Wine, the most delightful of drinks, whether we owe it to Noah, who planted the vine, or to Bacchus, who pressed juice from the grape, goes back to the childhood of the world. — Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), French lawyer, politician and author of The Physiology of Taste.
With BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ off to a bright start, pairing quality wines with quality books, I find myself reflecting on the place of wine in literature. As far back as antiquity, wine is referenced on clay tablets and papyrus, even before the invention of paper or digital books. Clearly, wine’s potency is not limited to its level of alcohol. Whether part of the action, used as an adjective or offered as a metaphor for something else – success, romantic intoxication, life itself – wine and literature always pair well together. Fortunately for us, a wealth of literature over the centuries was made more interesting and enjoyable for the wine we read about as well as the wine we drink. See how many of these you know:
Frolic Wine — Anacreon Drinking Alone Beneath the Moon — Li Po The Soul of Wine — Charles Baudelaire I Bring an Unaccustomed Wine — Emily Dickinson Ulysses — James Joyce A Moveable Feast — Ernest Hemingway Ode to Wine — Pablo Neruda Taste — Roald Dahl A Long Finish – Michael Dibdin A Debt to Pleasure — John Lanchester
You can learn more about BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ by clicking the tab at the Book●ed website.
BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ is delighted to welcome NY Times bestselling author Jen Lancaster to a book signing and wine tasting at TASTE Food & Wine, 1506 W. Jarvis Avenue, Chicago, from 5-8 p.m. on August 20th to celebrate her newest book, The Best of Enemies, published by NAL on August 4, 2015.
Jen’s books, including Bitter is the New Black, The Tao of Martha and I Regret Nothing, received rave reviews from The Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe, InStyle and many more.
The Best of Enemies is told from the alternating perspectives of two women who define the term “frenemies”. It is a story of friendship, rivalry, road trips, and the glue that holds it all together—a mutual friend. Books will be available for purchase and signing. On-site book sales will be handled by The Book Cellar.
Reflecting the road trip aspect of The Best of Enemies, the wines to be featured are quality bi-coastal selections: “a voluptuous California chardonnay and a scintillating New York riesling,” announced wine maven Phoebe Snowe, owner of TASTE Food & Wine. Both selections, and others, will be available for sale.
Click on video to see the cute promo video introducing BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™.
I came thisclose to disaster last year while compiling the photo images to be used in Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power. After selecting images from Romina Power’s collection that best carried her memoir forward, expediency required pulling several of the images from the internet where they had migrated over the years.
All of the photos looked perfectly fine to me on my computer screen. As I got ready to provide them to the print production people, one of my tech people caught me just in time and asked, “Have you checked the resolution of these photos?”
“What do you mean, ‘resolution’?” I asked. “They look fine to me.” Uh-oh! Had I not been pulled back from the brink, the handsome collector’s quality limited first edition of this very special book would have been a disaster!
When you go from screen to print, funny things happen. Here’s what I learned — and what you need to know, if you plan to print photo images from digital images you see on the internet or are provided to you: Resolution, printing capabilities, moiré and even paper quality can enhance or disgrace your book. Be prepared!
Pixels (short for picture elements) are tiny dots that make the digital photo images you see on your computer screen. Most monitors have hundreds of thousands, or often millions, of pixels.
Resolution refers to the number of pixels per inch (PPI) in a digital photo. The PPI is noted as one number and yields the image pixel height and width, e.g. for a 5″ by 7″ photo with a PPI of 300 yields an image of 1,500 pixels by 2,100 pixels. Images found on the internet typically have a PPI of 72, resulting in poor print quality. Generally, the higher the PPI the better the reproduction print quality.
The quality of an image also depends on the printer. DPI (dots per inch) refers to the resolution printers produce on paper. Higher quality printers mean higher production costs but they are worth the investment if your book includes photos. Rather than try to figure the mathematical formula that you need for your photo images, ask to see samples of print work before you choose your book’s publisher. Your eyes will likely tell you what is acceptable.
Another potential problem is moiré, an effect that looks like wavy stripes or a crisscross pattern. It can occur during photography or during printing. It can be avoided during photography by using certain lenses but if it appears when printed, there is a Photoshop technique that can correct it – if it is caught in time.
Paper quality affects not only the life of a book but the quality of its photos. Increasingly, publishers are producing books on groundwood, once used primarily for throwaway publications like newspapers and advertisements. Although the cost of paper constitutes only 3% of a book’s cost, it has become a popular way for publishers to shave expenses and remain competitive. For a more enduring book, one with crisper photos, use archival paper. If the book’s photos are important, consider using glossy paper instead of more porous matte sheets where spreading ink will decrease clarity.
Whether your book is self-published or published traditionally, it is your baby. Bring it up well.
My tech team carefully reviewed each of the approximately 90 photos in Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power. They photoshopped when necessary (it was often necessary) to enhance the crispness of the images and to remove moiré wherever it showed up. We went the extra step of having the photos presented in three sections on glossy paper. The result was that many of the photos that had appeared in the bestselling 1998 Italian edition of the book look even better in the 2014 centennial edition. For more information about Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power, contact Tyrone Power First Edition.
If you missed the wonderful launch of BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ last month, you have another chance to be part of the fun on Thursday, August 20th, when we host NY Times best-selling author Jen Lancaster and feature her hilarious new book, The Best of Enemies. The fun begins at 5 p.m. at TASTE Food & Wine, 1506 West Jarvis, Chicago. Another delicious tasting will pair fascinating wines with elements of the featured book and author. Reservations are not necessary. Cheers!
After months of planning the newest venture from Book●ed, I’m delighted to report that the launch of BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ was a blast! The gathering of people at TASTE Food & Wine on July 23rd mixed, mingled and thoroughly enjoyed the evening. The pairing of quality books with quality wines was “a stroke of genius” said one of the guests. Oh yes, indeed!
Author Susanna Calkins captivated us with her description of the fascinating period in history, “the world turned upside down” in 17th century England, where her acclaimed Lucy Campion mystery series takes place. The Masque of a Murderer, the third book in the series, was available for sale, along with copies of the previous two books, which Susanna personalized and autographed for new and returning fans.
Wine maven Phoebe Snowe poured the featured wines that were paired with references in the book to Rhenish wine and claret. Rhenish means from the Rhine Valley in Germany; for that, we were treated to a crisp, German reisling. Claret, explained Phoebe, was the name given by the British to wines from the Bordeaux region of France; the Bordeaux we tasted was luxurious. Both selections were big hits with the guests.
Thanks to Nili Yellin, representing The Book Cellar, for expediting book sales; and to Sara Fenwick of F-Stop Photos for capturing images of the evening.
Many of the guests who attended our launch plan to return for the August 20th BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ event when we host NY Times bestselling author Jennifer Lancaster. With her latest book, The Best of Enemies, we move from the mysterious past to the hilarious present. Wait till you see what featured wines TASTE will pair with that book! We hope to see you there.
To learn more about our events, visit the Book.ed website where you can read my weekly blog or click on the BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ tab for upcoming event details and our entertaining little promo video.
If you are, or wish to be, active in the publishing industry – as a writer, publisher or service provider — mark your calendars now and start making plans for Book Expo America, coming to Chicago in 2016.
Women writers in the greater Chicago area with a penchant for poetry and playwriting should check out Jane’s Stories Annual Retreat. The workshop and lunch, featuring author, poet and dramatist Yolanda Nieves. There will be ample time for writing and networking.
Book●ed has teamed up with TASTE Food & Wine, a popular Chicago shop, to elevate author book signing events with quality wines paired by themes to the books. The launch of BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ will be Thursday, July 23, 2015 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at TASTE Food & Wine, 1506 W. Jarvis Avenue. You can view my brief video with Phoebe Snowe, talking about this new venture by clicking on BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™.
For those who enjoy quality wine as much as quality books, BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ offers both as authors and readers get to meet in a convivial setting.
The first author to be fêted at a BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ event will be Susanna Calkins, whose newest book is The Masque of a Murderer. Published by Minotaur Books, it is the third Lucy Campion mystery set in 17th century England. Publishers Weekly called Calkins’s writing “Assured… Calkins’s familiarity with the period and her use of obscure details, such as the fire court set up to adjudicate claims after the Great Fire of 1666, are a plus.”
Reflecting themes in the book, a Rhenish (German riesling) wine and a claret will be featured among the wine options of the evening. Books will be available for purchase and signing. On-site book sales will be handled by The Book Cellar.
It might seem counter-productive to give away something you’ve spent your time and money creating, if your goal is to make money. But savvy marketers know that sampling is one of the most effective ways to expand customer awareness and generate purchases. That means giving away something you’ve produced. Vendors of food and cosmetics use this tactic very effectively. Smart authors and publishers are doing it too. A little taste builds up an appetite. When someone accepts your offer, a relationship has been established.
At Book Expo America this past May, free books were offered like lollipops. Often, but not always, giveaways were linked with author appearances and book signings. I returned home, my suitcase bulging with books I was eager to read, written by authors I hadn’t heard of. As part of the community that builds a buzz for book sales, I may recommend the books and authors through my Book●ed blog.
Are you an author who is not going to industry conventions? Working on a budget that doesn’t allow massive giveaways? There are many other ways to promote a book and entice readers to buy it:
Hold a contest. Through bloggers and other social media, offer your books as prizes in exchange for positive media coverage to targeted audiences. For example, a copy of Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power was given to a popular classic movie blogger to use as a prize in a May 2014 contest, the month of Tyrone Power’s 100th birthday. In return, the book got an enthusiastic write-up that was share with that blog’s readers and all the other bloggers in an association of classic movie bloggers.
Donate a book as a charity raffle prize. If your book theme relates to a charity’s cause, or if you personally support the cause, donate an autographed book as a fundraising raffle prize in exchange for an ad or other promotional plug at the charity event.
Donate a book to your local library. Tie the donation to the offer of a free talk about your book and a book signing/sale at the library.
Offer excerpts from your book. Do public readings where your book would be available for sale and autographing. Consider reputable places (print or online) where an excerpt could be reproduced with attribution to you and your book.
Use Social Media Distribution. Services such as BookGrabbr charge nominal fees to provide social media marketing promotions using free excerpts or the entire text from your book. See my June 21, 2015 blog post “How to Grab an Audience” for more information.
If you believe you created something worth having, give it away wisely and let it speak to its own value. Use the law of reciprocity: those to whom you give will feel an obligation to return the favor as a way of expressing their thanks. Everyone wins.
Good books and good wines are a natural pairing. I love both. As my friend Phoebe Snowe described her popular Chicago wine shop — TASTE Food & Wine — and the twice-weekly wine tastings that draw a loyal following, my brain cells started sparking. I’d been to book signings at book stores where run-of-the-mill wine was offered. Why not elevate the wine to be as good as the books — especially in a convivial setting? What better venue would there be to hold book signings than at a really neat wine shop?
Phoebe jumped at the idea of combining forces with me. The result is BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™, making its Chicago debut July 23rd from 5-8 pm at TASTE Food & Wine, 1506 West Jarvis Avenue. I recruited my dear friend, Nili Yellin (aka Chicago’s much-in-demand “Storybook Mom”), to help with onsite book sales.
Next step was finding the books people want to read and the authors they want to meet. I struck gold right off the bat. The summer lineup will be The Masque of a Murderer by Susanna Calkins on July 23rd and The Best of Enemies by Jen Lancaster on August 20th. And wait till you learn who our future authors will be (yes, you will have to wait but I promise news-making events are lining up).
The Masque of the Murderer is the third book in the acclaimed Lucy Campion series. Set in 17th century England, the book combines finely wrought characters, a richly detailed historical atmosphere, and a tightly-plotted mystery into a compelling read. Booklist says historian Susanna Calkins’ writes with “tantalizing clues and rich historical details,” that “draw readers into the seventeenth century, led by the piquant and elusive Lucy….”
The Best of Enemies is the newest uproarious book (launching in August) from New York Times bestselling author Jen Lancaster and early previews indicate fans will not be disappointed! USA TODAY said, “If laughter is a great tonic for the spirit, then Jen Lancaster… is a double dose.” PEOPLE magazine said, “She’s like that friend who always says what you’re thinking-just 1000 times funnier.”
BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™ is a natural expansion of Book●ed‘s: mission to connect authors and their books with booklovers. The rapid response from major publishing houses, authors and publicists proves there is a thirst (pun intended) for such opportunities to bring authors together with their audiences. I look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones at BOOKS ‘n’ BOTTLES™!
Ever read a book and imagined who should play the characters in a movie adaptation? I found a neat internet company call The Imagine Film List (The IF List) that lets you become a casting director, imagining your favorite book transformed into a movie with your choice of stars. It’s fun and it’s free.
Over coffee at Book Expo America last month, The IF List co-founder Noel Spangler explained to me how his company can help authors build a greater following for their books, possibly even attracting the attention of filmmakers. “We provide simple, but powerful tools to visualize any story as a movie, propose a dream cast, and nominate filmmakers to bring the story to life on screen. Proposals that receive the most support from fans are ranked at the top of The IF List, where they are in the best position to attract the attention of producers, casting directors, celebrities and others who have the power to turn ideas into reality.”
In addition to being a creative platform, The IF List is a comprehensive database and search engine – the first of its kind for imagined films and TV shows. “Our listings include profiles of thousands of proposed stories, roles, actors, and filmmakers, all with updated scores that reflect what is most in demand among moviegoers,” said Spangler. “Over the next two years, with the contributions of our fans, we plan to increase the size of our database tenfold, establishing The IF List as a valuable resource for discovering potential movies.”
When it comes to tech-savviness, I’m a Ph.D. – Push here, Dummy! So it took sitting through three similar sessions at Book Expo America to begin absorbing the technical aspects of a breakthrough marketing concept called BookGrabbr. The marketing part I grasped immediately since it echoed the concept that launched Book●ed: use personal contacts and endorsements through the internet in ever-widening circles to broaden awareness and interest in new authors and books. What excites me about BookGrabbr is how quickly, widely, inexpensively and relatively easily a book could be promoted.
The online marketing tool allows authors and publishers to give away eBooks or sections of eBooks in exchange for a social share from consumers. The idea is that by offering consumers books by requiring them to post about it on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, they will spread the word about the book with their networks and the books will take off virally. For self-publishing authors, the digital file they create for Print on Demand, eBooks or traditionally printed books can be used with BookGrabbr. Hachette, Simon & Schuster, Worthy, Regnery, Beaufort and Dunham Books are among mainstream publishers test driving BookGrabbr as a new social media marketing tool. An attractive featured benefit of BookGrabbr is the analytics provided to clients, including detailed demographics to help make better marketing and editorial decisions.
BookGrabbr’s library already contains more than 2,000 books, many from well-known authors and of popular titles. A “Grabb” occurs when someone “clicks” to download a book to their own BookGrabbr library. So, if an author’s book is “Grabbd” 500 times, and that author has 250 friends (less than the average number of “friends” the average Facebook user has), the total amount of potential impressions on Facebook would be 125,000.
In addition to Facebook, BookGrabbr supports platforms for Twitter and LinkedIn, further expanding a book’s reach. Each time someone chooses to read all or part of a book for free from the BookGrabbr library, they must make your book available to all of their social media friends. This implied endorsement of a book makes it more likely that “friends” will check it out, too. Books downloaded to a reader’s BookGrabbr library cannot be printed or shared. Availability of a book through BookGrabbr can be chosen for a limited time or ongoing.
Whether an author decides to offer an entire book or just excerpts will likely be determined by the author’s goals: building a “brand” (such as a series), getting people to purchase a printed edition of the book, wanting to build buzz for a book that could lead to sales, speaking engagements, etc. Offering a book through BookGrabbr is a way to get people talking and talking leads to sales. The possibilities are as plentiful as one can imagine.
There are other companies offering some of the services you get from BookGrabbr but it appears that none are as comprehensive or tech-progressive as BookGrabbr. It’s a company worth looking at.
If you’ve long dreamed of experiencing a writers retreat at the famed Ragdale Foundation artists community but couldn’t qualify for a subsidized residency and couldn’t afford the unsubsidized program, you can still get a taste of Ragdale this fall. Story Studio Chicago is offering Writing the Landscape: A Ragdale Retreat September 25th-27th. Patricia Ann McNair, author of The Temple of Air, will lead an intensive, immersive weekend of writing, nature, creative instruction, and inspiration. Workshops will focus on writing the landscape, both interior and exterior. In between sessions, participants can wander the grounds, share meals with fellow writers, and enjoy a quiet place to relax and write.
Registration is now open for Daytime only and overnight spots.
Elephants are big and powerful. You can’t miss them and don’t want to stand in their way. There’s a lot to like about elephants. But there’s a problem with elephants: they can’t tap dance.
Major publishers are like elephants. They make a big splash in the pool of public awareness. They carry the bulk of book promotions and sales. They are noticed wherever they go and if you are an author, you want to be invited to ride them. But they can’t move as quickly and adeptly as competitors in a rapidly changing market.
As the publishing industry is changing to meet reader and author interests, smaller indie and university publishers are gaining on the behemoths of the book world. Even self-publishing is surging ahead in its ability to connect authors and their books with booklovers.
At last month’s Book Expo America, North America’s largest convention for the publishing industry, the biggest booths and the longest lines for author autographs were hosted by the major publishers, whose names you already know. And some giants you’ve never heard of: The largest presence, in booth size and speakers, was China (North America is viewed by China as a major market for publishing services as well as readers of Chinese and Chinese-to-English translations). But the programs discussing what is new or changing in the book world were largely run by indie publishers and self-publishing/marketing services.
Two sentiments frequently heard at BEA: 1) Major publishers put the bulk of their marketing support behind already-well-established authors leaving lesser-known authors to fend for themselves; smaller publishers have smaller marketing budgets but will work harder for emerging authors. 2) There are more choices and opportunities than ever for authors to make their mark in the book world.
Lines are blurring among service providers. For example some book distributors have become book producers with quality that successfully competes with traditional printing. Meanwhile, other distributors are helping authors get into previously inaccessible target markets such as libraries and the military. The internet and social media have opened doors wide for authors to promote their brand and their books where readers are increasingly influenced on buying decisions.
The savviest self-published authors have sold millions of books, matching or surpassing major publishers. The operative word is “savvy” – from good writing to production, distribution and marketing – regardless of who publishes a book, all the pieces of the puzzle must fit together to make a book a success. Authors must be prepared to walk their brainchild (or brainchildren) past the embryonic stage and birth to a long and successful life.
Future Book●ed blog posts will help authors through the process. To see my previous posts with information Authors should know, go to Categories and click For Authors.
Booklovers should plan on being in Chicago next Spring: Book Expo America 2016 will be at McCormick Place from May 11th-13th and the Chicago Tribune’s annual Printers Row Lit Fest will be in June (dates to be announced). Keep following the Book●ed blog for updates.
NYC is noted for excelling at many things; that includes producing and inspiring some of the world’s best writers. Flavorwire shares its list of New York’s 100 most important living writers.
One of my literary heroes is O. Henry (1862-1910). Although he lived only 47 years, he produced some 600 short stories, defined by their keen insights about humanity and usually punctuated with a twist ending. Born in North Carolina, O. Henry moved around the country but his most prolific writing period started in 1902, when he moved to New York City; while there, he wrote 381 short stories. Visit Pete’s Tavern (est. 1864) in Gramercy Park and sit at the booth with the plaque stating that William Sydney Porter — pen name O. Henry — sat in that very same booth when he wrote The Gift of the Magi, his most famous story.
O. Henry loved New York, its people, places and potential. It has been reported that his last words were “Pull up the shades so I can see New York. I don’t want to go home in the dark.”
Amen.
Book Expo America (BEA), the largest annual book trade fair in the U.S. will be held in New York City this year from May 27-29. More than 750 authors, hundreds of new titles, 1,000+ exhibitors, and four Author Stages, along with the Digital Discovery Zone (D2Z) provided by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) make this one of the best environments for networking, sourcing, and relationship building in the publishing industry in North America. The BEA website has details.
The 31st annual Printer’s Row Lit Fest, considered the largest free outdoor literary event in the Midwest, is expected to draw more than 150,000 book lovers throughout the weekend of June 6-7 in Chicago’s South Loop. LeVar Burton, the force behind the PBS series “Reading Rainbow,” will be honored at this year’s Lit Fest as recipient of the Chicago Tribune’s 2015 Young Adult Literary Award. The Fest offers block after block of booksellers, vendors, performers and events, hosting more than 200 authors in panels, discussions and other programs. Among those appearing in this year’s extensive lineup are: Erik Larson, Edward P. Jones, Rick Bayless, Amber Tamblyn, David Axelrod, Lawrence Wright, Garry Wills, Aleksandar Hemon, Elizabeth Berg, Neal Stephenson, Scott Simon, Rebecca Makkai and more.
The eager reader is one who learned early on that reading can be fun. Typically, a child’s earliest experiences with books are being read to by an adult. Wanting to hold the magical spell of the lines and shapes on a page, the keys that open new worlds, the child learns to read.
Book●ed blog followers value reading. We love books. Can you imagine never having a book to call your own? In the United States, sadly, countless children do not own a single book. Fewer than half of families read to their kindergarten-age children on a daily basis. Thirty-three percent of low-income 4th graders are unable to read at their basic grade level; sixty-eight percent are unable to read proficiently at grade level. Forty million adults in the U.S. can’t read well enough to share a simple story with their child. One in four Americans grows up functionally illiterate.
Children who are poor readers at the end of 1st grade show decreased self-esteem, confidence and motivation to learn. They fall behind in school. They fall behind in life. We all suffer as a result. This is a scandal that does not have to continue!
Two programs are working diligently to turn the tide of literacy in the U.S.: RIF and Reading Rainbow.
RIF – Reading is Fundamental – is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization working for children’s literacy. In 2014, RIF distributed 1.7 million books to children in underserved communities. Since its establishment in 1966, RIF has provided more than 401 million books for children to choose and keep – “because to understand the value of books, kids need to own books.” There is no charge to the children or their families for the books or other provided by RIF.
In addition to letting children choose their own books from a carefully selected assortment, RIF volunteers generate enthusiasm for books and reading with storytellers, costumed book characters, guest readers and author visits. Programs are tailored to individual communities through collaboration with community members and parents.
Reading Rainbow was an Emmy-winning PBS series that aired for 23 seasons (1983-2006), reaching a nation of elementary school-aged TV-watching children and motivating them to read. For the show’s host, actor LeVar Burton, Reading Rainbow was more than a gig. “My mother was an English teacher, so there were always books around,” he said. “I’d be sitting in Sacramento, California, but I could see and experience things I couldn’t even dream of.” About the lifelong impact of early literacy, Burton observed, “If you can read, you are free. If you can read, no one can keep you in the dark. You can learn anything, inform yourself and make up your own mind.”
Burton’s commitment to Reading Rainbow continued after the series ended. He and a business partner produced a reading app. Realizing that tablet computers are not affordable by everyone, he is taking Reading Rainbow content in an expanded version to the Web. Burton supports reading books in digital format and in print. Although he co-founded a digital technology company, he also is a first-time author of a whimsically illustrated children’s book, The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm in print because, “…we need to keep turning those pages.”
If you love books, love reading, love children, take a closer look at RIF and Reading Rainbow.
Adding to his Emmy, Grammy, TV Land and NAACP awards, LeVar Burton has just won the Chicago Tribune’s Young Adult Literary Award. He will receive the hone in June at the 2015 Printers Row Lit Fest in Chicago. In a statement from the newspaper, senior vice president and editor Gerould Kern said, “Through his passion, imagination and belief in inspiring your people, LeVar Burton has instilled the hoy of reading, in all its glorious forms, in countless readers and made an impact on many young lives.”
You can donate to RIF in honor of a child you read to or in memory of a parent who once read to you. Share the love.
Two of the books mentioned in Auto(biographical) Pilot are not currently sold in traditional stores. For more information about Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power, contact Tyrone Power First Edition. For information about The Baron of Mulholland, visit the author’s website.
One of the books listed in Letter Perfect is only available through mail order: Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power includes some wonderfully written letters by the renowned screen idol, his famous stage actor father and others. It’s part of a candid and fascinating biographical memoir about an extraordinary man who was King of the Box Office during Hollywood’s Golden Age. For more information, contact Tyrone Power First Edition.
It’s not surprising that authors are inspired to write about animals. Most of them have had pets. To read about famous authors and their pet muses, see my April 14, 2013 post, Amusing Muses. For more fun, check Photos of Famous Writers with Their Pets.
The AWP Conference & Bookfair, an annual destination for writers, teachers, students, editors, and publishers, will be held in Minneapolis this year from April 8-11. This year’s conference will feature over 2,000 presenters and 550 readings, panels, and craft lectures. The book fair hosts over 700 presses, journals, and literary organizations from around the world. AWP’s is now the largest literary conference in North America. The AWP website has details.
Book Expo America (BEA), the largest annual book trade fair in the U.S. will be held in New York City this year from May 27-29. More than 750 authors, hundreds of new titles, 1,000+ exhibitors, and four Author Stages, along with the Digital Discovery Zone (D2Z) provide by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) make this one of the best environments for networking, sourcing, and relationship building in the publishing industry in North America. The BEA website has details.
If you live near The Twig Book Shop in San Antonio, or the Cedar Creek Winery in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, check out the great bookmarks by Kolleen’s Kollectables. Artist Colleen Theobald created a line of fabric bookmarks with special concern for thickness, to fit properly in a book.
“I tested several models and finally came up with a design that people are finding useful as well as decorative,” notes Theobald. “A variety of cotton fabrics are available that can reflect a customer’s interests … crossword, wine, wildflower, music, coffee… to name a few. Two contrasting ribbons, which complement the color tones in the fabric, are at the end of the bookmark to help mark the book page for the reader. A wide variety of fabrics are available since I also make fabric coasters and aprons with various themes.”
Mentioning Groundhog Day brings more to mind than Punxsutawney Phil and his brethren, those funny, furry rodents (also known as woodchuck, whistle-pig, or land-beaver) who grab the media spotlight every February 2nd. Ever since 1993’s movie hit of the same name, Groundhog Day conjures up the image of living the same experience over and over again.
In movies and in literature, the repetition of events over a few hours or a few days is a plot device called a time loop. Each time the loop “resets”, most characters behave as if they aren’t aware of the loop but the main character (or characters) retains his/her memory or becomes aware of the loop. Awareness allows a character to manipulate events within the time frame, creating different futures. In some plots, the main character may travel back and forth through time in order to relive and manipulate a past event. Each time the loop repeats, with one or more aspects changing, the main character becomes more enlightened. The time frame of a loop continues to repeat until the main character(s) works out the right actions that finally break the loop.
The time loop is most often used in in science fiction but is also effective in fantasy or as a fantasy element in other genres. 12:01 PM, a short story by Richard A. Lupoff that was published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction is considered the inspiration for Groundhog Day. It appears in the anthology, The Book of Time.
Other books that effectively use a time loop include: Loop – Karen Akins I Am the Cheese – Robert Cormier The Neverending Story – Michael Ende Replay – Ken Grimwood The Dark Tower (series) – Stephen King Before I Fall – Lauren Oliver
The time loop works in literature because we are fascinated by the idea that every little action we do carries weight. Even the smallest, most mundane things we do are important to the universe. Who among us hasn’t fantasized about being given a chance to do something over again that might change the trajectory of his/her life (just ask Punxsutawney Phil)?
Happy to report there are still copies of the Collector’s Quality Limited First Edition of Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power available to Book●ed fans at a special discount. This candid and intimate story of the last great movie idol from Hollywood’s Golden Age, written by his daughter, Romina Power, is a perfect gift for Valentine’s Day (women and men swooned over Tyrone Power… and still do) or St. Patrick’s Day (the impressive Power family has fascinating ties to Ireland). Send an email for more details about ordering Searching for My Father, Tyrone Power. Mention Book●ed to get special discount information.
In January alone, there are 13 awards programs for movies in the United States. Some of the more famous ones include Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild and People’s Choice. In addition, nominees for Academy Awards are announced. Too much, you say? Not to the nominees and winners.
The abundance of film competitions, famous as they are, is dwarfed by the number of literary awards that are given every month of the year. The most well-known include the Pulitzer Prize, Man Booker Prize, John Newbery Medal, Edgar Awards, National Book Awards, Costa Book Awards, Indie Booksellers’ Choice Awards, Pushcart Prize, Pen/Faulkner Award, Nobel Prize, Nelson Algren Award, Flannery O’Connor Award and Hugo Award. Literary publications, universities and associations also generate writing competitions.
Winning a competition opens up publicity opportunities to build awareness of you and your book(s). Placing a sticker on a book, announcing its award, boosts its chances of being purchased. Winning an award for one book will likely lead readers to your previous books while alerting them to be on the lookout for your future work.
Win or lose, the benefits of contests go beyond possible financial compensation. Challenging yourself to compete against great writers can elevate your own writing (assuming you read previous winning submissions in contests you plan to enter). If a competition provides judges’ feedback, you can gain insights to the strengths and weaknesses in your writing.
There’s a competition for every genre. Guidelines, fees and prizes vary. So do the degrees of competition and the prestige levels. There’s little point to throwing your money and time at competitions that don’t suit your goals or your work. The challenge is in the choosing: what to submit and where.
Amy Edelman, a publicist and a writer who founded IndieReader (“the essential consumer guide to self-published books and the people who write them”) says, “…there are many awards/contests out there and you should carefully read the small print and decide for yourself which make sense. If there is one person reviewing what is probably a ton of books I would question the validity of said award. Check out the judges. Check out the reputation of the organization sponsoring the awards. Check out the media generated for the winners. Check out the prizes and see if there’s something tangible, like a review. If you get only cash you’re essentially back where you started from.”
Writer Christopher Feilden posts a list of book competitions at his website. Writers Digest and Poets & Writers are two publications offering regularly updated lists of writing competitions that include book competitions.
See Dick read. See Jane read. See Dick and Jane read to Fido. Reading is going to the dogs and this is great news.
A reading dog is one that helps children learn by being the audience they need to encourage reading. Across the U.S., the U.K. and New Zealand, classrooms and libraries have introduced specially trained canines that partner with children who have struggled with reading skills and interpersonal communication.
Reading in front of a class can be frightening but reading to a nonjudgmental dog is calming and encouraging. Whether a reader is struggling due to a learning disability, learning to read in a second language, is shy or unmotivated to read, dogs dissolve those barriers with their friendly, attentive presence.
“Kids have to practice, practice, practice to be good readers,” said Francine Alexander, the chief academic officer at Scholastic, the children’s book publisher. “And yet when you’re practicing, if you make a mistake, it can feel risky and uncomfortable. But if you’re practicing with a dog, you don’t mind making the mistake.”
Much as therapy dogs vary in their degree of training, reading dogs may be trained to participate in book “selection” while others are brought in by volunteers simply to calmly sit with the reader. Reading dogs provide the reader with the chance to read aloud, an important component in building reading skills in beginning readers as they sound out words. For children with socialization challenges, dogs unleash (pun intended) their inhibitions.
Reading Dogs programs have been around at least 15 years and the concept has spread along with the success stories. A study by researchers at the University of California, Davis confirmed that children who read to Fido perform better. Young students who read out loud to dogs improved their reading skills by 12 percent over the course of a 10-week program, while children in the same program who didn’t read to dogs showed no improvement.
To find out if there is a Reading Dogs program in your community, contact your local library and school district. If there is no program, suggest one from the many that can be found on the internet. One helpful website is Library Dogs.com.
