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April 2010

ReadingGroupGuides.com Newsletter April 2010
 
Quick Links to Features on ReadingGroupGuides.com
 
 

Rally for Libraries and A REALLY Special Opportunity for Book Clubs

As I write this I am in a foul mood, which many of you will understand when you hear what’s going on.

I was driving home last night, talking to my mom, when she shared the news that the town council in my hometown is thinking of closing the library to cut their budget deficit. Note: They are not thinking of cutting back hours at the library; they are considering closing it. In the local paper, a councilman is quoted as saying, "Our funding for the library is almost $900,000 this year. That’s a lot of money. When more than 50 percent of the funding goes toward salaries, we have to start looking at other options." He said out of about 13,000 residents in town, only 4,700 hold library cards. And he goes on to say, "I’m not against the library, but you have five libraries within the immediate vicinity that could be used by local residents and they provide very similar services.” Those were fighting words to me, and I spent the rest of the drive home outlining to my mom how they need to mobilize to keep this from happening.

Sure, I now have my own personal library here at my home, but for many years --- including the early days when the bookmobile stopped on the corner, or I took a bus downtown to the main branch, or when I made daily visits to the hometown library I referenced above when I was in high school, college and first working --- the library was the place where I became the reader who I am today. I will be sending the town council a note about how that library grew me into the reader who co-founded this company 15 years ago. If I had had to be driven to another town where the personality of the library would not be one that was my own, I am not sure that I would have the same kind of relationship to the place and, by extension, discovered books and authors quite the same way. I visit other branches in our county now, and I did when I was growing up. I visit other libraries when I am on the road. But nothing speaks to me quite the same as the library in my town. And I think you all know exactly what I mean.

This discussion could not be more timely as April 11th kicks off National Library Week, which runs through April 17th; the theme is “Communities Thrive at Your Library.” Thinking about this sadly informed councilman, I urge you each to get a library card in your town if you do not have one already. I urge you to get your book club to visit your library this week to peruse their suggestions for book clubs. I urge you to ask your library staff if they are in need of support for their budgets with your presence at town meetings, your signature on petitions, or your Letters to the Editor. And I urge you to take a young person with you so they too can get wrapped up in this experience. End of sermon; you know your mission!

And RIGHT NOW Congress is drafting the federal budget for fiscal year 2011. It has never been more important than now that Congress fully funds the LSTA, the only annual source for federal funding to libraries. As Congress writes next year's budget, they need to understand that dollars from the state and local levels are at an all-time low, and libraries cannot continue to do their important work without this funding. Click here to get details to write your Senator. WEDNESDAY, April 14th is the deadline, so please move quickly on this. And if you can post on Facebook and wherever else, you can spread the word.


And be sure to answer our Poll question this month where we ask: Does your local library or bookstore have a display of popular book club selections? Click here to cast your vote. While I was traveling to Seattle and Portland earlier this month, I stopped in to Ellliott Bay Book Company, Eagle Harbor Books and Powell’s. I snapped up this photo of the book club titles displayed at Eagle Harbor.

While I was in Seattle, I had the absolute pleasure of touring the Panama Hotel, which is the hotel that Jamie Ford references in his book, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Jamie had told the hotel's owner, Jan Johnson, that I was in town, and she left a message one morning inviting me to join a group for a tour. I was lucky enough to meet up with two book groups for this tour, one of which was one of our registered book groups; Patti Larson from that group was kind enough to introduce herself. Jan gave me a kind intro to the group before she plunged into a thorough tour of the history of the hotel, making it come alive for us. She had us all envisioning what the street would have looked like in the '40s. We got into the bath area on the lower level of the hotel via a locked side entrance and marveled how it, like the rest of the hotel, has been so well-preserved and was rich with history. If you are in Seattle, I heartily recommend that you contact Jan via the hotel's website to see if a tour is available.

A number of pictures that I took in the hotel appear in my Seattle photo gallery. Looking at them, I hope that you can see the specialness of it. You can see some shots from my Portland adventures as well.

And oh, have we got an opportunity for YOU! As you know, I travel to a number of trade shows that are closed to the public. One of the largest of these events is BookExpo America (BEA), which takes place in New York. Well, this year --- for the first time ever --- this show is welcoming a select group of Book Club leaders to participate at the event, which offers a wonderful opportunity to meet authors, learn about upcoming fall titles, attend special events and soak up all the excitement the book industry has to offer. It’s a chance to get a jump on the fall season and learn about all the upcoming titles for your clubs to consider. BookExpo America will accept Book Club leader registrations on a first-come, first-serve basis with a total of 250 being accepted. Three-day admission into BEA is $140 pre-show. BookExpo America takes place May 25-27th in New York at the Javits Convention Center. May 25th is dedicated to education and special events, and the show floor is open on May 26-27. Click here for details on the show, and click here for pricing information. I will be moderating a panel of publishing folks talking about fall titles at some point on Wednesday or Thursday; more to come on that. If you are traveling into town, be sure to check out the terrific hotel deals that are available here. I really hope to see you there!

Our Contributing Editor, Dana Barrett, has pulled together some terrific blog pieces this month, including one where Holly LeCraw describes her just-released title The Swimming Pool far better than either Dana or I could (though we both LOVED it, and it's a Registered Book Group contest selection as well), and Jennie Shortridge writes about the writer’s organization, Seattle7Writers.org that I had the pleasure of spending time with my first night in Seattle. We also have a nice piece from Sarah Addison Allen, whose The Girl Who Chased the Moon is an IndieBound national bestseller, where she shares a delicious cake recipe. As I have been traveling, I plunked myself down the other day and read all the blog posts at once. While it's lovely to read pieces each day, do know that this can be your monthly reminder to catch up with us as well.

With Mother's Day quickly approaching, we'd love to hear about some mother/daughter book clubs you may belong to, or have started in the past. We're also curious about what titles you would recommend to your children, and what they might recommend to you. I always love sharing books with my boys, and they, in turn, have clued me in on a lot of titles, authors and genres that I otherwise would never know about it. Please share any bookish mother/child stories, groups, rituals or recommendations with Dana at [email protected].

Also, please make a note to visit Bookreporter.com, another website in The Book Report Network, next Friday night as we make a special Mother’s Day announcement. I have the power to make Mother’s Day last more than a day, and I am going to exercise that right at Bookreporter.com. Get ready for the revolution!

This month on the site we're featuring a variety of titles with two contests for you to win free books. We're excited to feature the paperback edition of Amy Dickinson's The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Story of Surprising Second Chances. Many of you probably know Amy as The Chicago Tribune's advice columnist. Her column is syndicated nationwide, and she's a regular on the talk radio and television circuits. Readers can share their "second chance" story here and be entered to win a signed copy of the book as Amy will handpick her favorites. Also, be sure to check out Amy's new website here.

We're also giving away 100 copies of How to Be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway. The book isn't releasing until August, but you can win an advance copy for future consideration for your club. You can enter here. And one reader can win 20 paperback copies of Julie Metz's memoir Perfection just by simply being subscribed to our monthly newsletter. The paperback edition of Perfection will be in stores on May 17th.

Read on….and do not forget my plea for your local library. I am planning to visit mine and will work on a blog piece about what book clubs there are reading! If you want to do a piece that talks about what is going on in your library, drop Dana a note at [email protected].

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

 

Special Contest: Share Your "Second Chance" Story and Win a Paperback Copy of THE MIGHTY QUEENS OF FREEVILLE by Amy Dickinson for Your Group
We are celebrating the April 13th paperback release of The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Story of Surprising Second Chances by Amy Dickinson --- a memoir from the syndicated Chicago Tribune advice columnist "Ask Amy" --- with a special contest. We invite readers to tell their “second chance” story in 100 words or less, and Amy will select 10 readers to win one paperback copy of the book for their group.

More about The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Story of Surprising Second Chances:
In The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Story of Surprising Second Chances, Amy Dickinson --- bestselling author, syndicated advice columnist and NPR humorist “Ask Amy” --- shares her unlikely life story.


The book opens on a scene of domestic disentanglement --- as Dickinson's husband walks out of their marriage, leaving her stranded in London with a child to raise. Through hilarious anecdotes and poignant insight, Dickinson describes the many detours she’s made on the road that took her back to her hometown of Freeville, New York and the assortment of quirky, strong, wise and wonderful women there who helped shaped her life along the way.

Readers will find many ideas to discuss, from marriage and children, divorce and single parenthood, to finding love when it seems to be forever unattainable.

Connect with Amy at www.mysecondchancestories.com.

-Click here for the reading group guide.

 

Click here to read all the contest details.

 
Special Contest: Win an Advance Copy of HOW TO BE AN AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE by Margaret Dilloway for Your Group
We are previewing the summer release of How to Be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway --- a charming story of the family ties that bind an American-Japanese family --- with a special contest. 100 readers will have the opportunity to each win one advance copy of How to Be an American Housewife, which will be in stores on August 5th, for their group.

More about How to Be an American Housewife:
How to Be an American Housewife is a novel about mothers and daughters, and the pull of tradition. It tells the story of Shoko, a Japanese woman who married an American GI and aspired to be a proper American housewife; and her grown daughter, Sue, a divorced mother whose life as an American housewife hasn’t been what she’d expected. Offering an entertaining glimpse into American and Japanese family lives and their potent aspirations, this is a warm and engaging novel full of unexpected insight.


-Click here for the reading group guide.
 
Click here to read all the contest details.

 
LOVE IN MID AIR by Kim Wright

A chance encounter with a stranger in an airplane sends Elyse Bearden into an emotional tailspin. Suddenly, Elyse is willing to risk everything: her safe but stale marriage, her seemingly perfect life in an affluent Southern suburb, and her position in the church. As Elyse embarks on a risky affair, her longtime friend Kelly and the other women in their book club begin to question their own decisions about love, sex, marriage and freedom. In the end, it will take an extraordinary leap of faith for Elyse to find --- and follow --- her own path to happiness.

 

Click here to read the guide for Love in Mid Air.

 
Now Available in Paperback: THE SWEET BY AND BY by Todd Johnson
A group of unlikely friends share joy, sadness, triumph and tragedy in this tightly knit and compelling novel. In alternating chapters, each woman gets to tell her story her own way, as all five learn to reconcile troubled pasts, find forgiveness, choose hope, and relish the joy of life. Rich with irresistible characters whose uniquely musical voices overflow the pages, The Sweet By and By is a testament to the truth that the most vibrant lives are not necessarily the most visible ones.

-Visit Todd Johnson's official website, www.ToddJohnsonBooks.com.
 
Click here to read the guide for The Sweet By and By.

 
Now Available in Paperback: THE GIRLS FROM AMES: A Story of Women & a Forty-Year Friendship, by Jeffrey Zaslow
The moving No. 1 national bestseller that reminded women everywhere about the importance of friendship is now in paperback with a new afterword. The Girls from Ames chronicles the lives of 11 ordinary girls --- now women in their mid-40s --- from the small town of Ames, Iowa, with an extraordinary friendship still going strong over 40 years later.
Click here to read the guide for The Girls from Ames.

 
Now Available in Paperback: THE STEPMOTHER by Carrie Adams

Bea Frazier was once the apple of her husband's eye --- but now he's picked a more succulent fruit. Bea thought she'd rediscover her incredible self after divorcing Jimmy. But being home alone with three daughters brings her demons back with a vengeance. The only solution is to get her family together again. The trouble is, her ex is about to marry someone else. To get him back, she'll have to reveal the guilty secret she never could when they were married.


 

Click here to read the guide for The Stepmother.

 
DEAD END GENE POOL: A Memoir, by Wendy Burden
Meet Wendy Burden, great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt. For generations, the Vanderbilts were one of the richest blue-blood families in America, but in 1955, the year Wendy was born, her family auctioned everything off in a four-day sale at Parke-Bernet. Burden chronicles the demise of one of the premier American blue-blood families in this irreverent, darkly humorous memoir.
Click here to read the guide for Dead End Gene Pool.

 

SMALL CHANGE by Sheila Roberts

Rachel, Jessica and Tiffany share a secret at their weekly crafting group: they all have money problems --- like MAJOR money problems. Whatever the cause may have been --- whipping out the plastic too many times, career trouble, divorce --- they decide to band together to put an end to their common problem once and for all.

 

Click here to read the guide for Small Change.

 
THE BOTTICELLI SECRET by Marina Fiorato
Luciana Vetra, a slyly intelligent, headstrong prostitute in Florence, and the irreverent hero of The Botticelli Secret, models for what will become Sandro Botticelli’s famous masterpiece La Primavera. But when the artist dismisses her without payment, Luciana impulsively steals an unfinished sketch of the painting, unleashing a series of murders all meant for her.
Click here to read the guide for The Botticelli Secret.

 
BALANCING ACTS by Zoe Fishman
With beauty, brains, and a high-paying Wall Street position, Charlie was a woman who seemed to have it all --- until she turned 30 and took stock of her life, or lack thereof. She left it all behind to pursue yoga, and now, two years later, she's looking to drum up business for her fledgling studio in Brooklyn. Attending her college's alumni night with fliers in tow, she reconnects with three former classmates whose post-graduation lives, like hers, haven't turned out like they'd hoped.
Click here to read the guide for Balancing Acts.

 
THE SEASON OF SECOND CHANCES by Diane Meier
Joy Harkness had built a career and a safe life in New York. When offered a position at Amherst College, she impulsively leaves the city. A tumbledown Victorian house proves an unlikely choice; nevertheless, it becomes the home that changes Joy forever. As the restoration begins to take shape, so does her outlook on life. Amid the half-wanted attention of the campus’s single, middle-aged men and the legitimate dramas of her community, Joy learns that second chances are waiting to be discovered within us all.
Click here to read the guide for The Season of Second Chances.

 
ROBIN AND RUBY by K.M. Soehnlein
In his award-winning bestseller The World of Normal Boys, K.M. Soehnlein introduced readers to the richly compelling voice of teenager Robin MacKenzie. In Robin and Ruby, he revisits Robin and his younger sister, masterfully depicting the turbulence of the mid-1980s --- and that fleeting time between youth and adulthood, when everything we will become can be shaped by one unforgettable weekend.
Click here to read the guide for Robin and Ruby.

 
April's Registered Book Club Promotions
For April we have two very special opportunities for Registered Book Groups. Our featured titles this month are The Swimming Pool by Holly LeCraw and The Devlin Diary by Christi Phillips. Groups who have registered with us by Tuesday, April 20th have the chance to win author chats and/or free books. If your group is not registered, click here to register.

The Swimming Pool by Holly LeCraw--- Author Chat and Book Giveaway: Five groups will have the opportunity to chat with Holly LeCraw and receive up to 12 copies of the book.

More about The Swimming Pool:
The lovely Marcella is reeling from tragedy; her ex-husband, Anthony, has sent Toni, their only daughter, away to boarding school and on to college. The man with whom Marcella had an affair, Cecil McClatchey, dies in a car accident soon after his wife, Betsy, is murdered. Amid the wreckage is Cecil's son, Jed, who, desperate to fill the void left by the death of his parents, seeks answers from Marcella only to begin a tortured love affair with her as she drowns in guilt, struggling to find some meaning to hold on to.


The Devlin Diary by Christi Phillips --- Author Chat and Book Giveaway: Four groups will have the opportunity to chat with Christi Phillips and receive up to 12 copies of the book.

More about The Devlin Diary:
A serial killer is loose in 17th-century England. Are his gruesome crimes random, or are they part of a royal conspiracy? Hannah Devlin, a rare female physician, becomes convinced of the latter. Meanwhile, in 21st-century Cambridge, England, Clare Donovan finds Hannah’s diary. Shortly thereafter, an academic rival is murdered. Are the crimes connected?

 
Click here to register your group.

 
New Guides Now Available

The following guides are now available on ReadingGroupGuides.com:

The Age of Orphans by Laleh Khadivi: The story of a Kurdish boy forced to betray his people in service of the new Iranian nation, and the tragic consequences as he grows into manhood.
Balancing Acts by Zoe Fishman: Four friends reconnect at a struggling yoga studio and gain perspective on the twists and turns their different lives have taken over the years.
The Botticelli Secret by Marina Fiorato: A model swipes a Botticelli sketch after being denied payment, setting in motion a series of murders across 15th century Venice.
Chef by Jaspreet Singh: Chef is a lyrical novel about a military cook’s struggles with duty and romance in the breathtaking valleys of Kashmir, India.
The Complete Psalms: The Book of Prayer Songs in a New Translation by Pamela Greenberg: The complete Book of Psalms, in a fresh, new and alive translation --- moving in its immediacy, piercing in its literary beauty, and stunning in its honesty, complexity and passion.
Daughters of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt: Daughters of the Witching Hill brings history to life in a vivid and wrenching account of a family sustained by love as they try to survive the hysteria of a witch hunt.
Dead End Gene Pool: A Memoir by Wendy Burden: A descendant of Cornelius Vanderbilt recounts her childhood as part of one of the wealthiest families in American history.
Deep Creek by Dana Hand: A small-town judge takes his young daughter fishing, only to discover more than 30 Chinese gold miners brutally murdered and a police force and town government not eager to investigate.
Elizabeth Grant: My Life - My Story by Marion Suzenne Witz and Carol Krenz: This firsthand account spans nine decades, hundreds of thousands of miles, and delves into deep hardships that helped make Elizabeth Grant a beauty product icon.
Guest House by Barbara K. Richardson: In this searing yet funny novel about “bone deep” relationships, mid-life go-getter Melba Burns sees her solo life become deeper, darker and richer when she dares to intervene in a 10-year-old boy’s suffering.
The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O’Farrell: A stunning portrait of motherhood and the artist's life in all their terror and glory, Maggie O'Farrell's newest novel is a gorgeous inquiry into the ways we make and unmake our lives.
Honeysuckle Summer by Sherryl Woods: Raylene tries to put her recent divorce behind her with the help of her friends until a lonely deputy arrives to make her reconsider another relationship.
How to Be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway: A lively and surprising novel about a Japanese woman with a closely guarded secret, the American daughter who strives to live up to her mother’s standards, and the rejuvenating power of forgiveness.
In the Company of Angels by Thomas E. Kennedy: A luminous love story and an internationally acclaimed masterpiece, published in the United States for the first time.
Kabbalah of Stone by Irene Reti: This lyrical and suspenseful novel explores gender and sexuality in Medieval Spain and offers a feminist reinterpretation of the Biblical Prophet Huldah.
Kapitoil by Teddy Wayne: A financial whiz from Qatar reaps big profits for his company but struggles to understand America’s social and cultural landscape.
The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Story of Surprising Second Chances by Amy Dickinson: The advice columnist of The Chicago Tribune’s nationally syndicated “Ask Amy” column recounts life lessons learned through her travels and from her tightly-knit family and friends.
Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa: A heart-wrenching, powerfully written novel that could do for Palestine what The Kite Runner did for Afghanistan.
Never Let You Go by Erin Healy: A single mom is forced to deal with an estranged husband’s outstanding debts to some dangerous people in order to protect her daughter.
Night Navigation by Ginnah Howard: Through the four seasons, Night Navigation takes us into the dizzying world of the addict and his mother, one filled with dealers, boot-camp rehabs, and Rumi-quoting sponsors.
Nothing Right: Short Stories by Antonya Nelson: A collection of stories from one of The New Yorker’s “20 young fiction writers of the new millennium,” a series of unforgettable glimpses into contemporary family life.
Pearl of China by Anchee Min: From the bestselling author of Red Azalea and Empress Orchid comes the poignant story of the friendship of a lifetime, based on the life of Pearl S. Buck.
Pop-In Jay Pomp by Karin Steyn: This rhyming, alliterative story for children and parents follows Pop-In Jay through his daily adventures and lessons in the seaside town of Comport.
The Queen of Palmyra by Minrose Gwin: A young white girl in 1960s Mississippi gets an education in race relations when she befriends one of the town’s strong black women.
Robin and Ruby by K.M. Soehnlein: Two teenagers come of age in the 1980s, grappling with adult decisions while trying to hold on to their youth.
The Season of Second Chances by Diane Meier: A professor takes a gamble on a new position at a small-town university, and gains perspective while renovating a Victorian house.
Secrets of the Tudor Court by D.L. Bogdan: A young servant to Anne Boleyn finds herself at the center of a political plot to overthrow the king.
The Servants’ Quarters by Lynn Freed: A young servant observes the court of King Henry and Anne Boleyn while becoming an unwitting player in a political scheme.
Small Change by Sheila Roberts: A trio of friends band together to end their money troubles while discovering the most important things in life are priceless.
Small Island by Andrea Levy: Small Island is a courageous novel of race relations in Great Britain following World War II by people affected by society’s prejudices and social barriers.
The Stepmother by Carrie Adams: A divorceé plots to win back her husband to keep their family intact, but the new bride-to-be isn’t going without a fight.
The Sweet By and By by Todd Johnson: A group of unlikely friends learn to reconcile troubled pasts, find forgiveness, choose hope, and relish the joy of life.
Sweet Tea at Sunrise by Sherryl Woods: Emotionally wounded single mom Sarah Price has come home to Serenity, South Carolina, for a fresh start but finds herself tempted by a local radio personality.
The Swimming Pool by Holly LeCraw: A heartbreaking affair, an unsolved murder, an explosive romance: welcome to summer on Cape Cod in this powerful debut.
Vanessa & Virginia by Susan Sellers: In this lyrical account, written as a love letter and an elegy from painter Vanessa Bell to Virginia Woolf, Sellers imagines her way into the heart of the lifelong relationship between the two.


Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:

The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder
by Rebecca Wells: A tale of family and friendship, tragedy and triumph, loss and love, The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder features the warmth, humor, soul, and wonder that have made Rebecca Wells one of today's most cherished writers, and gives us an unforgettable new heroine to treasure.
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson: This sequel to the international bestselling The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo finds journalist Mikael Blomqvist racing to clear the name of hacker extradordinaire Lisbeth Salander in a string of murders.
The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women & a Forty-Year Friendship by Jeffrey Zaslow: The bestselling co-author of The Last Lecture chronicles the friendship of 11 ordinary girls over a 40-year span in rural Iowa.
This One is Mine by Maria Semple: A Hollywood Hills housewife finds her world turned upside down when she meets a budding rocker who gives her the attention her husband doesn't.
The Wilderness by Samantha Harvey: An elderly struggles to reflect on his life after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
The Winter Vault by Anne Michaels: Tragedy strikes newlyweds along the Nile River, forcing them into separate lives until the seeds of forgiveness and consolation are sowed over time.

The following guides are now available for Christian book groups:


Beaded Hope by Cathy Liggett: Four American women embark on a mission trip to South Africa. Their lives are changed as they encounter a group of South African women who suffer from AIDS, yet demonstrate great joy and faith in the face of overwhelming adversity.
The Big 5-OH! by Sandra D. Bricker: As her 50th birthday approaches, a cancer-free Liv plans to make it her best birthday ever and avoid the birthday curse that’s plagued her throughout her life.

In Harm’s Way: Heroes of Quantico Series, Book 3 by Irene Hannon: FBI agent Nick Bradley thinks he’s seen it all on the force until a fellow agent links a doll to a child abduction case, setting in motion a web of startling connections.
Necessary Heartbreak: A Novel of Faith and Forgiveness by Michael J. Sullivan: A father is transported back to Jerusalem during Jesus’ final week and witnesses the events unfold while regaining perspective on his once-wavering faith.
She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell: A young society woman faces the courtship of several suitors, but secretly wonders if this is the life she truly wants.


Do you like what you see here, and want to forward it to a friend? Then click our link on the bottom of the page to do just that!

Happy reading. We'll see you next month.

Don't forget to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com:


Bookreporter.com, GraphicNovelReporter.com, FaithfulReader.com, Teenreads.com, Kidsreads.com, AuthorsOnTheWeb.com and AuthorYellowPages.com.

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

The Book Report Network
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