Archive for the ‘EarlyWord’ Category

GalleyChatter: Ten Fall/Winter Titles To Read Now

Thursday, August 21st, 2014

Editor’s Note:  Robin Beerbower is EarlyWord‘s regular “GalleyChatter” columnist. In her day job, Robin is the readers’ advisor and homebound services coordinator for the Salem [OR] Public Library. Enthusiastic about the importance (and fun) of reading books ahead of publication, she tirelessly tracks down galleys, making her an authority on what to read next. She is also very active on the Edelwiss Community Board, using it to spot titles and gauge developing buzz among librarians (you can join in; just register on Edelweiss and “friend” Robin).

Below are her picks of the titles brought up during our most recent GalleyChat. Join us for the next GalleyChat, Tuesday, Sept. 9 (note that this one is one week later than the normal first Tuesday of the month), 4 to 5 p.m., EDT — #ewgc.

If you missed the August chat, or simply found the feed a bit difficult to follow, check here for a list of the titles discussed.

Narrative Nonfiction 

“I want a true book that reads like a good novel.”  I love getting this question from patrons and so am pleased to learn about three new titles from fellow GalleyChatters..

9781594633355_93991   9780062284068_be2da   9780062325143_d2988

A literary true crime with touches of southern gothic, God’ll Cut You Down: The Tangled Tale of a White Supremacist, a Black Hustler, a Murder, and How I Lost a Year in Mississippi, John Safran (Penguin/Riverhead, November) won approval from two chatters.  Bryan Summers (Yuma County Library District) is especially keen on it saying, “The author is now in my I’ll-Read-Anything-By-Him pile.”

For a “great combo of a personal story & the science of attention,” Stephanie Chase of BiblioCommons recommends Matt Richtel’s “powerful” study of a 2006 “texting-while-driving” tragedy, A Deadly Wandering: A Tale of Tragedy and Redemption in the Age of Attention (HarperCollins/Morrow, September).

John Krakauer’s Into the Wild, about Christopher McCandless, who mysteriously disappeared into the Alaskan wilderness, has fascinated readers for years (as well as Sean Penn who adapted it into movie in 2007). In The Wild Truth (HarperOne, October), Carine McCandless gives us the story of her family and why her brother left for the wilderness. It even has a foreword by Krakauer himself. Darien Library’s Jennifer Dayton says, “we are presented a family dynamic so dysfunctional that it makes Chris McCandless’ [aka Alexander Supertramp] decision to walk away from polite society not only a viable solution but the right one.” As of this writing there is no DRC but email the HarperCollins library marketing rep for a print copy.

Book Group Candidates

9780316370134_320fbLeading the pack of  titles that will get reading groups talking is Laird Hunt’s Neverhome (Hachette/ Little Brown; Blackstone Audio; September), which not only won raves from GalleyChatters but has also garnered multiple reviews on Edelweiss. Vicki Nesting (St. Charles Parish Library) says “On its surface this is the story of a woman who dresses as a man and goes off to fight in the Civil War, yet the haunting, poetic writing elevates it beyond that. This is a story you will want to read aloud, to savor.”

9781455551927_e1afeReminding Kaite Stover (Kansas City Public Library) of Stephen King’s The Body (later turned into the movie “Stand By Me”), is Chris Scotton’s The Secret Wisdom of the Earth, (Hachette/Grand Central, January). This story set in the coal mining Appalachian mountains during the 1980s  saying it has the “same strong male relationships and heart-wrenching coming of age elements. “

9781476757445_a9bdcIt’s been a long wait for fans who loved Lois Leveen’s Secrets of Mary Bowser so we are excited that Juliet’s Nurse (S&S/Atria/Bestler) will be released in September. Early readers haven’t been disappointed. The story of Romeo and Juliet told from the perspective of Juliet’s nurse had Salem Public Library’s Ann Scheppke saying “To Leveen’s wonderfully crafted plot, add lovely language and a cast of truly complex characters. A sure bet for fans of Geraldine Brooks.” But please, no spoilers on the ending!

9780307700315_0376fJane Smiley’s A Thousand Acres remains a book group favorite, so there is already great anticipation for her new title, Some Luck (RH/Knopf, October). Jennifer Dayton says this first book in a trilogy featuring generations of an Iowa farm family is easily one of her favorite books of the year. The other two are scheduled to be published in spring and late summer of 2015.

9780525427247_21290If it is set in a bookshop and features Jane Austen, it seems like a sure thing that book groups will want to read it. The literary mystery First Impressions: A Novel of Old Books, Unexpected Love, and Jane Austen, Charlie Lovett (Penguin/Viking, October), is a favorite of Beth Mills (New Rochelle Public Library) who says what she found intriguing was that the imagined relationship for Austen wasn’t romantic, but one that fostered her confidence as writer.

Crime Fiction

9781594633669_dc9b1  9781464203121_d2931

Paula Hawkins’ The Girl on the Train (Penguin/Riverhead; January) had me riveted from the first page and January can’t come soon enough so I can get this in the hands of patrons — or at least on their holds lists.  My colleague Ann Scheppke says this mashup of Gaslight and Rear Window with its cast of control freaks, liars, and philanderers is a compulsively readable debut novel.

For patrons who want a fearless and witty private investigator similar to Sue Grafton’s, I push Betty Webb’s mysteries featuring Scottsdale’s Lena Jones.  I’m delighted to report that her latest, Desert Rage (Poisoned Pen Press, October) is one of the best in the line-up. Collection librarians may want to consider picking up her entire backlist, so patrons can start from the beginning.

Join us Tuesday, September 9 (note the temporary change to the second Tuesday) for our next GalleyChat and please friend me if you want notifications of what I’m anticipating on Edelweiss.

YA (and MG) Galleys To Read Now

Wednesday, July 16th, 2014

9780062310637_2b2aa 9780803734968_8eaeb 9780525425632_48b6d

Yesterday’s YA GalleyChat give us even more reason to tackle our TBR piles (just a few of the covers, above).

We were also introduced to the Librarian Rap by  Kirby Heybourne, the audiobook narrator for Scowler audiobook (RH/BOT), which he performed at ALA’s Odyssey Awards ceremony (we’ve seen people pandering to the crowd, but this takes it to a new level — watch out, John Green):

We also discovered that there is a new trend among library marketers, book jacket nail art:

Holm Nail Art  Fangirl Nail

Left — Books on Tape nail art for the upcoming The Fourteenth Goldfish, Jennifer Holmm (RH Young Readers; RH.Listening Library; 8/26). Right —  Macmillan Library Marketing’s tribute to Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.

The Fourteenth Goldfish was one of the favorites of the book chat, with readers urging other librarians to download it from Netgalley or Edelweiss, calling this middle grade title, “both complex and easy to read.”

9780316236621_f0b65  9780547628400_cfcaf

Another middle grade title getting raves, available as an e-galley, was Kat Yeh’s The Truth About Twinkie Pie.

The star among the YA titles was Mortal Heart, (HMH Young Readers, 11/4/14), the conclusion to Robin LaFevers’ His Fair Assassin trilogy, which is showing “much love” from 35 peers, 22 of them librarian, on Edelweiss. one of the highest ratings we’ve seen, especially for a book that won’t be published for another four months. One librarian said that a teen boy begged her for it on hands and knees yesterday. It’s coming in November, but you can request eGalleys now.

To read about the other titles that were hits with the group, check our downloadable spreadsheet — EarlyWord YA GalleyChat, 7/15/14  — click on the links to check for eGalleys.

Please join us for the next YA GalleyChat on August 19, 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., ET (4:30 for virtual cocktails). More details here.

 

May GalleyChat – A Few (out of many) Good Books

Tuesday, May 27th, 2014

Ed Note: To help you sort through (or add) to your TBR piles, below is GalleyChatter Robin Beerbower’s picks of the titles brought up during our most recent GalleyChat. Join us for the next GalleyChat, Tuesday, June 3rd, 4 to 5 p.m., EDT — #ewgc.

May 6th’s chat was chock-full of so many appealing books we may all need to take a long vacation this summer so we can read! Chatters brought up over 80 books in a variety of genres and since there is no way I can summarize everything, two collections were created on Edelweiss — one for titles with e-galleys, including new titles by Philippa Gregory, David Mitchell, Ann Hood, and Sarah Waters. (remember to log in. Otherwise, you won’t be able to see the download buttons).

List for May 6 GalleyChat with E-Galleys

The other list includes titles which are not available as e-galleys (this is fluid, however, so you may find that some now have download buttons).

List for May 6 GalleyChat without E-Galleys 

Below are a few titles that rose to the top of the GalleyChat pile:

that night

One of my “go-to” books for library patrons who want a thriller is Chevy Stevens’ debut, Still Missing, and her most recent book, That Night (St. Martin’s, June) has been mentioned multiple times over the past few GalleyChats. This is a top-notch psychological thriller that was so relentless I had to stop reading a few times to catch my breath. If you would like an e-galley, Talia (Talia.Sherer@macmillan.com) will hook you up.

Based on the 23 “much love” recommendations on Edelweiss, JoJo Moyes’ quirky love story One Plus One (Penguin/Pamela Dorman, July) is destined to be a summer “must-read.” Arizona librarian and regular GalleyChatter Melissa Samora said Moyes is quickly becoming a favorite author and loves the characters she creates.

How can a reader resist comments such as “I wonder how to describe The Quick without giving away the surprise?” (Marie Andrienne) and the reply “Know exactly whatquick you mean; it is a puzzlement for me as well.” (Lucy Lockley)? So it seems there is nothing else to say about the Victorian thriller The Quick by Lauren Owen (Random House, June) except to add that three librarians said it was a very intriguing and surprising book. It is also included the the just-published New Republic‘s Summer Reading Guide which also alludes to twists and turns and warns, “Read it with the lights on.”

GalleyChat regular Janet Lockhart, Wake County (NC) collection development librarian, brought up The Mockingbird Next Door: Life with Harper Lee by Marja Mills, a memoir that recounts Mills’ friendship with the author of To Kill a Mockingbird. Janet said, “This is a fascinating peek into the life of a notoriously private person, done in a respectful and delicate manner.” Lee is currently in the news for reinstating her lawsuit against her hometown’s museum (and for finally approving the e-book release of To Kill a Mockingbird, which may bring interest in finding out she is “really” like.

I”m out of time but stay tuned for more amazing titles librarians have loved. Please friend me if you would like to keep in the loop of what I’m anticipating on Edelweiss.

Promote LibraryReads!

Friday, January 17th, 2014

Help your readers discover librarians favorite titles for the month. Incorporate LibraryReads marketing materials in your newsletters, on your Web sites and in print, downloadable here.

Marketing Materials

OnLine Chat with Derek Sherman

Wednesday, June 12th, 2013

Live On-Line Chat with Anton DiSclafani

Monday, May 13th, 2013

Live Chat with Scott Hutchins, A WORKING THEORY OF LOVE

Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012
 Live Chat with Scott Hutchins, A WORKING THEORY OF LOVE(08/22/2012) 
3:47
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Hi Everybody. This is Nora Rawlinson of EarlyWord.com. We're getting ready to chat with Scott Hutchins, author of A WORKING THEORY OF LOVE, coming from Penguin Press on Oct 2. Chat begins at 4 p.m.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:47 Nora - EarlyWord
3:52
Nora - EarlyWord: 
While we're waiting to begin, you may be interested in reading Scott’s New York Times piece about a nightmare interview experience.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:52 Nora - EarlyWord
3:52
Nora - EarlyWord: 
More Noir Than Chardonnay By SCOTT HUTCHINS The New York Times
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:52 Nora - EarlyWord
3:54
Nora - EarlyWord: 
To get us in the mood, here's a few of the places where Scott’s book is set:
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:54 Nora - EarlyWord
3:54
Nora - EarlyWord
Dolores Park. Main character Neill's apartment is near here.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:54 
3:54
Nora - EarlyWord
The Rainbow Tunnel; leading to Marin
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:54 
3:55
Nora - EarlyWord
Stinson Beach
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:55 
3:55
Scott H: 
Just want to say I'm here!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:55 Scott H
3:55
Scott H: 
My avatar is weirdly stretched horizontally
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:55 Scott H
3:55
Scott H: 
Looking forward to chatting.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:55 Scott H
3:56
Nora - EarlyWord: 
The stretched avatar makes you look a bit devilsh! We'll get started at 4 -- meantime, more photos!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:56 Nora - EarlyWord
3:57
Nora - EarlyWord
The Bolinas sign -- in a rare moment between being stolen by residents, in an attempt to confuse tourists.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:57 
3:57
Nora - EarlyWord
The Golden Gate Bridge, featured on the cover of Scott's book
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:57 
3:57
Nora - EarlyWord
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:57 
3:59
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Welcome, everyone. I see we have a group gathering. I am going to begin with few questions for Scott and then will open it up to the rest of you. This is moderated discussion, so your questions won’t post immediately (in fact, you can start entering them now if you like, so they are in the queue). I’ll try to keep the flow going and give Scott time to respond to question. Scott, if you are in the middle of a thought, add an ellipsis, so I’ll know to let you continue
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:59 Nora - EarlyWord
3:59
Scott H: 
Sounds good...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:59 Scott H
3:59
Scott H: 
and please forgive typos!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 3:59 Scott H
4:00
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Not only are typos forgiven, they are completely overlooked!

Congrats on getting some great early attention for the book. It’s a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers pick and Publishers Weekly picked it as one of ten most promising debuts for the fall.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:00 Nora - EarlyWord
4:00
Scott H: 
Thanks, Nora. It's been a real surprise and of course a pleasure.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:00 Scott H
4:00
Scott H: 
Also an honor to get to do this chat.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:00 Scott H
4:01
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Let me begin the questions.

In A Working Theory of Love, you have captured the feeling of San Francisco at a particular time. What made you want to write about that time & place?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:01 Nora - EarlyWord
4:01
Scott H: 
The short answer is that's where I live. I live in SF now, and I wanted to capture some of that feeling of what it's like to be here now (and to be male and in one's thirties).
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:01 Scott H
4:02
Nora - EarlyWord: 
In our podcast interview, you mentioned that the age of your character changed as you were working on the book. Why did you settle on 36?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:02 Nora - EarlyWord
4:02
Scott H: 
I thought it was a good age...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:02 Scott H
4:02
Scott H: 
because it made Neill's lostness more serious than it would be if he was only 32...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:02 Scott H
4:03
Scott H: 
but 38 or 40 and we'd be a whole different kettle of fish!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:03 Scott H
4:03
Scott H: 
I wanted him lost but not pathological
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:03 Scott H
4:03
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Neill has a strange job, which he got because of who he is rather than his skills -- describe what he does and why
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:03 Nora - EarlyWord
4:04
Scott H: 
Neill inherited a set of journals from his father--secret journals that his taciturn father had been keeping for many years...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:04 Scott H
4:04
Scott H: 
and Neill ends up working for Henry Livorno, a famous computer scientist, trying to make a computer speak like a human...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:04 Scott H
4:05
Scott H: 
the journals are meant to give the project a kernel around which to wrap itself. In my own research into these...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:05 Scott H
4:05
Scott H: 
talking bots it seemed to me that's what they all lacked--a coherent personality.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:05 Scott H
4:06
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Kind of like Neill?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:06 Nora - EarlyWord
4:06
Scott H: 
Maybe! Does Neill not have a coherent personality!!?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:06 Scott H
4:07
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I thought he did, but you talked about him being lost.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:07 Nora - EarlyWord
4:07
Scott H: 
I mean that existentially
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:07 Scott H
4:08
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Here's an advance question we received from one of our participants:

Who have been your greatest influences, from authors you have actually worked with? I'm asking because this book reminded me so much of the tone of Super Sad True Love Story and then I realized Gary Shteyngart blurbed your book.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:08 Nora - EarlyWord
4:08
Scott H: 
Great question!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:08 Scott H
4:08
Scott H: 
Truth be told, I hadn't read Shteyngart before he blurbed the book, but I've since...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:08 Scott H
4:08
Scott H: 
read SSTLS and loved it. I now refer to Facebook as Global Teens.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:08 Scott H
4:09
Scott H: 
But I've worked with lots of wonderful writers...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:09 Scott H
4:09
Scott H: 
One of my teachers is Charles Baxter and he's on the back of the book as well. I've also worked with Tobias Wolff and Elizabeth Tallent and Peter Ho Davies.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:09 Scott H
4:10
Scott H: 
Really shteyngart's language kind of took over my brain.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:10 Scott H
4:10
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I was fascinated by how you managed to show the computer beginning to gain the ability to sound like Neill's father, which leads to the following advance question:

Have you ever felt that a loved one who has passed away has ever communicated to you through an inanimate object or animal or odd occurrence? I have.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:10 Nora - EarlyWord
4:11
Scott H: 
Well...I can't say yes exactly. My mother died when I was young and I used to dream about her a lot (much less so now)...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:11 Scott H
4:11
Scott H: 
And my grandparents appear in my dreams, too--often angry at me for some reason!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:11 Scott H
4:11
Scott H: 
But as for inanimate objects, less so. That said...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:11 Scott H
4:11
[Comment From Lily Lily : ] 
How old are you? Because in your picture you look quite young - to young to be able to write about so much sadness.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:11 Lily
4:12
Scott H: 
that's certainly one of the driving forces behind the book for me.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:12 Scott H
4:12
Scott H: 
Thanks, Lily. That's very kind -- I'm 38.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:12 Scott H
4:12
Scott H: 
In a different era that would be very old--I've been reading a bio on Dickens.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:12 Scott H
4:13
Scott H: 
He was father to ten by that point!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:13 Scott H
4:13
Nora - EarlyWord: 
We have to note that 38 is just slightly older than Neill. But you seem to have been pretty directed in your career -- not lost like Neill. Where does he come from?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:13 Nora - EarlyWord
4:14
Scott H: 
I was living with a couple of guys for a few years...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:14 Scott H
4:14
Scott H: 
not a ridiculous bachelor pad, but single guys a little past their expiration date (myself included)...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:14 Scott H
4:14
Chris: 
Did you know and were you influenced by another writer with strong literary roots in both Stanford and California; Wallace Stegner?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:14 Chris
4:14
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Love the term "expiration date"!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:14 Nora - EarlyWord
4:14
Scott H: 
and I was just really interested in charting that life, which for most of us is a life almost not to be mentioned--some people don't consider it a real life at all!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:14 Scott H
4:15
Scott H: 
Also, I love Walker Percy.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:15 Scott H
4:15
Scott H: 
I adore Stegner.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:15 Scott H
4:15
Nora - EarlyWord: 
OK, I’m embarrassed to post this poll because it makes the book sound like a romance, but I have to admit that I had a preference
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:15 Nora - EarlyWord
4:15
Which woman did you want to see Neill end up with?
Erin (ex-wife)
 ( 0% )
Rachel (young women he meets in a youth hostel)
 ( 29% )
Jenn (works for a rival company)
 ( 71% )

Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:15 
4:16
Scott H: 
Ha!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:16 Scott H
4:16
Scott H: 
Sounds like I made the case too forcefully!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:16 Scott H
4:16
Scott H: 
No one for Erin?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:16 Scott H
4:17
Nora - EarlyWord: 
TEAM ERIN here!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:17 Nora - EarlyWord
4:17
Scott H: 
Chris-- Stegner's belief that the West was a real place worth writng about has had a huge influence on me.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:17 Scott H
4:17
[Comment From Lily Lily : ] 
About halfway through Neill says "I am an experienced practitioner of the art of falling apart on the inside while appearing catatonic. It's one of my proudest adult skills. Is that just Neill, or a talent of yours? That line resonated with me because it's taken me a long time to develop that talent - I'm quoite old
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:17 Lily
4:18
Scott H: 
I am indeed pretty good at it. Though I try to emote more than Neill.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:18 Scott H
4:19
Scott H: 
But I think the falling apart thing is what you really have to keep to yourself, no?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:19 Scott H
4:19
Nora - EarlyWord: 
it seems like such an American story, but rights to the book have been sold widely -- to publishers in Italy, France, Brazil, Israel, UK, the Netherlands, Germany,

I'm trying to imagine the book in German.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:19 Nora - EarlyWord
4:19
Scott H: 
The title alone is a challenge in German...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:19 Scott H
4:19
Scott H: 
I think it's one word.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:19 Scott H
4:20
Scott H: 
Also, the word "working" doesnt' translate in the right way to many languages...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:20 Scott H
4:20
Scott H: 
They don't have the sense of "provisional"
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:20 Scott H
4:20
Scott H: 
That said, I like foreign lit. I love Machado de Assis, the Brazilian writer.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:20 Scott H
4:20
Scott H: 
for instance
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:20 Scott H
4:21
Nora - EarlyWord: 
How difficult was it to get your first book published?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:21 Nora - EarlyWord
4:21
Scott H: 
Well so difficult it didn't get published!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:21 Scott H
4:21
Scott H: 
This is really my second book, though still my debut novel...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:21 Scott H
4:22
Scott H: 
and it wasn't easy. I had to find an agent who had to find the right publisher...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:22 Scott H
4:22
Scott H: 
but there was some wrangling over it, which was gratifying--and new!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:22 Scott H
4:22
Scott H: 
It's a hard process and as you know in libraries the book business is in a lot of transition.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:22 Scott H
4:23
Scott H: 
A brave new world!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:23 Scott H
4:23
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Did the editor play a role in shaping the book, or is it pretty much what you submitted?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:23 Nora - EarlyWord
4:23
Chris: 
RE: Stegner ---not surprised; your book had such a sense of place! Having lived in and around SF---near Buena Vista, vs. your Dolores, Park I was impressed how spot on you nailed The City at that time. Do you still live there? How has it changed with the FaceBook influence?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:23 Chris
4:23
Scott H: 
No, my editor kept saying "I wish we had this" and I would write it. Between purchase and final draft I added around 100 pages. Terrifying really.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:23 Scott H
4:24
Scott H: 
Thanks, Chris! That was a real goal!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:24 Scott H
4:24
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Wow! That's amazing. How much was cut?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:24 Nora - EarlyWord
4:24
Scott H: 
The FB presence is driving up rents but that's all I've noticed so far. However everyone keeps getting younger--strange, no!?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:24 Scott H
4:24
Scott H: 
Nora: almost none.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:24 Scott H
4:25
Scott H: 
Just a bit here and there. Colin...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:25 Scott H
4:25
[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ] 
Would translations use the word 'developing' in place of 'working' and would that be accurate?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:25 Lucy
4:25
Scott H: 
my editor also edited Alan Hollinghurst and he knows how to make sure a story works in the middle. It was a real gift to have him insisting I make it right.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:25 Scott H
4:26
Scott H: 
Developing might work! The connotations in other tongues are so important...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:26 Scott H
4:26
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Here's a question that was sent in advance --

How plotted-in-advance was this novel, and how much was written in a flow state, where time seems to stop and scenes come more easily? Did you use an object or a photo to concretize the idea of a sentient computer as you wrote, or did you just imagine the "father" being right inside your own computer?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:26 Nora - EarlyWord
4:26
Scott H: 
I was told some ideas for the French but I've forgotten!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:26 Scott H
4:27
Scott H: 
Great qs...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:27 Scott H
4:27
Scott H: 
The book was completely non-plotted in advance...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:27 Scott H
4:27
Scott H: 
I was writing in bits and snatches whenever I had time (I was patching together a living) and I just wrote scenes...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:27 Scott H
4:27
Scott H: 
often out of order...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:27 Scott H
4:28
Scott H: 
as for the computer at first it wasn't even the father...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:28 Scott H
4:28
Scott H: 
but the minor character of Willie Beerbaum...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:28 Scott H
4:28
Scott H: 
it was only after talking to a good friend that I realized that was a dunderheaded move, and I switched to the father.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:28 Scott H
4:28
Scott H: 
And that had heat...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:28 Scott H
4:29
Scott H: 
for me...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:29 Scott H
4:29
Scott H: 
my dad and I have a very good relationship in many ways, but there's always been a level of things-unsaid...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:29 Scott H
4:29
Scott H: 
that I found powered the story.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:29 Scott H
4:29
[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ] 
But wouldn't the computer 'not' being the father at first, fit with the development of the story?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:29 Lucy
4:30
Scott H: 
Yes...except that it was a totally different level of stakes...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:30 Scott H
4:30
[Comment From Susan Susan : ] 
THanks for that response. Surprising, as the father seemed a perfect foil.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:30 Susan
4:30
Nora - EarlyWord: 
HOW did you land on the Turing Prize as a device to explore consciousness and love?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:30 Nora - EarlyWord
4:30
Scott H: 
if Willie is the computer, then who cares about his revelations? But if it's the father, then something primal is afoot.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:30 Scott H
4:31
Scott H: 
Thanks, Susan!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:31 Scott H
4:31
Scott H: 
Nora, the Turing Test fascinates me on the level of big questions about who and what we are...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:31 Scott H
4:31
Scott H: 
I ran across it in reading and thinking about consciousness...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:31 Scott H
4:31
Scott H: 
and Turing, as you may know, also had the dream of reviving a lost loved one...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:31 Scott H
4:32
Nora - EarlyWord
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:32 
4:32
Scott H: 
his best friend died as a child and Turing (who was in love with him) regretted that loss all his days.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:32 Scott H
4:32
Scott H: 
This is Turing's year! Poor fellow.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:32 Scott H
4:32
Nora - EarlyWord: 
How poignant!

Explain how the test works.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:32 Nora - EarlyWord
4:33
Scott H: 
Well, it's based on a bit of mild gender bending....
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:33 Scott H
4:33
Scott H: 
a Victorian parlor game called the Imitation Game....
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:33 Scott H
4:33
Scott H: 
In the Imitation Game a man and a woman retire to separate rooms...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:33 Scott H
4:33
Scott H: 
and the other members of the party pass them notes trying to figure out which is truly the woman...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:33 Scott H
4:34
Scott H: 
Turing replaced the gender test with a human test...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:34 Scott H
4:34
Scott H: 
If a blind test with a computer and a human makes you choose the computer as the human...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:34 Scott H
4:34
Scott H: 
30% of the time then you have to say that computer is intelligent. Turing thought it was only fair!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:34 Scott H
4:35
Scott H: 
He picked 30% out of the air, by the way. That's roughly how often men were able to win the Imitation Game--in his estimation.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:35 Scott H
4:35
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I found this diagram of it online:
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:35 Nora - EarlyWord
4:35
Nora - EarlyWord
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:35 
4:35
Scott H: 
Which I wish I'd put in the book!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:35 Scott H
4:36
Scott H: 
It's oddly hard to explain.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:36 Scott H
4:36
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I love that the Turing Test is an actual contest -- has anyone won?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:36 Nora - EarlyWord
4:36
Scott H: 
It depends...not really...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:36 Scott H
4:36
[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ] 
Your use of that specific Turing quote at the beginning, esp. the last sentence "Finally, we wish to exclude from the machines men born in the usual manner," had me pondering that idea right from the start.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:36 Lucy
4:36
Scott H: 
I actually judged the Test a few years ago...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:36 Scott H
4:37
Scott H: 
and the entries weren't in any way convincing. It turns out that it's very hard to have a computer speak--it requires a personality, a way of seeing the world.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:37 Scott H
4:37
[Comment From Sue D Sue D : ] 
This wasn't an easy book to get into. How would you explain to a potential reader what your book was about and why they should read it?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:37 Sue D
4:37
Scott H: 
Lucy--isn't that a great quote! So wry.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:37 Scott H
4:37
[Comment From Susan Susan : ] 
Actually, it was all very clear in the book. Big ideas but not obscure.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:37 Susan
4:38
Scott H: 
Thanks, Susan!

Sue D, that's a good question, and one I'm particularly bad at--my wife does a much better version but she's in the other room...so here goes...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:38 Scott H
4:39
Scott H: 
This is novel about a man learning to grieve what never was, and in that way coming to terms with himself. His present, his past, and his future.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:39 Scott H
4:39
Scott H: 
What do you think? A little abstract? Also, computers and sex.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:39 Scott H
4:39
Nora - EarlyWord: 
We've got two related questions:

From Lily:

Are you working on another book, does the process of getting published get easier now?

And from Lucy:

Is your first novel (the one that didn't get sold) a total loss or do you still feel you could go back to it? I refuse to give up on my first, which maybe is my fatal downfall.


Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:39 Nora - EarlyWord
4:40
Scott H: 
Lily: Yes, I'm working on another book. Publishing? I have no idea. I don't think any of us can see a year into the future in publishing, but the writing is definitely harder, at least so far. I feel distracted!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:40 Scott H
4:40
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Scott, I think you nailed it with that description -- "This is novel about a man learning to grieve what never was, and in that way coming to terms with himself. His present, his past, and his future."

I think it expecially resonates with anyone who has had a distant relationship with a parent.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:40 Nora - EarlyWord
4:40
Scott H: 
Lucy: I don't know. It's definitely the work of a younger writer. I might have to chalk it up to my apprenticeship.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:40 Scott H
4:41
Scott H: 
Though I do love the characters with all my heart.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:41 Scott H
4:41
Scott H: 
Thanks, Nora.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:41 Scott H
4:41
Scott H: 
Lucy: trust yourself on that choice.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:41 Scott H
4:42
Scott H: 
Though I do think it's good to be able to say--maybe I learned a lot from this, but it's not going to work in the end.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:42 Scott H
4:42
Scott H: 
Honestly, I don't know!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:42 Scott H
4:42
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Oops -- I confused the author of the question about your first novel -- sorry, it came from Susan!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:42 Nora - EarlyWord
4:43
Scott H: 
Sorry--Thanks, Susan!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:43 Scott H
4:43
Nora - EarlyWord: 
So, is the theory of love about love for a parent, or romantic love?

And, why DID Neill end up with Rachel (you can see I have an issue here)
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:43 Nora - EarlyWord
4:44
[Comment From Susan Susan : ] 
WEll, that's the tricky part, isn't it? When it "works" for you and perhaps other readers, but the market says "No way."
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:44 Susan
4:44
Chris: 
"...coming to terms with himself. " is so much more compelling because the comes about entirely through his relationship with his father through the program!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:44 Chris
4:44
[Comment From Susan Susan : ] 
And I loved this so-called second debut novel of yours. Smooth all the way, realistic, thought-provoking, and satisfying.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:44 Susan
4:44
Scott H: 
I think it's about both--but it's true that the theories circle much more around romantic love, which is less explicable than parent/child love...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:44 Scott H
4:45
Scott H: 
Rachel? It was just the right thing--for now--it's a working relationship!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:45 Scott H
4:45
Scott H: 
True, Susan--and thanks for the kind words on the novel!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:45 Scott H
4:45
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Did you resolved any issues in your own life while writing A Working Theory of Love?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:45 Nora - EarlyWord
4:46
Scott H: 
Ah--we almost made it throgh the hour without having to answer this!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:46 Scott H
4:46
Scott H: 
I think so...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:46 Scott H
4:46
Scott H: 
though I'm definitely not Neill and never have been...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:46 Scott H
4:47
Scott H: 
but I was writing the book as a single person, as a person whose relationships had fallen apart and who was trying to envision what Plan B--i.e. life--was going to look like...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:47 Scott H
4:47
Scott H: 
and in this mode I stumbled across the woman I fell in love with and married. So I finished the book a happily married man, but I don't know if I could have started it that way.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:47 Scott H
4:48
[Comment From Susan Susan : ] 
I"m not sure he should have "ended up" with anyone, actually. That was satisfying, in a way, but I doubt he was really ready to settle down.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:48 Susan
4:48
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Can't help but notice your book is dedicated to your wife.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:48 Nora - EarlyWord
4:48
[Comment From Diana Armentor Diana Armentor : ] 
What is your writing routine?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:48 Diana Armentor
4:48
Scott H: 
Indeed. I also don't know if I could have finished it without her--it would have been a different book.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:48 Scott H
4:49
Scott H: 
Susan--you may be right!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:49 Scott H
4:49
Scott H: 
Diana--I'm in search of a routine now...but what's worked best...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:49 Scott H
4:49
Scott H: 
is for me to write every morning except for Sundays...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:49 Scott H
4:49
Scott H: 
when I make sure to dedicate a whole day to life!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:49 Scott H
4:50
[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ] 
I was fascinated by your description of how (in the early part of the book) Neill 'plotted' out his bachelor life and relationships. Are bachelor's really like that?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:50 Lucy
4:50
[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ] 
Or is it just bachelors in SF?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:50 Lucy
4:50
Scott H: 
Lucy--I don't know! I do know that the bachelors I know of a certain age--the successful bachelors, I mean, not the complete wrecks--usually have a high level of routine in their lives.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:50 Scott H
4:51
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Lucy's question makes me think about the Italian edition of the book and how people will react to it there!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:51 Nora - EarlyWord
4:51
Scott H: 
If Neill were Italian...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:51 Scott H
4:51
Scott H: 
he'd be living with his parents!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:51 Scott H
4:51
Scott H: 
Which might be exactly what he needs.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:51 Scott H
4:51
Nora - EarlyWord: 
So true!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:51 Nora - EarlyWord
4:51
Nora - EarlyWord: 
One thing that hasn't come up is your sense of humor, which I loved. It's all about ironic observation.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:51 Nora - EarlyWord
4:52
Scott H: 
Thanks, Nora. I had a great time writing in Neill's voice.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:52 Scott H
4:52
Nora - EarlyWord: 
Can you pinpoint where that sense of humor came from? it's what made me end up liking Neil.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:52 Nora - EarlyWord
4:52
[Comment From Susan Susan : ] 
Are you not naturally ironically self-deprecating?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:52 Susan
4:53
Chris: 
Could 'irony' be programed into drbas?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:53 Chris
4:53
Scott H: 
Neill is a very sharp observer, but it doesn't do him much good--and he knows it. I think the humor arises somewhere in there(?).
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:53 Scott H
4:53
Scott H: 
Susan--maybe!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:53 Scott H
4:53
Scott H: 
Chris--I think irony would be a very hard thing to program...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:53 Scott H
4:54
Scott H: 
especially with Neill deeply unironical father and Livorno and Laham!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:54 Scott H
4:54
Nora - EarlyWord: 
We're coming to the end of the hour. Any last questions or comments from the group?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:54 Nora - EarlyWord
4:54
Scott H: 
A great Turing Test book Galatea 2.2 by Richard Powers...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:54 Scott H
4:54
Scott H: 
plays with that idea a little more than I did!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:54 Scott H
4:55
Scott H: 
I just want to say I'm fascinated that Jenn won the poll. Fascinated!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:55 Scott H
4:55
Nora - EarlyWord: 
In the acknowledgments, you mention a book by Rosalind Picard.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:55 Nora - EarlyWord
4:56
[Comment From Susan Susan : ] 
THanks for the tip. Exploring consciousness in any form is great fun.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:56 Susan
4:56
Scott H: 
Yes, she wrote a book called Affective Computing...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:56 Scott H
4:56
Nora - EarlyWord
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:56 
4:56
Nora - EarlyWord
Rosalind W. Picard - Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at MIT, director and also the founder of the Affective Computing Research Group at the MIT Media Lab, and co-director of the Things That Think Consortium
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:56 
4:56
Scott H: 
she basically invented the whole field, which was a little dangerous for a woman in computer science to do...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:56 Scott H
4:56
Scott H: 
the book is a great read...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:56 Scott H
4:57
Scott H: 
half for the lay-person, half for experts.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:57 Scott H
4:57
Scott H: 
She's a prof at MIT.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:57 Scott H
4:57
Nora - EarlyWord: 
There's tons of images of her on the Web -- I particularly like the one weposted.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:57 Nora - EarlyWord
4:57
Scott H: 
Her argument is that computers are limited in certain ways...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:57 Scott H
4:57
[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ] 
RE: the poll - Women's point of view?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:57 Lucy
4:58
Scott H: 
that they in fact are limited like humans with certain brain injuries...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:58 Scott H
4:58
Scott H: 
that affect the emotion (or regulatory) centers of cognition.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:58 Scott H
4:58
Scott H: 
So true intelligence will only be achieved WITH emotion in computers!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:58 Scott H
4:58
Scott H: 
Lucy--yes!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:58 Scott H
4:59
Scott H: 
Anyway--I highly recommend her book for those interested.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:59 Scott H
4:59
Nora - EarlyWord: 
I am still on TEAM ERIN, I just didn't vote.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 4:59 Nora - EarlyWord
5:00
Scott H: 
I'm glad the spitfire got a vote!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:00 Scott H
5:00
Nora - EarlyWord: 
You teach writing -- for our last question -- any words of wisdom for aspiring writers?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:00 Nora - EarlyWord
5:00
Scott H: 
Goodness...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:00 Scott H
5:00
[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ] 
Does Picard address what might happen if we did have computers with emotions?
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:00 Lucy
5:00
Scott H: 
what I try to emphasize wiht my students is that we are the servants of the work...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:00 Scott H
5:00
Scott H: 
that it's about making the work the best we can...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:00 Scott H
5:01
Scott H: 
and not about the ego being stroked by the process....
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:01 Scott H
5:01
Scott H: 
it's the only way to approach the process (that I know) in the right, concentrated but loose way.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:01 Scott H
5:02
Scott H: 
Lucy--Picard thinks that computers would probably get one emotion--something specific to their jobs...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:02 Scott H
5:02
Scott H: 
they might for instance not get lost in endless searches if endless searches felt "bad"
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:02 Scott H
5:03
Scott H: 
Also, show don't tell!

Just kidding!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:03 Scott H
5:03
Nora - EarlyWord: 
We have to end.

Thanks for joining us today, Scott. We'll be toasting your book when it hits shelves on Oct 2.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:03 Nora - EarlyWord
5:04
[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ] 
I'll have to get a copy of her book to find out more about her and her thoughts on this. Thanks for talking about it during the chat.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:04 Lucy
5:04
Scott H: 
Thanks, Nora, and thanks everyone for your questions. I'm really honored and pleased you read the book.
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:04 Scott H
5:04
[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ] 
Interesting idea - different computers each with a different emotion. Hmmmm...
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:04 Lucy
5:04
[Comment From Lucy Lucy : ] 
THANKS!!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:04 Lucy
5:04
Scott H: 
Thanks to you, too!
Wednesday August 22, 2012 5:04 Scott H
 
 

Today’s AuthorChat Now Archived

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012

The AuthorChat with Jean Zimmerman, author of The Orphanmaster is now archived here.

The Orphanmaster is a historical thriller, set in 17th C Manhattan (then New Amsterdam). It’s rich with historical detail that makes the period come alive, based on Jean’s research (she has written several nonfiction titles, including The Women of the House: How a Colonial She-Merchant Built a Mansion, a Fortune and a Dynasty, Harcourt, 2006).

The Orphanmaster
Jean Zimmerman
Retail Price: $27.95
Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Viking Adult – (2012-06-19)
ISBN / EAN: 0670023647 / 9780670023646

 

Join Our Debut Authors Program

Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

We’re pleased to announce an opportunity for EarlyWord readers to become part of the launch of titles by major debut authors. Working with the Library Marketing team at Penguin (many of you already know Alan Walker and Dominique Jenkins), we’ve begun “First Flights — The Penguin Debut Author Program.”

I am particularly pleased that the first title in the program is The Orphanmaster by Jean Zimmerman (Penguin/Viking, June 16). A work of historical fiction, it appeals to me on several levels. It’s set in an area I’m familiar with, the island of Manhattan, in a time period many of us don’t know much about, when it was part of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam. It features a remarkably free-spirited female character who is even more remarkable for being based on a real person. The details of daily life at the time are fascinating (foot-long oysters!) and rooted in the author’s deep knowledge of 17th C history.

When you join the program, you will get a copy of the advance readers edition of The Orphanmaster and will be invited to join an online conversation with the author and me on April 11.

You will also become part of the “Penguin First Flights” club and will automatically receive notice of each new title in the program. The second title, The Bellwether Revivals, by Benjamin Wood, is a book of psychological suspense, coming June 28.

We all love being the first to know about a book that later becomes a household name. As part of this program, you will not only be among the first to read each book, you will be among the first to get to know the authors. Find out more and sign up here.

YA GalleyChat Kicks Off Today

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

It’s our newest addition — Young Adult GalleyChat. Join us today, from 4 to 5 pm Eastern (pre-chat warmup begins at 3:30). We’ll be looking ahead to books that look promising for the spring and summer. How-to is here.

We expect that many of you grabbed galleys at MidWinter. Below are a few that EarlyWord Kids correspondent, Lisa Von Drasek snapped with her iPad on the show floor:

Below, LBYR’s Zoe Luderitz shows off I Hunt Killers by Lyga Barra (Hachette/LBYR, April 3). There have been books about what it would be like if your child were a killer (Lionel Shriver’s We Need to Talk about Kevin). This one looks at it from the other side, what would it be like if your father were a serial killer.

The debut everyone is talking about as a crossover title, The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker (Random House, June 26):

And, the “Gotta Get Galley of the Show,” Kristin Cashore’s Bitterblue (Penguin/Dial, May 1):

GalleyChatters at Midwinter

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

GalleyChat regulars sported their new GalleyChat buttons at ALA Midwinter. Below in the Macmillan booth,

Standing, from L to R — Talia Sherer, Macmillan Library Marketing, mugging for the camera; Stephanie Chase, Multnomah PL; Ali Fisher, Macmillan Library Marketing.

Seated, Alene Moroni, King County P.L.

Our next GalleyChat is Tues., Feb. 7 at 4 p.m., Eastern, (social networking begins at 3:30).

We’re also debuting a YA GalleyChat on Feb. 14 at 4 p.m., Eastern, with a get-to-know each other session at 3:30. How-to here.

If you join five or more sessions, you are eligible for your very own button.

GalleyChat; Top of the TBR Pile

Thursday, July 28th, 2011

Join us for GalleyChat this coming Tuesday, Aug. 2, from 4 to 5 p.m. (Eastern) when we will be discussing galleys of books coming out in Sept. and beyond.

Below are ten fall titles that rose to the top of participants’ TBR piles during last month’s chat:

The Art of Fielding, Chad Harbach, Little, Brown, 9/7
Hachette Large Print, 9780316204729
Comments — a “masterpiece” and “Baseball and Moby Dick–what a combination! ”

 

 

 

When She Woke, Hillary Jordan, Algonquin, 10/4
Audio, Highbridge, 9781611745702
Comments — “brilliant, disturbing, unexpected turn. Much more than 1984 meets The Scarlet Letter.” –” Made me think of Handmaid’s Tale

 

 

 

Forgotten Waltz, Anne Enright, Norton, 10/3
Thorndike, 9781410443243

Lots of interest, although nobody had read yet.

 

 

 

Lost Memory of Skin, Russell Banks, Ecco, 9/27
HarperLuxe, 9780062088857
This is one I’ve become an evangelist for  and I’m happy to report that those I’ve gotten to read it are glad they did. Some say it’s Banks’ best yet.

 

 

 

The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern, Doubleday, 9/13
RH Audio, 9780307938909
Large Print, Center Point, 9781611732023

We hardly need to say more about this one. As we reported earlier, it  has already been compared to The Help and The Da Vinci Code, in terms of potential popularity (but not at all in terms of plot or style or setting!)

 

The Night Strangers, Christopher Bohjalian, Crown, 10/4
RH audio, 9780307940773
RH Large Print, 9780739378366

Not many in the group have read this yet, but one who did said she “Couldn’t put it down,” causing others to grab their copies

 

 

Rin Tin Tin, Susan Orlean, S&S, 10/4
S&S Audio, 9781442344969; Thorndike, 9781410443441
This one has all the elements of a hit; fascinating historical detail (for instance, the heavy reliance on animals during combat in WWI), show business, triumph over obstacles and, of course, Susan Orlean and the dogs that were Rin Tin Tin through the years.

 

 

The Stranger’s Child, Alan Hollinghurst, Knopf, 10/11
RH Audio, 9780307966582
Comment — “Reminded me of Downton Abbey and Kate Morton.” Just announced as one of the titles on the Booker longlist. If it wins, the timing couldn’t be better; the announcement will come the week after it is published here.

 

 

Those Across the River, Christopher Buehlman, Ace,  9/6
Blackstone Audio
One who picked it up via NetGalley said she “Had nightmares after only reading the 1st quarter of it.”

 

 

Triangles, Ellen Hopkins, Atria/S&S, 9781451626339, 10/18 [No cover art yet]
S&S Audio, 9781442345362
Hopkins’ first book for adults, using the free verse style that is familiar from her YA titles; Comment “it’s riveting… she packs punch!

 

GalleyChat, Special Edition

Monday, February 14th, 2011

On Friday, we tried an experiment with GalleyChat. Our “regular” GalleyChats are free-for-alls, featuring librarians talking about their recent finds. This time, we focused on just two forthcoming titles, which were presented at the HarperCollins Buzz session at Midwinter.

The GallyChat group particularly loved the WWII survival story Lost in Shangri-La. One of the participants, Lesa Holstine, gives it this shorthand Twitter description, “One of the unknown episodes of WWII. Plane crash with military, survivors encounter with tribe & rescue attempts,” (read her review on Lesa’s Book Critiques). Readers said it’s for fans of other survival tales, like Into Thin Air, Unbroken and Endurance (about the Shakleton Expedition).

It was also considered a good teen crossover title, especially for girls interested in WWII, since one of the survivors was a member of the Women’s Army Corps.

The book already has starred reviews by Kirkus and Library Journal and several librarians said that after reading it, they plan to order more for their libraries.

Lost in Shangri-La
Mitchell Zuckoff
Retail Price: $26.99
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Harper – (2011-05-01)
ISBN / EAN: 0061988340 / 9780061988349

Larger Print; HarperLuxe; 9780062065049; $26.99
Audio; Books on Tape; UNABR; 9780307917256; $40

The second book, Family Fang, is the first novel by an author well known for his short stories. This one is a tale of a family of performance artists who create events in shopping malls that result in chaos, as a protest against superficiality. The parents call this art, their two children, who are unwilling participants, call it “making a mess.”

Most admitted that the book was outside their reading comfort zone, but were glad they read it. They found the relationship between the siblings touching and an evolving mystery kept them reading. Jennifer Dayton of Darien (CT) Library summarizes it well,

Family Fang will be a critical success, but it is also that rare breed that is also very readable. I went into it reluctantly and got sucked in immediately.  I found the characters of the siblings to be not only endearing but very real. You just had to feel for those poor kids being born into that wacky insanity. It offers lots of good discussion points (e.g., art vs. real life, what constitutes child abuse), making it book-group-worthy.

Family Fang
Kevin Wilson
Retail Price: $23.99
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Ecco – (2011-08-01)
ISBN / EAN: 0061579033 / 9780061579035

Keep your eyes open; we plan to do more special editions of GalleyChat, focusing on specific titles. Meanwhile, the next GalleyChat, Regular Edition, will be on Tuesday, March 1, 4 to 5 p.m. Eastern.

NPR Book Club with Laura Hillenbrand

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011

NPR announces that they are starting a “a book-club-meets-social-media experiment.”

Via Facebook, Twitter and NPR.org throughout February, readers of Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken can join guided discussions about the book (details at npr.org/bookclub). At the end of the month, there will be a live chat with Hillenbrand.

The NPR site also mentions, that you can “join in to discuss the book in your own community,” which may be an interesting opportunity for library book clubs. More details are promised soon.

Here at EarlyWord, we’re continuing our own experiment in social networking with GalleyChat the first Tuesday of every month. Please join us today, 4 to 5 p.m., Eastern, to find out whichmnew galleys other librarians are reading. Details at earlyword.com/galleychat.

How about you? Are you using social networking for book discussions or other library activities? Tell us what you are doing in the comments section.

Election Day GalleyChat

Monday, November 1st, 2010

Two big commitments are on the agenda for tomorrow — voting and GalleyChat. For information on how to join the latter (begins at 4 pm., EST), link here.

During the last GalleyChat, Harper offered copies of Tom Franklin’s Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter. Over 150 people took advantage of that offer; we’d like to hear how you are enjoying it.

We’re also curious to know if you are taking advantage of Simon & Schuster’s eGalley program (the latest title being offered is the paranormal thriller, Cryer’s Cross by Lisa McMann, coming in February with a 200,000 copy printing).

Cryer’s Cross
Lisa McMann
Retail Price: $16.99
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse – (2011-02-08)
ISBN / EAN: 1416994815 / 9781416994817

Below are some other titles on our radar. We look forward to hearing what’s on your TBR list.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
Laura Hillenbrand
Retail Price: $27.00
Hardcover: 496 pages
Publisher: Random House – (2010-11-16)
ISBN / EAN: 1400064163 / 9781400064168

RH Large Print; 9780375435010
RH Audio; 9780739319697

During our last galley chat, several wondered whether Laura Hillenbran’s new book will have as much appeal as the author’s earlier book Seabiscuit. I’ve read it and believe it will. In that book, Hillenbrand was able to get thousands fascinated by the story of a long-forgotten race horse. Imagine what the same author can do with a WWII hero who survived 47 days in the open ocean only to be captured by the Japanese. The book’s already received universally strong prepub reviews; we’re expecting heavy consumer coverage when it arrives in two weeks.

Looking ahead to the spring,

Left Neglected
Lisa Genova
Retail Price: $25.00
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Gallery – (2011-01-04)
ISBN / EAN: 1439164630 / 9781439164631

Large Print; Thorndike; (ISBN 9781410433824; price $35.99; release date 1/5/2011

After Still Alice, a novel about  early-onset Alzheimer’s, this is the story about a woman afflicted with another brain disease; one that makes the sufferer unable to recognize part of themselves. Booklist has already called it “more accessible than her somber first book,” There is strong inhouse buzz that this will reach a wider audience than Still Alice.

………………..

The Fates Will Find Their Way: A Novel
Hannah Pittard
Retail Price: $22.99
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Ecco – (2011-02-01)
ISBN / EAN: 006199605X / 9780061996054

ARE’s for The Fates Will Find Their Way, a literary debut with strong inhouse buzz were sent in the Oct B&T mailing. Lee Boudraux’s editorial letter asks people to “take a moment” to read it; it’s a refreshingly short book (Boudraux terms it “economical”).

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West of Here
Jonathan Evison
Retail Price: $24.95
Hardcover: 496 pages
Publisher: Algonquin Books – (2011-02-15)
ISBN / EAN: 1565129520 / 9781565129528

Highbridge Audio; 9781615731169

We’ve been hearing about this for months from Michael Rockliff, head of library marketing at Workman/Algonquin and we still have a few months to go before the public gets its hand on it. It’s picking up buzz at the regional bookseller shows, just received a star from LJ and it now has a Web site, complete with a timeline and newspaper clippings from the period the book covers.

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The Weird Sisters
Eleanor Brown
Retail Price: $24.95
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam – (2011-02-17)
ISBN / EAN: 0399157220 / 9780399157226

Penguin Audio; 9780142428948

The sisters’ motto: “There is no problem a library card can’t solve.” From the editor that brought us The Help and The Postmistress, Booklist says that debut novel The Weird Sisters exhibits “no false steps.”