Tampa Book Buzz

quote of the day

A man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them. — Mark Twain

i want to read…

…Ok, I don’t really want to read this myself, but I want to make sure middle-school girls read it:

Math Doesn’t Suck by Danica McKellar, former star of Wonder Years

“The only television actress in American to co-author a groundbreaking mathematical physics theorem,” said Peg Tyre in Newsweek.

h/t The Week magazine

st. pete times festival of reading tomorrow!

Hi there. We’ve met before, but you might not remember me. It’s been a while. My name is Lisa. I used to post on this blog a long time ago, before I was away from my Real Job for a while, which required me to work extra hours to catch up, which lowered my immunity and helped me catch a nasty stomach bug, which meant I was away from RJ again, which of course means that this week I’ve had to work from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. without taking a decent lunch break.

Yesterday I achieved the Grand Slam of Hectic Modern Life: I had no more clean clothes; there were no clean plates or silverware, which didn’t matter too much because the fridge was almost empty; the “put some gas in this car before you get stranded on a deserted road” light in my car had come on; my cell phone battery was dead; I had no cash in my wallet, nor did I have enough change for the Crosstown or a can of soda; and it had been so long since I’d looked at my To Do List that I couldn’t remember what I was supposed to be stressed about not doing.

It was an oddly perfect moment in time when I realized I had won a Grand Slam; I would have cried but I had run out of tissue.

After a brief but vigorous internal debate about running away from home and just starting over from scratch, I’ve decided to do the next best thing: say to hell with it all and have some fun.

Tonight I’m going to the Blogosphere Blast sponsored by local blog Sticks of Fire, to which you are all invited. After a couple of hours there, I’m heading over to Cult-O-Ween, sponsored by local website Crazed Fan Boy and videostore Unique Video, to which you are also invited.

And let’s not forget tomorrow. Tomorrow is THE big event for bibliophiles, ravenous readers and literacy lovers everywhere: The St. Petersburg Times’ Festival of Reading.

Long story short: 140 Seventh Ave. South at Bayboro Harbor in St. Pete from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., free parking. Attending authors include David Andelman, Michael Connelly, R. L. Stine, Scott Deitche, Kimberly Llewelyn and Peter Meinke. (There are many more.) St. Pete Times writers Sue Carlton, Ernest Hooper, Jeff Klinkenberg and Howard Troxler will be there. Dozens of booths have been reserved by authors, publishing companies, literacy groups, libraries, colleges, used book dealers, clubs, organizations and who knows who else. Pineapple Press…JimSam, Inc. Publishing, Pasco Authors and Writers Organization, Florida Motion Picture and TV Association, Book TV on C-Span 2 and the Tampa Writers Alliance were some of the names on the FoR website. Even the group Lawyers for Literacy will be there, for heaven’s sake. (No lawyer jokes allowed. Supporting literacy is a good thing.) Visit www.festivalofreading.com for more details, including the schedule.

If I don’t see you here or here, hopefully I’ll see you here.

I’ll be easy to spot. I’ll be the tall, disheveled woman with dark circles under her eyes who is wearing wrinkled clothing, asking everyone for a dollar for a can of soda, and who will probably fall asleep from sheer exhaustion while standing up if the crowds are packed enough to provide support. Please wake me up, give me a sip of your Mountain Dew and say hello, won’t you? Because I’ll need to borrow your cell phone to call my husband to come pick me up.

news and notes:lawent, inkwood books’ birthday celebration

• Oregon author Louie Lawent (Gerty the Pig) wrote to let me know about his new book The Louie/God Interviews (What The Big Fella Really Thinks About Man And The Universe). “Are the days of “God speaks to Man” a relic of the past? Not according to Louie Lawent, who at the turn of the new millennium landed a series of exclusive interviews with The Supreme Being. Louie grills God about his checkered career, but it’s done benignly and a frustrated Creator makes a good case for himself - well, most of the time. The interviews cover biblical happenings, His propensity to smite, evolution, pop culture, and a God who believes He’s the victim of a disinformation campaign. It’s The Far Side meets The Thinker meets The Frat Boy. A God who considered creation ‘a good day in the hood.’ What Hollywood director would God choose to direct his life story? What part do the Three Stooges play in the Rapture? What about his pet peeves? How do Americans amaze God? What’s his favorite political joke? Did the aliens really land at Roswell?” The Louie/God Interviews (What The Big Fella Really Thinks About Man and the Universe) is available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and other bookstores. Visit Louie online at www.myspace.com/LouieLawent.
• From Inkwood Books via email: “As a thank you to our INKWOOD REGULARS*, enjoy a 20% discount all day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, November 2-4. As always, this includes all books, cards, calendars and anything else on hand (except giftcards, Regulars memberships, and sale items), but does not include special orders. Plan for early holiday purchases and enjoy our usual free gift wrap and assistance with selections. Every hour we’ll have a different special - from 25% off books with colors in the title to buy 2 American authors and get one foreigner for free, or whatever strikes our fancy. So stop by often… (*Not Regular yet? This is a good time to join to enjoy this sale, as well as 10% off for a full 12 months. Only $15 with no card to carry and other benefits, too.) SIXTEEN CANDLES: We’ll be serving cake at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 2, and staying open til 9, with live music and refreshments. We hope you’ll stop by to celebrate with us and let us thank you for 16 years of support.” Visit them online at www.inkwoodbooks.com.

upcoming events from jimsam, inc.

Local publishing company JimSam, Inc. has some interesting events coming up in the Bay area (and one in Orlando):

Wednesday, October 24, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Orlando launch of Stefanie Cole’s book The Phantom Returns
Blue Martini
4200 Conroy Rd., Suite H-246
Orlando, FL 32839

Friday and Saturday, November 16 and 17, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
PARC’s SPARC (Self-Published Authors’ Regional Conference) Holiday Book Expo
Tampa Bay area self- and independently-published authors are invited to showcase and sell their books at an event to purchase a multi-hazard shelter for the severely developmentally disabled children and adults at PARC.
PARC
3190 Tyrone Blvd. North
St. Pete

Visit the events page at JimSam, Inc. for more info.

in memoriam:schneider, gallo, griffith, kempowski

• Children’s science book writer Nina Schneider (Science Fun With Milk Cartons) has died of a stroke at age 94.
• Travel writer Nick Gallo has died at age 57.
• Screenwriter and director Charles Griffith (Little Shop of Horrors) has died of a heart attack at age 77.
• German author and diarist Walter Kempowski (Das Echolot) has died of cancer at age 78.

“find a treasure sale of $1 books” at old tampa book company october 20

Received via email:

The Old Tampa Book Company celebrates Live After Five and the Urban Home Tour with a “Find a Treasure Sale of $1 Books” Saturday October 20.

Visit www.oldtampabookcompany.com for more info.

(hat tip to local author Eric Sturm for this info.)

upcoming events:day of author critiques and chick lit panel at festival of reading

Local author Kimberly Llewellyn (The Quest for the Holy Veil) sent me info on some upcoming local events:

Writers in Residence — Day of Author Critiques

Saturday, October 27
University of South Florida
St. Petersburg Campus
At Bayboro Harbor
140 Seventh Ave. South
St. Petersburg, FL
festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Llewellyn’s website is www.kimberlyllewellyn.com.

jewish book day celebration november 11

Celebrate Jewish Book Month with Jewish Book Day on Sunday, November 11, at the Tampa JCC (Jewish Community Center), 13009 Community Campus Drive. Award-winning author Gloria Goldreich (Leah’s Journey, Dinner With Anna Karenina) is the special guest. Here’s the schedule:

10 a.m.-4 p.m. — Chanukah Shopping Bazaar and Jewish Book Fair. Free admission. Bring a Hebrew or English book to swap.

10-11:30 a.m. — story time and children’s activities. Free admission.

10:30-11 a.m. — featured author Gloria Goldreich reads to children from her book 10 Traditional Children’s Stories. Free admission.

11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Jewish Book Month brunch and book signing with Gloria Goldreich. Tickets (open seating) are $36 each. There will be a chance drawing for all brunch attendees.

In addition to the JCC annual Jewish Book Fair, Chanukah shopping bazaar and children’s storytime, there will be book discussions, hands-on kids’ activities, free digital fingerprints and photo for children of all ages (parents must be present) and complimentary gift wrapping.

If you shop at select local Barnes and Noble bookstores (Carrollwood, South Tampa and Brandon) during November 11-18 using this voucher, a portion of the proceeds will go to the Tampa JCC Book Month Program.

Reservations may be made by phone, mail or online at www.jewishtampa.com. Deadline is Wednesday, November 1.

(hat tip to local author Eric Sturm)

upcoming author appearances on wordsmitten

WordSmitten’s “About the Books” radio program is heard on NPR’s WFSU-FM 88.9, WOCA in Ocala, WRBH-FM 88.3 in New Orleans, and WTIS-AM 1110 Talk Radio in the Tampa Bay area. Here’s the list of upcoming author appearances:

• October 20 - award-winning author David Leavitt will discuss his new book The Indian Clerk
• October 27 - Connie May Fowler, Oprah-pick author (Before Women Had Wings) discusses her new novel, to be launched soon.
• November 3 - Emory University professor Joseph Skibell reveals his newest novel is more than 1000 pages and is a great departure from his previous novel The English Disease

Manhattan book publicist Scott Manning will appear at WordSmitten’s Writing Workshop series on Saturday, November 3, to conduct a master class with tips for gaining visibility for newly launched books. Manning’s clients include bestselling author Mark Bowden (Black Hawk Down) and P. J. O’Rourke (CEO of the Sofa).

Featured speakers for this event include Roy Peter Clark, vice president of journalism’s notable Poynter Institute, who will discuss 50 tips in 50 minutes from his bestselling book Writing Tools. Elaine Fantle Shimberg, author of Write Where You Live:Successful Freelancing at Home, will conduct a master class on tips writers need to stay focused on the business of writing.

Tickets are available now for the November 3 event (Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) at St. Petersburg College (SPC), 244 Second Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701. WordSmitten conducts three workshops in the fall, winter, and spring and the spring workshop was a sold-out event, so register early.

Registration forms are available at St. Petersburg College, Haslam’s on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg and Small Adventures Bookshop in Gulfport. Registration is $145.00 for these master classes and includes lunch and free parking at SPC’s downtown campus. To register, visit www.wordsmitten.com/writingworkshop.htm or call (727) 409-0500 for more information.

Visit www.wordsmitten.com to learn more.