BEA Schedule of Events

Posted on May 29, 2012 · 7 Comments

So, the BEA Bloggers Conference and Book Expo America 2012 are almost here!

**happy dance**

I thought it would be a good idea to post my tentative schedule, mainly to get myself organized, and to find out if other bloggers will be at the same places as me! :)

So, here it is.. Here is what I am planning to do at BEA.. Things will probably change. My schedule is incredibly ambitious and I’ll need to have my running shoes on. Caffeine and extra deodorant, anyone?! tee-hee-hee

If you are a blogger and want to get in touch/swap numbers to text/etc, please shoot me an e-mail. If any bloggers are getting together to hang out for dinner or to sight-see, please let me know! I’d love to join you!

Sunday June 3

Arrival and Hotel Check-In; Meet my roomies for the week, Bekka from Pretty Deadly Reviews and Monica from Bibliophilic Book Blog. No plans for Sunday other than stretching and getting reading for the next four days! LOL! If anyone wants to grab dinner, let me know! I’m getting in around 3pm.

Monday June 4

8am-5:30pm – BEA Bloggers Conference and BEA Editor’s Buzz
5:30-7pm - Consortium’s BEA Blogger Party (Theatre Communications Group Offices, 520 Eighth Ave; 24th Floor)
7pm-9pm – HarperCollins Celebration of Book Bloggers Event (K Lounge, 30 West 52nd St)

Tuesday June 5 – BEA – Javits Center

Jacquelyn Mitchard What We Saw at Night (3949 Soho) – Tuesday
David Gillham City of Women (3921-3922 Penguin) – no time listed
Emily McKay The Farm (3921-3922 Penguin) – no time listed
Linwood Barclay Trust Your Eyes (3921-3922 Penguin) – no time listed
Liza Klaussmann Tigers in Red Weather galley (3627 Little, Brown) – no time listed
Susannah Cahalan Brain on Fire galley (3657-3658 S&S) – no time listed
Vaddey Ratner In the Shadow of the Banyan galley (3657-3658 S&S) – no time listed

9:30am – Dennis Lehane Live by Night galley (3339-3340 HarperCollins)
9:30am – Heather Gudenkauf Autograph Session – “One Breath Away” – Booth 4
10am – BEA Young Adult Editors’ Buzz – 1E14/1E15
10:30am – Social Reading – What is it and What can it Be? – 1E16
11am – Andrew Gross Autograph Session – “15 Seconds” – Booth 5
11:30am – Justin Cronin Autograph Session – “The Twelve” (3940 Random)
Antoine Wilson Panorama City galley (3447 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) – anytime
Drop business card in bowl to win iPad (3458 Bloomsbury) – anytime
Jami Attenberg The Middlesteins galley (3621-3622 Grand Central) – anytime
Rhoda Janzen Does This Church Make Me Look Fat? galley (3621-3622 Grand Central) – anytime
1pm – The Ongoing Evolution of YA Fiction – Uptown Stage
2pm – Lauren Oliver Autograph Session – “The Spindlers”
2pm – Jen Lancaster Autograph Session – “Jeneration X” (3921-3922 Penguin)
2pm – Chris Bohjalian Autograph Session – “Sandcastle Girls” – (3940 Random)
2pm – Pam Callow Autograph Session – “Tattooed” – Booth 3739
2pm – JT Ellison Autograph Session – “A Deeper Darkness” – Booth 3739
2pm – Rick Mofina Autograph Session – “They Disappeared” – Booth 3739
Michael Koryta The Prophet galley (3627 Little, Brown) – Tues. afternoon
3pm – James Patterson Autograph Session – “Confessions of a Murder Suspect” – Booth 3632
3pm – Adriana Trigiani Autograph Session – “The Shoemaker’s Wife” – Booth 16
3pm – Maggie Stiefvater Autograph Session – “The Raven Boys” – Booth 25
3pm – Andrea Thalasinos An Echo Through the Snow galley (3358 Macmillan)
3pm-5pm – The Apocalypsies: Meet the Authors of 2012′s Must Reads – 1E02/1E03
4pm – Matthew Dicks Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend galley (3358 Macmillan)
4pm – Audiobook Reviewing Seminar (Brilliance Audio) – Meeting Room 7444

6pm – The Not-So-Secret Life of the American Teenager: Bridging the Gap between YA and Adult Fiction – New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, South Court Auditorium

Wednesday June 6

8-9:30am Random House Power Readers Breakfast
9am – Hanna Pylvainen We Sinners galley (3358 Macmillan)
9am – Hot Book Group Titles for Fall/Winter – 1E14/1E15
10am – Autograph Session - Heather Gudenkauf “One Breath Away”, Rebecca Coleman “Heaven Should Fall”, Sheila Roberts “Better Than Chocolate” (3739 Harlequin)
11am – Amanda Coplin The Orchardist galley (3339-3349 HarperCollins)
11am – Buddy Guy When I Left Home book (3604 Perseus)
11am – BEA Selects: Reader Centric Publishing – Bringing Authors and Readers Together – 1E10
11:30am – Erin Morgenstern The Night Circus paperback (3940 Random)
12pm – The Journey of a Book: From Writer to Reader – 1E11
12:30pm – Karen Kingsbury Autograph session – “Coming Home: A Story of Unending Love and Eternal Promise” (3657-3658 Simon & Schuster)
1pm – Veronica Roth Autograph Session – “Insurgent” – Booth 3339
1pm – JT Ellison Autograph Session – “Love is Murder” – Booth 3739
James Patterson Zoo galley (3627 Little, Brown) – Wednesday afternoon
1:30pm – Joyce Carol Oates Autograph Session – “Two or Three Things I Forgot to Tell You” – Booth 6
2pm – Rachael Ray Autograph Session – “The Book of Burger”/”My Year in Meals” – Booth 3657
2pm – Sabrina Soto Autograph Session – “Home Design” – Booth 3722
2pm – Robert Goolrick Heading Out to Wonderful (4158, 4258 Workman)
3:30pm – Harlan Coben Autograph Session – “Shelter” – Booth 17
3:30pm – Elin Hilderbrand Autograph Session – “Summerland” – (3627 Little, Brown)
4pm – James Dashner Autograph Session – “Infinity Ring #1: A Mutiny in Time” – Booth 16
4pm – Julie Kagawa Autograph Session – “The Immortal Rules” – Booth 26
7:30 – Dinner with Amber at 5 Napkin Burger – 630 9th Ave @ 45th Street
8pm – PubDate – Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleeker St.

Thursday June 7

9:30am – Courtney Miller Santo The Roots of the Olive Tree galley (3339-3340 HarperCollins)
10am – Kirstie Alley Autograph Session – “The Art of Men (I Prefer Mine Al Dente)” – Booth 3657
10:30am – Mary Higgins Clark Autograph Session – “The Lost Years” – Booth 15
11am – Patricia Harman Midwife of Hope River galley (3339-3340 HarperCollins)
11am – Dan Rather Autograph Session – “Rather Outspoken: My Life in the News” (3621-3622 Grand Central)

Home :(

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Phew! It looks like a lot, but we will see what actually happens once I’m on the BEA floor! The Javits is ginormous, so I may not get from one place to another in the allotted time.

Thanks to those who filled out the form about meeting up. I’ll be getting in touch with you this week!

The countdown is on! Tick-tock, tick-tock….

*****

Filed Under: Misc Ramblings Tagged With:

Book Review & Excerpt: The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain

Posted on May 29, 2012 · 2 Comments


The Good Father
by Diane Chamberlain
Pub. Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Mira
ISBN: 978-0778313465
368 pages

Synopsis from Amazon:

A beloved daughter. A devastating choice. And now there’s no going back.

Four years ago, nineteen-year-old Travis Brown made a choice: to raise his newborn daughter on his own. While most of his friends were out partying and meeting girls, Travis was at home, changing diapers and worrying about keeping food on the table. But he’s never regretted his decision. Bella is the light of his life. The reason behind every move he makes. And so far, she is fed. Cared for. Safe.

But when Travis loses his construction job and his home, the security he’s worked so hard to create for Bella begins to crumble….

Then a miracle. A job in Raleigh has the power to turn their fortunes around. It has to. But when Travis arrives in Raleigh, there is no job, only an offer to participate in a one-time criminal act that promises quick money and no repercussions.

With nowhere else to turn, Travis must make another choice for his daughter’s sake.

Even if it means he might lose her.

My Thoughts:

Travis Brown is just trying to do right by his daughter, Bella. At 19, he made the choice to raise her as a single dad, putting aside his own plans and doing everything in his power to give her a good life. In her four short years, their lives have been fairly stable. Travis is working in construction while living with his mom and Bella. But when Travis loses his job and a tragedy causes him to lose the security of his home as well, everything changes. But the promise of a job in nearby Raleigh gives Travis hope; except, this job is not what it appears to be.

Erin is coping with the loss of her young daughter and her crumbling marriage. She visits a local coffee shop every morning to get out of her house and connect with an online grief support group. One morning, Travis and Bella come in and they begin a tentative friendship. Bella reminds Erin of her own daughter whom she lost not long ago. But, one choice that Travis makes brings Erin into a situation that may nearly destroy her.

Robin is engaged to an up-and-coming governor, whose family is very well-known in the community. She buried her past and hasn’t looked back. But sometimes the past has a way of catching up to you . . .

Travis, Erin, and Robin . . . how are their stories connected? And what will come of Travis and Bella?

—

I can always count on Diane Chamberlain to deliver an intense, emotional story. And this one is no different. Although I loved the story, it is not my favorite of her’s. Told in multiple viewpoints between Travis, Erin, and Robin, and alternating time periods, this is a very moving narrative. I was confused by some of the time shifts, though. I had a hard time following along with each character and which time period I was in. I found myself going back and checking dates multiple times so I could figure out where in the story I was. But once I was oriented to the shifting time periods, it flowed well.

It is easy to feel the emotion emanating from each of the characters, especially Travis and Erin. Travis just wants to be a good father. Every decision he makes is for the betterment of Bella’s life. He tries so hard to do right by her. Chamberlain has a way of getting into the character’s head so that, even though I don’t agree with the decisions Travis made, I can understand why he made them. Erin is grieving for her daughter whom she lost in a terrible accident. Unable to cope with her husband’s lack of grief (or perceived lack of grief), she moves out of their house and into her own apartment. She buries herself in an online support forum, offering and receiving support from other parents of children who are also grieving the loss of a child. Erin’s story is heartbreaking. I could feel the pain coming from her character. I just wanted to hug her. She felt so real to me.

I had a hard time connecting with Robin’s character. I could not understand the decisions she made in her past and how she could just forget or not think about the things the happened until four years later. It is just odd, in my opinion.

With all that said, this book is an emotional page-turner. I am pleased with each character’s development throughout the story and with the final conclusion. And, although, it is not a favorite of mine by this author, it is a great story and I’m glad I read it.  Any fan of Chamberlain’s will enjoy this book. If you have not read Chamberlain, I would definitely recommend this book (or any of her other books!). She is one of my favorite authors.

*****

Excerpt:

“No, my friend came through.” I tapped my sweaty fingers on my thighs. “I hope this one works out.”

“Oh, me, too, Travis. I guess it’s in construction? Is it for a business? Or residential? Or—”

“I’ve got the info in my van,” I said, getting to my feet.

Follow the rest of the tour HERE for more excerpts and reviews!

And, don’t miss the LIVE CHAT with Diane Chamberlain on May 31 at 3pm EST!

*****

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Review: Start Journaling and Change Your Life in 7 Days by Mari L. McCarthy

Posted on May 25, 2012 · 6 Comments

Start Journaling and Change Your Life in 7 Days
by Mari L. McCarthy

Buy Here

Synopsis:

Journaling, like any writing adventure or exercise program, tends to be cyclical—there are the times when you can’t wait to get-to-it and times when you can’t get started. Mari has the fix! It is her new e-workbook Start Journaling and Change Your Life in 7 Days.

In this workbook Mari addresses the most common roadblocks we come against in our journaling practice, from writer’s block and lack of time to finding motivation and silencing our inner critic. Whether you are new to journaling or need to climb out of a slump these seven days of writing prompts will get you moving in the right direction.

My Thoughts:

I am a wanna-be journaler. I love journals. I love pens. But putting the two together has always been a challenge for me. There is something so frightening about penning my innermost thoughts where someone might find them and find out how crazy I really am! There is also that part of journaling that is so freeing, too. The ability to dump everything; to work through a problem by writing it out; to discover things about myself that I did not know were there. So, I go through stages of wanting to journal. I even bought an app for my iPad that is password-protected thinking that would encourage me to journal more. It hasn’t.

Mari McCarthy is a journaling therapist (how cool is that?!) and in her short seven-day workbook she tackles the seven mostly common obstacles for people who are starting to journal. She captured my attention from the second paragraph. I felt like she was speaking directly to me:

“Have you ever tried journaling before? If so, think about the reasons you may have stalled in the past. Do you have a hard time fitting it into your busy schedule? Do you battle writer’s block every time you sit down to write? Or do you go through fits and starts with journaling, writing every day for a week, then abandoning your journal for months at a time?”  –p. 3

Yes. Yes. Yes.

The workbook is designed to be done over the course of one week. On each of the seven days, Mari explains one of the obstacles to journaling and ways to overcome it. For example, she offers advice for combating writer’s block and finding time to write. Journaling prompts provide a starting point for the beginning journaler.

I really enjoyed Mari’s book and I am looking forward to working through it in depth in the very near future. There is a lot of great information for the beginning journaler or the tried-and-gave-up journaler (me) with great prompts to get you started writing immediately. Mari also offers a Start Journaling and Change Your Life Challenge (next one is June 4-10) and a forum for journalers to connect for support and inspiration.

I would definitely recommend this book to those looking to start journaling and need a bit of creative inspiration. It is a great resource.

*****

About the Author:

When Multiple Sclerosis robbed her right side of strength Mari decided to teach herself to write with her left hand. She gained more than strength, she found herself–buried talents, hidden baggage, and a way to heal herself from the inside out.

Now a certified Journal Therapist, Mari shares her knowledge and experience with others by teaching them how to find their own strengths and talents and use them to solve problems and achieve goals.

Mari L. McCarthy is The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Create Write Now and Journaling for the Health of It™. Mari offers guidance, counseling and encouragement to writers through her many journaling eBooks and in private Journaling Jumpstart consultations.

Website: http://www.createwritenow.com/

Blog: http://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog/

*****

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Book Blogger Hop: May 25-31

Posted on May 24, 2012 · 6 Comments

Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop!
Hashtag: #BookBloggerHop

Book Blogger Hop

Grab the Logo!

Read the History and Rules of the Hop. This link also includes information on how to submit a question for the Hop and how to be a potential Host of the Hop!

Want to plan your posts in advance? Click this link to check out the future Hop questions!

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What to Do:
1. Post on your blog answering this question:

Blogging Question: How do you handle the writing of a negative review?

2. Enter the link to your post in the linky list below (enter your Blog Name, Genre you review, and direct link to your post answering this week’s question; failure to do so will result in removal of your link).

3. Visit other blogs in the list, spending quality time getting to know the people you are visiting. Don’t just visit the post with the question, but click around and read some of the blogger’s other content, too! This Hop isn’t about the number of people you can visit, but the quality of each visit.


My answer:
This may sound weird, but I tend not to write many negative reviews. I can usually find something about a book that I like, so my reviews aren’t so much negative as they are weighing the positives with the negatives. I will not review a book that I have not finished, unless it is part of a blog tour and I’m required to post something. And I always make sure to point out that just because I did not like the book does not mean anything. Someone else could pick it up and love it. That is just the way it works. I also do not accept review books that are outside of my typical genre, so I tend to enjoy most of the books I read because they align with my tastes.

 

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Linky List

 

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Filed Under: Memes Tagged With:

Book Blogger Hop: May 18 – 24

Posted on May 17, 2012 · 9 Comments

Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop!
Hashtag: #BookBloggerHop

Book Blogger Hop

Grab the Logo!

Read the History and Rules of the Hop. This link also includes information on how to submit a question for the Hop and how to be a potential Host of the Hop!

Want to plan your posts in advance? Click this link to check out the future Hop questions!

*****

What to Do:
1. Post on your blog answering this question:

How many books do you own? This can include books in your to-be-read (TBR) pile(s) and books you have already read that are on your keeper shelf.

2. Enter the link to your post in the linky list below (enter your Blog Name, Genre you review, and direct link to your post answering this week’s question; failure to do so will result in removal of your link).

3. Visit other blogs in the list, spending quality time getting to know the people you are visiting. Don’t just visit the post with the question, but click around and read some of the blogger’s other content, too! This Hop isn’t about the number of people you can visit, but the quality of each visit.


My answer:
Umm.. a lot. But, I like to give away books after I read them, so I tend not to keep many books, so my keeper shelf is very limited. I think I have less than 5 books on my keeper shelf. So that leaves my to-be-read shelf, which is not just one shelf. It’s not even one bookcase. I currently have three stacks piled in my dining room of books I recently received in the mail that I need to catalog into Goodreads. I have three five-shelf bookcases packed full in my office, with three stacks of WWII historical fiction sitting on top of one of them. In my second bedroom, I have a five-shelf cabinet of paperbacks, a three-shelf cabinet of mixed paperback and hardbacks, and a three-shelf built-in book case of memoir/non-fiction.

So, how much does that total? I’m scared to count it up. My best guess would be around 500, but I’m sure it is more than that. And I am not even going near the number of e-books sitting in my e-library in my Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Netgalley, and Edelweiss accounts!

 

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Linky List

 

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Filed Under: Memes Tagged With:
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