I've been quite the slacker lately! This is the first Mailbox Monday post I've done all month. Plus, I did almost no blogging at all last week--though the one video post I did was pretty awesome. So, nothing is up. Fall is just a very busy time for me. I work for a university; the new semester is starting. And San Francisco is chock full of exciting events and activities this time of year. Also, it's our best weather of the year. Finally, I'm really behind writing my book reviews. I'm reading at a ridiculous pace, but I'm having trouble getting my thoughts on paper. That's the whole story. I will try to do better, 'kay?
Here's the good news... There is so much exciting stuff coming up in October! There are more amazing authors on tour, and hopefully, I can videotape a few of them. Also, San Francisco's awesome literary festival, Litquake, begins soon. Hundreds of authors participate (850+ according to their website!), and I will be attending as many events as I can manage. And it's quite late this year, but at the end of the month, I'll be attending the Northern California Independent Booksellers' Association Trade Show, and it looks like they've got a great lineup this year.
Oh, I also just learned that I'll have a guest blogger post from novelist Jeremy Robinson on October 5th, as part of a month-long blog tour that he's doing. And, if the above weren't enough, somehow I just got approval to upload videos in excess of 15 minutes to You Tube (and hence this blog). Does anyone know, was that system-wide, or just my account? Anyway, I've had some great video from BEA that I wasn't able to share, lengthy talks by film critic Roger Ebert, actress Jane Lynch, and novelist Jeffrey Eugenides that you can look forward to seeing in the next few weeks. Also on the multimedia front, the awesome folks at MacMillan Audio are setting me up with some audiobook clips I can post alongside reviews for your listening pleasure. How cool is that? I just need to figure out the technology...
Clearly, this not the time for me to be slacking off. As for books acquired this month, who can remember them all? Here are some quick lists:
From the Audible.com $4.95 book sale (which you know I can't resist):
- The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty
- The Callahan Chronicles by Spider Robinson
- Nemesis by Philip Roth
- Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
- Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
- True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey
- To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
- Stiff by Mary Roach
- Replay by Ken Grimwood
- The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
- The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell
- Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
- Marineman: A Matter of Life & Death by Ian Churchill
- The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
- Tension City: Inside the Presidential Debates, from Kennedy-Nixon to Obama-McCain by Jim Lehrer
- Bitter in the Mouth by Monique Truong
- Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie
- Let's Take the Long Way Home: A Memoir of Friendship by Gail Caldwell
- The Broken Teaglass by Emily Arsenault
- The Spy Who Jumped Off the Screen by Thomas Caplan
- Island of Wings by Karin Altenberg
- Me and You by Niccolo Ammaniti
- The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
- Death in the City of Light by David King
- The Night Swimmer by Matt Bondurant
- 1222 by Anne Holt
- Heft by Liz Moore
- When She Woke by Hilary Jordan
- I Married You for Happiness by Lily Tuck
- The Night Circus (American first edition) by Erin Morgenstern
- The Night Circus (British first edition) by Erin Morgenstern
- The Time In Between by Maria Duenas
- The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell
- The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson
Books finished since the last update:
- 1222 by Anne Holt
- Heft by Liz Moore
- Sanctus by Simon Toyne
- Darkness, My Old Friend by Lisa Unger
- Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer
- The Black Stiletto by Raymond Benson
- Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch
- Birds of Paradise by Diana Abu-Jaber
- The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
- The Submission by Amy Waldman
- One Day by David Nicchols
- The Leftovers by Tom Perotta
- The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty
- The Callahan Chronicles by Spider Robinson
- The Revisionists by Thomas Mullen
- I Married You for Happiness by Lily Tuck
Well, I am going to read Darkness Unbound by Keri Arthur and If I Die by Rachel Vincent. I just finished Crossroads by Jeanne C. Stein, Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh, New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb, Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead, Must Love Lycans by Michele Bardsley, and One Salt Sea by Seanan McGuire. I think that's it! LOL! I have plenty of time to read now that I'm officially unemployed. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're giving me a run for my money, Penny.
ReplyDeleteSeanan McGuire is local here in SF. I hear really good things about her. Did you enjoy One Salt Sea?
How are you liking The Revisionists?
ReplyDeleteHi April,
ReplyDeleteI liked it a lot. I finished it late last night, and just posted a full review to the blog.
Has your conference with Mr. Mullen already happened? If so, how was he?
I'd read like that all the time if I had more time normally. Too bad kids, a husband, and a job (soon, I hope!) get in the way! :)
ReplyDeleteHer October Daye series is actually one of my favorite series. It deserves more recognition and sales than it gets. It, of course, isn't for everyone, but it is well-written and moves well. I think she has a new series coming out next year which I'm really looking forward to, but I hope she still writes the October Daye series. I know you don't like series, but I love them. Not that I don't like stand-alones, because I do. Alas, I just like books in general! :)
Susan,
ReplyDeleteMr. Mullen will be here in November. I'll be posting a link to your review on The Dahlonega Literary Festival's facebook. My book club is also reading his book next month. I'll let you know how he (and the other authors coming to the festival) are.
Penny,
ReplyDeleteAbout the reading--I've got the full-time job, but no husband or kids. There's no one to complain if I put off making dinner to finish a great novel.
And about Seanan McGuire, I can't imagine you don't know this being a bookseller, but she also writes horror novels under the name Mira Grant. I haven't read those either, but hear good things.
April,
Thanks for linking my review; I'm honored. And I will totally look forward to your report of the Festival. Perhaps you'd be interested in doing a guest blogger post?
Susan,
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know about her Newsflesh (I think that's what it's called?) series. I actually have "Feed" but haven't read it yet. If it's as good as her October Daye series, I'm not surprised you are hearing good things. She really is an excellent author.
Hey folks: Well, my September reads were
ReplyDelete1. Rain of Gold, Victor Villasenor (Book 2);
2. Wild Steps to Heaven, Victor Villaseno(Book 1);
3. River Cross My Heart, Breena Clark;
4. Chicago Way, Michael Harvey;
5. The Fifth Floor, Michael Harvey; and
6. Wanderlust so I could read a sample of "Dovekeepers." Now I want the book more than ever!
7. But, today I'm starting to read the Hunger Games trilogy so it will keep my mind from wanting Dovekeepers.
But, I have a strict budget this month (boo hoo). Maybe next year! The price should go down by then.
Bordergal,
ReplyDeleteThat's some excellent reading--and you're going to LOVE The Hunger Games--but please tell me that you saw that I have an open giveaway of The Dovekeepers that you can enter for a free copy??