Tampa Book Buzz

goodbye 2007…

What a year! What a crazy, tumultuous, hectic, bizarre, interesting year. And I’m just talking about my personal life. (Ha ha.)

There are a few book-related items on the Best of 2007 and Worst of 2007 lists that I did for CrazedFanBoy.com. Here are a few other 2007 wrap-up lists from around the web to finish out the year:

• TIME’s top 10 fiction books
• The LA Times‘ list of favorite books of ‘07
• Entertainment Weekly’s list of the worst books of 2007
• The top ten books of 2007 according to the New York Times
• Boston WBUR’s On Point’s list of the year’s best books
• Pulp Secret’s list of worst comic books of ‘07
• SFFWorld’s favorite books of 2007
• The best book covers of ‘07 according to the Book Design Review
• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s blog The Book Page announced the World’s Worst Book Title this year

i want to read…

Several of the books higlighted on Inkwood Books’ website sound entertaining:

• An Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes in New England by Brock Clarke
• Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf:A Year Told Through Stuff by Jennifer L. Holm
• The Omnivore’s Dilemma:A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
• The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop:A History, A Memoir by Lewis Buzbee

Visit www.inkwoodbooks.com to browse for hours.

share if you dare:what are you reading right now?

I’m on page 62 of Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow.  It’s a free-verse novel about werewolves in California.  Definitely different, but so far I like it.

What are you reading right now?  Post a comment and let me know.

new facebook application for book lovers

Received via email:

SEATTLE, WA July 10, 2007 Shelfari (www.shelfari.com), the leading social media site for book lovers, today announced a new application for Facebook (www.facebook.com) members designed to let them easily rate, review and share their books with Facebook friends and connect with one another via their love of literature. Unlike the majority of Facebook book applications that were built by independent software developers as siloed communities, the Shelfari Facebook application connects with the vibrant community of Shelfari.com and enables users to connect their book activity within Facebook to the deep book-centered world on Shelfari.com.

Facebook application users can view all their books on a virtual bookshelf, import books already added on Shelfari.com, rate and review their books, and share those ratings and reviews automatically through Facebooks personal newsfeeds. They also can view the rich book information and discussions from Shelfari without leaving Facebook. To use the Shelfari application, Facebook members can go to: http://apps.facebook.com/shelfari/ or search for Shelfari directly from the Facebook applications directory.

The Facebook Platform represents a seismic shift in the way people are using social networks to express themselves and new applications like Shelfari will enable Facebook members to instantly engage with a large community of readers, said Josh Hug, Shelfari CEO and co-founder. The Shelfari application is unique because it not only enables Facebook members to quickly share their reading lists but it also provides an avenue of exploration via the Shelfari site which is deeper than what can be provided by an independent third party developer whose applications are disconnected from a larger, vertically-oriented community.

Launched in October 2006, Shelfari is one of the fastest growing vertically oriented social media sites on the Internet. With tens of thousands of bibliophiles already registered on the free site, Shelfari represents a vibrant community of readers who actively participate and express themselves through their passion for books. The Shelfari application for Facebook will further extend this community and enable Facebook members to explore and discover an entirely new landscape of books, authors, and fellow readers.

About Shelfari:  Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Shelfari is creating the worlds first social media site focused on books. A powerful yet simple interface enables Shelfari users (Shelfarians) to build virtual bookshelves and socially interact around the books they care about. The company was founded by three technology veterans from RealNetworks who believe that people want to discuss and discover great books online. Shelfari can be found by visiting www.shelfari.com.

I just joined Facebook about two weeks ago.  Good timing, huh?  I haven’t had a chance to try this out yet. If you have, let me know what you think about it.

lunch hour library visit

I’m bored.  I feel blah.  I don’t feel like working or blogging or running errands or returning calls…all I want to do is lie in bed and read and watch TV.  Maybe I’ve got spring fever.  Maybe I’m having a midlife crisis. I told The Husband this morning that I’ve been bitten by a tsetse fly and have contracted sleeping sickness – thereby rendering him responsible for all bills, groceries and laundry from now on – but for some strange reason he didn’t believe me.  Just like Francie in A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, I need a pickle day.

I went to the library on my lunch break yesterday to perk myself up.  Even though I have a stack of books at home to read, I checked out a few more.  I enjoy strolling the library’s aisles and selecting books at random, based only on their titles.  Wacky and striking book titles are entertaining, as well as a shrewd marketing move.  I checked out four books that I know nothing about.  I hope they’re as interesting as their titles:

• Knitting Under the Influence by Claire Lazebnik
• Bloodthirsty Bitches and Pious Pimps:The Rise and Risk of the New Conservative Hate Culture by Gerry Spence
• Money, A Memoir by Liz Perle
• When I Was Five I Killed Myself by Howard Buten

I do feel a little bit better, thanks.

inaugural melissa nathan award for comedy romance

I received the following email about a new, unusual and very sweet British book award:

SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED FOR THE FIRST MELISSA NATHAN AWARD FOR COMEDY ROMANCE 2007

The Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance is the first of its kind.  This new prize will be awarded to a writer who has combined in a novel the magic, life-enhancing elements of both humour and love.  The award has been set up by Melissa Nathan’s husband, Andrew Saffron, in honour of Melissa, who died from cancer at the age of just 37, in April 2006. 

Based on criteria which Melissa drew up herself shortly before she died, the prize is open to writers of any age or gender who have written a book first published in the UK during the calendar year 2006.  This is the first time that a literary award has been established to recognise the genre of ‘comedy romance’. Its aim is to reward authors who can draw the two sections – ‘comedy’ and ‘romance’ – together in a way that is both compelling and natural.  The winner will receive a trophy and a cheque for £5,000 at an awards ceremony at the Magic Circle Headquarters in London on Wednesday, 13 June – Melissa’s birthday.

The judges for The Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance - comedian Jo Brand, author Joanna Trollope, actress Jessica Hynes (née Stevenson), Head Book Buyer for Tesco Gaynor Allen, and author Sophie Kinsella – declare the shortlist to be:

• Barefoot in the Dark by Lynne Barrett-Lee (published by Accent Press) — This title is a modern twist on Cinderella. Radio Wales DJ Jack Valentine finds a lost trainer on a station platform. With echoes of Cinderella, he appeals on his show for its owner, Hope Shepherd, to come forward. Hope handles publicity for a Cardiff based charity, Heartbeat. Encouraged by colleagues to secure Jack Valentine to raise the profile of an upcoming fun run, she reluctantly heads for the studios. The attraction between Hope and Jack is immediate but, bruised and battered by their recent divorces, they are reluctant to risk romance again.
• The Ex-Boyfriend’s Handbook by Matt Dunn (published by Pocket Books) — “It’s not me - it’s you. You’ve let yourself go, so I’m letting you go too.” When Edward Middleton hears those words from Jane, his girlfriend of the past ten years, he knows he’s in serious trouble. Determined to get her back, Edward must learn how to make women fancy him again. But what makes for a good boyfriend nowadays? Right now, he’s the kind of man who puts the ‘ex’ into ’sexy’. One thing is certain: if he’s to be Jane’s Mr Right, he needs to turn himself into a bit of all right. From Atkins and Botox, Edward begins working his way through the makeover alphabet. But can cuddly Teddy really become sexy Eddie? Can he rise from the ranks of discarded exes? Or has his journey of self-discovery taken him in a different direction entirely?
• The Cinderella Moment by Gemma Fox (published by HarperCollins) — If life’s a ball, then Cass needs an invite. A warm and funny romantic read in which the course of true love doesn’t even come close to running smooth…While off to seek her fortune, Cass meets Prince Charming in a carriage - a railway carriage, that is. That chance conversation, and the apparent good luck of finding a mobile phone, turns her whole life upside down. But, what if Prince Charming turns out to be the big bad wolf after all? A summer job in Brighton, an ex-husband who makes pumpkins look bright, and a very unlikely pair who double as fairy godmothers when not on the pull or drinking themselves into a stupor, take Cass on adventure which is almost more nightmare than fairytale. So when midnight strikes, will everything vanish, or will the real Prince Charming be revealed? This is a must-read for everyone who loves a good warm romantic read with plenty of twists and turns, who’s wanted to take a risk - or who’s answered a mobile phone call and wished they hadn’t… 
• Anybody Out There? By Marian Keyes (published by Michael Joseph) — ‘I had to go back to New York and try to find him. There was a chance he mightn’t be there but I had to give it a go because there was one thing I was certain of: he wasn’t here.’ Anna Walsh is officially a wreck. Physically broken and emotionally shattered, she lies on her parents’ Dublin sofa with only one thing on her mind: getting back to New York. New York means her best friends, The Most Fabulous Job In The World and above all, it means her husband, Aidan. But nothing in Anna’s life is that simple anymore! Not only is her return to Manhattan complicated by her physical and emotional scars - but Aidan seems to have vanished. Is it time for Anna to move on? Is it even possible for her to move on? A motley group of misfits, an earth-shattering revelation, two births and one very weird wedding might help Anna find some answers - and will change her life forever. Hilarious, heartbreaking and life-affirming, Marian’s unforgettable new novel is as epic as it is entertaining.
• Making Your Mind Up by Jill Mansell (published by Headline Review) — Lottie Carlyle isn’t looking for love when she meets her new boss, Tyler Klein. Living in a beautiful cottage with her two adorable - sometimes - kids in an idyllic village in the heart of the Cotswolds, on good terms with her charming but hopeless ex-husband and with friends all around, she’s happy enough with her lot. But Tyler’s perfect for Lottie and quickly she falls for him - and he for her. Unfortunately, there’s a problem. For reasons that are totally unfair, Lottie’s children hate Tyler. When a rival for Lottie’s affections comes on the scene in the shape of charmer Seb, the children adore him, and he’s certainly a distraction. But he’s not Tyler - and he’s not even at all what he seems. Lottie’s got a problem - but thanks, in classic Jill Mansell style, to a tobogganing accident and a delicious series of mix-ups, all will be revealed and true love will find a way. 
• The Rise and Fall of a Yummy Mummy by Polly Williams (published by Little, Brown) — One woman’s battle to fit back into her old self. Amy Crane is in crisis. Six months after the birth of her baby, Amy still looks pregnant and can’t remember the last time she had a wax, or an orgasm. Motherhood is stirring up disturbing questions about her own childhood. And she suspects her boyfriend is cheating. Enter Alice, yummy mummy superior, on a mission to transform Amy’s body, and love life. As Amy swaps breast pads for Botox and climbs out of a vortex of self-doubt, her libido awakens from its long nap and things get rather more complicated …A wonderfully well-written, funny and sharp novel about the trials of playing hip happy families and the contradictions at the heart of modern motherhood.

Melissa Nathan’s novels are both heart-warmingly romantic and very, very funny.  Her books The Nanny and The Waitress were also Sunday Times top ten bestsellers.  Melissa’s second novel, Persuading Annie, will be re-issued by Arrow on August 2, 2007.

Nominations for the 2008 Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance should be submitted by 1 December 2007 to info(at)melissanathan.com. Books published between January and December 2007 in the UK will be eligible. For further information, please contact Alex Hippisley-Cox at ahipcoxpr(at)btconnect.com.

You can also visit the website, where you will find details about the prize and about two competitions – one for  budding authors who can enter in the hope of getting their work assessed by two top publishing personalities, and one for readers who would like to win tickets to the award ceremony. 

Visit www.melissanathan.com to learn more.

top 10 books i read in 2006

I love Stephen King’s back-page column in Entertainment Weekly.  He’s funny, witty, and loves to talk about books and movies. His list of the top 10 books of 2006 has inspired me to create my own list.  Following King’s example, my list refers to books I read in 2006, not books only published in 2006.

The top ten books I read in 2006:

10. The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicole Kraus — A snarky look at rich yuppie families and their overworked and underpaid household help.  A great way to while away a summer afternoon.

9.  Saturday by Ian McEwan — A thoughtful and intricate look at one life-altering day in the life of a middle-aged, successful-but-bored British doctor.

8.  Bitter is the New Black:Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass, Or, Why You Should Never Carry a Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office by Jennifer Lancaster — A society- and fashion-obsessed career woman loses her job and discovers what it’s like to have overdue bills instead of the latest fashions.  Finally, a reason to embrace chick lit.

7. The Dead Beat:Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs and the Perverse Pleasure of Obituaries by Marilyn Johnson — The title pretty much says it all.

6. At Sula’s Feet by Ersula Knox Odom — A moving collection of poetry about Odom’s experience as an African-American growing up in the rural South and the lessons she learned from her wise and witty grandmother Sula.

5. Fork It Over:The Intrepid Adventures of a Professional Eater by Alan Richman — GQ food critic Richman shares some of his humorous, unusual and moving experiences with food.  Funny and fascinating.

4. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold — A young girl tells the story of her murder and its aftermath. Not your typical point of view, for sure.

3. Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine Presents Fifty Years of Crime and Suspense edited by Linda Landrigan — An amazing collection of short stories showcasing some of the best crime and mystery writers of the last fifty years.  The brief biographies summarizing each author’s life and genre were almost as fun to read as the stories themselves.

2. Eternally Yours by S.L. Juers — A haunting, original tale of the life of a two-hundred-plus-year-old vampire, as recounted in his suicide note.  Don’t let the phrase “vampire fiction” keep you from reading this.

1. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon — A mystery, drama, romance, coming-of-age story and history lesson all wrapped up in the bibliophile’s world of obsession and adoration.  There are no summaries or reviews capable of explaining this book adequately.  To read it is to fall into your own world of obsession and adoration.

books i want to read

My reading list keeps getting longer. I’ve come across a lot of books recently that sound very interesting:

Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl — People called this “a blockbuster debut” full of “literary and pop cultural references and illustrations by Pessel herself” that “demands attention.”

The Ruins by Scott Smith — Entertainment Weekly called it an “old-fashioned horror story” and Salon.com warns “don’t start this book if you are weak of stomach or nerves.” The Week highlighted The Ruins as Novel of the Week and Time included it on their list 6 Guilt-Free Pleasures to Read at the Beach.

I talked my local librarian into giving me an extra copy of a new-book catalog he had lying around (although he made me promise not to clog their online system by adding all of them to my library holds list). There are too many fascinating, intriguing titles to mention them all here, but here’s a few that piqued my interest:

Social Intelligence:The New Science of Human Relationships by Daniel Goleman (out September 26th)

The Birth House by Ami McKay (August)

Renfield:Slave of Dracula by Barbara Hambly (September)

Considering Doris Day by Tom Santopietro (September)

Brainiac:Adventures in the Curious, Competitive, Compulsive World of Trivia Buffs by Ken Jennings (September)

Women of Valor:The Rochambelles on the WWII Front by Ellen Hampton (September)

Reading Like A Writer:A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them by Francine Prose (September)

Dead Center:Behind the Scenes at the World’s Largest Medical Examiner’s Office by Shiya Ribowsky and Tom Shachtman (September)

So many books, so little time!

read the lovely bones before you die

Thanks to Miss Snark, I found this list of 100 books you should read before you die. This month’s TBB Online Book Club pick — The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold — is on the list. Now I’m even more excited about reading it (um, no, I haven’t started it yet).

new library books

Yesterday I stopped by the library to return some books and ended up checking out three more. I got some good ones, too:

S is for Silence by Sue Grafton — I devoured A through M of Grafton’s series a few summers ago and now have to savor them one by one, as they’re published.

Fork It Over:The Intrepid Adventures of a Professional Eater by Alan Richman — the title drew me in and reading the first page made me check it out. Richman is a food critic for GQ and Conde Nast and is utterly charming and absolutely hilarious. I’m on page 59 already.

Statements:True Tales of Life, Love and Credit Card Bills by Amy Borkowsky — again, the title caught my eye. A “chick lit” tale of a woman’s life as told by her old AmEx receipts, instead of the usual diary.