The Fox’s Kettle book trailer

Here’s a new book trailer for an old favorite…The Fox’s Kettle by Laura Langston and Victor Bosson.  I love this classic tale and I love the audio enhanced e version just as much. It’s available on iTunes.

 

John Green, BEA and the book industry

And now back to books, or in this case authors.  One of my favorites was slated to speak at BEA, but since John Green’s wife is just about to give birth, he spoke via a video feed.

John is passionate about books. He uses his speech as an opportunity to support the book industry and refute the “insidious lie” that authors don’t need anyone aside from readers.  He does not consider himself to be an example of someone who is changing the publishing paradigm through the use of new media.

Listen to what he has to say, and I’m sure you’ll agree that this is one awesome guy.  And, if you haven’t read his books, get out to your local bookstore or library immediately and read read read!

And for those of you who think that the industry (your publisher, your editor, your sales rep., your librarian, and your bookseller are “value-sucking middlemen;  I feel sad for you!

 

PW’s Best Books of 2012

Check out PW’s Best Books of 2012.  

There are some super good books on the list and it’s broken up into categories for your convenience.  So, make a list and get reading!

Toads on Toast by Linda Bailey

My friend Linda Bailey has a new picture book coming out soon that is super awesome, so you’ll want to check it out as soon as it hits a bookstore near you. It’s called Toads on Toast, and it features Linda’s quirky humor, toads, a not so wily fox, and yes, toast. Mamma Toad will jump through any hoop to save her brood from Fox’s frying pan.  But, in the end, her secret recipe for Toad-in-a-Hole is what saves the day. The secret? No toads!

If you haven’t heard of Linda Bailey, get on out and today and pick up one of her hilarious and endearing Stanley books.  You won’t regret it.  Linda is the award-winning author of Goodnight Sweet Pig, the Stevie Diamond Mysteries, and the Good Times Travel Agency series. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Lemony Snicket Teams up with Seth

 I’ve been waiting for this one, and I suspect you have too!  Lemony Snicket will be releasing the first of his new series, Who Could That Be at This Hour in the fall.  Hungry for a taste?  Visit the Guardian. They have the first chapter posted.  But, don’t delay since it’ll only be posted for a week!  In the meantime, you can enjoy the cover art from Seth.

Snicket warns “extreme caution … The distribution of this cover image should be on a need-to-know basis, limited to librarians, booksellers, readers, e-readers, educators, journalists, muck-rakers, bloggers, tweeters, men, women, and children.”

The Nine Million Book Giveaway

According The Guardian, McDonalds UK have announced that they will be giving away NINE MILLION (yep, you read that right, NINE MILLION) books with Happy Meals.  The partnership between HarperCollins UK and McDonalds is one way of reaching out to a population of families not inclined to cross the threshold of bookshops or libraries. While the food is not to my taste (I know I know, I’m not exactly the target audience for a Happy Meal), the books are of a high calibre.  They’ve been penned by the former Children’s Laureate, Michael Morpurgo.  According to Viv Bird of the National Booktrust, “This partnership with McDonald’s Happy Meals and HarperCollins sends a really powerful message that reading is for everyone.”  And it’s just the kind of message needed.

Don’t worry if you’re not a Happy Meal type, you can buy the Mudpuddle Farm books at McDonalds minus the meal.

George R. R. Martin: a teaser chapter to The Winds of Winter

The brilliant and clearly publicity savvy George R. R. Martin has given us a New Year’s gift…an advance chapter of The Winds of Winter.  One of these days (soon I hope…wishful thinking here people) this chapter will figure into book 6 in his A Song of Fire and Ice series, which I warn you is seriously addictive.  I literally devoured A Dance With Dragons, book 5 in the series, after waiting five long years for Martin to complete it. Of course, it’s a bit of a tease, but so irresistible given that it is a chapter on one of his most intriguing characters, Theon Greyjoy whom I have loved, loathed, pitied, detested, and then began to respect anew. That’s the kind of author Martin is…one who knows how create not only rich characters that you are willing to follow over the course of many books, but also rich stories that are worth waiting years for.

A Titanic Launch

You won’t want to miss this dynamic book launch!  Both authors are super presenters, and lifesavers are included!

 

Publisher Weekly Best Books of 2011

PW has put out a list of best books of 2011.  Interestingly, I was just having a conversation with my daughter( happens to be a book sales rep.) about Kadir Nelson’s Heart and Soul, which she described as “amazing”.   A few weeks ago she introduced me to Lane’s Smith’s Grandpa Green, which she described as “adorable”.  Can’t wait to have a look at some of the other titles which all look fabulous.  These will be wonderful titles to check out for Christmas gifts.

PW Best Books of 2011

          

Mindy Kaling and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

Apparently fall is the biography season…I guess I’ve not been paying attention all these years, or else I’ve just not been a big biography fan. But now, it seems there is even a biography that even I’m interested in, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?  For those of you not in the loop, Mindy Kaling is both a writer and actress for the hit TV show, The Office.  I’ve watched the show on and off for a while, and while I’m not a passionate follower, I do enjoy some of the humor.

Even if you aren’t a big fan of the The Office, you may want to pick up a copy of Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? . Kaling is both quirky and funny both on the show, and in her new book which talks about her experience with a little advice thrown in for good measure.  So, if you’re in high school and struggling to fit in…and haven’t we all been there at one time or another… this book is for you.  And if you happen to be well past high school, as I am, you may enjoy Kaling’s refreshing look back on why success in high school does not necessarily translate into success later in life.  If you want a taste of how Kaling reads, check out the except in Publisher Weekly.