Comfort reading

So, things have been pretty quiet around here for the past couple of weeks.  It's not, for once, because I've been slacking off.  Nope, I've been pretty darn sick.  (And yet, how awesome is it that I've found a cartoon about flu that is also a literary pun?)  And while I've certainly spent a significant portion of the past two weeks flat on my back in bed, there's also been the necessity of getting back up and working.  So, basically it's been bed and work for a while. 

At one point, I had the crazy thought that I could catch up on my reviewing.  Yeah, not so much.  I haven't had a lot of mental energy.  These are the first words I've written, and even this insipidness is a challenge.  So what have I been doing with myself?  Watching The View and Dr. Phil?  Nah.  I've been reading.  More specifically, I've been comfort reading.

I wasn't kidding about not having a lot of mental energy.  I've got some amazing fall literary fiction in my hands that I can't wait to read.  But I'm waiting.  I just can't handle the literary fiction right now.  I can't handle anything too challenging.  Mostly, I've been seeking the light and entertaining, the diverting, and feel-good or funny fiction is a bonus.  (Though I've made a couple of missteps along the way into darker territory.)  And I've been comfort reading in volume.  I've read 17 books in the past 12 days.  For those who are wondering, here's exactly what I've been reading:

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde - I love Jasper Fforde!  He makes me happy when all else

fails.  I read this novel sometime before it was published last year.  But the sequel will be out in a few months, and I got the audiobook cheap, so I decided to revisit book one of this YA series before reading...

The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde - See above.  Jasper Fforde is awesome, whether
writing for kids or adults, and frankly, I don't see a whole lot of difference in his whimsical tales for either audience.  Also, I love that Twitter will auto-fill the word "quarkbeast."  Jasper FForde is wildly inventive, endlessly clever, and always, always funny.  I love him.

Don't Look Now by Michelle Gagnon - This is the second book in the trilogy that began with the awesome Don't Turn Around, a book that I absolutely could not put down last year.  Don't Look Now suffers a bit from being the middle book in a trilogy, but it leaves me hungering for next years conclusion.  (Michelle lives in my neighborhood in San Francisco and is a friend.  I am planning on getting her very drunk sometime in the next few months and tricking her into giving me the unpublished MS.) 

The Cure by Douglas E. Richards - Now, if you were sick and had a book

called The Cure on your kindle, you'd read it, right?  Sadly, the forthcoming The Cure was not the cure for what ailed me.  I'd describe it as a science fiction novel masquerading as a thriller.  I really have nothing good to say about it, which is unfortunate.  His earlier novels, Wired and Amped, were highly recommended by mutual friend Boyd Morrison, who's opinion I trust.  This latest, alas, is a real miss.  And a real mess.  Made me feel sicker.  Ugh.

Covet by Tracey Garvis Graves - Did anyone read her (originally self-published) mega-hit novel On the Island?  Man, that was a guilty pleasure!  Everything about that earlier story was extraordinary.  I mean, a young man and older woman marooned on a deserted island?  Extraordinary circumstances.  Her follow-up, Covet, is exactly the opposite.  It's as common a story as they come.  More than a decade into a once happy marriage, a husband ignores his wife and she finds someone else to pay her attention.  That scenario simply couldn't top or even equal the deserted island tale, but the characters grew on me.  It was sort of Desperate Housewife-ish, which the author acknowledges.  It passed the time.

A Bad Day for Romance by Sophie Littlefield - Hmmm, it's been a nearly unprecedented length of

time since I've mentioned Sophie on the blog.  How odd.  This was a bittersweet read for me.  Bittersweet is that it was just as awesome as all of the other Stella Hardesty novels, but it is also supposedly the last.  If that's the case, both Stella and Sophie have ended the series on a high note.  It was fantastic, with all the terrific character-based humor I've come to expect.

Song of Spider-Man: The Inside Story of the Most Controversial Musical in Broadway History by Glen Berger - Oh, that title is so true!  Like millions of theater lovers, I followed this musical's disastrous path to the Great White Way avidly.  It was like watching a train wreck, but you couldn't look away.  This non-fiction work from the most inside of insiders was absolutely fascinating!  Definitely as drama-filled as anything you will ever see on a stage!

The Returned by Jason Mott - This book had a slew of starred reviews in the trades, and had a ton of buzz at BEA.  It's even being turned into a television series.  I wanted to read it before Tuesday's publication date.  It's an excellent, thought-provoking novel of ideas and emotion.  Probably both too smart and to heavy for sick-bed reading.  I cried a lot.  It's well worth checking out.

Dangerous Curves Ahead by Sugar Jamison  - In an effort not to think so much, I turned to chick-lit.  I have a weakness for chick-lit about zaftig Jewish girls.  There's quite a lot of it out there.  This one was fairly contrived and ridiculous.  She digs him, he digs her; the obstacles along their path to true happiness were pure contrivance.  Still, it was a quick and somewhat steamy diversion.  I've read worse.

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein - This was another misstep from the all-fluff comfort reading.  I've been hearing nothing but wonderful things about this YA WWII drama since it was published last year.  I've thought about reading it time and time again, but it was receiving a galley of the sequel, Rose Under Fire, that finally inspired me to do so.  First, let me say that I don't even know why this book is classified as YA.  It seemed wholly adult to me.  It's an intense wartime tale, and very sad as books about Nazi torture tend to be.  But what a terrific look at women's contribution to the war effort!  Excellent, but I definitely need a break before tackling book two.  Not fluffy.

Six Years by Harlan Coben - It is shocking to me that as many thrillers as I read, I've never before read a Harlan Coben novel.  I am unlikely to suddenly start reading his long-running series.  However, his most recent novel, Six Years, was a stand alone.  I completely enjoyed this intro to his work.  It was fast-paced, well-plotted, well-written, and had an appealing everyman protagonist.  I shall look forward to seeking out more of his stand alone titles.

The Last Girlfriend on Earth by Simon Rich - This book has been on my radar for months, but I just wasn't sure about it.  But picking it up for $1.99 as part of the Kindle Daily Deal was a no-brainer.  I also picked up the audiobook for cheap, which was a good call on my part.  I often avoid author-read audiobooks, but occasionally they're excellent.  I can't imagine anyone who could do a better job reading Rich's material.  And collectively these stories are hysterical!  I couldn't contain my inappropriate laughter in public places as I was listening to it.  Rich's humor is absurd, whimsical, weird, and sublime.  And look, this one may become a television show, too.

Wayward by Blake Crouch - It was receiving this galley of book two in Crouch's Wayward Pines Trilogy that had finally inspired me to read book one, Pines, a couple of weeks ago.  I really loved it!  It was an absolute page-turner, and book two did not disappoint.  It picked up right where the first had left off, and again I'm waiting a year for the conclusion.  BTW, this too has been picked up for television, by M. Night Shamalan with a starry cast.  I could see both Wayward Pines and The Returned working quite well on television, and I'm looking forward to both adaptations.

The Bookstore by Deborah Meyler - This novel concerns 23-year-old Esme, a British woman in New York to pursue her Ph.D. in art history at Columbia.  Early in the novel she discovers that the one night she and her new boyfriend failed to take precautions has led to an accidental pregnancy.  This leads to all the turmoil and conflict one might expect, and also to a part-time job at a second-hand bookstore.  I'm not very interested in pregnancy or babies, but I've spent a ridiculous amount of time shooting the breeze in used bookstores.  I loved the environment and community Meyler depicted.  And I was pleased by this smarter than average example of women's fiction.

Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child - I've had this audiobook in my library for quite a while now.  It's been nearly 20 years (!) since I first read this awesome debut by this duo who have become two of my favorite authors.  I've been wanting to revisit this novel for ages, but it's always so hard to rationalize these rereads.  But not when you feel really cruddy and are allowed to indulge in anything that might possibly make you feel better.  And it did make me feel better!  After all these years, the characters introduced in Relic have become old friends, but it was really fantastic revisiting their origins.  Pendergast was not yet fully developed into the quirky character he would later become, although I did smile near the end when he said, "It's a bad habit, but one I find hard to break."  And his dynamic with D'Agosta was very different in this first outing.  None of that, "My dear Vincent..." stuff.  I'll be honest, I liked this milder Pendergast.  Relic is still a terrific science thriller and a really accomplished debut novel.  I read it in just a few hours and for those hours I was happy.  I also have the audiobook of Reliquary on deck.  Something tells me I won't be able to wait long before I listen to it.

Never Go Back by Lee Child -  I've been in the mood for a Reacher novel.  I was just getting ready

to raid the audio library when Random House sent over a galley of next weeks release.  Thank you, Random House, for your awesome timing!  Never Go Back is as predictably enjoyable of all Child's other novels.  Reacher is a fascinating character.  Does this latest novel shed new light on the character?  Possibly it does.  But even if it doesn't, he's so endlessly fascinating by virtue of his otherness.  And it is, of course, intricately plotted, with excellent action sequences, and lots and lots of sudden violence.

What's on deck for tomorrow?  I'm not sure yet.  Very likely more comfort reading.  Or maybe I'll take another swing at the forthcoming Alice Hoffman novel.  Hopefully, I'll get my brain back soon.  I've got upcoming novels by Jhumpa Lahiri, Dara Horn, Paul Harding, Lorrie Moore, and so many more waiting to be read.  And, ugh, the reviews not written.  My head spins--but that could be the flu. 

Anyway, readers, hold on a few more days.  I've already written reviews for two awesome books being released next week, and I've got some great video to share soon.  I'll be back up to speed any day now.  Meanwhile, I've discovered that comfort reading is a good thing.  I should indulge a little more often.

Patient readers will be rewarded

Garden of Stones
by Sophie Littlefield

Sophie Littlefield’s latest novel, Garden of Stones, opens in San Francisco in 1978. The first chapter anticipates the murder of an old man. The second chapter introduces Patty Takeda and her mother Lucy. Patty, visiting her mother in the days leading up to her (Patty’s) wedding, wakes to find Lucy having an early morning chat with a police inspector. Lucy is being questioned because she knew the victim decades prior, and neighborhood residents placed her at the scene. With her horrible facial scaring, she’s hard to miss. The third chapter is where the novel’s structure becomes apparent. It flashes us back to the Los Angeles of 1941.

Having just met the caustic older Lucy, we are now introduced to the stunningly beautiful adolescent version. This privileged young girl is about to suffer a series of blows leading up to the United States’ entry into the war. Her Japanese heritage is suddenly a huge liability. From there, the novel moves back and forth in time between the events of 1978 and those in the 1940’s—with the bulk of the tale occurring in the past. Lucy is sent to the Manzanar internment camp, along with her family, friends, and neighbors. It is events that occurred at Manzanar that directly cultivated the woman Lucy was to become—and perhaps to the murder that has occurred.

Now, I have been a fan of Ms. Littlefield’s for years, and I love the sheer breadth and depth of what she writes from comic mysteries to zombie apocalypses. The set-up above seems like another mystery, but truthfully, it’s more of a historic drama. The subject of Japanese internment strikes close to home to me—literally—having spent the past decade living a block from San Francisco’s Japantown. My neighborhood was greatly impacted by this shameful period of California’s history. I think fiction can be a powerful medium for evoking history. Through fiction, stories live on and are humanized.

I also think that a lot of research went into this novel, and yet I felt somewhat frustrated by viewing this history through the eyes of an unsophisticated teenage girl. Those flashback sections of the novel had something of a YA feel about them. Now, I have nothing against young adult fiction—I read a ton of it—but here I was hungering for a little more…detail …maturity … substance. That would be my complaint.

That said, I found myself very caught up in the story of these characters. Littlefield writes, “It was as if her mother had once been an entirely different person, and Patty faulted herself for never having seen far enough into her depths, for not being curious enough to coax out the story until now.” Lucy Takeda lived an extraordinary life in a period of great historic significance. As events led up to what felt like a climax, I realized that I was only at the center of the tale. As Lucy matured, I became more and more invested in her story. The frustration I’d felt earlier in the novel disappeared. Character development has always been Ms. Littlefield’s strength, and that is again the case here. Still, by the time I’d reached the novel’s end, she managed to truly surprise me with a couple of unexpected plot twists. One, in particular, was really cleverly done.

Ultimately, the murder that opens this novel is little more than a framing device, but as such it works well. Garden of Stones is a great choice for readers interested in mother-daughter relationships, or who are simply looking for a great story set against a historic backdrop. While it took me a little while to become fully invested in the tale, the deeper I read, the more I enjoyed this novel.

Matt Richtel knows how to hook readers...

The Cloud
by Matt Richtel

…The openings of his novels are always grabbers. In The Cloud, protagonist Nat Idle is waiting to catch a late-night train when an enormous drunken man staggers into him. They both crash to the ground, with Nat very nearly thrown to the tracks in front of an oncoming train. A near-death experience instead becomes a nasty crack on the head, and a kind passerby rushes to assist. The drunk takes off, with a paper falling from his pocket as he exits. Nat’s ready to write the incident off, grateful to have gotten off relatively lightly—until he picks up the paper the man dropped. His name is on it. This was no accident.

That is merely the beginning of another of Idle’s investigative adventures. For a medical journalist and blogger, he does seem to become embroiled in some dark stuff. This story involves a technology designed to help kids learn to multi-task that may be causing a far more serious side effect. And yet, as intense of the plots of these novels are, at their heart they are character-driven, and none more so than this latest installment. Character absolutely drives plot, but in this case, prior knowledge of the character from his debut in Hooked or Devil’s Plaything would be helpful. Nat sustains a head injury in that opening scene. It affects him. He’s not himself, and I think that will be appreciated more by readers acquainted with the character. Nat’s funny, friendly, flawed, and fallible. He’ll go after a story like no one’s business. But in The Cloud, he’s altered. And he’s something of an unreliable narrator, which makes an already convoluted mystery that much more mysterious.

Mr. Richtel, incidentally, is also a journalist. By day, he writes about technology for the New York Times. He, in fact, won a Pulitzer Prize for doing so a few years ago. My point is, the man can write. His prose has an effortless readability, a sense of fun, and frequently rises above what one expects to find in a thriller. The novel moves swiftly, as events take place over the course of just a few virtually sleepless days. Furthermore, by the time all is revealed, the elegance and intricacy of the novel’s plot will become apparent. Oh, I had suspicions along the way. Some were right, many were wrong. But once I knew the truth, it was all so clear. The clues were salted everywhere.

Richtel didn’t learn about character development, pacing, and plot on the day job. I’m not sure where he learned the tools of his trade, because in this novel especially, he eschews literary convention while at the same time embracing certain genre tropes, for instance a beautiful and mysterious woman straight out of a detective noir. Tropes are tropes for a reason, and Richtel has his fun. But it’s where he diverges from convention, notably with this novel’s conclusion, that things get really interesting. I can’t discuss the choices made without spoilers, so I’ll simply say that Mr. Richtel wrapped up his mystery in a way that was unexpected, unconventional, sophisticated, and satisfying.

And aside from solving the mystery, Mr. Richtel has taken his protagonist into uncharted territory. The tale comes to a complete conclusion with no annoying cliff-hangers, but Nat evolves so much (and so believably) in this novel that I’m now consumed with knowing what the next chapter in his life will bring.

NOTE: For local San Francisco readers, Matt will be appearing along with novelist Sophie Littlefield at the SF in SF literary series on Saturday, February 9, 2013 at 7:00pm.  Please join me there!

Who needs book recommendations when you have drinking buddies?

Me, Chris Kuzneski, Elle Lothlorien, Boyd Morrison, & Lissa Price

See this photo? It was taken in New York, four or five years ago. I’m looking bedraggled on the far left, and next to me is Chris Kuzneski, then Elle Lothlorien, Boyd Morrison, and Lissa Price. The four of us met about six years ago at the very first Thrillerfest conference in Phoenix, AZ. The only T-fest to be held in Arizona, actually. Anyway, I met these four and many others during what turned out to be a magical conference. At the time, Chris was self-published (on paper—this was before the Kindle was even invented), and the rest were completely unpublished.

Somehow Chris turned his initial self-pubbed thriller into a very successful mainstream publishing career. He’s published seven Payne & Jones novels at this point, and he's a bestselling author here in America.  In fact, his novels have been translated into 20 languages.  Intriguingly, I have it on good authority that he's at the very top of the bestseller lists in Britain.  The man’s a rock star over there!

Elle, who guest blogged here last week, had opportunities in traditional publishing, but is one of the new breed of novelists who has found great success self-publishing both electronically and in print. Like, quit-your-day-job success. She was recently named one of the 25 Self-Published Authors to Watch. (Boyd and several other friends made that list, too.) Elle’s readership is growing exponentially with each novel released, and fans are clamoring for her next, Rapunzel.

Lissa you may not have heard of yet, but I think that will all change in the next few weeks. Her debut YA novel, Starters, is being published by Random House on March 13, 2012. Less than a month away now! I read it a few weeks ago. It’s as close to Hunger Games-level awesomeness as any YA title I’ve read since falling in love with Collins’ series. We all think Lissa is poised for greatness.

And then there’s Boyd, who is the first member of this group that I really clicked with. I’ve been a huge fan and supporter of Boyd’s work since before anyone else discovered him. I’ve been reading (and criticizing the hell out of) his novels since we first met all those years ago. After failing to sell three novels to a “big 6” publisher, Boyd decided, What the hell? He posted his novels for free on the internet, and for sale in the Kindle store. Seven thousand sales later, Boyd was the first writer to turn self-publishing via Kindle into a major publishing contract. I’m still his biggest fan, (and FYI his next Tyler Locke novel may be the best yet).

This group of friends and I have looked at this photograph many times over the years. What amazing success they’ve each realized! What are the odds? All of them? Heck, they might as well crop me right off the end of that photograph, LOL.

I’ve discovered that one friendship leads to others. The gang above befriended Graham Brown before I did, but I met him through them several years ago, and now he’s my friend too. Boyd introduced me to Sophie Littlefield over a casual dinner in San Francisco while he was visiting a few years ago. As Sophie and I both live here, I get to see her more often, now, than he does. Not only is she just a lovely, lovely lady, but I started reading her novels out of curiosity after we met and now I’m totally hooked. Graham, too, for that matter!

In fact, in the past few weeks, I’ve read published or forthcoming works by Elle, Lissa, Boyd, Sophie, and Graham. I’ve got an audiobook of Chris’s on deck that I’ve been meaning to get to. And earlier this week I acquired a galley of Clawback by Mike Cooper, Sophie’s brother, who I had the pleasure of meeting at T-fest last summer. And just today I recieved a galley of the lovely Allison Leotta’s  sophomore novel, Discretion. I can’t wait to dive right in! I really loved her debut, Law of Attraction—another novel I read out of curiosity after meeting her a couple of years ago. Ali is also part of the gang of friends above. Membership just keeps growing and growing! And like so many of these people, Ali and I keep in touch and get together whenever we’re in the same city.

Elle Lothlorien, Paul McEuen, me, Lissa Price, Ali Leotta - All we do is eat.

Even I bring folks into the fold occasionally. Last summer, at the T-fest opening reception, I sought out novelist/physicist Paul McEuen to tell him how completely awesome his debut novel, Spiral, was. I walked up to him and said, “Dr. McEuen, I’m a big fan!” He wound up kibitzing with me and my girlfriends, until Lissa said, “Let’s all go grab dinner.” And abve is a photo from that dinner. I’m looking even more bedraggled than usual, but what a fantastic night that turned out to be! Now Elle, Lissa, Ali, and I are all fans of Paul’s, and I look forward to the day that I can add his next novel to my reading list.

Basically, I could read more books than the vast majority of Americans without ever stepping outside my social circle. Some months, it seems like all I’m reading are books written by friends, and believe me, this isn’t social obligation. It’s pure pleasure! I don’t read every writer I socialize with—even I don’t have enough time to do that. And perhaps it makes sense that I enjoy these writers’ work so much, since I enjoy the people creating the work so much.

Come to think of it, I have a few more books by friends on tap for the immediate future. Jeremy Bates's forthcoming debut novel, White Lies, is waiting on my Kindle to be read. As is Raymond Benson’s second Black Stiletto novel, Black & White. I really enjoyed the first Black Stiletto novel, so I'm looking forward to the new installment.  Heck, I even have a galley of Owen Laukkanen's The Professionals on hand.  I've never met the guy, but any friend of Elle's...

Many of us will be converging on Sacramento late next month for the Left Coast Crime conference. I’ll be in the bar, nursing a Coca-Cola and hanging with my friends. Who knows who I’ll meet at that conference? But I wouldn’t be surprised if I pick up a new favorite author, because who needs book recommendations when you’ve got drinking buddies?

The night we ditched Kuzneski for Boyd's far more beautiful and charming wife, Randi.

It’s time to admit that I like zombies

Zone One
by Colson Whitehead

For the past year or so, I’ve been reading and reviewing all of these zombie novels with the caveat that “I’m not a zombie fan.”  While it’s true that I’ve never seen any of the classic films, I think it’s time to admit that I AM a zombie fan.  (But please don’t chip away at my vampire denial.)  I’ve read take after take on the end of the world, and each one is compelling in its own way.  There’s something elemental in the horror of an end by zombies.  Do I believe this could ever happen?  Absolutely not.  But in the hands of a talented writer, anything is believable.  All is believable.  Perhaps I am too willing with my suspension of disbelief, but this is the stuff of nightmares.

Much has been made of this “literary” foray into the horror genre.  In addition to being a zombie fan, I am also a fan of literary fiction, and I love that serious writers are now being allowed to practice their craft on a broader range of genres and are exploring plot-driven stories in addition to character-driven fiction.  This is a win/win trend for both readers and writers.  Ironically, reading this beautifully-written exploration of the apocalypse made me reflect less on how good it was, but more on how good a lot of the zombie novels I’ve been reading have been.  (Sophie Littlefield’s Aftertime Trilogy in particular comes to mind.)  There’s just something deeply touching in these fights for survival, and I think a lot of apocalyptic writers are really plugging into something powerful and profound.

Certainly I count Colson Whitehead among their number.  Whitehead’s tale centers on a character identified only by his nickname, Mark Spitz.  Want to know why he’s called that?  Read the book.  As the novel opens, the worst has passed.  The zombie plague has come, many have died, and society is taking its first baby steps towards rebuilding.  Mark Spitz’s tale is told in a non-linear fashion, as he attempts to move forward despite suffering PASD (because the world has moved beyond “post-traumatic” to “post-apocalyptic” stress disorders).  As he observes the new world around him and performs his duty of putting down zombie stragglers in a reclaimed lower Manhattan, he reflects on what he’s witnessed, who he’s left behind, and on what he’s survived while doing his “cockroach impression.” 

Glancing over the reader reviews on Amazon before I sat down to type this, I have to admit that I’m surprised by the harsh criticism that many have brought against the novel.  Some had issues with the non-linear nature of the story-telling, some felt it didn’t move fast enough, some thought the author was “showing off” or using “absurdly big words,” some seem to simply hate New York.  There were many complaints about the protagonist, and I’ll admit that he’s not a dynamic character.  He’s a traumatized everyman chronicling a dying world.  Don’t go into this expecting an upper.  There are more critical reviews than complimentary, and many of them are thoughtful and articulate.  All I can tell you is that I disagree with these criticisms.  I read this book in two days, and despite the depressing story told, I didn’t want to put it down.  I was very invested in the fates of the primary and secondary characters.  Whitehead’s prose was a pleasure to read without being overly ornate or intrusive in any way. 

And one last thing—this is one of those rare novels where the author had me hanging on his words until the very last page.  And those final words were just so… perfect.  They gave me chills.  I read them over several times.  The end of this novel was amazing, and I simply don’t know how it could fail to impress.  But that’s opinions for you.  If you’re prepared to read a heavy, disturbing, and, yes, horrific tale, I’d highly recommend this novel.  But you might want to survey some other opinions of this polarizing book before you take my word on it.

LITQUAKE 2011: The Art of the Mystery

Juliet Blackwell

Here is how it was billed:

The Art of the Mystery

October 15, 2011, 1:00 PM
Z Space
450 Florida St.

Litquake launches a new series of panels on the craft of writing, starting with thoughts on writing and suspense from four masters of the mystery. Discussion followed by a lively Q&A session.

Juliet Blackwell, Michelle Gagnon, Seth Harwood, Sophie Littlefield
*****

Michelle Gagnon & Sophie Littlefield

After yesterday's sad story, I thought I'd post something happier--from authors who let me record them!  Unfortunately, I arrived just a couple of minutes late, so that's why the first segment begins already in progress.  And, as usual, I'm contending with the narrow focus range of the FlipCam.  But this video isn't too bad, and the panel is more than interesting enough to overlook the technical flaws.

These authors like me a whole lot better than Jeffrey Eugenides does.  I've known Sophie and Michelle for a few years now, but I only met Juliet on the day of this event--which happened to be her birthday.  So after this lovely discussion, the ladies invited me out for drinks, and I joined the three of them and a couple of other girlfriends for a leisurely afternoon of girl talk, lit gossip, and deep-fried food.  My lips are sealed, other than to say that Juliet has a great story about the legendary Octavio Paz, Sophie likes to stir up trouble whenever possible, and that all the lady authors were amused by the Eugenides tale, which had occurred only the night before.

Seth Harwood

And now for your viewing pleasure, I am delighted to share what turned out to be a fun and lively panel discussion from some excellent mystery/thriller/YA authors.  What I like best is the casual interaction between the panelists because, as they themselves note, every one knows everyone else in this community.  On top of that, each of these panelists is knowledgeable, personable, and a darn good storyteller.  Between them, they have published an incredible spectrum of fiction, and I defy you to listen to them talk about their work and not be tempted to read one or more of them.  (Personally, I'm salivating for Michelle's forthcoming YA trilogy!)  Above, I've added links to each of their websites for your convenience.  Enjoy!

Mailbox Monday: The coldest winter I ever spent edition

If you live in San Francisco, you'll frequently hear visitors and locals quoting something Mark Twain supposedly said, "The coldest winter I ever spent is summer in San Francisco."  God, did he get that right!  Today is August 1st, and I've had it!  I'm sick of high temps in the 50's and wind chill factors!  Today's forecast?  High of 61 degrees, low of 53, partly sunny, windy.  Yes, I know the rest of America is burning up.  Please send us some heat!

Okay, I'll try to pull myself together.  So, a thankfully short list of books today, but definitely some good ones.  I can't think of any lit events on the schedule this week, but I did go out to hear Christopher Moore and Ian Corson speak about their graphic novel, The Griff on Friday night.  It was fun, as my friend Nicole was able to join me.  And it's always nice to see Chris and his wife-like girlfriend, Charlee.  And the best news is that I filmed the entire event!  I'll be posting that hopefully in the next few days.

Speaking of posting video, I still haven't posted the video I shot of Boyd Morrison and April Smith on tour.  It's a really nice conversation between two authors, so I shall endeavor to put that up today, 'kay?  And on that note...

Spycatcher

by Matthew Dunn
Release date: August 9, 2011
Source:  Finished hardback from publisher

You know, as many thrillers as I read, I'm not big on the espionage.  Still, this book seems to be written by the real deal, a recently retired MI6 operative.  People are saying good things about it, and I plan to check it out.

Hot, Shot, and Bothered
by Nora McFarland
Release date: August 2, 2011
Source: Finished trade paperback from publisher

Looks cute.  I think there's someone in my face-to-face book group that might enjoy this one.

The Little Women Letters
by Gabrielle Donnelly
Release date:  June 7, 2011
Source:  Paper galley from publisher

Yet another novel that flings the fact that I've never read Little Women back in my face.  I will read it one of these days.  I'm also thinking face-to-face book club for this one, but if anyone's really interested in this (or the novel above) being a Humpday Giveaway, please speak up!

Cold Vengeance
by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Release date: August 2, 2011
Source: Electronic galley from publisher

As much as I love Preston and Child, I have to admit that I sometimes get Pendergasted-out.  I hadn't read a book in this series for a few years, until, feeling nostalgic, I picked up the book prior to this one, Fever Dream, a couple of weeks ago, and then read this one over the weekend.  I have to admit that it's been nice to visit with these old friends.  I'll try to write a review this week.

Survivors (An Aftertime Novella)
by Sophie Littlefield
Release date: July 1, 2011
Source: Kindle freebie

Yes, this is a short novella set in the harsh zombie apocalypse world of Littlefield's Aftertime series.  If you've been curious to give them a try, here's an opportunity to get a taste.  For a limited time, it's free on Kindle.  As a big fan of the series, I'm looking forward to reading this as I wait for the final book in the Aftertime Trilogy to be released this winter.

The Griff: A Graphic Novel
by Christopher Moore & Ian Corson
Release date:  July 19, 2011
Source:  Purchased at The Booksmith on Haight

This is the first graphic novel I've ever purchased and the first I've read.  Chris Moore is always fun, but this art form is not for me.  I could never figure out why anyone would want to contaminate words with pictures.  (I'm not a fan of subtitled films either.)  However, Chris and Ian do get bonus points for trashy underwater fiction elements!


Books finished this week:

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - Believe the hype!  This book is so wonderful that any review I write won't do it justice.
Cold Vengeance by Doug Preston and Lincoln Child
The Winters in Bloom by Lisa Tucker
The Griff by Christopher Moore and Ian Corson

Currently reading:
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - I'm back to this debut novel after a few distractions last week, and I'm totally loving it!  Plus, I saw this morning that it was named one of the "Best of the Month" of August by Amazon.com.  It's not out 'til mid month, but look for it.


So, what are you reading?  What books have you acquired this week?  Can't wait to hear in the comments!

HUMPDAY GIVEAWAY: Rebirth by Sophie Littlefield

Do you find yourself intrigued that every second blog post I write contains the name Sophie Littlefield?  Did you read Aftertime and get hooked like me?  Is a good apocalypse what you need to complete your summer?

Well, then do I have good news for you!  This week's Humpday Giveaway is a signed trade paper galley of Rebirth, the second novel in Sophie Littlefield's Aftertime Trilogy.  I posted a review of this excellent novel here yesterday, and a review of Aftertime here several months ago.  I can't recommend these books enough--though not perhaps for every reader.  I'll be the first to admit that they are bleak and harsh and not for the faint of heart.

And there's a caveat with this giveaway.  Definitely enter the contest, but don't read Rebirth before reading Aftertime.  In this trilogy, the second is dependent on the first, in my opinion.  So, that said, it's the usual rules.  You guys are kind of hard to give free stuff to, so I do hope there's more interest in this book than there was in last week's title.  But, whatever, less shipping for me if you're not.  Good luck to all who enter!

• The giveaway is open to anyone with a U.S. mailing address ('cause I'm footing the postage).
• To enter, all you need to do is post a comment below by Wednesday, July 27, 2011.
• At my discretion, if there are less than five respondents, I can cancel or extend the giveaway.
• Winner will be chosen by me with the help of a random number generator, and will be announced in the comments section of this thread.
• Please check back to see if you've won. If you have left a way to contact you, I will do so.
• The winner has one week to respond to me at suetu@yahoo.com with a mailing address, or I will choose a new winner.
• If a second winner fails to respond, the book automatically goes to the lovely members of my face-to-face book club.
• Previous giveaway winners are welcome to enter.
• Finally, if at all possible, please comment below only if you're entering the giveaway.

Not all monsters are monsters...

Rebirth
by Sophie Littlefield

I have always thought that the strongest writers have a deep understanding of psychology, an ability not just to get at the complex thoughts and emotions of their characters, but to articulate them as well. And to create characters who are internally consistent, believable, and who breathe life. I generally muse over such thoughts while reading some piece of delicate literary fiction. How astounding, therefore, that the complicated characters are what I find driving Sophie Littlefield’s latest zombie apocalypse.

It is the “latest,” in that it is book two of her Aftertime Trilogy. If you have not yet read Aftertime, please do so before embarking on Rebirth. Aftertime can stand alone; Rebirth can not. It builds on what has come before.

I’m not going to go into detail summarizing the plot here, but I will say a few things… This novel, like the previous one, is driven by a hunt for a missing child. In it, Dor, one of the secondary characters from Aftertime, comes front and center. And perhaps most daring of all for a novel in the zombie genre, the zombies are little in evidence this time around. Oh, their threat hangs over everything in this wholly changed world, but of the many monsters you’ll meet on these pages, almost all are human. And they are all the scarier and more disturbing for it. The story told is compelling, fast-paced, and deeply chilling.

Second books of trilogies are notoriously tricky things. Often they are intermissions before the end game, and they can loose their narrative drive. Happily, that is not the case here. Cass Dollar, the protagonist of Aftertime, is still at the heart of this story. I, personally, don’t relate to her any better than I did in the first novel. Nonetheless, I find her absolutely fascinating. She’s a tough, volatile character surviving in an unbearably harsh world. Love and revenge, often at war with each other, are the emotions that drive these characters.

This is a zombie tale for fans of The Walking Dead, readers who can appreciate a truly smart, profoundly disturbing, and ultimately character-driven tale of horror—and hopefully redemption. I could have quit reading after Aftertime. That novel concluded its arc and ended at a satisfying point. Rebirth also completes a full arc of the story. However, by the time you get to the end, you will be aching to read on. Just a little more torture from Littlefield, as we collectively wait to get our hands on the final volume!

NOTE: A signed copy of Rebirth will be tomorrow's Humpday Giveaway.  Please check back to enter!

Mailbox Monday: Oy, three weeks late edition

Happy Monday, one and all.  How much do you love this mailbox?  It's a lobster trap.  It feels appropriately summery--unlike San Francisco, where high temps last week hovered in the upper 50's.  Please let this week get warmer!

I am finally back from my travels, and, as you can see, blogging again.  I have a lot more to write about Thrillerfest, and I'm trying to catch up on my book reviews.  Normally, I'm behind with my reading.  At the moment, I've been reading up a storm.  Unfortunately, I haven't been writing the reviews.  I'm more than a dozen behind, so that's a problem.  But look for them to start appearing this week, okay?

In other news, my voice is beginning to recover from T-fest.  So sad to have such delicate vocal chords.  Clearly, I should spend more time typing and less time talking.  And I have a lot of typing to do this morning.  I haven't posted a Mailbox Monday post in three weeks.  You can guess how many books I've acquired in a three-week period.  Plus, there was another Audible.com audiobook sale, and you know that I can't resist them!  So, we'll see how far we get before I give up.  Anything that I can't get to will have to roll over to next week.

Only Time Will Tell

by Jeffrey Archer

Release date:  August 30, 2011

Source:  Amazon Vine

This is how you can tell I'm a child of the 70's.  I keep hoping Jeffrey Archer's going to write another Kane & Abel.  I did so love those classic novels.  This one is apparently going to be the first in a series, a family saga.  My hopes aren't really that high, but this should be reasonably enjoyable nonetheless.

Dominance

by Will Lavender

Release date: July 5, 2011

Source: Amazon Vine

Yes, another copy.  Someone's going to get it.

The Vault
by Boyd Morrison
Release date: July 5, 2011
Source: Finished hardback from publisher

I love it when publishers send em books that I'm dying to get my hands on!  However, this one didn't stay in my hands for long.  It was last week's giveaway.  I suspect another copy will be coming my way soon...

No Rest for the Dead
Various authors
Release date: July 5, 2011
Source: Finished hardback from publisher

This was a surprise from the kind folks at Simon and Schuster.  I hadn't heard of this book before it arrived in the mailbox.  It's one of those collective novels, where each chapter is written by a different novelist building on what's come before. The list of contributors is impressive indeed. Among the 26 authors are: Alexander McCall Smith, Sandra Brown, Faye Kellerman, J.A. Jance, Jeffery Deaver, Kathy Reichs, Lisa Scottoline, and Jeff Lindsay.   I'll be honest, I generally like the idea of these things better than the execution, but hope springs eternal.  The book is short, starry, and in my house, so I'm going to read it.  I'll let you know how it is.

Overbite
by Meg Cabot
Release date: July 5, 2011
Source: Finished hardback from publisher

Ms. Cabot has moved from Princess Diaries to vampires.  That seems like a logical progression.  Sorry, can't give this away here.  I know someone who is desperate to get her hands on it.

Betrayal of Trust
by J.A. Jance
Release date: July 5, 2011
Source: Finished hardback from publisher

Wow, this is the 20th book in the series.  Impressive longevity!  I'm unlikely to jump into the series at this point, no matter how good the books are.  A likely future giveaway.

Killer Move
by Michael Marshall
Release date: June 28, 2011
Source: Finished hardback from publisher

I'm not familiar with Michael Marshall, but the description of this book is really enticing.  Much more so than the cover, I'm afraid.  Is it just me?  I'm looking forward to reading and reviewing this one soon!

The Map of Time
by Felix J. Palma
Release date: June 28, 2011
Source: finished hardback from publisher

This book, on the other hand, has a beautiful cover.  And, I read my galley of it from cover to cover within the past few weeks.  I haven't written the review yet, but the short version is that after some early misgivings, I found this book to be truly delightful, and am looking forward to the next book in the trilogy!  I would give away my galley copy here, but it's a little too well-read for you guys.  (I like to give you clean, unread books.)  Your loss is the face-to-face book group's gain. 

French Lessons
by Ellen Sussman
Release date: July 5, 2011
Source: Galley from publisher

Does this look familiar?  Oh yes, it's this week's giveaway that no one is entering.  What I've seen of this book is completely delightful.  Man, y'all are tough to give free books too!  Perhaps once I get video of the author up on the blog...  Sorry for the delay.  There aren't enough hours in the weekend.

Excavation
by James Rollins
Release date: March 1, 2011
Source: Gift from author

This is a newly reissued copy of this novel.  Jimbo's earliest novels are finally being released in hardback, one a year.  This particular title is special to both of us, as it is the book that brought the two of us together 11 years ago, and incident that we still frequently laugh over.  Jimbo bought this copy for me at the Mysterious Bookshop while we were in NY and nicely inscribed it for me.  Thank you, Jimbo!  You know I love all your books!

Adrenaline
by Jeff Abbott
Release date: July 1, 2011
Source:  Thrillerfest tote bag

Yes, I received a lovely finished hardback of this current bestseller in my T-fest tote bag.  Score!  I've heard nothing but good things about it.

End of Days
by Robert Gleason
Release date: August 30, 2011
Source: Thrillerfest tote bag

This galley was the other title in my tote bag.  I haven't really had a chance to look it over properly yet, but the cover is certainly an eye-catcher!

Outlander
by Diana Gabaldon
Release date: 6/28/1992
Source: Thrillerfest giveaway

I now have a Kindle, audiobook, and paper copy of this book on hand.  I am rapidly running out of excuses not to read it--except for the fact that it's 896 pages long!  Should I move it up on the TBR list?

The Crown
by Nancy Bilyeau
Release date: January 10, 2012
Source: Thrillerfest giveaway

The debut author of this forthcoming period thriller was signing galleys at T-fest.  I heard her speak on a panel regarding historic fiction, and I look forward to checking the book out.

Rebirth
by Sophie Littlefield
Release date: July 19, 2011
Source: The novel's editor

Adam gifted me a copy of the galley of Rebirth while we were at Thrillerfest, and Sophie kindly signed it.  Guess what?  It's going to be this week's giveaway!  As it happens, I finally read this book over the weekend, and I loved it.  And not just because we're friends.  I'll be posting a review within the next 24 hours.

Luminarium
by Alex Shakar
Release date: August 23, 2011
Source: Electronic galley from publisher

I already have a paper galley of this one that I was looking forward to reading, but having an electronic copy as well just moves it that much higher on my TBR list.  You guys may have noticed that I like reading books in multiple formats--often at the same time.

Birds of Paradise
by Diana Abu-Jaber
Release date: September 6, 2011
Source: Electronic galley from publisher

Here's another book I have in paper.  It was one of the titles I was most excited to grab at BEA, as I am a fan of the author.  There are so many great books to read before fall, I barely know where to begin!

The Prague Cemetery
by Umberto Eco
Release date: November 8, 2011
Source: Electronic galley from publisher

Shameful confession:  I have never finished an Eco novel.  I tried to read Foucault's Pendulum years ago, but it defeated me.  I can probably count on the fingers of one hand writers who were too challenging for me:  Eco, Pynchon, Dostoevsky.  Those are the only three I can think of, and I haven't attempted to read any of them in years.  I've been intimidated.  It's time to conquer my fear.  Mr. Eco, we've got a date this fall!

The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten
by Harrison Geillor
Release date: October 4, 2011
Source: Electronic galley from publisher

Some readers may recall that I read the first book in this series, The Zombies of Lake Woebegotten, because it was a gift from the publisher.  Despite being neither a fan of Prairie Home Companion nor zombies (all evidence to the contrary), I thought the book was a hoot!  That is why, after refusing to read or view anything written by Stephanie Meyers, I will read this book.  What will the pseudonymous Mr. Geillor satirize next?  I can't wait to see!

Ghost Lights
by Lydia Millet
Release date: October 24, 2011
Source: Electronic galley from publisher

I have never read Ms. Millet, have you?  The description of this novel sounded interesting, and the page count sounded short.  It seemed like the perfect introduction to the work of an author I hope I'll like. 



Okay, we're already at 20 books.  Let's save the dozen Audible.com titles for next week, shall we?

Books finished within the past few weeks:

I can barely remember them all, but here are a few titles...
Rebirth by Sophie Littlefield
Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner
Charlie All Night by Jennifer Cruisie (red-eye flight reading)
Still Missing by Chevy Stevens
Buried Secrets by Joseph Finder
Before I go to Sleep by S.J. Watson
Blood of the Reich by William Dietrich
Fever Dream by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma

Books I'm currently reading:

Machine Man by Max Barry
Dominance by Will Lavender
Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami (Yes, Nicole, I'm reading my first Murakami.  I'm totally lost, but the writing is gorgeous!)

So, what books have come into your home?  What have you been reading?