October Newsletter!

Posted by Elizabeth on October 6, 2009
This month we interviewed authors Audrey Niffenegger and Nick Hornby for our newsletter.

Audrey Niffenegger not only wrote the bestselling novel, The Time Travelers Wife, but also has a distinguished background in the visual arts. It’s unusual and exciting to talk to an author who is talented in disparate areas. Her new novel, Her Fearful Symmetry, sounds deliciously creepy.

Our second author, Nick Hornby, has a broad appeal as well. After all, his debut memoir, Fever Pitch, is steeped in his own soccer obsession. According to FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association), more than 265 million people in the world play soccer and as many of you know, their fans take the sport seriously. I remember going to my one and only European soccer game in Bologna, Italy. Since I was rooting for ACF Fiorentina, I sat in a chain-link cage while Bolognian spectators threw glass bottles at us. It was terrifying and well…a little bit exciting. Hornby’s later novels, High Fidelity and About a Boy, also garnered high marks. His new one, Juliet, Naked, explores rockstar fandom.

We also got "In Bed" this month with two very different authors, Eoin Colfer, of the Artemis Fowl series, and Dacre Stoker, Bram Stoker's great grand-nephew. We asked them to name their favorite Science Fiction books and books about vampires, respectively. The vampire thing may be ubiquitous, but we figured if there were any month to touch on this trend, October would be the right one!

Please check out Movers & Shakers for some twisted fairytales, inspirational memoirs, and lush Edwardian sagas. And our Lit for Lat discovery this month is Supermarket by Satoshi Azuchi, an intriguing Japanese business novel set in the 1970s. Don’t forget to read our winning poem Lynette’s War, from the iPoetry! Poetry Contest .

We hope you enjoy our newsletter!

P.S. We will be interviewing Barbara Kingsolver next month. If you have any questions for the author of The The Poisonwood Bible and the Bean Trees, post them here!

Comments Showing 1-43 of 43 (43 new)

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message 1: by Lining (last edited Oct 06, 2009 06:47PM) (new)

Lining So.. what were the authors' favorites? o,,o

EDIT: never mind. ^^;


message 2: by Dapplenose (new)

Dapplenose I am currently reading Airman by Eion Colfer.


Zaira's Bookshelf neat! I love that author!


message 4: by Jesika (last edited Oct 06, 2009 07:17PM) (new)

Jesika PERFECT month to talk about Vampires :D

well actually, EVERY month is a good month to talk about Vampires :)))))


Zaira's Bookshelf lol!


message 6: by Jacob (new)

Jacob Wilkinson WHY ARENT THEY INTERVEIWING CHRISTOPHER POALINI??????????


message 7: by Rebecca (new)

Rebecca Yeah for Barbara Kingsolver. I would like to ask her how she came up with the ideas for such dynamic personality's in her character in Poisonwood Bible.


message 8: by Cassy (new)

Cassy Thank you for the putting together the newsletter, Elizabeth! You do a fantastic job. I look forward to it every month. But it does get me into trouble - I always end up with five or more new books on my to-read bookshelf. Too many books, so little time!


message 9: by Madeline (new)

Madeline lol


message 10: by Jacki (new)

Jacki Jesika wrote: "PERFECT month to talk about Vampires :D

well actually, EVERY month is a good month to talk about Vampires :)))))"


totally agree! XDDD


message 11: by Kendra (new)

Kendra Jacob wrote: "WHY ARENT THEY INTERVEIWING CHRISTOPHER POALINI??????????"

YES!!! SOMEONE HAS SENCE!!! GO ERAGON!!!!!


message 12: by [deleted user] (new)

I think Suzanne Collins would be a good person to interview


message 13: by Carlee (new)

Carlee Cannon maby.


message 14: by Atykah (new)

Atykah Aura Vampire..?? ohh all right..
Let be..:D


message 15: by Gwen (new)

Gwen Jacob wrote: "WHY ARENT THEY INTERVEIWING CHRISTOPHER POALINI??????????"

i don't know either. he is an amazing writer and wrote eragon when he was fifteen! i mean, if they are going on talent order, christopher paolini was a longgggggg time ago. but they should still do him again. finally someone has some sence!!!! go eragon is right!!!!


message 16: by Gwen (new)

Gwen Jesika wrote: "PERFECT month to talk about Vampires :D

well actually, EVERY month is a good month to talk about Vampires :)))))"


vampires are getting REALLY boring!


message 17: by ☠*Jenny*☠ (last edited Oct 08, 2009 08:21AM) (new)

☠*Jenny*☠ ♥yep, that one♥ i've read Artemis Fowl. and The Time Travelers Wife


message 18: by Ann? (new)

Ann? I agree that vampires should go away. It seems that everywhere you look, our fanged friends keep popping up. They've taken over books, movies, and TV shows. A tad overkill, no?


message 20: by Dapplenose (new)

Dapplenose Emmie wrote: "I think Suzanne Collins would be a good person to interview"

me too


message 21: by !ĘŁÏŻÅ¡ (new)

!ĘŁÏŻÅ¡ I haven't really heard of any of these people.


message 22: by Ann? (new)

Ann? but it's just like, look around at pop culture and there are vampires EVERYWHERE! twilight, vampire diaries, true blood, cirque du freak: the vampire's assistant, etc. watch they make a remake of dracula or something......
*sigh*


message 23: by Rick (new)

Rick Ann? wrote: "but it's just like, look around at pop culture and there are vampires EVERYWHERE! twilight, vampire diaries, true blood, cirque du freak: the vampire's assistant, etc. watch they make a remake of..."




message 24: by Rick (new)

Rick I agree. Ever since The Vampyre, there's some sort of sexual titilation which makes it all so popular, I think. But the genre has become so repititious and
uninventive. Does the world really need another vampire?


message 25: by Ann? (new)

Ann? No. No it does not.

Yet, everyone seems to think we need to add to the vampire population, so they decide to try and make their own "original" series and be creative and witty. Try again, suckers.


message 26: by Ren (last edited Oct 09, 2009 12:40PM) (new)

Ren The Vampiric Genre should have ended with Anne Rice, and other well versed writers. Unfortunately, its continued and has been polluted by the young adult genre. I wonder what the next target will be? Well, besides the obvious "werewolves" popularity that is on the rise.


message 27: by Gwen (new)

Gwen Kenzie wrote: "Ann? wrote: "I agree that vampires should go away. It seems that everywhere you look, our fanged friends keep popping up. They've taken over books, movies, and TV shows. A tad overkill, no?"

..."


yeah, i totally agree. vampires are taking over life as we know it and i don't think i can stand much more vampires in books that they call "original". not really original at all, old ideas put into new and boring books, tv shows, and movie. the vampire era should be over by now. NO MORE VAMPIRES!!!


message 28: by Zainab (new)

Zainab Kenzie wrote: "Ann? wrote: "I agree that vampires should go away. It seems that everywhere you look, our fanged friends keep popping up. They've taken over books, movies, and TV shows. A tad overkill, no?"

..."

yeah, i totally agree. vampires are taking over life as we know it and i don't think i can stand much more vampires in books that they call "original". not really original at all, old ideas put into new and boring books, tv shows, and movie. the vampire era should be over by now. NO MORE VAMPIRES!!!



**** dont take any effense to this .. but i couldnt help it but to comment ****
... i have to disagree with that ... dont u guys think ur being a little harsh ? you dont have to read the boooks .. there are many ppl out there that enjoy vampire books ... and there are many authors that have such of a good talent writiing vampire books ...
but i dohave to agree woth the fact that there killing it with all the movies and shows thats gettig really annoying ... people are obsessig over the actors not books .. which really irritates me !


message 29: by Zainab (new)

Zainab they should interview kristen and p.c.cast since there new book is coming out october 26 th ! cant wait !!!


snake! Can't somebody love me v.v, Jesika wrote: "PERFECT month to talk about Vampires :D

well actually, EVERY month is a good month to talk about Vampires :)))))"


of cuarse


message 31: by Nicholas (new)

Nicholas I like pie


message 32: by Nicholas (new)

Nicholas oops... I meant to say I don't know that author


PageSageRageParker the Mighty (White Chocolate) OMFG!!! I LOVE THOSE BOOKS!!!!


PageSageRageParker the Mighty (White Chocolate) Zainab wrote: "they should interview kristen and p.c.cast since there new book is coming out october 26 th ! cant wait !!!"

I TOTALLY AGREE!!! CAN WE CAN WE CAN WE!!!


message 35: by Jesika (new)

Jesika Zainab wrote: "they should interview kristen and p.c.cast since there new book is coming out october 26 th ! cant wait !!!"

they really should :)


message 36: by Dina (last edited Oct 09, 2009 08:34PM) (new)

Dina Twilight is a wonderful Saga; it will always be one of my favorites. But then they started making the new vampire shows, then they were taking it too far. I believe that if they make another vampire show it's going to be the same thing as the other shows. They should have stopped after True Blood.


message 37: by Leila (new)

Leila Nick Hornby! Audrey Niffenegger!

*skips over quickly to the newsletter*


message 38: by Rick (new)

Rick I've seen vampire cults in New Orleans. Signs on sadly post-Katrina ravaged Bourbon Street read "Blood for Sex."


message 39: by Sushi (new)

Sushi K. Dapplenose wrote: "I am currently reading Airman by Eion Colfer."

Ooooohhh i love that book!!


message 40: by Killer Queen (new)

Killer Queen Rick wrote: "I've seen vampire cults in New Orleans. Signs on sadly post-Katrina ravaged Bourbon Street read "Blood for Sex.""

...creepiness


message 41: by Zainab (last edited Oct 10, 2009 10:24PM) (new)

Zainab i totally agree there going to far with that crap .. there honstly killing it !


message 42: by Rick (new)

Rick It's common to find a new angle on popular genre, not just from literature, but from film as well. Lesbian vampirism, for example, has worked it's way up deftly from Jane Eyre, and into such films as "Dracula's Daughter" (1935!). Has anyone ever seen it?


message 43: by Helen (new)

Helen Carson I'm delighted to be a new member here. I've read so many books, but will put these on my list. I've read about 12 books this year, mentioned 3 here with reviews. My favorite so far this year: Goodbye Natalie Goodbye Splendour title. I like nonfiction best. The book left me wanting more. I would love to see an interview with the author, Marti Rulli here: I came looking for coverage. But, I'm here to talk about all kinds of books. I'm trying to learn the site to figure out "friends". I love to discuss books. Thank you for your site.


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