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Honestly, Lincoln Looks Abe-azing

November 14, 2012

OMG THAT'S THE WORST OF ALL THE PUNS I'VE EVER WRITTEN! In my defense, I have a cold and everything I say sounds like this.

So, to the point of my post…LINCOLN. How good does this movie look?? SO GOOD! I've been obsessively reading everything I can find on it, and I am so excited to see it. Daniel Day Lewis is magic. Did you know Spielberg tried to make everything as authentic as possible, down to using Lincoln's actual pocket watch for the sound effects? I'll stop geeking out now.

We happen to have an excellent backlist of Lincoln related material which I recommend as companion reading:

Manhunt by James Swanson describes
the hour-by-hour details of the twelve days after Abraham Lincoln’s
assassination when various factions within the U.S. government — and
even some outside it — hunted for the President’s killer, John Wilkes
Booth.

Bloody Crimes by James Swanson is the epic
story of the search for Jefferson Davis across the South, and the
eventful funeral procession for the assassinated president.

Lincoln by Harold Holzer (the movie tie-in) is written especially for young readers by a Lincoln and
Civil War expert, author, and consultant to the movie. It traces how
Lincoln came to view slavery and end it.

To make up for the terrible jokes that I subject you to, I'm giving away some books! First 10 lucky people to email librarylovefest@harpercollins.com will get their pick of one of these titles. Include the title and your mailing address in the email, please.

– Adenoidal Annie

J’adore How the French Invented Love

November 8, 2012

Kayleigh has written an excellent blog post over on Roaring 20s about Marilyn Yalom's How the French Invented Love. She's doing a giveaway, so head on over there if you want to win this lovely book on lurve (with an R cause it's for real).

– Annie

What I’m Reading: The Golem and the Jinni

November 7, 2012

I chat about lots of things, but I don't often tell you specifically what I'm reading in real time. So since it's obvi all about me, I've decided to start a feature called "What I'm Reading." Excited?

First up, something I am a huge fan of, The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker. This is a debut novel that I think everyone will find wonderfully engaging.

The story is set in 1900 NYC (I am already sold!). Wecker introduces the Golem, a being made of clay, created to do her master's bidding, but who finds herself un-moored from her purpose when he dies (NOT a spoiler, promise). She finds herself growing to care about the humans in her community, but feels fundamentally alone until she meets the Jinni, a creature of fire (conveniently manifested in hunky man form) who craves his freedom from the wizard who trapped him. Their lives intertwine in unexpected ways as they discover their origins aren't that different. Wecker marries historical fiction and fable, one from Yiddish and the other from Arab mythology, into an incredible story of love, acceptance and bravery. The supporting cast of characters is also very rich, a kind young social worker, a mysterious old man, and a nervous tinsmith contribute to the rich story telling.

Michael Chabon, Erin Morgenstern and Jonathan Safran Foer have all been mentioned as comp authors, so way to go Helene! I think this could be a really great discovery for you and your patrons. Check, check, check, check it out!

– Annie

Galley Giveaway

November 2, 2012

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, our thoughts and hopes for a timely recovery go out to anyone who has been effected. We are going to do what we do best here, and give away a grab-bag full of galleys to three libraries in the tri-state area. Each box will contain 10 galleys of an assortment of non-fiction, fiction, mystery, spiritual, historical, and perhaps a few other things as well.

Public librarians in NY, NJ or CT, please email librarylovefest@harpercollins.com by Tuesday, November 6th (ELECTION DAY!) when three winners will be chosen at random.

Stay safe this weekend.

– Annie

Rat-a-tattoo, I’m looking for you!

October 26, 2012

What is with that title? I'm a bit punchy on this Friday afternoon. Anyway, I had an idea that seemed fun, so I thought I'd run with it and see what happens. I'm soliciting pictures of your literary tattoos! I'd love to get a heap of photos of book/library-related ink, and then share them on our Library Love Fest Facebook page. So, please go snap happy, include a bit of your tattoo history (why? where? when?), and then email librarylovefest@harpercollins.com. Maybe I'll be inspired to get my first one. Also, I'm thinking someone should get this awesome book (which I only found out we published after I told my idea to Virginia – promise!), so I'll choose someone at random from the submissions we get. Participate! You know you want to.

– Annie out

PS: Please be careful in the next few days with this crazy weather we're meant to have on the east coast.

Swoon! Johnny Depp Joins the Harper Family!

October 18, 2012

I wish he'd join my actual family…I have a space open for hottie husband! Anyway, exciting news, Johnny Depp is partnering with Harper to create a new list of books named Infinitum Nihil. These titles will showcase authentic, outspoken, and visionary voices, from authors both celebrated and unsung, beginning with Doug Brinkley's The Unraveled Tales of Bob Dylan. Based on archival research and exclusive interviews with Dylan, the book will set the record straight on scores of issues related to the rock-and-roll legend.

In January 2013, also in conjunction with Brinkley, Infinitum Nihil will publish legendary folk singer Woody Guthrie’s only fully realized novel, House of Earth. Guthrie completed the novel in 1947 but the manuscript remained in his archives for decades. Now, with the help of his daughter, Nora Guthrie, and the Woody Guthrie Foundation, this prophetic and powerful portrait of the Texas Panhandle in the 1930s will at last be available to his fans.

Johnny Depp said about his new imprint: “I pledge, on behalf of Infinitum Nihil, that we will do our best to deliver publications worthy of peoples’ time, of peoples’ concern. Publications that might ordinarily never have breached the parapet. For this dream realized, we would like to salute HarperCollins for their faith in us and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship together." "Also, I love Annie." Ok, he didn't say that part…I jest!

Despite his undiscovered love for me, this is great news and I look forward to sharing the new titles with you guys.

– Annie

Kind of Kin, Kind of Fantastic

October 17, 2012

Kind of Kin by Rilla Askew is a novel that hits the tri-fecta of goodness (that’s a real thing) – it has fantastic writing, three-dimensional characters and relevant issues, in this case the contentious politics of our society. Within a compulsively readable story, Askew addresses religion, immigration and civil rights, making this book perfect for meaty discussions (book club members, I’m looking at you).

You know who loves it? Just a little someone named Adriana Trigiani (wha???). She had this to say about it:

“Kind of Kin is a kind of miracle. The character Sweet is an American original, doing her best to hold the family she loves together while trying not to fall apart. A winner.”

Kind of Kin is also a great example of what libraries can do when they support a novel. The Pioneer Library System in Norman, Oklahoma is just one system in the state that is planning to do massive community outreach, booking events with reading groups and churches, and hosting author visits at different branches.

I would suggest getting your hands on a copy tout de suite, and luckily that's easy enough because it is on Edelweiss.

– Annie

The House Girl by Tara Conklin

October 15, 2012

We have several debuts to look forward to in the coming months (The Death of Bees, Reconstructing Amelia, The Guilty One), and The House Girl by Tara Conklin is tops amongst them. This stunning debut is a novel of love, family, and justice that intertwines the stories of an escaped house slave in 1852 Virginia and an ambitious young lawyer in contemporary New York. Librarians have been buzzing about it, e.g:

"Excellent first novel about the lives of a house slave in Virginia in the mid 1800s and a first year associate lawyer in a top NYC law firm. The attorney is assigned to help on a case seeking reparations for slavery. She must find a direct descendant of a slave who was harmed by that system to serve as the plaintiff in this important case. We also learn of the life of Josephine, a talented artist who is the house slave on a crumbling plantations." - Jo Dervan, Rutgers University

Also, Sally Bissell from Lee County Library has a blog, Read Around the World, where you can find out her thoughts on this book that "deserves wide readership."

Positive peer praise = Peachy!

– Annie

Wave Hello!

October 12, 2012

I'd like to introduce to you the newest member of the HarperCollins family, Harper Wave, which will feature a new line of General Health, Wellness and Lifestyle books. The new imprint will launch its first titles in April 2013 with Get the Guy by dating expert and life coach Matthew Hussey, star of NBCs upcoming reality TV show Ready for Love. The Fall 2013 season will kick off with a health and fitness book from Cameron Diaz, who will share her secrets for looking and feeling great and show women how to live happier, healthier, stronger, and better. The season will also launch the first of a three-book partnership with the award-winning Garden & Gun, the magazine dubbed “the soul of the south,” with a definitive guide to all things Southern.

Among titles recently acquired are celebrity trainer responsible for some of the hottest bodies in Hollywood, Simone de la Rue’s Body by Simone; Jonathan Bailor’s cutting-edge weight loss book, The Calorie Myth; former Bicycling magazine Editor in Chief Stephen Madden’s Cross Fit memoir, Unleashing Hell; and Supersurvivors: The Surprising Link Between Suffering and Success by David B. Feldman and Lee Daniel Kravetz.

Welcome to Harper!

– Annie

BookPage Winners!

October 12, 2012

Thank you to all who participated in the Library Love Fest & BookPage contest. Winners have been chosen and you can find out who they are on BookPage's blog. Congratulations!

Indiscretion by Charles Dubow

October 8, 2012

Indiscretion. Isn't that a great word? It evokes all kind of scandalous scenarios, and the book with said title by Charles Dubow does not disappoint. We are huge fans of this debut novel, as Kayleigh George can attest to. The characters are genuine in their flaws and relationships and the story is so well crafted. It has been getting rave reviews, and Kirkus says "Dubow’s book is a page turner that skillfully tugs at the
heartstrings."

Click through to read the entire review.

…

Indiscretion by Charles DubowRead More »

The Promise of a Good Read

October 3, 2012

The Promise of Stardust by Priscille Sibley is getting lots of praise, e.g.:

“Sibley wrestles with the most complex medical ethics in our time and gives us
characters who will stay with us long after the last page. She is a skilled
storyteller.” –– Jacqueline Sheehan,
author of Lost & Found

“I
read this first novel two times. The first time, I was intrigued. The second
time, I felt privileged to share in such an amazing story.” — Jacquelyn
Mitchard, author of The Deep End of the Ocean

“Sibley
does a wonderful job of exploring a complex and controversial moral issue,
skillfully giving both sides of the story…. This
is a gripping, thoughtful,heart-wrenching,
and well-written debut that would be a great discussion vehicle
for certain book groups.” — Booklist

As a neonatal intensive care nurse, Sibley has the experience and genuine voice to tackle the sensitive issues faced in her first novel. It is the touching, sad and beautifully written account of a family faced with a decision no one should ever have to make.

– Annie

Attica Locke: An Author, A Library, A Visit

September 26, 2012

WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS. THANK YOU.

I don’t think it is a surprise that we here in Library Land love Attica Locke, author of the critically acclaimed Black Water Rising and the newly released and highly praised novel, The Cutting Season.

In celebration of her latest publication, Library Love Fest and EarlyWord are looking for one lucky public library to host a visit from Attica.

So…Are you interested in this really cool offer?? Yeah, you are!

If you would like to have Attica speak at your library, please fill out the form below and tell us how you would make an Attica event special. We are soliciting proposals until October 12, 2012. The visit would occur before the end of this calendar year. We look forward to hearing from all of you, so send in your forms and don’t forget to join Team Attica Locke on Facebook!

Are You Aware of Bourbon Street Books?

September 26, 2012

Well, Shelf Awareness is! Today's issue is all about HarperCollins' new imprint, Bourbon Street Books. You should click through to read about some of the books in the line, and a bit about the new and old authors whose work will be included. Make sure to LIKE the Bourbon Street Books Facebook page for all the latest information on events and additional titles.

– Annie

Happy Book Birthday!

September 18, 2012

Today is the day, LLF friends! Happy Book Birthday to Attica Locke and The Cutting Season! Get your copy while it's hot! Also, we have started a Facebook page for fans of Attica's….join Team Attica Locke today and help spread the word about this wonderful novel.

Dennie Lehane says "I'd probably read the phone book if her name was on the spine." Yeah, that happened.

And don't forget to check out Black Water Rising, her first novel and one of Virginia's faves.

– Annie

Much Love for Attica Locke

September 10, 2012

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU.

STOP EVERYTHING YOU ARE DOING AND READ THIS BOOK.

Have I got your attention? Attica Locke, the author of Black Water Rising, has a stellar novel coming out on September 18, The Cutting Season. I can not stress enough how much we love this book. And in case you think that is rhetoric, here's Virginia discussing it at ALA.

It is also getting tremendous support from librarians around the country, AND the folks at Earlyword who want you to join "Team Attica Locke!"

"When
we began hearing librarian's enthusiasm for Attica Locke's The Cutting Season,
we wanted to spread the word. We asked librarians to join "Team Attica
Locke," by creating displays, getting the staff to read and recommend The Cutting Season, and promoting it on their newsletters, blogs and websites. We believe libraries can build word of mouth and make this book the bestseller it deserves to be." – Nora Rawlinson, Earlyword

***

"If your customers don't know Attica Locke,
you're not doing your job of turning people on to great new talent." – Wendy Bartlett, Collection Development Manager, Cuyahoga County Public Library

And, last but not least, the ever-so-cool Dennis Lehane has chosen The Cutting Season as the first in his eponymous new line of books with HarperCollins…boom!

Who wants a copy? The first 10 people who email librarylovefest@harpercollins.com and tell me what organization Attica is a member of the board of directors for, win!

– Annie

Bourbon Street Books? I’ll drink to that!

September 7, 2012

Hey, good news: Harper is
launching a new line of books called Bourbon Street Books. This line will
focus solely on mysteries. Included will be original paperbacks as well as
oldies but goodies like Dorothy Sayers ’ Lord Peter Wimsey series. Also
included is Mar y Kay Andrews’ Callahan Garritty series. This
popular series, which featured Callahan Garrity, a former Atlanta cop, a
part-time sleuth and full-time owner of House Mouse, a cleaning service that
tidies up after Atlanta’s elite, was written under Andrews’ real name, Kathy
Hogan Trocheck and was a real library favorite when first published.

The first few original titles include The Hollow Man by Oliver Harris (PS: Val McDermid says this book is "a twisting spiral of lies and corruption, a pitch-perfect portrait of
contemporary London and a beguiling bastard of a hero—what a recipe for a
great read.” – Sold!), Blood Line, the seventh book in the Anna Travis series by Lynda La Plante, and Fear in the Sunlight by Nicola Upson.

Be sure to keep an eye out!

– Virginia

KEEPSAKE By Kristina Riggle

September 6, 2012

Anyone with a sister knows it can be the greatest relationship you ever have, but also the most exasperating. Am I right? People with brothers just boycotted LLF.

Well in Kristina Riggle's latest, Keepsake, she explores the tenuous relationship between two sisters as they deal with the very different paths their lives have taken. Also, one sister suffers from a severe case of hoarding which fascinates and scares me.

Booklist gave Keepsake an excellent review, saying "

“Riggle’s fourth novel is a
sensitive portrayal of a dysfunctional family struggling to make peace with
their pasts. Riggle offers a marvelous and sensitive portrayal of rich, full
characters, using realistic dialogue and intriguing secondary subplots. The
housecleaning scenes leave the reader feeling horrified yet sympathetic at the
same time. She also employs a light sense of humor, while never making fun of
the disorder at hand. Highly recommended.”

I second that recommendation. Check it out.

– Annie

Dennis Lehane Fans in the House!

September 4, 2012

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU.

Dennis Lehane, who doesn't love him? He's charming and hilarious and you know, a pretty darn good writer. Well his latest, Live by Night, is due to come out next month and I'd like to give away 20 galleys to 20 lucky fans. These are not just any old galleys either. They come in lovely slip cases, especially crafted by magical elves. Ok, that bit's not true, but they are cool.

Combining edgy suspense and the vivid period detail that made The Given Day so good, Live by Night is a masterful epic of Prohibition-era America told through the story of a charismatic young gangster on his rise through the glitz and the violence of the Roaring 20s. Not only does the story immediately sound intriguing, it has been getting heaps of praise, including starred Booklist, PW and Kirkus reviews.

So, what do you have to do to get your hands on one? Riddle me this, Batman….send an email to librarylovefest@harpercollins.com (don't forget to include your mailing address!) and let me know which Dennis Lehane book-to-movie adaptation is your fave. Basically, I'm planning movie night on Friday and need your help choosing what to watch. First 20 responses, win!

Good luck!

– Annie

Duh, Winning!

August 30, 2012

Remember that Charlie Sheen gem? Anywho…ladies and gents, I can't thank you enough for participating in our Summer Fundays Giveaway. It has been fun for me, so I hope you enjoyed it. Most of the galleys I gave away are also available on Edelweiss, so be sure to check them out if you have an e-reader. The final winner was Gail Rae from Southern Huntingdon Area Library. Congratulations, Gail!

For those of you who didn't win this time, don't worry, plenty of giveaways ahead. Tune in next week for two more!

– Annie

BookPage Readers, It’s Contest Time!

August 29, 2012

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.

We are all about the book love here at LLF, and this time we are teaming up with BookPage to bring you guys the chance to get some swag. Until September 30th, you can enter to win one book for your personal library—and five books for your local library! Be one of ten winners to choose from this selection of new books. Click through for details.

…

BookPage Readers, It’s Contest Time!Read More »

The Stockholm Octavo Website

August 28, 2012

If you have spoken with me, Virginia or especially Kayleigh in the past few months, you are probably aware that we are all huge supporters of Karen Engelmann's debut novel, The Stockholm Octavo. This beautiful tale of Stockholm’s opulent Golden Age brilliantly interweaves history, romance, and intrigue, in which one man’s fortune holds the key to a nation’s precarious fate.

Karen's website has recently gone live, and it is chock-a-block full of interesting supplemental information. Find out the history behind the use of fans; discover additional reading materials; and learn how to lay your own Octavo.

And if you want more back story on how this story was created, check out this interview with Karen.

– Annie

Final Summer Fundays Giveaway

August 27, 2012

Le sad, Summer is winding down, but we have one last Giveaway for you guys! First, let me congratulate Erin Teitelbaum from Ocean County Library for being last week's winner.

Simply fill out the form below with your name, email address
and what library you work for. You have until Wednesday at midnight to
enter. Thursday morning I will randomly choose a winner, and he/she will get the following galleys:

One entry per person, per week and you can only win once.

Good luck!!

– Annie

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Introducing Virginia’s Twits!

August 20, 2012

Working alongside people in their 20s and 30s can be an inspiration, a motivation and an education. My fellow Library LoveFesters, Kayleigh George and Annie Mazes are smart, hip, and fun. They also talk in tongues. Okay, not exactly – but they do speak a language that is often peppered with words and phrases I’ve never heard of. Our conversations often come to a halt so they can explain their shorthand. “OMG she is so TWEE.” Translation: Oh my God, she is so irritating – but in a really sweet, saccharine way.

They also clue me in to the current dos and don’ts of email etiquette. Who knew it is a huge offense to write “u r gr8”? Apparently if you’re single and looking for that special someone, using that kind of shorthand will keep you home Saturday nights. (Thankfully I’m hitched but if I weren’t, I’d be single forever without the advice and enlightenment of my younger colleagues!) But this got me thinking I should share this info just in case u r still back in the dark ages. (Oops I did it again.)

So, if you’re closer to 50 than to 20 or 30, you might benefit (or at least get a laugh) from this newly added section to LibraryLoveFest called VIRGINIA’S TWITS. A few times a week I’ll tweet a word or phrase uttered by my younger cohorts that make me stare blankly and say, “Wait – WHAT?” (don’t worry – I’ll give you the definition, too, so you can feel hip like me!) Sometimes I’ll throw in one of their ‘rules of thumb’ (literally) about texting or just some random bit of hipster advice that strikes me as something worth sharing. For instance, I’m probably in the minority here but I did not know that wearing blue jeans with a jean jacket is a MAJOR no-no. (Sorry about that cap lock. Habit.) That fashion faux pas will practically get you tossed out of the country. Who knew? I didn’t but now I do and have never worn the two together since.

If you discover you’re out of the loop like me, I hope you find these tidbits helpful in bridging the generation gap. If you’re already hip, I salute u. I mean ‘you’.

– Virginia

Three Times the Charm

August 20, 2012

We are back for the third Summer Fundays Galley Giveaway. I love giving away books, so thank you for indulging me 🙂

Quick recap: fill out the form below with your name, email address and what library you work for. You have until Wednesday at midnight to enter. Slight change this week, the drawing will be held on Monday, August 27 because I am on vacation! Monday morning I will randomly choose a winner, and he/she will get the following galleys:

One entry per person, per week and you can only win once.

Good luck!!

– Annie

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.