book

It's going to been a hot one again. Check out this video about reading when it is steaming hot! Thanks Regulator Books for this fun and music video.

I've been on vacation so my blog has been on vacation, too! Corolla, NC -- great weather and a good time.

Back to the book business. BEA(BookExpoAmerica) has afforded me some great galleys to look over. Amy from W. W. Norton gave me one that I'm excited to read -- Great House by Nicole Krauss. Krauss' previous novel, The History of Love, is one of my favorite books. Great story and lots of reading group topics to discuss.

I'm so thrilled to welcome Claire Cook to On the Bookcase. Claire is the author of seven novels, including The Wildwater Walking Club and Must Love Dogs. Her seventh novel, Seven Year Switch, has been released today!! Claire chats about reading groups, crafts, and a trip to Costa Rica?

MUST LOVE READING GROUPS

I'm so please to welcome Hyatt Bass, author of The Embers, to On the Bookcase. Hyatt talks with us about the writer and the reader and the lovely balance between the two.

Soon after I sold The Embers to my publisher, I went

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. 

Today's  Questions: What’s the most useful book you’ve ever read? And, why?

I have two books that constantly "work" for me.

The Chicago Manual of Style is always open on my desk. The book (or tome!) is filled with useful little rules and regulations of grammer, spelling, punctuation, abbreviations, editing tools, and just good and correct ways of writing. I used it more when I was an editor. My style of writing today is much more relaxed and casual but I still like the book by my side.

Just got back from sunny Sarasota! We went to a wedding of our friends' son. The bride and grooming were beaming and a good time was had by all.

Being in Sarasota reminded me of John D. MacDonald, the author of the great character, Travis McGee.

Booking Through Thursday

The question today:

"So ... you're halfway through a book and you're hating it. It's boring. It's trite. It's badly written.

But ...

I'm thrilled to welcome Emily St. John Mandel, author of the newly released The Singer's Gun and Last Night in Montreal, to On the Bookcase. Emily talks about her writing process -- scraps of paper, wisps of ideas, and then, finally, a final draft.

About a month ago, Jeff Howe, the mind  behind the crowdsourcing phenomenon, announced a new project called “One Book, One Twitter”. The program aims to have the world read a book together and discuss it online.  “One Book, One Twitter,” is a book club for everyone, powered by the Internet. Participants are invited to tweet their thoughts on the yet-to-be-determined title.

June is Audiobook Month! Last chance for your reading group to receive audiobooks for all your members for your June meeting. PLUS an author, narrator, or producer chat!

Audiobooks can enhance your discussion. How well does the narrator "fit" the characters' personas?