Tampa Book Buzz

new book by local author wendy boucher available august 15

It looks like that ride at Disneyworld is right: it’s a small world after all. A couple of months ago I read an article in the South Florida Sun Sentinel that explained Tampa — and explored Tampa’s attractions — in relation to the new “i am tampa” city slogan. I discovered today that the author of that article, Wendy Boucher, is a Tampa resident who has a new book coming out August 15.

Parvenue Throws A Party is the story of a magazine-obsessed, would-be social climber trying to find a sense of belonging and the quirky family that saves her from herself. The first chapter is available at her website. It sounds like a fun and entertaining book, great for these last few lazy weeks of summer. Local residents will get a kick out of all the references to Tampa and local landmarks.

Parvenue Throws A Party is available August 15 from Hoyden Press.

seminole heights book club

If you live in Seminole Heights, you’re in luck. They have a monthly book club that discusses a mix of classic (Jane Austen, Pearl S. Buck) and more recent fiction (Kurt Vonnegut, Arthur Golden). Visit their website for more information.

new catholic website for da vinci code fans

The Book Standard reports that the Catholic Enquiry Office has set up a website to address issues brought up in the book The Da Vinci Code, particularly issues surrounding Mary Magdalene. I thoroughly enjoyed The Da Vinci Code — and Angels and Demons, although it followed the same basic plot with several substitutions — but the controversy it inspired baffled me. It’s a work of fiction, people. Dan Brown took snippets of truth and nuggets of controversial theory and wove them together with a lot of ideas he created in his imagination and created a very entertaining, but fictional, book.

I looked at this new website and plan on going back and reading some of the articles when I have more time. About 90% or so of the site is about Mary Magdalene, with a couple of links addressing other religious/mystical issues also mentioned in the book. I think I might reread The Da Vinci Code before going through this site.

largo gets a new library

I love libraries, so I’m always happy to hear when a new one has been built. The Largo Library’s grand opening is Sunday, July 31.

women of mystery series at clearwater public library

The Clearwater Public Library has a new series that sounds intriguing: the Women of Mystery Series explores the lives and works of mystery writers Marcia Muller, Sue Grafton and Sara Paretsky.

On August 2 at 7 p.m. there is a screening of the documentary film Women of Mystery, which is a behind-the-scenes look at these three authors.

On September 19 at 7 p.m. there will be a discussion of The Shape of Dread by Marcia Muller.

On October 18 at 7 p.m. there will be a discussion of ‘F’ is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton.

On November 30 at 7 p.m. there will be a discussion of Tunnel Vision by Sara Paretsky.

These programs are free and open to the public. Florida mystery author Ina Coggeshall will serve as facilitator.

bruce campbell in tampa august 18

Bruce Campbell (of Evil Dead movie fame) will be signing copies of his new book Make Love* (*the Bruce Campbell Way) at the Tampa Theatre on August 18. Visit the Inkwood Books or the Tampa Theatre website for details and ticket info.

for fans of marjorie kinnan rawlings

Looks like this Saturday is “Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Day” at the Dunedin Public Library. At 10 a.m., Betty Jean Steinshover will present her first-person interpretation of author Rawlings and her life in Florida. At 1 p.m., she will moderate a discussion of Rawlings’ book Cross Creek.
Visit the Florida Humanities Council website for more information.

a harry potter book whose spell went wrong

With any new book publication, there are bound to be a few copies that are printed upside down or missing a few pages or have some other oddity. Defective Harry Potter books are being treasured as keepsakes or peddled on Ebay. I have a Sprite can from the mid-80s that has the logo printed upside down…wonder if that’s worth anything?

beall’s donates to just read florida

From the Bradenton Herald: For every book purchased at a Florida Beall’s department store, Beall’s will donate $2 to Governor Bush’s Just Read Florida program.

13th annual festival of reading

The 13th Annual Festival of Reading has been scheduled for October 29 at USF St. Petersburg. Scheduled authors include Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jim Lehrer, Kate Lehrer, Barbara Parker and Mireille Guiliano.