Sure Bet: Tana French

One of my favorite authors both to read and suggest to patrons is Tana French.  For years I have given her books to people who like crime fiction and/or literary fiction who want a “good read.” I love how the books are connected but not a series so you can give any of them to any reader, at any time.

I have not had a disappointed customer yet. Just about every avid reader can enjoy French. She is easy to hand out as a sure bet when you or your patron is not sure what to read next.

Personally, I also enjoy her novels and have read most of them in audio. You can click here to see my reviews of her books.

Honestly, I have never been able to put my finger on exactly why she makes for such a sure bet option. The books are challenging, but extremely well plotted.  Her characters are compelling and well developed, but are also often unreliable which can turn some people off. All signs point to French not being so easy to hand out. 

So why is she enjoyed by such a range of readers?

Thanks to my colleague, and friend of the blog, Stephanie Anderson, I was pointed to this profile on French for the New Yorker which goes a long way to explaining why her writing is enjoyed by so many. Check it out for yourself.

This got me to thinking about French and sure bets in general. I often get questions about sure bet authors.  I never started a tag [until now] for sure bets, but today I am doing it with this post. I have posted about sure bets before and you can click here to pull all of those posts up. There is a lot of good information there. 

Having a go-to list of sure bets, is a RA Service life saver [longer post about that here], and I am here solely to help you be better at your job. So, I will try to more regularly do posts on authors who are good sure bet options. Use this post and the links I included above to start building your own sure bet list and look for more help in the future and give a reader a Tana French novel in the meantime.

RA for All Roadshow Visits the North Country [NY] Library System Annual Meeting

Today I will be delivering the keynote address at the Annual Meeting of the North Country [NY] Library System. 

I will be doing my signature RA for All pep talk to a group of library workers, administrators, and trustees.

That talk follows my 10 Rules of RA Service which are always available here. This talk is a great way to introduce the principles and importance of RA Service to all library staff, but it is most effective when the leaders and decision makers of an institution are present.

Too often I present this talk at the beginning of a long in-service day and the administrators are too busy organizing the rest of the day to be a part of the training. I think this is detrimental to everyone. In fact, I have started directly requesting that administrators be present for this presentation. It is not enough for the people in charge to book me, they need to hear what I have to say and be a part of the change they are trying to kickstart with their staff.

North Country Library System, however, didn’t need me to ask everyone to be a part of my keynote; they planned from the start for me to talk to the entire group. It was their idea for me to do this basic training for such a broad audience. Bravo to them.

As a Trustee myself, I am super excited that trustees are also being included in today's audience. I think we can effect more change and improve service to our patrons better if we educate the library decision makers as we are training ourselves. I have never had trustees in the audience for this talk. I am excited to see what they think.

Now it is time to take what I think is a good idea and see if it actually works in practice. I will see very soon.

Longform.Org

I will be traveling most of today; in fact, I am sitting at the gate at O’Hare now. But before I go dark for the bulk of the day, I wanted to remind people about a Nonfiction RA resource that I use all the time, but have not blogged about in a while-- Longform.Org:

Longform.org recommends new and classic non-fiction from around the web. 

Article suggestions, including writers and magazines submitting their own work, are encouraged. Longform considers pieces over 2,000 words that are freely available online.

The site recommends the best in short nonfiction, a few articles every day. You can read on the site, in an app, send it to another service where you like to read all of your interesting articles, and/or subscribe to the podcast and listen to your nonfiction. They keep a searchable archive too.

Because they recommend both old and new articles from any topic imaginable, with editorial control [i.e. an actual human picking what is good], you can satisfy just about any nonfiction reader with this free service.

Here are some searches I have done on Longform.com for actual patrons in the last 2 years:

• Current nonfiction about the “Pope”
• Information about Edward Snowden

And when you run a search, if one of the articles received a “best” status from them at anytime, it is clearly noted.

They also create guides to topics, so you can read their accumulation on the best articles about topics as wide ranging as Hillary Clinton, Road Trips, High School, and Manhunts to name only a few.

And if that wasn’t enough, if you have a patron with a favorite author--fiction or nonfiction-- they have probably written a long from nonfiction piece that has been collected by Longform.org. Here are some examples:

• Susan Orlean
• Simon Winchester
• Jonathan Franzen
• Ta-Nehisi Coates
• Colson Whitehead

And to satisfy your current event junkies who want to delve into the hottest topics as they are happening and don’t want to wait for a full book in a year or two, a daily click on the “Popular” or "Best New Articles” categories will get them what they are looking for.

If there is a hot article being talked about in the media, it is probably going to be on Longform.org, for example this week everyone is talking about the GQ article by Michael Chabon’s on his son, “The Prince of Fashion.” It’s there.

You get the gist. There is a lot of info on Longform.org for you to use to help your nonfiction patrons find leisure reading. And thanks to the University of Pittsburgh’s Writing Program, it is all free.

Try it out for yourself or use it to help a patron today.

Back from a new time zone tomorrow.

Little Libraries Shine: Clinton [IL] Library's Awesome Book Discussion Notes Friendly Bookmarks

I know I say it all the time, but one of my favorite things about getting to travel and train library workers is that when I am there teaching you, I get to also learn so much from you.

I especially like when I get to see first hand how a teeny library that the larger community tends to dismiss as not worth paying attention to has great ideas to share with the world. This happens more often than not, but because these libraries are barely able to keep up with their day to day duties, and often, they are not on social media to promote themselves, no one, including themselves, know what great ideas they have to share with the larger library world.

But that is what I am here to do-- showcase what libraries all over the country are doing to help readers.

When I went on my book discussion leadership training tour for RAILS earlier this month, in the final location I met Crystal from Clinton Township Public Library. During the final part of my program, when I was encouraging everyone to share their tips and tricks from their book clubs and/or ask for help, Crystal mentioned that when she hands out each book discussion book, they include a book mark which reminds people of the date and time on the front, and gives them space to take notes on the back.

We all loved this idea, and as soon as the meeting ended I went over to Crystal and asked her if she would be willing to share this easy, but brilliant idea with my readers. Thankfully, she agreed.

So below are some screen shots from the files Crystal sent me.  I think this is a wonderful idea that many libraries, big or small, could easily integrate into their book discussion procedures.

Thanks to Crystal and Clinton Township Public Library for sharing. Feel free to use this idea, but give Clinton Township credit. And remember, many little libraries are doing great things without much fanfare.  Don't count them out!

Authors Read to Help Stop Domestic Violence-- Promote It and RA Opportunities

[Editors Note: The Call to Action posts are on hiatus for the Halloween season, they will return in November]

Read for Pixels is an amazing charity event that uses live author chats to raise awareness and money to help stop violence against women.  From their page:

About Read For PixelsThe Read For Pixels campaign featuring live Google Hangout Readings with award-winning bestselling authors in support of the Celebrity Male Role Model Pixel Reveal campaign which aims to raise US$1 million in aid of The Pixel Project and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence . “Read For Pixels” runs twice a year:

• Our International Women’s Day Edition in March putting female authors in the spotlight.

• Our annual standard edition in September featuring a mix of male and female authors.

Every campaign features live “Read For Pixels” Google Hangout sessions which will take place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout September at the rate of 1 session per day. Each session will feature an author reading from one of their books and discussing why they support ending violence against women, their writing, and women in the media and popular culture. Each session also includes a live moderated Q&A session for fans and book lovers. 

Our upcoming Fall 2016 Edition in September will feature Christopher Golden, Dan Wells, Gregg Hurwitz, Josephine Angelini, Martha Wells, Max Gladstone, Steven Erikson, Susan Dennard, Tami Hoag, Victoria (V.E.) Schwab, and Veronica Rossi.Learn more about current/upcoming Read For Pixels authors here. 

Read For Pixels alumni include Andrea Cremer, Alexandra Monir, Alexandra Sokoloff, Alyson Noel, Charlaine Harris, Christina Lauren, Chuck Wendig, Cinda Williams Chima, Claudia Gray, Colleen Houck, Colleen Gleason, Cornelia Funke, Darynda Jones, Delilah S. Dawson, Diane Chamberlain, Ellen Hopkins,Elizabeth Bear, Guy Gavriel Kay, Isaac Marion, Jacqueline Carey, Jane Green, Jasper Fforde, Jaye Wells, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Jim C. Hines, Joe Hill,Jonathan Maberry, Kami Garcia, Kate Elliott, Kelley Armstrong, Keri Arthur, Kevin Hearne, Kimberly Derting, Lauren Beukes, Laurie R. King, Leigh Bardugo, Martina Boone, Meg Cabot, Nalini Singh, Rachel Vincent, Rick Yancey, Robert J. Sawyer, Sarah J. Maas, Scott Sigler, Seanan McGuire, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Tad Williams, Tamora Pierce, and Yasmine Galenorn. 

Learn more about them via our Read For Pixels Author Alumni page here.
Google Hangout dates and times are released approximately 4 weeks ahead of each campaign. 

We also run special standalone online events and fundraisers in collaboration with authors. For example: in May 2014, we held a 2-week Drabble fundraiser together with Guy Gavriel Kay. 

Exclusive Author Goodies for a Great CauseAll participating authors have generously donated a range of goodies to help raise funds for the Pixel Reveal campaign including exclusive 1-to-1 Skype chats for fans and book clubs, signed first editions or special editions of their books, exclusive stories and poems, a critique session for work submitted by budding authors, special Read For Pixels swag packs, a chance to be a minor character in the author’s next novel, and more. Additional goodies come courtesy of various publishers and bestselling authors who are unable to attend a live Google Hangout with us. 

Fans, book lovers, and supporters are encouraged to donate to the Pixel Reveal campaign to collectively reveal the first Celebrity Male Role Model in the Celebrity Male Role Model Pixel Reveal campaign. Donations begin at as low as US$5 and all donors will receive one of the author goodies as a “Thank You” gift. The type of “Thank You” gift received by the donor depends on the donation amount. 

The fundraising pages are open for 6 weeks during the campaign. 

Updates for upcoming Read For Pixels fundraisers are released periodically during the month leading up to the kick-off of the campaign. To follow updates about the goodies and fundraising pages, go to: http://reveal.thepixelproject.net/voices-and-videos/read-for-pixels/fundraising-with-authors/

The campaign is almost over for this year, but you can still participate.  This weekend bestselling author Christopher Golden will be doing a live chat. You can click here to have him tell you exactly what he has planned.

Not only is this a good cause that has been linked to books and reading for many years, but it provides a couple of outside of the box RA opportunities.  Let me explain.

You can use the Read for Pixels marketing materials to make a sign advertising the charity and the live author events. They have great graphics of author photos and book covers that you can simply print and use.  But then, as you saw above, there are many authors in adult and YA  (and the links to even more) who have worked with charity before. You can easily make a quick display of the books by these authors.  What I love most about this idea is that the authors span all genres. This is an awesome way to have a wide ranging display with male and female authors of diverse backgrounds from all over the fiction map-- in one unified display! You can draw just about any reader with this display, and all of the work is done for you [sans pulling the books].

While I really like this idea, it is the multimedia nature of this campaign that provides even more RA opportunities. You could screen the Project for Pixels author chats for patrons. Now you only have this upcoming weekend left to do the live hangouts, but if you have a computer training room, you could put the live hangout up on the screen and let people participate in the chat at the library. They would LOVE that.

Now these are in the evenings over the weekend, so not every library is open. But even without being able to do this live, you could use the archived chats from this year and previous years on your website and allow patrons to watch a hangout with their favorite authors.  If you have a catalog that allows you to add links to the record, you could even link to these chats from the catalog.

Readers love a chance to see their favorite authors speak, and of course, we cannot afford to bring every author to all of our libraries, but that doesn’t mean we just give up on the idea. Use these recorded events as a proxy. The charity does not mind and neither do the authors because it is all to promote stopping violence against women.  They more people who see them, the more exposure the charity gets.

And the good news is, it is a charity no one [sane] could have a problem with you promoting at the library.

Free Webinar on Pop Culture and RA Service

On Thursday, September 29th from 2-3 pm est I will be giving the Keynote Address for the Annual Meeting of the North Country [NY] Library System. But I will also be signed up for the NoveList, free, live webinar entitled, Unlocking Your Pop Culture to Improve Your Readers' Advisory.

Here's the program description: 

Librarians specialize in books, but some of the best readers' advisory inspiration can be found beyond the printed page. Movies, music, TV, games, podcasts -- pop culture permeates our lives. Start the right conversations and you can discover what your patrons love (and what they’d love to see in your library). Let NoveList Book Squad librarians Rebecca Honeycutt and Autumn Winters show you how fandom can drive deeper engagement at the library, supercharging your readers’ advisory, circulation, and programming.

You can click here to register FOR FREE whether you have NoveList at your library or not.

But Becky, you may be asking, why did you register if you know you cannot make it? Well the answer is easy, they will send me the video when it is ready this way. I both need and want to watch this, and I don't trust myself to remember to go back and view it.

As I talked about in this post last month, we need to be able to match from book to all other forms of leisure entertainment. In fact, in that post, I called on you to "Match Books to Everything and Everything to Books."

If you have been having trouble with that one, you should sign up for the webinar for help and inspiration. When I make those Calls to Action, by the way, I am also calling myself to get off my butt and do something. So join me by signing up. I won't be there live, but I promise I will watch.

To help get the conversation started, NoveList has also been posting free articles on the topic too, like this one on Appealing to Gamers.

Hope to "see" you there.

RA for All Roadshow: Hinsdale [IL] Public Library’s Book Club Party!

Tonight I will be appearing at a library down the street from my house [literally, it’s two turns to get there] at the Hinsdale Public Library’s Book Club Party.  This is a SOLD OUT event!

The library is celebrating all of the great book groups that meet throughout their community and inviting them to come meet each other at the library. It’s a book people party and they have ask me to kick off the festivities by giving a short program.

I have done a version of this program for patrons a few times before, but never like this-- at a party! I am excited to get to go to a book club party. I will be talking for 1 hour and then will be hanging around to answer all of your questions. And, since you are all my neighbors, meet some like minded locals.

For both those of you attending, and those who cannot, here are slides for tonight’s event which include the link to the Hinsdale Public Library’s wonderful page just for area Book Clubs.

Please check that page out because one of the biggest trends in libraries regarding book clubs is not in hosting book clubs, but rather in servicing the book clubs that already meet in your community. Finding a way to be a part of their discussions, planning, process, etc... is where many libraries are focusing their attentions. There is no reason we have to force them to come into our buildings for their book clubs, especially if they are doing fine on their own. In fact, Hinsdale is one of the libraries leading the way in this trend. Back in July, they wrote this guest post for me about their on going local book group program-- Novel Tea. Check that out also.

Enough typing. Let’s go party....Book Club Style!

Click here for slides

Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence Long List with Becky’s Comments

The list came out today. I have attached it below but here is the official link.

I have a few things to say about this award in general, but first, please don’t forget my post about how to use award lists as a RA Tool.

That leads me to the first thing about why this list is important-- since it is picked by library people, they make even the announcement press release more useful to us than the average award list. For example the titles listed below are all linked to the Booklist review, so you can immediately see a library focused review of the book written for its best reader. That is important to mention too.  Just because a book is on an awards list doesn’t mean it is the right pick for every patron who walks through your door. But a quick click on the titles here on the list will lead you to a review that can help you and the patron decide which, if any, of these books are right for them.

Another way this list is more helpful than the non-library people ones is that right in the announcement are the links to the past years’ long lists. Backlist options right in front of you. No searching necessary. Use those lists at the bottom of this page... RIGHT NOW. Only library people are smart enough to include that in the press release.

This award is also important because it is basically the adult version of the Newbery Award. Over the years that has become THE MOST IMPORTANT award for childrens’ literature precisely because librarians pick it. People see librarians as book experts in this youth category now, hands down, and slowly but surely, we can have people see us this way for adult literature with the Carnegie Medal. Last year was a huge step forward because the Carnegie Medal picked The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen months before it also won the Pulitzer Prize. We adult library people know what we are talking about when it comes to book too, and the rest of the world is starting to notice.

In fact, let me take a moment here to make a general comment about awards lists for adult books-  all of them would be improved if librarians were required to be a part of the jury process.  Yes it is great for authors and critics to be involved, but only authors and critics is not enough.  We library workers understand the books, and more importantly, the readers, better. We need to be more involved. This award is a start, but only a start. We need to keep fighting to have our expertise taken more seriously.

Finally, the Carnegie Medals Longlist has always been diverse even before there was a cry to make sure diverse voices are considered. This year is no exception.

Enjoy. Once the list gets whittled down further, Booklist will prepare readalikes too. [Oh, I had forgotten that as a reason why a librarian chosen list is better.]

Click here for all the posts I have written on this award over the years.

Awards Longlist

Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence: Longlist 2017

Six finalists, three fiction and three nonfiction will be announced on October 26, 2016.  The winners are announced at the RUSA Book and Media Awards Ceremony, Sunday, January 22, 2017, 5-7:00 p.m. EST, at the American Library Association's Midwinter Meeting in Atlanta.

Fiction:

Alameddine, Rabih. The Angel of History. (Atlantic Monthly)

Beverly, Bill. Dodgers. (Crown)

Butler, Robert Olen. Perfume River. (Atlantic Monthly)

Chabon, Michael. Moonglow. (Harper)

Eggers, Dave. Heroes of the Frontier. (Knopf)

Enrigue, Álvaro. Sudden Death. (Riverhead)

Erdrich, Louise. LaRose. (Harper)

Gyasi, Yaa. Homegoing. (Knopf)

Haslett, Adam. Imagine Me Gone. (Little, Brown)

Ivey, Eowyn. To the Bright Edge of the World. (Little, Brown)

Lee, Krys. How I Became a North Korean. (Viking)

Mbue, Imbolo. Behold the Dreamers. (Random House)

Morgan, C. E. The Sport of Kings. (Farrar)

Murphy, Tim. Christodora. (Grove)

Patchett, Ann. Commonwealth. (Harper)

Prose, Francine. Mister Monkey. (Harper)

Smith, Dominic. The Last Painting of Sara de Vos. (Farrar)

Smith, Zadie. Swing Time. (Penguin)

Strout, Elizabeth. My Name Is Lucy Barton. (Random House)

Terrell, Whitney. The Good Lieutenant. (Farrar)

Thien, Madeleine. Do Not Say We Have Nothing. (Norton)

Watson, Larry. As Good as Gone. (Algonquin)

Whitehead, Colson. The Underground Railroad. (Doubleday)

Woodson, Jacqueline. Another Brooklyn. (Harper)
 

Nonfiction:

Bell-Scott, Patricia. The Firebrand and the First Lady: Pauli Murray, Eleanor Roosevelt, and the Struggle for Social Justice. (Knopf)

Desmond, Matthew. Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. (Crown)

Dum, Christopher P. Exiled in America: Life on the Margins in a Residential Motel. (Columbia University Press)

France, David. How to Survive a Plague: The Inside Story of How Citizens and Science Tamed AIDS. (Knopf)

Isenberg, Nancy. White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America. (Viking)

Jahren, Hope. Lab Girl. (Knopf)

Kanigel, Robert. Eyes on the Street: The Life of Jane Jacobs. (Knopf)

King, Ross. Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the Painting of the Water Lilies. (Bloomsbury)

Kurlansky, Mark. Paper: Paging through History. (Norton)

Macy, Beth. Truevine: Two Brothers, a Kidnapping, and a Mother’s Quest—A True Story of the Jim Crow South. (Little, Brown)

McBride, James. Kill ‘Em and Leave: Searching for James Brown and the American Soul. (Spiegel & Grau)

McDonald-Gibson, Charlotte. Cast Away: True Stories of Survival from Europe’s Refugee Crisis. (New Press)

Phillips, Patrick. Blood at the Root: A Racial Cleansing in America. (Norton)

Rawlence, Ben. City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World’s Largest Refugee Camp. (Picador)

Roach, Mary. Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War. (Norton)

Sax, David. The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter.(Perseus/Public Affairs)

Shetterly, Margot Lee. Hidden Figures:The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race.(Morrow)

Sobel, Dava. The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars. (Viking)

Staiti, Paul. Of Arms and Artists: The American Revolution through Painters’ Eyes. (Bloomsbury)

Wideman, John Edgar. Writing to Save a Life: The Louis Till File. (Scribner)

Williams, Terry Tempest. The Hour of Land: A Personal Topography of America’s National Parks. (Farrar)

Voight, Emily. The Dragon behind the Glass. A True Story of Power, Obsession, and the World's Most Coveted Fish. (Viking)

Younge, Gary. Another Day in the Death of America: A Chronicle of Ten Short Lives. (Nation Books)

 

The previous up-to 50 titles considered for the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction & Nonfiction:

2016 Longlist

2015 Longlist

2014 Longlist

2013 Longlist

2012 Longlist

Support Groups For Book Discussion Leaders

This afternoon I finished my 3 city tour for RAILS where I traveled to different regions throughout Northern Illinois to not only train book discussion leaders but also to help facilitate and encourage them to join forces to continue to help each other.

Too often we all live in our own little library bubbles and forget to turn to our neighbors for help, to answer questions, or even to bounce ideas off of. But no one can understand your situation at your library better than a neighboring library.

I can swoop into your town, bringing my expertise and advice, but I am only there to start the conversation and kick start the training. I can never completely understand your specific library, its quirks, and your population, the way you can, but your colleagues in nearby places will definitely have a closer understanding than anyone else.

As part of my planned wrap up posts to these three specific events, I am going to compile my notes from the discussions we had on The Sympathizer at the three libraries, but before I get to WHAT we discussed, I wanted to take this moment to again highlight the real reason I went on this tour, to help all of you set up Book Discussion Leader Support Groups so you can be there for each other.

To that end, here is a refresher on WHY everyone who leads a book discussion should be a part of a leader support group and it comes from this article I wrote on the topic in the December 2015 issue of Booklist.

Today is about supporting you as the leader, but I will be back later this week with a recap on the discussions of the book. I know that is what you think you will find the most useful as you try to pick books and lead discussions, and in a way you are correct.  But in the long run, not finding support for yourself, the lone book discussion leader in the larger library organization [quite often this is the case], can do long term harm. You owe it to yourself to find local colleagues to connect with.  Let me help you start the process.

RA for All: Call to Action-- It's Horror Boot Camp Time

Not to freak you all out but Halloween is 6 weeks from TODAY!

Soon the hordes of horror hungry readers will be descending upon your buildings. Are you ready? My experience suggests the answer is probably, that you are not.

Not to worry because I am going to help you right now. Today's Call to Action is a reversal of roles. Instead of me calling you to do something to improve your service to leisure readers, I am calling myself into action for you.

Each year I run a 31 Days of Horror Blog-a-Thon for the entire month of October just to help you to serve your scariest readers better. That's right, you, the library worker are who I am writing these for. I give tips, provide lists, ask publishers and authors to share their thoughts, and even run a bunch of giveaways.

Over the next few weeks, you need to head over to the horror blog to look at the 31 Days of Horror from past years, and, well, just everything on that blog to prep for Halloween.  My goal is to make the Halloween season as easy as possible for you. There are literally thousands of reading suggestions for all types of readers from those who just want a small chill to those looking for outright gore fests, and everyone in between.

But I also understand that you are all very busy and might not have time to poke around the Horror Blog archives until you have to-- you know, when a patron is standing there asking a question and you have no idea. [click here, I have your back].

So today I am also offering up the notes from the Horror Boot Camp discussion I led for the ARRT Speculative Fiction Genre Study.  Click here for the notes with slide access. It is everything you need to know if you only had 2 hours to learn it.  Please note however that the slides and notes follow a specific assignment so you might want to check that out first.

And of course, you can always buy my book. Last October the eBook was the #1 bestseller, so I know plenty of you bought a copy. Thanks. For those of you who did not, know that although the material is a few years old at this point, the horror blog is written as a free update to the book. So if you have the book, you get more out of the blog. Plus the book has hundreds of titles that are still widely available in public libraries. And you know how I feel about that backlist. [If you are a new reader, note, it is your BFF].

No more excuses! I don't care if you are scared of horror yourself. I have got this one for you. I have done my part: warned you of the impending increase in demand for horror [it could start any day at this point], given you links with quality and useful resources, and even provided the "Cliffs Notes" version of the genre.

Now get to work.  People are relying on you to help them feel the fear this haunting season!

For past Calls to Action, click here.

What I’m Reading: Reanimatrix

Reanimatrix by Pete Rawlik
Oct. 2016. 364p. Night Shade, paperback, $15.99  (9781597808804). 
First published September 15, 2016 (Booklist).

Review: Robert Peaslee saw way more than he bargained for serving in Europe helping to oversee the peace after WWI where he met a group of doctors who were creating a new weapon, a serum that could be used to reanimated dead soldiers. After returning home to Arkham, MA in the late 1920s, Peaslee joins the police force working on the weird cases no one else has the experience to handle. However, one murder, that of local heiress Megan Halsey particularly haunts him. Not only is her body missing, but her papers seem to suggest a connection to the horrors he saw in Europe. Peaslee becomes obsessed, following Megan’s trail through the notorious towns of Arkham, Dunwich, Innsmouth and into the halls of Miskatonic University, uncovering more weird and terrifying secrets along the way. Told through the diaries and letters of Peaslee and Megan, this is a satisfying mystery told in a perfect 1920’s hardboiled narrative voice and style with just the right amount of Lovecraftian inspired chills to keep horror fans interested. Especially fun is how Rawlik seamlessly works famous doctors from horror fiction’s past [eg, Dr. Frankenstein, Dr. Moreau, Dr. Jekyll] into the plot. Give this to fans of the current spate of Lovecraft inspired novels, especially those who enjoyed Lovecraft Country by Ruff, The Ballad of Black Tom by LaValle, and I Am Providence by Nick Mamatas, but it would not be a stretch to also suggest to fans of the Harry Dresden novels.

Further Comments: The mix of Lovecraft with the noir storytelling style works very well here. Using the hardboiled narration and pulp frame keeps the “wink-wink” Lovecraft stuff from being too cheesy. I also enjoyed how the story was told in an epistolary style. It worked well for the mood and made the story feel more historic. And the novel has a satisfying creepy/unsettling ending.

Warning though, there is some graphic sex here in a way that reminded me of Brian Keene’s Castaways [an all time favorite of mine]. It’s a bit gratuitous at first glance, but it works to build the backstory of Megan’s missing mother. It boarders on misogynistic at times; however, part of that is the Lovecraft inspiration because the man himself was quite a misogynist. Megan is a strong female character, and she is the clear heroine of this book, paried with Peaslee as the hero. If you understand the frame and see how Rawlik was playing off of the source material but subversively critiquing it at the same time, then it is fine.

Finally, I cannot stress enough how popular Lovecraft inspired tales are right now. It is a huge trend in more genres than just horror. It also feeding a larger “weird fiction”revival. So plenty of people will be hungry to read this novel.

Three Words The Describe This Book: pulp noir, Lovecraftian, atmospheric

Readalikes: There are plenty listed above.

Booklist Spotlight on Romance

My most favorite issue of Booklist for the year is now available.

Okay, I know I just confused at least half of my readers because many of you know that I publicly proclaim Romance as my least favorite genre to read for my own enjoyment. That is still true, but it is also 100% why the Spotlight on Romance issue is my favorite. I can use it to catch up on everything I need to know for the last year in the genre.

By the way, you should do this too; make the spotlight issue for your least favorite genre your most favorite issue of Booklist each year. Trust me, it is awesome. You can become extremely knowledgeable about the best books, trends, and issues in the genre without much effort.  [Psst...It is also a good way to identify a book or two to try if you are still trying to follow this Call to Action from last month.]

But back to Romance.  Here are some of the best things you can find because of this issue and they are all accessible with a click [with my extra comments in [ ]:

• Top 10 Romance for 2016 [Only the best of my least favorite genre; someone else is telling me what I need to know about. I will put most of these on hold and then at least speed read them to get an overall snapshot of the genre at its current best. Should only take a few hours and I will be up to date.]
• Top 10 Romance Debuts 2016 [I double heart this list; the best new authors means I am staying ahead of the game.]
• John Charles' Core Collection: Romantic Suspense article. [Side note: he is one of the best romance reviewers and an all around awesome person. Romantic Suspense is still hot and it is read by men and women.]
• The Top Romance on Audio 2016 [Joyce did a great job gathering a wide range of romance titles here; there is truly something for everyone...even me!]
• And finally, at least one new post a day on The Booklist Reader the entire second half of this month. Just click on their tag- septemberromance- to pull them all up at anytime. 

And one final note, I know that I am paid to write reviews for Booklist, but I want to be clear, the reason I am willing to write for them at all is because I believe in the publication's mission. They are not trying to be the first place you go for reviews. Neither are they trying to review every book. Rather, they are trying to help you find the best books for your readers who come to the public library in America. The reviews are all written for the book's best reader. The lists and "Spotlights" are compiled to help you build stronger collections and help those genre readers. So yes, I am paid by Booklist, but I only work for them and promote them because I want to.

Now get out there and find some love-- in a book.

Dr. Carla Hayden Was Sworn In Today

I don’t want to post anything else on this historical day since it will live in the archives of the blog.  I want to commemorate it.

Not only is Dr. Hayden the first  woman and African American Librarian of Congress, she is the first actual librarian, and she is one who librarians all over the country already knew and respected. Really, a better choice could not have been made.

Last September I had this post when the job came open about why every American library worker needs to care about who the Librarian of Congress is, regardless of what your every day job entails. It is filled with links where you can discover more about what the LOC actually does. I think the media, is underestimating the fact that she is a Librarian. I think in the end, this will be more integral to the future direction of the institution and American libraries in general way more than her sex and race.

Although there is also this which I don’t want to underplay:

With the swearing in of Carla Hayden, the job has never been better positioned to fulfill its true duties. I spent my late morning watching the You Tube live feed to be a part of this historic day. She did not disappoint me at all with her amazing remarks.

If you missed it, you can watch the proceedings here [but fast forward to when it starts at the 1 hour mark.]

You can also view the official live Tweeting by clicking on #librarianofcongress. But most hardcore Library people used #nextloc. [Remember for my readers who let me know that they are not on Twitter, you can click those hashtags and read the archives without logging in. Contact me if you have problems.]

Also Dr. Hayden gave this interview to the USA Today which ran today. I love that this paper which can be read all over the country, made speaking with her a priority. Also here is a great Washington Post article about Dr, Hayden as a “Rock Star Librarian."

Let’s bask in this everyone. We all should feel extra proud of the professional path we have chosen on this special day. Today “America" is showing us the respect we deserve.

RA for All Roadshow: Book Club Training for RAILS

This morning I am at the Galena Public Library for the first of 3 regional book discussion training and networking programs over the coming week.  For details on where I will be and when, click here.

Rather than post the slides and handouts 3 times over the next 7 days, I am hosting the documents for all 3 trainings here today.  If you have signed up with RAILS for this program, you will also have received the permalink to this post in your email. However, in order to make it as easy as possible for people to have access to the training materials AND to allow others to see what I have created [my goal is to spread the knowledge as far and wide as I can] I have everything here today for everyone and anyone. If you are one of the RAILS training attendees, use the "Recent Presentations" page or type "Book Club RAILS" into the search bar in the top left and you can always pull up these documents.

As a refresher, here is what we are doing in these 3 identical meetings:

In this workshop, Becky Spratford will offer a shortened version of her "Recharge Your Book Club" training and then Becky will lead a discussion of The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen. Please arrange a copy of the book for your own use. There will also be time to address questions and concerns about your book clubs.

 Here is a list of the resources I have compiled for the meetings:

• Re-charge your book club updated slides
• Norms Handout to be used [actively] during the "Re-charge" training
• An example of a pre-discussion handout for The Sympathizer with book information, a map of Vietnam, and readalikes that could be used to aid discussion of this book with your patrons.

As a added bonus, once the series of meetings are complete, I will compile my notes from all three discussions, and post them here on the blog. Over the years, I have compiled dozens of book discussion reports, and they are among my most popular all time posts. People are finding old reports as they prepare for their own book discussions, and quite honestly, nothing makes me happier than to see those notes on previous discussions being used to help other groups have a great book club.

So sometime at the end of September, I will update you all on what we discussed, but right now, it is time to finish my drive to Galena and get this weeklong tour of Northern IL started. Thanks to RAILS for organizing this extended roadshow. I think we are going to help many more of our Illinois book clubs be successful by taking the training directly to these more far flung locations than we did by just having 1 meeting at HQ last year. I promise to not only train those of you who are there, but also help you to organize your own local networking, training, and support groups to be used from here on out.

Click here to learn more about RAILS

RA for All: Call to Action- Promote Your Staff!

Today I am handing over the call to action to Booklist's Corner Shelf newsletter which happens to feature a little bit of me at the end.

It is the previously promised recording, report, and all the slides from the ARRT/Booklist/NoveList Becoming the Face of RA event.

Click here for the entire Corner Shelf newsletter. And click here for the article with the video of the entire program plus slide access.

By why publish it as a Call to Action? Because it is a simple, easy, and effective way to promote your RA services and not many people do it. Again people, it is simple...easy...and effective. Why aren't you doing it?!?!?

Look, every library has items to check out. But what is unique to your library? It's your wonderful staff.  Merchandise them.  Show them off. They are your most valuable asset. If we get the staff more involved in suggesting and recommending books that they really like, we get them invested in being part of the library's overall service to readers.

In this program we had two fairly elaborate programs presented-- Downers Grove and Lawrence Public Library. Now while most libraries cannot afford to [in both time and money] work up as large a program as these two, the idea, the why they did this, is something any library can take part of and replicate. Again, watch the program to see what I mean.

And, to top it off, even if you cannot do any of it yourself, The Book Squad from NoveList also presented on how they can help you and your staff look like superstars. And at the very end I made a big announcement about a big LibraryAware and ARRT partnership. You will definitely be hearing more about that later this year and then on a regular basis for a long time to come.

So no excuse this week. Everyone get to work promoting how awesome you are-- because you are! I see it everywhere I go. Plus it will make your patrons happy.  Everybody wins.

For more Call to Action posts, click here.

Library Reads: October 2016

The October Library Reads list is now available.  You can access every list with one simple on the Library Reads tag.

This is also your monthly reminder to use that tag to access the huge store of backlist titles that all make great suggestions to patrons hungry for a good read. And, you have the annotation at your finger tips so you can book talk it too. There is no excuse not to suggest these books. They are proven winners and your sound bite to tell a patron about it is written for you.

What are you waiting for?!?

As an extra bonus this month, the final book on the list also received a star review from me in the August issue of Booklist, so I have included that link at the end of this post.

Now get out there and suggest some Friday Reads to patrons, but remember, the back list of Library Reads picks is they best place to start.

October 2016 LibraryReads List

News of the World:
A Novel

by Paulette Jiles

Published:10/4/2016 by William Morrow
ISBN: 9780062409201

“Readers fortunate enough to meet Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, an old ex-soldier who makes a living reading the news to townspeople in 1870s Texas, and Joanna, the Indian captive he is charged with returning to her relatives, will not soon forget them. Everything, from the vividly realized Texas frontier setting to the characters is beautifully crafted, right up to the moving conclusion. Both the Captain and Joanna have very distinctive voices. Wonderful storytelling.”

Beth Mills, New Rochelle Public Library, New Rochelle, NY

The Trespasser: A Novel

by Tana French

Published: 10/4/2016 by Viking
ISBN: 9780670026333

“Aislinn Murray is beautiful, lives in a picture-perfect cottage, and has a boy she’s crazy about. Antoinette Conway is a tough member of the Dublin Murder Squad who knows no one likes her and says she doesn’t care. When Aislinn is murdered, Conway and her partner Steve Moran take the case and start listening to all the stories about Aislinn. Which ones are true? Was she in love and with whom? Are the stories we tell ourselves and others anywhere near the truth? Great read from Tana French.”

Kathryn Hassert, Chester County Library, Exton, PA

Small Great Things: A Novel

by Jodi Picoult

Published: 10/11/2016 by Ballantine Books
ISBN: 9780345544957

“A black neonatal nurse is charged with causing the death of a white supremacist’s newborn baby. The story is told from the points of view of the nurse, her attorney, and the baby’s heartbroken father. As always, Picoult’s attention to legal, organizational, and medical details help the tale ring true. What sets this book apart, though, are the uncomfortable points it makes about racism. The novel is both absorbing and thought-provoking, and will surely spark conversations among friends, families and book clubs.”

Laurie Van Court, Douglas County Libraries, Castle Rock, CO

Crosstalk

by Connie Willis

Published: 10/4/2016 by Del Rey
ISBN: 9780345540676

“Crosstalk is the perfect romantic comedy for the digital age. Briddey works for a cell phone provider that is constantly searching for the next great way to help people “connect” – nevermind that she is already inundated by calls, texts, social media, and unannounced visits from her colleagues, friends, and nosy family. When she undergoes a procedure to telepathically sense the emotions of her seemingly perfect boyfriend, things go awry and she ends up connected to the wrong person. A perfect screwball comedy from a master writer!”

Patricia Kline-Millard, Bedford Public Library, Bedford, NH

The Other Einstein: A Novel

by Marie Benedict

Published: 10/18/2016 by Sourcebooks Landmark
ISBN: 9781492637257

“Einstein. Just hearing that name likely brings a smile to your face, as you picture the mischievous wild-haired scientist with the twinkle in his eye. In The Other Einstein, readers get a view of the woman behind the genius, his first wife Mileva Maric, a strong willed and brilliant physics student who refused to let society dictate her life’s path, but who lost her way when love came on the scene. Benedict has penned an engaging tale that will likely inspire readers to investigate the true story behind Maric’s genius and her personal and professional relationship with Einstein.”

Sharon Layburn, South Huntington Public Library, Huntington Station, NY

The Mothers: A Novel

by Brit Bennett

Published: 10/11/2016 by Riverhead Books
ISBN: 9780399184512

“In a contemporary Black community in California, the story begins with a secret. Nadia is a high school senior, mourning her mother’s recent death, and smitten with the local pastor’s son, Luke. It’s not a serious romance, but it takes a turn when a pregnancy (and subsequent cover-up) happen. The impact sends ripples through the community.The Mothers asks us to contemplate how our decisions shape our lives.The collective voice of the Mothers in the community is a voice unto itself, narrating and guiding the reader through the story.”

Jennifer Ohzourk, St. Louis Public Library, St. Louis, MO

Today Will Be Different

by Maria Semple

Published: 10/4/2016 by Little, Brown and Company
ISBN: 9780316403436

“I went into Today Will Be Different expecting the mockery of Seattle’s ridiculous idiosyncrasies What I got was different, but just as good. Eleanor is sympathetic and the story revolves around family conflicts and disappointments, as well as Eleanor’s awareness of the inevitability of aging and its effects on herself and marriage. Her relationships with those closest to her are also the ones with the most secrets, and with the potential for the most harm and the most hope. I’d recommend this to readers who love family-centric women’s fiction with a sharp eye for the quirks of marriage and parenting.”

Jessica Werner, The Seattle Public Library, Seattle, WA

 

All The Little Liars: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery

by Charlaine Harris
Published: 10/4/2016 by Minotaur Books
ISBN: 9781250090034

“The narrative of Aurora Teagarden was thought to be over. In a surprising, but welcome return,All the Little Liarspicks up right where we left off with Roe. Newly remarried, Roe is dealing with a plethora of issues. With a missing brother and troublesome father in town, Roe is searching for answers. Pregnancy, family problems, and more make for a suspenseful, fast, and comforting read. Harris’ writing shines best when she portrays the minutiae of small-town lives and the inner workings of families, friends, and relationships. I can’t wait for the next book.”

Mei-Ling Thomas, Rochester Hills Public Library, Rochester, MI

Smoke and Mirrors

by Elly Griffiths

Published: 10/18/2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780544527959

“Thrilled for another opportunity to enjoy DI Stephens and Max Mephisto joining forces against crime and intrigue. It may appear light hearted with its theatrical/magician twist, but these detective stories are full of dark happenings. Solving the gruesome murder of two local children dampens the holiday spirit in this small town. The lead characters are very enjoyable and the theater setting so unique. I enjoyed the love interest/overprotected daughter story line as well! Very much looking forward to the next installment.”

Carol Ward, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Solon, OH

The Motion of Puppets: A Novel

by Keith Donohue

Published: 10/4/2016 by Picador
ISBN: 9781250057181

“A young couple find themselves caught in a web of magic and horror. Kay is an acrobat and goes missing. Her husband cannot believe that she has disappeared and searches the city in vain all the while not guessing that she has been spirited away by a puppet master in the toy shop that fascinated her during their walks. Kay begins life anew as a puppet and soon begins to befriend the other puppets at night when they come to life. Will the evil that has charmed Kay be stronger than her husband’s love? Donohue writes a frightening account reminiscent of Grimm’s fairy tales and it will keep you up reading til dawn.”

Kimberly McGee, Lake Travis Community Library, Austin, TX

[Bonus: Becky's Star Review of The Motion of Puppets from Booklist]