Monday, October 06, 2008


Stupidest tagline ever?
This seriously upsets me. I know that on one level the progression of fun-funner-funnest makes sense (think about the dumb-dumber-dumbest copywriters who worked on this ad), but come on! "Funnest" isn't a word.

Sunday, October 05, 2008

My favorite books of the year ... so far

One of my book groups compiles a list of each reader's top ten books of the year. Although we don't do this until early January, someone already brought it up at one of our September meetings. Although books in the Top Ten don't have to be published in 2008, there have been so many great books this year that I might make my list all 2008 pub dates. Yes, I know there are still three months of reading to be done. But here are five guaranteed to make my end-of-year best books list:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson
Attack of the Theater People by Marc Acito
Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos

I'm not even half way through The 19th Wife, but it has me completely hooked. Ebershoff also wrote one of my ALL-TIME favorite books, The Danish Girl.

Saturday, October 04, 2008

Hannah West on your iPod ... or even iPhone.

My friend Terry emailed me yesterday to tell me that she came across my middle-grade mystery series, Hannah West, available on audio. Had I forgotten to mention it to her? There was no forgetting -- BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW! Ay caramba. How does that happen?

I'm thrilled that any book of mine is an audio book (although I wish someone had told me that was in the works). I was especially excited to see this little bit of promotional copy: "Use your own iPhone, mp3 player or iPod for playing Hannah West on Millionaire's Row audio book.

I don't have an iPhone, but my fictional creation can be heard on one. That greatly amuses me. If the series is succcessful on audio, I will be further amused and pleased by royalties.