Author name: Library Love Fest

Uncategorized

A Funny Thing Happened to Me on the Way to the Office…

As you all know, I have an insane love for shoes.  They make me extremely happy and put a huge smile on my face!  However, I had a serious wardrobe malfunction today that turned my smile upside down.

IMG00004-20100728-1608 Picture it…New York City…July 2010!  I was on my way to work and I got off the train at my usual stop (Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street). The day was going as expected.  The next thing I knew, my right shoe felt weird…as if I were wearing flip-flops.  However, I was NOT wearing flip-flops!  I looked down and realized the entire sole of my shoe was coming off!

IMG00005-20100728-1609
I had to hobble the rest of the way to work, praying no one would see me.  I rushed into the building and immediately ran to Kayleigh who (after the initial shock) was gracious enough to venture out and buy a pair of flip-flops for me to wear. 

Thankfully, I view my own life as a sit-com, so it was quite easy to laugh at myself (while Virginia and Kayleigh laughed WITH me…not AT me…I hope!).  I hope you find my life half as funny as I do!  If you can relate in any way I would love to hear about it…so we can laugh at each other!

Happy Wednesday!

-Bobby

Books, Collection Development, Dolen Perkins-Valdez, HarperCollins Publishers, Libraries, Relationships, Wench

Meet Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Wench hc cIf you are a follower of Library Love Fest, you know I am a fan of a book entitled, Wench, by Dolen Perkins-Valdez.  Wench is the story of three female slave mistresses and the friendship they built despite living in a period of oppression.   If you missed my article, read it right here.

Check out this video where author Dolen Perkins-Valdez goes into her motivation for writing Wench and why it was such an important story to tell:

If you haven't read Wench yet, please add this to your reading list.  You will NOT be disappointed!

Enjoy!

-Bobby

American Library Association, Book Buzz, Books, Collection Development, Early Word, HarperCollins Publishers, Libraries

The “BUZZ” is LIVE!

Bees1 For those of you that could not come to the American Library Association's Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. this past June, you definitely missed a lively and energetic "Book Buzz" given by the Harper Library Marketing Team. 

HOWEVER…you can listen to the highlights and obtain additional information on all the titles we presented just by clicking here!  Our Seasonal "Book Buzz" is available for your listening pleasures on EarlyWord.com.

Listen and enjoy!

-Bobby

Abuse, Book Buzz, Books, Collection Development, Conor Grennan, HarperCollins Publishers, Libraries, Little Princes, Nepal, Next Generation Nepal

Little Princes

LittlePrincesHC CWe here at Harper Library are excited about all of our books.  However, the house is buzzing about this forthcoming book by Conor Grennan entitled Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal.  Little Princes (on sale in January 2011) will take you on an emotional roller-coaster from sadness and anger to love and optimism.

Conor Grennan decided to quit his day job and take a year off to explore the world.  His first stop landed him as a volunteer at the Little Princes Orphanage in war-torn Nepal.  What he thought would simply be a way to provide service to a needy community transformed into a mission to save the children of that orphanage. What he learned was that these “orphans” were actually taken from their families by human traffickers, and then dumped on the streets of Kathmandu.  It became Conor's goal to bring these children back together with their families…a goal he soon realized would not be easy to accomplish. 

Watch Conor in this amazing video as goes into detail about this labor of love for the children of Nepal.

Also, click here and check out the author's website which is devoted to rescuing these children and reuniting them with their families.

I am SO excited about this book and would love to hear your comments.  I will send free advance reader copies of Little Princes to the 20 lucky people who send us a comment or an email at librarylovefest at harpercollins dot com.  If you would be so kind as to send a brief review of the book after you read it, I would greatly appreciate it!

I can wholeheartedly say that this will not be the last time you hear about Little Princes…and remember you read about it here first!

Enjoy!

-Bobby

Libraries, Marilyn Johnson

This Ink is Overdue?

It seems like every day we get another email about library cuts or closings across the country.  So when this landed in my inbox, it brought a welcome smile to my face.  Marilyn Johnson's This Book is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All has been one of our departmental favorites for quite some time now (our blog is called Library Love Fest).  But Jenn O'Donnell, library worker and devotee of This Book is Overdue!, has trumped us all.  Jenn writes:

"I completed my MLIS in 2007 and have finally obtained my first "professional" library position, after working at the circulation desk at a public library and in a support role at a law firm library. I could think of no better way to celebrate than having picture of the super librarian from the cover of This Book is Overdue!."

Jenn, you are truly a badass.  Check it out!

38417_408452791594_286985156594_4970293_1054770_n

Now, more than ever, America needs its libraries, and its librarians.  For more information on the current library cuts, here's Marilyn's Op-Ed in the L.A. Times.  And for more on This Book is Overdue!, check out the Facebook page, or browse inside the book.

-Kayleigh

Books, Boston, Daphne Kalotay, Russian Winter

Russian Winter

9780061962165_0_Cover In my humble opinion…if you're going to read one fiction title from our Fall 2010 list, Russian Winter is the book.  Really.  After finishing it a few weeks ago, I've wandered around aimlessly, through Charlotte Bronte's Villette and some non-fiction titles–unfortunately, nothing can compete with the transformative, enveloping power of Daphne Kalotay's debut novel.  Russian Winter tells the story of Nina Revskaya, an aging ballerina who is auctioning off her jewelry in modern-day Boston.  Divided by skillfully-placed auction cards, Russian Winter swerves deftly between Boston and Moscow, evoking the beauty of the Bolshoi and the terror of life under Stalin.  The novel is literary but wonderfully accessible–out of everything on our Fall list, this is a book I can wholeheartedly recommend to most of my friends, even with their very diverse tastes in fiction.  For more information on Russian Winter, check out my presentation of the title from ALA last month.  Happy reading!

-Kayleigh

ALA 2010, Books, Harper Lee, Mary McDonagh Murphy, Nancy Pearl, NBC, Scout, Atticus and Boo, To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill A Mockingbird

9780061743528 This Sunday, June 11th, is the 50th anniversary of the publication of To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee's American classic–a coming of age story set in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice.  The book needs no introduction, and I don't think we have enough room on the blog to discuss everything we love, love, love about To Kill A Mockingbird.  In fact, we've just published an entire book devoted to talking about Mockingbird's legacy.  It's called Scout, Atticus, and Boo–and you might remember it from Nancy Pearl's interview with Mary Murphy at ALA. 

If you're around this Sunday, tune in to NBC Nightly News for a segment on the book.  Celebrate with us, by visiting the 50th Anniversary site, reading the book, re-reading the book, and/or attending an event near you.

You can also become a fan on Facebook or tweet your thoughts using #tkam as a hashtag.

Happy Anniversary, Harper! 

ALA 2010, American Library Association, Book Buzz, Books, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, Tom Franklin

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter

CrookedLetterREV During our title presentation at ALA 2010, Virginia buzzed about Tom Franklin's forthcoming Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter: a striking and atmospheric drama that masterfully blends elements of crime and literary fiction. Given these quotes, it's not hard to see why we're psyched for on-sale.  Check 'em out!

"Lately I've been wondering why, in an age when every new novel is hyped as a revolution of one sort or another, the classic trifecta of talent, heart, and a bone-deep sense of storytelling so rarely appears. But here it is: Tom Franklin's CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER. One of the many pleasures of this book comes from watching Franklin walk several writerly tightropes at once without spilling a drop of his warm Mississippi beer. It's a masterful performance, deftly rendered and deeply satisfying. For days on end, I woke with this story on my mind."    -David Wroblewski, Author of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

“Larry Ott and Silas Jones are two of the most fully realized characters in recent fiction, and their story of a friendship lost and reclaimed is at the heart of this profound and profoundly moving novel. Lyrical, morally complex, superbly crafted, Crooked Letter, Crooked, Letter further validates Tom Franklin’s status as one of America’s best writers.”  -Ron Rash, Author of Saints at the River and Serena

“Do you know that kind of novel that you can’t stop reading? Just one more page, you tell yourself, just one more page. The kind that you can’t stop thinking about all day, that you rush through all your other tasks to get back to? That is the kind of novel Tom Franklin has written. CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER  is about love and guilt and death and redemption. It’s about ordinary people like you and me, traveling through that extraordinary journey called life. I just love this book!  -Ann Hood

“Beautiful writing, a spot-on sense of place, wickedly funny dialogue, and an emotionally potent story charge this highly original, literary crime offering  from master stylist Tom Franklin.” -George Pelecanos

For Virginia's full presentation of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, click here.

32 Candles, Book Buzz, Books, Collection Development, Early Word, Ernessa Carter, Fierce and Nerdy, Happiness, HarperCollins Publishers, Libraries, Molly Ringwald, Reinvention, Relationships, Sixteen Candles

32 Candles

32Candles hc c I blogged about a book entitled, 32 Candles, by Ernessa T. Carter.  Ernessa's book, 32 Candles is the story of a self-proclaimed ugly duckling who finds her voice and finds herself.  Check out my article.

We received a great review from Lisa Steckhahn, Reference Librarian for the West Allis Public Library.  Here is what Lisa thought of 32 Candles:

"32 Candles is a look at the life of a very unique girl who moves to Los Angeles after enduring abuse from her mom and high school classmates.  Davie enjoys Molly Ringwald movies and wants her own “Molly Ringwald Ending”, a sentiment shared by many girls of her generation.  When she arrives in LA she transforms herself into another person and becomes a nightclub singer.  After establishing a life there, she encounters her high school crush who makes her relive all of the memories she ran away from.  It was a very entertaining read and I couldn’t help but root for Davie even though she is flawed.  The flaws are what makes her interesting and cause the reader to hope that she finally finds her “Molly Ringwald Ending”.  

-Lisa Steckhahn, Reference Librarian
West Allis Public Library

Many thanks to Lisa and everyone at the West Allis Public Library!  I hope you add 32 Candles to your reading list.

Enjoy!

-Bobby

American Library Association, Books, Celebrities, Current Affairs, Early Word, Elizabeth Taylor, Film, Furious Love, Love, Marriage, Nancy Schoenberger, Richard Burton, Sam Kashner

Furious Love

9780061562846 If you attended our title presentation at ALA Midwinter in January, you may recall that I confessed to having an intense teenage crush on Richard Burton.  If you missed it, here's some auditory blackmail. 

Furious Love hits shelves on June 15th and there's a reason I'm ridiculously excited: for years, I haven't had anyone to talk to about Richard Burton and Liz Taylor.  Now, suddenly, there are stories in Vanity Fair and Time Magazine, coverage on Good Morning America, blog posts…it's the best excuse for my inner granny to come out at full force.  So what did I, a die-hard Taylor/Burton fan, think of Furious Love? 

Reader, I loved it.  Biography buffs, tabloid addicts, cinephiles, jewelry collectors, romantics…will all find something to sink their teeth into in this compulsively readable dual biography.  Burton's love letters to Taylor, many of which are excerpted, are incredibly intimate–I was visibly choked up by the end of the book, and wandered from cubicle to cubicle, telling anyone who would listen how sad it was, how tragic, that two people who loved each other so well could end up apart in the end.  But Furious Love isn't all tragedy–rather, it is the story of a flawed but timeless passion that began on a movie-set and changed the face of American culture forever.  Take a peek inside the book, check out some of the quoted love letters in Time, and know that summer flings–quite simply–pale in comparison.

-Kayleigh  

AAP, ALA 2010, American Library Association, Nancy Pearl

From the Inside(rs) Out: Book Editors and the New Titles They Love

Washington_Monument_Dusk_Jan_2006 Attention all ALA-attending librarians!

Take advantage of an exclusive opportunity to hear directly from book publishing’s editors on the hot books they are excited about and why….and hosted by Nancy Pearl.

The Association of American Publishers (AAP)’s Trade Libraries Committee, in collaboration with Nancy Pearl, National Public Radio commentator, author of the Book Lust series, librarian action figure hero, book lover, rock star, will host its inaugural Fall Books Preview at the upcoming Annual Conference of the American Library Association in Washington, DC.  The program, titled From the Inside(rs) Out: Book Editors and the New Titles They Love, will be held on Friday, June 25 from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in Room 103A of the Washington D.C. Convention Center just prior to the opening of the Exhibit floor.  

“The industry’s top editors are profoundly grateful to librarians as book buyers and book promoters in towns and cities across the country.  Librarians and libraries have enormous influence on cultural life, bringing good books and good authors to their communities,” said Talia Sherer, Director of Library Marketing at Macmillan and Chair of the AAP Trade Libraries Committee.  “Throughout the course of the Conference, librarians will be visiting booths and attending many educational seminars and meetings.  We thought it fitting to kick off the Conference just before the doors open by talking about books, and just books.  Having the event hosted by the beloved Nancy Pearl, one of the most admired librarians in the country, will be an added treat.” 

We do hope you can make it. While RSVP is not required, please send a quick email to the AAP’s Marlene Scheuermann (mscheuermann@publishers.org) if you can attend so we get an idea of the expected attendance.

Hope to see you there!

-Virginia

BEA, Books, Collection Development

BEA Cheat-Sheet

Bookexpo_america Are you a collection development librarian? Do you like short-cuts? Whether you attended BEA last week or missed it entirely, we've got a little something to give you a leg up for Fall 2010 and Winter 2011.  Check out this cheat-sheet with our heavy-hitting titles all in one place.  We've included jacket art, author bios, keynotes, and all the ISBN information you need. Print it, highlight it, dog-ear the pages…our cheat-sheet is at your service.  Download BEA Cheat Sheet HC

-Kayleigh

BEA, Books, Collection Development, Family, Family Lineage, Grandparents, HarperCollins Publishers, Inspiration, Libraries, Library of Congress, Memoir, The House at the End of the Road

BEA Fun!

House at the end hc c If you attended Book Expo America last week, I'm sure your schedule was just like ours…jam-packed!  While we were extremely busy and productive, we did manage to have some fun along the way.  One of my biggest challenges to date has been mastering the art of tying a bow-tie.  I love them, however tying one can be a bit of a problem. 

One of our authors, W. Ralph Eubanks (The House at the End of the Road) took time out of his day to show me the fine art of tying a bow-tie.  Ralph makes it look SO easy.  In fact, he can accomplish this WITHOUT looking in a mirror.  Check out both videos…one where he ties the bow-tie on me and the other where he demonstrates on himself.


In between mastering this fine art if you haven't picked up his book, The House at the End of the Road, PLEASE do yourself a favor and check it out.  You will not be disappointed.  I have to give a special thank you to W. Ralph Eubanks…a true inspiration and a great person!  If I had a Brother, it would be him!

Enjoy!

-Bobby

J.A. Jance, Publishers Weekly, Queen of the Night, thriller

Queen of the Night

9780061239243_0_Cover Publishers Weekly just gave J.A. Jance's latest, Queen of the Night, a starred review!  Check it out below:

Queen of the Night
J.A. Jance, Morrow, $25.99 (368p) ISBN 978-006-123924-3
Dedicated to the late Tony Hillerman, Jance's brilliant fourth suspense novel featuring former homicide detective Brandon Walker and his wife, novelist Diana Ladd (after Day of the Dead), spans some 50 years, from a murder in 1959 in San Diego to a rash of killings in Thousand Oaks, Calif., and Tucson, Ariz., in 2009. Interwoven with these crimes are legends of the Tohono O'odham Indians (aka the Desert People) and the lives of such contemporary Native people as Lani Walker, Brandon and Diana's adopted daughter. Jance's masterful handling of a complex cast of characters makes it easy for the reader to appreciate the intricate web of relationships that bind them across generations. The title refers to the night-blooming Cereus, a desert plant that blooms once a year and is of great symbolic importance to the Tohono. Jance, perhaps best known for her J.P. Beaumont series (Fire and Ice, etc.), has crafted a mystery that Hillerman would be proud of and that her fans will love. 7-city author tour. (July)

Books, Sidney Sheldon, Sidney Sheldon's After the Darkness, Tillie Bagshawe

Sidney Sheldon’s After the Darkness

9780061728303 If you're not going to BEA, don't fret–we've got some consolation swag for you! Today we're giving away 5 copies of Sidney Sheldon's After the Darkness.  Author Tillie Bagshawe brilliantly recaptures the late superstar author’s magic with a classic tale of love and betrayal, and a struggle for survival in the new world order.  A tribute to one of America’s most popular and bestselling authors, Sidney Sheldon’s After the Darkness is a novel that the master himself would have been proud to call his own.  Email library love fest at harpercollins dot com for your copy!

-Kayleigh

American Library Association, Book Buzz, Books, Collection Development, HarperCollins Publishers, Libraries

What’s HarperCollins Buzzing About?

 

Bees1

The HarperCollins Library Marketing Team
Cordially invites you to attend our

Fall 2010 "Book Buzz"

Saturday, June 26, 2010
10:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Washington Convention Center
801 Mount Vernon Place, NW
Room 147A
Washington, DC

The HarperCollins Children’s Books Library Marketing Team will present their titles from 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Get the inside track on your favorite authors and discover a few new ones along the way!

Seating is limited, so RSVP your attendance to:
Bobby.Brinson@harpercollins.com

Light refreshments will be served.  We hope to see you in DC!

 

32 Candles, Book Buzz, Books, Collection Development, Early Word, Ernessa Carter, Fierce and Nerdy, Happiness, Libraries, Molly Ringwald, Reinvention, Relationships, Sixteen Candles

Monday Madness…32 Candles

32Candles hc c So if you are anything like me, you are probably sitting in front of your computer reading this and wondering to yourself "where on EARTH did the weekend go?" 

I know one great way to get over the "Monday Blues"…talk about and give away good books!

I am very excited about an upcoming book entitled, 32 Candles, by Ernessa T. Carter.  32 Candles, on sale in June tells the story of Davie Jones, a self-proclaimed ugly duckling from Mississippi, who feels her life couldn't be any worse than it already is.  She's teased at school, and doesn't have the greatest relationship with her mother.  On top of all this, she's in love with a handsome football player, who doesn't know she's alive.  After watching the movie Sixteen Candles,she believes that in spite of it all, if Molly Ringwald can have a happy ending, so can she!

After she realizes she can't take the drama anymore, Davie decides to try her luck at fame and fortune in the big city of Los Angeles, where she reinvents herself and becomes a successful nightclub singer.  As if life couldn't get any better, the handsome football player walks into the club one night.  He doesn't recognize her and her dreams of love become reality. By all accounts, everything is just perfect, until something from Davie's past threatens to haunt her and tarnish her bright future. 

I presented 32 Candles at the ALA Midwinter Conference during our Title Presentation.  To hear my "buzz" on the book, click here!

I am SO excited about this book and would love to hear your comments.  I will send free copies of 32 Candles to the 11 lucky people who send us a comment or an email at librarylovefest at harpercollins dot com.  If you would be so kind as to send a brief review of the book, I would greatly appreciate it! 

Please be sure to check out Ernessa's blogs (32candles.com and fierceandnerdy.com) I hope you find 32 Candles fun and heart-warming as I have.

Enjoy!

-Bobby

Lola Shoneyin, Marriage, Nigeria, polygamy, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives

Every now and again we decide to take our Flip camera on a field trip.  Our latest brought us to the 5th floor, where we interviewed Tavia Kowalchuk, Senior Marketing Director of William Morrow, about what she's reading now.  The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wivesis a fresh, debut novel that takes place in modern-day Nigeria.  Author Lola Shoneyin tackles polygamy, deception, and love in a story about one man and his four, very different wives.  She recently penned a piece for The Guardian which discusses many of the same issues from The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives, which hits shelves next month.  If you can't wait til then, we're happy to be giving away 15 galleys of the book (first-come, first-served).  Just email us at librarylovefest at harpercollins dot com.  And now, without further ado, take it away, Tavia!

American Library Association, Books, Brunonia Barry, Collection Development, HarperCollins Publishers, Libraries, The Map of True Places

The Map of True Places…ON SALE NOW!

MapOfTrue hc c Last month, I wrote about New York Times bestselling author Brunonia Barry's upcoming book, The Map of True Places.  Here is my original post.  I am so excited to let you know that it is FINALLY on sale! 
The reviews for The Map of True Places are outstanding.  Check out this one from Publishers Weekly:

“This is a lovingly told story with many well-drawn characters, who sooner or later consider the courses charted by personal decisions and circumstances.”
   — Publishers Weekly

 

Here is another review from BookPage.

You will not be disappointed with The Map of True Places.  You can also check out Brunonia's website, watch her video, join her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Please join me in celebrating what promises to be another winner for Brunonia Barry!

Enjoy!

-Bobby

Ashley Fiolek, Kicking Up Dirt, motocross

Kicking Up Dirt

If you stopped by our booth at PLA this past March, you might have been lucky enough to snag a galley of Kicking Up Dirt, the memoir by two-time Women’s Motocross Champion Ashley Fiolek.  Ashley overcame disability (she was born deaf), broken bones, and adversity, rising to the top of a previously male-dominated sport.  Kicking Up Dirt is the story of the family, and faith, that helped propel and encourage her along the way.  Get ready to be inspired!

Books, Collection Development, Family, HarperCollins Publishers, India, Libraries, Relationships, Texas Library Association, Women

Secret Daughter

SecretDaughterINTL c We are so excited about this amazing new book.  First time novelist Shilpi Somaya Gowda has a true hit on her hands with Secret Daughter, an emotional story that explores motherhood, loss, acceptance and belonging.  The reviews are outstanding!  Here are just a few of them:

"Secret Daughter is an engaging read, with its quick shifts between characters and rapid movement through 20 years of familial narrative…Gowda resolutely refuses to tie up all her loose ends, keeping the novel from settling into banality."
–Boston Globe

"Some of the best contemporary novels about families and what it means to be American are bring written by Indian – or Pakistani-Americans, many of them women.  I've read and admired a lot of them lately, and Secret Daughter, Californian Shilpi Somaya Gowda's debut, is my favorite…her novel is captivating and ultimately very wise…This novel travels far in the world, and deep into the human heart."
–Minneapolis Star Tribune

I had the pleasure of meeting Shilpi Somaya Gowda as she signed copies of Secret Daughter at the Texas Library Association Conference held in San Antonio earlier this month.  She was warm, engaging, and a true hit among the librarians there!

Secret Daughter should be a part of your reading list.  You WILL NOT regret it!

Enjoy!

-Bobby 

Scroll to Top