kim Harrison was number four. I am rereading the whole series before I read this one, much to the chagrin of those friends of mine who already devoured it and are desperate to talk about it. Currently on the third in the series and expect to get to this one in a few days. The queens of romance favorites are next: #5 is J.D. Robb's STRANGERS IN DEATH, #6 Danielle Steel's HONOR THYSELF. Has there been a best seller list without one of these ladies on it?  The third installment of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga, ECLIPSE, comes in at number 11. This is not a series I have read yet, but I have found the cover art to be very intriguing and it has been added to my wish list.  The rest of the fiction list has several other popular authors on it including Stephen King, James Patterson, Ken Follett, Robert B. Parker and Jack Higgins. I love best seller lists. I get to see if the authors I enjoy are getting the success I think they deserve. And I get to see if there are books that somehow escaped my attention that I should give a second look to - like Ms. Meyer's. Nicole P.S. Stay tuned, as we will have guest bloggers over the next several weeks. Dianne Castell will be the first author, so come back Wednesday to see what she has to say.
Win HOW TO PROPOSE TO A PRINCE or Critique
Kathryn Caskie will be giving away a signed copy of her new release HOW TO PROPOSE TO A PRINCE or critique of your first ten pages, if you are an aspiring author. All you have to do is ask her a question or comment on "Ask the Author", but hurry, last day to post is Sunday, March 9th, 2008. Natalie Web Manager
Enter to win a copy of LITTLE PINK RAINCOAT by Gigi Anders plus a very cute pink umbrella. (Four winners will be selected on April 14, 2008. This contest is open to US residents only).
I Love Tuesdays!
 Last Tuesday, two of my favorite authors had new releases. I had to restrain myself from being at the doors of Barnes & Noble at 9 when they opened, and then I had to tell myself that I did not need to go the store at lunch. Finally, I could wait no longer and I was at the nearest bookstore by 4:45 pm. While there, I picked up several lovely goodies. I picked up two copies of Kim Harrison's THE OUTLAW DEMON WAILS (one for me, one for a friend). I also picked up the paperback of FOR A FEW DEMONS MORE, mostly so I could re-read it comfortably and because it had another short story in the back. I hate it when publishers do that, but I am sucker and I bought it anyway. I also picked up Sophie Kinsella's latest, REMEMBER ME? Fans of Samantha Who? will probably enjoy this tale of a woman who discovers she has amnesia and can't figure out how she got where she is now. It's her chance to redeem herself, but will she? I love Ms. Kinsella's books, which are deceptively nuanced and full of deeper truths than you might expect from a beach read. Also in my over-stuffed arms was a copy of FALLING by Christopher Pike. Many people know he writes young adult novels that read like slightly more scary R.L. Stein books. However, he also writes novels for adults, many of which are just as fascinating, if a bit more creepy. I have been wanting this one for awhile and when I saw it was in mass market, I was thrilled.  I also picked up the third Jinx novel by Sandra Hill, WILD JINX. This one is the one many of her fans have been waiting for, the story of how Tee-John LeDeux finally gets struck by the thunderbolt and falls in love. I can't wait to read it! Tuesdays are wonderful days for me, because I know that dozens of new books have arrived in the bookstores. My TBR pile (not to mention my credit card) doesn't appreciate it, but to me, it's like a holiday. Nicole
|
|
