I’m one of those folks who have always made lists.
Grocery lists, to-do lists, Christmas gift lists, you name it. I like to keep track of whatever’s passing through my brain since so much always seems to be going on in there, and I’m afraid that, if I don’t jot something down, I’ll forget it.
At some point long ago, I’m sure I made a list of “what I want to do when I grow up,” at the top of which was surely “be a lawyer or a teacher.” I didn’t exactly become either, although I do teach writing workshops on occasion so maybe that counts.
During college, the goals I set for myself seemed simple enough: graduate, write novels, become published, and be successful enough that no second job is required.
As I got older, I had other hopes, too, but they felt too tenuous to write down, namely that I meet The One, fall deeply in love, and get married; that I have a baby before it’s too late.
Luckily, I met my husband when I was 41. He made the “fall in love and get married” part happen, but I seriously wondered if I’d ever get to the “have a baby” part after a breast cancer diagnosis at age 42. I was already late in the game for baby-making and then treatment via surgery and radiation put everything else off. (And, by the way, “get boob cancer” was never on my to-do list but that just goes to show how life loves to thumb its nose at us sometimes and say, “Na-na-na-na-na, I’m in control!”)
In those years after while I regained my health—and my sanity—my list was quickly pared down to the most basic things: be well, be happy, and write the best books possible. So imagine my surprise when I found myself pregnant at 47. It turned my world upside-down again (but in a MUCH better way than the boobal trauma!)
And suddenly, I realized that my goals had more to do with baby Emily than myself (she’s due in the next month or so). What I want for her comes down to these things:
Be healthy
Be happy
Know that you’re loved
Learn that smart is way better than pretty
Stay curious
Read a lot
Stand up for yourself
Be nice to your mother.
I’ll let you know how this list works out, oh, in another ten years down the road.
Susan McBride is the author of Little Black Dress and The Cougar Club. She’s also a five-year breast cancer survivor and was recently named “Survivor of the Year” by the St. Louis affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure because of her efforts to spread awareness and educate through her writing and public speaking. Her next fiction title, The Truth About Love and Lightning, will be released by William Morrow Paperbacks in February of 2013. For more scoop on Susan and Baby Emily, visit her website.
Today's guest post is introduced by Stephanie, and I thank both her and Kristina Riggle for joining us!
Once Upon a List, the new novel by Robin Gold has inspired everybody here at Avon to reevaluate their “Bucket List”—things we’d like to accomplish before we, you know, kick that proverbial bucket. When younger, mine included things like “get into a good college” (check), “move to New York City” (check), and “marry Prince Harry” (still working on that one).
Now that I’m older, my list has morphed into a series of even more grandiose, seemingly impossible, yet practical goals: “find a rent-controlled apartment in New York City,” “pay off all my student loans,” “take my first trip on an airplane, to any exotic location imaginable” (yes, I’m in my almost-mid-20’s and have still never been on a plane before – sad but true).
One of the most charming and relatable aspects of Robin Gold’s Once Upon a List is that our heroine, Clara Black, rediscovers her childhood bucket list at a very vulnerable time in her life—her fiancé, the love of her life, has just passed away and she feels shaken, not sure what this version of future holds for her. We follow Clara as she finds her list of old dreams and pursues each of them into a new future. So in celebration of Robin’s heartwarming and life-affirming tale, we have asked Robin, along with two of our favorite authors, Kristina Riggle and Susan McBride to share their very own bucket lists with us this week. Today we hear from Kristina. Enjoy, and feel free to share your bucket lists too!
Kristina Riggle’s Bucket List My bucket list used to have one thing on it: become a published novelist. Check, as of 2009.
(Really, it’s folly for a bucket list item to be dependent on outside forces. It should have been more like, “write a novel and submit it to publishers.” Moving on…)
I’m glad to be asked now what I’d put on my bucket list, because it gives me an excuse to look up from the frantic onrush of daily tasks and ponder … now what?
There are lots of things I would try once, in the spirit of seizing the day. Take spelunking for example, which is also fun to say. Try it. Spelunking, spelunking, spelunking. Sounds like something Dr. Seuss would have made up, and I love words like that. (See also: blunderbuss, perambulator.)
Now that I think of it, I’m having a little trouble coming up with new bucket list items. I tend to jump into things when an urge strikes. I have – in a small, community theater way – sung and danced on stage, as a chorus girl in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” I also played Miriam once in a local production of “The Women”. No singing or dancing required, but I did smoke a fake cigarette and get in a catfight. (On stage, not in real life. Just to be clear.)
I also embarrassed myself at an audition, and lived to tell the tale. (Sing off key, then slip as I exit the stage, pinwheeling my arms to stay upright? Check.)
Maybe it’s a lack of derring-do. Bungee jump? Run a marathon? Skydive? No, thank you.
There is this one, thing, though.
For many years now, I’ve daydreamed about playing piano. I don’t have grand ambitions to perform Beethoven in concert halls, though I like Beethoven just fine. I’d just like to be able to plink out some Christmas carols and showtunes. I have this fantasy of a cocktail party-turned-singalong, me at the piano, taking requests…
I even have a spot in my living room that’s perfect: a little nook created by a closet in the next room over. It’s almost exactly the right size for an upright piano.
Now, I can’t read bass clef, nor can I make the fingers of each hand operate independently at the same time. The most piano playing I can manage is a few bars of the Muppet theme, one-handed, after I painstakingly locate “C”.
However, there was also a time when I hadn’t ever written a novel …
Welcome to the third installment of the Bess Crawford Read Along of book 3 in the Bess Crawford series by Charles Todd, A Bitter Truth!
A Bitter Truth
Trying to help a woman in distress, World War I nurse and accidental sleuth Bess Crawford learns that no good deed goes unpunished
When battlefield nurse Bess Crawford returns from France for a well-earned Christmas leave, she finds a bruised and shivering woman huddled in the doorway of her London residence. The woman has nowhere to turn, and propelled by a firm sense of duty, Bess takes her in.
Once inside Bess’s flat, the woman reveals that a quarrel with her husband erupted into violence, yet she wants to return home—if Bess will go with her to Sussex. Realizing that the woman is suffering from a concussion, Bess gives up a few precious days of leave to travel with her. But she soon discovers that this is a good deed with unforeseeable consequences.
What Bess finds at Vixen Hill is a house of mourning. The woman’s family has gathered for a memorial service for the elder son, who died of war wounds. Her husband, home on compassionate leave, is tense, tormented by jealousy and his own guilty conscience.
Then, when a troubled houseguest is found dead, Bess herself becomes a prime suspect in the case. This murder will lead her to a dangerous quest in war-torn France, an unexpected ally, and a startling revelation that puts her in jeopardy before a vicious killer can be exposed.
I think this was my favorite Bess Crawford mystery to date - I was definitely guessing until the end and was completely wrapped up in the lives of the Ellis family and with Bess' experiences.
1.) How did A Bitter Truth stack up for you against Bess' previous two adventures?
2.) I really enjoyed the mystery in this novel, and confess I was quite confounded as to who the killer was, until the very end. How about you?
3.) The plight of orphans in the war is brought to the forefront in this novel - what do you think of Lydia's and Bess' feelings and plans for Sophie?
4.) I was struck by the passage in chapter 15, when Todd speaks of the evolution of the war: "The days when men lined up in their dozens to be the first to enlist had long since passed. Now the reality of the trenches had scoured away that bravado, and in its place were these recruits, afraid of shaming themselves in front of their mates but probably wishing themselves anywhere but here." How did you see the war changing people and events in the novel?
5.) Simon Brandon plays an even greater role in this book than the last, though I don't think Bess sees his interest as more than professional or familial. What do you think his intentions are? And do you think Bess recognizes them?
The newest book in the Bess Crawford series, An Unmarked Grave, is on sale on June 5th and we'll be discussing that book here on the blog on June 25th. And we'll discuss the entire Bess Crawford series with writing team Charles Todd on the live online radio show Book Club Girl on Air on June 28th at 7pm ET.
The Meg Cabot Read-Along kicks off today with our discussion of THE BOY NEXT DOOR, the first in Meg’s “Boy” series of novels uniquely told in emails, IMs, and brief journal entries.
New York Journal gossip columnist Mel Fuller has her hands full. Her boyfriend has ‘fessed up to cheating on her, she’s just discovered next-door neighbor Mrs. Friedlander comatose on her living room floor, and now she’s taking care of said neighbor’s Great Dane and two cats. And if that wasn’t enough, she’s on her 49th tardy notice from Human Resources. Luckily, Mrs. Friedlander’s nephew Max, a famous fashion photographer, moves in next door to take over dog-walking duties while his aunt is in the hospital. Her co-workers warn Mel about Max’s reputation but she can’t understand what they are talking about and falls for him. But on the eve of a romantic weekend away, Mel receives a strange email indicating that Max may not be who he says he is. Meanwhile, Mrs. Friedlander’s accident is looking more like the work of the transvestite serial killer…or does it?
Questions for Discussion
1. What do you think about the story being told completely in email form?
2. The New York Journal office workers seem to be very involved in each other’s business. What is your office environment like and can you imagine the kinds of emails that would fly around about your love life?
3. The longer John keeps up the charade of being Max, the harder it is for him to tell Mel the truth. Were you sympathetic to his situation or did you think he made his own bed…? Do you think you would have responded as Mel did or would you have been more forgiving?
4. At one point Mel tells her mother she’s moving back home to tiny Lansing, Illinois. Do you think Mel could have been happy being the Arts and Entertainment correspondent at the Duane County Register?
5. Both John and Mel are getting LOTS of advice from family and co-workers about their situation. Who did you think was the most practical? And who needed to be cold cocked like Mrs. Friedlander? What advice do you think you would get from your family in a situation like this?
6. What did you think about the mystery thread through the story? Did you spot the villain right away?
7. And this one, just for fun: Do you think dolphin-shaped driftwood sculptures will catch on? :)
I'm looking forward to all of your answers - and please link to your own posts about THE BOY NEXT DOOR in your comments!
Join us next on Tuesday, June 12th when we'll discuss the next book in the MEG-nificent Read-Along, QUEEN OF BABBLE, as we count down to the long-awaited publication of the newest Heather Wells novel, SIZE 12 AND READY TO ROCK.
On sale today - except that it's FREE! - is the first-ever Book Club Girl Sampler - filled with excerpts from current and upcoming summer and fall books that are great for book clubs and summer reading! Download the free Book Club Girl Sampler to your e-reader now and you'll be able to dip into books by the following authors - plus check out some great recipes for book club snacks from bestselling chef Emeril Lagasse and your favorite book club authors!
The Book Club Sampler features excerpts from:
The Shoemaker's Wifeby Adriana Trigiani The Secrets of Mary Bowserby Lois Leveen Into the Darkest Cornerby Elizabeth Haynes An Unmarked Graveby Charles Todd Beautiful Ruinsby Jess Walter Porch Lightsby Dorothea Benton Frank With My Bodyby Nikki Gemmell Keepsakeby Kristina Riggle The Threadby Victoria Hislop Have Mother, Will Travelby Claire and Mia Fontaine The Book of Tomorrowby Cecelia Ahern Miss Me When I'm Gone by Emily Arsenault Falling Togetherby Marisa de los Santos The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo Sharpby David Fitzpatrick The Midwife of Hope Riverby Patricia Harman The Mirrored Worldby Debra Dean A Train in Winter by Caroline Moorehead Lucky Bunny by Jill Dawson
As well as these recipes from favorite book club authors and Emeril Lagasse, including:
Brunonia Barry's Baby Portabella and Tomato Pasta Sauce Jessica Anya Blau’sChocolate Chip Cookies Andrea Israel & Nancy Garfinkel’s Olive Tapenade Katrina Kittle’sTiramisu Gregory Maguire’sBleu Cheese Souffles Marjorie Reynolds’Bleu Cheese Crumble Sonya Sones’Butterscotch Brownies Amy Stolls’Cheddar Walnut Crisps Adriana Trigiani’s Pizzelles Emeril Lagasse’sHerbed Olives; Black Mission Figs Stuffed with Blue Cheese and Lavender Honey; and Curried Chicken Sandwiches on Pumpernickel
When Ruth returns home to the South for the summer after her freshman year at college, a near tragedy pushes her to uncover family truths and take a good look at the woman she wants to become.
Growing up in Alabama, all Ruth Wasserman wanted was to be a blond Baptist cheerleader. But as a curly-haired Jew with a rampant sweet tooth and a smart mouth, this was an impossible dream. Not helping the situation was her older brother, David—a soccer star whose good looks, smarts, and popularity reigned at school and at home. College provided an escape route and Ruth took it.
Now home for the summer, she's back lifeguarding and coaching alongside David, and although the job is the same, nothing else is. She's a prisoner of her low self-esteem and unhealthy relationship with food, David is closed off and distant in a way he's never been before, and their parents are struggling with the reality of an empty nest. When a near drowning happens on their watch, a storm of repercussions forces Ruth and David to confront long-ignored truths about their town, their family, and themselves.
I have 10 copies of Saving Ruth to give to the first 10 people who comment that they'd like to participate in the show on Tuesday, June 12th. Set your reminder for the show and read the first chapter. For more with Zoe, visit her website, become a fan on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.
On sale today, 25 more classic Agatha Christie short stories for your e-reader - each just .99 cents! Stock up on some chilling mysteries featuring her classic detectives Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Tommy & Tuppence, Harley Quin and Parker Pyne, as well as classic standalones. And, if you're giving mom an e-reader for Mother's Day, why not load a few Christie short stories on it ahead of time!
Today's guest post on the importance of literary circles like book clubs comes from debut author Elizabeth Percer, whose literary coming-of-age novel AN UNCOMMON EDUCATION follows shy, introspective Naomi Feinstein from her lonely childhood outside of Boston to her days at Wellesley College as a member of the underground Shakespeare Society. Hailed as “an intense debut” by Kirkus Reviews and described as "eloquent, haunting and exquisitely written" by Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You, Percer’s new novel offers the perfect excuse to get together with your book club for a literary discussion.
The other day, a friend of mine wondered aloud about the lives of the Brontë sisters—those three, brilliant young women living on the outskirts of nineteenth century society and penning some of the most beloved novels ever written in the English language. It struck us both as remarkable that the intimacy with which these sisters lived and worked is not a subject of ongoing astonishment. Here we are in 2012, where keeping up with the Kardashians is a regular source of fascination, yet we rarely give pause to this extraordinarily fruitful literary circle - or so many others like it: Poe and Hawthorne; Emerson and Thoreau and Longfellow (not to mention Dickinson and Alcott) exchanging ideas in the suburbs of Massachusetts; Stein and Hemingway in Paris in the aftermath of World War I. In this information-hungry world, we seem to occasionally forget the creative power of forging literary circles that allow for questions just as much as answers.
It's easy to skip book club, I know. You've got a kid/dog/spouse at home after a long day at work/school/job hunting and all you want to do is put on your slippers and curl up in front of the TV. But the next time you hesitate before reading that chapter or heading out the door to book club, think of that part of you who is starved for the lack of sharing of her literary enthusiasms, the one who has far more to offer the world than the fulfillment of her duties. Let her play a little. Every now and then, take her out for the night and let her get lost in a book or a friendship or both.
In honor of Charlotte Brontë's 196th birthday last month, let your own wild intellect out on the moor with a few good friends this spring. I promise you: She will thank you for the fresh air and exercise.
For the entire month of May, the following 12 ebooks that are great for book clubs are just $2.99 each - plus you can download a free podcast of the author discussing their book on Book Club Girl on Air to listen to with your group! Click on your favorite e-retailer below to purchase and click the Book Club Girl on Air link below each book to access the author interview. And make sure to share this deal with your book club too!
In the early summer of 1917, Bess Crawford is charged with escorting a convoy of severely wounded soldiers from the trenches of France to England. Among them is a young pilot, burned beyond recognition, who carries a photograph of his wife pinned to his tunic. But later, in a crowded railway station, Bess sees the same woman bidding a heart-wrenching farewell to a departing officer, clearly not her husband.
Back on duty in France, Bess is shocked to discover the wife’s photograph in a newspaper accompanying a plea from Scotland Yard for information about her murder, which took place on the very day Bess witnessed that anguished farewell. Granted leave to speak with the authorities, Bess very quickly finds herself entangled in a case of secrets and deadly betrayal in which another life hangs in the balance, and her search for the truth could expose her to far graver dangers than those she faces on the battlefield.
Questions for Discussion
1) As in A Duty to the Dead, long-seated familial animosities and jealousies play a role in the crimes committed. What did you think of the Garrison and Melton families? How do they compare to Bess' family, or to the families of soldiers and nurses created by war?
2) Simon Brandon plays a far greater role in this novel than he did in A Duty to the Dead. What do you make of that and do you think his intentions stem from his duty to Bess' father, or from his affections for Bess herself?
3) Simon strives to curtail the risks that Bess takes throughout the novel. This advice of his struck me particularly: "We have to move on. Put the living first. There are already enough monuments to the dead." Do you think Bess's drive to right the wrongs she sees puts her at odds with this advice, to her detriment?
4) Do you think there is any such thing as an "impartial witness?" Bess admits to adding her own perspective and interpretation to what she sees at the railway station. Later, Mrs. Hennessey is referred to by Bess as an "impartial witness," presumably because she's completely in the dark about what's been happening. But what do you think of the phrase, and what do you think the authors mean us to to think of it?
5) What did you think of the ending of the novel? Were you expecting a confrontation, or confession, that you didn't see? And if so, why do you think it was written that way?
6) Did you learn any new phrases while reading An Impartial Witness? For me it was "Well, it's shank's mare, then," which Sister Benning says to Bess when they have to walk behind the ambulance of wounded soldiers on their way to safer ground. Turns out that "shanks mare" is an Irish phrase referring to having to hoof it on your own two legs.
I'm looking forward to all of your answers - and please link to your own posts about An Impartial Witness in your comments!
Join us next on Tuesday, May 29th when we'll discuss the third book in the Bess Crawford series, A Bitter Truth - which also comes out in paperback tomorrow, May 1st.
Book Time with Bess - The Bess Crawford Read-Aong continues!
If, like me, you have been wondering what the amazing Heather Wells has been up to, you are in luck: the countdown to the next book, SIZE 12 AND READY TO ROCK, is upon us! The July 10th on sale date will be here before we know it and yet…I’m finding myself needing a MEG fix. So won’t you join us for THE MEG CABOT READ-ALONG! as we wind our way through a few of Meg’s most unforgettable characters from her most treasured series: Mel Fuller in The Boy Next Door, Lizzie Nichols from the Queen of Babbleseries, and of course, the inimitable Heather Wells herself in the original book, Size 12 is Not Fat! Join us for this Meg-nifcent Read-Along, running from May through the publication of SIZE 12 AND READY TO ROCK on July 10, 2012, and culminating in a Book Club Girl on Air radio interview with Meg herself on July 31st!
About the “Boy” series - We'll Read The Boy Next Door Told in emails, IMs, and brief journal entries, these loosely connected (but each also stands alone) romantic comedies will keep you laughing: "Full of clever e-mail banter and tongue-in-cheek humor, this cheeky novel should be enjoyed in one sitting" (Publishers Weekly on Boy Next Door). Have fun "devouring this fluffy, fun urban fairy tale" (Publishers Weekly on Boy Meets Girl). And be sure to follow it up with Every Boy's Got One, a "frothy concoction of love, friendship and true romance" (Publishers Weekly).
About the Queen of Babble series - We'll Read The Queen of Babble Lizzie Nichols can't keep a secret to save her life. Now she's graduated from college and is ready to start her new life pursuing her lifelong dream of...refurbishing old wedding dresses? The only thing is, she can't seem to keep her mouth shut long enough not to screw it up...or ruin her relationship with dreamy Jean-Luc. What's a girl with a big mouth, but an equally big heart, to do? "Cabot delivers another charmer, sweet to the core" for graduates of The Princess Diaries — Publishers Weekly
About the Heather Wells series - We'll Read Size 12 is Not Fat Heather Wells used to be a teen pop sensation...until her label dropped her for gaining a few extra pounds. Now Heather's walked out on her famous ex, moved in with his brother (but will things stay platonic with Cooper forever?), and found a job in a freshman dorm at New York College...who knew it was nicknamed Death Dorm? Check out the series that "will leave readers begging for time-outs to control sudden laughing fits" (Publishers Weekly)
As an added bonus to get you started, the e-book of Boy Next Door is $2.99 for a limited time beginning May 1, so order up today and get reading!
The read-along officially kicks off today (but don’t worry, our first discussion won’t take place until May 22) and it runs through the publication of the brand new Heather Wells, Size 12 and Ready to Rock (on sale 7/10).We'll end the read-along at the end of July with a Book Club Girl on Air Show with Meg Cabot herself to discuss all the books in the read-along and especially Size 12 and Ready to Rock.
Here's the schedule of when I'll post questions about each book for us to discuss:
May 22th—Boy Next Door discussion on Book Club Girl
June 12th – Queen of Babble discussion on Book Club Girl
July 3rd - Size 12 is Not Fat discussion on Book Club Girl
Look for updates along the way here, on Twitter (#megreadalong), and on the Book Club Girl Facebookpage.
The first 10 people to sign up will receive a free copy of the paperback of TheBoy Next Door (if you're taking advantage of the $2.99 ebook instead, let me know that and we can send you the next book in the read-along, Queen of Babble).
Write a post saying you're signing up and link back here, grab the tile ad above and then link to your post using the Mr. Linky below. (If you don't have a blog, announce it on your Facebook and link to your status update). Then tweet about your reading using the hashtag # megreadalong. (email me if you are having trouble with the tile ad at bookclubgirl AT gmail DOT com).
Have you ever heard of Mary Bowser? I hadn’t until reading The Secrets of Mary Bowser, an incredible debut novel by Lois Leveen. But it turns out that Mary Bowser was a real person and one who certainly helped the Union win the Civil War.I had the pleasure of meeting Lois Leveen out in her hometown of Portland last month where a group of librarians and booksellers were in her thrall as she talked about the research that went into The Secrets of Mary Bowser. Read on and I think you'll see why.
All her life, Mary has been a slave to the wealthy Van Lew family of Richmond, Virginia. But when Bet, the willful Van Lew daughter, decides to send Mary to Philadelphia to be educated, she must leave her family to seize her freedom. Life in the North brings new friendships, a courtship, and a far different education than Mary ever expected, one that leads her into the heart of the abolition movement. With the nation edging toward war, she defies Virginia law by returning to Richmond to care for her ailing father—and to fight for emancipation. Posing as a slave in the Confederate White House in order to spy on President Jefferson Davis, Mary deceives even those who are closest to her to aid the Union command. Just when it seems that all her courageous gambles to end slavery will pay off, Mary discovers that everything comes at a cost—even freedom. This is a novel about what happens when people choose to do what’s right, instead of what’s easy. The history woven into the story is a perfect launching pad for book clubs to talk about America’s past, and about what it means to do something truly heroic as Mary Bowser did at so many points in her inspiring life.
Set your reminder for the show here and return to that same link live this evening to participate. During the show you’ll be able to ask questions of Meg by sending in questions via the chat session (you can also chat with other listeners in the chat session). Or you can call in and ask Meg questions directly by dialing 347-945-6149.
Be sure to register on the site (select "free account" under the first 3 options you see) before 7 o'clock to be sure you can participate in the chat from the beginning of the show.
Check out the reading group guide before the show. Can't wait to talk to all of you tonight!
How often have you looked at someone you work with or seen some beautiful, well put-together stranger on the street and imagine that their life must be just-so-very-perfect? You’re a little envious, a lot jealous, and maybe a little bit snarky about how you describe them to your friends. And maybe this all comes on the heels of having just been dumped by a boyfriend or overlooked for that promotion at work so you’re especially sensitive when that beautiful, successful, ecstatically married picture of female perfection enters your life. In MORE LIKE HER, this is exactly what Frances Reid, our main character, encounters in Emma Dunham, the new headmistress where Frances teaches school.
But can you ever really know what goes on behind those perfect white picket fences? And sometimes the golden dream turns out to be not at all what it seems. Author Liza Palmer, the international bestselling author of Conversations with a Fat Girl, uses a deft hand to portray the unraveling of this façade. And when tragedy strikes, we are borne into the tide of its aftermath as secrets are revealed and dreams are exposed as lies. This surprising and insightful novel is on sale today!
If you missed Tuesday night's live discussion with Ashley Ream about her debut novel Losing Clementine, you can listen to (or download) the podcast now. Thanks to Ashley for being our guest, to Mary for hosting and to everyone who joined in the discussion!
Set your reminder for the show here and return to that same link live tomorrow evening to participate. During the show you'll be able to ask questions of Ashley by sending in questions via the chat session (you can also chat with other listeners in the chat session). Or you can call in and ask Ashley questions directly by dialing 347-945-6149.
Be sure to register on the site (select "free account" under the first 3 options you see) before 8 o'clock tomorrow to be sure you can participate in the chat from the beginning of the show.
Check out the reading group guide before the show. Can't wait to talk to all of you tomorrow night!
I first wrote about Kelle Hampton's Bloom back in February, when the amazing and moving trailer for the book was released. Today I am honored to have a guest post from Kelle herself about the act of writing her memoir, and how it closely mirrored parenting, which goes on sale next Tuesday, April 3rd. Read on.
Writing a book while being a stay-at-home mom is a little bit like parenting itself. There are productive days when you are amazed with just how much got accomplished and you want to shout to everyone within earshot “Look at me! I’m doing it!”, and then there are days—probably more often than not—where everything you set out to do gets neglected and you hope nobody noticed.
I’ll never forget the day it was official. The book was real, there was a publish date, I couldn’t back out. I hung up the phone with my editors, looked out into my living room where my girls were scaling the wall of an out-of-control laundry pile, and I had this terrorizing moment of “Oh my God, what am I doing?” I have realized though that the surest way to prove a new adventure is worthwhile is if it includes a terrorizing moment of “Oh my God, what am I doing?”
Making time for things that are important—things that enrich our lives and make us happy—well, it takes work. Runners set their alarms to meet the pavement pre-dusk, wives arrange babysitters to prepare for date night, girlfriends block off special Friday nights on their calendar to have drinks with friends. As for me, I plow through arduous-yet-fulfilling days of mothering my girls, making crafts, baking cupcakes and cleaning up messes, searching for hidden moments when I can escape to write.
The challenge in writing for me isn’t so much finding the time, but finding the right time. Creative inspiration cannot be scheduled like a hair cut or predicted like a moon phase. You just know it when it comes. And sometimes, ironic as it may be, it shows up with all its beauty and wit and expression and clear thinking when the time is clearly wrong. When it’s the middle of the day, my husband is gone, the house is a wreck and grilled cheese is burning on the stove.
Elizabeth Gilbert had the opportunity to interview the great poet Ruth Stone, who described her reaction to this same untimely inspiration. She said there were times when she could feel and hear a poem coming and if she wasn’t in a place to write, she would run as quickly as she could to find a piece of paper and pencil in time to collect the inspiration and capture it.
During the process of writing Bloom, there were plenty of occasions where I, likewise, had to run to write—to collect and capture inspiration when it came. Many of the memories and stories in this memoir are painful to recall, and I knew I needed to be truly in tune with those emotions in order to write about them honestly and expressively. Sometimes these moments arrived late at night when, amid bedtime routines and settling down for the day, I’d give my husband that familiar look. “Babe, I have to go write.” And he knew it was important. He knew it might not be there the next morning.
Some nights I felt the floodgates open, and I wrote quickly and fluidly for as long as I felt inspired. Some nights I bounced a baby to sleep on my knees while I reached over and typed above her. And some nights I set aside quiet writing time, anxious to get work done only to find I wasn’t feeling it—the timing wasn’t right. Regardless, it all worked out. Just like parenting when the bad days and good days, productive days and I-could-have-done-better days all blend together to tell a story. Our story.
Kelle Hampton's preorder offer for book clubs is in effect until the book's on sale date next Tuesday, April 3rd. See below for details. Also be sure to check out her Facebook page as well as her website Enjoying the Small Things, to see her amazing photography and read more of her story.
Free-spirited Annie Quintana and sophisticated Julia St. Clair come from two different worlds. Yet, as the daughter of the St. Clairs' housekeeper, Annie grew up in Julia's San Francisco mansion and they forged a bond that only two little girls oblivious to class differences could—until a life-altering betrayal destroyed their friendship.
A decade later, Annie bakes to fill the void left in her heart by her mother's death, and a painful secret jeopardizes Julia's engagement to the man she loves. A chance reunion prompts the unlikely duo to open a cupcakery, but when a mysterious saboteur opens up old wounds, they must finally face the truth about their past or risk losing everything.
Our Book Time with Bess Bess Crawford Read Along begins! Today we'll discuss the first book in Charles Todd's Bess Crawford series, A Duty to the Dead. Answer the questions below in the comments section and link to your posts with your own thoughts about A Duty to the Dead there as well. For those who are also posting their thoughts to Twitter, please use the hashtag #besscrawford.
A Duty to the Dead Dedicated to helping the many wounded during the Great War, Bess Crawford receives a desperate request from a dying lieutenant while serving as a nurse aboard a hospital ship. "Tell my brother Jonathan that I lied," the young man says. "I did it for Mother's sake. But it has to be set right."
Back home in England, Bess receives an unexpected response from the dead soldier's family, for neither Jonathan Graham‚ his mother‚ nor his younger brother admit to understanding what the message means.
But the Grahams are harboring a grim secret, and Bess must, somehow, get to the bottom of it. It is her sacred duty to the dead, no matter how painful, or dangerous, that obligation might be.
Questions for Discussion:
1) Was this the first book that you read by Charles Todd, or, the first book set in this time period? I first encountered WWI-era-England with Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series, and then, of course with the tv sensation Downton Abbey. If you have read more in this time period, what other books do you recommend?
2) What was your first impression of Bess Crawford? Were you surprised by the independence she enjoyed as a woman in this time, and that her parents afforded her so much freedom? Did your opinion of Bess change throughout the novel?
3) Bess has an interesting back story, growing up as she did in India. How did the authors use that part of her life to help define her character, and that of her parents and their relationship?
4) Did you know that large ocean liners, such as the Brittanic, which was a sister ship to both the Titanic and the Olympic, were called into service as hospital ships during the war? Brittanic was indeed sunk as well, just as the Todds write it in the book. Did you know that so many of the men who died on the hospital ships were buried at sea? Of course it makes sense, but I hadn't realized the number and that those men's families were left with no grave at home to visit, as Bess reflects, "In the sea there were no markers for the dead. No place in the deep to mourn, no place to leave flowers."
4) What did you think of Arthur's message? Do you think it was fair of him to ask Bess to deliver it? Why do you think she was so committed to not only delivering it, but to making sure it was followed by the Graham family?
5) What did you think of Mrs. Graham and her sons? I was struck by how much Bess was at their mercy and whim while staying in their house. Do you think they abused her kind nature in asking her to care for Peregrine?
6) Did you guess who the real killer was before he was revealed? I confess I went back and forth a few times, wondering.
7) What new word did you learn in A Duty to the Dead? For me it was "ratings," which refers to "a classification according to grade; specifically: a military or naval specialist classification, or more precisely: "chiefly British: a naval enlisted man." (Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition).
I can't wait to hear what everyone else thought. I loved meeting Bess and learning more about this time and the mystery kept me turning pages rapidly until the wee hours of the night.
Join us next month as we discuss the next book in the series, An Impartial Witness, which we'll talk about on Monday, April 30th. And, the first 5 people to comment here with answers to the discussion will win a copy of An Impartial Witness!
The Book Time with Bess Read Along runs through the publication of the newest book in the series, An Unmarked Grave in June 2012. See the complete schedule for discussing the 4 books in the series below. Feel free to join at any time!
There's still plenty of time to join Book Time with Bess, our Bess Crawford Read Along! Our first discussion of Charles Todd's first Bess Crawford mystery, A Duty to the Dead, is next Monday, March 26th - and takes place all week, so you have at least a week to read it!
To whet your appetite in the meantime, here's part 1 of an interview between Caroline Todd (one half of the Charles Todd writing team, Charles being her son) and John Curran, author of Agatha Christie's Secret Notebook and Agatha Christie: Murder in the Making about the Queen of Mystery herself, Agatha Christie.
Caroline: You were a student of the mystery before Agatha Christie’s now-famous 73 handwritten notebooks were discovered. How did you happen to meet Christie’s grandson, Matthew Pritchard, and what led to your work not only with the notebooks but with the restoration of Greenway House for the National Trust? Were you a great fan from the start?
John: I was born an Agatha Christie fan! So when I met Mathew in Canada in 2004 at the premiere of Chimneys, an ‘unknown’ Christie play, he invited me to visit Greenway House. Once there I took up residence in the room at the top of the stairs where all of the papers pertaining to Christie’s literary life were housed. I read the Notebooks cover to cover on the first night there but it was not until early the following year that the idea of a book occurred to me. Mathew immediately gave his blessing and I was off! It was while living in Greenway studying the Notebooks that I came to the attention of the National Trust who were preparing to clear the house for renovation. They asked me to undertake the task of cataloguing and boxing all of the papers before their removal from the house.
John: Most of your books are set in the post-First World War period when Agatha Christie—and the Golden Age of the detective story—was beginning. Is this coincidence?
Caroline: Because of the popularity of the Golden Age, we felt that this era would be familiar to readers—and modern enough to have motorcars, telephones, and attitudes towards crime and life that were recognizable. An historical mystery that wasn’t really historical. It is also a timeframe where forensics hadn’t become the tool that it is today. The policeman or the detective had to rely on his or her own “little grey cells”—a knowledge of people and of evil—to find the solution to the mystery. For Christie, this period was contemporary. For us it’s the challenge of understanding a period that isn’t our own.
Caroline: Murder in the Making is a must for all Christie fans. But it’s also a marvelous look at the way her mind worked, and how she came up with such innovative ideas. A writer’s guide for anyone interested in the mystery or in how mysteries are written. What did you yourself learn from writing Murder in the Making?
John: I learned how hard she worked! She had thousands of ideas but she selected and rejected, polished and honed, changed and adapted and kept working until the plot shone with ingenuity—and simplicity. She was the ultimate example of the art that conceals art; she made it look simple. And she made it look simple for over 50 years.
John: Have you ever thought that the relationship between Rutledge and Hamish is not unlike that between Mr. Satterthwaite and Mr. Quin in the Christie short stories, although Rutledge/Hamish is much darker? Quin is not of this world and he ‘haunts’ Satterthwaite during his investigations into mysterious deaths.
Caroline: That’s a very interesting comparison. Quin, of course, is the man who knows the answers and who points Satterthwaite in the right direction with his questions and suggestions. He is also visible to others when he comes to call. Hamish, on the other hand, can only know what Rutledge knows. But sometimes when he draws attention to something that is in Rutledge’s subconscious, it brings it to the surface and to his attention. Christie called Quin an advocate for the dead, and Rutledge became a policeman rather than a solicitor because he felt that the police were the advocates for the murder victim. In the Quin stories, Christie often combined a ghost story with a current murder—which I enjoyed. But Hamish isn’t a ghost, he’s the guilt that Rutledge carries over his death. Rutledge knows Hamish is dead—but knowing and accepting are two different things. As long as Rutledge hears that voice in his head, much as he hates it, he can tell himself that Hamish came home from the war.
Caroline: Christie’s An Autobiography has been called remarkable for what it reveals about her—and what it conceals. Did you find it helpful in working on the notebooks? Were there notes that she left from writing it?
John: No, the Autobiography was no help because from the start I set out to write books about the Christie output, and not her life. She was adept at concealing herself (and is, in my opinion, perfectly entitled to do so) and mentions her books hardly at all in the Autobiography. I was trying to understand how she did what she did.
John: Is Bess Crawford your Miss Marple?!
Caroline: Ah! I’ve always thought Miss Marple must have had an interesting youth, although I think Christie enjoyed the concept of the simple village spinster who surprised everyone with her infinite understanding of evil. Yes, the village is a microcosm of life in general, that’s the point. But it’s also intriguing to wonder if there was more in her past, perhaps during the Great War. There’s nothing in Christie’s background that suggests where she got her own understanding of evil. And I think that’s something we share, this interest in what makes ordinary people turn to murder as a solution to their problems. Which neatly avoids your question. The answer, I think, is that a woman must have certain qualities to be believable as a sleuth, and one is the ability to observe. Another is an ability to see through sham and to be objective. These I think Bess has learned from Miss Marple.
Caroline: If you could ask Agatha Christie one question—about anything, her work itself or how she worked, or something that intrigued you in your study of her notebooks—what would it be?
John: Some of my years-old questions were answered by my study of the Notebooks but what I still can’t understand would form the basis of my question: ‘How did you do what you did so well, so often, and for so long?’ And I don’t think even Agatha Christie herself could answer it!
If you missed tonight's live discussion with Mary Kay McComas about her novel What Happened to Hannah, you can listen to (or download) the podcast now. Thanks to Mary Kay for being our guest, to Mary for hosting and to everyone who joined in the discussion!
Set your reminder for the show here and return to that same link live this evening to participate. During the show you'll be able to ask questions of Mary Kay by sending in questions via the chat session (you can also chat with other listeners in the chat session). Or you can call in and ask Mary Kay questions directly by dialing 347-945-6149.
Be sure to register on the site (select "free account" under the first 3 options you see) before 7 o'clock to be sure you can participate in the chat from the beginning of the show.
Check out the reading group guide before the show. Can't wait to talk to all of you tonight!
Reminiscent of novels by Nick Hornby, Muriel Barbery, and Jonathan Tropper, internationally acclaimed novelist David Foenkinos delivers a heartfelt and deftly comedic tale of new love brightening the dark aftermath of loss—and of wounded hearts finding refuge in the strangest of places. After her husband’s unexpected death, Natalie has erected a fortress around her emotions—and Markus, clumsy and unassuming, will never be her knight in shining armor. Yet slowly but surely, an offbeat romance begins between these two mismatched, complex souls, and contrary to everything Natalie knows of affection, her perfect suitor may turn out to be love’s most unlikely candidate—the fool, not the hero, who is finally able to reach her heart.
Q: One of the most interesting things about DELICACY is the way it shows an extremely unlikely couple coming together in a way that’s totally believable. What do you think Natalie’s change of heart about Markus says about attraction?
DF: It was the hardest thing to convey….especially on film! The story has been compared to Beauty and the Beast. That story can seem really strange if you’re not Markus or Natalie. It’s their story, and prejudice has to be swept aside! What makes this love story believable is that from the very first moment she meets Markus, Natalie needs everything that makes him who he is: sweetness, kindness, and humor.
Q: Are Natalie and Markus based on anyone you know, or are they mainly products of your imagination?
DF: Yes, they’re imagined, not autobiographical. But there is a lot of me in them. I’m very much a Markus! But also a Natalie. I don’t believe it’s possible to write without drawing on your feminine side. That said, I end up creating characters who aren’t real but whom I’d love to meet. I want to meet Natalie.…Thanks to Audrey Tautou, I kind of have!
Q: A lot of chapters contain what seem to be random asides to the story, addressing things like John Lennon’s unfulfilled discography and the astrological signs of supporting characters. Oddly enough, though, they all seem to fit perfectly with what’s going on. How do these chapters function in the narrative? Were they always going to be part of the novel, or did you decide to add them later on in the process?
DF: This book is a simple story, but sprinkled with lots of stuff, fantasies. Just like our modernity itself. We have information everywhere. We’re constantly surfing. But everything, or almost everything, the reader learns along the way is relevant to the novel. When the characters have an aspargus risotto, two pages later is the recipe. Who knows, that could be why the book has been such a huge success in France. Perhaps people are buying it for the recipes! All the stuff I included came as part of the storytelling, none added on afterwards. It had to be integral to the story. I love that reading this book can also make you want to hear a song by Alain Souchon, or read Cortazar, eat some Swedish Krisprolls! I like books that don’t lock the reader in, but open many possible paths of discovery after the reading.
Q: What do you think the story says about how grieving redefines a person’s ideas about love?
DF: It’s completely true. You love differently depending on what’s going on in your life. Natalie wouldn’t have given Markus a second look a few years earlier. When two people meet, the timing is everything. It’s essential. I say in the book that there are wonderful people you meet at the wrong moment in your life, and there are people who are wonderful just because you meet them at the right moment. Markus comes along at just the right moment and all the better for him!
Q: If you had to pinpoint one thing Markus does right while courting Natalie, what would it be?
I’d say it’s his humor. Natalie is always caught off-guard by a man who’s funny. It’s such a beautiful trait. Markus makes fun of his country. When she asks him, « Why did you leave Sweden ? » he replies that the real question is to know why there are still Swedes who stay in Sweden ! It’s laughter that reconnects Natalie to life.
Q: Was it difficult to adapt your novel to film? On the one hand, it must have been wonderful to have Audrey Tautou sign on to play Natalie after you name-checked her in the book. On the other hand, there are so many wonderful lines in the book – when Charles thinks that Natalie’s femininity “had migrated from Switzerland to Russia”, for example, or when you describe Markus and Natalie’s kiss as “like modern art” – that must have been impossible to convey on screen.
DF: You can’t copy-paste, that’s for sure. And many phrases of course don’t make it into the film. The key is to stay true to the emotion, the tone. Many readers in France felt the film truly respected the book, and that was a relief. But making a film is what my brother and I wanted to do. So, I added several scenes and situations, even a new character : Natalie’s best friend is not in the book. And it’s magical to have Audrey Tatou. What luck! She does one film a year and gets hundreds of offers. She hadn’t done a first film for the last ten years. She said yes because she loved the story. You could say it’s the French version of the American dream.
Q: Do you have a favorite chapter or footnote?
I really like when Markus is afraid of happiness. He’s afraid to fall in love. He turns his head not to look at her anymore. I’m moved when he does that. I completely understand how you can be afraid of being in love, since it can create real suffering down the road. You often want to protect yourself…and then, in the end, you tell yourself you have to go for it. You have to follow your heart, without trying to economize on potential pain.
Q: Delicacy manages to balance tragedy, comedy and romance in equal measures – and in a very slender novel. How important was it to you to keep your writing streamlined? Do you think the sparseness of the language gives the emotions a greater stage?
DF: I do. It’s very important not to fall into sentimentality. The same holds for the film. We wanted to give the tragedy its due, and for life to rekindle soon after. For me, humor is the best way to express everything, from anguish to love. It makes things bubbly, sometimes absurd. And the sparseness brings out the emotions.
Q: Delicacy has been an enormous success in France – both in terms of sales and critical acclaim. What has most surprised you about readers’ reactions? What about critics?
DF: It’s completely wild. The book has exceeded a million copies. I see people reading it all the time on the subway, which makes me feel like I’m hallucinating. I get lots of letters and emails and Facebook messages. Though humor is so important in the book, people mostly talk to me about the serious things. I get letters from women who tell me they’ve lost their husband and dream of meeting a Markus ! As for the critics, my previous books got very good reviews and were translated in several countries. Beyond the critics, though, it’s the comments I’ve received from other writers that have affected me the most. And most of all from my idol, Milan Kundera, who made a series of drawings to congratulate me on La délicatesse. It was one of the most beautiful days of my life.
I'm so pleased to welcome Ashley Ream to Book Club Girl on Air on Tuesday, April 10 at 8 pm ET to discuss her debut novel, Losing Clementine! Ashley was also kind enough to answer a few questions for us about book clubs, her favorite books, and her experience with Sisters in Crime. Read on for our Q&A and for more details about the show!
Q: What has been your experience with book clubs in your life thus far? A: I belong to a book club. We meet once a month and rotate who chooses the book. Because we don't vote, the selections are very eclectic, as are the book club members. We have business women, a geneticist and even a television show director. And we've read everything from Victorian literature to werewolves. Whoever chooses the book is responsible for arranging the accompanying meal.
Q: Why do you think discussion is such an important part of the reading experience? You're looking for the "I never thought of that!" moment. Because we're such a diverse group, we have very different perspectives. The geneticist and I are the dearest of friends, but I promise you her brain works much differently than mine.
Q:You spent many years working as a newspaper reporter. How did your taste in books and time for reading change after you decided to pursue writing fiction full-time? I actually don't write fiction full-time. After leaving newspapers, where I did everything from reporter to copy editor to graphic artist, I eventually found myself in the nonprofit world, which I love. That's my full-time day job. I write books at night. It's an incredible amount of work but an incredible gift to make a difference in your community all day and then live out your novelist fantasy the rest of the time. It also feeds my creativity. I meet people from all cultures and classes with different perspectives and different struggles, which makes me a much better writer. Believe it or not, I still find time to read every day, but I'm much pickier now. I won't waste time on a book that's not for me -- unless it's for book club.
Q: How has your experience with Sisters in Crime changed your perspective as a reader? I started out writing unpublished mysteries, which is how I got involved in Sisters in Crime. Although I eventually found my voice writing general fiction (or up-market fiction, as my agent calls it), I learned a lot about what keeps a plot moving from my mystery days. I'm told my books read very fast, which is due entirely to those lessons. I used to read a lot more mysteries than I do now. Now I read my friends' books and more general fiction and non-fiction. Right now I'm reading a book about the history of the universe. Maybe the geneticist is having an effect on me.
Q: What are your favorite books to read and discuss? I like to discuss books where the characters are challenging and there's plenty of not-so-obvious metaphor to get our teeth into. Most recently, my book club read The Epicure's Lament by Kate Christensen. We had a very good time peeling back the layers of that one. I have 10 copies of Losing Clementine to give to the first 10 people who comment below that they can participate in the show on Tuesday, April 10th at 8 pm ET! Set your reminder for the show, read the first chapter, and check out the reading group guide. More more with Ashley Ream, visit her website, become a fan on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.
As many of you came aboard our I'm Mad for Maisie Maisie Dobbs Read Along last winter, I wanted to make sure to let you know that this year, the month of March, in celebration of the newest book in the series which is set to be published on March 27th, has been declared Maisie Month! Join in the celebration of this beloved historical mystery series by tuning in to weekly #Maisie Twitter chats featuring fans of the series and Jacqueline Winspear herself or participating in a read along of the entire series.
THE TWITTER CHATS Follow the #Maisie hashtag to participate in any of the following chats, featuring these special guests.
Thursday, March 8th, 1 pm ET Author of the Book Lust series and NPR Commentator Nancy Pearl (@Nancy_Pearl)
Friday, March 16th, 3 pm ET VP and Executive Editor of Harper Books Jennifer Barth (@jbarthharper), joined by me @bookclubgirl
Friday, March 23rd, 3 pm ET Founder and President of Book Passage Elaine Petrocelli (@bookpassage)
Friday, March 30th, 3 pm ET New York Times bestselling author of the Maisie Dobbs series, Jacqueline Winspear (guest-tweeting as @harperbooks) -
THE READ ALONG If you'd like to join participating book bloggers in reading along in the Maisie Dobbs series, you can catch reviews and discussions of each book in the series according to the following timeline. If you posted about these books in our read along last year, facebook and tweet out those reviews using the hashtag #Maisie!
Week of March 5th: The first six books in the Maisie Dobbs series Week of March 12th: The Mapping of Love and Death Week of March 19th: A Lesson in Secrets (you may recall last April's Book Club Girl on Air discussion on this book and the entire series up to that point) Week of March 26th: Elegy for Eddie (On Sale March 27th!)
The full blog tour and schedule can be found at TLC Book Tours.
Whether you are a devoted Maisie fan or are just discovering the series for the first time, join in by visiting Jacqueline Winspear's Facebook page, reading her blog at MaisieDobbs.com, commenting on posted blog reviews during the read-along, and reviewing the books in the series on your own blog and/or Goodreads page.
I look forward to celebrating Maisie Month with you!
Introducing a new monthly Book Club Girl photo contest! Starting this month, book clubs will have the chance to enter to win books and other book club swag by submitting a photo on a particular theme.
To get things started, we want to get to know your book club! Here's a picture of mine with author Will Allison, to (hopefully) inspire sharing yours! Simply upload a photo of your group (no author necessary) and then encourage your friends to vote for it starting March 20th.
Full details and entry instructions can be found here - spread the word to your friends and fellow book club members - remember, once your photo has been submitted, you need them to vote for it - can't wait to "see" all of you and good luck!
Today's guest post comes from Mary of William Morrow Paperbacks about the debut novel, How to Eat a Cupcake. Read on for her thoughts about the book, cupcakes, and a special pre-order offer from the author Meg Donohue!
When reading How to Eat a Cupcake, the descriptions of cupcakes made my mouth water. I've always been something of a baked goods aficionado, so I swooned over her descriptions of organic pear and chai tea cupcakes, or vanilla ginger buttercream, or pink lemonade cupcakes, or...you get the idea. So when I heard that Meg's friend Alyce Sheilds, pastry chef at San Francisco's acclaimed Bar Bambino, had developed a Meyer lemon cupcake recipe inspired by the ones mentioned in the book, I knew I had to try it.
And let me tell you: these were some of the best and simplest cupcakes I've ever made. The lemon flavor came from fresh zest, as well as a quick and easy lemon syrup that I brushed over the top of the cupcakes as soon as they came out of the oven. And even though my grocery store didn't carry Meyer lemons, I used regular lemons instead and the cupcakes still tasted amazing. The mascarpone frosting was divine--rich and creamy, but lighter than a traditional cream cheese frosting (and so much easier to make).
You won't be able to find this recipe online anywhere, but if you pre-order How to Eat a Cupcakebefore the on sale date of March 13th, Meg will email it to you! Just email hellomegdonohue AT gmail DOT com with "I Pre-ordered" in the subject line, and she'll email you the recipe for Meyer lemon cupcakes with mascarpone frosting, developed exclusively for How to Eat a Cupcake readers by Alyce Shields of Bar Bambino.
There’s no doubt that some of you may be familiar with bestselling author Peter Robinson’s Inspector Banks mystery series, but this time around Peter shifts gears, and the result is a stunning stand-alone novel called Before the Poison.
Beforethe Poison, in short, is the story of one man’s obsession with a decades-old murder that leads him down a dark and deadly path to find the truth. But believe me when I tell you there is nothing short about this novel. From the first page, which opens with the protagonist getting ready for her execution, Peter has us hooked. The transitions between past and present and the excerpts from Grace’s journal help to strengthen the story, giving readers a glimpse into life during WWII and into the mind and heart of a well-rounded heroine with a sense of adventure.
Combining the rich, atmospheric narrative of his award-winning novel In a Dry Season with the twisting suspense of the classic noir film Laura, there’s a lot for readers to sink their teeth into here. So get started now and read the first chapter!
Click here for the reading group guide, and read an essay about what inspired Peter to write this novel.
I've already seen the below video three times and I've cried each time. And as you'll see from the video and the description, Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected is a book that will have people talking, especially book clubs. Because no matter if you have a child with the challenges of Downs Syndrome, or something else, every parent, indeed every mother, will at one time find herself facing a life that is not what she expected, and loving it all the more for that. Watch, read on, and check out author Kelle Hampton's preorder offer for book clubs (and others) below. Also be sure to check out her Facebook page as well as her website Enjoying the Small Things, to see her amazing photography and read more of her story.
From the outside looking in, Kelle Hampton had the perfect life: a beautiful two-year-old daughter, a loving husband, a thriving photography career, and great friends. When she learned she was pregnant with her second child, she and her husband, Brett, were ecstatic. Her pregnancy went smoothly and the ultrasounds showed a beautiful, healthy, high-kicking baby girl.
But when her new daughter was placed in her arms in the delivery room, Kelle knew instantly that something was wrong. Nella looked different than her two-year-old sister, Lainey, had at birth. As she watched friends and family celebrate with champagne toasts and endless photographs, a terrified Kelle was certain that Nella had Down syndrome—a fear her pediatrician soon confirmed. Yet gradually Kelle's fear and pain were vanquished by joy, as she embraced the realization that she had been chosen to experience an extraordinary and special gift.
Bloom takes readers on a wondrous journey through Nella's first year of life—a gripping, hilarious, and intensely poignant trip of transformation in which a mother learns that perfection comes in all different shapes. It is a story about embracing life and really living it, of being fearless and accepting difference, of going beyond constricting definitions of beauty, and of the awesome power of perspective. As Kelle writes, "There is us. Our Family. We will embrace this beauty and make something of it. We will hold our precious gift and know that we are lucky."
Bloom Preorder Offers - Bloom goes on sale on April 3rd.
Today's post comes from Erica at Harper Perennial, about the amazing novel which is now an acclaimed film, We Need To Talk About Kevin. Read on for her thoughts on this book club favorite and check out our contest to win copies of the book, the DVD of the movie and the movie poster!
When I first began working for HarperCollins, I was amazed by the free shelf. For those of you who might not know, the free shelf (sometimes called the take shelf) is where people leave the books they no longer need. Accidentally order twice as many copies as you need? Leave them on the take shelf for your colleagues! It’s a wonderful, amazing thing. And one day not long after I started here, I found a book on the take shelf that was equally wonderful and amazing: Lionel Shriver’s We Need to Talk About Kevin.
I had heard of the book, but I had no idea what it was about. I was sucked in after I read the description on the back, and I tore through the book in a matter of days. It was my first introduction to Lionel Shriver’s writing, and I was blown away. I’ve never read another writer who is so good at writing about “unlikeable” women—women with their own desires and ambitions, women struggling to retain a sense of self at all costs, women who cannot be explained in one sentence.
So who could be better suited to play a Shriver heroine than Tilda Swinton? In the movie of We Need to Talk About Kevin, out now and expanding into theaters across the country, she brings every one of Shriver’s words into her performance in the role of Eva. When I saw it, I was transfixed by her face. She was brilliant at showing all of Eva’s fear, loathing, and resentment without uttering a single word.
The book has long been a favorite of book clubs because there’s so much in it to discuss. Is Eva a bad mother? Is Kevin a bad son? Was he born that way? The movie is the best kind of adaptation—the kind that adds new insights into these questions and then raises questions of its own.
Find a theater near you showing We Need To Talk About Kevin. Browse inside the book, read an interview with Lionel Shriver and check out the reading group guide. If you've read and/or seen We Need to Talk about Kevin, leave a comment with your thoughts about the book, the film or the adaptation of the former into the latter and you'll be entered to win one of 15 book, DVD and poster sets we have to give away. Haven't seen Kevin yet? You can still enter, just post a comment about another book adapted into a film and why you liked it - or didn't! I'll choose 15 random winners from all comments received by midnight Sunday, March 4th.
