Monday, November 14, 2011

The Wheel of Time turns and after 20 years, its time to finish the series

Approximately 20 years ago, when I was in the midst of a full blown fantasy reading phase (I even bought myself a broadsword. And I still have it tucked away behind the door to wield on some unsuspecting orc.), I picked up a little A-format book, the first in a series by Robert Jordan.

Having satiated my reading self in a smorgasbord of Raymond E. Feist, David Eddings, Tolkein, Tad Williams, William Horwood and more, I was running out of epic fantasy and desperate for a new series. Instantly hooked on Jordan's Eye of the Storm, little did I know I would still be reading this series two decades later.

This year, Brandon Sanderson who took over the mantle of Jordan after he passed away several years ago leaving fans bereft at the thought that this series STILL HADN'T ENDED, publishes the final book (he will have written the final three in all).

Some years ago, I paused in my reading.

As much as I have loved the 8 (or 9?) books I have read to date, the time between each instalment was long and hard going. And on reaching the end of some of the latter books to find that the plot had barely progressed while we were distracted in an ever exploding fantasy universe, I was getting quite frustrated.
I've waited until the end so I could tear through the remaining books and finish. That time has come, my pause is un-paused, at last.

Winter's Heart, book 9, was originally published in November 2000. I may or may not have already read it, I lost track but suspect I haven't. But the aim aim is to spend the rest of the year feasting on The Wheel of Time and hoping it has been worth the wait (and that I won't go blind in the process -- a lot of reading still to go).

Anyone familiar with this series, or its fans, will know how consuming it has been. And stunningly successful, bringing fantasy into the mainstream in ways only Tolkein had previously achieved, and paving the way for the success of authors like George R Martin and his Game of Thrones and HBO adapted series.

Thousands of pages of fansites, fanfiction, fan art, all dedicated to this world. Even fan trailers!

One of the most prolific is www.dragonmount.com, and their FAQs are essential for readers like myself who took a break, and whose memory recall is hopelessly inadequate for the incredible detail and complexity of this world Robert Jordan has created.

Other refreshers available include publisher Tor's a dedicated site here: www.tor.com/blogs/2009/10/wheel-of-time-on-torcom
  

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Crowdsourcing in publishing as popular Letters of Note blog aims for coffee-table glory

 


Letters of Note is bound for coffee table glory as a beautiful cloth-bound 416 pp, 4-colour coffee table bookfeaturing a collection of 400 entertaining and inspiring letters.

I included reference to a Tolkein letter that appeared on Letters of Note a few months ago. I have been a dedicated reader ever since, and have a printout of one of the letters that was the subject of that day's entry pinned on my office wall as a reminder of an organisation and its staff rising above a crisis, hoping it will inspire me on the tougher days, not to mention keep things in perspective.

That letter is a memo to Parkland Memorial Hospital staff from the administrator of the Dallas County Hospital District regarding their professionalism in the face of the assassination of President Kennedy when their charity hospital became a temporary seat of government of both the US and Texas and the site of the death of the president, and his assassin, among many other extraordinary events in that 48 hour period.

But back to Letters of Note and the real subject of this blog, crowd sourcing...

A new trend, particularly in the world of publishing, film and other creative industries, to tap into their fan base for funding at a time when changes in various industries are finding it harder to attract the financial support to get a project off the ground.

Letters of Note will make a wonderful book, the sort that publishers like Phaidon and Chronicle would do well with. But instead of taking the traditional publishing route, they are going with Unbound who crowd-source finance. I wish the author well in this endeavour, and may even contribute something myself as a worthy experiment in a new area of publishing. Go to Unbound for the Letters of Note pitch, and take a look around at other interesting projects.

Launched on 18 Oct, Shaun Usher (the talent behind the blog) has another 80 days left, and has already raised nearly 40% of the funds required just 9 days in to his campaign.

What do you get? All supporters get their name printed in every edition of the book. All levels include the e-book and immediate access to the author's shed. Supporters of books that don't reach their target receive a FULL refund.

View more about Unbound here:

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Stop-Motion Bookstore Love Story from the creative genius of Spike Jonze

Check out this gorgeous little film by Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Where the Wild Things Are, and that pre-flashmob Fatboy Slim video clip) and handbag designer Olympia Le-Tan.Among Le-Tan’s handbag designs are a series of felt book-clutches based on the famous covers of literary classics.

The story goes that Le-Tan met Jonze in Paris, and he asked for a Catcher in the Rye embroidery. In return, Le-Tan asked for a film.

The result is lots of literary references to relish, and Parisian literary site-seeing, and some very charming stop animation to inspire. Unfortunately I cannot embed into my blog, so visit the above link to the film on Vimeo.

Bonus feature, here is a Making Of:

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Erin Morgenstern’s debut The Night Circus enchants


This is exceptional! After a run of vin ordinaire and failed reads, this was the magic I was looking for: something clever, entertaining and atmospheric, something to anticipate between reading sessions.

Erin Morgenstern is weaving (as I am still reading it) a story that brings to mind authors like Suzanna Clarke, Neil Gaiman and Angela Carter. Many, many, many other comparisons being bandied about, but I will repeat no more here in case I over-hype, a habit we overly enthusiastic readers have that ruins a good book for the next person.

[And this is demonstrated by the enthusiastic reviews coming out of the US where it was first released, followed by lacklustre ones in the UK whose expectations were very high by the time it hit their shores -- so I am not linking to any reviews today.]

Plot teaser: The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors.
Watch an enchanting trailer here on the authors website at erinmorgenstern.com/

FYI: Intriguingly, Erin is also the artist behind the enchanting Phantomwise Tarot (www.phantomwise.com.au), its artistry influenced by Egyptian mythology, Victoriana, carnival/circus chic and the works of Lewis Carroll.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Not completely bewitched by The Witches of East End

I am a big fan of the light and easy YA series Blue Bloods, so I was keen to try Melissa de la Cruz’s new paranormal series for adults, The Beauchamp Family.

With Blue Blood’s Mimi Force making a cameo appearance (which dips in to the next book in that series), book one The Witches of East End and its resident family of witches have similar roots in Melissa de la Cruz’s reworking of various Earthly mythologies that we know and love (or hate).

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Cutting your losses when that Booker Prize winning novel fails to enthral, or a favoured novelist fails to deliver

Strike 1: Paul Murray's Skippy Dies
Strike 2: Téa Obreht’s The Tiger’s Wife
Strike 3: Melissa Marr’s Graveminder

Life is too short to read a book that is not enthralling you, so why waste your time on them when there are so many other books still to read that you will feel very differently about.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

How a handy home reference book can transform your puppy pee-soaked home into one smelling of fresh tea and lavender

I have finally succumbed to the Shannon Lush phenomenon. Or driven to it, by a tiny bundle of hell (the cute joyful kind).

Everyone has raved about Shannon’s Spotless books for years, and I have seen them walk out of bookstores in droves. But it took the aforementioned bundle of hell (the cute joyful kind) and her peeing free-for-all to send me fleeing for my local bookstore in search of the special keepsake bind-up hardback edition to last me the ages.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Libba Bray subverting the sales paradigm and why you should read Beauty Queens

Hmmm, despite my hard work in years past promoting authors and encouraging them to promote themselves, I admit to being a bit cynical when they actually go out and do the sales pitch.

But I am can't help myself on this occasion.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

My brain at work – apparently I have one, and it is STRESSED

I’ve been STRESSED. I am very busy and should be terribly important, but being busy, trying to manage a trillion details for projects major and minor is turning my insides out.

My business coach has prescribed Your Brain At Work by David Rock, and it is a revelation. It is helping me to survive in an overwhelming work environment, nay, succeed in it (sort of)—and still feel energised and accomplished at the end of the day (sort of).

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Literary Letters

I love Christmas, I love Christmas books (of which I have a small collection), and I love JRR Tolkein. Spotted in one of my favourite websites was a  note on Tolkein's collection of Letters From Father Christmas, handwritten letters that Tolkein wrote over 20 years to his sons. They are enchanting and I love his whimsical illustrations and imaginative penmanship.

Read all about Vomit-Eating Flies, according to David Sedaris

David Sedaris is one of the funniest memoirists I have read. Hearing Sedaris read from his journal at the Sydney Opera House several years ago is one of the highlights of any live performance I have seen (up there with Billy Connolly, at the same venue as it happens. Sadly, not the same night).

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Shelf Awareness -- looking for a good book review or 25?

One of the disadvantages of reading ebooks (at the moment) is the amount of time invested in reading endless book-related webites, scrolling through categories from online retailers. Not that I don't enjoy doing this -- but I am a bit hard pressed for time.

One of my favourite sites for the book trade, Shelf Awareness in the US, has started a newsletter for regular readers, and I love it.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Why YA?

"...few genres have experienced as much growth and innovation as young adult literature in the last thirty-plus years. If you haven't read a children's novel since, well, you were a child, you have missed one of the great renaissances in modern books."
-- Nathan Bransford in a recent blog
One glance at my recent reading trends and exploding Amazon Wishlist screams YOUNG ADULT is clearly the genre I am devouring right now.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Madame Depardieu and the Beautiful Strangers by Antonia Quirke

Antonia and her tome


My current enthusiasm to spread the word about my recent read about pooch Maf and screen goddess Marilyn led to another book recommendation to two film lovers I work with: Madame Depardieu and the Beautiful Strangers by Antonia Quirke.

Monday, May 30, 2011

The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog and of his Friend Marilyn Monroe

It was on my must read list for 2011 as a high priority read, and I can happily say that this is one of the most delightful books I have ever read. Fun, witty -- all good. Thank you Andrew O'Hagan, I look forward to reading your next book!

Maf was indeed Marilyn Monroe's canine companion in the latter few years of her life, and a gift to her from Frank Sinatra. Maf's happy and wise philosophical perspective about art and Marilyn constantly amuses and enlightens.

The smell of books

I have to admit, as much as I am a convert to reading on my iPhone (even more so than my iPad), I do miss the sensory response I have to books when I am in a bookstore, browsing through the pages of a newly discovered novel. Could this be the way to relive that experience?

This news published in The Independent: According to the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), Lagerfeld - who is known for his love of books and says he stocks more than 300,000 of them in his famous personal library - is already working on the fragrance with his publisher of choice, Steidl, which distributes most of the designer's photography books.

Writing book reviews

I know, I know. This is a book blog. Part of my responsibility as a blogger is to REVIEW BOOKS. And I admit I am a bit half-arsed about it, linking to someone more qualified's review and merely noting whether I liked the book, a whinge on whatever is my current thorn in my side, and a few hopefully useful comments.

Perhaps I should make more effort in my reviewing habits, as outlined in this really useful article in The Guardian on how to write a book review? It goes back to basics (it's for kids). I will try to apply myself more in the future. Maybe.

The People of the Book

Next I am on to reading (for my book club) The People of the Book by Pulitzer Prize-winning Australian author Geraldine Brooks.

So far The People of the Book is an excellent read, beautifully written using simple but evocative writing style. If I continue to enjoy it as I am now (and I am sure I will), then I will be very keen to go and read her other work.

Inattentional deafness

I knew it! I hope my mother now realises that all those times when I ignored her because I was steeped in an amazing story was not because I was being rude, as I was accused, but because my absorption in the book had resulted in "inattentional deafness".

According to  the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London: Becoming engrossed in a good book or a crossword really can block the ability to hear, a study has found. Scientists demonstrated that when someone focuses their full attention on something, they can become deaf to normally audible sounds.

So there!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Christmas catalogue period

I love this time of year!! Junk mail, especially book-related junk mail. Comprehensive catalogues -- or cattle dogs as they are often described by those who sweat over their compilation and distribution, the dedicated marketing and sales staff of leading independent booksellers in Australia like Readings, Mary Ryan, Abbeys, Leading Edge, Pages & Pages, and more.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Nathan Bransford

I have been a big fan of Nathan Bransford's daily blogs for some time. As an agent with Curtis Brown in the US, and an author in his own right, his entries are entertaining, insightful and really useful for all those budding writers out there. And his Friday wrap-up of the world of publishing's weekly events is my favourite.

So I was, along with everyone else, pretty surprised when Nathan announced a career change.

Dear Library-of-my-dreams,

I have been collecting books for years with the intention to one day have floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in my dream library. It is a common dream for voracious readers and bookbuyers, and even among those who don't read so much but like the status or feel of a library.

Until that far-off day, I struggle to squish my collection onto the shelves I do have, regularly culling books, storing them in boxes and selecting which ones can stay another day on the shelf in prime position. Or which ones get hidden in stacks at the back where shameful books on self-help, astrology and pulp romances lurk.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Reconstructing My 2010 Reading List (to date)

Neglect of BookFuzz has resulted in an incomplete record of my 2010 reading list (to date). I started the year, knowing there were lots of life hurdles ahead, with the unusual resolution to read less. I was giving myself the year off from reading for the first time in my life while I focused on other things, like new jobs and new cities to settle into.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Move to reading ebooks

Now that I am not swamped with advance proofs and an obligation to prioritise the books published by my old employer, I'm having a lovely time reading whatever I want (largely YA it turns out), whenever I want, and in whatever format I want.

Now that I have returned to public transport for my daily trek to work, I'm finding the Kindle app on my iPhone is the most convenient way to read a novel as I struggle with staying upright on a crowded bus as it tears around the corner.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

READING PARALYSIS

It is 11.37pm at night, a time when I usually am happily ensconced in bed with a good book, and instead I am starting a blog entry, fuelled by guilt at not having written one in some time and using the same late-night inspiration that got me through school and university (just). My guilt would be overridden easily by my interest in the plot of a good book, but lately I find myself unable to pinpoint exactly what type of book I want to read next.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

US Literary Escorts

New York Times, 16 July 2009: In Praise of Literary Escorts
This is a really fascinating essay by author Joe Queenan on the US phenomenon of the Escort, the person who meets authors at the airport and takes care of them for the day. They basically do the role of the publicist -- the tour guide side of the job, that is. I've heard plenty of stories from authors about their US book tour adventures and the characters who are their companion for the day. I think this sounds like a cool job!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

The BOOK I MOST WANT today is by Sophie Dahl

Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights, available August. I love it already. I want it immediately. I will have to wait like everyone else.

I love this sort of publishing -- delish food, elegant advice, sophisticated style, and impossible cool people. I call it Chic Publishing. Another book of this type I heard about today and will also be snapping up when it's out in October: Women, Work & the Art of Savoir Faire, by Mireille Guiliano, she of French Women Don't Get Fat fame.

Homer & Langley


Ah, Homer & Langley by the magnificent EL Doctorow. He has this fluid writing and story-telling style that is utterly timeless, which I first enjoyed when I read The March.

Inspired by the real-life Collyer brothers, the eponymous Homer and Langley, Doctorow weaves a stunning 20th Century tale of New York through two brothers, one blind but with great insight (Homer, the narrator), the other a war-scarred genius.