Author name: Library Love Fest

I get so caught up in the great fiction titles we publish, that I forget about my love for non-fiction, so I figured it was about time to read something…enter Miss Anne in Harlem by Carla Kaplan.

Miss Anne refers to a group of white women – many of whom were educated and wealthy – who participated in the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s. They were often portrayed as either manipulative or crazy, and misunderstood by both black and white people.  At a time when social respectability was so important, they eschewed (I don't use that word enough) the norm, and often risked complete ostracism to embrace the culture Harlem had to offer. 

Miss Anne in Harlem is the first book to tell the vibrant story of this small band of white women, and Kaplan does an impeccable job with her research. She follows a select group of them from Anne Nathan Meyer, who founded Barnard College to Josephine Cogdell Schuyler, a liberal white Texan heiress who married George Shuyler, one of the most important figures of the Harlem Renaissance.

Publishers Weekly gave Miss Anne a starred review and said, “an empathetic and skillful writer, Kaplan has produced a valuable addition to the history of the period.” She certainly introduced me to a part of it that I wasn't aware of. 

Miss Anne in Harlem is out in September, but you can download an egalley on Edelweiss.

– Annie

No surprise, we love John Searles and his wonderful book, Help for the Haunted, but we are not alone! Besides everyone who met him at BEA, Publishers Weekly AND Booklist are jumping on the bandwagon with their starred reviews.

“Unsettling … [Help for the Haunted] keeps the reader on edge while Sylvie bravely uncovers her family’s many secrets.” – Publishers Weekly

"Superlative storytelling” – Booklist

“A somber, well-paced journey, wrapped in a mystery, that will keep readers guessing until the revealing conclusion.” –Kirkus

Egalleys are available for download on Edelweiss, and I highly recommending adding this to your shelves come September.

– Annie

Get in the Loop! 

Learn about the hottest new titles at the HarperCollins Adult Book Buzz!

What the “L” will we be talking about? Join us and find out! 

Saturday, June 29^th 
8:30-10am
McCormick Place Convention Center
Room MCP-E350

Get the inside track on your favorite authors and discover some new ones along the way. 
Light refreshments will be served.

Space is limited, so please RSVP to librarylovefest@harpercollins.com with the subject line
“ALA Book Buzz.”

Hope to see you there!

Based on the editor's description I was immediately intrigued by John Burley's debut thriller, The Absence of Mercy, so I was excited to finally be able to pick it up over the weekend. 

I loved the prologue; the very first line is "this is not the beginning," which sets the stage for some eerie thoughts because, knowing it's a murder mystery, what is the beginning? What has already happened to lead to this horrific killing in the first three pages? Read on…

The murders are gruesome and savage, which makes the reveal of the killer more powerful, and I like how Burley, a doctor (cause who doesn't have the time to be an emergency medical doctor and write a novel?), incorporates his scientific knowledge into the mix with his main character, medical examiner Ben Stevenson.

Also, while the killer is revealed with 1/5 of the book left, the reasoning and explanation adds another layer to the story; it becomes more than just a murder mystery.

I definitely would recommend checking it out. Egalleys are available on Edelweiss.

– Annie

You guys, it is with a heavy heart that I write this post. Our beloved Kayleigh George is moving on (cue All By Myself). After five years as a LibraryLoveFest guru, she will be bringing her considerable talents to Random House as the Marketing Manager of Crown/Hogarth.

She will be crazy missed, but I plan on stalking her (putting the CRAZY in how much she's missed), and will report back as to how great she is doing.

Please join us in wishing Kayleigh lots of luck in her new position. Thank you for all your amazing work over the years! 

– Annie

My lovelies, I am a huge fan of Willy Vlautin, author of The Motel Life (soon to be a movie), Northline and Lean on Pete, so I am super excited to tell you he has a new book coming out next year! The Free will follow three characters, a divorced father struggling to make ends meet, a young, injured veteran and a lonely, but brave nurse. 

As he does best, Willy gives life to people who are dealing with difficult situations in a way that allows the reader to feel their pain, but never give up hope for them. 

I can't wait to share more about this book with you, so watch this blog.

– Annie

What's the hot thing in books these days? New Adult novels! They are steaming up the shelves, and we have a bunch of them coming out this Fall. 

Cora Carmack (originally a self-published best-seller) has Finding It, the third in her series, on sale in October, but don't miss out on the first two, Losing It and Faking It.

Forgiving Lies by Molly McAdams (also out in October) follows the success of her two previous stand-alones, Taking Chances and From Ashes.

New York Times bestselling author, Jennifer Armentrout, writing as J. Lynn shows readers that somethings are worth waiting for in Wait for You (out in September).

For anyone attending ALA, stop by Booth 2308 where J. Lynn, Shannon Stoker and others will be signing. Get in on the action!

– Annie

The line-up for this year's Day of Dialog is pretty awesome. HarperCollins Publisher, Jonathan Burnham, will be speaking on the Editors' Picks panel about some amazing Fall titles (I don't want to spoil anything, so will update what they are tomorrow). 

Additionally, a couple of little known authors are stopping by. Anyone ever heard of Simon Winchester? How about Richard Dawkins?  Ok, Amy Tan? I jest.

As always, if you are attending any DOD or BEA events, we look forward to seeing you, so come say hi.

– Annie

Are you attending BEA? First of all, make sure you track us down and say hi! But also, do not miss these two events.

Friday, May 31^st from 9:30-10:50am in Room IE14/IE15

Carol Fitzgerald of ReadingGroupGuides.com, will moderate a speed-dating session designed to give booksellers, librarians, bloggers and book group leaders a sneak peek at upcoming titles that will be natural book group picks. Representatives from 21 publishers will share their selections (pub dates: 8/13-1/14) at the event, along with galleys and other promotional materials.

Seating is limited and sign-up in advance is required by Thursday, May 23rd as well as purchase of a BEA Badge for Friday, May 31st.

Sign up here:
http://www.readinggroupguides.com/features/2013_bookexpo_great_book_groups.asp

Saturday, June 1^st from 11:00-11:45am in Room IE10/IE11

For you Power Readers out there, Carol will also moderate a speed-dating session designed to give you a sneak peek at upcoming titles that are good for book groups. 16 publishers will share their selections (pub dates: 8/13-1/14) at the event, along with galleys and other promotional materials.

Seating is limited and sign-up in advance is required by Thursday, May 23rd as well as a badge for BEA for Saturday, June 1st.

Sign up here:
http://www.readinggroupguides.com/features/2013_bookexpo_power_readers.asp

See you next week!

– Annie

Exciting news, sports fan! William Morrow, one of Harper's illustrious imprints, just announced the launch of Witness, a new digital-original mystery, suspense and thriller line! Witness will debut in October 2013 with ten full length titles.

In addition, Witness will feature digital versions of Agatha Christie’s short stories. In the Fall, Witness will release all the “Hercule Poirot” short stories as digital singles, and then together in a single omnibus edition with a foreword by Charles Todd (whom we love!).

Later this year, Witness will launch its website, www.witnessimpulse.com, featuring excerpts and author-reader interactivity.

So stay tuned and keep an eye out for these titles, coming soon:

Darkness First by James Hayman

Black Dog by internationally bestselling author Stephen Booth

Prince by CWA Dagger-winning author Rory Clements

An Illustrated Death by bestselling author Judi Culbertson

Hunted by Sunday Times “Top 10” bestselling author Emlyn Reese

Blind Date by CWA Dagger-winning Frances Fyfield

The Drop by Howard Linskey

– Annie

Well TLA was a success IMHO. Great librarians, great author events, great food. PS: I want to go on a road trip with Daniel Vaughn. I will be posting pictures shortly. Side note: Have you guys used Vine? I am obsessed! 

This is a short post, I just wanted to say hi. Also, if any of you are around tomorrow at 2pm ET, I am participating in a Mystery Webinar with Booklist, so register and hear about a ton (seriously, I don't think I'll be able to fit all my titles into my time slot) of upcoming mystery/thrillers.

– Annie

In the aftermath of the horribly sad events that happened in Boston yesterday, we want to let those affected know we are thinking of you. Local author Dennis Lehane had these thoughts to share.

"Every thought and every prayer goes out to the victims and their families and loved ones. What a senseless act of waste and violence…. It's hard to imagine any people more inspiring than all those people who dashed across Boylston Street within seconds of the first explosion, and rushed to the aid of the injured. Didn't give their own safety a thought. Made me proud to be a member of the human race, which I think was the exact opposite of the effect the bomber was hoping for….

"When I watch the footage of the first explosion, I look at the Boston Public Library Main Branch across the street, and I think no matter who they turn out to be–Islamic jihadists, home grown militia, neo-Nazis, something else–what really scares them, what they truly hate, is the access to knowledge that building exemplifies…. So proud to be a Bostonian tonight. So brokenhearted to be one, too."

–Author Dennis Lehane via his Facebook page last night

Many of you are probably familiar with the Leaphorn and Chee series by New York Times bestseller Tony Hillerman. Recently his daughter, Anne, has taken up the mantle and will continue the series with Spider Woman's Daughter. Tony's widow, Marie, wrote a beautiful letter about her husband and daughter's work, and I'd like to share her thoughts with you guys.

***

Several years ago my eldest daughter Anne mentioned to me that she wanted to write a novel featuring her late father's characters. She joked that Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn seemed like her uncles.  I encouraged her to take on the challenge. Anne was already recognized as a skilled writer with several awards to her credit.

When Anne showed me a draft of her book, I thought that she had done an excellent job of faithfully presenting the characters Tony created and, in addition to that, making them her own. Spider Woman's Daughter would have made her father smile. I think he would have enjoyed these further adventures of Jim Chee, Joe Leaphorn, and Bernadette Manuelito as much as I did.

Leaphorn and Chee, Navajo Tribal Policemen, have been part of our family circle for more than thirty years. Their adventures and exploits were discussed over countless evening meals. In Tony's novels we also enjoyed a passing acquaintance with the spirited Bernadette Manuelito as both a Navajo Tribal Police Office and, finally, as the bride of Jim Chee. I hope readers will be as delighted as I was to witness the inimitable Bernie in action in Spider Woman's Daughter.

I know Tony was happy when Anne decided to become a journalist and glad when she began to write nonfiction books. He enjoyed working with Anne and her husband, Don Strel, on their previous book, Tony Hillerman's Landscape. He was pleased that they both took such an interest in his work. As much as the project itself, Tony enjoyed the opportunity it gave him to spend more time with Anne. Anne and Tony shared a special relationship which deepened near the end of his life. He loved sitting at our kitchen table talking with her about writing and life in general. He was proud of her, and so am I.

– Marie Hillerman

 ***

Egalleys are available on Edelweiss, so swing on over there and get stuck in a web of intrigue (get it? Cause it's Spider Woman? yeaaaah).

– Annie

Ok, that's a fib, but The Gettysburg Address (a graphic adaptation) by Jonathan Hennessey and Aaron McConnell did get a rave starred review in Kirkus that I had to share.

***

Where the format might lead some readers to anticipate a simplified primer, this second collaboration by Hennessey and McConnell (The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation, 2008) again finds them probing the implications of history through incisive analysis and compelling art.

What the narrative terms “probably the most famous and influential speech in American history,” “just 271 words in length and requiring no more than a few minutes to recite out loud,” might not initially seem like enough of a hook for such an expansive examination. Yet practically every one of those words proves significant, as the scope of the book extends from the American Revolution to the present day, casting the Civil War as tragic and transformative but likely inevitable as well. It finds the country’s two most revered and renowned documents—the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution—at odds with each other, as the equality celebrated in the former (though the degree to which that equality was intended to extend remains open to interpretation) finds itself on a collision course with the rights of the states (and distrust of a strong central government, after the tyranny of England) inherent in the latter. Add the profound differences between the North and South—in demographics, climate, economy, political orientation—and the intensification of those with the passage of time, and you’ve got an explosion waiting to happen. Resisting the temptation to reduce the conflict to a morality play—the evil of slavery vs. the ideal of emancipation (though there is that)—or to make President Abraham Lincoln more enlightened on race relations than a man of his time was likely to be—the authors combine historical depth with art that also finds shades of gray amid the black and white.

Even Civil War buffs should find this graphic adaptation engaging, provocative and deftly nuanced.

***

Any civil war buffs in your life? Mark your calendars for June 25th when it goes on sale.

– Annie

 

If you’re planning to attend the Texas Library Association conference in Fort Worth this year, please note this schedule change!!

Hear Nia Vardalos, Academy Award Nominated actress and writer, talk about her newly published book, INSTANT MOM.

Complimentary copies will be available for signing after Nia’s talk! 

1:15-1:50pm

Room 202 AB, level 2 in the Fort Worth Convention Center

With her signature wit and candor, Nia Vardalos will describe her and husband Ian Gomez’s bumpy road-to-parenting story and how they met their daughter when she was three years old. In her new book, Instant Mom, Vardalos describes transitioning the toddler into her new home and also explores the challenges all new moms face—from sleep to personal grooming to navigating preschool. With her first steps into the Parents Club, Vardalos learns that whether via biology, marriage, or adoption… motherhood comes in many forms, and is the same.

We look forward to seeing you in Fort Worth! Please stop by Booth 2233 and say hi!

And be sure to check out all of our author events at TLA!

THURSDAY, April 25^th, 2013

8:30 -10AM
General Session I: J.R. Martinez 

10.15-11.50am
Mystery/Thriller Panel, Room 204 AB
Featuring Deborah Crombie author of The Sound of Broken Glass
Other speakers include Stephanie Jaye Evans, Michael Koryta, Lisa Lutz, and Taylor Stevens 

1.30-2.30
Deborah Crombie booth signing
The Sound of Broken Glass

FRIDAY, April 26^th, 2013 

8:30 AM-10am
General Session II: Dan Ariely
Signing to follow

2:00-3:50pm
Publishers Book Buzz 
Convention Center, Room 203 ABC, level 2

3.30-4.30pm 
Kimberly McCreight booth signing
Reconstructing Amelia

SATURDAY, April 27^th, 2013 

8-9.20am
YA Crossover Panel, Room 201 ABC
Featuring Kimberly McCreight author of Reconstructing Amelia
Other speakers include Julianna Baggott, C.C. Hunter, Donna M. Johnson, and Rachel Vincent

1.15-1.50pm
Nia Vardalos Session in Convention Center
Signing to follow.

2-2.50pm
General Session III: Neil Gaiman
Signing to follow