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Fans
will be delighted with the return of Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn and Chee series
with Spider Woman’s Daughter, the
first novel in the series written after Tony’s passing by his daughter Anne
Hillerman.  The novel centers on Navajo
Nation Police Officer Bernie Manualito and her husband Sergeant Jim Chee as
they investigate the shooting of Bernie’s mentor, retired Lieutenant Joe
Leaphorn.  As Bernie and Chee get more
and more involved in one of Leaphorn’s cold cases, they realize the case may be
hotter than it seems.  An established
author, Anne stays true to her father’s work but still leaves her mark with her
unique voice, creating a wonderful story in its own right.  You don’t have to take only our word for
it.  Library Journal loves it too!  Here’s what they have to say about Spider Woman’s Daughter.

*Hillerman,
Anne.

Spider Woman’s Daughter.

Nov.
2013. ISBN 9780062270481.

Tony Hillerman’s 18 mysteries followed the investigations
of Navajo cops Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. Fans mourned when Hillerman died in
2008. Now the late author’s beloved characters return in this series relaunch
by his daughter, Anne. The book opens with an act of unexpected violence
against a dear friend, witnessed by police officer Bernadette Manualito. She
and her husband, Jim Chee, begin to piece together clues and determine who
would commit this crime, even questioning the motives of the unaccounted-for Louisa
Bourbonnette, Leaphorn’s friend and housemate. Interspersed throughout the
tale, yet important to character development and emphasizing the role of Navajo
culture and beliefs (a highlight of the previous series), are vignettes of
Bernadette’s troubled sister and Jim’s past studies to become a Navajo healer
and descriptions of Navajo creation stories. Characters from 1988’s Thief of Time play a dominant role in
the unfolding of the plot. Pot hunters, archaeologists, controversy over
the museum display of tribal objects, and insurance fraud culminate in a
heart-stopping, action-packed conclusion as Bernadette and Jim risk their
lives to bring a would-be assassin to justice. VERDICT Fans of
Southwestern mysteries will cheer this return of Leaphorn and Chee.

—Patricia Ann Owens, formerly with
Illinois Eastern Community Colls., Mt. Carmel

-Amanda

P.S. Check out this letter from Marie Hillerman, wife to
Tony and mother to Anne, about her husband, her daughter, and their works.

To start this post off right, I have exciting news! For the past few months, hundreds of librarians from across the country have been voting and reading and voting some more, and our very own Help for the Haunted by John Searles was chosen from among all the upcoming September books for the inaugural LibraryReads Top 10 List! Congratulations to John and this truly amazing novel.

If you aren’t yet familiar with Help for the Haunted, please read on. Eerie and full of dark secrets,
Searles’s novel tells the story of Sylvie, a young girl who, after the
mysterious loss of her parents, goes on a journey to find out what really
happened the night they were killed. On sale September 17, Help for the
Haunted started getting the attention of librarians at BEA, and the buzz
has continued with booksellers, bloggers, and other authors. Gillian Flynn,
author of Gone Girl, calls Help for the Haunted "frightening
and beautiful.”

Not only is the novel phenomenal, Searles himself
is, quite simply, the best thing ever. I haven’t accolades enough to tell you
how amazing this guy is.  And now I have an awesome gift to pass along to
you!

John is giving away two pairs of tickets to see Matilda: The Musical between now and September
16, 2013! You can enter for your chance
to win on John’s website. You may enter once between July 30 and August 25, and
then enter again from August 26 to September 16.  

In addition, the first 10 people to
email librarylovefest@harpercollins.com win a
galley!  Total win-win situation here, y’all: great book,
and the chance to see an amazing play. 

-Amanda

PS: See why everyone
loves Help for the Haunted – read an excerpt now. Like John Searles on Facebook to stay up-to-date on his tour schedule, events and sweepstakes news.

It is with great sadness we relay the news that library favorite, Barbara Mertz (a.k.a. Elizabeth Peters) passed away on August 8th at the age of 85.

Under her pseudonym as Barbara Michaels she has written twenty-nine novels of suspense. As Elizabeth Peters, she had produced more than 35 mystery-suspense novels, many of them set in Egypt and the Middle East, featuring the intrepid Amelia Peabody. Under her own name, she authored several nonfiction books about ancient Egypt, still in print today.

She will be greatly missed, but her books will continue to live on, engaging readers far into the future.

– Annie

Sena Jeter Naslund has written some amazing books including Ahab's Wife and Abundance, but now she brings us The Fountain of St. James Court: Or, Portrait of the Artist as an Old Woman, the novel she is most excited about. To share in her excitement, feel free to check out this excerpt and then mark your calendars for September 10, 2013, at 7pm EST when you can Facebook chat with her.

****

To:  My Friends, The Librarians of the United States

Were it not for a librarian at the Birmingham Public Library, I would not have become a writer. Because a librarian recommended to my mother that she read aloud to me the Laura Ingalls Wilder series of Little House books, I was filled with wonder that mere words could transport a person from one time and place to another. And I thought I’d like to be able to do that someday.

It has meant the world to me that my bestselling novels have received awards from the Alabama Library Association and also from the Southeastern Library Association, as well as receiving the Harper Lee Award and the Hall-Waters Southern Prize.

…

Guest Blogger: Sena Jeter NaslundRead More »

For any of you lovelies who were at Digipalooza last week
and had the privilege of meeting the wonderful Virginia, and especially all of
you who missed out, here is a recap of Virginia’s presentation and the
books we at LLF are so excited about. 

Mitch Albom’s newest book, The First
Phone Call From Heaven, is a fulfilling story of faith, hope, and love that
will keep your heart racing and your hands turning pages.

We Are Water is classic Wally Lamb, with a troubled family,
great characters, and a warm-hearted, emotionally powerful story.

Amy Tan’s first novel in almost a decade,
The Valley of Amazement, explores the deep connections between mothers and
daughters in a moving narrative of family secrets and the legacy of trauma. 

The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick makes you laugh
with his feel-good tale of a young man’s relationship with three
other outsiders after his mother’s death.

Isabel Allende uses a young adult protagonist in her
exciting murder mystery about a serial killer roaming around San Francisco in
Ripper.

Adriana Trigiani’s The Supreme Macaroni
Company continues with her beloved characters in a novel that is funny,
romantic, and heart-warming.

The ninth and probably final book in the “Tales
of the City” series, The Days of Anna Madrigal by Armistead Maupin
is told through the interweaving stories of several familiar characters and follows
Anna on a road trip as she uncovers secrets from the past 75 years.

William Boyd was chosen to take up the James Bond mantel in
this new narrative of conspiracy, espionage, and war in Solo.

Kerrelyn Sparks returns to romance in the Revolutionary War
in Less Than a Gentleman, the sequel to her first novel in historical fiction,
The Forbidden Lady.

Crave launches Monica Murphy’s sexy Billionaire Bachelors
Club series with a lavish bet, a night of carnal desires, and a lasting
connection between two people who never thought it possible. 

…

Fun Times at DigipaloozaRead More »

Etched in Sand, Regina Calcaterra's memoir, is the incredibly heart-breaking and honest portrayal of a family of five children who grew up on Long Island and had to cope with a bi-polar mother and impossibly hard living situations. 

In this video, Regina discusses her life and the importance libraries had. These were places where she could better herself. In the library, she read, fell in love with books, and escaped from her present situation by fantasizing about the characters she admired in literature. This relationship in part fueled her love for civil service, and today she is a lawyer and activist. 

Etched in Sand
Regina Calcaterra
On Sale Now
ISBN: 9780062218834
$15.99
eBook IBSN: 9780062218841

– Annie

“It would be easy for me to love this month’s book pick because it’s set in the Pacific Northwest or because it’s a fist novel. The truth is, I’m singing the praises of The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin, because it gets everything right.” – Pennie Ianniciello

Need we say more? Debut author Amanda Coplin’s The Orchardist was chosen by Pennie Ianniciello of Costco as her pick for this month, adding to its IndieNext and New York Times bestseller fame. Check out Earlyword's post.

A beautiful novel written with immense empathy, The Orchardist takes you to a gorgeously imagined Pacific Northwest at the beginning of the twentieth century, telling the story of a reclusive orchard keeper and his experiences with two young pregnant girls that force him to confront his past and change his world forever. You just might want to start an orchard yourself after reading this book.

– Amanda

J.A. Jance is prolific. Second Watch (on sale 9/10) is her 21st mystery featuring J.P Beaumont, but this one is a bit different than the rest. It switches between present day and then takes you back in time to when J.P was a young soldier in Vietnam. 

What makes this book particularly special is the very personal story behind it. Jance written "The Story Behind Second Watch" as a way to share her experiences. I saw her speak at ALA last year where she shared some of the details and it was touching, so please click through and find out for yourself.

– Annie 

Hello lovelies!  Please help me welcome the newest member of our LibraryLoveFest team, Amanda Rountree! Amanda hails from Georgia, and started with us today. I'm sure you will quickly become familiar with her as she tweets, posts, and entertains with her book buzzes. 

We are thrilled to have her!

– Annie and Virginia

I know it's super disappointing when a book you enjoy is turned into a movie that is spectacularly bad (Imma lookin' at you, Congo), but I have high hopes for the following adaptations coming to a theater near you. 

Serena by Ron Rash: Not only is this book amazing - greed, corruption, revenge, an epically ruthless female lead – it is going to star that beloved pairing of Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. I think we can all agree that having Jennifer Lawrence as your bestie would be pretty rad. Out September 27, 2013.

Horns by Joe Hill: Harry Pot…I mean Daniel Radcliffe returns to his fantastical roots in this psychological suspense from the author of NOS4A2. Ignatius Perrish (perhaps one of my fave names), suspected of murdering his girlfriend, has understandably sunk into a pit of despair. One hungover morning he wakes up to discover he has sprouted horns and developed some serious supernatural powers perfect for exacting revenge. Out October 11, 2013.

Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight: A recent YA crossover praised for the way it handles topics of teenage bullying and mother/daughter relationships. In early stages of production with Nicole Kidman as Kate, a single mom determined to find out the truth behind her daughter Amelia's death. Out Not Soon Enough.

So grab some $32 movie popcorn and enjoy!

– Annie

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Erica who knew that the connection was that each author has the same initials. 

I felt like playing a game today, so drum roll please…..CONNECTION CONJECTURE! The rules are simple: you have to guess what the commonality is between these three books. It can literally be anything from theme to same pub date to same number of words in the title (spoiler alert: that's not it). I will accept answers until noon on Thursday, July 25 and one entry will be chosen at random. The winner gets galleys of all three.

The Big Disconnect by Catherine Steiner-Adair: A look at how the intrusion of the Internet and all things digital are creating a profound change in parent-child dynamics and how parents can shepherd their children discerningly through the technological wilderness, from Steiner-Adair, a clinical psychologist and instructor at Harvard Medical School.

Men in Miami Hotels by Charlie Smith: Buried emeralds, crashing planes, speed boats, machine guns, lurking assassins, and improvised explosives propel this narrative at a
breathtaking pace.

Very Recent History by Choire Sicha: An idiosyncratic and elegant non-fiction narrative following a handful of young men in New York City, after the Wall Street crash of 2008, as they navigate through the ruins of money and power, in search of love and connection.

Email librarylovefest@harpercollins.com with your answers.

Good luck!

– Annie

For fans of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, The Tilted World is going to be a treat. Tom Franklin's ability to paint an image of the American South combined with Beth Ann Fennelly's ability to write beautiful prose creates an incredible story. Oh and yeah, it just got a starred review from Booklist. Boom.

*The Tilted World.

 Husband-and-wife authors Franklin and Fennelly join forces for a suspenseful, emotionally moving novel about the Great Flood of 1927 that resurrects this nearly forgotten natural disaster and showcases both their talents. Sent to the Mississippi Delta to solve the disappearance of two fellow Prohibition agents, Ted Ingersoll and his partner come upon a botched robbery that left a baby boy the only survivor. When he arrives at his destination of Hobnob Landing, Ingersoll deposits the child with Dixie Clay Holliver, a sad young woman whose son had died two years before. Ingersoll’s attraction to Dixie Clay is dangerous; he doesn’t realize she’s the secret creator of Black Lightning, the region’s finest moonshine, or that she and her shifty husband were the last to see the missing men. Meanwhile, floodwaters continue to rise, the levees are barely holding, and financially motivated saboteurs are itching to strike. The pacing amplifies to mirror the increasing tension. The authors superbly depict the bonds of maternal, romantic, and brotherly love, and their slangy dialogue and piquant metaphors enrich their setting. This is a full-bodied shot of bluesy Americana with just the right amounts of grit, heart, and woeful longing, and it goes down smooth and satisfying. — Sarah Johnson

Confession: I think about food a lot. I spend an unnecessary amount of time reading recipes (that I aspire to but will probably never make) and scouring food blogs (for the pictures). So as I was perusing Smitten Kitchen this morning, I thought, hey I'll write about food related books! Obvi a genius and totally original idea.

First up is Grand Forks by Marilyn Hagerty. Although Marilyn has been writing for her local North Dakota newspaper, the Grand Forks Herald since 1957, it wasn’t until 2012 that she became an overnight sensation, when her earnest, plain spoken review of a new outpost of The Olive Garden went viral on the interwebs. Anthony Bourdain
(swoon!) is an ardent supporter.

L.A. Son by Roy Choi. From the maverick chef the New Yorker called “The David Chang of L.A.” and founder of the wildly popular Kogi taco trucks, comes a cookbook that pays homage to the city that made him: Los Angeles. 

Catherine McCord, founder of Weelicious.com and author of the upcoming Weelicious Lunches, makes some crazy, tasty things. I can vouch for this because she charmed everyone at the ALA Cookbook Pavilion (and as a plus plied us with homemade granola bars and this hummus). She focuses on recipes and tips for healthful and flavorful lunches for kids of every age.

Can you show me someone who doesn't like French food? I'm not talking snails, I'm talking cheese, pain au chocolat, duck…drool. With The French Kitchen Cookbook, Patricia Wells provides fresh, inspiring recipes and lessons from her much-coveted cooking classes, held in her beautiful homes in Paris and Provence (rough life!).

Ok, that's enough torture. Go make something delicious for dinner (or order it, same thing).

– Parenthetically yours, Annie

What I Had Before I Had You is a contemporary, debut novel from Sarah Cornwell, an acclaimed short story and Pushcart Prize winning writer.

The writing.is.beautiful. 

I am not going to do it justice, so I will just tell you a bit about the story. Recently divorced Olivia returns to her hometown on the Jersey Shore for the first time since 1987 with her daughter, Carrie, and son, Daniel, newly diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Lost in her memories, Olivia does not immediately realize her son has disappeared, and when she does she is quickly brought back to the summer she was 15 when she goes searching for her twin sisters and discovers buried family secrets. 

Basically, What I Had Before I Had You is about past and present appearances and disappearances, told in two suspenseful parallel narratives. A riveting, deeply poignant story of parents and children, deep-seeded memories, and mental illness which is handled with grace and compassion.

Please download an egalley from Edelweiss. You won't be sorry.

– Annie

I'm sure you all know about LibraryReads, the program where librarians around the country vote on their favorite ten newly released must-reads every month, so I'm just going to emphasis how cool I think this program is and how all you lovely librarians should participate and have your voices heard!  You share so much with your patrons, this is just an extension of that.  America is your patron base – dramatic, much?

The first list will be announced in September 2013, with nominations due by August 2nd, so there is still time to submit your suggestions. Sign up here!

Also, they have an awesome tumblr. 

– Annie

So many books* celebrated their birthdays yesterday!  
(*that I highly recommend)

Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich - The debut novel that everyone will take to the beach this summer! A rollicking, sexy, heartfelt romantic comedy about a grieving widow who starts out wanting to get in shape and winds up finding love. Warning: Dreamboat status male protagonist. 

The Curiosity by Stephen Kiernan - Michael Crichton meets The Time Traveler’s Wife in
this powerful debut novel in which a man, frozen in the Arctic ice for more than a century, wakes up to the present day, has to cope with the vast changes —and falls in love with the beautiful scientist who found him.

Lost Girls by Robert Kolker - A literary account of the lives and presumed serial killings of five “Craigslist” prostitutes, whose bodies were found on the same Long Island beach in 2010. Based on the New York Magazine cover story.

Visitation Street by Ivy Pochoda – a huge in-house fave! A riveting literary mystery set against the rough-hewn backdrop of the New York waterfront (one part Richard Price, one part The Lovely Bones) in which the disappearance of a teenaged girl sends shock waves through her community. Part of Dennis Lehane's line of books. 

– Annie

Hello lovelies! 

What a wonderful ALA! Incredible booth traffic, great author events and signings, fantastic colleagues….all in all, I think it was my favorite. 

Thought I'd pass along the handouts we provided at our book buzz for anyone who wasn't able to attend. This is the full list we spoke about, these are the YA Crossover suggestions, and these are the Book Club recommendations.

And this is the fabulous HarperCollins Authors ♥ Librarians video that we showed.

Please get in touch if you have any questions.

– Annie

Cynthia Sax is the author of the upcoming The Seen Trilogy, on sale in July starting with Part I: He Watches Me (7/2). She stopped by to discuss how important libraries have been to her.

***

I grew up dirt poor in rural Canada. Our house didn’t have running water. If the chickens didn’t lay eggs in the winter, we didn’t eat. We didn’t have money for ‘extra’ things like new clothes (we benefited from donations), and fancy school supplies. We certainly didn’t have money for TV or entertainment.

What we DID have was a library within walking distance.

At least once a week, I’d visit the library and spend hours there, driving the very patient librarian crazy. I’d return home with as many books as my little arms could carry. When I saw those books stacked up on the bedroom floor, I felt rich, the equal of anyone else. Those books allowed me to see exotic places and experience new things.

Because it was a small library and I was a fast reader, I soon read every single book in their circulation. I read a Spanish-English dictionary, a book on small engine repair, and the autobiographies of successful people. Many of those successful people started out like me with no money.

…

Guest Post: Why Libraries Matter by Cynthia SaxRead More »

I'm so sorry it has been so boring around here! There have been an influx of projects in the last few weeks, and my sad little blog has suffered. 

So, who's excited for ALA?!?!  I AM!  We have a rock star line-up for you guys this year.  Here is the schedule of events we have planned, so check them out and/or stop by Booth 2308 for lots of goodies!

Friday, June 28

4:00-5:15pm

Opening General Session

Steven Levitt, author of FREAKONOMICS

McCormick Place Convention Center, Hall B1

Saturday, June 29

8:30-10:00am

HarperCollins Title Presentation

McCormick Place Convention Center/Room E350

9:00-10:00am
Laura Lippman booth signing

9:00-10:00am

Richard Kadrey booth signing

10:00-11:00am

Booth signing/photo op with:

Molly McAdams - author of TAKING CHANCES

Shannon Stoker – author of THE REGISTRY

J. Lynn – author of WAIT FOR YOU

…

We Interrupt the Radio Silence for an ALA UpdateRead More »

For all you lovelies who will be at ALA next week,we have a treat for you!

Here is a sneak peek of a photo opportunity that shouldn't be missed…

You too could have the chance to pose with Hunky McSleeve Tattoo on Saturday, June 29th in Booth 2308. 

Saturday, June 29th:

10:00-11:00am: Signing/photo op with:

Molly McAdams, author of Taking Chances, Shannon Stoker author of The Registry, and J. Lynn, author of Wait for You.

And then follow them all to the LIVE! Reading Stage where from 11:30-12:30pm they will be speaking and reading from their steamy, New Adult novels.

Ok, enough embarrassment for one day.  See you next week!

– Annie

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