Collection Development

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

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

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

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

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 

Books, Brunonia Barry, Collection Development, HarperCollins Publishers, Libraries, Life Lessons, Relationships, The Lace Reader, The Map of True Places

The Map of True Places

MapOfTrue hc c I am always amazed at how an author can keep presenting one hit title after another.  Brunonia Barry is no exception.  She wowed us with her New York Times bestseller, The Lace Reader and now she's back again! I am so excited about her newest title The Map of True Places, on sale in May.  I presented this title at our Seasonal Book Buzz at the American Library Association Midwinter Conference this past January.  To hear my "buzz", click here!

I know once you start reading The Map of True Places, you will not want to stop! 

Enjoy!

-Bobby

Books, Collection Development, Connecticut Library Association

Connecticut Library Association Book Buzz!

HarperCollins was one of four publishers who presented upcoming titles to librarians at the Connecticut Library Association on April 19th.

If you were there, I certainly hope you enjoyed the presentation!   The handouts were scooped up and I’m afraid there were a few people who didn’t get one.  Here is the pdf of all the books I presented.  Enjoy! Download CT Book Buzz 2010

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

This Book is Overdue Continues to Soar!

ThisBookIsOverdue hc c 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

Books, Collection Development, Harper Perennial, Rupert Brooke, The Great Lover

Collection Development Alert!

9780061924361_0_Cover Consider yourself warned: The Great Lover is the best piece of literary fiction I've read this year.  Sure, it's only February, but it's still a pretty weighty compliment coming from me (I am notoriously picky).  The Great Lover is the fictional account of a few years in the life of English poet Rupert Brooke: a charismatic and complex historical figure with an equally complicated love life.  Interwoven with Brooke's narration are letters, quotes, and poetry, as well as the distinct voice of Nell Golightly, the housemaid who falls reluctantly–but viscerally–in love with Brooke.  For more information on the book, as well as my full review, click here.

-Kayleigh 

Aprilynne Pike, Book Buzz, Books, Brom, Charlaine Harris, Collection Development, Dead Witch Walking, Eos, Fantasy, Jeaniene Frost, Kelley Armstrong, Kim Harrison, Libraries, Margaret Ronald, Melissa Marr, New York, New York Public Library, Out of this Eos, Paranormal Romance, Richard Kadrey, Sandman Slim, Science Fiction, Spiral Hunt, Stephanie Meyers, The Child Thief, True Blood, Twilight, Urban Fantasy, Vampires, YA

Sci-fi Book Buzz at the NYPL

Eos logo Today we've got a special guest blog from editrix extraordinaire, Diana Gill, of Out of this Eos.  Many of us are overwhelmed by the amount of offerings in sci-fi/fantasy, but Diana is here to give us a great introductory course in the genre.  Sherecently presented upcoming Eos titles at the New York Public Library–her full presentation can be found here: Download Book Buzz Eos. 

Without further ado, here she is!

"A couple of weeks ago I presented current and upcoming Eos titles (science fiction, fantasy, urban and supernatural fantasy) to a group of approximately 40 NYC librarians in an SF Book Buzz panel, along with editors and marketing people from Del Rey and Macmillan.  It was my first time presenting to librarians (versus, say, fans at conventions), and I had a blast.

I talked about both some recent Eos titles and about our upcoming Winter ’10 list, which includes titles from Robin Hobb, Kim Harrison, and Raymond E. Feist, among others.  Afterwards, we offered each librarian a choice of one of several Eos titles, from science fiction to epic fantasy to urban/supernatural fantasy.  The most titles most requested were SANDMAN SLIMby Richard Kadrey, Brom’s dark retelling of Peter Pan, THE CHILD THIEF, and Margaret Ronald’s urban fantasy SPIRAL HUNT. Several people were interested trying sf/f, and not sure where to start.

Urban fantasy (and its cousin paranormal romance) is the easiest gateway to the genre—since it takes place in a world that is very much our own, only with magic.  Not coincidentally, it’s also the hottest thing going, between the phenomenon that is Stephenie Meyers' Twilight saga to the incredibly popular True Blood tv series.  Urban fantasies are an easy way for readers to try the genre, and there are a lot of great ones out there.

…

Sci-fi Book Buzz at the NYPLRead More »

Books, Collection Development, Libraries, Marilyn Johnson, The Desk Set, This Book is Overdue!

This Book is Overdue!

ThisBookIsOverdue hc c The buzz continues to grow for This Book is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All by Marilyn Johnson.   Due out in February, this book explores the role of librarians today and focuses on the increasing demands to keep up with the onslaught of new technology.  This book is an homage to librarians everywhere – and it is long overdue! Check out this interesting Q&A the author did with The Desk Set, a site written by ‘a group of New York City area librarians, archivists, bibliophiles and other bookish types,’ and be sure to read the first chapter here.  
 
-Virginia

Africa, AIDS, Collection Development, Current Affairs, Inspiration, Libraries, Life Lessons, Malawi, Memoir, Readers Advisory Book/Review Swap, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, William Kamkwamba

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

9780061730320

Librarians, we want to hear from you!  As you can see here, here, and here, we're wild about this book and we hope you will be, too.  Send an email to librarylovefest at harpercollins.com.  We'll send a copy of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind to you with our compliments.  The only thing ask for in return is a review of the book which we would then post on our blog. We know how busy everyone is these days so don't get hung up on the length of the review.  We just want to get the word out to readers about a book that has everyone buzzing in house.  Now we want the buzz to be outside the house! Thanks so much.

Now send us an email! (Please note, this particular offer is for librarians only.) Thanks!

Virginia Stanley
Director
Library Marketing
HarperCollinsPublishers
(212) 207-7592
virginia.stanley at harpercollins.com
www.librarylovefest.com

Africa, AIDS, Books, Collection Development, Inspiration, Libraries, Malawi, Memoir, Readers Advisory Book/Review Swap, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, William Kamkwamba

Readers Advisory Book/Review Swap

9780061730320 We send you a book and you send us your review.  Sometimes this offer will be open to the general readership and other times it will be open to librarians only.  Either way, we’ll keep your name on our list for future reviews! We’d like to kick this off with a book we’re extremely excited about. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba is a terrific book about a young boy in South Africa who discovers a book in the library and learns how to build a windmill and generates electricity.
We hope you enjoy this book as much as we do.  Check out Marketing Director Tavia Kowalchuk's guest blog on the book, as well as our original post.  Let us know if you’d like to review it on our blog by emailing your name, mailing address and library affiliation to librarylovefest@harpercollins.com. Again, this one’s for librarians only. Thanks!

-Virginia

Books, Charlaine Harris, Collection Development, Richard Kadrey, Sandman Slim, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy

Sandman Slim: the Hump Day Giveaway

New sandman slim These days everyone is buzzing about Sandman Slim, Richard Kadrey's raucous supernatural thriller.  Here's an excerpt from io9's awesome review: "Sandman Slim follows the adventures of Jimmy, aka Stark, aka Sandman Slim, who was dragged down to Hell as a cocky teenager and somehow survived for eleven years, before busting out. The only person he cared about is dead, and he's out for revenge — and he doesn't really care what he has to break to get it. Along the way, he gets dragged deeper and deeper into the politics of the L.A. magic scene, the ongoing feud between Hell's generals, the schemes of angels, Homeland Security, and the decadent plans of L.A.'s filthy rich magic users.

As someone who's read every novel by Mickey Spillane, Raymond Chandler, Richard Stark/Donald Westlake and Ross McDonald at least once, I found the frothiness and nihilism of the novel instantly appealing."

Still not sold? You might want to read the following quote from Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse series: “If Simon R. Green wrote an episode of Dog the Bounty Hunter, it would read much like Sandman Slim– violent, vivid, non-stop action of the supernatural kind. I couldn’t put it down.”

If your interest is piqued, leave us a comment: we're giving away books to the first 25! And for more on the book, browse inside and click here for a great post on Out of this Eos by editor extraordinaire, Diana Gill. 

-Kayleigh

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

KVB 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.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions, comments, Academy Award nominations, etc.

Thanks!

-Virginia, Bobby and Kayleigh

Video 1A
Included in this video: Introduction, information on HarperCollins Catalogs, eGalleys, Book Club Girl, Library Love Fest (radio show), twitter (HarperLibrary), HarperLibrary's blog (Library Love Fest), Shelf Help, Kayleigh’s blog (The Roaring 20s), Earlyword.com and Harper Perennial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2vF140GVoQ
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1A)

Video 1B
Included in this video: Information on Harper Perennial, and the following titles, Shelf Discovery, by Lizzie Skurnick, By The Time You Read This, by Lola Jaye, and Lies My Mother Never Told Me, by Kaylie Jones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUe2jl8-sxE
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1B)

Video 1C
Titles included in this video: Bending Towards the Sun, by Leslie Gilbert-Lurie, Under This Unbroken Sky, by Shandi Mitchell, Evidence of Murder, by Lisa Black, How to Paint a Dead Man, by Sarah Hall and I Shudder, by Paul Rudnick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZIX7h_a8WI
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1C)

Video 1D
Titles included in this video: Beneath the Bleeding, by Val McDermid, The Financial Lives of Poets, by Jess Walter, Anne Frank, by Francine Prose and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by William Kamkwamba

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX-b-Eh06c0
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1D)

Video 1E
Titles included in this video: Not Lost Forever, by Carmina Salcido, Manhood for Amateurs, by Michael Chabon and Hummingbirds, by Joshua Gaylord
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjbIu4n5k3Y
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1E)

Video 1F
Titles included in this video:  Far from Zion, by Charles London, I am neurotic (and so are you), by Lianna Kong, The Hidden, by Tobias Hill, The Sand Fish, by Maha Gargash, Ten Storey Love Song,by Richard Milward and The Body in the Sleigh, by Katherine Hall Page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQgzm6b72TE
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1F)

Video 1G
Titles included in this video: Notes Left Behind, by Brooke and Keith Desserich, The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver, Lit, by Mary Karr, Wishin’ and Hopin’, by Wally Lamb and This Book is Overdue!, by Marilyn Johnson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBOV0CKk68A
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1G)

Video 1H
Titles included in this video: Be Careful What You Pray For, by Kimberla Lawson Roby, Gator A-Go-Go, by Tim Dorsey, Shadow Tag, by Louise Erdrich, and Horns, by Joe Hill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysmUlveJzyU
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1H)

Video 1I
Titles included in this video: Encore, Valentine, by Adriana Trigiani, Making Toast, by Roger Rosenblatt, The Lovers, by Vendela Vida and A Pearl in the Storm, by Tori Murden McClure

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb6Sp0HEWk0
Download ALA Title Presentation (Part 1I)

 

Anne Frank, Booklist, Books, censorship, Collection Development, Current Affairs, Early Word, Film, Francine Prose, Libraries

A New Anne Frank Movie

AnneFrank hc c In case you missed it, yesterday Early Word reported that Disney has acquired the rights to a new film version of The Diary of Anne Frank, with David Mamet helming the project.  Our very own Francine Prose was mentioned in the article, as was her forthcoming book Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife (9780061578267).  Early Word reports: "One of Prose’s objections to the earlier versions is that they don’t show Anne’s growth as either a person or an artist; 'On the pages, she is brilliant, on the stage, she is a nitwit.' She also points out that they attempted to 'universalize' the story to broaden it’s appeal; few mentions are made of the family’s Jewishness and Anne was made to seem more hopeful. Says Prose about the movie, 'She sounds like an American girl. And why not? It’s an American movie.'" David Mamet is sure to challenge our assumptions about this beloved piece of literature, just as Francine Prose has done with her book.  Be sure to check out Booklist's starred review, in full, after the jump. 

…

A New Anne Frank MovieRead More »

American Library Association, Books, Collection Development, Libraries, The Roaring 20s, Weblogs

ALA 2009- The Roaring Re-Cap

6296_628778435892_8102771_36935574_3013583_n The Roaring 20s has a new look, and a new post! Now that ALA 2009 is behind us, I will be posting regularly again on Roaring, so be sure to send me some feedback on the new design! And while you're checking out the page, take a peek at my Fall/Winter picks from our Title Presentation.  Trust me, you don't need to be a 20something to enjoy these books.

-Kayleigh    

American Library Association, BEA, Books, Collection Development, Labor Day, Joyce Maynard, Libraries

Labor Day

LaborDay hc c If you attended BEA or ALA this year, you might have heard us raving about Joyce Maynard’s latest, Labor Day, an in-house favorite.  In a manner evoking Ian McEwan’s Atonementand Nick Hornby’s About a Boy, Joyce Maynard tells a story of love, sexual passion, painful adolescence, and devastating betrayal as seen through the eyes of a thirteen-year-old boy—and the man he later becomes—looking back on the events of a single long, hot, and life-altering weekend.  Check out the video, browse inside the book, or download the podcast.  Download LABOR DAY Story Behind the Book.  Happy Reading!


American Library Association, Collection Development, HarperCollins Publishers, Libraries, Travel

Windy City, Here We Come!

Illinois-chicago Well, it's that time of year again.  Our department is headed to Chicago for ALA 2009, and we are loaded up with goodies.  Between galleys, symtio cards, and tote bags, we've got giveaways covered.  Be sure to stop by our booth and meet us in person–we're Booth # 1911.  For a full list of our author signings, head over to Early Word.  And of course, don't miss our title presentation!

See you in the Windy City!

-Kayleigh

Books, Collection Development, Dorothea Benton Frank, Return to Sullivan's Island, Libraries, New York Times

Dorothea Benton Frank’s Letter to Librarians

Sullivan Dot Frank’s latest book, Return to Sullivans Island went on sale this week.  This is the long awaited sequel to her first novel, the bestselling Sullivan's Island which launched Dot’s career. It debuted on the New York Times list at number nine, went back to press twenty five times, was published in ten foreign languages and today there are over one million copies in print.

Publishers Weekly calls Return to Sullivans Island “tight storytelling, winsomely oddball characters and touches of Southern magic make this a winner.”

The following letter is from Dot to librarians.  Enjoy…

…

Dorothea Benton Frank’s Letter to LibrariansRead More »

Books, Collection Development, Libraries

Introducing our latest feature: Shelf Help

In case you missed it, we've got a brand-new collection development tool on our blog called Shelf-Help, which is located in the top of the right sidebar on our homepage. 

Everyone loves a short cut. We know librarians have a bazillion titles to wade through so we thought it might be helpful if we provided you with a short list of our books which are due out in the next few months. We’ve provided the basics: pub date, price, ISBN, genre as well as a link to the book’s page on our site. We’ll update this information regularly. Let us know if you find this helpful or if you’d like to see additional information on the grid.  Check it out now!

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