In searching for a blog topic today, Word Nerd pulled up the NYT book review website.
And there found glorious news.
Former Spanish war correspondent turned novelist Arturo Perez-Reverte's latest Captain Alatriste book, "The Sun over Breda" will be out in April. Click here for the NYT story.
This is the third book in Perez-Reverte's series about swashbuckler/mercenary Captain Deigo Alatriste. The first two books in the series, "Captain Alatriste" and "Purity of Blood" have ranked highly in some of Word Nerd's past award lists for books in a series or best books of the year.
Now, it's just time for the wait for Word Nerd's hold on the book at the library to get filled.
30 March 2007
29 March 2007
Fessing Up
If you were reading the blog around this time last year, you might recall that Word Nerd launched into writing a novel about this time last spring.
Throughout the summer there were Work-in-Progress updates, a word meter tracking word count. In August, the grand news that the first rough draft was done. It was all very exciting.
You may have also noticed that lately (as in the last three months) Word Nerd hasn't really talked about the WIP.
The cold truth is this: She got stuck in revisions in the middle. There are big, complicated plot problems that require several chapters to be yanked and shredded. The problem is, if Word Nerd yanks that section, she doesn't know what goes in there instead and how to then make the beginning match up with the end.
So the WIP is sitting in a binder, presently, collecting dust. And hopefully waiting for a flash of inspiration.
Meanwhile, there's another story in the works. A second WIP if you will.
While the first one's sitting, this one is still (knock on wood) going well.
Throughout the summer there were Work-in-Progress updates, a word meter tracking word count. In August, the grand news that the first rough draft was done. It was all very exciting.
You may have also noticed that lately (as in the last three months) Word Nerd hasn't really talked about the WIP.
The cold truth is this: She got stuck in revisions in the middle. There are big, complicated plot problems that require several chapters to be yanked and shredded. The problem is, if Word Nerd yanks that section, she doesn't know what goes in there instead and how to then make the beginning match up with the end.
So the WIP is sitting in a binder, presently, collecting dust. And hopefully waiting for a flash of inspiration.
Meanwhile, there's another story in the works. A second WIP if you will.
While the first one's sitting, this one is still (knock on wood) going well.
28 March 2007
Author Answers with Lauren Myracle
Oshkosh readers, heads up. This week's featured author is Lauren Myracle, author of the Internet Girls series. Myracle will be at Apple Blossom Books tomorrow, Thursday, from 3-4 p.m. to do a book talk, reading and signing for her new book in the series, "L8r g8r."
Earlier this week, Word Nerd caught up with Myracle on the phone.
WN: "L8r g8r" is your third book told in IM format – how’d you get the idea to tell stories this way?
MYRACLE: The series – we didn’t dub it this, but the Internet Girls series is what the New York Times called it.
It’s their senior year. It's three dear friends are dealing with all the struggles that come with senior year. What to do next in their lives, how to maintain their friendship and what kind of people are they going to me.
My editor is about my same age, 37, and I’m proud of it. She and I were talking about how when we were in high school we would come home and get on the phone and rehash the day. It’s truly a different landscape today. It’s getting on the Internet and having these Internet exchanges.
You do say different things face to face than you do sending an email or a text message. And there are dangers to that as well as joys.
WN: Did you have to do a lot of research to learn the lingo?
MYRACLE: I’m a total dork. I was not hip or cool.
I was one of those creepy Internet stalkers, lurking in chat rooms. At first, the dialogue was one girl talking, then the next. Then I realized, that’s not how it works at all. The girls interrupt each other. I learned that it truly is a different space. I had girls send me copies of their own IM’s to get the lingo.
WN: You’re on book three … is it hard to write in this style?
MYRACLE: It’s definitely easier. I know my girls. I know these girls and what they are going through. I definitely understand the medium more, the instant messaging world. It’s really hard to tell a story all in instant message. You don’t have any of the conventional tools like telling a setting. I’ve got to find a way to make that dynamic through what they are talking about.
WN: Does your background in psychology help you out as a writer?
MYRACLE: They are so linked. People and books they mirror each other. How do the workings of a human brain show up and how do people relate and respond to each other. The degree in psychology pierces that mystery of how
All of us who are big readers have degrees in psychology because that’s why we read.
WN: You make it fairly easy for readers to contact you … email on your website and through appearances…. Do you like interacting with readers? Why?
MYRACLE: I welcome that. It can be overwhelming sometimes. I get about 75 emails a day from fans. It’s such an honor to get to be allowed access to their lives. It’s something I encourage. It’s good for these kids to know that authors are real people. I feel like I am giving them an actual human interaction.
WN: You also have a series of middle-grade books – what’s different about writing for this age group than the older teenage audience of the IM books?
MYRACLE: In terms of emotional complexity and emotional depth, nothing. [Grown-ups] think that childhood is a waiting period. In terms of being true to character, nothing is different at all. In terms of writing, my middle grade series, they are safe and clean and there’s no chance that parents are going to get mad. I think of Winnie being the little sister to the girls in ttyl. She’s just in junior high instead of high school.
WN: What’s the best part and the hardest part of being a writer to you?
MYRACLE: I’m in a good place. My best part is I’m doing what I love and what I feel authentic about. I’m incredible lucky to get my kids off to school take my computer to the coffee house, get a cinnamon dolce latte and enter into the world of these girls.
The hardest part right now is that I’m a mom and writer. Both of those are extremely important to me. It’s not like an office job where I march off. I’m squeezing in my writing time all over. It doesn’t leave a lot of lazy time for sitting on the couch reading a book
WN: What’s next for you as a writer?
MYRACLE: I’m working on a book with two other authors that come out next spring called “How to be Bad” and it’s a road trip story. I’m starting a new junior high instant messaging system. It’s the tweens that are reading these books. We’re going to do a book that’s geared toward the junior high groups, called “Luv ya bunches.”
Earlier this week, Word Nerd caught up with Myracle on the phone.
WN: "L8r g8r" is your third book told in IM format – how’d you get the idea to tell stories this way?
MYRACLE: The series – we didn’t dub it this, but the Internet Girls series is what the New York Times called it.
It’s their senior year. It's three dear friends are dealing with all the struggles that come with senior year. What to do next in their lives, how to maintain their friendship and what kind of people are they going to me.
My editor is about my same age, 37, and I’m proud of it. She and I were talking about how when we were in high school we would come home and get on the phone and rehash the day. It’s truly a different landscape today. It’s getting on the Internet and having these Internet exchanges.
You do say different things face to face than you do sending an email or a text message. And there are dangers to that as well as joys.
WN: Did you have to do a lot of research to learn the lingo?
MYRACLE: I’m a total dork. I was not hip or cool.
I was one of those creepy Internet stalkers, lurking in chat rooms. At first, the dialogue was one girl talking, then the next. Then I realized, that’s not how it works at all. The girls interrupt each other. I learned that it truly is a different space. I had girls send me copies of their own IM’s to get the lingo.
WN: You’re on book three … is it hard to write in this style?
MYRACLE: It’s definitely easier. I know my girls. I know these girls and what they are going through. I definitely understand the medium more, the instant messaging world. It’s really hard to tell a story all in instant message. You don’t have any of the conventional tools like telling a setting. I’ve got to find a way to make that dynamic through what they are talking about.
WN: Does your background in psychology help you out as a writer?
MYRACLE: They are so linked. People and books they mirror each other. How do the workings of a human brain show up and how do people relate and respond to each other. The degree in psychology pierces that mystery of how
All of us who are big readers have degrees in psychology because that’s why we read.
WN: You make it fairly easy for readers to contact you … email on your website and through appearances…. Do you like interacting with readers? Why?
MYRACLE: I welcome that. It can be overwhelming sometimes. I get about 75 emails a day from fans. It’s such an honor to get to be allowed access to their lives. It’s something I encourage. It’s good for these kids to know that authors are real people. I feel like I am giving them an actual human interaction.
WN: You also have a series of middle-grade books – what’s different about writing for this age group than the older teenage audience of the IM books?
MYRACLE: In terms of emotional complexity and emotional depth, nothing. [Grown-ups] think that childhood is a waiting period. In terms of being true to character, nothing is different at all. In terms of writing, my middle grade series, they are safe and clean and there’s no chance that parents are going to get mad. I think of Winnie being the little sister to the girls in ttyl. She’s just in junior high instead of high school.
WN: What’s the best part and the hardest part of being a writer to you?
MYRACLE: I’m in a good place. My best part is I’m doing what I love and what I feel authentic about. I’m incredible lucky to get my kids off to school take my computer to the coffee house, get a cinnamon dolce latte and enter into the world of these girls.
The hardest part right now is that I’m a mom and writer. Both of those are extremely important to me. It’s not like an office job where I march off. I’m squeezing in my writing time all over. It doesn’t leave a lot of lazy time for sitting on the couch reading a book
WN: What’s next for you as a writer?
MYRACLE: I’m working on a book with two other authors that come out next spring called “How to be Bad” and it’s a road trip story. I’m starting a new junior high instant messaging system. It’s the tweens that are reading these books. We’re going to do a book that’s geared toward the junior high groups, called “Luv ya bunches.”
27 March 2007
Back to book 1?
So, if you haven't heard, the new Harry Potter book comes out in July, just under four months from now.
Word Nerd figures she'll reread some of the previous HP books to refresh her memory between now and then.
But this raises a bit of a dilemma. Does she reread just the last couple books? When book 6 came out, she reread books 4 and 5. When 5 came out, she reread 3 and 4.
On the other hand, this is the last book, the last new HP book. Does that merit rereading the entire series? And if so, isn't it about time to start into that venture? Those later HP books get long, even though they read fairly quickly.
Anybody else? What are your pre-HP book 7 rereading plans? Word Nerd needs some advice.
Word Nerd figures she'll reread some of the previous HP books to refresh her memory between now and then.
But this raises a bit of a dilemma. Does she reread just the last couple books? When book 6 came out, she reread books 4 and 5. When 5 came out, she reread 3 and 4.
On the other hand, this is the last book, the last new HP book. Does that merit rereading the entire series? And if so, isn't it about time to start into that venture? Those later HP books get long, even though they read fairly quickly.
Anybody else? What are your pre-HP book 7 rereading plans? Word Nerd needs some advice.
26 March 2007
Book Banter -- Witches Abroad
Title: Witches Abroad (Discworld bk. 11)
Author: Terry Pratchett
Length: 320 pages
Genre: fantasy
Plot Basics: When fairy godmother Desiderata dies, she leaves her magic wand -- that only turns things into pumpkins -- to witch Magrat Garlick. Magrat, along with two other witches, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg take off on a journey to stop Princess Emberella from marrying the prince.
Banter Points: Witches is a Terry Pratchett book which means satire and puns that sometimes border on irreverent. This one takes on the notion of fariy tales and how stories tend to work out.
Bummer Points: Of all of Pratchett's sets of characters in the Discworld, the witches are not Word Nerd's favorite. While he pokes fun at xenophobic ways through the witches, Word Nerd finds some of the humor (like the murdering of foreign phrases) tiresome because it's used overmuch.
Author: Terry Pratchett
Length: 320 pages
Genre: fantasy
Plot Basics: When fairy godmother Desiderata dies, she leaves her magic wand -- that only turns things into pumpkins -- to witch Magrat Garlick. Magrat, along with two other witches, Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg take off on a journey to stop Princess Emberella from marrying the prince.
Banter Points: Witches is a Terry Pratchett book which means satire and puns that sometimes border on irreverent. This one takes on the notion of fariy tales and how stories tend to work out.
Bummer Points: Of all of Pratchett's sets of characters in the Discworld, the witches are not Word Nerd's favorite. While he pokes fun at xenophobic ways through the witches, Word Nerd finds some of the humor (like the murdering of foreign phrases) tiresome because it's used overmuch.
Word Nerd recommendation: Discworld books are generally hilarious, as a rule. This one wasn't as funny, but Word Nerd says read it to get from book 10 to book 12.
23 March 2007
Book Banter -- Morrigan's Cross
Title: Morrigan's Cross
Author: Nora Roberts
Length: ~ 330 pages
Genre: paranormal romance
Plot Basics: Hoyt, an Irish sorcerer, is chosen by the goddess Morrigan to lead a circle of six people to fight against the vampire queen Lilith. Along the way, he's transported into modern times, where he's reunited with his now-vampire twin brother Cian and Glenna, a witch, who in addition to helping the group unify, captures Hoyt's heart.
Banter Points: Easy, fairly mindless reading with a blend between action sequences and the romance between Hoyt and Glenna.
Bummer Points: This book seemed choppy and in Word Nerd's opinion, had POV problems. There were sections of dialogue that were untagged that with six characters, Word Nerd had trouble following who was talking. Chapters jumped between limited third person POV, making the narrative feel disconnected because it was harder to follow an arc with one perspective. Also, though the characters are supposed to be involved in a battle that could save the world, Word Nerd never felt like anyone was ever in danger or that there's a risk that the group won't or can't succeed.
Author: Nora Roberts
Length: ~ 330 pages
Genre: paranormal romance
Plot Basics: Hoyt, an Irish sorcerer, is chosen by the goddess Morrigan to lead a circle of six people to fight against the vampire queen Lilith. Along the way, he's transported into modern times, where he's reunited with his now-vampire twin brother Cian and Glenna, a witch, who in addition to helping the group unify, captures Hoyt's heart.
Banter Points: Easy, fairly mindless reading with a blend between action sequences and the romance between Hoyt and Glenna.
Bummer Points: This book seemed choppy and in Word Nerd's opinion, had POV problems. There were sections of dialogue that were untagged that with six characters, Word Nerd had trouble following who was talking. Chapters jumped between limited third person POV, making the narrative feel disconnected because it was harder to follow an arc with one perspective. Also, though the characters are supposed to be involved in a battle that could save the world, Word Nerd never felt like anyone was ever in danger or that there's a risk that the group won't or can't succeed.
Word Nerd recommendation: This is the first book in a trilogy and Word Nerd's going to have to be hard up for entertainment to pick up the next two books in the series.
22 March 2007
Have you ever read ... the meme
Word Nerd found this meme thanks to Kelly Parra over at Words of a Writer. It looked like an interesting thing to try, so...
Instructions: In the list of books below:
Bold the ones you’ve read
Italicize the ones you want to read
Mark in RED the ones you won’t touch with a ten-foot pole (this is kind of drastic, but there are books I probably won't read)
Put a cross (+) in front of the ones on your book shelf
Mark an asterisk (*) beside the ones you’ve never heard of
Seen the movie (#)
1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. # To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. #Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. #The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. #The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. #The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. #Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. *A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. + #Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. + Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. + Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. + # Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17.*Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. #+ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. #Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. #Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. *The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. #The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. #+The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. # Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. #Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. #The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. *The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. *I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. +Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. # A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. + #The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. * The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. #+Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. #Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. *Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. *One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. #The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. #+ Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. #Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. *Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. #The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. #+ The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. # The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. * The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. + Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. * Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. # Emma (Jane Austen)
86. #+ Watership Down (Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. *The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. *Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. * Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. *In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. #The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. + #The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. *The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)
Instructions: In the list of books below:
Bold the ones you’ve read
Italicize the ones you want to read
Mark in RED the ones you won’t touch with a ten-foot pole (this is kind of drastic, but there are books I probably won't read)
Put a cross (+) in front of the ones on your book shelf
Mark an asterisk (*) beside the ones you’ve never heard of
Seen the movie (#)
1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. # To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. #Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. #The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. #The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. #The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. #Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. *A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. + #Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. + Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. + Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. + # Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17.*Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. #+ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. #Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. #Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. *The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. #The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. #+The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. # Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. #Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. #The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. *The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. *I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. +Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. # A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. + #The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. * The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. #+Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. #Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. *Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. *One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. #The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. #+ Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. #Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. *Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. #The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. #+ The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. # The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. * The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. + Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. * Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. # Emma (Jane Austen)
86. #+ Watership Down (Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. *The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. *Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. * Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. *In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. #The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. + #The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. *The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)
21 March 2007
Author Answers with Melanie Lynne Hauser
Author Answers returns this week with a Q&A with author Melanie Lynne Hauser, whose second "SuperMom" book recently hit shelves. You can learn more about her on her website and her blog.
WN: How did you come up with the idea for the SuperMom book?
HAUSER: I had two previous novels that made the rounds of publishers; both came close to selling, but didn't make it out of the marketing committee. They were good books, but in retrospect I see now that there wasn't really anything innovative or fresh about them. This experience taught me that publishing is a tough, tough business, and novelists really do have to bring something new to the table these days. So I thought about what I was trying to say - basically, I wanted to address women's issues, particularly those of mothers of a certain age - and I spent some time in trying to come up with a new way to say them. And then one day - Eureka! I decided to write women's fiction from a superhero's perspective. And that's how it started. But I have to say the superhero concept really evolved from being just a device into becoming a powerful metaphor for the journey all mothers take.
WN: Explain how the sequel came about.
HAUSER: Um, because it had to? Seriously - I had written what I thought was a stand alone book. When it sold, though, the deal was for a sequel, too. Well, I panicked about that. I didn't read very many series books so I didn't have a clue how to write them. And I was concerned about having to write another book with the same cast of characters; I have a short attention span! But soon enough I was excited about the possibility of exploring these characters' relationships on a deeper level, taking them to new places. And that's what I did - I looked at where they were at the end of the first book, and took them further down the paths of their lives. And then I had to come up with an evil villain - someone or something that was threatening the children. Unfortunately, there are so many things out there to choose from! I decided that this time it would be organized sports, and the ridiculous extremes some adults will go to in their desire to have their children live out their own fantasies in this area.
So basically in the sequel - Super Mom falls further in love, finds that blending families isn't like the Brady Bunch, deals with further teenage traumas, and is up against a town gone crazy with Little League fever, with potentially explosive results. Plus, she starts to have lustful thoughts about Mr. Clean!
WN: You’re a mom of boys… was it fun to give Birdie a teenage daughter? How did you capture the character of teenage girl?
HAUSER: It was interesting to explore that relationship, since it's not one I have in real life. But you know - I WAS a teenage daughter myself. And I have friends who have girls. I think the drama of the mother/daughter relationship is one that's so perfect for novels; there are so many things to explore. Especially when it's a situation where there's a divorce, and you have Daddy's little girl living with Mommy now. It's so hard, and so real - and a lot of fun, as a writer, to explore.
WN: You do calls-ins for book clubs… is this fun for you to talk to people who are reading the book? What do you enjoy about it?
HAUSER: I love book clubs! (And there's a special page on my website - http://www.melanielynnehauser.com/ - just for them, where they can get lots of free stuff and enter contests.) Of course, as an author, you're always humbled and a bit amazed that there are people who are not related to you who have actually read your book! The thing I enjoy most, though, are the questions. They make me think about the book in ways I never have before. For example, once I was asked why Birdie had suffered a Horrible Swiffer Accident in order to get her superpowers. Why hadn't I had her suffer a Horrible Baking Accident instead? And that made me realize that in the books, you never see her cooking. And my only answer was that I, personally, hate to cook. While cleaning soothes my soul (not to mention, takes up the most time). So that's why I have her so obsessed with cleaning and cleaning products. But until I was asked this question, I'd never stopped to think about it. That's why I love book clubs.
WN: What’s the best part of being a writer to you? What’s the most challenging part of writing for you?
HAUSER: Well, living in different worlds, becoming different people - that's what I love about writing. Having permission to sit and daydream all day. That's the best. Also, meeting other writers. The most challenging part is separating the publishing, business part from the writing part. The business of publishing is very tough on writers, and there is always rejection and disappointment, no matter where you are in your career. It's challenging to put that part out of your mind when you're writing, but it's something you have to learn how to do.
WN: What’s next for you as a writer?
HAUSER: I have another manuscript - not Super Mom related - that I'm excited about; right now it's a bit too early to tell what's going to happen with it. Meanwhile, I'm starting something else again. I have so many stories to tell; I hope to always be able to find an audience for them.
WN: What is the best/most influential book you have ever read and why did it inspire you?
HAUSER: This is so tough! I've read so many wonderful, wonderful books! I guess I'd have to say GONE WITH THE WIND. It was the first book I read, and then re-read, and then read again; I was swept away into this entirely different world and I wanted to stay there. That's what I want to do, as an author; invent wonderful, real worlds in which readers can escape.
WN: How did you come up with the idea for the SuperMom book?
HAUSER: I had two previous novels that made the rounds of publishers; both came close to selling, but didn't make it out of the marketing committee. They were good books, but in retrospect I see now that there wasn't really anything innovative or fresh about them. This experience taught me that publishing is a tough, tough business, and novelists really do have to bring something new to the table these days. So I thought about what I was trying to say - basically, I wanted to address women's issues, particularly those of mothers of a certain age - and I spent some time in trying to come up with a new way to say them. And then one day - Eureka! I decided to write women's fiction from a superhero's perspective. And that's how it started. But I have to say the superhero concept really evolved from being just a device into becoming a powerful metaphor for the journey all mothers take.
WN: Explain how the sequel came about.
HAUSER: Um, because it had to? Seriously - I had written what I thought was a stand alone book. When it sold, though, the deal was for a sequel, too. Well, I panicked about that. I didn't read very many series books so I didn't have a clue how to write them. And I was concerned about having to write another book with the same cast of characters; I have a short attention span! But soon enough I was excited about the possibility of exploring these characters' relationships on a deeper level, taking them to new places. And that's what I did - I looked at where they were at the end of the first book, and took them further down the paths of their lives. And then I had to come up with an evil villain - someone or something that was threatening the children. Unfortunately, there are so many things out there to choose from! I decided that this time it would be organized sports, and the ridiculous extremes some adults will go to in their desire to have their children live out their own fantasies in this area.
So basically in the sequel - Super Mom falls further in love, finds that blending families isn't like the Brady Bunch, deals with further teenage traumas, and is up against a town gone crazy with Little League fever, with potentially explosive results. Plus, she starts to have lustful thoughts about Mr. Clean!
WN: You’re a mom of boys… was it fun to give Birdie a teenage daughter? How did you capture the character of teenage girl?
HAUSER: It was interesting to explore that relationship, since it's not one I have in real life. But you know - I WAS a teenage daughter myself. And I have friends who have girls. I think the drama of the mother/daughter relationship is one that's so perfect for novels; there are so many things to explore. Especially when it's a situation where there's a divorce, and you have Daddy's little girl living with Mommy now. It's so hard, and so real - and a lot of fun, as a writer, to explore.
WN: You do calls-ins for book clubs… is this fun for you to talk to people who are reading the book? What do you enjoy about it?
HAUSER: I love book clubs! (And there's a special page on my website - http://www.melanielynnehauser.com/ - just for them, where they can get lots of free stuff and enter contests.) Of course, as an author, you're always humbled and a bit amazed that there are people who are not related to you who have actually read your book! The thing I enjoy most, though, are the questions. They make me think about the book in ways I never have before. For example, once I was asked why Birdie had suffered a Horrible Swiffer Accident in order to get her superpowers. Why hadn't I had her suffer a Horrible Baking Accident instead? And that made me realize that in the books, you never see her cooking. And my only answer was that I, personally, hate to cook. While cleaning soothes my soul (not to mention, takes up the most time). So that's why I have her so obsessed with cleaning and cleaning products. But until I was asked this question, I'd never stopped to think about it. That's why I love book clubs.
WN: What’s the best part of being a writer to you? What’s the most challenging part of writing for you?
HAUSER: Well, living in different worlds, becoming different people - that's what I love about writing. Having permission to sit and daydream all day. That's the best. Also, meeting other writers. The most challenging part is separating the publishing, business part from the writing part. The business of publishing is very tough on writers, and there is always rejection and disappointment, no matter where you are in your career. It's challenging to put that part out of your mind when you're writing, but it's something you have to learn how to do.
WN: What’s next for you as a writer?
HAUSER: I have another manuscript - not Super Mom related - that I'm excited about; right now it's a bit too early to tell what's going to happen with it. Meanwhile, I'm starting something else again. I have so many stories to tell; I hope to always be able to find an audience for them.
WN: What is the best/most influential book you have ever read and why did it inspire you?
HAUSER: This is so tough! I've read so many wonderful, wonderful books! I guess I'd have to say GONE WITH THE WIND. It was the first book I read, and then re-read, and then read again; I was swept away into this entirely different world and I wanted to stay there. That's what I want to do, as an author; invent wonderful, real worlds in which readers can escape.
20 March 2007
Book Banter -- Don't Ask
Title: Don't Ask
Author: Donald Westlake
Length: 336 pages
Genre: comedic crime
Plot Basics: Gloomy thief John Dortmunder is hired by a small eastern European country to steal a religious relic that will pave the way for the country's admission into the U.N. The job, Dortmunder thinks, should be a snap. But this is a Dortmunder caper meaning things go horribly wrong.
Banter Points: Again, Westlake manages to string together a series of unlikely events that somehow hang together without seeming unbelievable. The continuation of Dortmunder and his usual gang -- Andy Kelp, Stan Murch, Tiny Bulcher and May -- keeps providing rich characters.
Bummer Points: While Westlake strings together unbelievable plots, this one was a little farther afield.
Word Nerd recommendation: If you're a Dortmunder fan, read it. If you haven't ever heard of this series, go find one of the earlier ones to start with.
19 March 2007
Book Banter -- Well of Lost Plots
Title: The Well of Lost Plots
Author: Jasper Fforde
Length: ~350 pages
Genre: detective/sci-fi/comedy
Plot Basics: SPOILER ALERT
Special Agent Thursday Next goes to hide out in the BookWorld as a seemingly safe place to spend her pregnancy. Once there, she continues her training as a Jurisfiction agent. But with the pending release of the new UltraWord book system, Thursday discovers that all is not well in BookWorld and someone could be out to get her.
Banter Points: Fforde continues with his well-versed literary puns and jokes. For well-versed readers, these books are a treat as he pulls in characters like Beatrice and Benedict, the Triffids, the Minotaur and others.
Bummer Points: The ending. Fforde seemed to run out of steam and instead of showing the ending, told the reader what happened.
Word Nerd recommendation: If you are looking for something smartly funny, this series is a winner.
15 March 2007
Hiatus
Word Nerd's been on hiatus here the past two weeks... she's hoping for a full return next week.
Stay tuned.
Stay tuned.
26 February 2007
Check Your Shelves
Ever have a hard time tracking down a copy of an older title?
Well, you're not alone.
Washington Post's Book World yesterday printed a list of the top ten most sought-after out-of-print books in 2006.
It's a pretty eclectic list.
Maybe it's time to go check the boxes of books in the attic/garage/basement to see if there's winner in there.
Well, you're not alone.
Washington Post's Book World yesterday printed a list of the top ten most sought-after out-of-print books in 2006.
It's a pretty eclectic list.
Maybe it's time to go check the boxes of books in the attic/garage/basement to see if there's winner in there.
23 February 2007
A new, er, trend
Check out this article by Slate.
According to this piece, the Internet and our penchant for chat/IM programs is actually helping resurrect the use of interjections because we have to type them out.
This is not, if you haven't read the piece yet, refering to IM slang like LOL or IMO, but words like "um," "er" and "awww."
Maybe you wouldn't spell* it this way but one interjection Word Nerd has used typed out is "eyhn" -- you know, for that nasally sort of sound of indecision.
Any interjections you type out?
*Speaking of spelling, Word Nerd will be taking part in the Winnebago County Literacy Council Corporate Spelling Bee on Saturday. This is her third year for this torturous event -- the nerves! The pressure! Spelling without red squiggly lines to let her know it's not right!
Ahem. (<-- see, an interjection.) If you are in the Oshkosh area and not snowed in come Saturday afternoon and need something to do, the bee is at 1 p.m. at the Oshkosh Public Library.
According to this piece, the Internet and our penchant for chat/IM programs is actually helping resurrect the use of interjections because we have to type them out.
This is not, if you haven't read the piece yet, refering to IM slang like LOL or IMO, but words like "um," "er" and "awww."
Maybe you wouldn't spell* it this way but one interjection Word Nerd has used typed out is "eyhn" -- you know, for that nasally sort of sound of indecision.
Any interjections you type out?
*Speaking of spelling, Word Nerd will be taking part in the Winnebago County Literacy Council Corporate Spelling Bee on Saturday. This is her third year for this torturous event -- the nerves! The pressure! Spelling without red squiggly lines to let her know it's not right!
Ahem. (<-- see, an interjection.) If you are in the Oshkosh area and not snowed in come Saturday afternoon and need something to do, the bee is at 1 p.m. at the Oshkosh Public Library.
22 February 2007
Book Banter -- Defender
Title: Defender
Author: C.J. Cherryh
Length: 314 pages
Genre: sci-fi
Plot Basics: SPOILER ALERT -- being book five out of a nine-book/three-trilogy cycle, it's hard to do this and not give something away at this point.
Author: C.J. Cherryh
Length: 314 pages
Genre: sci-fi
Plot Basics: SPOILER ALERT -- being book five out of a nine-book/three-trilogy cycle, it's hard to do this and not give something away at this point.
Bren Cameron, translator and diplomat between the humans on the planet, the humans on the space station and the atevi is called back to the planet suddenly from the space station to attend a memorial service from the already-dead father of the current atevi ruler. The trip makes no sense to Bren, who's sent back to the station right after the ceremony. The trip, he discovers, soon enough, was perhaps nothing but a bit of political legerdemain to attract attention away from the station and the spaceship. The spaceship that's leaving, with Bren on it, to retrieve crew members left at another station... if he can smooth out political disputes between the ship crew, station crew and the planet.
Banter Points: This book was definitely better than the fourth book in the series. Book four (Precursor) spent a lot of time catching the reader up on the first three books and not enough on new plot. This book upped the stakes much higher much earlier on in the story.
Bummer Points: A little more action could be good. LOTS of talking to sort things out in this book. The major action seemed to get bogged down for a while in dialogue.
Word Nerd recommendation: So far, the first trilogy is better overall than the second trilogy. Sci-fi fans will like it, but if this isn't really your preferred genre, you might want to steer clear.
21 February 2007
Author Answers with Gregg Olsen
Author Answers this week is trying to get you excited for a new book release. Gregg Olsen's debut novel A Wicked Snow comes out soon. Olsen's written true crime books, but this is his first venture into making it all up.
WN: Your first novel comes out soon; why should readers pick the book up?
OLSEN: Kind of a tricky question. I hope people pick it up because they are curious about what a true crime writer can do with fiction. It is such a huge switch. I'd like to think that the story of Hannah Griffin's search for her mother, keeps them glued to the pages.
WN: What's the transition been like from switching from true crime to writing fiction?
OLSEN: I hate to say it, because it will make me sound silly, but it is so much easier to write fiction. Let me explain. With true crime writing, I have to be so mindful of every word on the page. All of it must be true or I could wind up in court. I?m also dealing with real people's lives and they are quite messy. With fiction I can sew up the edges in a nice neat package. No loose ends. That's kind of fun for a writer who had spent his whole life dealing with the loose ends of real crime cases.
WN: Is it harder than you thought it would be?
OLSEN: Easier in some ways. But to be fair, I?d have to say it is much harder to make the switch from a publishing perspective. Publishers never want a writer to change genres because they can never be sure that readers will follow. I hope they do with A WICKED SNOW.
WN: How do you pick the subjects for your true crime books?
OLSEN: The litmus test for me is: Am I willing to spend a couple of years with the people central to the crime? Is there a social issue worth tackling? With Mary Kay Letourneau, the whole idea of a teacher raping a student was such an unheard of story that I just had to do it. With Abandoned Prayers, I wanted to know more about how the Amish lived in today's world.
WN: Once you have a subject, what's the research/writing process like?
OLSEN: For me, it is all about the research. I interview every single person associated with the case, at least every one that will talk to me. I NEVER rely on the court testimony, except as a back up for my own research and questions. I start from the outside of a case, and work inside.
WN: What's the best part of being a writer to you?
OLSEN: As a true crime writer, the best part is that I have a passport into other people's lives, other words. My own life is pretty mundane, but the people I write about are extraordinary in some way.
WN: What's the most challenging part of writing for you?
OLSEN: It really isn't the writing. It is the knowing when to buck up and get it done. Stop the research. Stop the procrastination and start typing.
Knowing that I'll never have all the answers and living with that is the hardest part.
WN: How did you feel when you first saw your name on the cover of a book?
OLSEN: The truth is the publishing process is so long that by the time the book comes out, much of the thrill is gone. You are already on to another project. My biggest thrill came completely unexpected. In 2003, a reissue of my first book hit number 7 on the New York Times paperback list. It just happened. No warning. No one was trying. That was awesome.
WN: What is the best/most influential book you have ever read and why did it inspire you?
OLSEN: For my true crime, it was Small Sacrifices by Ann Rule and Son by Jack Olsen. I read those books and thought, hmmmm, I want to do that. And I did. Both Ann and Jack were mentors of mine. For fiction, as a writer, it was the early Patricia Cornwell books. I read those and thought, hmmm, I want to do that.
WN: What is your favorite word and why?
OLSEN: This one stumps me. I could say hope or faith, but that seems like I'm just trying too hard. My favorite word at this moment is chocolate. My wife made some homemade brownies tonight and I'm still thinking, chocolate.
WN: What piece of advice helped you out the most as a writer?
OLSEN: Write something every day. Even if you think you have nothing to say. I tell everyone starting out, that's the key.
WN: Your first novel comes out soon; why should readers pick the book up?
OLSEN: Kind of a tricky question. I hope people pick it up because they are curious about what a true crime writer can do with fiction. It is such a huge switch. I'd like to think that the story of Hannah Griffin's search for her mother, keeps them glued to the pages.
WN: What's the transition been like from switching from true crime to writing fiction?
OLSEN: I hate to say it, because it will make me sound silly, but it is so much easier to write fiction. Let me explain. With true crime writing, I have to be so mindful of every word on the page. All of it must be true or I could wind up in court. I?m also dealing with real people's lives and they are quite messy. With fiction I can sew up the edges in a nice neat package. No loose ends. That's kind of fun for a writer who had spent his whole life dealing with the loose ends of real crime cases.
WN: Is it harder than you thought it would be?
OLSEN: Easier in some ways. But to be fair, I?d have to say it is much harder to make the switch from a publishing perspective. Publishers never want a writer to change genres because they can never be sure that readers will follow. I hope they do with A WICKED SNOW.
WN: How do you pick the subjects for your true crime books?
OLSEN: The litmus test for me is: Am I willing to spend a couple of years with the people central to the crime? Is there a social issue worth tackling? With Mary Kay Letourneau, the whole idea of a teacher raping a student was such an unheard of story that I just had to do it. With Abandoned Prayers, I wanted to know more about how the Amish lived in today's world.
WN: Once you have a subject, what's the research/writing process like?
OLSEN: For me, it is all about the research. I interview every single person associated with the case, at least every one that will talk to me. I NEVER rely on the court testimony, except as a back up for my own research and questions. I start from the outside of a case, and work inside.
WN: What's the best part of being a writer to you?
OLSEN: As a true crime writer, the best part is that I have a passport into other people's lives, other words. My own life is pretty mundane, but the people I write about are extraordinary in some way.
WN: What's the most challenging part of writing for you?
OLSEN: It really isn't the writing. It is the knowing when to buck up and get it done. Stop the research. Stop the procrastination and start typing.
Knowing that I'll never have all the answers and living with that is the hardest part.
WN: How did you feel when you first saw your name on the cover of a book?
OLSEN: The truth is the publishing process is so long that by the time the book comes out, much of the thrill is gone. You are already on to another project. My biggest thrill came completely unexpected. In 2003, a reissue of my first book hit number 7 on the New York Times paperback list. It just happened. No warning. No one was trying. That was awesome.
WN: What is the best/most influential book you have ever read and why did it inspire you?
OLSEN: For my true crime, it was Small Sacrifices by Ann Rule and Son by Jack Olsen. I read those books and thought, hmmmm, I want to do that. And I did. Both Ann and Jack were mentors of mine. For fiction, as a writer, it was the early Patricia Cornwell books. I read those and thought, hmmm, I want to do that.
WN: What is your favorite word and why?
OLSEN: This one stumps me. I could say hope or faith, but that seems like I'm just trying too hard. My favorite word at this moment is chocolate. My wife made some homemade brownies tonight and I'm still thinking, chocolate.
WN: What piece of advice helped you out the most as a writer?
OLSEN: Write something every day. Even if you think you have nothing to say. I tell everyone starting out, that's the key.
20 February 2007
Is Twain rolling over?
Word Nerd has seen several news stories about this new book, "Finn," by Jon Clinch.
Clinch takes readers back to the time and setting of Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn," telling the story of Huck's dad, known only as Finn.
A show of hands here: Who had to read Huck Finn in school? (That's twice for Word Nerd.) Who liked the book? ("Liked" here can be broad as in "didn't want to throw it across the room.") (Word Nerd liked it better the second time, but that's a very qualified liked because at the same time on campus, the theatre department was doing "Big River" and that's the way to tell that story. Sing it, instead).
Back to "Finn." The story about this book has been in Newsweek, USAToday. And the reviews are good.
As much as she didn't really like Huck Finn, Word Nerd just may have to find a copy of "Finn."
Clinch takes readers back to the time and setting of Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn," telling the story of Huck's dad, known only as Finn.
A show of hands here: Who had to read Huck Finn in school? (That's twice for Word Nerd.) Who liked the book? ("Liked" here can be broad as in "didn't want to throw it across the room.") (Word Nerd liked it better the second time, but that's a very qualified liked because at the same time on campus, the theatre department was doing "Big River" and that's the way to tell that story. Sing it, instead).
Back to "Finn." The story about this book has been in Newsweek, USAToday. And the reviews are good.
As much as she didn't really like Huck Finn, Word Nerd just may have to find a copy of "Finn."
19 February 2007
A Glimpse at the Pile*
*Pile here, means the TBR, to-be-read, pile.
- Don't Ask, Donald Westlake
- Big City, Bad Blood, Sean Chercover
- The Well of Lost Plots, Jasper Fforde
- Witches Abroad, Terry Pratchett
- Morrigan's Cross, Nora Roberts
- The Wounded Land, Stephen Donaldson
Just to be clear, this isn't the whole pile.
So many books. So many books.
16 February 2007
Book Banter -- The Blade Itself
Title: The Blade Itself
Author: Marcus Sakey
Length: 307 pages
Genre: literary/crime thriller
Plot Basics: Danny Carter used to be a thief. Used to before a pawnshop robbery went bad. He cleans up his life, gets a real job and a steady girlfriend. But now, seven years later, his friend and former partner Evan McGann is out of prison and comes looking for Danny. Evan wants pay back and to even an old score, one that could cost Danny everything.
Banter Points: Sakey writes beautiful sentences. Even when the scene is violent, the prose is lyrical and tight. The story moves right along in nice, sparse chapters that make it hard to put the book down (you know, the I'll-just-read-one-more-chapter-then-stop phenomenon). This book is definitely a thriller, but it's more of an emotional thriller than the what's-going-to-happen-next kind. Sakey captures the feeling that Danny's life is slipping out of his control.
Bummer Points: Det. Sean Nolan was an interesting character that readers don't get to see enough of. Since he comes from the same kind of background as Danny and Evan, it would have been nice to understand what made his life go differently. Also, Sakey has a habit of ending chapters with sentence fragments that begin with "And then.." or "Suddenly" or some variation. It works for building tension, but in chapter after chapter, sort of seemed like Sakey got stuck on how to end chapters.
Word Nerd recommendation: If you like thrillers or crime novels or just well-written books, read this one.
15 February 2007
Bridge to Terabithia
Tomorrow, a new movie adaptation of Katherine Patterson's, "Bridge to Terabithia" opens.
Word Nerd has seen the trailer and so far, is not sure about this.
Terabithia, if you've never read it, is a tragically beautiful book. One that Word Nerd doesn't recall having chapters of giants and tree people as the trailer would imply.
On the other hand, that's just the trailer. It could be that the parts of the story that Word Nerd remembers aren't in the trailer because those parts (the good parts, the parts that make this an award-winning book) don't involve giants and ergo, probably won't sell move tickets.
Word Nerd may see the movie, but with a bit of apprehension for the chance of an old, favorite story getting messed up.
Word Nerd has seen the trailer and so far, is not sure about this.
Terabithia, if you've never read it, is a tragically beautiful book. One that Word Nerd doesn't recall having chapters of giants and tree people as the trailer would imply.
On the other hand, that's just the trailer. It could be that the parts of the story that Word Nerd remembers aren't in the trailer because those parts (the good parts, the parts that make this an award-winning book) don't involve giants and ergo, probably won't sell move tickets.
Word Nerd may see the movie, but with a bit of apprehension for the chance of an old, favorite story getting messed up.
Anybody else? Does the book-to-movie thing worry anyone? Any other favorite stories that just weren't captured quite right on film, or ones where you were blown away?
14 February 2007
Author Answers with Allison Brennan
Best-selling author Allison Brennan is this week's special guest. Brennan's newest book, "Speak No Evil" debuted at #14 on the NYT best-seller list. Her first trilogy also climbed the charts, making it into the USAToday's "Top 150" books list.
WN: The first book of your new trilogy came out at the end of January, what can readers expect in "Speak No Evil" and what's in store for the next two books?
BRENNAN: San Diego homicide detective Carina Kincaid is facing the most disturbing case of her career, the brutal rape-murder of a college student. Her prime suspect is Steve Thomas, the much-older ex-boyfriend of the dead girl. Steve's calls in his brother, Montana Sheriff Nick Thomas, to help him. Nick received faced down the Bozeman Butcher (THE HUNT) and almost died; he's facing personal and professional decisions that will change his life. But he puts all that aside to prove his brother had nothing to do with the murder. When he arrives, Nick realizes Steve isn't the brother he'd known growing up, and Nick convinces Carina to let him help find the truth.
SPEAK NO EVIL also touches upon online safety, whether one can truly be anonymous in cyberspace, and what might happen if we're not.
In SEE NO EVIL, deputy district attorney Julia Chandler and P.I. Connor Kincaid track down a group of teen thrill killers who met through an unorthodox online therapy group and decided to seek their own brand of twisted justice.
And in FEAR NO EVIL, forensic psychiatrist Dillon Kincaid must get into the mind of a smart and savvy killer in order to save his sister from being killed live on the Internet. He teams up with renegade FBI Agent Kate Donovan who once faced the killer--and lost.
I have excerpts and book trailers on my website that give a little more information about the books and a taste of my writing voice.
WN: Romantic suspense. How do those two genres combine?
BRENNAN: Romantic suspense is the best of both worlds. Suspense is often plot-heavy, full of thrills or mystery. Suspense brings in fear, worry, panic, a real physical reaction from the reader. Romance is usually character-heavy, human emotions and decisions, both right and wrong. The blending of romance to suspense is a natural, giving writers a broad canvas on which to work. You can have a romance-heavy "romantic suspense" or a suspense heavy "romantic suspense" and everything in between.
When two people care about each other, everything matters more. When there's a very real threat to their safety, when the villain may win, the stakes are raised. I've always believed that nothing achieved easily is truly appreciated. My heroes and heroines must battle not only their own internal conflicts and past, but a very real evil. They deserve a happily ever after.
My romantic suspense novels tend to fall more on the suspense side, but there is still a strong romantic plotline that is important to the overall story arc.
WN: You were a legislative consultant before being a novelist. Did that career prepare you for writing novels and how did you decide to switch from one to the other?
BRENNAN: To be honest, I've always wanted to be a writer. But it had always been a hobby, and in the back of my mind I'd think, "some day, I'll be published." But I never did anything about it. I took a job in the California State Legislature and that ended up becoming a career more than a job. Then I got married, had kids, and the more commitments I had, the further back I pushed my dreams.
It was after the birth of my third child that I analyzed my life and what I wanted from it and realized that if I wanted to be a writer, I needed to write. I couldn't oppress my dreams any longer. So I started seriously writing. It was a huge commitment--I stopped bringing work hope with me, instead writing every night. I effectively ended any chance of promotion, but that was okay--if I didn't TRY, I would always regret it, and I didn't want a life full of regrets. When I sold, I took a huge leap of faith and quit my day job, being frugal and investing in my dreams. It wasn't easy, but I've never regretted it.
My former career was invaluable in many ways. I learned to meet deadlines, to work with diverse people, to be professional. I also learned a lot about public safety and people in general, which I use in my books.
WN: What's the best part of being a writer to you? What's the most challenging part of writing for you?
BRENNAN: The best part? I have to pick just one? That's not fair . . . okay. The best part is the end. The last 100 pages of the book. That's the point where I know everything that's happening, where the story is flowing so fast I wish I could type 300 words a minute. It's gushing out, and I'm so excited because I know that I'm going to finish. I think this is because for the longest time, I never finished anything I started. I have over 100 incomplete manuscripts. It wasn't until I made the commitment to BE a writer that I finally finished something. So when I'm in the home stretch, I feel so good. It's better than any drugs--I think my endorphins triple.
The most challenging? Waiting. Waiting during negotiations. Waiting to hear about sales numbers. Waiting to find out which story idea my editor wants me to work on. Waiting to hear whether my editor loves my book or hates it. I am not a patient person. I think my love of storytelling and getting published is a cosmic joke.What's next for you as a writer?
Sleep. Just kidding.
I'm working on two short stories for crime/thriller anthologies (one edited by Lee Child, the other by Elizabeth George--I'm star struck!) I also have a paranormal romantic suspense novella Deliver Us From Evil in the Pocket anthology WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE in early 2008. I'm almost done with that and am having so much fun doing something a little different. And I'm working on another romantic suspense . . . two, actually. I don't know which one will be next up, so I'm working on both.
WN: What is the best/most influential book you have ever read and why did it inspire you?
BRENNAN: THE STAND by Stephen King. I read it when I was 13 and it changed my entire perception of books and the world. It has everything a great book should have. Strong characterization. Twisty, forward-moving plot. Suspense. Tragedy and comedy. More than anything, though, the characters were real. Flawed, but in the end the good people did the right thing, and the bad people made the wrong choices. Everything in that book was about a choice. When confronted with tragedy, what do we do? What would we do? THE STAND opened the world for me.
I wrote him a glowing letter and told him I wanted to be a writer when I grow up. He wrote me back, encouraging me. That was the greatest inspiration.
WN: What is your favorite word and why?
BRENNAN: Faith. Faith in God, faith in yourself, faith in others. I believe in the inherent goodness of people. Lots of bad things happen, but in the end, I have faith that truth will win, that good will persevere, that people will do the right thing. It starts with faith in YOU, because only you can make your dreams come true.
WN: What piece of advice helped you out the most as a writer?
BRENNAN: "If you want to be a writer, write." Stephen King. "I can fix a bad page, I can't fix a blank one." Nora Roberts.
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