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National Book Award winners
November 19th, 2009
Palin pushing book
November 18th, 2009
Sarah Palin will be at Legacy Books in Plano Friday, Dec. 4, to sign copies of “Going Rogue: An American Life,” which was released Tuesday. Tickets to the event went on sale Tuesday, and they are $28.99, the suggested retail price of the book, plus tax. Each ticket can be exchanged for a single book at the store event Dec. 4.
Palin is only signing copies of “Going Rogue” purchased at Legacy Books. She is not speaking, will not be posing for photographs and due to the number of people expected, can’t personalize books. She is not signing memorabilia, photos or other items.
For information, visit the store’s Web site at www.legacybooksonline.com. Legacy Books is located in The Shops at Legacy North, 7300 Dallas Parkway at Legacy Drive, Plano, TX, 75024. The store’s phone number is (972) 398-9888.
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The Associated Press story, “FACT CHECK: Palin’s book goes rogue on some facts,” by Calvin Woodward is interesting. I know that’s vague, but you really just need to check it out for yourself. It’s too bad a “fact check” article isn’t written about more books.
Twilight confession
November 16th, 2009
Many of you may be disappointed in me, even mad. But I decided it’s better to be honest from the beginning instead of building our blogger/reader relationship on falsehoods.
So here goes … deep breath … I don’t like the Twilight saga.
In fact, I haven’t even finished the series. I have read “Twilight” and “New Moon.” But I stopped there. My copy of “New Moon” had a preview of “Eclipse” in the back and as I read it, I thought – I just don’t have another one in me.
I finished “New Moon” while on a family vacation this summer, and my husband, who was driving, and most likely extremely bored, started asking questions about the book. “So what’s going on in ‘New Moon’?” Hmm … let’s see … oh, wait … “nothing, absolutely nothing.” Of course, that was before the Volturi drama, which I liked. As far as I’m concerned, “New Moon” could have cut straight to Italy, skipping the first few hundred pages. I have heard from others this is the most difficult book to get through.
Maybe it would be more accurate to say I don’t like large chunks of the Twilight series. Because there are segments that were immensely enjoyable, and then there were segments filled with an overwhelming amount of growling and hissing and not much else.
And, as long as I’m being honest, I choose Jacob over Edward. C’mon, Bella. Quit leading him on. (That revelation may have generated a whole new wave of hate mail.)
I can sense your shock and disbelief, but I hope this won’t ruin our relationship. All of that said, I do admire Stephenie Meyer and am happy for her success. (More on that tomorrow.)
But tell me, why should I continue? I haven’t seen the movie “Twilight,” and “Eclipse” sits untouched on my bookshelf. So give me a good reason. Give me a good reason to read “Eclipse” – and I will.
New Moon – Behind the scenes
November 13th, 2009The Twilight Saga: New Moon opens a week from today! I know many theaters are hosting midnight shows and avid fans are pre-purchasing tickets. Here’s a link to some cool, behind-the-scenes footage. It’s not nearly as fun as watching it right here, but I couldn’t embed it. Go watch it anyway … and come back here to tell me what you think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoXUY7XGVSU
Check back with Shelf Space Monday for my Twilight confession.
Creepiest kids book — EVER
November 11th, 2009“I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.”
A sweet sentiment, right? In Robert Munsch’s “Love You Forever,” the message is on target, but the presentation is derailed by a creepy stalker mom.
It starts totally normal with a mother rocking her baby and singing this sweet song. The story goes on to describe the antics of a 2-year-old and how at night when he’s asleep the mother crawls across his bedroom floor and then picks him up and sings this song. Still seems sweet.
My only question at this point is why is she crawling? It’s just weird. If your kid is so sound asleep that you can lift him from his bed and sing a song to him without him waking up, the crawling is unnecessary.
And so the book continues … she’s still doing this when the boy is 10, a teenager and even an adult. Feeling ooged out yet? The really creepy part begins around 4:08 in the above video. The mother drives across town to her adult son’s home in the middle of the night with a ladder strapped to the top of her car. She then uses that ladder to climb into his second-floor bedroom (really?!) and proceeds to lift this grown man from his bed, cradle him and sing the song. Ewww! Wouldn’t a daytime visit be more appropriate?
Besides the breaking and entering issue and the awkwardness of cradling a grown man, I just want to add that the whole idea is ludicrous. I mean, my kid is 6, and I can barely pick him up. In a year, I won’t even try anymore.
Now the interesting thing is readers seem to fall into one of two camps on this book. They either think it is incredibly touching or through the roof creepy. I’ve made my feelings clear. And you?
NaNoWriMo … and do what?
November 10th, 2009In case you haven’t heard, it’s NaNoWriMo … or National Novel Writing Month. If you’ve got a novel in you, waiting to be set free, this is the time to do it.
NaNoWriMo is a month-long marathon writing event. The goal for participants: write a 50,000-word novel (the equivalent of a 175-page book) between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30. Think quantity, not quality.
You can’t use any previously written passages, but you can refer to outlines, character sketches and research. Oh yeah, and you have to do it all by yourself. No co-authors.
Then between Nov. 25 and Nov. 30 upload your novel to the NaNoWriMo site for word-count validation. Everyone who hits the 50,000-word mark is declared a winner. You’ve done it! You’re a novelist.
This is all about churning out copy and quieting your internal editor. Speaking from experience, it is much easier to go back and edit what’s already on the page than to fret over every word and seek perfection in every paragraph before moving to the next.
NaNoWriMo started in 1999, and last year more than 120,000 people participated. More than 20,000 of them crossed the finish line with 50,000 words in hand. The NaNoWriMo web site has discussion forums, a word count scoreboard, and a Procrastination Station – which is a great time killer for anyone, writer or not.
I’ve never actually participated, and I’ll be honest, it’s a little daunting. I guess it would be a great way to flesh out that book idea that’s been floating around in my head for a couple of years. Maybe next year I’ll take the challenge.
What about you? Ever tried it or know anyone who has?
Carrey’s “Carol” not for kids
November 9th, 2009
Walt Disney’s “A Christmas Carol,” featuring Jim Carrey, opened Friday, and I’m hearing many of the same complaints from parents as I did a few weeks ago with “Where the Wild Things Are.”
A friend took her kindergartner to the movie, and they had to leave before it was over because it was “too scary.”
Reviewers also warn against taking kids under age 8. Reviewers Matt Mungle and Wes Singleton give helpful reviews at neighborsgo on The Dallas Morning News site. Singleton says “in spite of what Disney wants you to believe, this is not a film for young children.”
I admit that all of this is disappointing news. I was looking forward to taking my kids (ages 4 and 6) and thought it would be a fun “holiday activity.” On the other hand, Charles Dickens’ book, first published in December 1843, was not written for kids. I re-read it two years ago, and it’s a ghost story that just happens to take place at Christmas time. It’s meant to be scary – Scrooge had to be scared into better behavior. In Mungle’s review of the movie, he said “(the ghosts) are there to frighten Scrooge into facing his life and the point is not tamed down for a kid audience.”
But even understanding all that, it is still frustrating because this is a Disney movie, which traditionally produces features for children. And even when its movies are not particularly suited for children, they are still heavily marketed for children.
After watching several trailers, featurettes and interviews on YouTube, none of which Disney would allow to be embedded here or anywhere else, I understand why reviewers and parents are complaining. It looks like it would be alarming for young kids.
The Dickens classic has long been a favorite of filmmakers, though, first appearing on film in 1908. In the 100 years since, countless versions have been created. Some of the more kid-friendly versions include the likes of the Muppets, Mickey Mouse and friends, the Flintstones, the gang from Sesame Street and Barbie.
Maybe you can treat the little ones in your household to one of these … better yet, if they’re old enough, have them read the book.
Barrels for books
November 5th, 2009Hey, friends. A newly established school needs our help. Royal Christian Academy in Boyd opened Oct. 5 and needs books and other supplies. This Saturday (Nov. 7) they are hosting a fundraiser – Barrels for Books – to raise money to purchase books, among other things.
This is a barrel racing event at Keeter Arena, also known as Bob Ruffin arena, on Keeter Highway (County Road 2048). A barrel racing exhibition is 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., and anyone who wants to ride is welcome. Cost is $4 per exhibition.
At 2 p.m. a 5-division competitive barrel race begins, and everyone has a chance to win money.
There will also be a silent auction and concession stand. Call Amy Proudfoot at (940) 389-2441 for information.
The school is for preschoolers (age 3) through eighth graders, and it is not affiliated with any specific church or denomination.
National Book Award finalists
November 3rd, 2009Three weeks ago I mentioned that the National Book Foundation was preparing to announce the finalists for the National Book Award in fiction, nonfiction, poetry and young people’s literature. And today … I realized that I never shared the list of finalists with you.
The nominees are:
FICTION
Bonnie Jo Campbell, American Salvage (Wayne State University Press)
Colum McCann, Let the Great World Spin (Random House)
Daniyal Mueenuddin, In Other Rooms, Other Wonders (W. W. Norton & Co.)
Jayne Anne Phillips, Lark and Termite (Alfred A. Knopf)
Marcel Theroux, Far North (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
NONFICTION
David M. Carroll, Following the Water: A Hydromancer’s Notebook (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Sean B. Carroll, Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origins of Species (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Greg Grandin, Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford’s Forgotten Jungle City (Metropolitan Books/Henry Holt)
Adrienne Mayor, The Poison King: The Life and Legend of Mithradates, Rome’s Deadliest Enemy (Princeton University Press)
T. J. Stiles, The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt (Alfred A. Knopf)
POETRY
Rae Armantrout, Versed (Wesleyan University Press)
Ann Lauterbach, Or to Begin Again (Penguin Books)
Carl Phillips, Speak Low (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon, Open Interval (University of Pittsburgh Press)
Keith Waldrop, Transcendental Studies: A Trilogy (University of California Press)
YOUNG PEOPLE’S LITERATURE
Deborah Heiligman, Charles and Emma: The Darwins’ Leap of Faith (Henry Holt)
Phillip Hoose, Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
David Small, Stitches (W. W. Norton & Co.)
Laini Taylor, Lips Touch: Three Times (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic)
Rita Williams-Garcia, Jumped (HarperTeen/HarperCollins)
According to the National Book Foundation Web site, 193 publishers submitted 1,129 books for the 2009 National Book Awards. The total number of books by genre included fiction, 236; nonfiction, 481; poetry, 161; and young people’s literature, 251.
It couldn’t have been an easy task to narrow the submissions to the above finalists. The winners will be announced at a dinner and ceremony Nov. 18 in New York City.
If you’d like to get in on the action, Oxford University Press is hosting a contest to see who can pick the most NBA winners. Check out the contest here … and let me know if you win some loot!