Desmond Tutu
Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.
Attribution
April 29, 2016
Today I attended and moderated a panel at the Random House Open House, the second in a series of events that I have lined up for the next few months where I get to meet up with readers and professionals in the publishing community. As I love both talking to authors and meeting readers, this day afforded me the perfect combo. It was nice to say hi to the readers I know, and to put faces to the names of some of our readers who I have not met, including one who truly is a doppelganger of Ina Garten!
Late April 2016Lots to share with this update! First, I want to thank those of you who took the time to vote for the Teen Choice Book Awards. We will be sharing the winners with you as part of the festivities that surround Children's Book Week, which kicks off THIS Sunday. Click here to see a listing of events scheduled for around the country, including kickoff events in both in New York City at the Jefferson Market Library and Los Angeles at YALLWEST.
April 29, 2016Can you believe it’s almost May?! Times flies when you’re waiting for your Formation tour date. Nikki's birthday was last week, and today her grandma turns 96! At nearly 100, she's still #FTD, rockin’ that tracksuit since the ‘80s. @champagnepapi could learn a thing or two (but we'll still swoon over his new album that dropped today!) Point is: We're all getting older by the minute as these months turn into years and years turn into decades. And as we gracefully approach our 30s, we're realizing that the things our parents and grandparents are always telling us sound less like “wisdom” (or wise-dumb) and more like actual wisdom. Suffice it to say, we could all learn a thing or two from our elders, life’s greatest teachers. Turns out, you really shouldn’t sit so close to the TV. Take it from two four-eyes (eight eyes?) over here.
Editorial Content for Extreme PreyBookContributorsReviewer (text)Joe Hartlaub
EXTREME PREY is a transitional book in John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport series. Sandford has never been reluctant to uproot Lucas professionally, so his retirement from Minnesota’s BCI at the conclusion of 2015’s GATHERING PREY was somewhat unexpected but not a total surprise. One would not expect to find Lucas unemployed for long, and this latest title provides a vehicle for switching his law enforcement gears and yet again renewing an always fresh and exciting series that has never shown signs of becoming staid or slowing down. Read More TeaserAfter the events in GATHERING PREY, Lucas Davenport finds himself in a very unusual situation --- no longer employed by the Minnesota BCA. His friend the governor is just cranking up a presidential campaign, though, and he invites Lucas to come along as part of his campaign staff. “Should be fun!” Lucas says, and it kind of is --- until they find they have a shadow: an armed man intent on killing the governor…and anyone who gets in the way. PromoAfter the events in GATHERING PREY, Lucas Davenport finds himself in a very unusual situation --- no longer employed by the Minnesota BCA. His friend the governor is just cranking up a presidential campaign, though, and he invites Lucas to come along as part of his campaign staff. “Should be fun!” Lucas says, and it kind of is --- until they find they have a shadow: an armed man intent on killing the governor…and anyone who gets in the way. About the BookThe extraordinary new Lucas Davenport thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner John Sandford. Audiobook available, narrated by Richard Ferrone Editorial Content for First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First LadiesContributorsReviewer (text)Carole Turner
Imagine that your hairstyle, your wardrobe, and even your manner of speech are fodder for journalists and celebrity news programs. That everything your husband did or said would come under intense scrutiny, and that he would often be criticized in a most bruising manner. That you could not drive or walk your children to school. That you must be camera-ready, well-groomed, polite and gracious at all times. That you could not step out for an impromptu latte or a little retail therapy. Read More TeaserOne of the most underestimated --- and challenging --- positions in the world, the First Lady of the United States must be many things: an inspiring leader with a forward-thinking agenda of her own; a savvy politician, skilled at navigating the treacherous rapids of Washington; a wife and mother operating under constant scrutiny; and an able CEO responsible for the smooth operation of countless services and special events at the White House. Former White House correspondent Kate Andersen Brower draws on a wide array of untapped, candid sources to tell the stories of the 10 remarkable women who have defined that role since 1960. PromoOne of the most underestimated --- and challenging --- positions in the world, the First Lady of the United States must be many things: an inspiring leader with a forward-thinking agenda of her own; a savvy politician, skilled at navigating the treacherous rapids of Washington; a wife and mother operating under constant scrutiny; and an able CEO responsible for the smooth operation of countless services and special events at the White House. Former White House correspondent Kate Andersen Brower draws on a wide array of untapped, candid sources to tell the stories of the 10 remarkable women who have defined that role since 1960. About the BookFrom the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the groundbreaking backstairs look at the White House, THE RESIDENCE, comes an intimate, news-making look at the true modern power brokers at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: the First Ladies, from Jackie Kennedy to Michelle Obama. One of the most underestimated --- and challenging --- positions in the world, the First Lady of the United States must be many things: an inspiring leader with a forward-thinking agenda of her own; a savvy politician, skilled at navigating the treacherous rapids of Washington; a wife and mother operating under constant scrutiny; and an able CEO responsible for the smooth operation of countless services and special events at the White House. Now, as she did in her smash #1 bestseller THE RESIDENCE, former White House correspondent Kate Andersen Brower draws on a wide array of untapped, candid sources --- from residence staff and social secretaries to friends and political advisers --- to tell the stories of the ten remarkable women who have defined that role since 1960. Brower offers new insights into this privileged group of remarkable women, including Jacqueline Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Patricia Nixon, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama. The stories she shares range from the heartwarming to the shocking and tragic, exploring everything from the first ladies’ political crusades to their rivalries with Washington figures; from their friendships with other first ladies to their public and private relationships with their husbands. She also offers a detailed and insightful new portrait of one of the most-watched first ladies of all time, Hillary Clinton, asking what her tumultuous years in the White House may tell us about her own historic presidential run...and what life could be like with the nation’s first First Husband. Candid and illuminating, this first group biography of the modern first ladies provides a revealing look at life upstairs and downstairs at the world’s most powerful address. Audiobook available, narrated by Karen White Editorial Content for The Excellent LombardsContributorsReviewer (text)Jana Siciliano
There is nowhere that young Mary Frances “Frankie” Lombard would rather be than her family's beautiful apple orchard. The gnarled roots of the trees and the amazing bounty they produce are as familiar to her as the many people in her family who work the land every day. Read More TeaserMary Frances "Frankie" Lombard is fiercely in love with her family's sprawling apple orchard and the tangled web of family members who inhabit it. But she cannot help being haunted by the historical fact that some family members end up staying on the farm and others must leave. Change is inevitable, and threats of urbanization, disinheritance and college applications shake the foundation of Frankie's roots. As Frankie is forced to shed her childhood fantasies and face the possibility of losing the idyllic future she had envisioned for her family, she must decide whether loving something means clinging tightly or letting go. PromoMary Frances "Frankie" Lombard is fiercely in love with her family's sprawling apple orchard and the tangled web of family members who inhabit it. But she cannot help being haunted by the historical fact that some family members end up staying on the farm and others must leave. Change is inevitable, and threats of urbanization, disinheritance and college applications shake the foundation of Frankie's roots. As Frankie is forced to shed her childhood fantasies and face the possibility of losing the idyllic future she had envisioned for her family, she must decide whether loving something means clinging tightly or letting go. About the BookFrom the internationally bestselling author of THE BOOK OF RUTH and A MAP OF THE WORLD, a heartfelt coming-of-age story that Karen Joy Fowler calls "a timeless classic...a book you will read and reread." Mary Frances "Frankie" Lombard is fiercely in love with her family's sprawling apple orchard and the tangled web of family members who inhabit it. Content to spend her days planning capers with her brother William, competing with her brainy cousin Amanda, and expertly tending the orchard with her father, Frankie desires nothing more than for the rhythm of life to continue undisturbed. But she cannot help being haunted by the historical fact that some family members end up staying on the farm and others must leave. Change is inevitable, and threats of urbanization, disinheritance and college applications shake the foundation of Frankie's roots. As Frankie is forced to shed her childhood fantasies and face the possibility of losing the idyllic future she had envisioned for her family, she must decide whether loving something means clinging tightly or letting go. Audiobook available, narrated by Erin Cottrell Editorial Content for Alice & OliverBookContributorsReviewer (text)Norah Piehl
When Charles Bock’s debut novel, BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN, was published in 2008, it was a sensation. But unbeknownst to most readers, in the wake of its success, Bock and his family were undergoing a drama of their own, as his wife was diagnosed with leukemia in 2009 and died two-and-a-half years later, just days before their daughter’s third birthday. Now, in his second novel, ALICE & OLIVER, Bock uses fiction to explore the devastating effects of cancer on a young family very much like his own. Read More TeaserNew York, 1993. Alice Culvert is a caring wife, a doting new mother, a loyal friend and a soulful artist --- a fashion designer who wears a baby carrier and haute couture with equal aplomb. In their loft in Manhattan’s gritty Meatpacking District, Alice and her husband, Oliver, are raising their infant daughter, Doe, delighting in the wonders of early parenthood. Their life together feels so vital and full of promise, which makes Alice’s sudden cancer diagnosis especially staggering. In the span of a single day, the couple’s focus narrows to the basic question of her survival. PromoNew York, 1993. Alice Culvert is a caring wife, a doting new mother, a loyal friend and a soulful artist --- a fashion designer who wears a baby carrier and haute couture with equal aplomb. In their loft in Manhattan’s gritty Meatpacking District, Alice and her husband, Oliver, are raising their infant daughter, Doe, delighting in the wonders of early parenthood. Their life together feels so vital and full of promise, which makes Alice’s sudden cancer diagnosis especially staggering. In the span of a single day, the couple’s focus narrows to the basic question of her survival. About the BookThe award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN has created an unflinching yet deeply humane portrait of a young family’s journey through a medical crisis, laying bare a couple’s love and fears as they fight for everything that’s important to them. New York, 1993. Alice Culvert is a caring wife, a doting new mother, a loyal friend and a soulful artist --- a fashion designer who wears a baby carrier and haute couture with equal aplomb. In their loft in Manhattan’s gritty Meatpacking District, Alice and her husband, Oliver, are raising their infant daughter, Doe, delighting in the wonders of early parenthood. Their life together feels so vital and full of promise, which makes Alice’s sudden cancer diagnosis especially staggering. In the span of a single day, the couple’s focus narrows to the basic question of her survival. Though they do their best to remain brave, each faces enormous pressure: Oliver tries to navigate a labyrinthine healthcare system and handle their mounting medical bills; Alice tries to be hopeful as her body turns against her. Bracing themselves for the unthinkable, they must confront the new realities of their marriage, their strengths as partners and flaws as people, how to nourish love against all odds, and what it means to truly care for another person. Inspired by the author’s life, ALICE & OLIVER is a deeply affecting novel written with stunning reserves of compassion, humor, and wisdom. Alice Culvert is an extraordinary character --- a woman of incredible heart and spirit --- who will remain in memory long after the final page. Audiobook available, narrated by Rebecca Lowman and MacLeod Andrews Editorial Content for A Few of the Girls: StoriesContributorsReviewer (text)Pauline Finch
If the remarkable late Irish writer Maeve Binchy ever paused during a prolific career to muse over her legacy, she needn’t have. Those near, far and dear to her, as well as millions of unmet fans to whom she became a richly nuanced voice of womanhood, will not let her creative genius be forgotten anytime soon. A FEW OF THE GIRLS is one of those rare collaborative efforts that successfully pays honest and profound tribute to an author whose passions embraced an amazingly broad swath of society, one in which everything typically Irish becomes wonderfully universal as well. Read More TeaserA FEW OF THE GIRLS brings together, for the first time, 36 of Maeve Binchy’s very best stories --- some published in magazines, others written for friends as gifts, many for charity benefits, all of them filled with her trademark warmth, wisdom and humor. Written over a period of decades, these stories show that while times change, people often remain the same: they fall in love, sometimes unsuitably; they experience heartbreak, compassion and redemption; they hold to hopes and dreams; and they have friendships --- some that fall apart, and a few special ones that endure. PromoA FEW OF THE GIRLS brings together, for the first time, 36 of Maeve Binchy’s very best stories --- some published in magazines, others written for friends as gifts, many for charity benefits, all of them filled with her trademark warmth, wisdom and humor. Written over a period of decades, these stories show that while times change, people often remain the same: they fall in love, sometimes unsuitably; they experience heartbreak, compassion and redemption; they hold to hopes and dreams; and they have friendships --- some that fall apart, and a few special ones that endure. About the BookA FEW OF THE GIRLS brings together, for the first time, 36 of Maeve Binchy’s very best stories --- some published in magazines, others written for friends as gifts, many for charity benefits, all of them filled with her trademark warmth, wisdom and humor. Written over a period of decades, these stories show that while times change, people often remain the same: they fall in love, sometimes unsuitably; they experience heartbreak, compassion and redemption; they hold to hopes and dreams; and they have friendships --- some that fall apart, and a few special ones that endure. A foreword by her husband, Gordon Snell, offers a privileged, intimate glimpse into the writing process behind her extraordinary work. Audiobook available; narrated by Sile Bermingham, Jayne Entwistle, John Lee and Katharine McEwan Editorial Content for The Bed Moved: StoriesContributorsReviewer (text)Sarah Rachel Egelman
In fewer than 150 pages, Rebecca Schiff’s collection, THE BED MOVED, offers over 20 short stories thematically held together by ideas about sex and sexuality, failed relationships, family, loss and longing. For Schiff, these themes are all part of a larger exploration of identity via a narrow but sharp perspective. Each short story here is very short, but powerful, complicated and absorbing nonetheless. Read More TeaserA New Yorker endures a romantic getaway with a cash-strapped pot grower to a “clothing optional resort” in California; a nerdy high-schooler has her first sexual experience at Geology Camp; an unemployed college grad returns to her childhood home after her father’s funeral and encounters a surprise in his browser history. With bone-dry humor and unexpected tenderness, Rebecca Schiff’s stories offer a singular view of growing up (or not) and finding love (or not) in today’s ever-uncertain landscape. THE BED MOVED is a wry and irreverent take on the human connections --- no matter how fleeting --- that make us who we are. PromoA New Yorker endures a romantic getaway with a cash-strapped pot grower to a “clothing optional resort” in California; a nerdy high-schooler has her first sexual experience at Geology Camp; an unemployed college grad returns to her childhood home after her father’s funeral and encounters a surprise in his browser history. With bone-dry humor and unexpected tenderness, Rebecca Schiff’s stories offer a singular view of growing up (or not) and finding love (or not) in today’s ever-uncertain landscape. THE BED MOVED is a wry and irreverent take on the human connections --- no matter how fleeting --- that make us who we are. About the BookA razor-sharp, devastatingly witty debut collection of stories on adolescence, sex, death, being Jewish-ish and finding one's way as a young woman in the world. A New Yorker endures a romantic getaway with a cash-strapped pot grower to a “clothing optional resort” in California; a nerdy high-schooler has her first sexual experience at Geology Camp; an unemployed college grad returns to her childhood home after her father’s funeral and encounters a surprise in his browser history. With bone-dry humor and unexpected tenderness, Rebecca Schiff’s stories offer a singular view of growing up (or not) and finding love (or not) in today’s ever-uncertain landscape. THE BED MOVED is a wry and irreverent take on the human connections --- no matter how fleeting --- that make us who we are. |


