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October 13, 2006

Bookreporter.com Newsletter

October 13, 2006

This Week on Bookreporter.com

Socks, Awards and Inspiring Reads

Bookreporter.com Talks to Arianna Huffington, Author of ON BECOMING FEARLESS

Author Talk: Sue Monk Kidd, Author of FIRSTLIGHT

New Featured Suspense/Thriller Authors: Jonathan and Faye Kellerman, Authors of CAPITAL CRIMES

Featured Historical Fiction Author: Jeff Shaara, Author of THE RISING TIDE

Advance Reader Comments for Featured Romantic Suspense Author Tara Taylor Quinn and IN PLAIN SIGHT

Now in Stores: ECHO PARK by Michael Connelly

Now in Stores: FEAR OF THE DARK by Walter Mosley

Books Into Movies for October

Teen Read Week is October 15th thru the 21st: We Celebrate by Announcing the Teenreads.com Ultimate Reading List

This Week's Reviews and Features

Bookreporter.com Blog

Bookreporter.com Poll: Books To Anticipate

Question of the Week: Books Worth Gushing Over
Word of Mouth: Tell Us What You're Reading -- TWO Prizes!
Quick Links to Features On The Book Report Network
 
Bookreporter.com
Past Reviews
Can't See the Graphics? Read This Newsletter Online
Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Promotion
Debut Suspense/Thriller One to Watch Promotion
Mystery Mayhem Promotion

Historical Fiction Promotion

One to Watch Promotion
Chick Lit Promotion
Books Into Movies
Bestseller Lists

10th Anniversary Page and Pictures

Socks, Awards and Inspiring Reads

I am wearing socks today, which is a true signal that cold weather is upon us as I fight wearing them until the last possible second. I also raced around the deck and patio last night gathering up all the houseplants that had spent the summer outside sunning themselves. I took that "possible frost" report seriously.
 
Each year, my return to socks coincides with "award season" in the publishing industry. Tuesday night I attended the Quill Awards ceremony at the Museum of Natural History. As I was seated in the Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda beneath the big blue whale, trust that I was looking up to see just how that he was secured. Of course, there were the expected literary references to Moby Dick.

Publishing people can make everything have a literary reference! The cocktail hour was a swirl of publishing pals decked in their black tie best. During the evening, among others, I got to talk to Nelson DeMille, whose new book, WILD FIRE (which I enjoyed), will be in stores on November 6th, and Sue Monk Kidd, whose latest book, FIRSTLIGHT, we have featured this week. We have all the Quill winners for you here.
 
This week the National Book Award nominees were announced (the awards ceremony will be November 15th), along with the Booker Award winner and the winner of the Nobel Prize. So those of you interested in prize-winning titles, get out your "to read" notebook.
 
The lineup this week includes an interview with Arianna Huffington, whose new book, ON BECOMING FEARLESS, I mentioned a few weeks ago in the newsletter. Since then friends and colleagues have been talking to me about what I wrote, as well as their own stories of becoming --- or wanting to become --- fearless. Yesterday Arianna was on "The View" in a segment that gives you a good look at what she talks about in the book, including "the obnoxious roommate in your head," which tears you down and unempowers you. As I mentioned before, this is not a political book (you know by now I loathe discussing politics). It's about empowering yourself. Power on.
 
Our latest Suspense/Thriller spotlight is thrown on Jonathan and Faye Kellerman, the bestselling authors who have teamed up for their latest co-authored title, CAPITAL CRIMES, a gripping pair of original crime thrillers set in two different cities, and featuring appearances by the authors' signature heroes: LAPD lieutenant Peter Decker and psychologist sleuth Dr. Alex Delaware. A couple of years ago I remember having lunch with one of the Kellermans' publishers --- they are published by two different publishers --- and telling them what fun it would be to have them co-author a book where their series characters intersect. The deal already was in the works, but I have to tell you I love that this happened since I feel like I dreamed it up in my head.

We have 20 advance reading copies of CAPITAL CRIMES by Jonathan and Faye Kellerman to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please send your name and mailing address to SuspenseThriller@bookreporter.com by Friday, October 27, 2006.

Earlier this month I attended a luncheon thrown by Harlequin that was so inspiring. They were celebrating the third volume of MORE THAN WORDS. Each year, five ordinary women who have made extraordinary contributions to their communities are selected for recognition and each of their accomplishments is spotlighted in a book with a story written by a Harlequin author. The book has both a nonfiction story about the charity and then this fiction piece. The stories of these women and the charities that they have founded provoked tears (tissues everyone) and gave us all a moment to ponder giving back. One of the charities was stitchesfromtheheart.org. which provides handmade clothing, blankets and love to premature babies all across the nation. Meeting its founder, Kathy Silverton, and hearing her story gave me a new goal --- to create 2 garments for this charity before the holidays. For those of you looking for a way to reach out to others, may I suggest you take a look at the 2006 Award Recipients who have some very unique charities? 
 
Drum roll here with a knitting alert: At the Quills the other night I wore a tank top, skirt and shawl that I knitted myself, which was amazing and proves I now can make armholes and a waistband. Imagine that. Have a great week. Here's to raking leaves!


Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

List of titles reviewed and featured on October 13th.

List of titles reviewed and featured on October 6th.

Bookreporter.com Talks to Arianna Huffington, Author of ON BECOMING FEARLESS

Arianna Huffington is a bestselling author and the founder and editor of a nationally syndicated column, The Huffington Post. Her latest work of nonfiction, ON BECOMING FEARLESS...IN LOVE, WORK AND LIFE, explores the roadblocks that prevent women from achieving their personal and professional potential. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Shannon McKenna, Huffington explains her own definition of the word "fearless" and describes how and why she chose to examine a more personal and vulnerable topic after focusing on politics for much of her career. She also discusses the need to prioritize one's values, muses on her own fearless models and shares the reactions her book has received from both men and women.

ON BECOMING FEARLESS...IN LOVE, WORK AND LIFE by Arianna Huffington (Self-Help/Women's Studies)
Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott
Arianna Huffington --- bestselling author, Internet entrepreneur, journalist, mother and one-time California gubernatorial candidate --- has learned to overcome the fears that have threatened at every step to impede not only her professional success but also her personal well-being. In ON BECOMING FEARLESS, Arianna shows others how to achieve this same fearlessness in all areas of life.

-Click here to read our Reading Group Guide for ON BECOMING FEARLESS.
-Click here to read an excerpt from ON BECOMING FEARLESS.
-Click here to see a video of Arianna's appearance on "The View."

Click here to read our interview with Arianna Huffington and a review of ON BECOMING FEARLESS.
 

Author Talk: Sue Monk Kidd, Author of FIRSTLIGHT

Long before her bestselling novels THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES and THE MERMAID CHAIR, Sue Monk Kidd worked as a contributing writer and editor for the inter-faith publication, Guideposts magazine. Her latest release, FIRSTLIGHT, is a compilation of many of these spiritual articles, as well as other emotionally driven and anecdotal essays spanning her writing career of nearly 30 years. In this interview, Kidd describes the pivotal role that faith has played in her writing and recounts the lucky event that jump-started her relationship with the magazine. She also discusses what inspired her to return to her dream of writing fiction, and reveals the difficulties of overcoming her own fears and insecurities to begin working on her second novel after the huge and unexpected success of the first.

FIRSTLIGHT: Early Inspirational Writings by Sue Monk Kidd (Inspirational Essays)
Reviewed by Evelyn Bence.
Drawn from Sue Monk Kidd's early writings for Guideposts magazine and, to a lesser extent, other publications, this selection of personal reflections and essays is organized around thirteen spiritual motifs and interwoven to create a compelling narrative about the author's spiritual awakening.

Click here to read an interview with Sue Monk Kidd and a review of FIRSTLIGHT.


 

New Featured Suspense/Thriller Authors: Jonathan and Faye Kellerman, Authors of CAPITAL CRIMES

Our newest Suspense/Thriller feature spotlights the powerhouse husband and wife literary team of Jonathan and Faye Kellerman, whose new page-turner is CAPITAL CRIMES. The book hits shelves November 21st and, with two thrillers in one, is bound to be a runaway bestseller.

We have 20 advance reading copies of CAPITAL CRIMES by Jonathan and Faye Kellerman to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. A description can be found by clicking the link below. If you are interested, please send your name and mailing address to SuspenseThriller@Bookreporter.com by Friday, October 27, 2006.

More about CAPITAL CRIMES:
Internationally bestselling husband and wife Jonathan and Faye Kellerman team up for a powerful one-two punch with CAPITAL CRIMES, a gripping pair of original crime thrillers.

MY SISTER'S KEEPER: BERKELEY
Some of progressive state representative Davida Grayson's views have made her unpopular. Although her foes are numerous no one suspects that any buttons Davida might push could evoke deadly force.

But now Davida lies brutally murdered in her office, and Berkeley homicide detectives Will Barnes and Amanda Isis must unravel Davida's complex, before the killer pulls off a repeat performance.

MUSIC CITY BREAKDOWN: NASHVILLE
Baker Southerby was a child prodigy performer. But something leads him to become a Nashville cop. His partner, Lamar Van Gundy, is a would-be studio bassist who earned himself a detective's badge. As part of Nashville PD's elite Murder Squad, they catch a homicide that's high-profile even for a city where musical celebrity is routine.

CAPITAL CRIMES is page-turning, psychologically resonant suspense ---- just what we've come to expect from two of the world's most successful crime writers.

Click here to read more about Jonathan and Faye Kellerman and CAPITAL CRIMES.


 

Featured Historical Fiction Author: Jeff Shaara, Author of THE RISING TIDE

We are so excited to be launching a NEW Feature --- Historical Fiction --- and Jeff Shaara is the perfect inaugural author. A modern master of the historical novel, Shaara has painted brilliant depictions of the Civil War, the Revolutionary War and World War I. Now he embarks upon his most ambitious epic, a trilogy about the military conflict that defined the twentieth century that begins with THE RISING TIDE, which comes out November 7th.

-Click here to see our Advance Reader Copy Winners.
-Click here to read a new excerpt from THE RISING TIDE.
-Click here to read Fast Facts for Jeff Shaara.

More about THE RISING TIDE:
THE RISING TIDE begins a staggering work of fiction bound to be a new generation's most poignant chronicle of World War II. With you-are-there immediacy, painstaking historical detail, and all-inclusive points of view, Shaara portrays the momentous and increasingly dramatic events that pulled America into the vortex of this monumental conflict.

More than an unprecedented and intimate portrait of those who waged this astonishing global war, THE RISING TIDE is a vivid gallery of characters both immortal and unknown: the as-yet obscure administrator Dwight D. Eisenhower, whose tireless efficiency helped win the war; his subordinates, clashing in both style and personality, from George Patton and Mark Clark to Omar Bradley and Bernard Montgomery. In the desolate hills and deserts, the Allies confront Erwin Rommel, the battlefield genius known as "the Desert Fox," a wounded beast who hands the Americans their first humiliating defeat in the European theater of the war. From tank driver to paratrooper to the men who gave the commands, Shaara's stirring portrayals bring the heroic and the tragic to life in brilliant detail.

Click here to read more about Jeff Shaara and THE RISING TIDE.


 

Advance Reader Comments for Featured Romantic Suspense Author Tara Taylor Quinn and IN PLAIN SIGHT

We have now posted Advance Reader Comments for Tara Taylor Quinn --- our latest featured Romantic Suspense author. Lisa Jackson fans will fall hard for Quinn's unique ability to explore edgy subjects with mesmerizing style. Her newest title, IN PLAIN SIGHT, hit stores on October 2nd and it's sure to satisfy her old fans and garner her new ones as well.

-Click here to see our Advance Reader Comments
-Click here to read our interview with Tara Taylor Quinn.

-Click here to read our review of IN PLAIN SIGHT.
-Click here to read an excerpt from IN PLAIN SIGHT.
-Visit Tara's website at www.TaraTaylorQuinn.com.

Click here to read more about Tara Taylor Quinn and IN PLAIN SIGHT.


 

Now in Stores: ECHO PARK by Michael Connelly

ECHO PARK by Michael Connelly (Mystery)
Reviewed by Kate Ayers
Marie Gesto disappeared in 1993. Harry Bosch worked the case but couldn't solve it, and the 22-year-old was never found. Now, more than a decade later, Bosch learns that a man accused of two heinous murders is willing to come clean about several others, including the killing of Gesto.

-Click here to read an excerpt from ECHO PARK.
-Click here to read our Reading Group Guide for ECHO PARK.

 

Click here to read our review of ECHO PARK.
 

Now in Stores: FEAR OF THE DARK by Walter Mosley

FEAR OF THE DARK by Walter Mosley (Mystery)
Reviewed by Tom Callahan
Acclaimed mystery and fiction author Walter Mosley brings back the unlikely, unofficial detective duo of Paris Minton and Fearless Jones in the third book of his Fearless series. Paris and Fearless find themselves one step ahead of killers, blackmailers and the law as Paris seeks to help his lowlife cousin and keep himself alive in this fast-paced, atmospheric thriller.

-Click here to read an excerpt from FEAR OF THE DARK.


 

 

Click here to read our review of FEAR OF THE DARK.
 

Books Into Movies for October

October's lineup of movies based on books looks to be a delectable bag of treats with nary a trick in the bunch. For the kids there's Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker --- the movie version of the first installment in Anthony Horowitz's bestselling Alex Rider series --- and, later in the month, Flicka, which brings the beloved story of a girl and her horse to the big screen. Despite its name, the film adaptation of Tom Perrotta's novel LITTLE CHILDREN is one to leave the kids home for. Directed by In the Bedroom's Todd Field and featuring an all-star cast, Little Children promises to be a dark and witty exploration into the nature of childishness. Further still on the dark and disturbing spectrum is Running With Scissors, the film version of Augusten Burroughs's brutal, controversial and often hilarious memoir.

Moviegoers craving some inspiration with their dose of gritty realism need look no further than Flags of Our Fathers, The Prestige and Infamous. Flags of Our Fathers is Clint Eastwood's exploration of the story behind the famous World War II photograph of five Marines and a Navy corpsman raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi. The Prestige is an atmospheric tale of intrigue and magic that --- with an eclectic cast including Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Scarlett Johansson and David Bowie --- looks to be a visual and emotional stunner. Finally, following in the footsteps of the award-winning Capote, Infamous has some big shoes to fill, but this unflinching look at Truman Capote's relationship with one of his IN COLD BLOOD killers already has garnered major buzz and promises to be one of the most talked-about movies of the fall.

Click here to read our Books Into Movies feature.
 

Teen Read Week is October 15th thru the 21st: We Celebrate by Announcing the Teenreads.com Ultimate Reading List

Have a teen in your house? Well then share with them that Teen Read Week is October 15-21, 2006! Teenreads.com, another site in our network, is one of the sponsors of this event. Beginning on Sunday, October 15th, teens can go here and vote for their favorite book of the year. This year's theme is "Get Active @ your library®," which we think is a great idea.

We are seizing this moment to announce our Teenreads.com Ultimate Reading List --- 250 titles that we think are perfect choices for reading and discussing. Our dream is that schools will use this list to help them make their own lists for summer reading, or even better, suggest that students just read what they want from this list. Click here for more. 

Click here to visit Teenreads.com


 

This Week's Reviews and Features

SHORT STRAW by Stuart Woods (Thriller)
Reviewed by Marge Fletcher
SHORT STRAW reintroduces Santa Fe lawyer Ed Eagle, who first appeared in Stuart Woods's 1992 thriller, SANTA FE RULES. In his first adventure, Ed fell in love with the seductive Barbara Kennerly and married her --- against his better judgment. In Woods's 33rd novel, readers find out that Ed should have listened to his intuition.

ACT OF TREASON by Vince Flynn (Thriller)
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
In New York Times bestselling author Vince Flynn's eighth explosive thriller, CIA operative Mitch Rapp follows a trail of contract killers on a journey that takes him into the darkest corners of the globe, and eventually back to Washington, where the fragile pillars of power are shaken to their core.

ALL MORTAL FLESH: A Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mystery by Julia Spencer-Fleming (Mystery)
Reviewed by Norah Piehl
With ALL MORTAL FLESH, Julia Spencer-Fleming's fifth strong, character-driven mystery featuring Episcopal priest Clare Fergusson and police chief Russ Van Alstyne, the series reaches a tense crossroads --- and new revelations that will leave readers wondering which way the road will turn.

KIDNAPPED: An Irene Kelly Novel by Jan Burke (Mystery)
Reviewed by Roz Shea
When Irene Kelly's articles profiling missing children run in the Las Piernas Express, she anticipates the renewed public interest and the deluge of phone tips and remembered clues; she even anticipates the renewed pain of the anguished parents. What she doesn't expect is that the articles will set off a murderous chain reaction --- and put her life in peril.

A STOLEN SEASON: An Alex McKnight Novel by Steve Hamilton (Mystery)
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
On a cold, miserable night in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, an antique wooden boat runs full-speed into a line of old railroad pilings, and Alex McKnight helps rescue the three passengers. When they're all finally back on dry land and sent away in an ambulance, Alex figures he'll never see them again. He couldn't be more wrong.

THE WINTER OF FRANKIE MACHINE by Don Winslow (Fiction)
Reviewed by Marie Hashima Lofton
The author of THE DEATH AND LIFE OF BOBBY Z. and THE POWER OF THE DOG now gives us a fierce and funny new novel --- and a blistering new take on the Mafia story. This is a gritty yet moving tale about a retired hit man who finds himself being pulled back into his old life of crime.

STRIPPED by Brian Freeman (Mystery)
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
In this stunning follow-up to Brian Freeman's debut novel IMMORAL --- which pushes the limits of its heroes and keeps the reader turning pages until the last plot twist --- Detective Jonathan Stride discovers that there are only two ways to go in Las Vegas. You can hit the jackpot. Or you can get STRIPPED.

UNSAFE HARBOR by Jessica Speart (Mystery)
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent Rachel Porter, known for her devotion to endangered creatures, would gladly steer clear of a homicide investigation except for two things --- it may touch an old woman whom Rachel has recently befriended...and the victim had been wearing a priceless shawl made from the skin of an Asian animal perilously close to extinction.

Click here to read our reviews and features.
 

Bookreporter.com Blog

October 6th Entry:
-Bouchercon 2006 --- A Prairie Escapade

September 8th Entries:
-What I Did On My Summer Vacation
-Reflecting on 9/11: The Books

Note: You can read past blogs here as well.
 
Sign up here to get notified each time this blog is updated.

Click here to read the Bookreporter.com blog.


 

Bookreporter.com Poll: Books To Anticipate

Which of the following October releases are you most looking forward to reading, or have you read?
 

ACT OF TREASON by Vince Flynn
BLUE CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews
THE COLLECTORS by David Baldacci
DEAR JOHN by Nicholas Sparks
ECHO PARK by Michael Connelly
HOME TO BIG STONE GAP by Adriana Trigiani
THE HOUNDS AND THE FURY by Rita Mae Brown
THE INNOCENT MAN: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham
LISEY'S STORY by Stephen King
MOTOR MOUTH by Janet Evanovich
ONE GOOD TURN  by Kate Atkinson
THIRTEEN MOONS by Charles Frazier
THUNDERSTRUCK by Erik Larson
WHAT CAME BEFORE HE SHOT HER by Elizabeth George
None of the above
Answer the Poll here.

 
Read a list of upcoming books here. Browse our author bibliographies by clicking here Click here to visit our 10th Anniversary Page.
Question of the Week: Books Worth Gushing Over

What's the book that you have been "talking up" the most in the past few months?
 

Answer the Question of the Week here.


 
Word of Mouth: Tell Us What You're Reading -- TWO Prizes!

Tell us what books YOU are reading and loving --- or even those you don't.

This week we have two great prizes: FIVE readers each will win a copy of ECHO PARK by Michael Connelly and THE INNOCENT MAN by John Grisham.

-Click here to see our Reading Group Guide for ECHO PARK.


Please note that our next Word of Mouth update will be on October 20th.


 

Need more details about Word of Mouth? Click here.

 


As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online or change your preferences below.

Those of you who wish to send mail to Bookreporter.com, please see the form on the Write to Us page.  If you would like to reach me, please write Carol@bookreporter.com. Writing any of the respond buttons below will not get to us.

Those who are subscribed to the Bookreporter.com newsletter by October 31, 2006 automatically are entered in our Monthly Newsletter Contest. This month one winner will be selected to win the following five books: THE COLLECTORS by David Baldacci, ECHO PARK by Michael Connelly, FAREWELL SUMMER by Ray Bradbury, THE INNOCENT MAN by John Grisham and MOTOR MOUTH by Janet Evanovich. Last month's winner was Judy from Marshaltown, IA, who won THE BOOK OF FATE by Brad Meltzer, FOR ONE MORE DAY by Mitch Albom, FRAGILE THINGS: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman, THE GUY NOT TAKEN: Stories by Jennifer Weiner and THE TESTAMENT by Eric Van Lustbader.


Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: ReadingGroupGuides.com, AuthorsOnTheWeb.com, FaithfulReader.com, AuthorYellowPages.com, Teenreads.com, and Kidsreads.com.

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