Genre Fiction

Author Tony Hillerman, who wrote many detective novels and nonfiction works, died Sunday October 26, at age 83 in a hospital near his Albuquerque, New Mexico, home from pulmonary failure.

Hillerman was best known and loved for his Navajo Tribal Police mystery novels, and had five books made into big screen films. He pioneered was is known today as the tribal mystery genre, focusing not only on Navajo tradition, but also hat of the Hopi, Zuni, and European-American.

According to the New York Times, his writing had a goal; it set out “to instill in his readers a respect for Indian culture. The plots of his stories, while steeped in contemporary crime and its consequences, were invariably instructive about ancient tribal beliefs and customs, from purification rituals for a soldier returned from a foreign war to incest taboos for a proper clan marriage.”

Aside from writing, Hillerman was a decorated combat veteran, having served in World War II and earned the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart. He then went on to pursue a career as a journalist, earning a Master’s degree, and going on to teach at the University of New Mexico.

His last published work was The Shape Shifter (2006), the 18th book in his series about characters Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee of the Navajo tribal police.

Hillermans other works included a memoir, nonfiction pieces about mystery writing, and photo collections. The 2002 movie Skinwalkers was one of the five Hillerman books that were made into films, based on his 1986 novel of the same name, which featured Leaphorn and Chee.

In August, it was announced that the upcoming Harry Potter film - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - would be pushed back from its original intended release date of Thanksgiving weekend.

The film is now expected to hit theaters on July 17. This weekend, a trailer was released, and is available to watch on YouTube.

Click here to check out the sneak preview of the new Harry potter movie.

Twilight will be stepping its release date up to fill the space left by Potter for the teenage market on Thanksgiving weekend.

The only thing better than a new book is a new book that you bought at a phenomenal price. All of these books are available on Amazon for $5 or less.

* Between the Tides by Patti Callahan Henry comes highly recommended by Amazon users (eight out of nine gave it five stars). It’s a tale of overcoming, a tale of a woman - Cappy - who at age 30 is finally able to break free of the guilt that has haunted her since she was 12. Henry’s When Light Breaks is also on the under $5 list.

* Not only is Michael Cunningham’s homage to Virginia Woolf - The Hours - on sale for $4.99, but the hit flick of the same name starring Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, and Julianne Moore that was based on it is also on sale for $7.99.

There are currently 138 other books under $5 at Amazon. Sure, a lot of them are obscure self help ones with 25-word long titles, but dig around a little and you’ll find a good read.

This weekend, Saturday October 25, Borders and Waldenbooks stores across the U.S. invite families to join them in celebrating Halloween and reading with a Spooktacular event.

Saturday, beginning at 2 p.m., stores nationwide will host guests of all ages for free story time, coloring and activities, games, a treasure hunt for letters throughout the store, treats, and a costume contest.

Borders and Waldenbooks have also highlighted a number of Halloween-themed book suggestions for the whole family, from picture books to thrilling mysteries.

Beginner readers, ages 6-8 might enjoy:
* Magic Tree House: Haunted Castle on Hallow’s Eve
* Junie B. Jones: Boo and I Mean It
* Babymouse: Monster Mash

Kids ages 9-12 should check out:
* Inkdeath
* The Wandmaker’s Guidebook
* The Graveyard Book

Teens and adults can find:
* The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home by Stephen King
* World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks
* Deeper by Jeff Long
* Blood Noir by Laurell K. Hamilton

Many of these book stores sell other formats of fun, too. While you’re there, grab a pumpkin carving kit, a DVD copy of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, and more.

I finished reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen recently (and started reading Lisa See’s Snow Flower and the Secret Fan).

Gruen’s Elephants had intrigued me from the day it was released. It’s cover and title were fun and appealing. It took about a year before I actually got the book and read it. Ironically, I read this historical fiction circus tale right after finishing Tracy Chevalier’s historical fiction Burning Bright that happened to have a circus in it, without knowing they shared this theme.

The book is told from the point of view of an eldery man in a nursing home, remembering his younger days traveling with the circus as a vet. Gruen wove a perfect blend of thoroughly researched history (pictures included!), easy-to-like protagonists, easy-to-hate antagonists, engaging plotlines, and just the right dose of animal abuse realities without being disturbing or upsetting.

Looking for some themed reading? Fictionwise, a Web site that sells and promotes electronic books in formats for printing, reading on screen, or downloading to hand-held devices, is having a Halloween related book sale.

All MultiFormat Horror and Dark Fantasy eBooks are currently 25 percent off regular price, and all Secure Horror and Dark Fantasy eBooks receive a 25% Micropay Rebate when paying with a credit card or PayPal. Additionally, you can save 40 percent through Micropay Rebate on the entire Inheritance Cycle Series by Christopher Paolini, which is a popular series featuring dragons, ancient races, elves, and dwarves. Both offers end November 1, 2008.

Fictionwise’s Micropay Rebates work by crediting your account with the promised amount after you make a purchase. For example, if you bought a $10 eBook with a 20 percent rebate, you would receive $2 in your Fictionwise account that could be used toward future purchases.

MultiFormat books come unencrypted in up to 12 different formats. Secure ones are encrypted files that are specific to one reader or device, such as an Adobe PDF.

Fictionwise also offers a selection of free eBooks, with only registration for the site required.

Hyperion Books has just announced a two-book contract with ultimate best-selling author Dean Koontz, only this time the books are set to be non-fiction. The first book, due out in summer 2009, is A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog.

Now, non-fiction is not my specialty. So I’m going to take this announcement as an opportunity to look more at Mr. Koontz’s normal realm, and ask my favorite question: how many books have you written, Dean Koontz?

Early on in his writing career, Koontz assumed several pen names. Since 1980, however, almost all of his work bears his given name - the exceptions are the few written from the point of view of his dog, Trixie Koontz.

To date, Dean Koontz has published some 100 books, including suspense novels, children’s books, poetry, and a handful of non-fiction stories. Here are the fiction novel that he has written in the last five years:

* The Taking (2004)
* Life Expectancy (2004)
* Prodigal Son (2005), co-authored with Kevin J. Anderson. Book one in his Frankenstein series.
* Velocity (2005)
* City of Night (2005), co-authored with Ed Gorman. Book two in his Frankenstein series.
* Forever Odd (2005), book two in the Odd Thomas series.
* The Husband (2006)
* Brother Odd (2006), book three in the Odd Thomas series.
* The Good Guy (2007)
* The Darkest Evening of the Year (2007)
* Odd Hours (2008), book four in the Odd Thomas series.
* In Odd We Trust (2008), a graphic novel.
* Your Heart Belongs to Me (2008)
* Dead and Alive (coming 2009), book three in his Frankenstein series.
* The Other Side of the Woods (coming May 19, 2009)

In 1995, Gregory Maguire penned a parallel story to L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz that would soon become a hit Broadway musical. This novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, has since received rave reviews, a cult following, and two follow up books - one of which was released yesterday, October 14.

The first sequel, Son of a Witch, was published in 2005. With the popularity of Wicked, the Broadway musical, boosting the books’ popularity, the series was destined to add a third: A Lion Among Men.

The Cowardly Lion’s tale takes place about eight years after Son of a Witch, during a time of civil unrest in the land of Oz. According to author Maguire, “this book will be about the differing moralities … among soldiers, for one, and diplomats, for another … about decisions to wage war.”

In between books for the Wicked Cycle, Maguire has written other revisionist style books. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, based on characters from Cinderella, was published in 1999, with a made-for-TV movie based on it in 2002. In 2003, Maguire released Mirror, Mirror, which plays off of Snow White.

In 2001, Maguire tried his hand at historical fiction with a Jack-the-Ripper ghost story and mystery titled Lost.

If you are a Wicked, and have been counting down the days until A Lion’s arrival like my roommate has been, then you will likely enjoy the Publishing Insider’s Wicked personality test (on Facebook). Click on the picture of the book above, and read a personal letter from Maguire to readers, posted at Amazon.com.

It is with infinite excitement that I announce the upcoming release of Wally Lamb’s third novel, The Hour I First Believed. In one month, on November 11, Lamb’s newest work will be available in hardback.

The Hour I First Believed take a new turn for Wally, heading into the realm of historical fiction as he details the life of Maureen, a school nurse at Columbine High, after the infamous incident that occurred there. From there, a story-within-a-story emerges as Maureen and her husband recount five generations of their family history through diaries, letter, and newspaper clippings.

His characters are never happy-go-lucky, and always have plenty of personal demons, but the psychological look into a person’s life that Lamb offers is insurmountable. He is easily one of my favorite writers and historical fiction is easily my favorite genre; I have been long anticipating this book.

Both of Lamb’s first two fiction novels - She’s Come Undone (1992) and I Know This Much is True (1998) - won multiple awards, became bestsellers, were selected for Oprah’s Book Club, and told a complete, thorough story. Oh yea, and they were each 500 pages long, with 900+ in I Know This Much is True!

The length of the stories that Lamb tells should be enough to explain the years-long gaps between publications, but on top of that he spends time teaching writing, too. From 1989 to 1998, he was the director of the Writing Center at the Norwich Free Academy in Connecticut. He continues to teach as an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Connecticut. In 2003 and 2007, he edited collections of short stories by female inmates called Couldn’t Keep It to Myself and I’ll Fly Away.

Once The Hour I First Believed releases, Lamb will set out promoting his new book with a tour throughout the U.S. Read more about author Wally Lamb, his previous publications, the up-coming novel, or book tour stops, head to Harper Collins Publishing’s Wally Lamb page.

There is a 4-year-old girl in my life that inspired me to always turn off the water faucet when brushing my teeth or sudsing up my hands. This young eco-concerned lady has learned many great green habits from her environmentally-aware mom, but shutting the water off came from elsewhere: TV. One of her favorite cartoon characters talked about conserving water, and thus, she too wanted to do her part (if only for a week or two, I mean she is only 4).

Wouldn’t it be great if you could inspire such an appetite for saving the planet while encouraging your child to read? Toss some pirate adventure into the mix and kids will surely love to learn about being green.

That’s the concept behind the new eco-fiction book for kids, Curse of the Bone Pirates, sponsored by Nui food and beverage products, written by Nui President Brian Machovina. Nui makes healthy options for kids such as the natural fruit-flavored Kid Water, and is proud to expand their product line to include education through fiction.

The adventures of the bone pirates - who are sinister, but lovable - and sixth-grader Brett, take place on the Island of Nui, a fictional, exotic island in the South Pacific. The plot itself includes plenty of science, exploration, and adventure, but hidden in the subtext readers will also find information about conservation, sustainability, and healthy eating. Lessons such as water purification, composting, and eating a rainbow of colorful food will be presented as Brett explores island life.

Nui donates 50 percent of all its proceeds to kid-empowering nonprofits and will additionally donate $1 for every book purchased.

Many of the all-time best-selling books are not fiction ones. The Bible has topped this list for years, and other religious books - such as the Qu’ran and the Book of Mormon - have also held a strong presence. Then there are some prevalent non-fiction guides including the Boy Scouts’ handbook and the dictionary.

But, being a fiction buff, I am looking past all of these to bring you a smattering of the best-selling fiction books ever.

A Tale of Two Cities (1859) by Charles Dickens has sold over 200 million copies, likely with the help of English teachers everywhere making it required reading. Reading lists also probably helped The Catcher in the Rye (1952) by J. D. Salinger sell over 65 million.

The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955) by J. R. R. Tolkien has sold over 150 million, thanks in large part to the movie franchise I’m sure. Tolkien’s The Hobbit (1937) is also up there with over 100 million sold.

Agatha Christie hit over 100 million copies sold with And Then There Were None (1939).

Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code (2003) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007) by J. K. Rowling are two of the more recent bestsellers with over 57 and 44 million sold, respectively.

Some were not originally published in English such as The Alchemist (1988, Portugeuse) by Paulo Coehlo and The Little Prince (1943, French) by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, which sold over 65 and 80 million copies respectively.

Then there are a few classics for the young reader: Anne of Green Gables (1908) by Lucy Maud Montgomery and Black Beauty (1877) by Anna Sewell, both over 50 million. Charlotte’s Web (1952) by E. B. White and The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902) by Beatrix Potter, both with over 45 million each.

Check out the rest of the list.

The number of books that she’s written is still in the single digits, but Jennifer Weiner has already had a novel turned into a hit movie. I’ve enjoyed those that I’ve read - In Her Shoes, Little Earthquakes, and Goodnight Nobody - and have a particular interest in reading her books as she lives less than 20 minutes from me.

So, Jennifer Weiner, how many books have you written?

* Good in Bed (2001) was one of the most talked about debuts for an author soon dubbed a “chick lit” writer.
* In Her Shoes (2002) was translated to the big screen in a 2005 movie of the same name starring Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette, and Shirley MacLaine
* Little Earthquakes (2004) bonds together several women from different walks of life over their attending the same yoga class.
* Goodnight Nobody (2005) broke away from focusing on just relationships, though it did that too, with a little mystery to solve. The title comes from a line in the classic children’s book Goodnight, Moon.
* The Guy Not Taken (2006) is a collection of short stories.
* Certain Girls (2008) takes place 13 years after Good in Bed, following the same lead woman.

Visit Jennifer Weiner’s home page to read the first chapter of all six of her books.

YouTube can be a fun way to pass the time (so long as your Internet connection is fast enough to keep up). You might head there to check out music videos, embarrassing moments, cute animals, video blogs, or TV show clips. But have you ever thought about checking for videos related to your favorite author or book?

Science fiction and fantasy publisher Galaxy Press has such a large collection of popular YouTube-posted videos for their authors, that they have created a Galaxy Press Channel where you can peruse author interviews, book-to-movie trailers, and clips from book release parties.

Featured prominently on the channel is author L. Ron Hubbard (shown here) who wrote his first fiction book - Buckskin Brigades - in 1936 at age 26, and his last - the ten-volume Mission Earth collection - in the last three years of his life, 1985-1987.

Author videos also include appearances by Anne McCaffrey, Dragonriders of Pern series; Sean Williams, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed; Orson Scott Card, Enders Game, and Robert J. Sawyer, Rollback.