American Library Association

365 Thank Yous, American Library Association, Book Buzz, Book Clubs, Books, CBS Evening News, Collection Development, Family, Happiness, HarperCollins Publishers, Hyperion, Inspiration, John Kralik, Katie Couric, Libraries, Memoir, Relationships, Thank You

365 Thank Yous

January 26, 2011

We at HarperLibrary are very excited about the buzz surrounding an extremely fascinating book entitled, 365 Thank Yous by John Kralik. Kralik's book, published by Hyperion (on sale now), is an amazing story of how John turned his life around simply by learning the importance of two simple words…Thank you.

John Kralik tells how his life was on a downward spiral, and by simply writing thank you notes to those he interacted with changed his perspective and his life overall. John was recently featured on the CBS Evening News. If you missed the interview, you can watch it here!

If you haven't picked up 365 Thank Yous, what are you waiting for? I know you'll be glad you did…and you can say "thank you" later (hahaha!).

Enjoy!

-Bobby

American Library Association, Books, censorship, Collection Development, Libraries

Censorship Versus Free Expression…

January 24, 2011

Hello all –

We just received this post from HarperCollins author Kenneth C. Davis of the popular "Don't Know Much About" series. It is of special interest to anyone who cares about the topic of censorship.

http://www.dontknowmuch.com/2011/01/sicko-ants-on-a-crucifix/

-Bobby

American Library Association, Books, Collection Development, HarperCollins Publishers, Libraries, Mary Jane Clark, To Have and to Kill

Why We STILL Love Mary Jane Clark

December 29, 2010

We here at HarperLibrary are so excited about Mary Jane Clark's new book, To Have and To Kill. Her new book, on sale now launches a new series and we couldn't be happier. If you missed Mary Jane's interview on Good Morning America, check it out right here!

If you haven't picked up To Have and To Kill, what are you waiting for? You will be so glad you did!

Enjoy!

-Bobby

ALA 2010, American Library Association, Books, Boston, Cookbooks, Cooking, Craig Ferguson, crime fiction, Dennis Lehane, Moonlight Mile, Ree Drummond

Ree Drummond and Dennis Lehane!

December 9, 2010

We've got not one, but two, amazing author clips to share today! The first is one of my heroines, Ree Drummond (the Pioneer Woman) on the Today Show. With some help from Al Roker, Ree makes her famous "evil" cinnamon rolls, loaded up with plenty of butter and gooey maple icing. Check out the clip here, which includes the recipe. If anything can beat the morning frost, it's these rolls. I dare you not to salivate watching them.

Next up! We absolutely love Craig Ferguson, even though he thinks a book is "kind of like a blog, but interesting." ALA favorite Dennis Lehane, who needs no introduction, appeared on Craig's show to chat about Moonlight Mile, the sequel to Gone, Baby, Gone. Enjoy!

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

It is time to get…BUZZED!!!

December 6, 2010

The HarperCollins Library Marketing Team
cordially invites you to attend our
Summer 2011 Book Buzz
at
The American Library Association's Midwinter Conference

Saturday, January 8, 2011
10:00 AM – 11:15 AM
San Diego Convention Center
Room 26 A/B
San Diego, California
(Please note that we will be presenting adult titles only…no children’s books)

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 sunny San Diego!

-Bobby

American Library Association, Avon, Books, Collection Development, HarperCollins Publishers, Laura Lippman, Libraries, The Girl in the Green Raincoat

The Girl in the Green Raincoat

November 29, 2010

Laura Lippman has done it AGAIN! I just finished The Girl in the Green Raincoat on sale in January 2011. The Girl in the Green Raincoat is a new Tess Monaghan novel that first appeared in serial format in the New York Times Magazine.

In this new novel, we visit Tess Monaghan, who is now seven months pregnant and confined to bed rest. So instead of being able to track the next case, she spends her time looking out her window watching a girl wearing a green raincoat walking her dog. Everyday is business as usual until one day Tess notices the dog running loose and the girl in the green raincoat is nowhere to be found. Using her instincts, Tess believes something has happened to the young woman and the search begins to find her fate.

I found the book to be delightfully entertaining…a real page turner! I think it's an excellent read for those who are hardcore Laura Lippman fans. I also think it's great for those who haven't discovered her yet and are dying to add a new author to their reading lists.

I would love to hear your comments. I will send free advance reader copies of The Girl in the Green Raincoat to the 10 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!

Congratulations Laura on this excellent book. It's sure to be a winner!

Enjoy!

-Bobby

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

Playing with the Moon

October 19, 2010

Just for fun…A very cool site with some very cool photos….

http://funnbee.info/2008/08/playing-with-moon.html

- Virginia

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

The “BUZZ” is LIVE!

July 22, 2010

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

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

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter

July 8, 2010

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.

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

Furious Love

June 10, 2010

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

June 7, 2010

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

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

What’s HarperCollins Buzzing About?

May 20, 2010

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!

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

The Map of True Places…ON SALE NOW!

May 7, 2010

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

Adriana Trigiani, ALTAFF, American Library Association, Book Buzz, Books, Brava, Valentine, Daphne Kalotay, Dennis Lehane, Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Government Girl, Hail, Hail Euphoria, HarperCollins Publishers, I'd Know You Anywhere, Laura Lippman, Libraries, Marilyn Johnson, Mary McDonagh Murphy, Russian Winter, Scout, Atticus and Boo, Secrets of a Scandalous Bride, Sophia Nash, Stacy Parker Aab, This Book is Overdue!, Very Valentine, Wench

Sneak Peek: ALA Annual 2010!

April 19, 2010

We at HarperLibrary are so excited about attending the American Library Association's Annual Conference in June. It gives us the opportunity to spend time with the people we love the most…LIBRARIANS! Although it is a month and a half away, our author lineup and conference events are in full swing. Please stop by our booth (# 2513) for all the action and some great giveaways! Check out some of the authors and events you will NOT want to miss:

Saturday, June 26, 2010
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Auditorium Speakers Series
Nancy Pearl with Mary McDonagh Murphy, author of Scout Atticus and Boo

10:00 AM – 11:15 AM
HarperCollins Seasonal Title Presentation
To RSVP, send an email to: bobby dot brinson at harpercollins dot com
(Note: The HarperChildren's Books Seasonal Title Presentation will immediately follow starting at 11:30 AM)

10:30 AM – Noon
ALTAFF Program: Isn't It Romantic?
Featuring Sophia Nash, author of Secrets of a Scandalous Bride

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Mary McDonagh Murphy, booth signing
Scout, Atticus and Boo

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Sophia Nash, booth signing
Secrets of a Scandalous Bride

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Stacy Parker Aab, booth signing
Government Girl

Sunday, June 27, 2010
8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Literary Tastes Breakfast
Featuring Adriana Trigiani, author of Very Valentine

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Adriana Trigiani, booth signing
Brava, Valentine

1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
ALTAFF Program: Authors Come in All Colors
Featuring Dolen Perkins-Valdez, author of Wench

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Dolen Perkins-Valdez, booth signing
Wench

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
ALTAFF Program: The Laugh's on Us
Featuring Roy Blount, Jr., author of Hail, Hail, Euphoria!

Monday, June 28, 2010
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Auditorium Speakers Series
Dennis Lehane, author of Moonlight Mile

9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Dennis Lehane, booth signing
Moonlight Mile

10:30 AM – Noon
ALTAFF Program: First Author, First Book
Featuring Daphne Kalotay, author of Russian Winter

11:00 AM – Noon
Marilyn Johnson, booth signing
This Book is Overdue!

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Daphne Kalotay, booth signing
Russian Winter

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
ALTAFF Gala Author Tea
Featuring Laura Lippman, author of I'd Know You Anywhere

HarperCollins is a proud sponsor of ALTAFF (www.ala.org/atlaff). For tickets, please call 1-800-545-2433 ext 2161.

I am sure we will be adding to this already dymanic schedule, so please visit us for further updates. We look forward to seeing you in DC!

Enjoy!

-Bobby

American Library Association, Books, Collection Development, HarperCollins Publishers, Libraries, Marilyn Johnson, This Book is Overdue!

This Book is Overdue Continues to Soar!

February 24, 2010

We at Harper Library are so excited about the buzz continuing to surround This Book is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All by Marilyn Johnson. Check out this wonderful article featured on Salon.com that gives a great “shout-out” to the book. The article also features an interview with Marilyn Johnson, where she talks about her motivation to write This Book is Overdue!

I will send free copies of This Book is Overdue to the 10 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!

Enjoy!

-Bobby

Adriana Trigiani, Agincourt, American Library Association, Awards, Bernard Cornwell, Books, Boston, Clara Kramer, Clara's War, High Voltage Tattoo, Julia Quinn, Juliette Fay, Kat Von D, Libraries, Library Journal, Marvelyn Brown, Shelter Me, Show Me How, Street Art Book, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, The Naked Truth, Very Valentine, What Happens in London, William Kamkwamba

Awards Recap: ALA Midwinter 2010

January 28, 2010

Roughly 8,000 librarians attended the American Library Association’s Midwinter conference in Boston.

HarperCollins had a great show: 11 authors including one unforgettable performance by Adriana Trigiani who won the ALA’s Reading List Awards in the Women’s Fiction category for Very Valentine (now out in paperback!). Watch this:

This video went out everywhere. By the next day it was on every major library site including Library Journal’s and the American Library Association’s.

For you non-librarians, the Midwinter conference is where committees meet to determine winners of various book awards. Harper snagged quite a few this time around.

The Reading List awards outstanding genre fiction in 8 categories. We had winners in 3 of those categories as well as a few runner ups:

Historical Fiction – Winner
Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell

Romance – Winner
What Happens in London by Julia Quinn

Women’s Fiction – Winner
Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani (see crazy video above)

Women’s Fiction Short List
The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club by Gil McNeil
Shelter Me by Juliette Fay

The Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers selection list suggests books that teens, ages 12-18, will pick up on their own and read for pleasure; it is geared to the teenager who, for whatever reason, does not like to read. We picked up four of these:

Street Art Book: 60 Artists in Their Own Words by Ric Blackshaw and Liz Farrelly
The Naked Truth: Young, Beautiful and (HIV) Positive by Marvelyn Brown
Show Me How: 500 Things You Should Know Instructions for Life from the Everyday to the Exotic by Derek Fagerstrom and Lauren Smith
High Voltage Tattoo by Kat Von D.

The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. Two of the ten winning books are ours:
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
Tunneling to the Center of the Earth by Kevin Wilson

2010 Sophie Brody Award recognizes outstanding Jewish literature
Clara’s War by Clara Kramer received an Honor Award

All winners are listed on ALA’s site: www.ala.org
Congrats to all!

-Virginia

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

BOOK BUZZ!

January 28, 2010

The American Library Association’s Midwinter conference was held last weekend in Boston. The HarperCollins Library Marketing Department gave a presentation of select titles that are coming out in the Spring/Summer seasons.

We joined forces with the fabulous team at Earlyword.com who is hosting our presentation on their site.

Check it out!

– Virginia

AAP, American Library Association, Books, HarperCollins Publishers, Libraries

ALA Midwinter Author Breakfast

January 4, 2010

Join Our Authors for Complimentary Breakfast and BookTalk!
The Association of American Publishers Trade Libraries Committee
Cordially Invites You to Breakfast On
Sunday, January 17, 2010, 8 am – 9:30 am.
Boston Convention Center, Room 151 A/B.
American Library Association Midwinter Conference, Boston, MA

"Keeping It Short
The Best In Short Story Fiction"

Featuring:
George Saunders, author of In Persuasion Nation (Riverhead)
David Updike, author of Old Girlfriends (Macmillan)
Shannan Rouss, author of Easy For You (Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
Simon Van Booy, author of The Secret Lives of People In Love(HarperCollins)
Lee Smith, author of Mrs. Darcy And the Blue Eyed Stranger (Algonquin)
Ha Jin, author of A Good Fall: Stories (Random House)

Book Signing to Follow Program. Seating is Limited.
Please RSVP To Marlene Scheuermann at

mscheurmann@publishers.org
by January 10, 2010

American Library Association, Barbara Genco, Books, HarperCollins Publishers, Libraries, Marilyn Johnson, This Book is Overdue!

This Book is Overdue Receives Even More Praise!

December 21, 2009

The reviews are continuing to come in about Marilyn Johnson’s forthcoming book, This Book is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All (on sale February 2010). In addition to the amazing review we received from Booklist, check out these wonderful quotes:

“Johnson does for the library profession what Malcolm Gladwell did for the theory of memetics in The Tipping Point.”
-Nora Rawlinson, Co-Founder and Editor, EarlyWord.com

“I have worked as a librarian for 35 years. In these pages I met the past, present and future of my profession. Johnson knows what we know. It is great to be a librarian!”
-Barbara Genco, Librarian and Collection Development Consultant

For those of you attending ALA-Midwinter in Boston next month, please do not miss your opportunity to meet Marilyn where she will be signing complimentary copies of her book, This Book is Overdue during the conference:

Monday, January 18, 2010
HarperCollins booth (#1403)
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Boston Convention Center
415 Summer Street
Boston, Massachusetts

ALTAFF Author Tea
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Hyatt Regency Boston
Grand Ballroom
1 Avenue de Lafayette
Boston, Massachusetts

For tickets or additional information about the ALTAFF Author Tea, visit: www.ala.org/altaff
or call 1-800-545-2433 x2161

In addition to hearing Marilyn speak about This Book is Overdue, check out the other authors that will be featured at the ALTAFF Tea:

Holly LeCraw, The Swimming Pool (Doubleday)
Janice Y.K. Lee, The Piano Teacher (Viking)
Karl Marlantes, Matterhorn (Atlantic Monthly Press)
Teri Woods, Dutch II: Angel’s Revenge (Grand Central Publishing)

We are very excited about This Book is Overdue and we hope you are as well. Also, as Kayleigh mentioned earlier, if you haven’t read the first chapter, check it out here!

Enjoy,

-Bobby

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

What’s New for Summer 2010? Find Out Today!

December 4, 2009

The HarperCollins Library Marketing Team
cordially invites you to attend our

Summer 2010 Title Presentation
at
The American Library Association's Midwinter Conference

Saturday, January 16, 2010
10:00 AM – 11:15 AM
Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel
(Connected to the Boston Convention Center)
425 Summer Street
Burroughs Room
Boston, Massachusetts

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 Boston!

-Bobby

American Library Association, Books, Elizabeth Beckwith, Libraries, Parenting, Raising the Perfect Child Through Guilt and Manipulation, The Huffington Post

He’ll Go Down in History: The Re-Examined Story Of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

December 4, 2009

If you attended ALTAFF's The Laugh's on Us program at ALA in Chicago, you might remember the hilarious comedienne Elizabeth Beckwith, author of Raising the Perfect Child Through Guilt and Manipulation, which we've blogged about here. She had the entire room in stitches–I remember actually gasping for breath because I was laughing so hard. So of course, I was super-excited to see her holiday-themed post for The Huffington Post. It's worth a read, just for the following quote alone:

"'Christmas Town is very political, you have to kiss a lot of ass, and it's very unforgiving toward misfits. It's the dirty little secret that nobody talks about,' Blitzen remarked before sullenly finishing his drink."

Happy Friday!

-Kayleigh

American Library Association, Books, Celebrities, Diahann Carroll, Family, Happiness, Inspiration, Libraries, Marriage, Memoir, Race, Relationships, Television, The Legs Are The Last to Go, Wendy Williams Show, Women

The Legs Are The Last to Go!

November 12, 2009

We at HarperCollins were thrilled to publish The Legs Are The Last to Go: Aging, Acting, Marrying and Other Things I Learned the Hard Way by the legendary Diahann Carroll. Some of you may have had the opportunity to see her at the Closing Session of the 2008 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, California. In her book, she gives us a candid look at her life and everything she has had to overcome to be the success that she still remains today…a true inspiration for us all! The buzz on Ms. Carroll (what I like to call her) continues! Make sure you tune in tomorrow (November 13) to The Wendy Williams Show for Wendy's interview with Diahann Carroll. Please check your local listings for time and channel. This is definitely something you will not want to miss!

Enjoy!

-Bobby

American Library Association, Banned Books Week, Books, Brave New World, censorship, Current Affairs, First Amendment, Kenneth C. Davis, Libraries, Native Son, Rebecca, To Kill A Mockingbird

Banned Books Week!

September 28, 2009

What reminds you of Autumn? Pumpkins, apple-picking, that first brisk chill in the air? How about Banned Books Week? BBW takes place every year during the last week of September and recognizes the efforts of booksellers, teachers, and librarians who ensure that we, as citizens, have open access to information. It's a time to reflect on the vital importance of our First Amendment rights. Take a peek at what Ken Davis has to say about BBW, get more info from the American Library Association, and check out this list of frequently challenged titles, including To Kill A Mockingbird, Native Son, Rebecca, and Brave New World. What's your favorite challenged book?

-Kayleigh

Africa, AIDS, American Library Association, Books, Family, Happiness, Inspiration, Libraries, Malawi, Memoir, TED Conference, William Kamkwamba

The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind

September 14, 2009

We are so thrilled to have Tavia Kowalchuk, Marketing Director for William Morrow, Eos and Cookbooks (imprints of HarperCollins Publishers) as a guest blogger today. Tavia is excited about the publication of the forthcoming title, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

Enjoy!

-Bobby
—————————————————————————————————————

The buzz is building for the soon-to-be-released THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND –the inspirational true story about an enterprising teenager in Malawi who built a windmill from scraps found around his village and brought electricity—and a future—to himself and his family.

William Kamkwamba, grew up poor in Malawi, Africa, a country suffering from poverty, famine, AIDS and lack of basic services like plumbing and electricity. When William was 14 and unable to attend school because his family couldn’t afford the $80 tuition, he began thinking a lot about electricity. After being given a book about windmills by his local librarian, he decided to build his own using scrap metal, tractor parts, and blue-gum trees, which grew near his village. William’s home-made contraption succeeded in supplying electricity to his family’s compound. You can click here to read an excerpt from his memoir before the book is on sale (September 29th), but in the meantime, here is an exclusive interview with the librarian in Malawi who gave William the book that changed his life.

Meet librarian Edith Sikelo. Mrs. Sikelo was sitting behind her desk at the library when William first walked in.

She quickly noticed his interest in science books and encouraged him to keep reading. His library card soon grew to several pages, which Sikelo now keeps to show visitors, and to brandish to younger students as an example of success.

Mrs. Sikelo was recently interviewed by Tom Rielly, Community Director of the TED Conference, a major party in promoting William’s story throughout the world.

…

The Boy Who Harnessed The WindRead More »

American Library Association, Books, Collection Development, Early Word, Francine Prose, Happiness, HarperCollins Publishers, Kaylie Jones, Libraries, Lies My Mother Never Told Me, Memoir, Mystery/Suspense, Relationships, Shelf Discovery, Lizzie Skurnick, The Roaring 20s

Fall Title Presentation

September 8, 2009

If you were unable to attend our title presentation at ALA in Chicago this past July, fear not! We’re bringing our book buzz to you! Click on the links below to watch us talk about the hot books coming out in Fall 2009. Each link is about 10 minutes long and we’ve listed the titles being discussed in each video. Also attached is the handout that we made available to all attendees of the presentation.