Tampa Book Buzz

back in a few days

Four weeks after surgery and *now* I’ve developed a sinus infection (my allergist blames the hospital) and *now* my surgeon thinks that the problems I’ve been complaining about since the surgery have been there all along, pre-surgery, and I’ve just “never noticed.”  (WTF?)  (Note to my doctor: it’s ok to use the phrase “I don’t know” instead of making up crap.)

So I’m off for another round of tests and bloodwork — fun, fun — so I’ll see you sometime next week.

All things being equal, I’d rather be blogging. 

quote of the day

It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.  –  Laura Ingalls Wilder

book buzz:the birthday party by panos karnezis

The Birthday Party by Panos Karnezis

Karnezis has crafted a quiet, introspective look at a larger-than-life character.  Marco Timoleon was raised in a strict Greek Orthodox household in Asia Minor and worked his way up in the business and society worlds to become a globe-trotting billionaire.

The novel opens in the summer of 1975, on the day of Marco’s daughter’s 25th birthday celebration.  His daughter Sophia is pregnant, much to Marco’s dismay, and he plans to convince her to have an abortion while she’s on his island.  He’s even flown in his personal physician and set up a secret operating room. 

The book ends the next day, after the party is over and the guests have departed.  Interspersed with the present-day story are Marco’s flashbacks, as he reviews the successes and failures of his long life.

The Birthday Party is an enjoyable fairy tale that thankfully stops short of melodrama.

Book Buzz Barometer: A-

new anthology animal attraction features florida authors

Here’s some info on outside-the-Tampa-Bay-area-but-still-in-Florida authors I received via email:

Floridians Neil Plakcy, Kiernan Kelly and Vincent Diamond are featured in the new book Animal Attraction recently released by Torquere Press. From the cuddly cuteness of a puppy, the lush fur of an endangered jaguar to the wise eyes of an Indian elephant, beasts of all species abound in Animal Attraction, a new anthology of short stories from Torquere Press. The animals in these stories have a way of making men come together-in all sorts of sexy ways.

Neil Plakcy lives in Miami and is the author of Mahu and Mahu Surfer, mystery novels set in Honolulu, and co-editor of Paws and Reflect:Exploring the Bond Between Gay Men and Their Dogs. His fiction has appeared in many publications, including Blithe House Quarterly, Verbsap and many more.  His website is www.mahubooks.com.

Kiernan Kelly, from Orlando, is the multi-published author of In Bear Country, Riding Heartbreak Road, and Two Spirits, all from Torquere Press. His website is www.kiernan-kelly.com.  

Editor Vincent Diamond (Men of Mystery, Hot Cops) is donating 10% of the editor’s proceeds to Peace River Refuge and Ranch and In Harmony with Nature, both located in Florida. The charities provide a variety of domestic and wildlife care and are non-profit organizations.

Diamond is a native Floridian and former Zephyrhills resident whose print work has appeared in Feathers, Chance Encounters, Under Arrest, and Play Ball from Torquere Press and many more. His website is www.vincentdiamond.com.

The Animal Attraction stories offer a variety of characters, settings, conflict and relationships. Writers brand new to e-publishing, such as Shanna Germain, Aaron Michaels, Neil Plakcy, K.C. Warwick, and Elazarus Wills join with Torquere veterans J.L. Jensen, Kiernan Kelly, Sean Michael, C.B. Potts, J. Rocci, and B.A. Tortuga. Animal Attraction offers readers gay romance for the beast in all of us.

The book is available here.

book buzz:rant by chuck palahniuk

Rant by Chuck Palahniuk

Chuck Palahniuk is one deliciously twisted dude.  His latest book, Rant, is an oral history of Buster “Rant” Casey, recounted by Rant’s friends, enemies, doctors, schoolmates and others who knew him. Nicknamed for the gagging sound one makes when throwing up, Rant spent his childhood being bitten and stung by as many venomous animals and insects that he could find.  Unable to engage in sexual intercourse without the priapism caused by black widow spiders, Rant’s first act on a hot date was to take out a vial of spiders that he carried around with him.  Proof of Rant’s romantic prowess was evident by the number of local females — students and teachers alike — who contracted rabies through his saliva.

As an adult, Rant lives in a world where rabies is a worldwide plague and infected people are quarantined in a temporal, rather than physical, way.  As Nighttimers, those in quarantine were allowed out only at night and made to follow strict curfews.  One way for both Nighttimers and Daytimers to live vicariously without actually doing anything was through a “boosted peak” uploaded through the port in their necks.  Uploading someone else’s neural transcript was the prime method of entertainment.

For those more interested in real-life excitement, there’s the urban demolition derby Party Crashing.  Rant excelled at this late-night violent hunting game and became infamous after his fiery death. Well, and for that whole rabies thing.  And did I mention his time-traveling father?

Rant is inventive, warped, funny, odd, snarky, pessimistic, with a side order of boring bits and a hard-to-follow format.  You know, just your usual Palahniuk book.

Book Buzz Barometer: B

robert jordan has died

Bestselling sci-fi/fantasy author Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time series) has died at age 58 of a rare blood disease.

in memoriam:umbral, hollies

• Spanish author Francisco Umbral (A Mortal Spring) has died from respiratory failure at age 72.

• Bestselling author and Methodist minister Dr. Linda H. Hollies (Sister Save Yourself! Direct Talk About Domestic Violence) died unexpectedly while on her recent book tour.

book buzz:brazen careerist:the new rules for success by penelope trunk

Brazen Careerist:The New Rules for Success by Penelope Trunk

There once was a girl
Who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead
When she was good
She was very good
But when she was bad, she was horrid.

This nursery rhyme sums up how I feel about business self-help author Penelope Trunk. When she’s right, she’s right; but when she’s wrong, Trunk is way off-base. In Brazen Careerist:The New Rules for Success, Trunk proudly claims that this is “not your parents’ career guidebook.” She writes for Generations X and Y, twenty- and thirty-somethings who care less about retiring after forty years with a gold watch and care more about the successful integration of career and personal life.

Some of Trunk’s chapters that I agree with include “Detours Are the Route to Happiness,” about how exploring career and life options in one’s twenties is a smart move; “You Only Need $40,000 a Year To Be Happy,” a solid argument for living within your means and being satisfied with what you have; and “The New Workplace Currency is Training,” about how cross-training and constant learning will serve you well in all areas of life.

I disagree with some of Trunk’s advice, such as that found in chapters “When Writing Your Resume Don’t Be Too Honest,” which takes the standard resume advice “use strong action verbs” several steps further; “Getting a Promotion Is So Last Century,” a pessimistic look at what constitutes achievement in the workplace, and “Use Harassment to Boost Your Career,” where Trunk theorizes that “enduring sexual harassment can sometimes be a way to gain power to achieve your long-range goals.”

Agree or disagree, love her or hate her, Trunk is a good writer who breaks down important career advice into short, easy-to-read chapters (some of which are a little too short). By using bold chapter titles and making potentially-anger-inducing pronouncements, Trunk purposely creates controversy with her advice. And we all know that controversy sells, right?

Whether you vigorously nod your head in agreement at her advice or disagree vehemently, Trunk makes you think. Thinking for oneself is the ultimate path to success for all careerists, brazen or not.

Book Buzz Barometer: B

news and notes:deep carnivale, tolkien, local library websites

• TampaGold.com reports that over 600 people attended the Deep Carnivale:A Celebration of Words festival the weekend before last. (My sources say that it was more like 1,500 people.)  They’ve got pictures, too.  Check it out.
• Some of J.R.R. Tolkien’s furniture was recently up for sale.  (How cool would it be to actually own something of his??)
• SticksofFire.com recently posted a good list of local library resources and websites.  Check it out.

two upcoming events at the clearwater main library

Saw some upcoming events posted at C-Scapes.livejournal.com:

• Author to Visit Clearwater Main Library — Author Lynn Marie Smith will discuss her book Rolling Away:My Agony with Ecstasy and will lecture on the dangers of drug abuse and addiction Monday, September 17, at 7 p.m. at the Clearwater Main Library, 100 N. Osceola Ave.

If you’re not familiar with C-Scapes, you should be.