Tampa Book Buzz

tuxes by scott fivelson

I recently had an email from L.A. author-screenwriter Scott Fivelson about his new novel Tuxes. Fivelson said, “It’s a comic take on the classic rich-family saga, a rollicking sendup of the classic beachbook, a grand parody of the writing of Sidney Sheldon, Danielle Steel, Jackie Collins, Dynasty and Dallas.” His most recent film was American Reel, a comedy/drama about the music business starring David Carradine and Mariel Hemingway. You can read more about Tuxes at www.beachsidepress.com.

news and notes:tampa writers alliance, washington, barons, smith

• The Tampa Writers Alliance has changed locations for its monthly meetings. TWA meetings will be held at the Jimmie Keel Library, 2902 W. Bearss Ave., Tampa, FL 33618 and not at the John Germany Library downtown.
• Local author Valerie Washington (Soul Passion) will attend the African-American Book Expo in L.A. May 30 through June 1.
• New York author C.M. Barons wrote to tell me about his new book In the Midst Of. “In the Midst Of rekindles the 70s - an era of global hang-time. The 60s pendulum had swung as far as the silent majority would allow. Poised to back swing, the repercussions were unclear. As the world hovered in anticipation, the lives of Brian, Hollis and Nadine play out…guided by elements more personal and troubling than the clockworks of society and politics. Brian and his friends are students, free-wheeling youth ensconced on a college campus. Co-ed dorms, liberal drinking, casual drugs and casual sex.” Visit www.inthemidstof.info for more info.
• Local author Joy V. Smith recently had a few stories accepted by Anthology Builder. “I noticed that some writers and writing groups were putting together their stories in collections and anthologies, so I thought I’d experiment with a cover and a collection and ended up putting my collection Aliens, Animals, and Adventure in their library.”

great opening lines:critical by robin cook

“Within the course of a week spanning March and April 2007, a serious, untoward event in the health of three strangers, two of whom lost their lives, was destined to impact the lives of hundreds, even thousands of people in a complicated web of causality. The victims had no premonition of their individual tragedies. Though they were all generally healthy married men of similar ages, they were engaged in totally different occupations, and each had absolutely no knowledge of the others, either socially or through business. One was a Caucasian physician who experienced a painful and debilitating athletic injury; the second an African-American computer programmer who contracted a fulminant, and rapidly fatal, nosocomial postoperative infection; and the third was an Asian-American accountant who suffered a ruthless, execution-style death.”

— Critical by Robin Cook

florida author connie lee berry touring local schools in may

Florida author Connie Lee Berry will be touring elementary schools in the Tampa bay area in May.

She is the author of a new chapter-book series for young readers ages seven to nine called the Incredible Journey books. “This series features fast-paced worldly adventures filled with geography facts. There have been four titles published so far: The Criminal in the Caymans, Treasure in Tahiti, Adventure in Africa, and Pirates in Paradise.”

Visit www.ijbooks.com for more info on this series or how to ask Berry to visit your school.

devil wears prada author lauren weisberger at united way dinner may 8

The United Way of Tampa Bay’s 4th Annual Women’s Leadership Art of Giving dinner and auction will be May 8.

Fashion meets charity as part of the 4th annual Art of Giving dinner. The event will feature our guest speaker, The Devil Wears Prada author Lauren Weisberger, who will sign books after the program. Also, our exclusive Power of the Purse Auction will be a major highlight of the program. The live handbag auction will feature some of the most fashionable handbags around. A cocktail hour, sit-down dinner, silent auction, and more are included.

Cost: $100 per ticket

Visit www.unitedwaytampabay.com/artofgiving for more info or to register.

back on monday

I’m spending the weekend at the Ybor Festival of the Moving Image, watching as many movies as humanly possible. Back on Monday.

i want to read…

…Movie Crazy by Leonard Maltin

april is national poetry month

What is National Poetry Month?

April. Every year since 1996.

–from the Academy of American Poets website

news and notes:book swap of carrollwood, neal, dynes

• Book Swap of Carrollwood (13020 N. Dale Mabry, Tampa, 33618) is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month.
• Florida author Julie Neal’s The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World 2008 is ranked in the Top 10 bestsellers on Amazon.com of all U.S. travel books, regardless of publication date. (And it is one of only two that have a 5-star rating.) The book has also been chosen as the Highlighted Travel Guidebook Title of Independent Publisher Online, which honors newly released books that exhibit “superior levels of creativity, originality and high standards of design and production quality.” And last but not least, it is the Number 1 bestselling title for Family Travel on Amazon.com.
• South Carolina author Jan Dynes has just published her first book, titled Refractions. “Diane Lindsey is a testament to what one woman can survive. Yet she is still running for her life from a malevolence she doesn’t understand. Her husband and child were murdered and she’s next. Against insurmountable obstacles she fights to understand and stay alive… “ Visit Dynes online at www.jandynes.com.

author and coach c. vivian stringer at inkwood books april 8

Received via email from Inkwood Books:

Meet C. Vivian Stringer, head coach of the outstanding Rutgers University women’s basketball team, the Scarlet Knights, as she signs her acclaimed book Standing Tall:A Memoir of Tragedy and Triuumph at Inkwood Books on Tuesday, April 8, at 4 p.m. Because of late scheduling, reserving books is strongly encouraged!

With grace and courage, she has triumphed over adversity in her personal life - from racial intolerance, her child’s meningitis, her husband’s untimely death, and her own breast cancer - and passed these values on to her players. Praised by Maya Angelou, Tony Dungy, Magic Johnson, and many more, Standing Tall is an inspiring story from an esteemed role model and true champion, on and off the court and would make a great graduation gift!

Visit www.inkwoodbooks.com for more info.