Self-Published Surprises: 'The Martian'

When I come across interesting information, I like to share it to encourage interest in books, but also to put a human face to writers and publishers. This is a quick NPR interview about Andy Weir's self-published book "The Martian"and its evolution. 

Weir's candid response about his chances at mainstream success is great, "I thought it was just - oh, you know, it's just a book, you know, by a dork for dorks." I laughed because it's funny to think this self-published "book by a dork" earned Weir a deal with Random House and went on to become an award winning movie. While this doesn't happen to every writer, if you love the story and stick with it, it just might. 

NPR Books: 'The Martian'

Summer Reads: Five for Friday

This week I noticed a lot more back-to-school chatter. Summer vacation has ended for some, and is coming to a close for others. This is both good and bad news. Yay, school and learning! Boo, end of lazy, summer days (if you had a chance to enjoy any)!

There are still sunny days left before we head back. I want to spend most of them playing outdoors with the kiddos and reading great books long after sunset without an alarm at reveille. So, here’s a Five for Friday list in case you want more summer reading ideas.

Now go, pack in as much fun as you can, and squeeze in a few more good books before summer sails off into the horizon.

Enjoy!

Voices in the Ocean: A Journey into the Wild and Haunting World of Dolphins by Susan Casey

If the title and the cover are any indication, this is going to be an incredible book.

Inspired by a chance encounter with spinner dolphins off the coast of Maui, Casey decided she wanted to learn more about dolphins. The book is said to explore dolphin science and cultural meaning, but also discusses the importance of protecting the species from hunters.

This sounds like the perfect blend of heart and science. The kind of summer read that reminds us all of earth’s many wondrous creatures.

X by Sue Grafton

Kinsey Millhone is a pretty strong character. She’s a private investigator who’s seen her share of bad guys. In her latest installment of the alphabet series, X, Millhone has to identify and help catch a serial killer before he catches her.

Reviews are listing this as an “intense” and “chilling” novel. Grafton crafts Millhone with the characteristic pluck, intensity, and humor readers enjoy while creating a psycho serial killer to ratchet up the anxiety while Millhone works her investigative magic.

Leaving Berlin: A Novel by Joseph Kanon

Looked so interesting, I may just have to buy it right now.

Excerpt of Amazon's Overview:

The acclaimed author of The Good German “deftly captures the ambience” (The New York Times Book Review) of postwar East Berlin in his “thought-provoking, pulse-pounding” (Wall Street Journal) New York Times bestseller—a sweeping spy thriller about a city caught between political idealism and the harsh realities of Soviet occupation.

All the Old Knives: A Novel by Olen Steinhauer

This book delves into a CIA hostage rescue mission that went sideways. The Vienna agents on duty, lovers at the time of the incident, meet up six years later to piece together what really happened, and find out if one of their own had been compromised.

The Little Paris Bookshop: A Novel by Nina George

A man named Monsieur Perdu is a self-described literary apothecary. He runs a bookstore from a barge floating on the Seine, prescribing “novels for the hardships in life.” (Amazon) He just has trouble finding the right prescription for his own loss, until he reads a letter from a great, lost love.

This book is on Oprah’s Book List under the tab ‘Books for When Your Brain is Melted’. Sit back, relax and travel with Perdu as he ventures out to heal others, and possibly, himself.

Summer Reads for Your Journey

Photo Copyright: Windswept Sands by K.Gibson

I compiled this book list for a variety of summer readers. Here are three interesting picks for those who wish to take a literary journey; leap into pet-parenthood with their kids; or adventure with authors to new lands.

Whether you read one or not, I invite you to find and share your favorite summer reads in the comments.

Enjoy!

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Summer is the perfect time to get swept away. This Pulitzer Prize winner could do just that. Some of the reviews I read are saying this beautifully written book has well-drawn characters and a story that flows. If those aren’t good enough, the page-long overview on Barnes & Noble might help sway you.

Here’s part of the Overview from Barnes & Noble:

Doerr’s “stunning sense of physical detail and gorgeous metaphors” (San Francisco Chronicle) are dazzling. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, he illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another. Ten years in the writing, a National Book Award finalist, All the Light We Cannot See is a magnificent, deeply moving novel from a writer “whose sentences never fail to thrill” (Los Angeles Times).

What Pet Should I Get? by Dr. Seuss

Are your little ones asking for a pet? This could be a fun book to help you settle on the right one, or just get the conversation rolling in a fun way. Since our kids have been asking for everything from puppies to ponies, it’s time we pick this one up and read together.

Not sure? Here’s a brief clip from Barnes & Noble:

This never-ever-before-seen picture book by Dr. Seuss about making up one’s mind is the literary equivalent of buried treasure! What happens when a brother and sister visit a pet store to pick a pet? Naturally, they can’t choose just one! The tale captures a classic childhood moment—choosing a pet—and uses it to illuminate a life lesson: that it is hard to make up your mind, but sometimes you just have to do it!

An Innocent Abroad by Don George

Anthologies are a recurring theme for me this summer. I enjoy them because you can sample short stories from a variety of authors. It’s a great way to find out whether I like a writer’s style before committing to a longer length novel.

This anthology sounds just right for all those rushing to fit in last-minute travels before heading back-to-school.

Overview from B&N:

An Innocent Abroad: Life Changing Trips From 35 Great Writers is everything a travel anthology should be, ranging from funny to touching to heartbreaking while always remaining engrossing. The anthology features a diverse and wide ranging number of contributors, from writers Dave Eggers and Ann Patchett to seasoned travel chroniclers like Jan Morris.

Latest Summer Reads & Brief Review of The Liar

The Liar by Nora Roberts

I admit this was a long book, but it didn’t feel long. Roberts does an incredible job of weaving in backstory as Shelby Foxworth works to put her life back together after the death of her husband.

It’s nice that Roberts didn’t make Shelby a whiner, or I’d have stopped reading. There were times I understood and sympathized with Shelby's role as a young mom of a three-year-old daughter. She juggles a lot, but puts her head down and keeps going. A hard-working, relatable character is one you root for in a story like this.

Roberts shows her mastery of character, setting, and story development—with a mystery to solve, a steamy romance (who doesn’t love a handsome man who works well with his hands?), and plenty of down-home comfort, this book is a definite summer read.

Here’s an overview from Barnes & Noble:

Shelby Foxworth lost her husband. Then she lost her illusions…

The man who took her from Tennessee to an exclusive Philadelphia suburb left her in crippling debt. He was an adulterer and a liar, and when Shelby tracks down his safe-deposit box, she finds multiple IDs. The man she loved wasn’t just dead. He never really existed.

Shelby takes her three-year-old daughter and heads south to seek comfort in her hometown, where she meets someone new: Griff Lott, a successful contractor. But her husband had secrets she has yet to discover. Even in this small town, surrounded by loved ones, danger is closer than she knows—and threatens Griff, as well. And an attempted murder is only the beginning...

*Booklist (starred review)

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

Controversial is an understatement when it comes to this book. Rumors and questions surrounded the publishing of the book so long after To Kill a Mockingbird. Was this what Harper Lee really wanted? Was it pushed out now because of money?  Oh boy, the conversations before the launch were lively, and now, they’re even louder.

Some folks love it, and are glad to read something else of Lee’s even fifty years later. Some can’t believe Harper Lee actually agreed to publish this as the character Atticus Finch is controversial in this one. (Word is the character inspired by Lee’s own father is shockingly different from the one we learned about in grade school.)

Either way, this book will be talked about for some time. So, if you’re curious, or want in on the discussion, you should probably check it out.

Overview from Barnes & Noble:

A historic literary event: the publication of a newly discovered novel, the earliest known work from Harper Lee, the beloved, bestselling author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, To Kill a Mockingbird.

Originally written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman was the novel Harper Lee first submitted to her publishers before To Kill a Mockingbird. Assumed to have been lost, the manuscript was discovered in late 2014…

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

I posted the overview from Barnes & Noble (B&N) because it made me want to read this book. It just sounds interesting (King Lear and a pandemic? Whoa!). Maybe you’ll think so, and put it on your book list, too.

P.S. Mine is really long, and also eclectic.

Overview from B&N:

It seems like over the last few years a bunch of novelists got together and made a pact to pen postapocalyptic stories. If you choose to check out just one of them, Station Eleven, Arthur C. Clarke Award winnner and National Book Award finalist, is a great pick. In its opening pages, famous actor Arthur Leander collapses onstage during a production of King Lear. His death (though unrelated) heralds the beginning of a worldwide flu pandemic. The novel moves back and forth through time to describe what happens as the illness and panic spreads…

Time for New Summer Reads!

Summer is officially here! Time to relax, rejuvenate and read! Here are a few books you may want whether you’re headed to the beach, or the backyard.  

Invasion of Privacy by Christopher Reich

Let’s face it, technology is everywhere. The wife of gunned down FBI agent Joe Grant receives a strange voicemail from her husband that later disappears. When Mary digs into her husband’s death ‘she finds herself on the trail of a secret that could transform the world, and the target of a dangerous psychopath.’ (Paraphrased from Barnes & Noble)

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

This is for my peeps from the Birthplace of Aviation! If you like this kind of story, you may also want to check out American Genius on the National Geographic Channel. They put together a documentary on the heated race for flight between the Wright Brothers and Glenn Curtiss (as well as some other very interesting rivalries).

“In 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright achieved flight. In his new book, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough explores the lives of these two men from Dayton, Ohio—preacher’s sons who did not attend college, and who were bicycle makers and salesmen prior to their invention of the first powered airplane. He sheds light on the skeptical reaction they received from a general public that did not understand their accomplishments, and takes a look at the contributions of their overlooked sister, Katharine. The truths he uncovers are startling and inspirational.” (Barnes & Noble)

Wicked Charms by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton

“Evanovich introduced her New York Times best-selling Lizzy and Diesel series with 2010's Wicked Appetite, featuring dazzling Salem, MA, baker Elizabeth Tucker (her cupcakes drive men mad) and the seductive Diesel, first seen in Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books. Here she brings on multi-award-winning writer/producer/novelist Sutton to help. Each tale involves the search for an ancient relic mysteriously linked to one of the seven deadly sins—in this case, greed.” (Library Journal)

Before Summer Reads

It’s still spring, but I like to compile lists of books I want to read before summer vacation. Here are some ideas for the thrill list.

Tom Clancy Under Fire by Grant Blackwood

Jack Ryan Jr. meets with his long-time friend, Seth Gregory. Shortly after their meeting, Seth disappears, accused of turning against his country.

“Jack Ryan’s pursuit of the truth will lead him across Iran, through the war-torn Caucasus, and finally deep into territory coveted by the increasingly aggressive Russian Federation. Along the way, Jack is joined by Seth’s primary agent, Ysabel, a enigmatic Iranian woman who seems to be his only clue to Seth’s whereabouts.” (Overview from Barnes & Noble)

Pirate Hunters: Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship by Robert Kurson

Maybe it’s time for a little high-seas adventure. Praise abounds for this one.

“Action and adventure on land and sea—you can’t ask for more. But Robert Kurson raises the ante in Pirate Hunters with an array of mystery and a fleet of colorful characters spanning four centuries. This is a great summer read!”—Michael Connelly

“Kurson’s own enthusiasm, combined with his copious research and an eye for detail, makes for one of the most mind-blowing pirate stories of recent memory, one that even the staunchest landlubber will have a hard time putting down.” Agent: Flip Brophy, Sterling Lord Literistic. (Info. from B&N)

The President’s Shadow by Brad Meltzer

This is book #3 of the Culper Ring thriller series, but anything that heightens the mystique and intrigue surrounding our nation’s highest office is worth a read.

“A severed arm, found buried in the White House Rose Garden. A lethal message with terrible consequences for the Presidency. And a hidden secret in one family's past that will have repercussions for the entire nation” (Excerpt from B&N)

When writing gets real

This is what it's about. This is where I've been. This is when writing is real. Often, eerily, other people (characters) have to take over your brain, or some part of the process to make your story believable.

I discovered a post on Omnivoracious in which Karin Slaughter and Gillian Flynn have a conversation about books, characters, and process. The whole thing is great reading, but my favorite summation of the writing process is from Slaughter (seriously, what thriller writer wouldn't kill for that name?):

"Some of my best work comes from a flop sweat of realizing that what I’ve just spent two weeks knowing was going to be perfect and work brilliantly will never make it onto the final page. And I think going down these wrong roads teaches you about your characters, because at the end of the day, the story should always work in service to the characters."

Now, back to work so I may bring you an actual book of my own. Check back for updates and reveals!

Stuck indoors, again? Read a book (or ten)

Winter is not leaving without a fight, it appears, so if you’re huddled up inside today, tomorrow, until summer, here are some book suggestions to keep you company.

I also found some news for any Anne Rice fans reading this blog. The author of Interview with the Vampire is releasing a novel titled Prince Lestat about vampire Lestat de Lioncourt, in October. Here’s some more info if you want to read more. 

The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg. FBI Agent Kate O’Hare and internationally know thief Nicholas Fox return with more excitement and adventure.

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by James Dean. Since it’ll be a long time before any of us can wear shoes of any kind, other than boots.

Slammed by Colleen Hoover. Because she’s a writer, mom and ninja who can spin a tale like crazy. Plus, this and a few others are already optioned to hit the big screen!

Since it’s Seuss month, and my baby just had a birthday: Happy Birthday to You by Dr. Seuss. Read something fun with your kids!

Happy Reading!

P.S. I like taking pictures of drinks and sharing them when they look this good. Cheers!

Follow Your Dreams Friday

It's freezing, again. We're stuck inside for most of the day, again. But, we're going to have some kind of an indoor adventure at our house. Just as soon as we thaw from our morning errands. 

Normally, I'm good with the snow through February. This year is a little different. I've been dreaming of a warmer climate - like, pack your bags and move permanently warmer climate. But, we've got kids, jobs, bills, and so many things going right now, it seems silly to pick up and leave. Right? Maybe, maybe not. 

Maybe I just need a vacation, YES! Or, maybe this is the perfect time to dream of warmer places, and other things. What's got me thinking about fulfilling dreams? Our personal goals, the long winter, the realization my book is real (when it was once only a dream), reading articles on taking risks to realize your dreams, like this one on HuffPost about author Allison Winn Scotch, or this one about a terminally ill man in England with only six months to live who marries his sweetheart and spends his last days making her dreams come true (tissues, please!), and our children who show us the beauty of dreams every day. 

I honor of all these varied and wonderful dreams, I included the article links and added some quotes below to help you start the weekend right. Happy day, dreamers!

The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.

Oprah Winfrey

Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.

Pope John XXIII

Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.

Gail Devers

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/your_dreams.html#hfReh9lJ3DookfOj.99

Summer Reads — Monday Mysteries

Happy Monday! It's another week of Summer Reads. Check out the Monday Mysteries I posted last week, or try one of these. Share your favorites in the comments below. 

The Hanging by Lotte and Soren Hammer, translated from the Danish version. Excerpt from Publishers Weekly: The Hammers, a sister and brother writing team, make their U.S. debut with this outstanding crime thriller, which introduces Danish Det. Insp. Konrad Simonsen. The title and full description tells me it may be an interesting new thriller, not for the faint of heart.

The 9th Girl by Tami Hoag. The New York Times bestselling author brings back fan-favorite Minneapolis investigators Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska in a new thriller.

Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews. The author is a retired CIA officer. He shares stories about his long career, and each chapter includes a recipe for a dish the characters consume in the story.  

Summer Reads - Monday Mysteries (even though it's Tuesday already)

The Summer Reads Series is back. You can check out the first of this year's entries here. If you're in the mood for more, I plan to bring you plenty of suggestions, and maybe even a guest post or two. So, check back for updates.

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini - Overview excerpt from Barnes and Noble: An unforgettable novel about finding a lost piece of yourself in someone else. Following its characters and the ramifications of their lives and choices and loves around the globe—from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Greek island of Tinos—the story expands gradually outward, becoming more emotionally complex and powerful with each turning page.

Her Last Breath by Linda Castillo - Overview excerpt from Barnes and Noble: 

An extraordinarily beautiful Amish woman, a dangerous femme fatale, is the central figure in a story that reveals a dark side of Painters Mill and its seemingly perfect Amish world.

Doing The First Novel Hustle: 'The Oracle Of Stamboul'

“I told myself that I would rather be a person who tried to write a novel and failed than be someone who abandoned their novel.”

-              - Michael David Lukas

That quote really hit me as I’ve started, stopped, and started novels not knowing where the journey would lead. It gets hard slogging through the highs and low and even locking some works away until plot or character ‘issues’ can be resolved. Yet, I still write. I thought this advice about pressing on might help fellow writers, and anyone else struggling to achieve their goals.

Here’s a link to the NPR article about this author who kept at it until he published his first novel.

http://www.npr.org/2011/03/01/133965740/doing-the-first-novel-hustle-the-oracle-of-stamboul

Summer Reads Final Week - Guest Post Special!

As the summer season fades, our Summer Reads series enters its final week. But before we welcome fall in all its harvest glory, let’s finish this thing right.

This summer I posted all sorts of book suggestions and welcomed your feedback. There have been some great comments and e-mails, and my book list has grown exponentially. J Now, I am pleased to bring you a guest post from an avid reader and long-time friend. When I want to find something good to read or review, I call her…she always gives me the straight scoop. So, here is her first guest post for LITP. Welcome, Debbie!

First off, I’d like to thank Kristen for inviting me to be a guest on her blog. It is very kind of her and I’m delighted to be here.

I’d like chat about one of my favorite authors, David Rosenfelt. Now understand, I have a BOATLOAD of favorite authors, but David is near and dear to my heart as I discovered him (more or less) on my own, meaning, not recommended by a friend or relative. I was introduced to his work when Janet Evanovich sang his praises on a Good Morning America segment several years ago.

David has written a series of books that center around a main character, Andy Carpenter, a defense lawyer living in Paterson, New Jersey with his amazing golden retriever, Tara. Think Stephanie Plum with a legal degree. Not quite as zany, but definitely as entertaining. The reoccurring characters keep the books cohesive and familiar. Whenever I start a new book of David’s, I feel like I’m coming home to a wonderful, goofy family. Let me emphasize that in no way do these books have to be read in order. They all are totally stand-alone. The underlying theme throughout David’s books is dogs. As luck would have it, many times Andy is defending them or their owners.

I encourage you to take a look at David’s web site, www.davidrosenfelt.com and then grab one of his books, a comfy chair, a favorite beverage, and get ready to be transported to a world where there really is a good-guy to champion the “underdog!”