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Trouble for Amazon
Some big upsets came along recently to shake up Amazon's rank as the premier e-book seller. FIrst, they are in a fight with Macmillan publishers. Amazon is refusing to sell Macmillan books at retail - the buy it now button is gone. This stems from a dispute the two are having over the price of the e-books Amazon sells on their site. Instead of the standard $9.99, Macmillan wants Amazon to charge closer to the rates of the physical book, like $15. Amazon's response is to pull their books from being sold on their site via retail. You can still get the books via Amazon Marketplace, but since those are used, that doesn't help Macmillan any. And just as Amazon deals with this problem, comes a curveball from Apple. It's new iPad was recently launched, touted as a replacement for your e-book reader, among other things. This could be a bigger threat than Barnes and Noble's Nook or Sony's e-reader. With other functionality, the iPad comes at a reasonable price for what it is. Macmillan, among others, has already agreed to publish their books through Apple's iPad. But that's not all. Google is planning on launching Google Edition, it's own e-book store. Google plans to allow publishers to set their own rates, allowing publishers to make a reasonable profit over their e-ditions. Most of this is a response to Apple's intention to let the publishers set their own rates. The good news that comes out of this is that e-books will be available the same day the print version is released, something that has been available until now. What do you think of the controversy? Should Amazon allow publishers to set their own rates or continue to be a discount dealer? Nicole
This week brought us two deaths from important writers in the industry. First, Erich Segal, author of LOVE STORY died from a heart attack, though he had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for many years. Best known for coining the phrase, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry, “ he also wrote the screenplay for the Beatle’s “Yellow Submarine.” LOVE STORY eventually became a screenplay and was nominated for 6 Oscars. Robert B. Parker also died this week. Parker was best known for crime novels featuring private eye Spenser. The books were also the basis for the TV show, “Spenser: for Hire.” He is credited with bringing back the hard-boiled style of mystery. Helen Scott Taylor has some news to share. In celebration of the release of her new book, THE PHOENIX CHARM, you can read a free short story at Dorchester by going here: http://www.dorchesterpub.com/Dorch/SpecialFeatures.cfm?Special_ID=2759. Also, her first book trailer is up on You Tube ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8JvYC2ljzE) and the front page of her web site. She tells me she is hard at work on her next book, this one telling the story of Nightshade. It is due at the end of this year. You can also find a novella of hers in the Mammoth Book of Irish Romance when it’s released in a few weeks. For those authors self-publishing their work through the Kindle, there is some good news. Amazon is upping the royalties paid per book to 70%, minus delivery costs. This should open things up a bit more to authors who were considering this option through Amazon. The higher royalties start June 30. That’s all for now. Hope you are all having a great week! Nicole
With the closure of Laredo, Texas' lone bookstore, a B. Dalton shop, local residents no longer have a neighborhood place to get new books. To help readers out, Avon romance author Julia Quinn is giving away 100 books (1 book per address) between now and Valentine's Day to readers living in Laredo. As Quinn says on her website: "Like many of you, I do a fair bit of book shopping on the web. But not all of it. Probably not even half. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have a bookstore near my house. I love to stroll around with my cup of coffee, browsing through books, seeing what's new." To learn more about this promotion, visit: http://www.juliaquinn.com/bonus-features/main.php#laredo
Fans of sci-fi/ fantasy author — and 2009 nominee for RT's Career Achievement Award in Science Fiction/Fantasy — will be saddened to learn that she is very ill. She would love cards and emails and messages from fans. Email to: materkb [at] gmail [dot] com—it’ll be printed out and read to her. Cards to: Kage Baker 331 Stimson, Apt. B, Pismo Beach CA 93449. As Jo Walton wrote today on Tor.com"... if you’ve enjoyed her books and stories, send a card or an email, and if you haven’t been lucky enough to discover her thus far, this is a great time to buy one of her books and send a message that way."
To celebrate the upcoming release of Jeaniene Frost's First Drop of Crimson, which received a Top Pick in the February issue of RT, we have five copies of the book to give away. To enter for your chance to win, check out this book trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpznY8Og3uEand then e-mail Faygie@RTBookreviews.combe sure to put "Frost" in the subject line.
 Marjorie M. Liu is releasing a new game! Celebrate Valentines Day by pre-ordering the Tiger Eye paranormal romance video game at www.passionfruitgames.comFind out more details about this development here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/prweb/20091217/bs_prweb/prweb3355304_1We also have a word from Marjorie M. Liu: "We're really excited about reaching out to fans throughout the process of creating the game, which doesn't come out until April. Right now we have people voting on which character design they like best for Long Nu at http://www.passionfruitgames.com/ so head over there and give us your two cents about which one you like best."
We've just learned that Cosmopolitan magazine's editor-in-chief Kate White will be attending the RT Booklovers convention on Thursday, April, 29 to promote her new mystery novel, Hush, out in March from Harper. White is among a number of authors who will appear at a special Thursday lunchtime autographing session. Other authors at the event include sci-fi author John Scalzi, romance authors Jennifer Crusie and Anne Stuart, and mystery authors CJ Lyons and Harley Jane Kozak. Also, joining us this year will be YA author Carrie Ryan, a rising star in the YA fantasy genre. For more on the convention, check out HERE
RT has learned that HarperCollins has acquired a number of authors' works from fellow publisher Dorchester. In a statement, HarperCollins officials said: "HarperCollins has acquired several frontlist and backlist titles from Dorchester publishing and has also extended its distribution partnership. Authors include titles from Victoria Alexander, Nina Bangs, Christine Feehan, Sandra Hill, Marjorie M. Liu, Katie MacAlister, Lynsay Sands and CL Wilson. We are currently scheduling the Avon release of these books, and will sell, market and publish all acquired titles by these authors on a go-forward basis. We look forward to working with these talented authors to futher grow their brand recognition."
There are lots of great books coming out in the next year. Here are a few I am excited about: January 12 – BETRAYAL OF THE BLOOD LILY by Lauren Willig. This is the next book in the Pink Carnation series, which I have been reading since the beginning. This one focuses on Penelope Devereaux and takes the reader to India, a first for the series. February 9 – FIRST DROP OF CRIMSON by Jeaniene Frost. This is the first book of a new series for Ms. Frost, which is set in the same world as her Night Huntress books. February 23 – BLACK MAGIC SANCTION by Kim Harrison. A continuation of the Rachel Morgan series, this is a heavily anticipated book by the esteemed Ms. Harrison. You can meet Ms. Harrison at this year's RT Convention. March 30 – SUCCUBUS SHADOWS by Richelle Mead. Part of the Succubus series. March 30 – SILVER BORNE by Patrcia Briggs. Next in the Mercy series. I just re-read the last two books in the series and am even more excited for this next installment in the series. April 6 – CHANGES by Jim Butcher. Part of the Dresden Files. Mr. Butcher and his author wife Shannon K. Butcher will also be attending this year's RT. What books are you looking forward to reading this year? Share with us in the comments! Nicole
Lou Waxnicki’s Fifth and Final Post . . . We All Have to Make it Beyond the Night
Lou Waxnicki’s Fourth Post . . . Did He Say Monsters?
Lou Waxnicki’s Third Post . . . Is it the End of the World?
Lou Waxnicki is Back . . . and Still in Trouble
Shh ... It's a Secret!
 Looking for a new author to try with your holiday gift cards? Consider Jennifer R. Hubbard, whose wonderful debut, The Secret Year , will be released from Viking on Thursday. The tale follows Colt as he deals with the death of his secret lover, Julia, while her rich friends from the right side of town grieve openly. RT gave the young adult novel a top pick rating, and we were so excited we tracked down Hubbard to get the scoop on her tale of secret grief.
We've also got five advanced copies to give away! E-mail elissa@rtbookreviews.com by Friday with your mailing address to win. 1. Where did you come up with the idea for The Secret Year?I had a situation in mind: a secret relationship, a death, a notebook left behind. I wrote the book to find out why the relationship had to be secret and what was in the notebook. 2. How did you come up with Colt? He's such an authentic "guy" character, almost S.E. Hinton reminiscent, and really sounds like a boy. Was it hard to write in his voice?Male characters speak to me quite often. I’ve always had male friends as well as female; I've read books written by men. A male voice doesn’t seem foreign to me. Colt’s voice was at the heart of this book from the beginning, and I never considered writing it from any other point of view — although we hear Julia’s voice also, in her journal entries. 3. What's your new year's resolution?My resolution is the same one I had last year: I don’t want to add to my list of things to do, but rather to make sure the items on that list are in the right order. I want to focus on what’s most important to me, and not feel like I have to do everything all the time. 4. How are you celebrating the publication of your debut?I’ll be celebrating online at my blog this week ( http://writerjenn.livejournal.com/). Later in January, I’ll be celebrating live at a local bookstore. I believe cake will be involved. :-)
Recently I was asked about paranormal romance, in a general way, kind of a “what is it?” kind of thing. My simple answer was that it was stories that contain both paranormal and romance elements. But that's a little too simplistic, don't you think? So, really, what's the difference? First, I suppose we should define “paranormal” and “romance.” Paranormal, or urban fantasy, or any derivation of the word would mean a book with supernatural elements that are primary to the story. Ghosts, witches, vampires, zombies – all these things make a book paranormal. Romance, any version thereof, would be a book where the primary point of the story is to get the two main characters to fall in love, whether forever or not. So, with that in mind, a paranormal romance book would be a love story with paranormal elements in it. But again, it just doesn't seem that simple. Nearly every book has a love story element to it. Even the hard-boiled noirs have the guy getting the girl. So where's the line between the two? I know that when it comes down to it, I tend to favor the more straight-up paranormals versus those deemed paranormal romance. I love Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, Jeanne Stein – all straight paranormals in my mind. I also love Rachel Caine, Richelle Mead and Carrie Vaughan, all of whose books feature a love interest, some spanning a single book, some over entire series. Are these paranormal romances? And then there's Angela Knight, Dawn Thompson and Larissa Ione, some of whom not only bring the love but bring the sex. Where's the line? What's the difference? If the love story takes up half the book it's a romance, but if it's only a fourth of the story line, it's not? Maybe I am wrong and all books with a significant amount of sexual tension/love interest/sex is a romance, paranormal or otherwise. But that just doesn't seem right. So I am asking you, our readers, to tell me what you think. What is the difference between the two? What makes it a romantic paranormal or just a straight paranormal? Where do you draw your line? Tell me in the comments! Nicole
Attention Aspiring Writers:
Enter to Win an RT Pre-Con & General-Con Registration
A Lasting Legacy For Ann Peach
At last year’s convention in Orlando, we awarded our first RT Convention Grant to aspiring writer Sherri L. Hollister from Aurora, N.C., in honor of Ann Peach, our colleague and friend who lost her battle with cancer in 2006. She was a valued contributor to the magazine, to our “Aspiring Writers’ Meeting Place” web column and, most notably, to the pre-convention intensive program for beginner writers at the RT convention. She provided individual attention to shy newbies and gave them the encouragement and confidence they needed to put pen to paper and pursue their dreams of getting published. Her passion for writing and her love of teaching were infectious.
To honor Ann’s memory and to continue her legacy of helping aspiring writers, her family is sponsoring an annual grant for one deserving beginner writer. The grant will include registration for the pre-convention “Beginner Writer” program together with a general RT convention registration, a value of $610. Thank you to the Peach family for this honored gift and for preserving the memory of a cherished friend and instructor.
HOW TO ENTER:
The Second Annual Ann Peach RT Convention Grant
The grant, which covers the cost of the pre-convention “Beginner Writer” program registration and the general RT convention registration (a value of $610), is open to all BEGINNER aspiring writers who are passionate about the craft of writing and are determined to someday be published. Note: The pre-convention registration is for the “Beginner Writer“ program currently led by Judi McCoy and NOT for the “Advanced Aspiring Writer“ program led by Bobbi Smith.
To enter (in 250 words or less for each question),
tell us why you want to be a writer and why you feel you would be the most deserving of the grant. Also in 250 words or less, submit a short description of the book you want to write.
Send entries to: Ann Peach Grant, c/o Corrie Peach, P.O. Box 797, Marion, TX 78124, or e-mail Corrie.Peach@Hotmail.com.
Deadline for entries is Wednesday, January 20, 2010. The winner will be notified in February and will be announced in a future issue of RT BOOK REVIEWS.
It’s time for the sixth and final except of The Dark Divine. Thanks so much to all of your for coming along on this journey with us! If you can’t wait to find out what happens next, you can e-mail elissa@rtbookreviews.com for one last chance to win the book and a bottle of matching nail polish, or head to the bookstore tomorrow to pick up a copy yourself!
Here’s what Bree has to say about the final excerpt we’ve got for you:
Dear RT Book Reviews readers,
I am so happy that I’ve been able to share the first six chapters of The Dark Divine with you. Thank you for reading and for your enthusiasm. I’ve enjoyed sharing my thoughts about the writing of the book with you — and I really wish I could keep going! I mean, I love the first six chapters of TDD, but that’s just the beginning of the story. So much happens after chapter six, and we are getting so close to one of my absolute favorite moments. But I’m sure RT would take issue with me hijacking their blog for another twenty-two chapters . . . so I will have to say farewell.
Chapter six was a fun one to write, but also a chapter that took a lot of work. I really wanted to delve into Daniel’s past and explore how he came to live with the Divines, and I needed to balance that with moving the story forward and developing the overarching mystery of the book. A few tough things happen in this chapter, and it was hard for me to write such terrible things happening to the characters I love so much — but the story and the characters wouldn’t be the same without it. I also wanted Grace to start realizing that her perfect family isn’t as perfect as she always thought.
Once again, thank you so much for reading! And many thanks to RT Book Reviews for sharing this exclusive preview. I hope you’ve enjoyed this experience as much as I have.
Love,
Bree
Winners!
We're counting down to the release of The Dark Divine, with our final excerpt, chapter six, going up Monday, so be sure to stop by and check it out. In the meantime, we'd like to start the weekend a little bit early by congratulating our two latest winners, Susan and Linda! Congrats, ladies. Your prizes are on their way!
Adaptation of an Adaptation
An adaptation of an adaptation is nothing new in the literary or film worlds. And we have all heard of the phenom that is PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES. Well, now we can all hear about the movie version, starring Natalie Portman. Does this count as a period piece or a monster movie? Either way, we will find out. What many people may not know is that this literary mash up of classic lit and monsters is an ongoing trend with many others to come. Any one up for HUCKLEBERRY FINN AND ZOMBIE JIM? How about THE UNDEAD WORLD OF OZ? I am not sure what I make of this trend in taking a traditional style and completely turning it on its head. On one hand, making anything different and new is always cause for celebration in the literary world. On the other, this could be seen as a perversion of what has been considered classical literature, taught in high schools around the country. Genre-bending books are always a risk. Do you take the chance of alienating your core audiences to do something different? Or do you forge a new path and create something new out of something tired and old? Have you read one of these mash ups? What do you think about them? Also, if you are looking for a daily dose of classic literature, try DailyLit.com. You can pick one of dozens of famous texts and have them sent to your inbox in small bite-size pieces. Right now, I am reading a grammar book and LITTLE WOMEN this way. Each day is a new email and a new surprise to read. Try it if you are looking to get in a little light reading everyday or just want to catch up on those books you missed in high school. Nicole
We're five weeks into our Dark Divine adventure, and Grace is realizing that it's going to be hard to stay away from Daniel -- no matter what her family wants.
Here's what author Bree Despain has to say:
Chapter Five is the first big turning point in the book. Grace finally
realizes that she needs to take action. Up to this point, she has been
trying to keep her promise to Jude by staying away from Daniel, but the
universe seems to have other plans. After her encounter with Daniel on
Markham Street, she can¹t get him out of her mind, and she can¹t just sit by
anymore. I debated a lot about where to put this turning point, moving it
back and forth in the novel, but I realized I had to go with my initial
instinct on where it belonged.
And there¹s still two more chances to win a copy of the book and a bottle of
matching nail polish! E-mail Elissa@RTBookReviews.com with your mailing
address to enter
Although the nominees for the RT Career Achievement and Reviewers’ Choice Awards will appear in our next issue (February issue #312) we wanted to give you an advance look at the authors we have selected. Call it an early holiday gift from RT.
Enjoy! And congratulations to all the authors selected.
Carol Stacy
Publisher
We want to know what you think!
Please comment below with your thoughts.
I recently came across this unique method of book storage: a
staircase. When a small apartment needed more room, these contractors created a staircase going up to a loft area, and the staircase was lined in books. You have to see the pictures to believe it. This got me thinking about book storage. When I worked at Barnes & Noble, I was often asked how we kept our books so clean. The answer was simple – we dusted every few days, moving the books off the shelves and cleaning on top of them. Recently, I had custom shelves built for my books. They now fill a whole wall, as well as a couple of other bookcases. However, I am looking to move soon and contemplating what to do with all my books. I know I will need to put some in storage, once I have sorted out the books I will no longer keep. Do I box them in cardboard boxes? Plastic boxes? And which books do I keep and which do I store? Some people would say, switch to e-books. Store all my books on one electrical device. But I am not giving up my hard copies, my autographed books. There are just too many books I don’t want to give up. So how do you store your books? Do you have a creative way of keeping your books out of the way? Share pictures or descriptions in the comments. Nicole
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Things are getting exciting now as we reach chapter four of The Dark Divine! Read on for the excerpt as well for Bree's thoughts on composing this part of her debut novel.
and don't forget to email Elissa@RTBookReviews.com if you'd like to be entered to win a free copy of the book, and some snazzy purple nail polish.
Bree says:
"The fourth chapter of The Dark Divine is one of my favorites because I get to introduce and explore a lot of new ideas and themes in the story — and (SPOILER ALERT) Daniel comes back into the action. This is the first time my two favorite characters have a meaningful interaction in the book, and learn more about each other. I love Daniel and Grace together — writing the way they play off of each other, and of course, the sexual tension between the two. I love the idea that some sort of outside force, or “divine intervention,” has set them on a course to run into each other again. This is also the chapter that gives clues about the paranormal element in the book, which is just plain fun to write. "
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 Hollywood love triangles make for great tabloid headlines, but New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips firmly believes that "It's not easy being famous when your life is falling apart." Her novel, What I Did for Love (Avon, out in paperback on 12/29/09), chronicles the loves and losses of Hollywood darling Georgie York, who was very publicly dumped by her movie star husband for a sultry A-list star, who's also an international do-gooder and potential candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. Wonder what Hollywood love triangle this is based upon? This video, masterminded and narrated by SEP herself, asks you what you'd do for love (evidently Susan would fling herself off a cliff, if the pictures are to be believed...) And if you're still jonesing for some sweets, post Thanksgiving, here's Susan's own lemon cake recipe, which she uses a version of in her book:
Here’s Chaz’s Lemon Pound Cake. It’s just like her- a little tart, a little sweet. Chaz adapted the recipe from Barefoot Contessa at Home, and it’s become a Phillips family favorite. I love the fact that it uses yogurt instead of a big quantity of butter or shortening. It’s also perfect for entertaining because it’s best when made a few days ahead so the lemony richness has a chance to soak through. We’ve tried it several ways, but agree that it’s best plain with perhaps a few fresh raspberries and a square of chocolate on the side. 1 ½ C all purpose flour 2 t baking powder ½ t salt 1 C plain, whole milk yogurt 1 C sugar 3 extra large eggs 2 t grated lemon zest (2 lemons) ½ t pure vanilla extract ½ C vegetable oil GLAZE: 1/3 C sugar 1/3 C freshly squeezed lemon juice Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 ½ X 4 l/4 X 2 ½ inch loaf pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt into medium sized bowl. In larger bowl, whisk together yogurt, 1 C sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk dry ingredients into wet. With rubber spatula, fold vegetable oil into batter making sure it’s all incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 50 – 56 minutes until cake tester comes out clean. Meanwhile, make the glaze by cooking the 1/3 C lemon juice and 1/3 C sugar in small pan until sugar dissolves and mixture is clear. Set aside. When cake is done, let cool in pan for 10 minutes, than take out and place on baking rack set over a pan to catch glaze drips. While cake is still warm, pour glaze over cake and let soak in. Cool and refrigerate. (I like it best after 48 hours in refrig.)
Here's what Bree has to say about chapter three of The Dark Divine, as Grace tries to deal with having Daniel back in her life again.
And don't forget to keep those contest entries coming to elissa@rtbookreviews.com to win a free copy of the book and a snazzy bottle of matching purple nail polish! We’d like to congratulate latest winner Amber, who says, “This book sounds amazing!”
Bree says:
"Chapter three is called 'Tabula Rasa' (or 'clean slate') because Grace thinks she can wipe away what’s happened in the last 24 hours and pretend that Daniel had never returned. She thinks she can start over and go about her life as normal -- fix her art project, salvage her chem grade and perhaps go on a date with Pete Bradshaw. Notably, this is the shortest chapter in The Dark Divine, for Grace’s false sense of security doesn’t last for very long before trouble finds her again."
Fans of THE RED HAT CLUB by Haywood Smith would probably be delighted to know that one of the "sexually promiscuous alcoholic" characters was, in fact, based on a former friend of the author. Too bad a jury decided that portrayal, one of a fictional character doing fictional things, constitutes libel and awarded the former friend damages. I bet they are really former friends now.
A simple definition of libel is "a false and malicious publication printed for the purpose of defaming a living person." To me, the key part is "for the purpose of defaming a living person." With this case, anyone taking out thier childhood angst through fiction is subject to a lawsuit. I sincerely doubt Ms. Smith set out to deliberately defame her former friend. And even if she was enacting some sort of revenge, I am sure she didn't expect the world at large to recognize the character as anyone in particular.
Basing characters on people in real life is nothing new. Characters as diverse as Lady Macbeth, Esmeralda from THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, and Dirty Harry are all based on true life counterparts. Authors draw from what they know and often the people they know end up in thier work, deliberately or not. The authors of TV show The Wire should really be worried - rumor is lots of the lowlifes in that show are based on real people.
This case sets a bad precedent. Now anyone with a grudge against an author can claim libel if they see even a semblance of themselves in a work of fiction. Authors will have to worry not just about their characters that ARE based on real people, but accidental resemblances, too.
Anyone read THE RED HAT CLUB? What do you think about this case?
And even if you haven't read it, what do you think about a jury saying a fiction character is potentially libelous? What does this mean for the future of fiction? Tell us in the comments!
Nicole
With the movie New Moon out, I can't avoid Twilight or the series. I have never read the books and don't intend to. They just aren't my style and I have plenty of other vampire books to fulfill my appetite. This got me thinking about how some people love books others hate, and vice versa. For instance...
I refuse to read the Harry Potter books. I find them annoying in the extreme without ever having to pick one up. This, of course, leaves me open to ridicule by their most ardent fans.
I don't care for the Sookie Stackhouse books and have no intention of watching True Blood. I tried a book once and couldn't get through it. Meh.
I loved THE DA VINCI CODE. Yes, I admit it. I don't plan to read Dan Brown's newest one, but I did enjoy his previous books. This leaves me open to mockery by many and sometimes worse. Quite the controversial book.
I do not like STRAY by Rachel Vincent, no matter how hard I tried to. And yet, many people seem to like her Werecats series. I just don't get it. Just like I don't get Shiloh Walker's books. I don't know what it is, but they rub me the wrong way.
I loved ORYX AND CRAKE by Margaret Atwood, which I am learning is not a popular stance to have. I love nearly everything Margaret Atwood writes, but I especially loved ORYX - it's final scenes haunt me still and I can't wait to finally read the sequel, THE YEAR OF THE FLOOD.
So, what do you love to hate? What books do you hate that everyone else adores? Share your favorites and nonfavorites in the comments!
Nicole
We’re so glad you’ve all been enjoying our exclusive excerpt of Bree Divine’s debut, The Dark Divine . This week we’ve got chapter two for you, as well as another giveaway. Keep those emails coming to Elissa@rtbookreviews.com, to enter for a chance to win a copy of the book and a snazzy bottle of matching purple nail polish. Winners will be announced each Friday leading up to the book’s release on December 22.Here's what Bree has to say about writing the second chapter of her book:
I had three objectives when I wrote chapter two. The first is that I wanted to introduce the ideas of secrets and promises — themes that are explored throughout the book. Grace’s inability to keep a promise is one of her greatest flaws, and something she is going to have to come to terms with during the story. The second idea I wanted to explore is what it feels like to look for someone who has disappeared. One of the three people Daniel was loosely based on was my first boyfriend who mysteriously vanished off of the planet one day. I know how it felt like to look for him everywhere I went for the next year, hoping to bump into him, thinking I’d seen him from a distance … only it never turned out to be him. The third objective was to show the reader how Daniel’s reappearance into Grace’s life — even for only a few minutes — has started to cause problems for Grace. I like to think of it as foreshadowing for the much more serious trouble, and secrets, that are about to be exposed with Daniel’s return.
Love,
Bree Despain
Thanks to the new hit movie, 2012 is a hot topic. Plenty of recentlyreleased books have used the countdown to 2012, the year the Mayan calendarcomes to an end, as a setting or plot point for their novels. One of thelatest is author Brian D'Amato.
Here's what D'Amato had to say about his book, In the Courts of the Sun, the first in a trilogy from Dutton:
There are a lot of things I wanted the reader to get from my book In the Courts of the Sun and from the whole Sacrifice Game series. Regarding the 2012 phenomenon, I wanted to offer an entirely different take on it—one that would not partake of either New-Age nonsense (for example, that on December 21st, 2012 we’re going to enter a new Aquarian age of peace, love, and voluntary socialism, with a global constitution written by John Lennon) or the predictions of sell-by-date disaster (for example, that on that same day the earth’s poles will reverse, putting New York, geomagnetically speaking, where Tasmania is now). At the same time I wanted to take the Maya calendar and Maya cosmology seriously enough to satisfy (even) Maya scholars and archaeologists. I wanted to make the book a kind of doubled—and in a way quadrupled —love story which, in a particular way, crosses thirteen hundred years. I wanted to make it suspenseful enough to keep readers turning the pages despite their daunting number. I wanted the discussion of strategy games to be serious enough for, say, professional Go players, but still comprehensible to that mythical creature, the General Reader. I wanted the book to be the most serious fictional treatment, so far, of the Classic Maya period. I wanted some poetry in the translated Maya speech. I wanted my illustrations to be credibly Maya and to increase the book’s atmosphere of mystery rather than diminishing it. And I wanted many, many other things. Whether the book achieves these things is up to the readers—and, I suppose I could say, the critics, although one of the good things about the online era is that the readers and the critics are increasingly the same people. Also as a result of the online era, feedback from readers has been plentiful so far and often very illuminating. So—amazingly even to myself—the project has been engrossing enough to keep me going through the last fifteen years, and I’m it will continue to fuel me through the few years more that it will take to finish. At any rate, comments or questions (as they say) can be directed to bd@briandamato.com, and so far I’ve been pretty good about answering them. Your move…
And the winner is ...
We've got our first winner in our Dark Divine giveaway! Nicole, whose e-mail subject line included three all-caps PLEASEs, will be getting an advance copy of Bree Despain's debut, as well as a fab bottle of purple nail polish. For all the others who entered, don't despair, you've got five more chances to win! And be sure to keep an eye out Monday for an exclusive look at chapter two of The Dark Divine. Congrats Nicole!
Have we got a treat for you: exclusive excerpts from Bree Despain’s teen paranormal debut, The Dark Divine. Every week for the next six weeks, we’ll be posting a chapter to whet your appetites for the book’s release on December 22. Plus, we’ve got stuff to give away! Every Friday we’ll select a winner to receive a copy of The Dark Divine, and a bottle of nail polish that perfectly matches the purple book cover. To enter, email Elissa@RTBookReviews.com. Read on for a message from Bree, and then click the link below to read the first chapter of The Dark Divine.
Dear RT Book Reviews Readers,
I truly believe the saying “No book lives until it is read.” The author crafts a story using her own experiences and imaginings, but it is the reader who breathes life into the story. That is why I am overjoyed about The Romantic Times’ exclusive preview of the first six chapters of my debut novel, The Dark Divine. Not only are they easing my anticipation a few weeks early, but they are also making it possible for their readers—some of the most passionate in the world — to be among the first to make The Dark Divine come to life. This story started with a storm of ideas that had been swirling in my head for several weeks, and finally came together when I was stopped at a traffic light, thinking about a teenage memory that had always haunted me: the day my long lost childhood friend came back into my life for a few hours — just long enough to throw me off kilter — and then disappeared again. I looked up at a billboard in the dark, and a conversation between a brother and sister started in my head. They were discussing a former friend who had suddenly returned to town. “He’s dangerous,” the brother warned his sister. “He’s not the person he used to be. You have to stay away from him.” I couldn’t stop thinking about this conversation, and I was so curious about the friend who had disappeared and why he’d come back. I’d never felt so much passion for a set of characters before, and I knew that I had to write their story. I wrote the entire first chapter of The Dark Divine in a notebook the day after I heard the conversation between the brother and sister in my head, and besides a few minor tweaks, the first chapter has remained almost exactly the same as how I first wrote it. My friend had seemed troubled, and I’d always wondered if I could have helped him in some way. And the conversation between the brother and sister (which became the third scene in chapter one) was an exploration of what might have been my family’s reaction to my getting involved. But the most surprising thing that came out of chapter one, was that I discovered that the brother may know why their friend had disappeared, but he refused to tell that dark secret. I hope that you will read, enjoy, and share these exclusive excerpts from The Dark Divine over the next few weeks. And thank you for helping make my characters and story finally live. Love, Bree Despain
Harlequin recently announced they are creating a new division, Carina Press, that will offer just e-books, which will be available to readers directly through the site and through others. This is another step in the digital age by the publishing giant. In celebration of their 60th anniversary, they offered 12 titles as e-books free to readers.
Harlequin has always been pretty good at following trends and keeping up with the times. If you look at old Harlequins from the eighties and nineties, you can see the styles and plots that were popular then. With lines such as Kimani Press, Luna and Red Dress Ink, they have addressed several more recent trends in publishing.
One concern brought up by this recent line of e-books is there is no DRM protection. DRM stands for Digital Right Management, or in other words, those blocks put in place by companies to prevent unlawful distribution of digital products. This has angered some while causing other to rejoice. DRM is a controversial topic, with proponents claiming it helps prevent the abuse of an author's rights over their product. Others claim that DRM is anti-competitive and actually erodes rights. Either way, the lack of DRM is causing a stir.
I don't have an e-reader so I can't say who either the new line or it's lack of DRM would affect me. I know that one of the reasons I have resisted a Kindle or a Nook is because of the limitations put on it by the manufacturer. I want something that allows me to upload and read any document I so chose, regardless of origin. I also want to be able to manage my own electronic products, move them around if so desired. But another part of me thinks that preserving an author's right over their material is justifiable and I don't want to go against that.
What do you think? Will you read Harlequin's new e-book only line? Will the lack of DRM affect you in any way? Let us know in the comments!
Nicole
Well-known author Cory Doctorow recently wrote a blog (http://www.locusmag.com/Perspectives/2009/11/cory-doctorow-teen-sex.html) in which he discusses the reaction to a sex scene in his YA novel LITTLE BROTHER. (http://www.amazon.com/Little-Brother-Cory-Doctorow/dp/0765319853/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257816774&sr=8-1). The scene, as described by Doctorow, takes place with very little detail, with the action mostly alluded to and not explicitly spelled out. Apparently, there has been some negative reaction to this scene by parents, saying that a sex scene has no place in a book for young teens.
I love reading YA books and once in awhile I find a book with themes or scenes that I question being appropriate for my younger siblings. But then I remember how reading GO ASK ALICE (the true diary of a young drug addict) was instrumental in keeping me away drugs as a kid. I read those graphic accounts of what it was like to be on drugs and live on the streets and I learned from them. I read other books that had themes of violence, drugs and alcohol and sex and I turned out okay.
I read Ellen Hopkins’ books and wonder to myself, “Should my younger sister read about this girl doing drugs/having sex/lying to her parents?” But then I realize, as Doctorow does, that teens are going to do some of these things anyway and reading about them is not likely to make a teen run out and behave badly. In most cases the sex or lying or similar serve a purpose, a lesson that the reader can take away from the story.
What is interesting about Doctorow’s book and the uproar is that it’s the sex the parents are having problems with. As he points out, there are worse things in his book, including torture, but it’s this barely-there sex scene that has people up in arms. What is it about sex that has these parents upset as opposed to other things? Chances are, if your child hasn’t already had sex before reading about it in a book, they have definitely thought about it or seen it on TV.
So what do you think? Does sex have a place in YA novels? Are there other things that maybe shouldn’t be in your child’s pleasure reading? Sound off in the comments!
Nicole
The New York Times and USA Today best selling romance novelist, Stephanie Laurens, is back with The Untamed Bride and she’s giving away five copies to RT readers. Just send an email to katrinaa@wiredset.com by Nov. 10 with “RT Untamed Bride giveaway” in the subject line for a chance to win the novel, which received 4 1/2 stars in the November issue of RT Book Reviews.
Judging by the number of aspiring authors that attend RT’s annual convention, I am guessing many of you reading this are writers of one degree or another. Whether just starting out or newly published or you have lots of books under your belt, I am sure you all experience the same thing at some point in your writing: writer’s block.
Writer’s block is something vicious and cruel. It can stop you for a few minutes or for a lifetime. It can cause you to be stuck on a chapter, a scene, or just from getting started. Writer’s block is painful for anyone who knows there’s a story waiting to come out but the fingers just aren’t typing the words.
So what do you do when the words just won’t come?
From my extensive reading on the subject (while procrastinating my own writing), here are some of the best tips I have found for busting that block.
- Do something mindless. Can’t think of that next scene to write? Do something that doesn’t require a lot of brainpower. Wash the dishes, files some papers, take a bath. Something that doesn’t involve actively thinking about what you are writing. Often, an idea will appear while you are away from the writing and you can get back to it.
- Go outside. Go for a run or walk. Take the dog out. Take the kid out in their stroller. Get outside and look around you. Inspiration can be found by watching people, enjoying the weather and just taking a good look at what’s around you. Also, just like the tip above, this allows the writing to move to the back burner, giving your brain time to process without getting in the way of yourself.
- Read. Reading may sound counterintuitive, but reading allows you to focus on what works. Pick a book by an author you enjoy and pay attention to what you like about their story. Maybe you can apply it to your own work.
Those are some of my suggestions for blasting your writer’s block out of your way. What tips do you use to break down those barriers to your writing? Share them in the comments!
Nicole
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