Tampa Book Buzz

out for a while

I’ll be out on medical leave until the beginning of October or so. Please check back then (and keep your fingers crossed for me in the meantime!)

UPDATE 9/11/07:  Check out www.caringbridge.org/visit/lisac for way too much info, if you dare.

book buzz:dead girls are easy by terri garey

Dead Girls Are Easy by Terri Garey

Nicki Styx was minding her own business — her eclectic, eccentric, free-spirited business — when a near-death experience puts her in touch with some of the recently deceased who have unfinished business in this life. At first Nicki tries to ignore them, but eventually gives in to the annoying, nagging spirits and tries to relay their messages for them so they can rest in peace.

But being a “dead chick magnet” isn’t as easy as one would think. Nicki is swept into a world even more eccentric and free-spirited than she’s used to, complete with voodoo rituals, murder attempts, a hot romance with her emergency room doctor, confrontations with an ex-boyfriend, shopping and chicken cacciatore. Not to mention the Shocking Secret that Nicki uncovers about her past, which I can’t tell you anything about except to say that you’ll swallow your gum in astonishment.

Garey has created a spunky, snarky supernatural/suspense series that you can’t put down. The Shocking Secret stuff could have come off as a bad soap opera, but Garey not only makes it work, she makes it hilariously fascinating. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Garey’s website is www.tgarey.com.

Book Buzz Barometer: A

in memoriam:paley, nabb

Short-story writer and poet Grace Paley has died at age 84 of breast cancer.

British mystery writer and children’s author Magdelan Nabb has died at age 60 of a stroke.

author connie may fowler is offering full immersion writing workshops

Received via email:

Connie May Fowler, internationally acclaimed author of The Problem with Murmur Lee, Remembering Blue, Before Women Had Wings, River of Hidden Dreams, Sugar Cage, and When Katie Wakes unveils her latest venture, Below Sea Level: Full Immersion Workshops for Serious Writers.

Participants must submit manuscripts to be admitted to both the workshops and conferences. The Remembering Blue writing workshops are limited to seven writers and The St. Augustine Project conferences are limited to twenty. The application deadline for the October workshop is August 29.

Visit www.writingbelowsealevel.com for more info.

deep carnivale:a festival of words announces names of participating writers and artists

Received via email:

The Artists and Writers Group, Inc. and Hillsborough Community College-Ybor announce the inauguration of an annual, family-friendly street festival for Ybor City, Tampa and surrounding communities, free and open to the public.

Please contact David Audet at daudet(at)hccfl.edu for further details.

Be there or be square! The website is www.deepcarnivale.com.

ephemera:exploring the world of old paper (and good blogs)

“Ephemera” is one of those words that I know the meaning of but could not define in words if pressed.  The dictionary definition is “printed matter of passing interest.” (That wasn’t so hard; why couldn’t I come up with that?)  Ephemera could be postcards, photographs, booklets, hand-written letters, newspapers, magazines, maps, promotional flyers, club membership cards, record labels, matchbook covers, playing cards and more.

Collector and author Marty Weil writes about finding, buying, selling, collecting, pricing, and most importantly, enjoying ephemera of all types at his blog Ephemera:Exploring the World of Old Paper.  Weil says “Along with posts on pop culture, history, collectibles and art, the blog often features interviews with authors who write about ephemera-related topics and themes.  The site also profiles artists who use ephemera in their work.”

Stop by www.ephemera.typepad.com and enjoy the printed matter of passing interest.  My faves (so far) are the 1969 p0rno movie waiver, the Civil War coloring book, and the Weeki Wachee Mermaid Show slide.

book buzz:fangland by john marks

Fangland by John Marks

A travel diary written by TV news magazine The Hour producer Evangeline Harker chronicles her arduous trip to Transylvania to interview notorious crime lord Ion Torgu and describes her ensuing imprisonment, seduction and mysterious illness.

A series of email exchanges between someone at The Hour claiming to be Harker — although she’s been missing for months — and an easily influenced employee reveal the increasingly bizarre actions of infected Hour staff.

A network executive’s last will and testament describes the unexpected arrival of videotapes and large crates from Romania.  The videotapes appear blank, but with the continual malfunction of The Hour’s recording equipment, no one can be sure.  The ominous crates remain unopened in a back hallway of the office, but become objects of obsession among the TV news show staff.

An employee’s personal therapy journal documents the effects of the mysterious illness sweeping through the office: the insomnia, disturbing dreams, and words like “Nanking,” “Gomorrah,” and “Treblinka” constantly haunting one’s mind.

By presenting the story through personal email, journals and diaries, Marks creates a voyeuristic thrill for the reader peering into these multiple first-hand accounts.  Marks re-imagines the vampire myth and combines it with sharp commentary on post-911 media and office politics to create an unusual story.  To me, the ending didn’t quite live up to the promise of the rest of the book, but Fangland is still a worthwhile read.

Book Buzz Barometer: B

news and notes:book swap of carrollwood, melanie lynne hauser, review of movie becoming jane, a manatee christmas, smith

• Received via email (from JimSam Inc.’s e-newsletter): The Book Swap of Carrollwood has a new owner. “Cynthia Floyd is the new owner of Book Swap of Carrollwood, which has been in business for over 24 years. It is located in northwest Tampa at 13020 N. Dale Mabry Hwy. Used and new books are sold at the Book Swap and store credit is given for used books brought into the store. With 3,000 square feet the store has something for everyone, from current best-sellers to the obscure biography. The Book Swap is open seven days a week (Monday thru Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.) and has a friendly, knowledgeable staff that will recommend a book or author to you.” Visit www.bookswapfl.com for more info.
• I received an email recently suggesting Confessions of Super Mom and Super Mom Saves the World by Melanie Lynne Hauser as great books for the beach this summer.  “The Super Mom series about a divorced mother with two teenagers who gains superpowers after a Horrible Swiffer Accident has received great reviews.”  Also, Hauser recently released Jumble Pie, a free eBook as a thank you to readers.  Jumble Pie is “a story of two girls, a friendship and a pie.  Visit www.melanielynnehauser.com/jumblepie to learn more and receive a free copy.”  Hauser’s website is www.melanielynnehauser.com.
• Check out this review of the Jane Austen “biopic” movie Becoming Jane at The Stanford Daily.  “Sensible, but a little prejudiced” is a clever title (and the review’s not too shabby either).
• Panama City author Tim Thomas has written and illustrated a new book called A Manatee Christmas.  “It is an environmentally correct children’s book, of a young manatee that asks Santa Claus for a very special Christmas present.  Written to the cadence of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, the story depicts the everyday plight and dangers the Florida manatee must endure to survive.”  You can see sample pages at www.magicmirrorbooks.com/a_manatee_christmas.html.
• Received via email:  “Joy V. Smith has a new book out for children, Why Won’t Anyone Play With Me?  Smith will be signing her children’s book and some of her other books, including Building a Cool House For Hot Times Without Scorching the Pocketbook, at Authors in the Park at the Ybor City Saturday Market in Tampa Saturday, September 8.  Visit Smith’s website to learn more.