Death Brackets: Final Four

This needs very little intro.  Here is the first round of the final four.  Championship tomorrow!

Welcome to the 2012 Author Death Brackets where some of the Berwyn Public Library’s most popular, living authors will participate in a virtual battle to see who comes out alive to claim the title as the favorite (and toughest) author among our patrons. There are 4 categories of 8 authors paired against each other, with the winner of each bracket squaring off in a final four battle.

The Death Brackets are to be taken with a sense of humor.  The library does not condone violence or wish bad things upon these authors.  We do, however, hope to lighten the tense election atmosphere by electing our own sole survivor.

[The idea of author death brackets and the graphic were originally conceived at http://www.criminalelement.com]

Ultimate Final Battles

Round One: 2 Battles
Gillian Flynn vs. Ann Patchett
Two tough women meet for an intellectual battle of writing prowess. They may both look sweet and innocent, but they had to pull out some dirty tricks in order to make it this far. Patchett’s longevity and her commitment to the independent bookstore make her an early favorite, but Flynn’s dark, psychological suspense storylines that keep readers guessing until the final pages cannot be underestimated. Patchett opens with her Magician’s Assistant trying to alter Flynn’s perception of reality with a little hocus pocus. Flynn, whose journalism degree meant she had done her research on her opponent before the match began, was ready for this move, and side stepped the attack by throwing two psychologically damaged mothers back in Patchett’s face. Because Patchett’s relationship with her own mother, author Jeanne Ray, is a happy one, she is surprised by this attack and Flynn’s move knocks her down. But the battle rages on. Since Flynn and Patchett are also among the library workers’ favorite writers, there is no help coming from the staff this time. In the end, Flynn’s home field advantage, her appearance at the BPL this past summer (for free), and her huge bestselling success in 2012, tip the scales slightly in her favor. Seizing her opening, Flynn sends in Amazing Amy to finish Patchett off.

Winner Crime vs. Literary: Flynn

Speculative vs. Romance
Stephen King vs. Nora Roberts 
This is a battle for the ages, pitting two of America’s greatest living storytellers against each other. Both King and Roberts have been able to become popular because of their ability to not only draw in regular horror and romance readers, but also people who would say they never read in these genres. They also both attract readers-- male and female, young and old. Now in a fight for survival, Roberts tries to lull King into a warm sense of love and well being with the ultimate plan to sic the ruthless Eve Dallas on him once he is comfortably off guard.  But King is ready for anything Roberts has planned because before the fight began, he lined up his long backlist of evil beings at the start line. He had them stretching a mile back, with the order to sacrifice themselves for their creator. In the end, even with Dallas, Roberts cannot get through these tough defenses. King is never in danger.

Winner Speculative vs. Romance: King

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