It took a full century for a dream to become reality. The ringing of an historic Freedom Bell, echoed by bells throughout our nation’s capital, noted the end of a moving dedication ceremony for the National Museum of African American History on September 24th. The memorable ceremony was accented by eloquent speeches, glorious music and celebrity appearances. The program brought attention to the innumerable contributions made to the U.S.A. over the centuries by African Americans, including the many thousands of unnamed ones who helped build this country with their slave labor.
Among the contributions to our country is the rich legacy of incredible literature by African American authors. See how many of these remarkable authors you have read:
Zora Neale Hurston
Langston Hughes
Richard Wright
Ralph Ellison
Alex Haley
James Baldwin
Maya Angelou
Toni Morrison
Ernest J. Gaines
Alice Walker
August Wilson
Octavia Butler
Edward P. Jones
Isabel Wilkerson
Lawrence Otis Graham
Jesmyn Ward
Eric Charles May (the September 2015 BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ guest author)
Kudos to author Susanna Calkins who won the Sue Feder Historical Mystery Award at the 2016 Boucheron World Mystery Convention, for her 2015 novel, The Masque of a Murderer. BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ is proud to have featured Susanna at our launch events of the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ has a great lineup for the remainder of the 2016 season. You can stay on top of the latest news by checking the Book●ed website and clicking on BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ or LIKE the Book●ed Facebook page.
Let’s be honest. For speed, convenience and a cost savings, it’s hard to beat Amazon. I confess that I use it. Statistics strongly suggest you do too. It’s a brilliant business concept. Except that it tends to destroy its competitors. That’s how the market works, you say. As consumers, it’s in our interest to seek out lower prices and convenience. But at what real cost?
In the past decade, book selling has undergone major upheaval. Independent book stores found themselves increasingly competing against major chains and discount stores encroaching on their territory. It was impossible to compete with the floor space, advertising clout and cut-rate prices offered by the deeper-pocket, faceless corporate entities.
Then independent stores got creative. They realized they could offer their customers personalized service because they took the time to get to know them. The indie stores opened up opportunities to local authors, they welcomed children and book clubs. They participated in off-site events and developed loyal customers through newsletters. The ambiance of neighborhood bookstores made them community gathering places, which could not be achieved by the chains and discounters.
The indies started to flourish as the corporate behemoths started to flounder. Borders went under. 130-year-old Barnes & Noble is reportedly teetering on the brink. The one giant seller still going great guns is Amazon, which began as a bookseller out of a Seattle garage in 1995. Now Amazon is out to topple local independent bookstores.
Surely Amazon would tell you it salutes and welcomes indie book stores. But that won’t stop them from trying to steal away indie book store customers. Chicago will be the fourth city in one year to have a brick-and-mortar Amazon book store open. Their store prices will match their online prices, which means less than you would pay at your neighborhood independent book store. What will this mean to the many vibrant indie book stores that serve Chicago’s booklovers so brilliantly? Time will tell.
There’s no reason for Amazon to open a physical book store in Chicago, except that the empire recognizes there’s money to be made from an active book-loving public. Now it will be up to those readers to show the indie stores we love them too by being as loyal to them as they’ve been to us.
Since July 2015, booklovers have had a new, fun place to meet authors and buy books – at BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ http://www.bookedwebcast.com/booked_books-n-bottles.html. Now in its second season, the monthly events are held at two venues, one in Chicago and one in suburban Northbrook, IL. Each venue offers a different convivial atmosphere for lovers of books and wines. Guests enjoy conversing with authors while enjoying quality wine tastings. The quality wines are as diverse and delicious as the books and both are available for sale. In season two, we also added the Bonus Buy concept: mementos, merchant discounts and professional photos with the author, among other goodies. For season three, to begin in the spring of 2017, we expect to add a third venue. Three venues, three different settings. Something for every taste. Stay tuned!
This month’s singular BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ will be a national book launch celebration on September 25th at Sunset Foods in Northbrook, IL. Boy, 9, Missing is the debut novel from Chicago author Nic Joseph, to be released by Sourcebooks Landmark on September 20th. In the tradition of Defending Jacob or Drowning Ruth, this suspenseful thriller explores the ramifications of revenge, justice, and the aftermath of a terrible night in the lives of two families. As we enjoy our free wine tasting, we’ll be discussing where inspiration comes from and how this book elevates its theme. As always, audience participation will be encouraged! Books will be available on site from the Book Bin, wine and the ever popular Bonus Buy packages (mementos, merchant discounts, professional photos with the author and more) will also be available for purchase.
October 1st is the deadline for submissions to the Missouri Review’s competition for the 26th Annual Jeffrey E. Smith Editor’s Prize. Prizes of $5,000 each for Fiction, Nonfiction and Poetry. Winners receive publication, invitation to a reception and reading in their honor and a cash prize.
The Unbound Book Festival is looking for hosts to hold fundraising parties for next year’s event. The free Missouri festival aims to bring nationally and internationally recognized authors to Columbia, Missouri to talk about their books, their work, and their lives in interactive activities. Beyond the one-day event, organizers hope to raise funds and awareness to improve literacy standards throughout the State of Missouri.
BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ will celebrate the national book launch of Boy, 9, Missing from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, September 25th at Sunset Foods in downtown Northbrook, IL. The debut novel from Chicago author Nic Joseph, published by Sourcebooks Landmark, has been compared to classic thrillers Defending Jacob or Drowning Ruth. The event, hosted by Book●ed, includes a free wine tasting, conversation with the author, book signings and more. Books will be available on site from the Book Bin, wine and the ever popular Bonus Buy packages (mementos, merchant discounts, professional photos with the author and more) will also be available for purchase.
The 13th Annual Best Book Awards entry deadline is September 30th. The i310 Media Group, organizer of the competition, says it is “specifically designed to not only garner media coverage and book sales for the winners and finalists but to promote awarded books to the publishing and entertainment industries.” Open to all books with an ISBN and published in 2016 (galley copies welcome). 2015 and 2014 titles are also eligible.
“Book Readings That Sell Your Book” is a workshop offered by Off Campus Writers Workshop on Thursday, October 13th from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Winnetka Community House in Winnetka, IL. Part of publishing a book today is performing readings and doing signings at bookstores, libraries… and, if you’re really lucky, BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™. Actress, comedienne, and novelist Jennifer Rupp will shares practical tips for giving author readings that entertain, intrigue and help sell books. Jennifer invites attendees to bring three pages of something you’ve written for practice in a safe, supportive environment.
NORTHBROOK WRITES: Character Development with Eric Charles May, part of a series of free workshops for writers, will be offered by the Northbrook Public Library on Saturday, October 29th from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. May, who was a BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ featured author in 2015, is an author, associate professor in Fiction Writing at Columbia College Chicago, and former reporter for The Washington Post. His workshop will address how to develop rich and engaging characters.
The psychological thriller is one of the hottest genres in publishing. Twists, turns, playing with your mind. Building tension. Challenging your assumptions. Surprising you. The best ones are described as page turners, the books you can’t put down, the ones that stay with you after the final sentence.
Certain themes and elements tend to populate thrillers: a vulnerable, unsuspecting victim (usually female or young or both) facing an unstable, unreliable menace (human or otherwise). The action is intense and unrelenting. Success of the book depends on an author’s ability to create memorable characters in situations that feel fresh, keeping the reader’s heart racing from scene to scene, page to page before a resolution that satisfies the reader.
The psychological thriller may also fall into other categories (romance, horror, science fiction, etc.) but it has an edge over the standard suspense thriller because of its familiarity. Instead of depending primarily on plot, we get inside the minds of the characters, recognizing elements of ourselves in their thoughts and feelings. This is what pulls us in and holds us captive.
Classic psychological thrillers include Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca (1938), Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train (1950), Ira Levin’s Rosemary’s Baby (1967), Stephen King’s The Shining (1977) and Thomas Harris’s The Silence of the Lambs (1988). Popular psychological thrillers on their way to becoming classics include Dennis Lehane’s Shutter Island (2003), Gillian’s Flynn’s Gone Girl (2012) and Tim Johnston’s Descent (2015) – Tim Johnston was the featured guest at the June 2016 BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™.
Destined to grab readers’ attention is a psychological thriller set to debut on September 20th. Boy, 9, Missing is the debut novel from Chicago author Nic Joseph, published by Sourcebooks Landmark. BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ is “thrilled” to host Nic at a book launch celebration this month. In the tradition of Defending Jacob or Drowning Ruth, this is a suspenseful debut that explores the ramifications of revenge, justice, and the aftermath of a terrible night in the lives of two families.
As we enjoy our free wine tasting, we’ll be discussing where inspiration comes from and how this book elevates its theme. As always, audience participation will be encouraged! Books will be available on site from the Book Bin, wine and the ever popular Bonus Buy packages (mementos, merchant discounts, professional photos with the author and more) will also be available for purchase.
BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™, hosted by Book●ed, are monthly events connecting authors and their books with booklovers who also enjoy great wine. Check out the Book●ed website and click on BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ for details of the upcoming events.
