Must Reads

Every reader I know has a decent sized list of "must read" authors. While mine have changed a bit over the year, there's a fair number that always remain on the list.

Madeleine L'Engle and the Wrinkle in Time Series
Jim Butcher and the Dresden files
J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter Series
Audrey Niffenegger and The Time Traveler's Wife
Eoin Colfer and the Artemis Fowl Series
Diana Gabaladon and the Outlander Series

If you ask me what I'd recommend, I'm like to pull on from that list.

Who is on your must read list?

Bethany's September 2010 Bibliometer

It's two back-to-back stats postings, but the Word Nerds are also geeks...

For me, September was a pretty good reading month. In the spirit of full disclosure, two of my "reads" were audiobooks.
8 books
2221 pages
74 pages avg/day

YTD Totals
59 books
~20900 pages

Difference from 2009 YTD
-10 books

Stacie's September Bibliometer

I have to admit, September was a good month.

Six books, 3,133 pages or 522 pages per book.

That puts me at 41 books for the year, still trending at 53 for the year.

Fun Facts:

2007: September meant 22 books for the month (which isn't the all time high)
2003: First month back at work after maternity leave -- 0 books read
2010: Included the re-read of Harry Potter Books 5 & 6, at 6 times and 4 times respectively.

NaNoWriMo = NaNoNOTMo for me

Let me declare my intentions boldly -- I am NOT participating in NaNoWriMo this year.

It doesn't start for a month, you might say. How can you be so definitive, you ask. You had fun last year, you remind me.

Yes, I know. It was fun. Once. But here's the deal -- I'm still working to whip that 50,000 words into shape. It's about 90K words now and I like maybe the first 50K of them. It took a good number of early mornings to work the section I wrote during NaNo into something viable. The next 40K words need that kind of attention if this story is ever going to be anything. Some of the changes will delve back into that first 50K as well, tightening the plot and the focus.

I can't say I'd never do NaNo again, because never is an awfully long time and an awfully definitive statement. I think it's fair to say it's unlikely I'll do NaNo again. As a writer friend said, when you're done, you have to take a machete to cut out the bad stuff. I think I'm beyond machete-ing to slash-and-burn deforestation. I knew I was writing a lot of crappy words as they went by but the NaNo pace is such that you can't fix them.

Now, I know that NaNo enthusiasts will say that's the point. It's quantity, not quality. But, if you're hoping for a real book when you're done, quality counts.

So, I'll spent November (and October and possibly December as well) continuing to edit and rewrite and revise.

Book Banter -- The Postmistress

Title: The Postmistress
Author: Sarah Blake
Genre: Historical
Length: approximately 300 pages
Where Stacie's Copy Came From: Oshkosh Public Library
Plot Basics: Three women will come together and strike a balance between life and their beliefs with the rise of World War II.

Banter Points: Each of the women plays a very different role in the novel, not quite an "Every Woman" character, but each faces challenges in the world that is unraveling before them. One, a reporter, Frankie Bard, seeks a place in a world dominated by men. The wife of the local doctor, Emma, wants to be the strength behind her husband who is fighting his own demons. And Iris, the Postmistress, wants to keep order in the world, according to the established system.

Certain liberties were taken with in the history, but not in an offensive way. Two facts were tweaked to pull the story together, but this reader found each one forgivable and well within the author's right. (I'd say what they are and why but the author's note at the end does a much better job than I would.)

World War II was a world changing event for so many reasons and people. Focusing on these three women shows how women changed, their roles changed and the world was forced along even when it disagreed with those changes.

Bummer Points: It was a bit slow to get moving, but I think that has more to do with the difference between the types of books that I normally read and this one.

Stacie's Recommendation: Read it. Wonderful writing, great stories, enriching characters.

Book Banter -- Santa Olivia

Title: Santa Olivia

Author: Jacqueline Carey

Genre: sci-fi

Length: ~340 pages

Where Word Nerd's Copy Came From: Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library

Plot Basics: The border town of Santa Olivia has been forgotten -- a place between the U.S. and Mexico permanently under military rule after a deadly flu virus runs rampant. Born into the town is Loup Garron, the daughter of a local woman and a mysterious genetically engineered soldier. As Loup grows up, she becomes the town's greatest hope for redemption. Leading a rag-tag bunch of orphans, she takes up the mantle of the town's patron saint showing the occupying force the power of a single girl to lead a people to hope.

Banter Points: I'm a big fan of Carey's Kushiel series so I was excited to read something from her that wasn't high fantasy. The amazing thing is how different her writing is in this book compared to Kushiel. The Kushiel books are long and lush and beautiful and her prose matches that. Santa Olivia is sparse and clipped and much shorter and the tone exactly fit the story. It's also a good story, a plausible future that could happen if a real pandemic hits the world.

Bummer Points: It was never really clear what happened to the rest of the world that trapped Santa Olivia as it was. The flue was mentioned, but there was no sense of the scope of the problem in the world at large and why cordoning off Santa Olivia was so necessary until thevery end, and then, even that explanation was a little scarce.

Word Nerd Recommendation: If you like sci-fi that doesn't feel like sci-fi, this is a great read. Also, Carey fans should read it to see just how versatile of an author she is.

Book Banter -- The Accidental Billionaires

Title: The Accidental Billionaires

Author: Ben Mezrich

Length: 272 pages

Genre: Non-fiction (technically)

Where Stacie's Copy Came from: Oshkosh Public Library

Plot Basics: The idea and genius behind Facebook came from some where. Then it grew. And no one really knows what happened behind the scenes except those that aren't talking about it.

Banter Points: Any time loads of money, reputations and genius is involved, there's bound to be contradictory truths; this title is no exception.

Mezrich steps between fact and fiction in his 2009 book. CNet's Caroline McCarthy went so far as to repeat "Early rumors about 'The Accidental Billionaires' suggested that Mezrich was particularly liberal with fact-checking." I would agree. Most of the story was told from three points of view, all individuals who tried to ride the Facebook comet to the top and failed. While Mezrich tones down most of the outrageous things that could have been said, and stated that Mark Zuckerberg declined to contribute (as was his right) it comes off as sour grapes.

Or maybe more like little boys who refuse to understand that they made their friend mad.

Bummer Points: I really wanted to like this book. The previews for the movie it's based on look like fun. Like a romping good scandal that has some fabulous truth to it. According to any review you read, Mezrich's previous formula for writing success has failed him in this title.

Personally, I found the book to be intriguing for the first 100 or so pages. After that, when everything starts to fall apart and the conflict should be getting interesting, nothing was going on because the action was happening out of the line of sight of the three sources.

Stacie' Recommendation: This may be the one book that a movie won't ruin.

Double Edition Book Banter -- Under the Rose and The Rites of Spring (Break)

Title: Under the Rose and The Rites of Spring (Break) (Ivy League novels 2 and 3)

Author: Diana Peterfreund

Length: ~340 pages each

Genre: Chick-lit

Where Bethany's copy came from: Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library

Plot Basics: Amy Haskel, who we first met in Secret Society Girl, is back with her Rose and Grave brothers. (and sisters, but that's another plot). In Under the Rose, one of the Diggirls goes missing, at the same time that society secrets are being leaked to the media. Amy is worried that the Diggirl isn't just missing, but kidnapped. And proving her suspicions will bring more club secrets to light, secrets that could destroy Rose and Grave from within. Disaster averted the Rose and Grave crew heads to sunny Cavador Key over Spring Break for some R&R. But it seems that society trouble follows them to the club's private island. A freaky accident on the way to the island raises Amy's suspicions, and her interest in a fellow Digger. She's tried inner-society romance once before, but can she navigate a possible second Rose and Grave romance and keep the club alive to finish out their senior year?

Banter Points: I almost never read two series books back-to-back, but I was having so much fun with Under the Rose that I went straight on. I've got the fourth Ivy League book checked out of the library but I'm forcing a break so I'll enjoy the last one more. What's so fun, you ask? Peterfreund's writing. She's got that pitch-perfect blend of literary allusion, pop culture, conspiracy paranoia, romance and snark that the pages just fly by. Everything in college seems so dramatic and Peterfreund catches that fervor and puts it into the story. Whether Amy's uncovering vast conspiracies or trying not wonder about a certain boy, or her senior thesis, she's doing it with such aplomb.

Bummer Points: Maybe it's just a sign of our times, but the other Diggirls (and Amy too, for that matter) can be so mean to each other. While the snark is fun, occasionally it just gets to be too much.

Word Nerd Recommendation: If you like Megan McCafferty's series, then Peterfreund is right up your alley. It's definitely a girl book, but it's got mystery and romance to cut across genre boundaries.

Power of Libraries

Probably my best reading memory was my first trip to a Real Library. It definitely a proper noun in my head, then and now.

I remember my card getting handed over to me, with my name and address printed on it, in red because I wasn't allowed to check out grown-up books without permission. As the card was passed from the librarian to me, I asked, "How many books can I take at once?"

And the answer was as many as I could read before we came back next.

The answer prompted a question to my mom of when are we coming back. I picked out what I thought was the appropriate number of books -- about ten or so. We were coming back in a week.

When the librarian asked if that many was okay with my mom, she shrugged and said that I probably would finish them before next Saturday.

I don't remember if I did or not, but the power of unlimited books is something that I adore about my local library. Every time I pay a fine or my tax bill, I pretend that the whole amount solely supports my reading habits.

Libraries have that sort of power. What's your library story?

An Open Letter to the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library

Dear Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library Directors and Board Members,

I am disappointed to learn of the new reduced hours schedule that is to take effect in October, particularly the closing of Central Library on all Thursday.

I am fully cognizant of the budget situation in the city and state that has led to this decision. I applaud you looking for solutions other than the outright closing of library branches, but closing the main branch of the library during the work week makes little sense.

I work downtown and often walk over to library over my lunch break. I enjoy being able to visit one of the community's best resources any day I am able to. I often go to the library specifically on Thursdays to check out new material to enjoy over the weekend. I also understand that Central Library is central to the system -- shutting down the city's biggest library for an entire day of the week leaves the community at a great disadvantage. Central provides support for the other branches of the library system. Central has a large number of computers that are vital for job searches, training and more for people to return to the job market in this tough economy.

Closing Central on Thursdays leaves a gaping hole in the services this community needs.

I do not feel it is fair to complain without offering an alternate solution, and one that I have seen work well in another community where I lived. There, in the summer, hours at the library were cut on weekends. The library had Sunday hours during the school year, but none in the summer. Additionally, during the school year, Saturday hours were longer, but were reduced in the summer.

Let me offer a second solution, as well. As I have mentioned, I am regular library patron. If I had been asked to donate as a way to keep library services open for all throughout the whole week, I would have paid attention to the case made. I believe in libraries and have fond memories of many libraries in the communities I have lived. As a single individual, no gift I could make would keep the library open Thursdays. However, I suspect many library patrons like me would step up if we had simply been asked.

I hope you will reconsider the hours reduction. Or, at the very least, pledge to restore hours to what they were when revenues rebound.

The Central Library is too great a resource and too valuable of a community asset to let sit dark for a whole day during the week.

Sincerely,
Bethany K. Warner

Book Banter -- Deceiver

Title: Deceiver (Foreigner #11)

Author: C.J. Cherryh

Genre: Sci-fi

Length: 355 pages

Where Word Nerd's Copy Came From: Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library

Plot Basics: Bren Cameron, the interpreter between the humans and atevi, has survived being in space and survived a coup waiting for him upon his return, but now he is embroiled in a years-old political conflict surrounding his estate. Politically dissident factions -- connected with ousted coup -- are still trying to leverage their power when all Bren wants is some well-deserved rest. Bren is joined by other strong political figures, making them too tempting of a target for rebels to resists and despite the neutrality of Bren's office, he will once again be called on to play politics and try to keep his human head down while surrounded by alien assassins.

Banter Points: I blogged awhile back about my fictional crush on Bren Cameron and this book didn't lessen that at all. He's still amazingly polite and politically brilliant. While there's a bit of shooting in this book, it's actually very quiet and subtle. The action is tightly controlled twists of an already tautly wound spring and the tension comes because it's unclear which move may snap the whole thing. It's a sci-fi book because it has aliens and space ships in it, but really, it's a political novel. Cherryh deftly still deals with the concepts of "other" and the progress of technology while delivering an enjoyable novel.
Bummer Points: This book was hard to get in to. It was July 2009 when I read the last one and while Cherryh provided some reminders, I still had to think pretty hard to remember what had happened. Knowing that Cherryh is working on a fifth trilogy in this universe, I'm thinking there may need to be a whole re-read here, but that just takes time...
Word Nerd Recommendation: If you like quiet novels with hints of space opera but much more politics and sociology, these are a great series. I'd highly recommend waiting until whole trilogies are out before diving in so that you can read an entire story arc without waiting a year in between because they are so precise.

Bonus Post - Book Blogger Appreciation Week

Thanks to those that called out Book Blogger Appreciation week. I'm adding it to my RSS and can't wait to see what's up.

Decided

I decided to whittle through my personal collection of TBR instead of the electronic collection I've gathered.

For now that means a eclectic lot of books - a scattering of mysteries and romances that caught my eye at rummage sales or other locations of that sort. I have a novella collection by Jack Finney that's been sitting under my bed for six or seven years (maybe longer). I discovered him and his pair of time travel novels when I was in college. Time and Again is on the re-read list too. I have it on a shelf...some where.

Check back in a week or so; I'll post a review of the novella collection.

Book Banter -- Mockingjay

Title: Mockingjay

Author: Suzanne Collins

Genre: YA/sci-fi

Length: 390 pages

Where Word Nerd's Copy Came From: Personal collection (via Borders)

Plot Basics: I can't do this without spoilers. If you haven't read Hunger Games and Catching Fire, stop reading. Right now. Stop. Come back tomorrow. We at Word Nerd won't take it as any kind of personal affront. I mean it. Stop.

Katniss Everdeen has survived two Hunger Games in the arena and is poised to become the symbol of the rebellion against the Capitol. She doesn't want to become the mouthpiece of the rebels, more concerned with the fate of Peeta and keeping her own nightmares at bay. As events continue to move, she takes up the mantle of rebel leader and begins working with an elite group of soldiers to take over the Capitol and rescue Peeta, including her old friend Gale. But the treachery continues and Kat will have to come to terms with herself and the rebels to be able to save Peeta and bring the rebellion to an end.

Banter Points: I read this book in about 24 hours. I don't think I plowed through a brand new book quite that fast since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out. Collins is a master at pushing action forward. Just when it seems like Kat is going to get a break, something else happens. Another great point for Collins is that Kat still gets to react like a kid sometimes. It's a pet peeve of mine, these YA books where teenagers have all the same abilities to cope as an adult does. Letting her have moments of breakdown and weakness are spot on since no one can be that strong all the time. All in all, I want to read the whole series again.

Bummer Points: There were tears. That's all I can say.

Word Nerd Recommendation: Since no one who hasn't read the series should still be reading at this point, a recommendation seems silly, but I shall give one anyway. Read them. The whole series is well-crafted and should be enjoyable to anyone who just like to read a good book.

Reading Shift

I've spent the last several months reading fantasy and historical novels. While I still have a fairly long TBR full of those titles, including series that I'm in the middle of, I'm longing for some good mysteries, cop novels or detective stories.

Part of me is thinking that I should read some Rex Stout, as I was introduced to him the first time at BoucherCon last year. I really liked that early American detective story. I watched Sherlock Holmes this summer and was misty-eyed enough to order a complete set of Conan Doyle's work. I could pull those out. And then there's all those reviews from Word Nerd for the Micheal Connelly series for Harry Bosch, which I've read some of, but not all and not in order.

I'm not settled on any given series yet. What's your vote?

Leave me a comment on your fav and why I should read that instead of one of the options I'm already considering.

How it's written makes the difference

Over Labor Day, I proudly flew my geek flag with several friends. Instead of hot dogs and outdoor things, we stayed indoors and watched two classic sci-fi movies at complete opposite ends of the good-movie spectrum: Tron and Blade Runner.

For those of you that have never seen either, a quick primer:

Tron (1982) is about a computer hacker who gets sucked inside a computer program and with the help of another program (Tron) must defeat the evil Master Control Program that's taking over and capturing other programs.

Blade Runner (1982) is about a cop who must hunt down Replicants, genetically engineered robots who must do humanity's dirty work on other colonies or risk death to come to Earth.

Tron is the first film that ever used computer CGI animation, something we take for granted now in sci-fi blockbusters and many other movies. Blade Runner is in the list of AFI's top 100 movies of all time.

And while they both have their claims to fame, Blade Runner is a great film and Tron is a laughable movie (save for the lightcycle race). Why? The writing.

The dialogue in Tron is stilted and awful. At one point the villain calls an underling a "bit brain." There's almost a spiritual metaphor about the existence of God as the programs discuss "users" but the metaphor never stays the same and the parallel can't be drawn.

Blade Runner is ripe with imagery that critics and casual viewers still debate. Even exactly what is meant by the end (we were watching the director's cut, FYI) is up for debate. The film moves slowly (nothing so speedy as a light cycle), but every frame is composed with a purpose.

When they were thought up, both Blade Runner and Tron had the ability to be great or awful films. Some might say they can't be compared because they are so different, never mind that they are both in the sci-fi category.

It's easy to just say that the writers of Tron needed to go through another pass of the screenplay, revise and tighten some more. Maybe that would have helped. Maybe it would have made it worse.

Here's hoping for the Tron sequel this winter, that we can get lightcycles AND good dialogue writing.

Our readers will get this

My husband is constantly telling me I have no sense of humor. However, when this gem makes me laugh out loud, he doesn't get it.

Obviously we are not humor-compatible.

Book Banter -- The Queen's Lover

I'm guesting over at Popsyndicate.com again (Which, BTW, if you haven't checked out their newly redesigned site, you should.)

This time, I took on Vanora Bennett's The Queen's Lover.

While I'm trying to develop an appreciation for more historical fiction, suffice it to say, this book may have set me back a little.

Stacie's August Bibliometer

I remember my delight to discover that my cohort here was also a reader who kept a log of the titles read. It validated my own quirkiness.

This month, I managed four books, which is my average count per month for the year. However the total pages at 2,389 indicates that everyone of those books was pretty fat. Most mass market paperbacks average 350.

See, quirky behaviors lead to quirky stats.

Total for the year, I'm at 35. All indicators point to this being a low reading year. If I keep up the current pace, I'll hit 53.

I've kept a list since 2001, topping 100 5 of the nine years. It's kinda fun to look back to the pre-marriage year and see the number at 168, the year of my first baby at 53, and last year at 103, which is slightly above the average. Some day, I'll look back at this year, and realize how my new role at work impacted it. And when the number tops 100 again, realize how far I've come in balancing work and life. Just like it did after those other significant events.

A quick glance says that I'm reading less books, but more pages. In 2009, my average page count per book was 329; this year is 456.

Ah, quirky stats galore.

Bethany's August Bibliometer

Reading stats time again...

August was 7 books, one more than in May, June and July.
Total pages read, 2871 for an average of 89 pages a day.

I'm 13 books behind my YTD total from 2009. It's all the lawnmowing, I'm sure, as a new homeowner, that's cutting in to what used to be reading time.

Seven books in a month is still way above average given that most people who are readers read something like a dozen books in a year. (I read 13 books in October of 2007... of course two of those were kids books and five were graphic novels...)

Still, I feel behind. Some year, I'm going to break the 100 book threshold. It's just not going to be this year.

I'm not Picking Teams Either

I'm not picking teams either.

I have not had the pleasure of the Suzanne Collins books, yet. The previous post by fellow Word Nerd is enough for me to add them to the To-Be-Read list.

But what about the way the world boils itself down to the 60 second sound bite of "For me or against me?" I blame the ubiquitous adage for its beginnings in the school yard -- look at some popular kiddie lit like "How to Eat Fried Worms." Four boys, two teams -- and one that's willing to eat worms in order to win a bet. It's not even about the money. It's about us versus them.

Or what about the classic Winnie the Pooh tales? It's Pooh versus the Bees who have his honey.

The idea of them versus us is breed into our story telling at the earliest of ages. And while it's great for the marketers and politicians of the world, the Reader should stand up for herself and demand better.

The sound bite should be about the love of a boy for his bear, growing up and the changes, what happens when government overreaches its power. Demand more.

I'm with the Word Nerd on this. Readers, post your favorite story in the comments. Challenge us to create a better tag line that still fits the 60-second sound bite.

I'm Not Picking Teams

I spent my Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon reading Suzanne Collins newest book -- Mockingjay -- the third book in her phenomenal and popular Hunger Games trilogy.

Last week, I saw a twitter post from a favorite author of mine proclaiming that she was part of Team Peeta and I shook my head.

Why do we have to copy ideas like that from one incident to the next? Are we not creative enough to come up with another way to describe a love triangle now that we've been inundated with Team Edward and Team Jacob? In Mockingjay, Gale and Peeta couldn't be more unlike Edward and Jacob (neither sparkles or turns into a werewolf, for starters). But because part of the story involves a girl who has to choose between two boys for whom she has strong feelings for different reasons, they get classified as Team Peeta and Team Gale. In my own Work-in-Progress, my main character is wooed by two different fellows. Is my own story subject to getting boiled down to Team Ibsen vs. Team Wes. (I cannot help but even cringe at that idea. Of course, I know what happens...)

We've done the same thing with scandals, slapping the suffix of "-gate" on them. If I were writing a real research paper, I wouldn't cite Wikipedia as an honest source, but this list shows just how pervasive the use of "-gate" has become.

Last winter's use of "snow-pocalypse" for the storms that blanketed the eastern seaboard and the word in fiction "zombiepocalypse" are likely heralds of another such trend. Google "-pocalypse" and you'll come up with a variety of clever (and not) doom-pending scenarios.

It's been said that imitation is the highest form of flattery. Does Suzanne Collins feel flattered that her two characters get compared in nomenclature to an angsty vampire and an over-protective werewolf? Do Woodward and Bernstein shake their heads when newspeople slam the "-gate" suffix on something so much more minor than a president covering up a break-in at the headquarters of the opposing party?

I'm not picking Team Peeta or Team Gale (or Edward or Jacob). Let's be honest -- Team Guy vs. Team Guy started a long time ago, but you don't see anyone making Facebook flair for Team King Arthur or Team Sir Lancelot.

And I'm not calling that I'm Switzerland either. I want more creativity. And I want people to stand up and say, "No, this scenario is different. This isn't Watergate. This isn't the same as Edward and Jacob. Don't draw the comparison for me."

Books, the world, politics -- they are all too nuanced. If all you know about Hunger Games is that there is Team Peeta and Team Gale, you would never know that the book is really about when government overreaches its power, about the depths of what makes us human, about what a person will do to protect those they love.

We're selling ourselves short to settle for teams.

Re-read and share

So, it's probably no secret to anyone who knows me that I adore Harry Potter. Who wouldn't want to discover that the horrible, awful situation that is your life, isn't real and you had somewhere to go that is your life?

Yes, I'm talking grown-ups too.

In all seriousness, J.K. Rowling created a world that drew readers and non-readers in. She created a world that turned off video games and turned on flashlights under bed covers. She not only made it okay to read, she made it okay to pretend, to play make believe, to have a fantasy.

My boys have adopted the movies as their favorite form of absorbing the books. I refuse to watch more than number 1 or maybe 2, because it destroys the pictures in my head.

They aren't quite ready to pick up the books yet. Ollie should be but the movies make it too easy for that particular breed of 10 year old turn pages. Goofball McGee isn't quite old enough to read the books at the age of 7 but give him a couple of years and that whole "picture in my head" thing will start to make sense.

Isn't sharing grand?

It's just a little crush...

My apologies to Jennifer Paige for borrowing her lyrics (and all the rest of you for getting that song stuck in your heads...)

I have a fictional crush. Admitting it is the first step.

It's not the suspects you might think -- not Jack Reacher, though he's popular with the ladies. It is not the icons of either Team Edward or Team Jacob.

It's Bren Cameron.

Awkward silence, I know. Unless you've read all 11 volumes of CJ Cherryh's Foreigner saga, you likely would never have heard of him. They aren't the books that get trumpeted whenever a new one comes out. There's been no gorgeous movie star playing Bren.

I'm getting ready to start the 11th book in the series and I'm so excited to spend another 300 pages with Bren. He's a diplomat, the human who has to keep peace between the other humans, a space station, an alien race on the same planet. He's done his job well -- too well, some would say -- and now rebels are trying to use him as political leverage, making him a target.

But why the crush? I met Bren Cameron when I was 16 or 17. I read the first three books in the series, then the next three. When the third trilogy came out, I went back and read the first six books again and then plowed ahead. When I reread them, I understood the predicaments he was in so much better, the quiet politics. The need to say things, or not say things. It was something that now-more-grown-up Bethany understood better than teenager Bethany.

Is the crush really about Bren Cameron? No, not really.

It's about an author putting words on paper that ring true about a person trying to figure out their wide in circumstances that are entirely alien. We all feel like that from time to time... and Bren's been there through big transitions in my life ... high school to college... college to grad school... you get the idea.

What characters have you had fictional crushes on? Or have meant something to you over the years?

Re-read? Yes, Please

I love re-reading books. It started when I lived in a tiny, tiny town in South Dakota -- all 312 people there. (My brother and sister-in-law still live there, in fact.) No library inside the town except those provided by the school classrooms. Let's be honest. They were less than good.

So I hoarded books and re-read everything that came my way. In the third grade though, it was the original Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Maybe it was the fact that Laura grew up near by in De Smit. Maybe it was because of the trip we took as a vacation visiting her various homesteads. Maybe it was the television show.

Likely, it was because Laura grew up into a real author.

Most of the kid books that I share with my two boys (10 and 7) are ones I discovered as an adult during college (I originally started life as a teacher). I don't recall reading many picture books outside of the Dr. Seuss books like "Green Eggs and Ham." I'm sure I did.

My boys are not interested in the Wilder books. But I have hopes that some of my other adult re-reads are ones that they will. The 10 year old, aka Ollie, is almost ready for the next one -- Harry Potter. More on that next time.

Book Banter -- The Narrows

Title: The Narrows

Author: Michael Connelly

Length: ~450 pages

Genre: mystery
Where Bethany's copy came from: Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library

Plot Basics: Harry Bosch, still on his own as a PI, is called to investigate the death of a friend that looks like should have bene natural, but may not be. Meanwhile, FBI Agent Rachel Walling gets the call she's been dreading receiving for years -- the Poet, a notorious serial killer, isn't dead and is killed again. As Bosch and Walling's cases converge, they will have to rely on each other to outsmart this killer.

Banter Points: These two books where Bosch isn't part of the police force have been an interesting character study to see how he moves through the world without the backing of the badge. Bosch is still highly disciplined, but that discipline slips a little more in this book. It's interesting to see Bosch and Walling work together since they are both outsiders trying to maneuver through a system that doesn't want them.
Bummer Points: Connelly cuts loose one of his recurring characters in this book and I'm kind of disappointed. I can't say more without spoilers, but while it made for a good story, I'm bummed because I think there would have been a lot of potential for that character in the future.
Word Nerd Recommendation: I'm still thoroughly enjoying my trip through Connelly's back list and getting excited that I'm only 7 books from being caught up. Again, this is a must-read series for fans of police procedurals and detective novels.

Re-read?

By day, I'm a manager in a department of eight or nine analysts, affectionately known as propeller heads, number crunchers, that group in the corner, etc. We are the quiet people at a party. As a group, we are rather vanilla, bland even.

As individuals, there are some really great minds and thinkers in there.

For example, I'm working with one analyst that usually reports to the other department manager. He was the right fit for the project in front of us and it gave me the opportunity to work with someone new. This gentleman -- let's call him Matt -- is the right fit because he thinks through the project from multiple angles, questions the way the numbers fit together, and finds the right solution for the client. No matter what question is posed from either the client or the internal team, Matt is right there with examples, walking everyone through the answer.

It was incredibly interesting to me then, during a long car ride, Matt asked why anyone would re-read a book. "You like to read, right? I don't get why anyone would buy a book. What's the point of reading it again if you already know the answer?"

At the time, I probably said something about liking characters or enjoy the story or something to that effect.

But further reflection has lead me to a different answer. It's not much different, to me, than all of the analysis and number crunching that Matt's done on this project. In order to truly understand all of the pieces, to answer the questions, to know everything inside and out, you have to look at it again and again. To live and breath it.

When it comes to books, the only way to do that is to re-read. Maybe it's a series. Maybe it's a single title. Maybe it's a childhood favorite that is re-discovered through the eyes of your child. I'm betting that readers of this blog have favorites to read again and again.

What's the story behind yours? Next time I'll share one of my favorite re-reads and that story.

Author Answers Line-Up

The new, expanded crew here at Word Nerd is planning our fall/winter line-up of guest authors.

So -- we want to know, who do you want to hear from? Are there topics that you want to know about and we'll find the authors/experts to address them?

Or, are you an author with a new book out or coming out before the end of the year? Put yourself on the Word Nerds' hot seat for an interview or a guest blog post. You'll be in good company -- from mega-millions selling author Janet Evanovich to the quirky Jasper Fforde to the self-published and up-and-coming.

We can't make promises, but we'll do our best to get authors you want to hear from.

Book Banter -- Lake in the Clouds

Title: Lake in the Clouds
Series: Book Three of the Wilderness Saga
Author: Sara Donati
Genre: Historical or Romance
Length: 655 pages
Where Stacie's Copy Came From: Purchased

Plot Basics: Several years have passed since the reader last saw the Bonner family. Hannah has grown-up and is well on her way to becoming a doctor. Enough that Richard Todd is willing to send her to New York in order to learn the procedures for the small pox vaccination. Elizabeth has lost loved ones to the harsh winters, including her son Robbie. Nathaniel continues to be amused and entertained by those he loves.

The Bonner family finds themselves in a variety of troubles, including runaway slaves, the blackbirders looking for them, and a vindictive girl who is jealous of them all.

Banter Points: Word Nerd recommended this series as I am a fan of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Both series fit my main reading criteria: Fat books that are well written.

That being said, I can see where this book will disappoint some readers. The first two titles, Into the Wilderness and Dawn on a Distant Shore, occur very close together - the two stories cover two or three years of the Bonner's lives - while this title introduces an eight year lag. After the jammed backed adventures of books one and two, it's tough to believe that nothing novel-worthy has happened to the family.

However, I liked the lag. Elizabeth, Hannah and Curiosity have had to live their own lives without the reader knowing the events that have shaped them. What has changed? Are they still the same people? Will they react in the same way? The eight year delay enhanced the story for me by introducing some very unknown elements. Elizabeth, for example, holds much tighter to her family now than ever before. The reasons are readily understood, but the details are not shared. Isn't Elizabeth allowed some of her own secrets?

Bummer Points: This is not the epic love story of Jamie and Claire Frasier. Readers wanting another series of with a grand and wide stretching love story won't find it here. Donati's focus shifts to her other characters like Hannah and Liam Kirby, and new characters like Strikes the Sky. Personally, I don't see this as a fault in the novels; others may.

Stacie's Recommendation: Well-written, fat books should be on every readers list.

2010 Shamus Award Nominees

It might be old news by now, but the list of 2010 Shamus Award nominees was released last week.

I've only read a couple of these (and by a couple, she really means two) but when I unbury myself from the current TBR pile, these might be some good books to track down.

The full list of nominees, borrowed (ok, copied) from Mystery Book News. The name of the PI is in parenthesis.

Best PI Hardcover
◊ The Silent Hour by Michael Koryta (Lincoln Perry)
◊ Where the Dead Lay by David Levien (Frank Behr)
◊ Locked In by Marcia Muller (Sharon McCone)
◊ Schemers by Bill Pronzini (Nameless Detective)
◊ My Soul to Take by Yrsa Sigurdardottir (Thora Gudmundsdottir)

Best First PI Novel:
◊ Loser's Town by Daniel Depp (David Spandau)
◊ The Last Gig by Norman Green (Alessandra Al Martillo)
◊ The Good Son by Russel D. McLean (J. McNee)
◊ Faces of the Gone by Brad Parks (Carter Ross)
◊ Chinatown Angel by A. E. Roman (Chico Santana)

Best PI Paperback Original:
◊ Dark Side of the Morgue by Raymond Benson (Spike Berenger)
◊ Sinner's Ball by Ira Berkowitz (Jackson Steeg)
◊ Red Blooded Murder by Laura Caldwell (Izzy McNeil)
◊ Vengeance Road by Rick Mofina (Jack Gannon)
◊ Body Blows by Marc Strange (Joe Grundy)

Best PI Short Story:
◊ "The Dark Island" (Boston Noir) by Brendan DuBois
◊ "Deadline Edition" (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine) by S. L. Franklin
◊ "Blazin' on Broadway" (Phoenix Noir) by Gary Phillips
◊ "Suicide Bonds" (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine) by Tim L. Williams
◊ "Julius Katz" (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine) by Dave Zeltserman

Any of you read any of the rest of these that the Nerds should be sure to check out?

In the meantime, I'm pulling for Brad Parks and Laura Caldwell.

Book Banter -- Alice I Have Been

Title: Alice I Have Been
Author: Melanie Benjamin
Genre: Literary Fiction
Length: 368 pages
Where Stacie's Copy Came From: Oshkosh Public Library

Plot Basics: Charles Dodgeson -- better known by his sobrequiet Lewis Carrol -- Alice in Wonderland is a children's classic that intrigues children and grown-ups like since its original publication in 1865. A fair amount of mystery remains around who Alice really was and his relationship with the Liddell family. If the Alice who fell through the looking glass really was based on Alice Liddell, what does it mean when Alice grows up? Benjamin explores one possibility, focusing on the ruined relationship between Alice and Charles Dodgeson.

Banter Points: Watching Alice grow up and enter into "society" and manage her own house was rather strange. It was amusing to see how relationship between Alice and her older sister Lorina changed as the focus of both girls changed from childhood play to suitors and families. The importance of their relationship is signaled by the start of the novel and the eventually revolution of what exactly transpired between Dodgson and Alice.

Bummer Points: While Benjamin does an excellent job of navigating what little is known about the years Dodgson and Liddells were friends, it left this reader wondering what really happened. The lack of information is extremely disappointing, but also is the large cause for the intrigue surrounding them. The details likely aren't to be exciting as the rumors.

Recommendation: Well worth the time, especially if you are a fan of any version of the Alice story.

Book Banter -- Original Sin

Title: Original Sin

Author: Allison Brennan

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Length: 472 pages

Where Word Nerd's Copy Came From: Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library

Plot Basics: Moira O'Donnell is having vision of a hellacious future -- literally. She's on the trail of her mother's coven who's attempting to raise the Seven Deadly Sins to earth. Moira's got her own magic and her own secrets, but she's not apt to reveal either of those things. Instead, with the help of a demonologist, a local sheriff and mysterious member of the secret St. Michael's Order, she's going to go up against the sins raised to the Earth.

Banter Points: Brennan does a great job of writing fight scenes. Those were always good in her more romantic/suspense book and she carries on with that trend now that she's got characters fighting demons.

Bummer Points: So that whole fighting demons thing... Word Nerd's a fan of Buffy and Angel so it's not as if she's against the premise of people fighting demons. That said -- she had trouble with this book on a bunch of levels.

First, there's the whole spiritual side of things. The whole idea of a coven raising demons just didn't sit well with Word Nerd in this book. Word Nerd fully believes that there really are demons and angels and a spiritual battle going on. The problem she had was that this book just felt like it was toying too close to the edge of things that are real. Maybe the difference is that in a show like Buffy, Word Nerd knows that the bad guys are just people dressed up in costume (and awfully campy costumes, sometimes) whereas with the written word actually has a lot more power.

Second, well, then there's the writing itself. Brennan's niche is romantic suspense between a victim and the cop/sheriff/FBI guy tracking a serial killer. She's gotten good at those. Sure, are they all a bit the same? Yes -- but when Word Nerd picks up one of her books, she knows what she's going to get. This book had character whiplash every few pages trying to keep up with her huge cast (this is a multi-book series starting here) and Brennan often repeated information. The plot was all over the place as backstories for characters were introduced and POVs switched.

Word Nerd Recommendation: Skip it in favor of Brennan's earlier romantic suspense stuff.

Recognition of Self

It's a grand feeling to read something and recognize yourself in the words.

Whether it is a personality profile test -- like Myers Briggs or DiSC -- or in a book, it validates who you are.

With luck, it was not the psycho stalker deranged killer in the that mystery novel that kept you up late last night.

For me, it has been a combination of things. Both of the above referenced personality tests and a book on project management.

The fun part of the Myers Briggs was learning that all of the order and logic I seek to find in the world is part of the Thinking and Judging characteristics that I'm strong in. All of you disorganized people out there drive me crazy, AND IT'S OKAY. Now I know why, and I can organize you into that bucket of stuff that is hopeless to tackle. All is right with the world again.

(T's show a preference for organizing and structuring information to decide in a logical, objective way and J's show preference for living a planned and organized life. The counterparts, respectively are F's showing preference for organizing and structuring information to decide in a personal, values-based way and P's showing Preference for living a spontaneous and flexible life. I live with a P. There are benefits to being spontaneous, but don't tell him I said that.)

The fun part of the DiSC profile is that I am a 7-1-2-5 or rather a High D who is likely to be focused on shaping your environment by overcoming opposition to achieve results.

Shake or stir the above characteristics and out comes a natural project manager who likes structure, order, planning, thinking through possibilities and is good at getting what they want.

In a sense, the three items validated that the bossy, manipulative, follow my directions persona really wasn't a bad thing. It's more about finding a place where your talents and personality are rewarded and liked for who or what they are.

Being part of Word Nerd's blog is like that. Talking books and language and how the systems work to make a really good read is something I've done offline with WN for a while now. I'm thrilled to be part of it. Especially to be able to share my bookish thoughts with fellow word nerds.

Where did you recently find yourself? Where do you want to find yourself?

Book Banter -- Lost Light

Title: Lost Light (Harry Bosch #9)

Author: Michael Connelly

Genre: Mystery

Length: ~400 pages

Where Word Nerd's Copy Came From: Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library

Plot Basics: Retired from the LAPD, Harry Bosch just can't let an old murder case go. Armed with his private eye license, Bosch starts looking into the murder of a young woman -- Angella Benton -- and the disappearance of $2 million from a movie set, years after he was pulled off of the original case. As he digs, the two cases -- once unrelated -- seem to be converging. But in the post-9/11 world, Bosch's one-man investigation triggers anti-terrorism alarm bells. Bosch gets warned off the case more than once, but he's not letting the FBI get in his way of recovering his old thrill of solving a case.

Banter Points: Word Nerd can't really remember, but she thinks this might be one of the only Bosch books so far in first person which was a really interesting switch to see Bosch in his own head. The switch really made sense given the fact that Bosch isn't surrounded by police procedures anymore and has to work it all out in his own head. It was also neat to see the switch after 9/11 changed the way the FBI can operate and Bosch reacting to the anti-terrorism ideas. And as always, Connelly pushed the character in a new direction by having him alone and having to rely on others instead of his usual partners.

Bummer Points: Connelly drops a huge revelation on his readers at the end of the book. Word Nerd ever knew this entered the story line from hearing Connelly speak at Bouchercon 2009 and still found it shocking. It's not necessarily bad, just that she's got to go find the next book to resolve things.

Word Nerd Recommendation: The Bosch series is a committment (Word Nerd's maybe halfway through now...) but it's well-worth the time. Harry Bosch is going to be one of the detectives that gets remembers with Holmes, Poirot and Lord Peter.

Book Banter -- MythOS

Title: MythOS (Ravirn bk 4)

Author: Kelly McCullough

Length: 289 pages

Genre: sci-fi/fantasy

Where Word Nerd's Copy Came From: Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library

Plot Basics: Computer hacker and Greek god descendant Ravirn is trying to fix Necessity -- the supercomputer that controls the Greek pantheon -- and gets sucked into another reality with his webgoblin and his Fury-girlfriend, Tisiphone. The new world operates on the whims of a different set of gods, specifically ones of a Norse origin. Ravirn has to maneuver his way around the tricks of Loki, the plans of Odin and Thor and try to prevent the ultimate battle of Ragnarok if he wants to try to get home.

Banter Points: It had been a while since Word Nerd read any of this series and this was a great entry back in because it didn't rely so much on the plot of the books that came before it, nor was it a throw-away book in the series. Sure, Ravirn wasn't in his home turf, but the plot moved along and forced him to grow as a character still, understand his new powers in a different light. Word Nerd's not a big Norse mythology buff, but it was a great way to get a bit of that story too.

Bummer Points: Word Nerd doesn't know what's coming in the next book, of course, but she's kind of disappointed that it seems like Ravirn won't interact with these characters anymore. They were fun.

Word Nerd Recommendation: The Ravirn series is a great pick for sci-fi or fantasy fans because it crosses both lines. Heavy on mythology and computer stuff, it's got appeal for lots of readers.

July 2010 Bibliometer

Another month, another tally of books.


July 2010
6 books
2,348 pages
avg. 76

YTD
44 books
15,928 total pages

Book Banter -- Chimera

Title: Chimera

Author: Rob Thurman

Length: 331 pages

Genre: crime/sci-fi

Where Word Nerd's Copy Came From: Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library

Plot Basics: Stefan Korsak's younger brother, Lukas, was abducted when he was a kid and he has spent the rest of his life vowing to find his brother. He's got the contacts too to keep up an unofficial search for a missing person, since he joined the family business -- a bodyguard for a Russian mobster in south Florida. When a contact finally spots a teenage boy fitting Lukas' description, Stefan will stop at nothing to rescue his brother and keep him out of his captors' hands. Only the Lukas he finds is less than enthusiastic about getting rescued and possesses a deadly talent that will keep them on the run.

Banter Points: So, it's not Cal and Niko, or Trixa, but it's a Rob Thurman book, so thumbs-up right there. While the exploration of family dynamics felt a little familiar (a la Cal and Niko), this book was cool because it was different from Thurman's other stuff. Rather than an urban fantasy book, this is pretty much a straight-up mystery/thriller with just a dash of sci-fi twist. It's nice to see an author go a very different route with a story. Plus, Thurman writes great action sequences and the chases and escapes pulled off by Stefan read like an action movie.

Bummer Points: According to Thurman's website, there may only be one more book in the Chimera-verse, which is a bummer of a slightly different sort. As far as the story-telling went, there were a few places were the plot skipped forward and back that felt a little jerky, but once Word Nerd got used to the style, it was fine.

Word Nerd Recommendation: If you are expecting kick-butt urban fantasy, you aren't going to find it here. However, if you just like good story-telling, no matter the genre, then check it out.

Book Banter -- Feed

Title: Feed

Author: Mira Grant

Length: 571 pages

Genre: sci-fi/horror

Where Word Nerd's Copy Came From: Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library

Plot Basics: In the not too distant future, humanity has cured the common cold and cancer, but in the process, unleashed a virus across the planet that makes the dead not stay dead and compels them to feed on the living to spread the virus more. Humanity becomes isolated, and it's up to the bloggers to bring out the truth in a way that traditionally journalists no longer can. Brother and sister team Georgia and Shaun Mason get the blogging assignment of a lifetime -- covering a presidential campaign from the inside, which no blogger has done before. But the campaign takes them straight into a conspiracy as they dig for the truth about the virus that's wreaked so much havoc across the planet.

Banter Points: Can we say, zombie-pocalypse? That's exactly why Word Nerd read this book. After vampires, zombies are the next big undead thing to hit the literary market and Word Nerd hadn't really jumped on that bandwagon until now. The great part of this book is the double-meaning title that carries through the plot -- zombies feeding on people and the constant feed of the bloggers to promote the truth. No doubt, it's the recovering reporter in Word Nerd that made her like that twist. It's zombies and reporters and presidential politics.

The other great part of this book is that Grant doesn't hold back. Word Nerd won't say more because of spoilers, but know this: Nobody is safe in this book. Nobody.

Bummer Points: It's a trilogy. The story isn't done. Occasionally, Grant leaps ahead in the narrative, filling things in with telling, rather than showing. But, it's forgiveable because her actions sequences are top-notch. And there might have been a few tears shed over a zombie-pocalypse novel.

Word Nerd Recommendation: Feed is a fun read. It's not too scary on the horror end of the spectrum and will keep you turning pages.

Book Banter -- The Serialist

Word Nerd's again over at PopSyndicate, this time with a review of David Gordon's The Serialist.

Not to spoil the fun of reading the full review, but here's something to keep in mind: Word Nerd will put this book in her top 10 reads of the year.

Book Banter -- Dragon Haven

Word Nerd's over at PopSyndicate today, with her review of Robin Hobb's Dragon Haven.

Author Answers with Julie Wachowski

Give a hello to Julie Wachowski today as she tells us about her new book and the world of e-publishing as one of Carina Press's new authors!

WN: What's "In Plain View" about and where did you get the idea for this story?
WACHOWSKI: ‘What’s it about?’ is a tricky question!

I had friends and family over for a party recently and someone asked me, “So what’s your book about?”

My Dad was bartending that day, which means I was feeling a little relaxed and philosophical. “It’s about how we are fundamentally altered by what we see. It’s about being a witness to pain.”

My friend pursed his lips. “Uh-huh. If you don’t want to tell me, that’s cool.”

I laughed! I was trying to answer his question. “It’s about a news videographer who returns the Midwest to care for her niece. Her first story is investigating the death of a man dressed in Amish clothes hanging from a tree--with porn at his feet.”

“Wow. Sounds good.”

As a writer, a mystery lets you play with writing about process. Working in television gave me a lot of specific knowledge about a process that I thought people would be interested in—how television gets made. Of course, I was (mostly) a good-girl, cream-puff on the job. So I invented Maddy. She got to say all the things I was thinking.

The death at the beginning of In Plain View came from a true event. A friend of mine used to run a small town newspaper in Michigan. She sent a reporter to follow up on a police scanner call. A man in Amish clothes hanging from a tree with men’s magazines on the ground around him. I found the whole image so disturbing—I knew I had to write about it.

WN:What kind of reader will this book be appealing to?
WACHOWSKI: Well, the auto-erotic suicide kind of eliminates the Amish niche, I’m afraid. Readers who appreciate a little humor and a taste of social commentary in their mystery will appreciate In Plain View.

WN: In a blog post, you lay out your life in the mystery books you've read, from Trixie Belden on. What is it about mysteries that you like so much?
WACHOWSKI: I believe all genre fiction is about satisfying basic needs of the human brain--whether it’s curiosity, a sense of mastery, pure endorphin rush or the soothing patterns of genre. Story is how the brain organizes itself. Stories give the brain the food it needs to survive and thrive.

Mysteries provide sustenance for the need for stimulation, curiosity, problems to solve. They also satisfy our emotional need for justice. One of the first sentences a kid learns to say is: “That’s not fair!” When the universe is particularly unknowable and unfair, I believe a good mystery recharges your mind. It helps you pick up and carry on creating the just world we all want to live in.

WN: You're one of Carina Press' new totally e-book authors. Did this take getting used to, that your name wasn't going to be on a tangible book?
WACHOWSKI: I’ve had the great good fortune to make a lot of professional writing friends, many of whom started their careers a few years before me. They were able to take advantage of the 1980-90’s boom years when Barnes & Noble and Borders were everywhere and books were great business.

That model has changed, like it or not. I recently heard Sara Paretsky, author of the V.I. Warshawski mysteries, speak about this. When she started out, she said there were over forty mainstream publishers she could send a book to—now there are seven. I’ve heard industry experts predicting there will be four major publishers when the current market contraction finally stabilizes. It’s a whole new world.

I love to hold a book in my hand. But it’s pretty clear that how we read—whether it’s our newspapers or our fiction—is being altered by technology. 100 years ago, the post office stopped delivering twice a day because of the telephone. 2000 years ago, Plato grumped about how no one would bother to remember long saga poems if people wrote everything down on scrolls. The world turns. Things change. E-books are the future of the industry.

I was excited by the announcement of Carina Press. Carina is the first major publisher to go after the e-market. As an off-shoot of Harlequin, the biggest guerilla out there in the genre marketplace, they have some real advantages. Harlequin is ahead of the curve on e-books. They already have significant online marketing presence. These people are social media artists! And I’d met Malle Vallik, the woman in charge of Carina, at a writing conference. She struck me as really smart and right on target with her taste in story.

As a business person, submitting my book to Carina was my opportunity to join the next boom wave. Now, all I have to do is teach my parents how to download.

WN: What's the best book that's captured your attention so far this year?
WACHOWSKI: You do know that’s like trying to pick your favorite flower in the garden? I’m kind of a PIA about this kind of question. Hmmm…here goes:

Essays: A Very Bad Wizard, Tamlar Sommers
Personal: Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity, David Whyte
YA: The Underneath, Kathi Appelt
Mystery: Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson
Romance: The Forbidden Rose, Joanna Bourne

WN: What's next for you as a writer?
WACHOWSKI: I’m working on a re-write of a novel and a new screenplay right now. I wish there were 30 hours in a day!

Book Banter -- Our Lady of Immaculate Deception

Title: Our Lady of Immaculate Deception

Author: Nancy Martin

Genre: mystery

Length: 310 pages

Where Word Nerd's Copy Came From: Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library

Plot Basics: Roxy Abruzzo is trying to make a living through architectural salvage -- so when the great Hyde family mansion goes up in flames, she'll take what's save-able to resell to others in Pittsburgh's upper crust. Even if that means some things end up in her truck that shouldn't. But when Hyde heir, Julius, ends up shot to death, Roxy is on the short list of suspects. She's got stolen property that's too hot to unload and she's got family drama coming out her ears -- both with her own teenage daughter and from the Hyde family trying to put their wealth back together.

Banter Points: Word Nerd was a fan of Martin's Blackbird Sisters mysteries, so seeing a new series was exciting. And the book is funny. Martin's got a great eye for the difference between people in economic brackets and how they will behave in the same situation.

Bummer Points: The book was funny, but Word Nerd can't say she really like Roxy Abruzzo. Roxy was just a little to harsh for her... too crass, too into men who aren't good for her, too much of a fixer for everyone's problems but her own. Maybe Martin will take her to the point of changing her life, but the stories likely wouldn't be funny then, so Word Nerd kind of doesn't see the story headed that way.

Word Nerd Recommendation: Roxy reminds Word Nerd somewhat of Stephanie Plum, though not quite so clumsy. Fans of Evanovich's light mysteries could very well find a new heroine to love in Roxy Abruzzo.

June 2010 Bibliometer

Word Nerd did some number-crunching over her holiday weekend and came up with June Bibliometer readings.

June 2010:
6 books
2,501 pages
averge 83 pages/day

YTD 2010:
38 books
13,580 pages

Happy Fourth of July

E-Book for a Good Cause

Word Nerd doesn't often pass on this type of story, but she thought this one was interesting. As e-books become part of the literary culture, author Paul Levine is using the e-book of release of one of his novels in a good way -- to give back.

Rather than Word Nerd summing it all up, Levine explains it himself.

Jake Lassiter and the Four Diamonds Fund, by Paul Levine

In the United States today, one in 300 children will be diagnosed with some form of cancer. All of us have friends or family members who have fought that grueling battle. These days, with great advances in medicine, there's a increasing chance the fight has been successful.

Yet, progress seems excruciatingly slow for those on the front lines.

A few years ago, one of my dearest friends, the godfather of my son, lost his daughter Margaux to Ewing's sarcoma, a rare but vicious bone cancer. The survival rate for Ewing's sarcoma that metastasises is a disheartening 10 per cent.

Ten per cent!

In this age of medical miracles, how can that be?

After Margaux's death at age 14, I dedicated a book to her. Such a feeble gesture. I wanted to do more. Still do. Here's how.

Twenty years ago this month, my first novel, “To Speak for the Dead,” was published to a decent amount of fanfare. The legal thriller introduced the world to Jake Lassiter, a linebacker-turned-lawyer who seeks justice but seldom finds it. The book facilitated my career change from lawyer to novelist and has always held a special place in my heart. Now, good old Jake can help a cause that's also dear to me.

I will donate all proceeds of “To Speak for the Dead” to the Four Diamonds Fund, a charity that pays for treatment of pediatric cancer patients at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. In addition to providing world-class medical care, the Fund supports research in immunotherapy, carcinogenesis, and several other fields I can barely spell, much less understand.

In basic terms, the Fund helps sick kids. I don't know a more worthy cause.

I'm hoping that the e-book will sell for years, bringing enjoyment to readers and support to a life-saving cause. Hoping, too, that others will be moved to directly contribute.

Here's a little background about the Fund. In 1972, a 14-year-old boy named Christopher Millard was an aspiring writer. Or rather, he was already a writer. He'd penned a mythic tale about “Sir Millard and The Four Diamonds,” in the tradition of Sir Galahad and Sir Lancelot. What are those Four Diamonds? Wisdom. Courage. Honesty. Strength. All are needed in our daily lives, especially in children's battles with a dread disease.

You have probably figured out that Chris wrote the story while in the throes of cancer. The diamonds of his story were allegorical. The quest was for life itself. After a three-year battle, Chris died, but his memory lives in the name of the Fund established by his family.

Penn State students have contributed an astonishing $61 million to the Fund through their annual dance marathon. This year's event raised $7.8 million alone. The motto of “Thon” is “For the kids.” And that, too, is the dedication of “To Speak for the Dead.”

Even if you don't own an e-reader, you can download the book to your laptop or desktop. So, if you'd like a “breathlessly exciting” read (Cleveland Plain Dealer) or a “genuinely chilling” one (Washington Post), please give it a try. For a limited time, the book is only $2.99. Purchase information here: http://www.paul-levine.com/content/jake-lassiter.asp.

One last thing. If each of us can contribute - just a bit - of courage, wisdom, honesty, and strength, maybe we can reach the goal of Conquering Childhood Cancer.

For more information on the Four Diamonds Fund, click here.

Book Banter -- Naamah's Curse

Title: Naamah's Curse

Author: Jacqueline Carey

Length: 567 pages

Genre: Fantasy

Plot Basics: Moirin is miles from her Alban home in Ch'in, and missing the other half of her soul -- which is inside her peasant-boy lover, Bao. Desperate to be re-united to him, she sets off alone across the get Ch'in wildnerness and the northern Tatar steppes. The reunification is a lengthy process that pits Moirin and Bao against a zealous priest, determined to convert her, and then against a warlord and his army of assassins and an evil queen with an enchanted gem that bends mens' wills to her.

Banter Points: Word Nerd has mixed feelings about this book. She liked it, but there were parts where it seemed desperately slow. All of Carey's books are these grand sweeping epics and it's impossible for them to be all action, all the time because of that scale. The action sequences in this book were great and the thing that kept me reading was how Carey propelled things with Moirin's impatience to be reunited with Bao.

Bummer Points: That said, it was kind of slow. Moirin had to meet and talk to all kind of people in all these different locales. Word Nerd's hoping that book three in this series will be good, that two was kind of the boring middle bit.

Word Nerd Recommendation: The Naamah series, so far, just hasn't been as good to Word Nerd as the six books in the two Kushiel trilogies. That said, Carey creates a lush world that's fun to visit from time to time. It's likely worth sticking with the series to see what happens next.

We have Winners!

Thanks to all who entered the contest for Sean Munger's books.

Word Nerd is pleased to announce the winners.

The grand prize trilogy set of all three Giamotti books goes to.... Gothika!

The e-book version of the first Giamotti book goes to S Penney!

Please email your contact info to Word Nerd at bkwarner at gmail dot com and you'll get your prize!

Word Count Meter

The Word Count meter says Word Nerd's half done writing her current WIP. Yes, another one. Except not, really.

It's the NaNo2009 manuscript and the WIP from about 2006 come back around again.

It doesn't feel very half done, actually.

But, hopefully, the word count meter will continue to tick upwards. It is fun to update the progress.

For the record, the goal for June is to hit 50,000 total words and July will be 70K.

Book Banter -- The Whiskey Rebels

Title: The Whiskey Rebels

Author: David Liss

Genre: Historical fiction

Length: ~500 pages

Where Word Nerd's Copy Came From: Her personal collection

Plot Basics: Late 1780s America -- the Revolutionary War has been one, the country is expanding and an investment craze is underway as the new Bank of the United States is formed. Unconcerned with banks, Ethan Saunders a spy during the war, would be content to drink his days away, disgraced now as a supposed traitor. But when the woman he would have married asks for his help, Ethan stumbles into a plot that he can't let go. Someone, it seems, would sink the Bank before it gets off the ground, financially ruining his young country. Ethan puts the spy craft he knows so well to work to unravel the conspiracy.

Banter Points: Word Nerd heard Liss on a panel at Bouchercon 2009 and put this book on her TBR list. She's getting more into historical fiction and the Revolutionary War period and shortly thereafter has always been a time that interested her. While she vaguely remembers reading about the Whiskey Rebellion during AP American History in high school, not remembering the details didn't hurt this story at all. What makes this book is how amazingly modern the plot is -- it's about stock market and people betting against investment futures... the same kind of scheme that's got guys on trial today. Ethan is a great voice for telling this story as he is not a man of means or power, but doesn't want to see money sink his country.

Bummer Points: Word Nerd took this book as her airplane book on vacation and it's not really a good airplane book. The plot is fascinating, but sometimes Liss descends into long explanatory passages that don't do much to make the time go by when feeling stuck in a window seat at 30,000 feet.

Word Nerd Recommendation: If you like historical fiction (of the non-romantic kind) this is a good read. Also, an interesting mystery-style book all built around greed, not murder.