Archive for February, 2014

The EarlyWord Oscars

Friday, February 28th, 2014

The Academy Awards, (aka, the “Newbery/Caldecotts of the film business” ), will be announced on Sunday.

With so many book adaptations in the running, rather than join the predictions game, we’ve decided to create our own EarlyWord Awards.

Movie That Created A Classic  12 Years a Slave 

12 Years a SlaveDirector Steve McQueen exaggerates when he claims  the 1853 memoir by Solomon Northup that his movie is based on was “lost for 150 years.” McQueen, who is nominated for Best Director, owes a debt to a 12-year-old girl, Sue Eakin, who came across an old copy of it in the 1930’s and made it her life’s work to bring it back into print. Since it was republished in 1968 through LSU Press, it has been released in several editions and has continued in print due to college adoptions. The movie has brought unprecedented awareness, however, and the book is now also being picked up by high schools.

Movie That Made a Bestseller of A Classic The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby, 1925  The Great Gatsby

This could also be called the movie that made publishers rethink tie-ins, since the sales of copies with the original cover outstripped those that feature the movie art.

Not only did director Baz Luhrman’s movie, which is nominated only for Best Costume and Best Production Design, put F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel onto best seller lists (which, to Fitzgerald’s vast disappointment, didn’t happen in his own day), it even inspired Stephen Colbert to go all Oprah and begin his own book club, which included a discussion led by Jennifer Egan.

That magic did not happen for other classics made into movies this year. William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying (movie by James Franco) and Henry James’s What Maisie Knew (movie starring Julianne Moore, Alexander Skarsgård and Steve Coogan) did not lead to best seller status for those books.

Movie That Brought A Book To The U.S. For The First Time — Philomena

51oSRzF+TBL   Philomena

Directed by Stephen Frears (The Queen), this movie is up for an Oscar for Best Picture. It is also nominated for Best Actress for star Judi Dench who plays Philomena Lee, an Irish woman forced as a teenager to give her child up for adoption. Originally published in the U.K. in 2010 as The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, it was published for the first time in the U.S. this year as a trade paperback tie-in, titled Philomena: A Mother, Her Son, and a Fifty-Year Search  (Penguin), with a foreword by Dench.

And, a special award for:

Most Bookish Actress Jennifer Lawrence

From Winter’s Bone, based on the novel by Daniel Woodrell, for which she was nominated in 2011 as Best Actress, to the as-yet-unreleased Serena, based on the novel by Ron Rash, Lawrence has appeared in many book adaptations.

This year, she is nominated for Best Supporting Actress for American Hustle, based on the nonfiction title, The Sting Man: Inside Abscam by Robert W. Greene. The movie is sure to win at least one award, since it is nominated in every major category (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress, as well as Best Supporting Actress).

On to the real Oscars and may the best books win.

DIVERGENT Countdown

Thursday, February 27th, 2014

1301Cover-EWWith the Oscars  coming on Sunday, you’d expect this week’s  issue of Entertainment Weekly to be all about that event.

But that was so last week. The new cover story declares that all eyes are now on Divergent, opening 3/21, to see if it will follow in the footsteps of Hunger Games, or will bite the dust like Beautiful Creatures (and Mortal Instruments and Vampire Academy).

If book sales are any indicator, it will be an enormous hit. All three titles in Veronica Roth’s YA series have been in the top ten on USA Today‘s best-selling books list for weeks. This week they are all in the top five.

The fall brings two more YA dystopian novel adaptations. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, of course, arrives in theaters on Nov. 21 and is pre-ordained hit.

There’s been far less buzz about the second, The Maze Runner, based on the book by James Dashner. Originally scheduled for Valentine’s Day, it was then moved to September 19. Beyond a few set photos, there’s been little to feed fan anticipation. All of this makes one movie site more than a little worried about its future.

DARK INVASION On FRESH AIR

Wednesday, February 26th, 2014

Dark InvasionTerrorism is not a new phenomenon. There were German terrorist cells in Amearica during WW I, blowing up American factories and ships and carrying out germ warfare on thousands of American horses being shipped to Europe.

Howard Blum investigates that story in Dark Invasion: 1915: Germany’s Secret War and the Hunt for the First Terrorist Cell in America (Harper, Feb. 11). He was interviewed on Fresh Air yesterday, sending the book to #57 on Amazon’s sales rankings.

INHERENT VICE Head-to-Head with PADDINGTON

Wednesday, February 26th, 2014

I herent ViceThe movie adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s 2009 detective novel Inherent Vice (Penguin Press) has just been scheduled for Dec. 12 of this year, which Deadline characterizes as “a plum awards-season release date.” Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master), Paddingtonthe movie stars Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson and Benecio Del Toro.

Also releasing that day is the live-action childrens adaptation, Paddington, “inspired by” the 1958 series which begins with A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond. It is being reissued in July by HarperCollins with illustrations by R.W. Alley and the shortened movie title of simply Paddington.

Baby Gap is also featuring tie-ins in the form of a clothing line.

Cracking the SAT Code

Wednesday, February 26th, 2014

9780307956675_e313cThe latest book for Alpha parents to obsess over  is The Perfect Score Project: Uncovering the Secrets of the SAT by Debbie Stier (RH/Harmony; RH Audio).

In an effort to help her son do better on the SAT’s, Stier took the exam herself seven times.

Featured on the Today Show, the book is unsurprisingly climbing Amazon’s sales rankings (currently at #56).

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

In a Green-Certified Room

Wednesday, February 26th, 2014

Goodnight Nanny-cam

The latest update of the classic children’s bed time story, Goodnight Moon, arriving today and featured on Buzz Feed, is Goodnight Nanny-Cam: A Parody for Modern Parents by Lizzy Ratner and Jen Nessel, illustrated by Sara Pinto (Penguin/Plume).

The text was originally published in The New Yorker in 2012. It follows other parodies, such as  Goodnight iPad (Penguin/Blue Rider, 2011), now in danger of becoming dated because of its inclusion of a “Blackberry ringing with Eminem singing,” (Ratner’s room features a smart phone), Goodnight Bush, (Hachette/Little,Brown) and the creepy Goodnight, Keith Moon (Word of Mouth).

Aimed at “alpha parents,” Goodnight Nanny-Cam is set in a “green-certified room” and includes a “bilingual Nanny” whispering “hush.”

Back in the Groove: THE DAILY SHOW

Tuesday, February 25th, 2014

Since Jon Stewart returned from his time away from The Daily Show to direct a movie, he’s shown greater interest in Hollywood, featuring more actors and director and fewer authors.

But this week, he is back in the groove, with three of his four weekly shows featuring authors.

9780385535328_a7512  The Future of the Mind   Young Money

Monday: The Ministry of Guidance Invites You to Not Stay: An American Family in Iran, Hooman Majd, (RH/Doubleday, 11/8/13)

Stewart is a bit late to the party on this book, which was featured on NPR after it was published last fall.  He has a natural affinity for the subject; his forthcoming movie, Rosewater, (no release date yet), is based on another book about a family in Iran, Then They Came for Me: A Family’s Story of Love, Captivity, and Survival by Maziar Bahari, (Random House, 2011).

Tuesday: The Future of the Mind: The Scientific Quest to Understand, Enhance, and Empower the Mind, Michio Kaku, (RH/Doubleday, 2/25/14)

The media’s favorite physicists  explores the cutting edge of brain research.

Thursday — Young Money: Inside the Hidden World of Wall Street’s Post-Crash Recruits, Kevin Roose, (Hachette/Grand Central)

The author also appeared on NPR’s Morning Edition last week (see our earlier story ).

J.K. Rowling Series: Maybe Yes, Maybe No

Monday, February 24th, 2014

Yesterday, Feb. 23:  “JK ROWLING has mapped out a series of up to seven crime novels featuring her private investigator Cormoran Strike — in a repeat of the approach she took with her Harry Potter books,” The Sunday Times of London, by Richard Brooks.

Today, Feb. 24:  Little, Brown denies Rowling novel plans — “A spokesman for Little, Brown said: ‘Richard Brooks has written this without foundation and there aren’t seven books planned in the series.'” — The Bookseller

The Cuckoo's Calling   The Silkworm
Well, at least we know there will be two books in the series. The Silkworm (Hachette/Little, Brown; Hachette Audio) will be released on June 24th.

LEFTOVERS Filming

Monday, February 24th, 2014

The LeftoversFilm crews return to Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. this week for the HBO adaptation of Tom Perrotta’s The Leftovers (Macmillan/St. Martin’s, 2011).

Starring Liv Tyler, Amy Brenneman and Justin Thoreau, the show’s creator is Lost‘s Damon Lindelof, who spoke to Entertainment Weekly last month about how he discovered the book,

I was reading The New York Times Book Review – which is the way that I pretend to read books; I read the reviews of the books and then I can articulately pretend like I’ve read them — and Stephen King wrote a review of The Leftovers, which he described as the best episode of The Twilight Zone that had never been shot …  I ran and got the book immediately and I got maybe 50 pages in before I decided: This should be a television show…

A tie-in edition is scheduled for release in May.

Lippman On Women and Ambition

Friday, February 21st, 2014

Laura Lippman’s latest novel, After I'm Gone After I’m Gone (HarperCollins/ Morrow; HarperAudio; HarperLuxe), gets a strong nod from Janet Maslin in the NYT this week, “The characters … are so well drawn that it’s easy to forget why they happen to be connected. Almost all of them are strong, willful women.”

“Willful” is an odd adjective. It seems to only be used to describe women and children, never men, since it is an expected, even applauded, male characteristic.

Speaking to librarians at the United for Libraries Gala Tea at Midwinter in January, Lippman talked about the “willful women” who have inspired her (including her mother, a librarian) and about another gender-shifting adjective, “ambitious,” encouraging us all to embrace it.

Thanks to Laura for allowing us reprint her talk, below, and to Virginia Stanley, HarperCollins Library Marketing, for helping us get that permission.

Laura Lippman, Photo by Jan Cobb

Laura Lippman, Photo by Jan Cobb

It’s a happy accident that my next book [After I’m Gone] comes out on Feb. 11 because it is very much a Valentine’s Day to the generations of women, including my mother, who gave birth to the women of the so-called Baby Boom. This was not conscious when I began writing the book, but it was clear to me by the time it was finished. Bernadette “Bambi” Brewer – left, with three days, to fend for herself when her husband Felix decides he cannot serve even a portion of his 15-year sentence for mail fraud – emerges as the closest thing that my book has to a heroine. Bright and beautiful, she has never wanted to be anything but a wife and mother, and I think the book ultimately validates her choice.

Now, I’m a crime writer. I never describe myself as anything else. In fact, I was so appalled at what I saw as another writer’s recent attempt to disavow the genre that I wrote a somewhat, um, spirited defense of my genre roots. The piece that had so offended me included lines such as “my big literary novel” and an announcement that the writer, after writing three crime novels, was now girding himself to stride into “the great arena of art.”

But it also made me realize how uncomfortable our culture is with ambition. Particularly when it comes to women.

(more…)

YOUNG MONEY, Morning Edition

Thursday, February 20th, 2014

Young MoneyIf you haven’t yet become inured  to the “greed is good” phenomenon among financial kingpins, give a listen to Kevin Roose on NPR’s Morning Edition as he reveals the dripping distain they exhibit towards outsiders during one of their annual secret society events, which Roose describes as being “like The Wolf of Wall Street meets the Elk Club.”

In his new book, Young Money: Inside the Hidden World of Wall Street’s Post-Crash Recruits, (Hachette/Grand Central), Roose follows eight people in their first two years on Wall Street. It seems that world has lost its shine. Of the 8 people, only 3 are still in finance and just one of them is happy in the job. Says Roose, “The sex appeal is in Silicon Valley now. That’s where you go if you want to strike it rich. It has the cultural cachet that Wall Street used to have.”

Roose writes for New York magazine, an except of his book is in the current issue.

Libraries are showing holds.

Live Chat with Tom O’Donnell

Wednesday, February 19th, 2014

Read our Live Chat with the author of the middle-grade novel, Space Rocks! below.

Join this new program here.

 Live Chat with Tom O'Donnell, SPACE ROCKS!(02/19/2014) 
4:45
Nora - EarlyWord: 
We will begin our live online chat with Tom O’Donnell, author of SPACE ROCKS! in about 15 minutes.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 4:45 Nora - EarlyWord
4:46
Nora - EarlyWord
Cover
Wednesday February 19, 2014 4:46 
4:51
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Space Rocks! got a great review from Kirkus...
Wednesday February 19, 2014 4:51 Nora - EarlyWord
4:51
Nora - EarlyWord: 
KIRKUS REVIEW

Xotonian Chorkle’s home asteroid Gelo is so boring that of course it’s going to spy on the iridium-stealing, fur-tufted invaders from Eo.

Chorkle’s originator allowed it (there is no gender on Gelo) to check out Jehe Canyon for human incursion as long as it agreed to leave if it saw them…but they’re so interesting, and they have amazingly fun technology. Xotonians are adept at hiding, so the aliens are oblivious to Chorkle’s presence, but it makes off with their hologram device. When the Xotonians decide to unleash the dreaded, destructive Q-sik weapon to chase off the humans, Chorkle wants to warn the humans. It knows the ones it saw in the canyon are young ones. Having learned some human language from the hologram device and human transmissions, Chorkle intends to warn them…but it’s distracted by the sugary pink magic of Feeney’s Original Astronaut Ice Cream, and the young humans end up marooned on Gelo. Now Chorkle must keep them alive until their originators return for them. When the Vorem, the ancient enemy of the Xotonians, reappear, the fate of the solar system might hang in the balance. O’Donnell’s debut is an imaginative, smart and laugh-out-loud adventure. Chorkle is charming, and its alien perspective on the human invaders and the ensuing culture clash never falters.

Clap your thol’graz—the open ending begs for a sequel!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 4:51 Nora - EarlyWord
4:54
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I see several chat participants gathering. You can send your questions through at any time. They'll go into a queue, and we'll submit as many of them as we can to Tom before the end of the chat.

Don’t worry about typos – and please forgive any that we commit!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 4:54 Nora - EarlyWord
5:00
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Our author, Tom, has joined us and so has our chat leader, Lisa Von Drasek. Say hi to the everyone!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:00 Nora - EarlyWord
5:00
Tom O'Donnell: 
Hello, everyone! I'm looking forward to answering your questions.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:00 Tom O'Donnell
5:01
lisa von drasek: 
hi everyone
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:01 lisa von drasek
5:01
lisa von drasek: 
you may call me your fearless leader
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:01 lisa von drasek
5:01
Tom O'Donnell: 
Greetings fearless leader.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:01 Tom O'Donnell
5:01
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Participants, please say hi to Tom and Lisa.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:01 Nora - EarlyWord
5:01
lisa von drasek: 
Greetings human.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:01 lisa von drasek
5:02
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
Hi, Tom and Lisa!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:02 Guest
5:02
[Comment From Janie PickettJanie Pickett: ] 
humans, well, maybe =)
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:02 Janie Pickett
5:02
[Comment From LibraryLessLibraryLess: ] 
Greetings!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:02 LibraryLess
5:03
lisa von drasek: 
Tom, we had a few minutes to chat yesterday. Can you say a few words about yourself? Where do you live? Is this your first book ? Do you have a pet?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:03 lisa von drasek
5:03
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
Greetings, Tom and Lisa!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:03 Guest
5:04
Tom O'Donnell: 
Sure. My name is Tom O'Donnell and I live in Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:04 Tom O'Donnell
5:04
lisa von drasek: 
Hello snowy Maine from to be blizzarding Minnesota
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:04 lisa von drasek
5:04
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
Greetings from snowy Maine!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:04 Guest
5:04
Tom O'Donnell: 
My neighborhood is currently covered in filthy gray snow but otherwise lovely.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:04 Tom O'Donnell
5:05
Tom O'Donnell: 
This is my first book. It was a blast to write it.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:05 Tom O'Donnell
5:06
Tom O'Donnell: 
I have one pet. A very lively tuxedo cat named Bug.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:06 Tom O'Donnell
5:06
Tom O'Donnell
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:06 
5:06
lisa von drasek: 
For those just joining us and haven't read the book, the Kirkus review (above) is a perfect recap

I have an advance question from a participant


"Why did you choose six days for the mothership to be repaired and the parents out of reach? It seems like a long time? (I have not had a chance to finish the book yet.)
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:06 lisa von drasek
5:07
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
Tom, in the book I noticed a lot of environmental references. I am a high school librarian, but I think this would be a great read aloud with an elementary class making connections to science.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:07 Guest
5:07
Tom O'Donnell: 
Six days felt like a long enough time to have an adventure, but not too long for a rescue.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:07 Tom O'Donnell
5:07
Tom O'Donnell: 
I love to hear that re: science! I can't claim that the book is 100% scientifically accurate.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:07 Tom O'Donnell
5:08
Tom O'Donnell: 
But I did try to use logic when imagining some of these things. Such as what precious metals are found on asteroids; why the asteroid has an earth-like gravity etc.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:08 Tom O'Donnell
5:08
lisa von drasek: 
The advance question as Kelly Page of Texas-
She also wrote
I will definitely be recommending this book in my library. Quality space adventures for elementary age kids are hard to find. I love the fact that it's from Chorkle's perepective instead of one of the children.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:08 lisa von drasek
5:08
[Comment From Janie PickettJanie Pickett: ] 
Question: should I be hearing audio? I *am* hearing a keyboard, but no talking. Or is this a silent chat?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:08 Janie Pickett
5:08
lisa von drasek: 
yes. no mics just tap tap tapping
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:08 lisa von drasek
5:08
Tom O'Donnell: 
Great! Yes Chorkle's perspective was really fun to write from.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:08 Tom O'Donnell
5:08
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
And the playfulness of language! I loved it! My is'pog was beating with delight!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:08 Guest
5:09
lisa von drasek: 
Mine too!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:09 lisa von drasek
5:09
Tom O'Donnell: 
I thought it would be fun to give kids a different perspective on normal human behavior through Chorkle’s (five) eyes. A lot of humor comes from detached observation and I thought an alien might be the ultimate detached observer.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:09 Tom O'Donnell
5:09
Tom O'Donnell: 
Although of course Chorkle becomes more and more attached to the kids throughout the book.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:09 Tom O'Donnell
5:10
Tom O'Donnell: 
Glad you liked the language! I had to keep a very long running list of words I made up.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:10 Tom O'Donnell
5:10
lisa von drasek: 
Chorkle (how do you pronounce?) is of an alien race of with no gender. Could you talk about that?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:10 lisa von drasek
5:10
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
How did you decide on the names; such as is'pog..
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:10 The Brain Lair
5:10
Tom O'Donnell: 
CHOR-kuhl is how I would pronounce its name.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:10 Tom O'Donnell
5:12
lisa von drasek: 
Astronaut Ice Cream is an essential component of the story. Have you ever tasted astronaut ice-cream? when? Do you have any in your house right now?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:12 lisa von drasek
5:12
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Why did Chorkle love the Astronaut Ice Cream bars so much? Was this something you loved as a child???????
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:12 The Brain Lair
5:12
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
Did you intend on this book being a series when you started. I admit I haven't finished it, but the Kirkus review seems to indicate a sequel.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:12 Guest
5:13
Tom O'Donnell: 
I think my friend Matt brought some astronaut ice cream back from Space Camp when he went in the second or third grade. My lovely wife made her own version of Feeney’s Original Astronaut Ice Cream to celebrate the launch of the book as well! It’s got to be better than the real stuff.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:13 Tom O'Donnell
5:13
Tom O'Donnell
Here's her version.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:13 
5:13
Tom O'Donnell: 
Yes, I intended the book to be a series. In fact the sequel is coming this Fall.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:13 Tom O'Donnell
5:13
Tom O'Donnell: 
I just turned in final edits.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:13 Tom O'Donnell
5:14
Tom O'Donnell: 
Back to your question about Chorkle's gender, Lisa.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:14 Tom O'Donnell
5:14
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Do you have a 3D Holographic device?? If so, where can I get one???
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:14 The Brain Lair
5:14
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
Yes, I loved the idea of no gender!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:14 Guest
5:14
Tom O'Donnell: 
I thought it would be interesting to imagine such a society and a great way to differentiate the Xotonians from the humans they are observing...
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:14 Tom O'Donnell
5:14
Tom O'Donnell: 
I also thought a genderless protagonist might allow readers of any gender to identify more easily with it...
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:14 Tom O'Donnell
5:14
Tom O'Donnell: 
And, last, I wanted to make the book more difficult to copyedit!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:14 Tom O'Donnell
5:15
Tom O'Donnell: 
I don't have a 3D holographic device. I have to make do with a puny old Xbox 360 :(
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:15 Tom O'Donnell
5:15
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Weirdly, I pictured Chorkle as a boy
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:15 The Brain Lair
5:15
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
As well as him having a father and grandfather!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:15 The Brain Lair
5:15
Tom O'Donnell: 
Well, I think any interpretation of Chorkle's gender is the right one.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:15 Tom O'Donnell
5:16
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
I love the cover. Did you have any say in the design?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:16 Guest
5:16
Nora - EarlyWord
Cover
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:16 
5:16
Tom O'Donnell: 
I did not, though I really like it (sparkly!)
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:16 Tom O'Donnell
5:17
Tom O'Donnell: 
I have a background in illustration and cartooning but it was nice to only be responsible for the words this time.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:17 Tom O'Donnell
5:17
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Did the character names have any special meaning for you? Did you create a family tree to keep everyone straight?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:17 The Brain Lair
5:18
lisa von drasek: 
your futuristic inventions with a foot in reality were a lot of fun
If someone gave you a rocket bike where would you go right now?


Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:18 lisa von drasek
5:18
Tom O'Donnell: 
No family tree. And the names were just meant to sound good (and hopefully consistent). Xotonian names tend to be five or six letters long, maybe using a few extra Ks.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:18 Tom O'Donnell
5:18
lisa von drasek: 
Space Rocks has really captured what it is like to be a little brother. - do you have any brothers or sisters? Older? younger?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:18 lisa von drasek
5:18
Tom O'Donnell: 
I’d probably fly home to Virginia, where I'm from. Tickets to the regional airport cost more than flying to, say, Paris.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:18 Tom O'Donnell
5:19
Tom O'Donnell: 
I have an older sister. I do tend to think that the younger child is more of an observer. You’re kind of watching things play out with your sibling first before you try them.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:19 Tom O'Donnell
5:19
Tom O'Donnell: 
That might be a little Chorkle-like.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:19 Tom O'Donnell
5:19
lisa von drasek: 
My favorite line is from Gus when asked what makes his stew so tasty he says “the secret ingredient is love” Does anyone you know say that??
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:19 lisa von drasek
5:20
Tom O'Donnell: 
I do not! But feel free to say it whenever you want.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:20 Tom O'Donnell
5:20
Tom O'Donnell: 
Actually, you may have to clear it with Penguin's legal department :)
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:20 Tom O'Donnell
5:20
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Did you have a fun relationship with your Grand Originator like Chorkle and Hudka?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:20 The Brain Lair
5:20
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
I love that! What a fun writing assignment-to write about your family from your place (perspecitve in it).
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:20 Guest
5:21
Tom O'Donnell: 
I had wonderful grand-originators! My grandmother was particularly magical—she spoke with an English accent and let us draw on the walls.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:21 Tom O'Donnell
5:21
Tom O'Donnell: 
My grandfather used to secretly sneak us lots of Little Debbie snack cakes. I kind of thought he made them, maybe.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:21 Tom O'Donnell
5:22
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
I loved how you explained Kalak being harder on Chorkle. I'm a teacher, and my daughter always said I expected more of her at school than other students.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:22 The Brain Lair
5:22
Tom O'Donnell: 
i can definitely imagine that. You can't play favorites so you have to be a little tougher.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:22 Tom O'Donnell
5:23
lisa von drasek: 
I loved when Chorkle realized that perhaps as a kid his originator didn't always do what his grand originator wanted
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:23 lisa von drasek
5:23
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Ha!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:23 The Brain Lair
5:23
lisa von drasek: 
Teachers are always asking for school stories- stories that reflect kids lives and relationships. Space Rocks feels like a school story- do you have any comment about that?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:23 lisa von drasek
5:23
Tom O'Donnell: 
Yes, I think that's an important part of growing up. Realizing, strange as it may seem, that your parents were just like you once. And maybe your loveable grandparents weren't so loveable to them all the time :)
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:23 Tom O'Donnell
5:24
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Their relationship was so realistic to me!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:24 The Brain Lair
5:24
Tom O'Donnell: 
Really glad you found to be so.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:24 Tom O'Donnell
5:24
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
What did you base the Qsik on?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:24 The Brain Lair
5:24
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
I agree all the relationships and emotions felt realistic to me as well.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:24 Guest
5:25
Tom O'Donnell: 
Re: school stories - On the one hand Chorkle is a five-eyed alien who lives on an asteroid. On the other hand it’s just a kid with regular old kid problems. That’s the trick of the book that I hope works for readers.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:25 Tom O'Donnell
5:25
lisa von drasek: 
It does for me
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:25 lisa von drasek
5:25
Tom O'Donnell: 
I guess the Q-sik is a little bit like The One Ring. It gives great power at a terrible cost.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:25 Tom O'Donnell
5:25
lisa von drasek: 
What did you like to read as a kid?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:25 lisa von drasek
5:26
Tom O'Donnell: 
The Choose Your Own Adventure and Time Machine series were big in my school. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:26 Tom O'Donnell
5:26
Tom O'Donnell: 
The Mouse And The Motorcycle. The Bunnicula series. Ender’s Game. A Wrinkle In Time. Treasure Island.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:26 Tom O'Donnell
5:26
Tom O'Donnell: 
The one that really feels like it changed me forever, as the answer to the previous question might indicate, was Lord of the Rings. For whatever reason, it’s still kind of THE book for me.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:26 Tom O'Donnell
5:27
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
So I have to ask what you think of the LR movies?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:27 Guest
5:27
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Did you also read the Hobbit?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:27 The Brain Lair
5:28
Tom O'Donnell: 
I liked them but they will never supplant the books for me. Also, making Gimli a source of comic relief was unconscionable.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:28 Tom O'Donnell
5:28
Tom O'Donnell: 
:)
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:28 Tom O'Donnell
5:28
lisa von drasek: 
Space Rocks is fast paced and very visual. At times like being in a game or movie. Was that intentional?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:28 lisa von drasek
5:28
Tom O'Donnell: 
Yes, I read the Hobbit. But after LOTR for some reason?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:28 Tom O'Donnell
5:28
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
Greetings from Florida!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:28 Guest
5:28
Tom O'Donnell: 
Greetings!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:28 Tom O'Donnell
5:29
Tom O'Donnell: 
I tried to make it fast-paced and exciting with crisp dialogue.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:29 Tom O'Donnell
5:29
Tom O'Donnell: 
I also have done a little writing for TV so maybe that influenced the style.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:29 Tom O'Donnell
5:29
lisa von drasek: 
and quite a bit snappy dialog it is.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:29 lisa von drasek
5:29
Tom O'Donnell: 
And I think visually, as a cartoonist.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:29 Tom O'Donnell
5:30
Tom O'Donnell: 
Although I was a little bit deliberate about not describing exactly what a Xotonian looks like.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:30 Tom O'Donnell
5:30
Tom O'Donnell: 
I love the cover illustration for the book that Kristin Lodgson did, but I tend to think that whatever Chorkle you imagine is going to be better than the one I describe.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:30 Tom O'Donnell
5:31
Tom O'Donnell: 
Writing dialogue is maybe the most fun part of writing for me.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:31 Tom O'Donnell
5:31
lisa von drasek: 
yes I did notice that. and although I did long for illustrations especially of the thsss-cat, the words did paint the pictures in my mind's eye.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:31 lisa von drasek
5:31
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
What about the inside illustrations for the chapters. Did you draw those?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:31 The Brain Lair
5:31
Tom O'Donnell: 
I did not. But again, I think they're great.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:31 Tom O'Donnell
5:32
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Does Gus have a mom?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:32 The Brain Lair
5:32
Tom O'Donnell: 
I don't think that he does.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:32 Tom O'Donnell
5:32
lisa von drasek: 
Tom, time to explain the facts of life
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:32 lisa von drasek
5:33
Tom O'Donnell: 
Okay...
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:33 Tom O'Donnell
5:33
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
She wasn't mentioned when we were talking to parents, so I was wondering if she was still in his life...
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:33 The Brain Lair
5:33
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
:)
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:33 The Brain Lair
5:33
Tom O'Donnell: 
Oh, sorry, I got those chats out of order.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:33 Tom O'Donnell
5:33
lisa von drasek: 
or as one of the humans in Space Rocks put it "the talk"
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:33 lisa von drasek
5:33
[Comment From NoraNora: ] 
I've seen, and enjoyed, some of your humor for adults in the New Yorker. Do you approach writing for adult differently?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:33 Nora
5:33
Tom O'Donnell: 
To answer your question, I think Gus's mom passed away.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:33 Tom O'Donnell
5:34
Tom O'Donnell: 
Lame answer: yes and no.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:34 Tom O'Donnell
5:34
Tom O'Donnell: 
On the one hand, certain concepts aren’t relevant to kids. Like, say, whether or not Congress intends to extend unemployment insurance or something like that. You obviously can’t fill a children’s book with what we would call in the South “cuss words”.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:34 Tom O'Donnell
5:34
Tom O'Donnell: 
On the other hand, I believe that if a joke or an idea works for kids it should be strong enough to for adults as well. But when I was writing Space Rocks! I wasn’t trying to write a good story for kids. I was just trying to write a good story, period. I don’t really want to pander to anybody.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:34 Tom O'Donnell
5:35
lisa von drasek: 
hey! that's what I was going to say!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:35 lisa von drasek
5:35
Tom O'Donnell: 
We have mind-melded fearless leader.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:35 Tom O'Donnell
5:36
[Comment From Maryland LibrarianMaryland Librarian: ] 
Do you write full time?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:36 Maryland Librarian
5:36
Tom O'Donnell: 
Usually, I do. Some of it is freelance writing for other places, like the aforementioned New Yorker. Other times it's a little ghostwriting.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:36 Tom O'Donnell
5:37
Tom O'Donnell: 
I also do some graphic design, art and animation for video games.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:37 Tom O'Donnell
5:38
lisa von drasek: 
Animation?? Anything for kids?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:38 lisa von drasek
5:38
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
You mentioned you had done some TV writing. Was that for adult or children's shows?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:38 The Brain Lair
5:38
Tom O'Donnell: 
It was for an adult show, airing on Comedy Central in April.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:38 Tom O'Donnell
5:39
lisa von drasek: 
this would be the one with cuss words we don't use in the south?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:39 lisa von drasek
5:39
Tom O'Donnell: 
Yup! It's a cartoon but very much not for kids :)
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:39 Tom O'Donnell
5:40
lisa von drasek: 
can we follow you on twitter? do you have a webpage?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:40 lisa von drasek
5:40
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
hahaha!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:40 The Brain Lair
5:40
Tom O'Donnell: 
Yes, on Twitter I'm @tomisokay and my website is tomisokay.com.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:40 Tom O'Donnell
5:41
Tom O'Donnell: 
Chorkle has a Twitter account which is @chorklefromgelo
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:41 Tom O'Donnell
5:41
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
Have to head out, but wanted to thank Lisa and Tom for this opportunity. Loved it! And I will make sure all the elementary librarians in my area buy Space Rocks!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:41 Guest
5:41
Tom O'Donnell: 
Thank you, I really appreciate it!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:41 Tom O'Donnell
5:42
lisa von drasek: 
so the chorkle account is safe for teachers to share with kids?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:42 lisa von drasek
5:42
[Comment From Janie PickettJanie Pickett: ] 
I particularly like this new approach to authors and librarians connecting, and the chance to get to know more about the authors our kids will be reading. Thanks so much to Tom and Lisa and Penguin!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:42 Janie Pickett
5:42
[Comment From El TeacherEl Teacher: ] 
Are there any supplementary materials for SPACE ROCKS! that I can use with my students?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:42 El Teacher
5:42
Tom O'Donnell: 
Yes it is.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:42 Tom O'Donnell
5:43
Tom O'Donnell: 
Thank you for participating Janie!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:43 Tom O'Donnell
5:44
lisa von drasek: 
supplementary materials would be things like- a discussion guide, a vocabulary test on alien words... a game to hand out....stickers...

I vote for stickers!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:44 lisa von drasek
5:44
[Comment From Janie PickettJanie Pickett: ] 
thank you! Have a great evening.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:44 Janie Pickett
5:44
Tom O'Donnell: 
Penguin certainly has loads of stickers.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:44 Tom O'Donnell
5:44
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
I love that Chorkle plays Alien Invasion. How did you decide to use that tidbit?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:44 The Brain Lair
5:45
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
We've ordered multiple copies for our library system.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:45 Guest
5:45
Tom O'Donnell: 
Well, I just thought it would be fun to have Chorkle be totally entranced with human culture. That it would really see the magic in junk food and brain-rotting video games. :)
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:45 Tom O'Donnell
5:46
lisa von drasek: 
I do see this story sparking many discussions. I loved how you showed how much we fear the unknown. The emotional meltdown at the council meeting was spectacular
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:46 lisa von drasek
5:46
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
Our community librarian was asking yesterday for fun sci-fi middle grade reads for book clubs this summer. Do you ever do Skype visits with book clubs who've read your book?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:46 Guest
5:46
[Comment From Sara from PenguinSara from Penguin: ] 
We do have stickers!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:46 Sara from Penguin
5:46
Tom O'Donnell: 
I just thought it would be funny to have an alien blasting other aliens within the game and sort of not giving it a second thought.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:46 Tom O'Donnell
5:47
lisa von drasek: 
Sara????author's visits!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:47 lisa von drasek
5:47
Tom O'Donnell: 
I would certainly do a Skype visit. You can contact me on Twitter or email me at thomas.peter.odonnell@gmail.com
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:47 Tom O'Donnell
5:47
[Comment From GuestGuest: ] 
Thanks!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:47 Guest
5:48
lisa von drasek: 
Tom, Do you like to travel? what was the best, coolest, most fun place that you have ever been to?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:48 lisa von drasek
5:48
Tom O'Donnell: 
I'm glad you liked the council scene! I tried to make a big group discussion by "adults" as lively as I could.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:48 Tom O'Donnell
5:49
Tom O'Donnell: 
I studied abroad in France when I was in college. It was an invaluable experience.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:49 Tom O'Donnell
5:49
Tom O'Donnell: 
Learning a foreign language in another country does make you feel a bit like an extra-terrestrial. It renders the most mundane things—like the difference between our McDonalds and their McDonalds—extremely interesting.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:49 Tom O'Donnell
5:50
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Ten minute warning, everyone. Get your final questions in!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:50 Nora - EarlyWord
5:50
lisa von drasek: 
For those who haven't been, it reminded me of ALA council chambers on a particularly fraught meeting. Next time I am just going to imagine them as Xotonians
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:50 lisa von drasek
5:50
lisa von drasek: 
okay, I'll bite- what is the difference between their McDonalds and ours?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:50 lisa von drasek
5:50
Tom O'Donnell: 
Haha! Do ALA members break down into tears or start fistfights?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:50 Tom O'Donnell
5:51
Tom O'Donnell: 
Well, they had a bunch of Asterix-themed meals for one thing. Asterix is like their Mickey Mouse, only more ubiquitous and beloved.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:51 Tom O'Donnell
5:51
lisa von drasek: 
Nora, I'm still active- do you want to answer that one?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:51 lisa von drasek
5:51
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Haha! And pretty much all board meetings!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:51 The Brain Lair
5:52
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I agree about ALA Council meetings involving melt-downs. But, I though Council was its own breed of being. Now I see its universal.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:52 Nora - EarlyWord
5:52
lisa von drasek: 
Tom, Do you have any questions for librarians?
I do- what should is the most important advice you would give to a new children's/YA author?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:52 lisa von drasek
5:52
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
I've been to ones that remind me of the Observers.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:52 The Brain Lair
5:53
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
I was left wondering so much about the parents at the end of Space Rocks. Do they get reunited??????
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:53 The Brain Lair
5:53
Tom O'Donnell: 
Yes, what IS the most important advice you'd give to a new children's/YA author?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:53 Tom O'Donnell
5:53
Tom O'Donnell: 
Hmm. I suppose you'll have to check out the sequel in Fall 2014, Brain Lair.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:53 Tom O'Donnell
5:54
lisa von drasek: 
thats what I like- the sequel in the same year- thanks penguin!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:54 lisa von drasek
5:54
Tom O'Donnell: 
Hooray for sequels!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:54 Tom O'Donnell
5:54
Tom O'Donnell: 
Except the Ghostbusters sequel. Not a fan.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:54 Tom O'Donnell
5:54
lisa von drasek: 
My advice to first-time children's authors -- get out there and have fun with the teachers and kids
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:54 lisa von drasek
5:54
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Gah! But that's in the Fall!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:54 The Brain Lair
5:54
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Be accessible! Things like this chat, Skype, Twitter chats, any way I can connect my students to the person behind the book - ups the book being checked out
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:54 The Brain Lair
5:55
Tom O'Donnell: 
I'll try to do it!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:55 Tom O'Donnell
5:55
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Which means I can buy more copies and continue buying it!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:55 The Brain Lair
5:55
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Tom -- you and I both live in Brooklyn. Are you amazed that it's become SO hip?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:55 Nora - EarlyWord
5:56
Tom O'Donnell: 
Hmm. I've been here for 10 years and it has become even hipper in that time.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:56 Tom O'Donnell
5:56
lisa von drasek: 
... and don't decide after just 4 books to stop. keep going!!! you have a universe to explore
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:56 lisa von drasek
5:56
Tom O'Donnell: 
Across the street it looks like they're opening a hipster pharmacy!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:56 Tom O'Donnell
5:56
[Comment From KimberlyKimberly: ] 
Great advice The Brain Lair!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:56 Kimberly
5:56
Tom O'Donnell: 
Where I can get artisanal small-batch aspirin, I guess?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:56 Tom O'Donnell
5:57
Nora - EarlyWord: 
A "hipster pharmacy"? Sounds like it could be the setting for a book!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:57 Nora - EarlyWord
5:57
Tom O'Donnell: 
I would love to keep going. I'm working on an outline for Book 3 as we speak...
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:57 Tom O'Donnell
5:57
lisa von drasek: 
there is one in Carroll Gardens called Farmacy. artisnal ginger syrup. I import it to Minnesota
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:57 lisa von drasek
5:57
Tom O'Donnell: 
Wow! You are hipper than me Lisa.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:57 Tom O'Donnell
5:58
Nora - EarlyWord: 
As the sky darkens over Brooklyn, it's time for us to wrap up.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:58 Nora - EarlyWord
5:58
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Thanks so much, Tom and Lisa. And thanks to our participants for so many great questions.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:58 Nora - EarlyWord
5:58
Tom O'Donnell: 
Well, thank you both for the chance to do this!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:58 Tom O'Donnell
5:58
Nora - EarlyWord: 
SPACE ROCKS! Is available now.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:58 Nora - EarlyWord
5:58
Nora - EarlyWord
SPACE ROCKS! On Bookshelf
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:58 
5:58
lisa von drasek: 
Goodbye Tom, I have had a really good time getting to know you
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:58 lisa von drasek
5:58
Tom O'Donnell: 
And thanks to all the participants! If I didn't answer anything, find me on Twitter.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:58 Tom O'Donnell
5:58
[Comment From KimberlyKimberly: ] 
Thanks so much! I love meeting authors.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:58 Kimberly
5:59
Nora - EarlyWord: 
This chat will be archived on the Penguin Young Readers page on EarlyWord :

http://penguinyrauthors.earlyword.com
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:59 Nora - EarlyWord
5:59
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
This was awesome! Thank you so much! Putting in an order for two copies. Can't wait to tell the students about our chat!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:59 The Brain Lair
5:59
Nora - EarlyWord: 
If you enjoyed our chat with Tom, tell your colleagues about this program and please come back for next chat!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:59 Nora - EarlyWord
5:59
lisa von drasek: 
when is our next chat nora?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:59 lisa von drasek
5:59
[Comment From KimberlyKimberly: ] 
Will do!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 5:59 Kimberly
6:00
Tom O'Donnell: 
Bye everyone! It's been a lot of fun.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 6:00 Tom O'Donnell
6:00
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
I'll be here!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 6:00 The Brain Lair
6:00
[Comment From KimberlyKimberly: ] 
Bye Tom
Wednesday February 19, 2014 6:00 Kimberly
6:00
Nora - EarlyWord: 
The next title in the Penguin Young Readers program is NIGHTINGALE’S NEST by Nikki Loftin. Chat is March 26.

Sign up to join the program here:

http://penguinyrauthors.earlyword.com
Wednesday February 19, 2014 6:00 Nora - EarlyWord
6:00
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Bye! Thanks for your time, Tom!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 6:00 The Brain Lair
6:00
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Thanks everyone. Over and out!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 6:00 Nora - EarlyWord
6:00
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Do we have to re-sign up each time?
Wednesday February 19, 2014 6:00 The Brain Lair
6:01
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Thanks for that question! This is like a book of the month club...
Wednesday February 19, 2014 6:01 Nora - EarlyWord
6:01
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Once you sign up, you automatically get access to new titles every 5 weeks or so.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 6:01 Nora - EarlyWord
6:01
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
Oh! Awesome!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 6:01 The Brain Lair
6:02
[Comment From The Brain LairThe Brain Lair: ] 
So I am opted in!
Wednesday February 19, 2014 6:02 The Brain Lair
6:02
Nora - EarlyWord: 
A great note to end on. Thanks everyone.
Wednesday February 19, 2014 6:02 Nora - EarlyWord
 
 

ORANGE/Black, Season 2

Wednesday, February 19th, 2014

Orange is the New Black tie-inJust announced, the second season of the Netflix series, Orange is the New Black, which made Piper Kerman’s 2010 memoir (RH/Spiegel & Grau, 2011; tie-in, 2013) a best seller, premieres on June 2.

Actress Taylor Schilling stars as Piper, who was incarcerated for 13 months in the Danbury Federal Prison in Connecticut

Below is the 17-sec. teaser trailer. If it leaves you wanting more, Glamour‘s Web site offers “4 Things You Need to Know About Season Two

Chick Noir

Wednesday, February 19th, 2014

Examining “Why We Can’t Get Enough of Twisted Marriage Thrillers,” in the Daily Beast, regular contributor Lucy Scholes looks at the spate of recent “psychological page-turners that subvert the ‘happily ever after’ formula of classic chic lit.”

9781250018199Following in the footsteps of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, A.S.A Harrison’s The Silent Wife, S. J. Watson’s Before I Go to Sleep, and “the less well known but equally creepy How to Be a Good Wife by Emma Chapman,” (Macmillan/St. Martin’s; Thorndike) are some new titles (Entertainment Weekly also looks at recent titles in the genre this week).

 

Before We Met  You Should Have Known  Season to Taste

Scholes considers Before We Met by Lucie Whitehouse, (Bloomsbury USA), published last month, as “truly formulaic in every sense of the word, but it’s an easy read and will go some way in filling the Gone Girl shaped hole in Flynn fans’ lives,” (it got a B from Entertainment Weekly).

The one Scholes calls a “significantly superior addition to the genre” arrives next month, Jean Hanff Korelitz’s You Should Have Known, (Hachette/GrandCentral; Hachette Audio, March 18), the author’s next novel after the successful Admission (made into a less successful movie starring Tina Fey). Entertainment Weekly also adds their voice to this one, in their list of “14 Reads That Are Worth the Wait” calling it, ‘The thriller we’re already obsessed with.” LJ did not give it similar cred, saying “the suspense is marred by the overwritten prose” but PW calls it an “intriguing and beautiful book.”

Scholes also suggests keeping an eye out for a summer publication, Natalie Young’s Season to Taste, (Hachette/Little, Brown, 7/15). The American edition does not included the U.K. subtitle, … or How to Eat Your Husband, which gives fair warning that it is not “for the faint hearted or the weak stomached…” It hasn’t been reviewed by the prepub sources yet, so libraries we checked have not ordered it.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Trailer

Wednesday, February 19th, 2014

In the late-night talk show competition, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Jimmy Kimmel rolled out “the big guns” against the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon last night by debuting the trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy.

Heeeere it is:

Entertainment Weekly offers a “deep dive” into it with a scene-by-scene analysis (gotta love that gun-totting raccoon; EW warns, “Hipster parents, stare into the eyes of your child’s next Christmas gift.”)

Tie-ins: See our downloadable spreadsheet — Guardians of the Galaxy Tie-ins.  Collections of the original Marvel comics are also in print.