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Live Chat with K. L. Going - PIECES OF WHY

(08/05/2015)

  

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4:02	Nora, EarlyWord:  Our chat will begin in about an hour. Meanwhile, here is a video of K.L. Going: Wednesday August 5, 2015 4:02 Nora, EarlyWord

4:03	Nora, EarlyWordNora, EarlyWord Wednesday August 5, 2015 4:03

4:44	Nora, EarlyWord:  This video being was created by a grad student. Teachers and librarians are welcome to share it with their classes. Wednesday August 5, 2015 4:44 Nora, EarlyWord

4:52	Nora, EarlyWord:  In a few minutes, we will begin our online chat with K.L. going, the author of Pieces of Why, which will be published by Kathy Dawson Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers on Sept 8. Wednesday August 5, 2015 4:52 Nora, EarlyWord

4:53

Nora, EarlyWord:  Here is a quick plot summary: Tia lives with her mom in a high-risk neighborhood in New Orleans and loves singing gospel in the Rainbow Choir with Keisha, her boisterous and assertive best friend. Tia’s dream is to change the world with her voice; and by all accounts, she might be talented enough. But when a fatal carjacking in her neighborhood takes the life of an infant, she finds she can’t sing anymore. From the gossip ignited in her community, she learns the truth about her own father: His life-sentence prison conviction was not just for a robbery, as her mother always told her. The shock of finding out what really happened prompts Tia to start asking the people in her community hard questions—questions everyone has always been too afraid to ask. Wednesday August 5, 2015 4:53 Nora, EarlyWord

4:53	Nora, EarlyWord:  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 by the end of the hour. Wednesday August 5, 2015 4:53 Nora, EarlyWord

4:54	Nora, EarlyWord:  And please don’t worry about typos – we’ll make them too! Wednesday August 5, 2015 4:54 Nora, EarlyWord

4:58	KL Going:  Hello everyone! Wonderful to be here... Wednesday August 5, 2015 4:58 KL Going

4:59

Nora, EarlyWord:  Hi Kelly; Thanks for joining us! Our moderator is Lisa Von Drasek, curator of the Children’s Literature Research Collections at the University of Minnesota, one of the world’s largest collections of children’s literature manuscripts and original. Before that, she was the Children's Librarian of the Bank Street College of Education. She’s also served on many awards committees including the Newbery, the National Book Awards for Young People's Literature and American Library Association's Notable Children's Books Wednesday August 5, 2015 4:59 Nora, EarlyWord

5:00	lisa von drasek:  Hello Everyone! Also Joining us today is JoAnn Jonas. a collection development librarian from New Mexico Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:00 lisa von drasek

5:01	Nora, EarlyWord:  I see others out there -- please say hi. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:01 Nora, EarlyWord

5:02	lisa von drasek:  KL, Lets get started with your new book Pieces of Why. I was struck by the characters first then the circumstances. Can you introduce the major character to us? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:02 lisa von drasek

5:02	[Comment From SoCalSoCal: ]  Hi JoAnn and Lisa! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:02 SoCal

5:02	[Comment From JoshJosh: ]  Hi Kelly! Thanks for doing this! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:02 Josh

5:02	KL Going:  Sure, Lisa... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:02 KL Going

5:02	[Comment From Fran L.Fran L.: ]  Loved the book. Can’t wait to talk about it. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:02 Fran L.

5:02	[Comment From Carolyn PCarolyn P: ]  This is a special treat on a hot summer day. Thanks. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:02 Carolyn P

5:02	JoAnn Jonas:  Hi again everyone! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:02 JoAnn Jonas

5:03	[Comment From Jill W.Jill W.: ]  Hi, K.L. – why do you used initials instead of “Kelly”? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:03 Jill W.

5:03	KL Going:  The main character is Tia, a young gospel singer who is growing up in rough circumstances and must find her solid inner core of strength. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:03 KL Going

5:03	[Comment From Philly LibrarianPhilly Librarian: ]  Been looking forward to this. Thanks for doing it. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:03 Philly Librarian

5:03	[Comment From Pam D.Pam D.: ]  Great to “meet” you, K.L. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:03 Pam D.

5:03	KL Going:  My editor suggested I use KL since Fat Kid has a male narrator... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:03 KL Going

5:03	KL Going:  That was my first novel. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:03 KL Going

5:04	KL Going:  Wonderful to meet you all... thanks for joining! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:04 KL Going

5:04	lisa von drasek:  KL could you say something about Tia's family and friends? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:04 lisa von drasek

5:04	[Comment From Jody P.Jody P.: ]  Looking forward to sharing this with my kids come September. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:04 Jody P.

5:04	KL Going:  Sure, Lisa... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:04 KL Going

5:05	KL Going:  Tia's family is a tough one. Her father is in prison and her mother is basically agoraphobic, although I don't name it as such ... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:05 KL Going

5:05	KL Going:  Her main sources of support are her best friend Keisha and the Rainbow Choir she sings in ... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:05 KL Going

5:06	KL Going:  She also has a love interest in the story ... a boy named Kenny who has a bad stutter. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:06 KL Going

5:06	KL Going:  This book is largely about the power of communication and the difficulties we can all face with that ... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:06 KL Going

5:06	[Comment From JoshJosh: ]  What kinds of questions do you get from kids? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:06 Josh

5:07	KL Going:  Josh, kids are both amazing for my ego and brutally honest ... ha... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:07 KL Going

5:08	KL Going:  I get everything from questions about sequels to existing books, to "you're the best author ever", to why did you write this a certain way. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:08 KL Going

5:08	KL Going:  I also get a lot of questions that are thinly veiled report questions from teachers. Ha. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:08 KL Going

5:08	[Comment From Suzanne (from Tennessee)Suzanne (from Tennessee): ]  I really liked the fact that the Rainbow Choir really is so inclusive. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:08 Suzanne (from Tennessee)

5:09	KL Going:  Thanks, Suzanne... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:09 KL Going

5:09	lisa von drasek:  KL Can you talk about the inspiration for that vehicle? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:09 lisa von drasek

5:09	KL Going:  I was working on a Playlist today and going on YouTube to find amazing children's choirs. There are great ones out there with kids of every race. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:09 KL Going

5:09	JoAnn Jonas:  What vehicle, the choir? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:09 JoAnn Jonas

5:09	KL Going:  Lisa, can you clarify? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:09 KL Going

5:10	lisa von drasek:  The choir as the vehicle for the story telling and trauma of the beginning of the plot Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:10 lisa von drasek

5:10	lisa von drasek:  ignore if not making sense Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:10 lisa von drasek

5:10	[Comment From Jody P.Jody P.: ]  What do you think about the cover? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:10 Jody P.

5:10	KL Going:  I sang in a gospel choir in college. I was one of the only white kids in this particular choir, but it made an impression on me. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:10 KL Going

5:11	KL Going:  Jody, I love the cover ... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:11 KL Going

5:11	KL Going:  It took three tries to get things right and each attempt was very different ... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:11 KL Going

5:11	KL Going:  It's hard to strike the right balance. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:11 KL Going

5:12	lisa von drasek:  Where did you get your ideas for your characters? Especially Kenny and Tia's mom? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:12 lisa von drasek

5:12	KL Going:  Many of my characters come from some version of real life... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:12 KL Going

5:13	KL Going:  Not exact people, but compilations of people I've met. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:13 KL Going

5:13	KL Going:  Kenny is one of my favorite characters because he is a "sleeper" character who comes into his own as the book progresses... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:13 KL Going

5:14	KL Going:  He's easy to underestimate in the beginning but I hope by the end the audience will see his strength... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:14 KL Going

5:14	KL Going:  In many ways the mother's character is the opposite. She's actually very weak and Tia needs to learn to see that and accept her anyway. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:14 KL Going

5:14	JoAnn Jonas:  KL, this question was posted on SmartStream..."Why did you decide on vocal music as the medium of Tia's voice rather than, say, visual or dramatic arts?" Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:14 JoAnn Jonas

5:15	KL Going:  Good question, JoAnn... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:15 KL Going

5:15	KL Going:  The inciting incident in this book - when Tia overhears a gunshot that kills a child - is something that actually happened to me... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:15 KL Going

5:16	KL Going:  I was always struck by the power we give the visual over and above the auditory, and yet when you stop to think about it, sound is such a powerful force in our lives. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:16 KL Going

5:17	KL Going:  Also, I love music, and look to include it as often as I can in my writing. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:17 KL Going

5:17	[Comment From Suzanne (from Tennessee)Suzanne (from Tennessee): ]  I haven't finished the book yet. But I love the character of Tia. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:17 Suzanne (from Tennessee)

5:17

[Comment From Suzanne (from Tennessee)Suzanne (from Tennessee): ]  It is very realistic, the way you have Mary-Kate who wants the spotlight and the adults don't seem to realize she has made Tia feel so awful so that she can take the solo. Things like that happen all the time with kids and adults miss it. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:17 Suzanne (from Tennessee)

5:17	KL Going:  I agree, Suzanne... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:17 KL Going

5:18	KL Going:  The small things that happen in kid's lives are often as meaningful as the bigger ones. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:18 KL Going

5:18	[Comment From Deborah BaldwinDeborah Baldwin: ]  The dialogue about who could and should sing gospel felt authentic. Can you share any text to life connections? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:18 Deborah Baldwin

5:18	KL Going:  Deborah... that's based on my own experience... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:18 KL Going

5:19	KL Going:  As one of the only white people singing in a gospel choir, I was certainly aware of their being some debate about my presence. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:19 KL Going

5:19	[Comment From Jill+W.Jill+W.: ]  Love the comment about small things -- applies to adults as well! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:19 Jill+W.

5:19	KL Going:  There's a great parallel with who should be allowed to write about different races within children's literature... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:19 KL Going

5:20	[Comment From Deborah BaldwinDeborah Baldwin: ]  Mary-Kate and the dynamic with Tia feels authentic. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:20 Deborah Baldwin

5:20	KL Going:  Thank you. That's always a huge compliment. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:20 KL Going

5:20	[Comment From Jill W.Jill W.: ]  Feels like you nailed the atmosphere of New Orleans. Have you ever lived there? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:20 Jill W.

5:21	KL Going:  Jill... yes. I lived there for about three years while doing volunteer service. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:21 KL Going

5:21	lisa von drasek:  Sorry for stepping on your comment... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:21 lisa von drasek

5:21	KL Going:  I taught adult literacy. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:21 KL Going

5:21	KL Going:  This book is actually quite autobiographical. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:21 KL Going

5:21	lisa von drasek:  do you want to finish your thought about writing about differernt races? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:21 lisa von drasek

5:22	lisa von drasek:  More please Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:22 lisa von drasek

5:22	KL Going:  Lisa ... I mostly wanted to draw the parallel... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:22 KL Going

5:23	KL Going:  Among authors and publishers there's a lot of debate about whether it's okay for an author of a certain race to write from the POV of a character of a different race. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:23 KL Going

5:23	KL Going:  I've heard many differing opinions on the topic... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:23 KL Going

5:24	KL Going:  Personally, I've seen many authors do this well, but I feel like I'd have to be very, very confident that I was getting everything right. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:24 KL Going

5:25	lisa von drasek:  Do you have "critical friends" who read your unpublished work with an eye to those issues? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:25 lisa von drasek

5:25	KL Going:  Pieces of Why has many diverse characters, and part of the reason I felt confident about creating such a diverse setting and cast list is because I lived there. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:25 KL Going

5:25	[Comment From Deborah BaldwinDeborah Baldwin: ]  You show how self-doubt can stop us dead in our tracks, without coming off as preachy. I think my readers will be able to find a number of characters and situations to relate to in this book. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:25 Deborah Baldwin

5:26

KL Going:  Lisa, usually, it's one of the ladies in my writer's group reading fragments as I go along who offers critique... I meet with Clara Gillow Clark, author of the Hill Hawk Hattie series (among other wonderful books) and Marileta Robinson, a long time editor with Highlights for Children (and author of the Spot feature!). Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:26 KL Going

5:26	[Comment From Philly LibrarianPhilly Librarian: ]  I’m looking forward to the audio after listening to the clip. Do you find that a lot of kids listen to audiobooks? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:26 Philly Librarian

5:26	KL Going:  That's great, Deborah. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:26 KL Going

5:26	KL Going:  Philly, I'm not sure about the numbers, but I know I LOVE listening to audio books and play them with my son. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:26 KL Going

5:27	KL Going:  I can't wait to listen to Pieces of Why. It's really fun to hear your book performed ... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:27 KL Going

5:27	[Comment From Philly LibrarianPhilly Librarian: ]  FAT KID won a Printz. AND it was your first novel! How did that make you feel? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:27 Philly Librarian

5:27	KL Going:  And the reader will be a New Orleans native! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:27 KL Going

5:27	KL Going:  Great question, Philly... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:27 KL Going

5:28	KL Going:  Humbled? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:28 KL Going

5:28	KL Going:  But also tremendously excited... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:28 KL Going

5:28	Nora, EarlyWord:  We have a clip of the audio: Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:28 Nora, EarlyWord

5:28	Clip from Audio of PIECES OF WHY  Play Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:28

5:28	lisa von drasek:  Can you give me a phonetic pronunciation of Tchoupitoulas Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:28 lisa von drasek

5:28	KL Going:  And completely shocked. I never expected Fat Kid to be more than a niche book with a tiny audience of punk rock kids! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:28 KL Going

5:29	KL Going:  Lisa... it's Chop-i-too-lus. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:29 KL Going

5:29	[Comment From Jill W.Jill W.: ]  I heard that the narrator of the audio of you first book, FAT KID RULES THE WORLD fell in love with it and decided to make it into a movie. True? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:29 Jill W.

5:29	KL Going:  Jill, yes! That's completely true... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:29 KL Going

5:30	KL Going:  Matthew Lillard (Scream, The Descendants) made it into a wonderful movie that won the SXSW audience award. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:30 KL Going

5:30	Nora, EarlyWord:  The audio of PIECES OF WHY is scheduled to come out Sept. 9, the same date as the book -- from Listening Library. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:30 Nora, EarlyWord

5:31	lisa von drasek:  Your bio states you worked in a literary agancy What is a literary agency? What do agents do? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:31 lisa von drasek

5:31	lisa von drasek:  waht did you do? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:31 lisa von drasek

5:31	KL Going:  Here's a pic of me with the cast... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:31 KL Going

5:31	lisa von drasek:  did the experience inform your work writing? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:31 lisa von drasek

5:31	KL Going Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:31

5:32	KL Going:  Great questions, Lisa... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:32 KL Going

5:32

KL Going:  A literary agency/agent represents an author's work to publishers, first in trying to match the right book with the right editor/publishing house, and then after a work is sold, managing an author's career, including contracts, royalties, subrights, etc. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:32 KL Going

5:33	KL Going:  And yes, it definitely informed my writing... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:33 KL Going

5:33	KL Going:  As your brain practices processing what's working or not working in other people's manuscripts, it makes it easier to apply those same critiques to your own work. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:33 KL Going

5:34

[Comment From Philly LibrarianPhilly Librarian: ]  I just wanted to point out to other librarians that Kelly offer lots of Writers Resources on her site. We often get questions about how to get a book published and this is very useful and has the extra credibility that Kelly worked for an agent. http://klgoing.com/writers-... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:34 Philly Librarian

5:34	KL Going:  Would now be a good time to mention that I'm partial to librarians? ... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:34 KL Going

5:34	KL Going:  My mom is a librarian! So I'm biased, but they're my favorite people. :-) Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:34 KL Going

5:35	lisa von drasek:  Did she read aloud to you when you were a kid? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:35 lisa von drasek

5:35	KL Going:  Absolutely... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:35 KL Going

5:35	KL Going:  We read aloud until I was in high school, believe it or not! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:35 KL Going

5:35	KL Going:  I'd read while she ironed. My dad read with us a lot as well... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:35 KL Going

5:36	lisa von drasek:  wha t was one of your favorites and how old were you? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:36 lisa von drasek

5:36	KL Going:  I loved Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series ... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:36 KL Going

5:36	lisa von drasek:  ME Tooo!!!! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:36 lisa von drasek

5:36	KL Going:  I was probably in late elementary school? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:36 KL Going

5:36	[Comment From Suzanne (from Tennessee)Suzanne (from Tennessee): ]  I wanted to marry Will Stanton when I read those books. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:36 Suzanne (from Tennessee)

5:37	KL Going:  Also loved Island of the Blue Dolphins.... and The Hobbitt... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:37 KL Going

5:37	KL Going:  Suzanne, that's too funny! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:37 KL Going

5:37	[Comment From Jody P.Jody P.: ]  What's your favorite piece of writing advice AND your favorite advice about promoting your book once it's published? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:37 Jody P.

5:37	KL Going:  Favorite writing advice... hmmm... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:37 KL Going

5:38	KL Going:  Live a great life. It's your life experiences that will inform your writing, so live large... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:38 KL Going

5:38	KL Going:  As for promotion... worry more about writing a book you love. If you feel passionate about it, that passion will naturally shine through. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:38 KL Going

5:39	lisa von drasek:  Tell us about your writing day... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:39 lisa von drasek

5:39	lisa von drasek:  .... Did you have music on while you were writing? Favorite musicians? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:39 lisa von drasek

5:39	KL Going:  I wish I could play music... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:39 KL Going

5:39	KL Going:  Unfortunately, I need silence to write... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:39 KL Going

5:39	[Comment From Jody P.Jody P.: ]  Thanks; I will take both pieces of advice to heart -- working on living a great life! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:39 Jody P.

5:39	KL Going:  As for my schedule, it varies according to when my son is in school... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:39 KL Going

5:39	[Comment From Deborah BaldwinDeborah Baldwin: ]  Do you have a favorite place you like to write? A particular time of day? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:39 Deborah Baldwin

5:40	KL Going:  Deborah, I love to write in the mornings when everything is fresh... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:40 KL Going

5:40	KL Going:  I write all over the place. My husband works at home too and he says he never knows where he'll find me! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:40 KL Going

5:40	[Comment From Deborah BaldwinDeborah Baldwin: ]  Do you write in journals, on a computer...? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:40 Deborah Baldwin

5:41	KL Going:  I write on the computer... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:41 KL Going

5:41	[Comment From Deborah BaldwinDeborah Baldwin: ]  Is there a specific author that has inspired you? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:41 Deborah Baldwin

5:41	KL Going:  Unless I have writer's block and then I write by hand. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:41 KL Going

5:41	KL Going:  So many writers in all different fields … Virginia Euwer Wolff, Wendy Mass, Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Cynthia Rylant ... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:41 KL Going

5:42	KL Going:  Just to name a few! Oh, and the biggest is Lloyd Alexander... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:42 KL Going

5:42	lisa von drasek:  I LOVE these authors! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:42 lisa von drasek

5:42	KL Going:  I met him before I was published. He invited me and my family to his house and showed us his writing mementos. So amazing. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:42 KL Going

5:42	lisa von drasek:  Wow! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:42 lisa von drasek

5:43	KL Going:  He was exceedingly generous with his time, and set a great example for me. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:43 KL Going

5:43	JoAnn Jonas:  KL, are you going to do a bookstore tour for PIECES OF WHY? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:43 JoAnn Jonas

5:44	KL Going:  He invited us because my sister (who has no shame) found his phone number on-line and called him to say how much she and her kids loved his books. We were complete strangers to him. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:44 KL Going

5:44	KL Going:  JoAnn, no... but I'll do on-line events... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:44 KL Going

5:44	KL Going:  And I'll be at the AASL national conference in Ohio... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:44 KL Going

5:45	JoAnn Jonas:  KL, do you Skype into classes? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:45 JoAnn Jonas

5:45	Nora, EarlyWord:  Here's the link to Kelly's site for visits: http://klgoing.com/visits/ Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:45 Nora, EarlyWord

5:45	KL Going:  Yes. I love Skype! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:45 KL Going

5:46	lisa von drasek:  Okay peanut gallery. time for last questions!!!! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:46 lisa von drasek

5:46	KL Going:  Before we run out of time, I'd like to post my Pieces of Why playlist for anyone who is interested... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:46 KL Going

5:46	lisa von drasek:  YES!!!! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:46 lisa von drasek

5:46	lisa von drasek:  Please!!! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:46 lisa von drasek

5:46	[Comment From Suzanne (from Tennessee)Suzanne (from Tennessee): ]  Chronicles of Prydain was a favorite. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:46 Suzanne (from Tennessee)

5:47

KL Going:  1) When the Saints Go Marching In sung by Louis Armstrong – Classic New Orleans! 2) Come on Children, Let's Sing sung by Mahalia Jackson – Mahalia Jackson is one of Ms. Marion and Tia's favorite singers and this song showcases the spirit of gospel music. 3) His Eye Is On the Sparrow sung by Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston is another one of Tia's favorites; this is an example of a slower gospel song. 4) Banks of the Pontchartrain sung by Nanci Griffith – Tia's mom listens to Nanci Griffith; Lake Ponchartrain is located nearby. 5) Deep River sung by Mahalia Jackson – This is the song that Ms. Marion sings when she gives Tia her lesson. 6) There is Hope sung by Mississippi Children's Choir – This is exactly the kind of song I imagine Tia's choir singing. 7) Burn sung by One Voice Children's Choir – Another example of what I imagine the Rainbow Choir singing; one of the leads reminds me so much of Tia! 8) Heal the World sung by CBS Children's Choir (of Seoul Korea) – Children's voices are so powerful! I love the fact that we can watch and listen to singers from all around the world. 9) Note to God sung by Charice – This is the song Tia imagines singing for the Raven woman. 10) Pyramid by Charice (featuring Iyaz) – This is Keisha and Tia's favorite song that they sing with Kenny at the end. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:47 KL Going

5:47	[Comment From Deborah BaldwinDeborah Baldwin: ]  Do you have any writing mementos you keep to inspire your work? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:47 Deborah Baldwin

5:47	[Comment From Suzanne (from Tennessee)Suzanne (from Tennessee): ]  Nina Simone is one of my favorite singers. It was wonderful to see that she was one of Tia's heroes. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:47 Suzanne (from Tennessee)

5:47	KL Going:  Deborah... indeed I do... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:47 KL Going

5:47	KL Going:  I worked at Curtis Brown, Ltd. when Linda Sue Park won the Newbery... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:47 KL Going

5:48	KL Going:  She gifted me and Ginger Knowlton (her agent and my boss at the time) with pieces of pottery done in the style of the book A Single Shard... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:48 KL Going

5:48	JoAnn Jonas:  I was on that Newbery Committee! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:48 JoAnn Jonas

5:48	KL Going:  I keep one on my writing desk to inspire me. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:48 KL Going

5:48	lisa von drasek:  Celedon!!!!! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:48 lisa von drasek

5:48	KL Going:  Yes! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:48 KL Going

5:49	lisa von drasek:  Ten minutes to go!!!! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:49 lisa von drasek

5:49	[Comment From EvelynEvelyn: ]  Just looking at the play list brings tears to my eyes. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:49 Evelyn

5:49	KL Going:  And to respond to an earlier comment... I love Nina Simone Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:49 KL Going

5:49	[Comment From Deborah BaldwinDeborah Baldwin: ]  I am so jealous! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:49 Deborah Baldwin

5:49	KL Going:  I may have to add a #11 to the playlist... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:49 KL Going

5:49	[Comment From Deborah BaldwinDeborah Baldwin: ]  I read somewhere you're writing some picture books of your own. Are they a part of a series? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:49 Deborah Baldwin

5:49	[Comment From Deborah BaldwinDeborah Baldwin: ]  And the sound follows us long after the event. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:49 Deborah Baldwin

5:49	KL Going:  Deborah, I have five picture books under contract... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:49 KL Going

5:50	KL Going:  The first one comes out next year and is illustrated by Yuyi Morales! And no, they're not a series. All individual titles. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:50 KL Going

5:50	lisa von drasek:  2016? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:50 lisa von drasek

5:50	[Comment From Deborah BaldwinDeborah Baldwin: ]  Do you have a favorite picture book author? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:50 Deborah Baldwin

5:50	KL Going:  That's right, Lisa. Yuyi is illustrating it now! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:50 KL Going

5:51	JoAnn Jonas:  WOW! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:51 JoAnn Jonas

5:51	KL Going:  I love everything Cynthia Rylant does ... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:51 KL Going

5:51	KL Going:  I love When The Relatives Came to Visit... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:51 KL Going

5:51	KL Going:  Sorry if I mangled that title! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:51 KL Going

5:51	lisa von drasek:  Thats the one I love the best! you read my mind Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:51 lisa von drasek

5:52	KL Going:  Lisa, we're definitely on the same page... ha. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:52 KL Going

5:52	lisa von drasek:  I was just saying hey what was the one with the coal miner dad! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:52 lisa von drasek

5:52	[Comment From Deborah BaldwinDeborah Baldwin: ]  Sorry my comments seem to get lost ... and then appear at a much later time and in a weird sequence. :( Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:52 Deborah Baldwin

5:52	lisa von drasek:  yes they do because we try to post them in the topic but there are so many comments we can't post them all!!! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:52 lisa von drasek

5:52	lisa von drasek:  sorry Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:52 lisa von drasek

5:53	[Comment From EvelynEvelyn: ]  Hey, didn't I read that you were a bookseller? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:53 Evelyn

5:53	KL Going:  Evelyn, yes... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:53 KL Going

5:53	KL Going:  I worked for Merritt Bookstore for a long time... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:53 KL Going

5:54	KL Going:  The owner, Scott Myer, just passed away. He was a brilliant, beauftiful, generous man who championed so many authors. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:54 KL Going

5:54	[Comment From Deborah BaldwinDeborah Baldwin: ]  (That makes sense, Lisa. Thanks for letting me know. ) Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:54 Deborah Baldwin

5:54	lisa von drasek:  You have a six year old at home. What books do you share with him? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:54 lisa von drasek

5:54	KL Going:  We're currently reading The Magic Treehouse series ... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:54 KL Going

5:55	KL Going:  Before that we read the Little House series and Charlotte's Web. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:55 KL Going

5:55	KL Going:  And lots and lots of superhero books! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:55 KL Going

5:55	[Comment From Carolyn PCarolyn P: ]  What’s your favorite piece of writing advice? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:55 Carolyn P

5:55	lisa von drasek:  You have started to enter the world of picture books- how is that different from novels? Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:55 lisa von drasek

5:56

KL Going:  Carolyn, if you want to write a book... Go for it. Write a complete draft as fast as possible. Put the manuscript away for as long as possible. Go back and edit as much as possible. Repeat as often as possible. As you do this, remind yourself that anything is possible. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:56 KL Going

5:56

KL Going:  It's very different … picture books are a unique art form. Imagine writing something as sparse as poetry that must fit into a 32 page format, with room for diverse illustrations and page turns, and it must simultaneously appeal to a 3 year old and a 30 year old. It's far more difficult to write a good picture book than people imagine … but I love the challenge, and since my son is young, it's a world I'm immersed in, so I've been writing a lot of them. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:56 KL Going

5:57	lisa von drasek:  It's time to say good-bye and thankyou. KL tell people where they can send you any questions that didn't get answered. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:57 lisa von drasek

5:57	KL Going:  I'd love to hear from you... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:57 KL Going

5:57	KL Going:  Send them to kl@klgoing.com... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:57 KL Going

5:58	[Comment From Deborah BaldwinDeborah Baldwin: ]  Thank you! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:58 Deborah Baldwin

5:58	KL Going:  If you put Early Word in the subject line it will help me find yours in the midst of the spam! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:58 KL Going

5:58	KL Going:  Thank you so much for having me... Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:58 KL Going

5:58	JoAnn Jonas:  Thanks everyone! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:58 JoAnn Jonas

5:58	Nora, EarlyWord:  Thanks, Kelly for alll your insights. It's been a lot of fun. Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:58 Nora, EarlyWord

5:58	lisa von drasek:  KL Thank you so much. The time just flew! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:58 lisa von drasek

5:59	KL Going:  I agree! Wednesday August 5, 2015 5:59 KL Going

6:00

Nora, EarlyWord:  The next book in our series is The Wild Ones C. Alexander London When a country raccoon used to a soft life winds up all alone in the big city, there’s no telling what he’ll do to survive—and to save his fellow wild animals in the process. Redwall meets Gangs of New York in this action-adventure animal fantasy. Sign up for the program here. Wednesday August 5, 2015 6:00 Nora, EarlyWord

6:00	JoAnn Jonas:  Goodbye all! Wednesday August 5, 2015 6:00 JoAnn Jonas

 

 

“The smart summer thriller you’ve been waiting for. The black and harmful little book you want in your carry-on. The novel you should be reading tonight.” WOW — that’s what NPR’s Jason Sheehan says of Christopher Yates debut novel Black Chalk (Macmillan/Picador; OverDrive Sample).

In a review any writer would kill for, Sheehan reports that Yates “writes like he has 30 books behind him; like he’s been doing this so long that lit games and deviltry come to him as natural as breathing… I don’t want to say a word. And not because I don’t love the book (I do, deeply and weirdly), but because I want you to go into it cold, knowing nothing and expecting nothing, like I did. I want you to suck it down in one breath, like a lungful of dark water. For it to hit you the same way it did me: like a sucker punch delivered slowly and with exquisite precision.”

It’s also an IndieNext pick:

In Black Chalk, Yates has taken the traditional novel and tweaked it to create something very special. In Thatcher-era England, six first-year Oxford University students have come together as friends. As they get to know each other, an idea forms and quickly gains traction: they should play a ‘game,’ with the loser facing a consequence. All six agree, and the dares begin as innocuous fun. As time goes on, however, something shifts within the group and the stakes become much higher — even deadly. Fourteen years later, the remaining players meet in New York City to finish the ‘game,’ but what has transpired for them in the interim? And is winning worth the price? A gripping, sinister, and suspenseful read.”—Peggy Elefteriades, R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison, CT.

Jamie Lubin of The Huffington Post gets in on the game too, saying the novel “reminds me of a Hitchcock film: multiple twists and reveals, the suspenseful IV drip of information Yates doles out to the reader with a master hand, the shadowy yet intense secrets locked inside the characters while they struggle to maintain composure, the ominous atmospheres of Oxford and New York — so seemingly opposite but equally threatening.”

Debut novels can sometimes slip out of mind. The next time a reader asks for a twisty clever thriller and has exhausted the usual suspects, try to remember Black Chalk.

On NPR’s Fresh Air yesterday, Susan Casey talks about  her new book Voices in the Ocean: A Journey into the Wild and Haunting World of Dolphins (RH/Doubleday; RH and BOT Audio; OverDrive Sample), sending the book charging up the Amazon rankings.

In a fascinating and lengthy interview Casey details sections from her book including stories about dolphin researchers investigating language acquisition, her own unexpected swim with a pod of spinners, the astounding attributes of dolphins, and the threats facing them today.

In the following clip from the audio narrated by Cassandra Campbell, Casey explains what draws her to scuba diving, even when there is a threat of sharks.

Casey, an experienced ocean adventure writer, has also published the bestselling books The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean and The Devil’s Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America’s Great White Sharks.

Holds are steady on fairly light ordering.

Never Enough: Donald Trump and the Pursuit of Success by Michael D’Antonio (Macmillan/Thomas Dunne; Oct. 6) will be in the hands of readers sooner than first planned.

Originally scheduled for release in January, it will now be issued in early October in response to “high demand and heightened interest in Republican Presidential candidate Trump,” reports Entertainment Weekly. The LA Times adds that the biography will feature information gathered from interviews with Trump’s children and his ex-wives.

An update of Trump’s own 2011 book, Time to Get Tough: Making America Great Again (Regnery Publishing) is set for publication on Aug. 31. The burst on the cover, “Updated for 2016” indicates this may be his campaign book (the original, published in 2011, came out before the 2012 elections. He had hinted he would run then but ended up dropping out).

Neither book, however, will be available before the first Republican debates, scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, August 6 at 9 p.m EST.

Trump has published many books. Carlos Lozada, nonfiction book critic of The Washington Post, binge-read all eight of them and reports he “encountered a world where bragging is breathing and insulting is talking, where repetition and contradiction come standard, where vengefulness and insecurity erupt at random.” He doubts Trump would be satisfied if he actually became President, quoting him on what makes him happy, “The same assets that excite me in the chase, often, once they are acquired, leave me bored … For me, you see, the important thing is the getting, not the having.”

Get ready for a full-on marketing campaign for the movie adaptation of Andy Weir’s debut sci-fi novel, The Martian (RH/Crown). Following the first trailer, released last month, comes a clip that cleverly introduces the characters.

The movie which debuts on Oct. 2, is directed by Ridley Scott and stars Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Michael Peña, Aksel Hennie, Sebastian Stan and Kate Mara.

The Martian (Mass Market MTI)
Andy Weir
RH/Broadway; October 13, 2015
Mass Market; $9.99 USD, $12.99 CAD
9781101905005, 110190500X

First came the controversy over the violence in UFC fighter Ronda Rousey’s autobiography My Fight/Your Fight (S&S/Regan Arts;  OverDrive Sample), which is sitting pretty at #16 on Amazon.

Now comes news that Paramount Pictures has bought the rights to the book and will cast Rousey in the starring role – playing herself. According to Variety Mark Bomback, who adapted Insurgent for the screen, will work on the script and serve as executive producer. Mary Parent (one of the people behind Noah and Godzilla) will produce along with Rousey. A start date has yet to be determined.

It will not be Rousey’s first role. She has been in The Expendables 3, Furious 7, and Entourage and is set to appear in Mile 22 alongside Mark Wahlberg.

Looking for a new suspense author to suggest? Take a look at Mary Kubica who appears on the verge of a breakout.

Following her debut The Good Girl, which was very positively received, her second novel Pretty Baby (Harlequin/MIRA; Blackstone Audio; OverDrive Sample) proves she is a name to know.

The L.A. Times recently gave it a strong review saying “It is rare that a novel of what has come to be called domestic suspense is thrilling and illuminating, but Pretty Baby manages to be both without overtly showing the hard work that has gone into striking the right balance. In doing so, it raises the ante on the genre and announces the welcome second coming of a talent well worth watching.”

New York magazine lists it as one of “8 Books You Need Read This July” and the reviewer for the web site Smart Bitches Trashy Books gave it an A, saying “Pretty Baby is Kubica’s second book, and her sophomore novel is even better than its predecessor, The Good Girl. That’s saying a lot because I loved The Good Girl like whoa.”  NPR also gives it a big thumbs up.

A People pick, we highlighted it in our Titles to Know for the week.

In the on-going battle between the big screen and the small screen, Netflix made a splash by buying the rights to a major new movie, directed by Cary Fugunaka and starring Idris Elba. Beasts of No Nation. It is based on the 2005 novel by  Uzodinma Iweala about child soldiers in West Africa.

There’s one problem. To be eligible for Oscar consideration, the movie has to open in theaters. While many theaters refuse to book movies that will be released simultaneously on cable, Netflix has managed to make a deal with Landmark Theatres to premier the movie in 19 cities on the same day it begins streaming on Netflix, October 16.

The first trailer was just released:

Tie-in:

Beasts of No Nation Movie Tie-in 
Uzodinma Iweala
Harper Perennial: September 29, 2015,

The author won New York Public Library’s 2006 Young Lions Fiction Award. The book won  praise from a wide range of publications, including the NYT Book Review

Director Fugunaka was scheduled to direct Stephen King’s It, but dropped out weeks before production. Next up for him is a TV adaptation of Caleb Carr’s The Alienist for TNT. The author recently joined as producer.

Britain’s Carnival Films, the production company behind hits such as Downton Abbey and Agatha Christie’s Poirot is gearing up for a second season of Grantchester, to air on PBS Masterpiece in 2016, according to Deadline Hollywood.

Based on the short stories by James Runcie, the first season drew from the collection Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death (Bloomsbury; Movie-tie in ed.; OverDrive Sample). The new season appears to be based on Sidney Chambers and the Perils of the Night (Macmillan/Bloomsbury; OverDrive Sample; the publisher tells EarlyWord that a movie tie-in is likely, but has not yet been announced).

If you missed the first season, Grantchester features a dishy village vicar who solves crimes around his tiny hamlet outside of Cambridge, England and ventures further afield as well. Full of jazz music, anguished flashbacks to WWII, and frustrated romance, the sprightly paced 1950s set whodunits showcase well-drawn characters, a fabulous setting, and a not quite cozy tone.

Reviews were generally positive on both sides of the ocean when season one debuted. The Telegraph wrote “Stop it, I’m hooked. Sign me up. I’ll give you my cat and house to see what happens next.”

The LA Times called the show “guilelessly entertaining” and said that while it “lulls more than it grabs [like a] good sermon, you may think you’re only barely listening until you realize you’re fully immersed.”

The New York Times had a different view, however, claiming that Grantchester will be “breezy fun for fans of the form, though the more discerning will be put off by how rudimentary the actual murder mysteries are after being squeezed into 50 minutes (half the norm for this type of show). Others are liable to find it faintly ridiculous, more of a haiku than an actual drama.”

The show created demand for the book and holds spiked at some locations beyond a 3:1 ratio.

YouTube star Miranda Sing debuts at #1 on the NYT Advice, How-To, & Miscellaneous bestseller list with her first book, Selp-Helf (S&S/Gallery Books; OverDrive Sample).

It is #6 on the USA Today list, an even more impressive feat since that list does not divide titles by category, putting the social media author right behind:
1) Go Set a Watchman, 2) Grey,
3) Paper Towns, 4) To Kill a Mockingbird, and 5) Girl on the Train.

The NYT Sunday Book Review covers the book (actually, it’s more like a printed scrap book) in their “Inside the List” column, saying “YouTube star Miranda Sings — real name Colleen Ballinger — has become a comic sensation by milking the disconnect between her supreme confidence and her hopeless lack of ability in pretty much any human endeavor: can’t sing, can’t dance, can’t apply lipstick inside the lines. Now she’s taken that endearing incompetence into the book world with a parody advice guide.”

Sings is just one of the social media personalities charging into the old media world of books. As we reported earlier, there are dozens of others getting attention (see our collection of 17 new and forthcoming titles).

The book may have been propelled by the author’s appearance at VidCon which just wrapped and is shining old media attention on new media disruption. Founded by VlogBrothers John and Hank Green in 2010, it has grown exponentially.

In his lengthy report on the convention, Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair writes that “I have been to the high temple of digital video and I have seen its awesome, occasionally terrifying might. The revolution is not coming. It’s here.”

New York magazine signals their unease with the headline, “An Old Person’s Remote Recap of VidCon 2015.”

Alan Cheuse, author of Prayers for the Living and NPR’s All Things Considered book reviewer, has died at age 75, from injuries resulting from a car accident.

A creative writing teacher, a working writer, and a beloved voice on the radio, Cheuse inspired a deep appreciation of good writing and rich reading. His daughter, Sonya Cheuse, director of publicity for the publisher Ecco, told NPR that her father passed his love of literature down to her entire family: “My dad is the reason I love reading,” she says. “This is the family business.”

Susan Stamberg of All Things Considered has posted a remembrance.

It may be hard to believe, but next week we head into the fall publishing season. It will be a while before we begin to see multiple marquee name authors dominate . The only one this week is James Patterson with Alert, co-authored by Michael Ledwidge (Hachette/Little, Brown).

But we do have a cornucopia of peer recommendations, eleven titles from Indie Next alone. We’ve highlighted the ones getting the most buzz below and have included them all in this collection.

The titles covered here, and several more notable titles arriving next week, are listed with ordering information and alternate formats, on our downloadable spreadsheet EarlyWord New Title Radar Week of 8/3/15

Advance Attention

The Man Who Wasn’t There: Investigations into the Strange New Science of the Self, Anil Ananthaswamy, (Penguin/Dutton)

isn’t the only way the brain can go wrong. In this book Ananthaswamy examines the many ways the brain can go wrong, including Alzheimer’s  and body integrity identity disorder, or BIID, a which can make a person turn on his own body. .On Fresh Air, 7/28, Ananthaswamy tells Terry Gross the story of a man who had his healthy leg amputates because he had become convinced it wasn’t his own. The book is reviewed in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, which calls it “a blazingly original excursion through the brain.”

Consumer Media Picks

Villa America, Liza Klaussmann, (Hachette/Little, Brown)

People “Pick of the Week,” 8/10/15 — “In the fictionalized look at 1920s socialites Sara and Gerald Murphy — real life inspirations for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender Is The Night — party central is the Cote d’Azur and the players include novelists, painters and a stoic WW1 pilot Fitzgerald fans may go mad trying to separate truth from fantasy, but Klaussmann’s portrait of a marriage that endured many temptations (including Hemingway!) is intriguing and tender to the bone.”

Trust No One: A Thriller, Paul Cleave, (S&S/Atria)

People pick, 8/10/15 –“Jerry Grey, a thriller writer with early-onset Alzheimer’s, confesses a horrific murder to the police. Or is his jumbled mind just reciting the plot of his first bestseller? And why are cops convinced he really HAS killed someone — a crime he can’t remember? Cleave’s whirligig plot mesmerizes as Jerry fights his decline and tries to put together the pieces.?

Peer Picks

The Marriage of Opposites, Alice Hoffman

Indie Next:
“Hoffman’s newest novel is based on the life of Rachel Pomie Petit Pissarro and her favorite son, Camille, who would become the famed ‘Father of impressionism.’ Growing up in a Jewish refugee community on tropical St. Thomas in the 1800s, strong-willed Rachel dreams of the cool, rainy streets of Paris. Raised by a stern mother and a kind-hearted father, Rachel is forced to marry a widower to save her family’s business and later follows forbidden passions, creating a scandal that turns her community against her. Hoffman fills the pages with the island’s magic and color in this unforgettable tale of what it means to walk the tightrope between tradition and independence, love and logic.” —Julia Sinn, Bookshop Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA

LibraryReads:
“Exquisite… Alice Hoffman’s finest work to date. The Marriage of Opposites is a beautiful love story of a man and woman and a mother and child intricately woven together to capture the author’s true message: Love more, not less.” — Marianne Colton, Lockport Public Library, Lockport, NY

Alice Hoffman talks about the inspiration for the book in the following video:

In a Dark, Dark Wood, Ruth Ware, (S&S/Gallery/Scout Press)

LibraryReads:
“Leonora Shaw is a crime writer who lives a solitary life in London until she receives an invitation to a hen party for a friend she hasn’t seen in nearly ten years. The party takes place in a remote location with spotty phone service. Are you nervous yet? We know from the opening pages that something horrible happens, but just what, and to whom, how, and why will keep readers guessing — and flipping the pages. Recommended for fans of The Girl on the Train.” Vicki Nesting, St. Charles Parish Library, Destrehan, LA

Entertainment Weekly:
“… you’ll find it almost impossible to put this twisting, electrifying debut down … it’s foggy atmosphere and shilling revelations will leave you breathless.” A-

Lord of the Wings: A Meg Langslow Mystery, Donna Andrewsm, (Macmillan/Minotaur)

LibraryReads:
“It’s Halloween in Caerphilly and the town has come up with another festival to bring in the tourists. Meg Langslow is heading up the “Goblin Patrol”, there’s trouble at the Haunted House, and body parts are being found at the zoo. Meg is once again called in to save the day and solve the crime. If you enjoy your mysteries packed with humor and fun, don’t miss this return to Caerphilly with Meg and her zany family and friends.” — Karen Emery, Johnson County Public Library, Franklin, IN

Fishbowl : A Novel, Bradley Somer, (Macmillan/St. Martin’s)

Indie Next:
“Somer uses the unusual device of a goldfish plunging off of a high-rise balcony to tie together the disparate stories of the building’s inhabitants. As our hero, Ian, plummets past floor after floor, he glimpses the lives of the residents — witnessing birth, heartbreak, new love, and all of the pathos and wonder that comprise human existence. Although Ian has only a goldfish’s seconds-long capacity for memory, readers will find themselves returning to the essential truths of Somer’s characters again and again.” —Jill Miner, Saturn Booksellers, Gaylord, MI

The U.K. book trailer is our pick of the week:

Tie-ins

Black Mass: Whitey Bulger, the FBI, and a Devil’s Deal, Dick Lehr, Gerard O’Neill, (PublicAffairs)

Boston crime boss beginning in the early 1970s,, Whitey Bulger wasn’t found guilty of his multiple murders and other crimes until 2013, a verdict greeted by the Hollywood press as providing a convenient ending for the biopic.

Published last year, Whitey Bulger: America’s Most Wanted Gangster and the Manhunt That Brought Him to Justice by Kevin Cullen and Shelley Murphy (Norton, 2/11/13) was featured on NPR’s Fresh Air and described as not only a fascinating story, but “just a great read.”

He was called “Whitey” for his balding white blonde hair, which meant that Johnny Depp had to change his look for the role.

The movie opens 9/18/2015 (for our full list of upcoming adaptations, see our Books to Movies and TV and our listing of tie-ins).

A new trailer was released this week.

The Scorch Trials Movie Tie-in Edition (Maze Runner, Book Two), James Dashner, (RH/Delacorte hardcover; Trade Paperback)

The second movie in the series opens 9/18/15. A third movie, The Death Cure, 2/17/17. For once, it looks like the finale of a series will not be split into two movies.

The second trailer was released last week:

Following the success of Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper, Hollywood is mad for military movies based on books. Underscoring that, a film based on 13 Hours: The Inside Account Of What Really Happened In Benghazi by Mitchell Zuckoff (Hachette/Twelve,2014) opens on January 15, 2016, the same weekend that its predecessor opened last year.

Retitled 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, it is directed by Michael Bay and stars John Krasinski and James Badge Dale,

The release of the trailer was enough to send the book moving up Amazon’s sales rankings (currently at #88).

Tie-ins:

13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened In Benghazi
MItchell Zuckoff
Hachette/Twelve: November 24, 2015
Trade Paperback
Mass market

Those who have read Emma Donoghue’s claustrophobic best seller, Room  (Hachette/Little,Brown) may have trouble imaging a movie version. Director Lenny Abrahamson took it on, with Brie Larson starring. Just released is a teaser trailer that Entertainment Weekly calls “chilling,” Wired calls “heart-crushing” and E says may be “the year’s creepiest.”

Starring Brie Larson (recently seen in a quite different movie, Trainwreck Amy Schumer), it opens 10/16/15

Tie-ins:

Room : A Novel
Emma Donoghue
Trade Pbk.
Hachette/Back Bay: September 8, 2015
Mass Market
Audio CD

The movie adaptation of David Lipsky’s Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip With David Foster Wallace, (RH/Broadway Books, 2010), titled The End of the Tour,  opens tomorrow.

The book and the movie are based on interviews with the normallly press-averse David Foster Wallace (Jason Segal in the movie) by Rolling Stone journalist Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) conducted when Wallace toured for his novel Infinite Jest. (Hachette/Little, Brown, 1996).

As a result, Wallace’s book, not Lipsky’s, is rising on Amazon sales rankings.