Writers: Enter BookSwim's 2009 NaNoWriMo Competition
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Dear readers, I have an author interview tomorrow for an amazing rising author: Cherie Priest. In preparation for the interview, I picked up her latest book - Boneshaker (pictured left, link takes you to the BookSwim title page for that book). Despite my average reading speed, I managed to get through nearly 250 pages of the book in 2 days and am looking forward to the next 150 pages.
There are a ton of great reviews about this book, and most of the teasers really describe it well - so I won’t reiterate too much on that realm. A quote on the cover handles it well, “A steampunk-zombie-airship adventure of rollicking pace and sweeping proportions, full of wonderfully gnarly details. This book is made of irresistible.”
At first, I was expecting (and hoping, as I’m somewhat of a steam-punk guy) a sci-fi steam punk adventure of epic proportions. What surprised me was that it was so much more. In fact, there is a huge element of mystery in this book that I’ve seen left out of many book reviews and teasers. Bare in mind, I haven’t completed the book in full yet, but I am going to very shortly. Below I am going to list the reasons why I think this is a great read. If they seem to fit your fancy, make sure you add this to your pool.
The book has quite a few steampunk elements to it, although not enough to make an inventor drool. If you didn’t go to engineering school but think machines are cool - this is right up your alley. As well - if you DID go to engineering school, you won’t see anything mind-blowing but still worth it.
While I love the concept of a good zombie adventure (Book, Movie, or Video Game), I am not a fan of zombies being the main driving force. Boneshaker splashes in zombies as one piece of an intricate maze - as an accent if you will (as much as Zombies can accent anything). Great for those who love zombies as well as those who don’t.
The characters are very well thought out. Every character is given detail and history that brings them to life. This is a must for any good book in my mind, and this one executes.
It moves and it moves quickly. There is never a dull moment and rarely is there a mention of time - which is something that I found gripping. I’d be reading for three hours straight and a character would mention that night had began to fall. Another character would remark how surprising it was that time passed about the same moment as I would. Not to knock one of my favorite authors of all time (JRR Tolkien) but there is only so many pages of description about Bilbo Baggins’ cuff-links that I can read before I require a nap. Boneshaker has not bored me yet.
It is a great jump into a new genre for those who haven’t dove into science fiction/steampunk. I find that the science fiction books that I recommend to non science fiction readers tend to be received poorly. Boneshaker does a great job of not being too sci-fi as to allow the average mystery or novel reader to jump into the genre and get a taste of it before diving head-first into hardcore science fiction.
I promise to update this review after I have completed the book, but I put this out there now as I am interviewing the author Cherie Priest tomorrow and I wanted to generate some buzz as well as see if there were any questions that our audience wish to ask?
Hello everyone! As this is my first real post on BookSwim’s Literary Life, I think I will start with a bit about who I am. My name is Nick Ruffilo and I am the CIO/CTO of BookSwim (Basically I oversee all the technology and information that BookSwim has). On top of all that, I am currently running our twitter account (@bookswim), as well as will now be a regular poster on our Literary Life blog. I read quite a bit in high school and in college found myself reading quite a bit. After college, I kept up my reading and did quite a bit of writing as well. Most of my writing was in fantasy - but I did take a break from my normal genre to write a very special book. My wife is a huge reader and I decided that as a unique proposal, I would write her a book. As would seem obvious - she said yes. If you’re looking to get in touch with me, I’m active on GoodReads (http://www.goodreads.com/bookswimnick) or you can leave comments for me on any of my blog postings.
A bit of backstory to this post - my wife is an extremely avid reader. While I’ve never considered myself a voracious reader, I always read a bit more than all of my friends and pride myself on having read most of the “classics.” (Thank you highschool/college). To explain what I mean by avid reader, my wife has - on more than one occasion - checked out the maximum number of books from the library at one time (50), while having a personal library of nearly 800 books (200 of them still unread). She devours nearly 10 to 15 books a month while working a full-time job and partaking in non-reading activities.
The past few months have been busy for me with work as well as a few personal matters and sadly my reading habits became very poor. My wife pointed out to me that I wasn’t reading and in defense I state, “I bet I’ve read quite a few books that you haven’t.” Always up for the challenge, my wife waited patiently for me to list books so that she could proudly say that she’s read it. To both our great surprise, I had read quite a few books that she had not. When it came to some of the longer classics The Arabian Nights: Tales from One Thousand and One Nights and Canterbury Tales, it wasn’t a large shock that she had not read them, but when I came to some of the more quintessential children’s literature, I was shocked to hear she hadn’t read them. Most notably, she had not read The Little Prince, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, or Where the Wild Things Are.
Between my local library and my personal collection, I got a copy of those three amazing children’s novels and selected The Little Prince to read first. My choice was partially selfish as the only time I had read the book was for French class, and I would be lying if I said that I understood more than 50% of what I read. It all started about 2 weeks ago, but now, every night before going to sleep, I pick up where I have left off and I read a few pages of a classic to my wife. I enjoy reading but most of all I enjoy sharing.
An open challenge to all readers: If you have a husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, son, daughter, niece, nephew, or even someone you babysit who has not read any of the following classics, take a few minutes a day to enlighten their lives by reading to them.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff
One of my favorite authors, Ray Bradbury, enthralled me with his book “The Martian Chronicles.” After reading that, then devouring Fahrenheit 451, then many of his short stories and poetry, I found myself using those as a basis for good literature. I would gloat some more, but I will let the video speak for itself. Ray Bradbury discusses the importance of books as well as a bit about how he got started as a writer.
While we’ve waited for the Kindle to spark a culture-wide switch to e-books, fans of the old paper and binding format have busied themselves with anxious questions: does this spell the end of paper books? Is this the device that will truly — gasp — revolutionize the way we read?
Now, it looks as if book publishers are answering: sure — but only with paperbacks.
Some book publishers now release new titles with the caveat that the e-book versions will be delayed, even indefinitely, so they don’t compromise more profitable hardcover sales. The Kindle edition of Harper Collins’ Sarah Palin biography Going Rogue will begin sales on December 26th, with only the hardcover edition available for holiday shopping, while Twelve Books has no plans to ever release a Kindle edition of the Ted Kennedy memoir True Compass (current list price $35).
This hasn’t endeared the publishers to Kindle readers, most of whom expected the expense of new releases to vanish along with paper and dust jackets. Some vocally boycott Kindle books selling above the $9.99 price point, using Amazon’s own tagging system to label books ‘9 99 boycott’ in their catalog. Their argument is that an e-book, little more than an elaborate text file with the ability to show a few black and white pictures, has no visible production costs. Take out the costs of printing, warehousing, and distributing, and the only cost left seems to be the electricity needed to run Microsoft Word.
The cost of an e-book has become such a point of contention because it makes distinct something we haven’t had to distinguish until now: the price of content, independent from its medium. When we purchase that new hardcover at an average list price of $25, it’s easy to think that most of our dollars pay for paper, binding and gluing, warehouse staff. We’re ready to accept these costs because of their tactile results: thick pages, colorful covers, a handsome typeface–in the end, a tangible object, straightforward and perfect at what it does. In its simplest form, though, what we’re really buying when we purchase a book is access to a written work, a means of viewing a verbal record. The physicality of paper books has tricked us into thinking we’re paying for the cost of the physical object, the pages themselves, when what’s really being sold is their words.
The reason this is important? It’s clear what a tangible object costs: the slimy salesman at the used car dealership will sell the Corvette with an engine straight out of The Fast and the Furious for more than the Camry salvaged from someone’s front lawn. Abstract products sell for whatever people will pay for them at that moment. This relative cost of access already takes place in the paper book marketplace, as demonstrated by the Harry Potter novels’ simultaneous rise in demand and price:
* Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1998):24.99
* Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003):29.99
* Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007):34.99
According to publishers, the majority of a book’s ultimate sales price pays for intangible costs as well: preproduction (editing, graphic design, etc.), marketing, and author royalties and advances. Money Magazine found that these three made up about 77% of a hardcover’s production costs. By these numbers, a publisher doesn’t save much on an e-book over a paper book: about 23% of existing costs. So maintaining the same profit means a fair price for a $27.95 hardcover in an e-book format would amount to $21.50. Imagine how many ‘9 99 boycott’ tags a Kindle book would receive at that price!
Different pricing needs to match the different emotional, intangible appeals of the two book formats. So: what is the true draw of the Kindle?
The easiest answer is cost savings, but what reader spends $300 and up on a single-purpose machine — unlike, say, a $300 iPod that also sends text messages, takes pictures, and browses the web — expecting to save money? Cost savings don’t sell the Kindle. Its appeal, much like the appeal of its prime offering, is intangible: ability to look up and download titles at any location with cellphone service, portability, and the irresistible promise of having all the books you’ve ever wanted in one place, like a thorough and flawless memory bank — the Holy Grail of every avid reader. Not many readers can afford the buy-in cost of a device that, at its current price point, is suited best to a very specific kind of reader: the kind of avid reader who reads often enough for a $300 reading machine to make sense, who has reason to need the room saved by storing hundreds of titles on a device as thin as a pencil.
With fewer than half of Americans reading regularly (and those readers averaging a modest seven books a year), plus the $250 plus price of every e-reader device so far, book traditionalists have no need to fear the imminent extinction of the paper book. Even those who spring for the Kindle seem to purchase as many paper books as they had before buying the device. But the only way to make new releases profitable on e-readers such as the Kindle is for the reading audience to reevaluate the traditional metrics we’ve used to measure a book’s worth. Past the weight of its pages or the speed of its delivery, a book’s value will remain constant, and with a near-constant price, between paper and electronic formats: in its words.
Hey out there in internet land. In the course of one’s life, one may find the compulsion to say to oneself: “Boy, I wish I had a Literary Life podcast to listen to right now. Where did Chip & Eric go?”
Sorry for the radio silence, folks. As fate would have it, we’re here scrambling like mad with the great work: the Sistine Chapel of graphic design; the iPod of site functionality, speed, and grace. You know what I’m talking about: the relaunch of BookSwim’s website.
We’re currently scheduled to unveil BookSwim 3.0 in the first week of May. In the meantime, expect a limited return of the Literary Life with silly surveys on Tuesday and blogging on Thursdays. And if this doesn’t quite fill your Literary Life needs, fear not; we’ll return in force after the site relaunch.
Copious kudos are owed to that lovable rapscallion, Oliver Twist, who, by a whopping 57%, is the most beloved Dickensian scamp among our members.
Books have long been the inspiration for film, but ever since Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings first splashed onto screens in 2001, Hollywood has been looking to the bookshelves for inspiration with growing frequency. In fact, it seems that just about every book that’s been a hit in the last few years are all being made into blockbuster hopefuls.
The Literary Life’s Chip & Eric are at it again with what can only be described as the greatest podcast ever. Ever? Ever. This week, the dynamic duo discuss such enthralling things as books, authors and the secret location of the mythic fountain of youth (minus that list bit about a fountain).
But most importantly, this week’s podcast features The BookSwim Minute exclusive interview with author, Matt Fraction. It may be the single most important piece of journalism in all of history. You don’t want to miss it.
Also, as promised, you can check out BookSwim co-founder, George Burke, in last week’s USA Today and enjoy the full hilarity that is the subject of this week’s “Folks Who Just Don’t Get It” segment, The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart. But don’t cheat and check these links out before listening to this week’s show.
Now be certain to let us know what question you want posed for March’s Top Ten and vote in this week’s Silly Survey.
And be sure to let us know just how awesome (on a scale of 8-10) you think our Matt Fraction interview was in the comments section, below.
Well, the votes are in and the BookSwimmers have spoken. The Top Ten Cheesiest Romance Novels as nominated and voted on by you are as follows:
1. Twilight - Stephanie Meyer 30%
2. The Choice - Nicholas Sparks 23%
3. Confessions of a Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella 17%
4. The Harlequin - Laurell K. Hamilton 10%
4. Rogue - Danielle Steel 10%
6. Change of Heart - Jodi Picoult 3%
6. Disturbance of the Inner Ear - Joyce Hackett 3%
6. Collateral Damage - Fern Michaels 3%
9. Shelter Mountain - Robyn Carr 0%
9. Devil May Cry - Sherrilyn Kenyon 0%
Some are surprising and others relatively expected, but our dear sweet Sherrilyn Kenyon has been vindicated since none but the nominator found her books to be “cheesy”. Stephanie Meyer, on the other hand, has cut the cheese for sure. Perhaps if she were to come on our show, our her ratings would be a little higher.
What question should we pose for March’s Top Ten? Your suggestions in the comments section below.
Having only begun the book (getting through the cover, alone, is at least one good sitting), I am already delighted by the wry, deadpan nature with which Hodgman addresses his fake almanac, a follow-up to his earlier work, The Areas of My Expertese. For those of you not in the know, John Hodgman plays the part of the PC in those ubiquitous and clever “Get a Mac” advertisements. Most recently, he also played the father in the film adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline.
My road to Hodgman is a bit different, though rest assured, all roads do, in fact, lead to Hodgman. See, as a bit of a musician, myself, I did a few shows and became friendly with fellow singer/songwriter, Jonathan Coulton. Coulton and Hodgman were college roommates at Yale and remain best friends to this day, with Coulton touring alongside Hodgman on the Areas of My Expertise book tour (inexplicable furry hat and all), playing music written specifically for the book (later included in the audiobook version) and Hodgman accusing Coulton of killing his cat on the back cover of More Information Than You Require.
By any means, I’m just at the beginning of the book and I’m thoroughly enjoying it, while also looking forward 700 Mole-Man names, including their occupations, after having so wholly enjoyed the earlier 700 Hobo names, including their occupations (later put into art form by means of fellow podcaster and all-around artistic wizard, Len Peralta’s 700 Hoboes Project).
Do you have any 6-degrees-of-separation-to-an-author stories? If so, share them in the comments section below.
Since my newfound interest in urban fantasy lingers, this review o’ the week is a review of Moon Called by Patricia Briggs courtesies of Jacqueline from Pennsylvania:
While not the best werewolf-based fantasy story, I have read. I found myself definitely enjoying this book. Briggs brings the main character Mercy to life in this book. I like the fact that she is a strong, but very vulnerable character. She also isn’t a cocky heroine like in some other series of this type. She just feels real.
I felt though like everything was just compiled into too short of a book and I still want to know more about the other characters. Most of them were underdeveloped and did not make me care much for their survival. I hope her next books are as good as this one was.
Werewolves & the women who love them: that’s what it’s all about, folks. This is a book I’ve had my eye on, so I’m relieved to hear the heroine isn’t made into one of those uber-sarcastic, unlikeable heroines that some writers create when they can’t think of more compelling strong female protagonists. Thanks for the review, Jacqueline!
Well, we’ve tabulated the votes and by a whopping 52%, the BookSwimmers are most excited for, I kid you not, “Finger Lickin’ Fifteen” (I can’t make this stuff up, folks).
This week, we’re takin’ it back to the old school with a question about Charles Dickens’ most beloved scamps (of which there were many). Dickens wrote sweet and genuine little boys that made all of our hearts go out.
But which is the most apple-cheeked? The most doe-eyed? The most beloved Dickensian scamp?
And while you’re at it, take another moment to vote in this month’s Top Ten, and keep an eye out for tomorrow’s Review of the Week (maybe even write a review and see if you get picked).
Fun fact: Dickens got paid by the page, which is part of why his books contain SO many characters.
It’s another beautiful day in sunny Newark, NJ. The birds are chirping, the smoke stacks are billowing and the nematode mutants are on their way to work just like the rest of we humans, and boy do Chip and Eric have a show for you this week!
Like the hit CW show, “Supernatural”? Well “Supernatural” author, Alex Irvine is our guest for this week’s BookSwim Minute! We’ve also got a few words for you from BookSwim’s new art director, as well as Chip & Eric’s incredulous, but reliably fabulous witty banter - charming as always.
Hear what’s new at BookSwim, catch the good news that we’re in Oprah Magazine this month, and just generally enjoy the show.
Also, use the comments section below to nominate your favorite library for next week’s Alpha Library segment (and to tell Chip and/or Eric that he is handsome) and be sure to vote in February’s Top Ten and, of course, this week’s Silly Survey
The nominations have poured in by comments and e-mail and we at The Literary Life are now thrilled to open up the voting for this month’s Top Ten: Cheesiest Romance Novel.
This month we’re trying something a little different: you can vote for all of your favorites, instead of just one. So take your time, consider the options, cast your vote and maybe even add a few books to your Rental Pool for a little guilty pleasure-reading.
And while you’re at it, don’t forget to vote in this week’s Silly Survey and check out the Podcast with your favorite people named Chip and Eric.
Did your favorite Cheesy Romance Novel not make the list? Is it not in the lead? Debate it in the comments section, below.
I’ve spent a lot of time in the last few months reading short-story books almost exclusively, whereas this is one fluid story from beginning to end. But still, I do prefer the non-fiction genre when it comes to reading entire books and this one, as it is a memoir, fits the bill.
So Diablo Cody, also the writer of last year’s almost formulaicly quirky hit film, Juno, actually spent a year taking her clothes off for the thrill of it. To be honest, I finally got around to watching Juno and, while I didn’t necessarily enjoy some of the premises of the story, I did enjoy the pacing and the witty banter (helped in no small part by the terrific cast).
So the next day, I went to my BookSwim account, curious to know if she’d written a book and - what luck - she had.
Has that ever happened to you? Have you ever just searched for someone on a hunch they may have written a book because, if they had, you knew you’d want to read it?
Also, 25 bonus points goes to the first reader to accurately identify the reference in this week’s column title.
NJ Transit likes to change the train schedule on random holidays– MLK Day used a standard schedule, Presidents’ Day used the holiday schedule.
Thus I found myself loitering at Newark Penn Station this past Monday, finding ways to kill fifty minutes before the arrival of my train home. While I sat on a bench and let my mind wander, I noticed what had once seemed to me a near-impossible site: a young family, parents maybe in their late thirties, with a small boy of about eight years old sitting quietly. Propped in his lap was a thick book with a colorful cover about twice the size of his head.
Literacy makes a comeback in the new generation!
A second thought, though: I also began my reading escapades with fantasy & scifi. Then in my college years, I suffered the traditional English major’s guilt that I hadn’t spent my prime reading years perusing, say, A Time to Kill instead of high fantasy. There’s a period of time in your life as a young adult when everything you read actively impacts your personality; books will never be as enthralling or surprising or instructive after that door in time closes. And I wonder now how different my mind could be if I had spent those years reading works that talked about the real world and our ways of dealing with it, instead of stories that are fun but the literary equivalent of cotton candy.
Granted, my father used to read Moby Dick to me as a bedtime story– but I wasn’t quite old enough to appreciate novels, much less the classics.
Question of the week: Should we use the children / YA fantasy literature trend as a doorway to encourage deeper reading?
Dear readers, I have an author interview tomorrow for an amazing rising author: Cherie Priest. In preparation for the interview, I picked up her latest book - Boneshaker (pictured left, link takes you to the BookSwim title page for that book). Despite my average reading speed, I managed to get through nearly 250 pages of the book in 2 days and am looking forward to the next 150 pages.
1. Twilight - Stephanie Meyer 30%
