Jane Litte's Blog, page 945

Harlequin News: Writing Contest and Explanation of Its Reorganization

booktrade.info – Book Trade Announcements – Harlequin And Mills & Boon Launch Global Writing Contest With Publishing Contract Prize – “Harlequin (Harlequin.com), a leading publisher of books for women, and Mills & Boon, their international romance imprint, today announced the inauguration of a global English-language writing contest that offers aspiring authors the chance to win a publishing contract. The free 24/7 online conference, So You Think You Can Write (soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com) will...

Friday Film Review: The Wedding Banquet

[image error]The Wedding Banquet (1993)

Genre: Romantic/GLBT/Comedy

Grade: B

This is one of Ang Lee’s earlier movies and he uses it to show a cross cultural match up of Taiwanese and American, GLBT and straight. It’s got humor, love of many kinds, a bit of pathos and a lot of understanding – even if not everybody realizes they’re in on it at the same time. Oh, and it’s got a wedding – which is blah – and a wedding banquet – which is a blast.

[image error]Wai Tong Gao (Winston Chao) is a successful businessman living in N...

REVIEW: Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

Dear Ms. Doller:

This book was recommended to me by Racblog (http://romance-around-the-corner.blogspot.com/) who knows I’ve been reading more New Adult books. I’m using the term “New Adult” which I believe was originally coined by St. Martin’s Press. The period references that post high school, on the cusp of adulthood time period. In some sense, these are classic but more accessible versions of the bildungsroman.

“Something Like Normal” is unique because it is a story told entirely from the ma...

Thursday Midday Links: Penguin engages in library lending pilot program

Where the Hell is Matt? 2012 – YouTube. YouTube

I find this inspirational.

Library Journal Publisher Media Source Launches Book Reviews Database | Digital Book World – “In a move to develop a larger audience among librarians and eventually build a consumer audience, Media Source, publisher of Library Journal and other media properties focused on the library market, has launched a book reviews database, Book Verdict. The site launches with 300,000 reviews and the company calls it in a statement...

REVIEW: Ship to Shore by Elizabeth Krall

Dear Ms. Krall,

When you offered us a chance to read this book, you included a lovely excerpt scene that whetted my appetite to try it. It was cute but not cloying, funny, tender and – for lack of a better word – real. I could see this happening and because of that I really wanted to read this book. You sent us the book, and an updated version which is the one I ended up reading, and I uploaded it to my Sony then sat down with anticipation. It didn’t take long before the trouble started.

The st...

REVIEW: The World is a Stage by Tamara Morgan

Dear Ms. Morgan:

I was thrilled to request this book for review after Jayne wrote so lovingly about the first Highland games book which was another battle of the sexes. Many times those types of stories will deter me because often times the heroine is presented as a ball busting bitch that has to be softened by love but Jayne’s approval made me think this would be different. I asked her whether she was interested and she demurred citing the something in the blurb making her a bit leery. I shou...

Wednesday Midday Links: B&N losses higher than expected; Dramatic declines in e-ink device purchases

Samhain is having a nice sale on 6 featured titles. Two include Devil’s Gate by Thea Harrison and Wolf Line by Vivian Arend. 30% off using coupon code “BeachReads”. Store.

EBook Revenues Beat Hardcovers For The First Time | TechCrunch – “The Association of American Publishers released a report today that shows that ebooks have beaten hardcover revenues for the first time. Ebook revenues topped out at $282.3 million YTD while hardcovers hit $229.6. Almost exactly a year ago the tables were turn...

Debut Print Book: THE MARRYING KIND by Ken O’Neill

I’ve had some concerns by readers who are primarily print readers that the coverage at Dear Author has been too focused on ebooks. When I asked the readers what they were interested in seeing, they responded that they would like to know more about print debut authors. We developed a little questionnaire and every Wednesday at 10:00 AM CST (as long as we have content) we’ll post the questionnaire answers along with links to the author’s site and a buy link to her book. I hope this helps people...

REVIEW: A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Dear Ms. Keplinger,

I think you’re one of the more interesting contemporary YA authors to be published in recent years. There’s an authenticity to your narrative voice that’s difficult to match. Despite their flaws, I enjoyed your previous two novels, The DUFF and Shut Out, so I snatched up your latest without hesitation.

Whitley is that girl from your high school. I’m sure we can all name one. She parties hard, drinks harder, and hooks up with guys one night and drops them the next day. High s...

REVIEW: Great-Aunt Sophia’s Lessons for Bombshells by Lisa Cach

Ever dream of being transformed into a bombshell?

Grace Cavanaugh thinks she’s in for an easy, lazy summer when she takes a job as companion to her great aunt Sophia in Pebble Beach. She’ll dab spittle from her aunt’s chin, watch ‘Animal Planet’, and work on her dissertation for her PhD in Women’s Studies.

But Sophia has other plans. With a tart tongue that would put Bette Davis to shame, Sophia sets about transforming her dumpy great-niece into a copy of the B-movie bombshell Sophia once was,...