Tampa Book Buzz

opposition research:stealing the white house by d.r. spice and j.b. azneer

Clearwater physician J.B. Azneer and Tennessee journalist D.R. Spice (past resident of St. Pete) wrote recently to tell me about their new book Opposition Research:Stealing the White House. It’s “a fictional work drawn from the political maneuverings of recent presidential elections. Flawed candidates and voting problems seem to pop out of the pages of the daily newspaper and into this book. The lead character is a former state investigator from Florida, a state that is no stranger to election irregularities. Barron Childress is hired to do background checks on opposing candidates by a North Carolina Senator who seeks the Oval Office. What Childress soon learns is that not only is his boss trying to throw the election, but other candidates are doing the same thing.”

J.B. Azneer said “We wanted to write a novel about the presidential election cycle, and we wanted to create characters that mirrored the imperfect and often contradictory personalities we’ve all seen strutting on the political stage.” Adds co-author D.R. Spice, “I think many of us have voted against people more than we‘ve voted for a candidate. We’ve written a novel, but the scary truth is that all of this could happen.”

Opposition Research:Stealing the White House is available in soft cover and e-book formats from Barnes and Noble (online), Amazon, and select local booksellers. Visit www.oppositionresearch.info to learn more about the authors and their characters.

man overboard by lara diamond

Local author Lara Diamond recently wrote to let me know about Man Overboard, her noir-style mystery e-book set in 1920s Tampa. According to Diamond, some of the characters in the book are based on Burgert Brothers photos and “The book is a product of many years of research and, while it is fictional, it based on the mysterious real-life disappearance of DP Davis, the developer who created Davis Islands.”

Diamond was the editor of the Weekly Planet for five years and won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists for her work there and for a story she wrote about Cuba. Prior to that, Diamond worked for the Arts Council of Hillsborough County, where she wrote a five-part PBS series on Florida’s historic fantasy architecture, which won an Emmy. Diamond’s employer requires that she write under a pen name. She picked Lara Diamond because “it made me think of Sam Spade, my favorite noir character of all time.”

Tim Ohr, author of Florida’s Fabulous Natural Places and Under the Gun writes that Man Overboard is “a vastly entertaining, compelling read, and almost as great a pleasure as freshly made flan. Lara Diamond’s mystery carries the reader backwards in time to Prohibition in Ybor City with great historical accuracy. It is impossible for me to look at my hometown Tampa and its tradition of Gasparilla in quite the same way once completing Man Overboard.”

To learn more about Diamond, her book and the Burgert Brothers photographs that inspired her, visit www.manoverboard.us.

tuxes by scott fivelson

I recently had an email from L.A. author-screenwriter Scott Fivelson about his new novel Tuxes. Fivelson said, “It’s a comic take on the classic rich-family saga, a rollicking sendup of the classic beachbook, a grand parody of the writing of Sidney Sheldon, Danielle Steel, Jackie Collins, Dynasty and Dallas.” His most recent film was American Reel, a comedy/drama about the music business starring David Carradine and Mariel Hemingway. You can read more about Tuxes at www.beachsidepress.com.

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

books-a-million grand opening this weekend in brandon

The Brandon Mall now has a Books-A-Million store! The grand opening is this weekend.

• 2-4 p.m. today — historical romance author Karen Hawkins will sign her new book How to Abduct a Highland Lord
• 5-7 p.m. today — chick lit author Kimberly Llewellyn will sign copies of her new books Tulle Little, Tulle Late and The Quest for the Holy Veil
• 6-8 p.m. tomorrow — bestselling author Tim Dorsey will sign copies of his new book Hurricane Punch

There will also be story times for kids, music and samples of Ghiradelli chocolate. Visit the Brandon Westfield Mall’s website or call 813-571-2062 for more info.

(Thanks go to local author Kimberly Llewellyn for sending me this info.  It’s my fault that it’s posted so late.)

tidbits about randy perkins’ book herb’s first 100 years

Here’s some info from Amazon.com about Herb’s First 100 Years by Randy Perkins:

Roy Steadman, The Chicago Independent Scope, February 2006 — “This novel will affect anyone who takes the time to read it. And everybody should.”

Sonie Smithers, Englewood Book Club, March 2006 — “Randy Perkins has given us a breath of fresh air.”

Wanda Adams, The Book Blog at Rusty Creek, January 2006 — “A big novel in a small package. A story that can’t help but touch your heart.”

Book Description:
Ninety-eight-year-old Herb Conroy has set himself on a quest. Pursuing a quest is not easy for even the fittest of 98 year olds. Herb believes he has made something of a discovery and he is undertaking a mission to New York City, to make his discovery available, and to sow the seeds of an idea he hopes will somehow take root and spread. Herb is testing a theory, conducting an experiment, setting an idea free, and at the same time, having the last laugh. If it comes together at all, it is going to take every moment of Herb’s first 100 Years. Trade size paperback.

Herb’s First 100 Years by Randy Perkins is the TBB Online Book Club pick for this month.  The Tampa Book Buzz Online Book Club is housed at Target’s Bookmarked website.  Each month we pick a book to read and discuss on the Bookmarked site.  During the month, I’ll post tidbits about the author and/or the book here.  At the end of the month, I’ll tell you what I thought of the book and hopefully you’ll do the same.  Email me at tampafilmfan(at)aol.com for more info or to join. 

book news: sarasota fwa’s blog, jerry cowling, linda mackall

• For you writers a bit south of the Bay area, the Sarasota chapter of the Florida Writers Association now has a blog at http://fwasarasota.blogspot.com/.
• Local author Jerry Cowling (Lincoln in the Basement) sent me an update:  “I have a speaking engagement with the Brooksville chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and a table at the Parrish Train Raid near Bradenton April 28-29.  There are two train rides daily that are “raided” by Civil War cavalry.  I have also started writing for the Brooksville Belle, a bi-weekly which covers local government, arts and entertainment and civic activities.”
• Massachusetts author Linda Mackall wrote to let me know about her debut science fiction novel Moon Over Key Biscayne.  Her book “addresses the ever-changing challenges that face the world.  As we struggle to survive on earth, we must continually adapt to our environment.  Moon Over Key Biscayne brings life, love, despair and triumph together.  This challenge is culminated by a world-changing apocalyptic event.”  Visit www.booksandmore.4t.com to learn more.

april’s tbb online book club pick is…

…Herb’s First 100 Years by Randy Perkins.

The Tampa Book Buzz Online Book Club is housed at Target’s Bookmarked website.  Each month we pick a book to read and discuss on the Bookmarked site.  During the month, I’ll post tidbits about the author and/or the book here.  At the end of the month, I’ll tell you what I thought of the book and hopefully you’ll do the same.  Email me at tampafilmfan(at)aol.com for more info or to join.