Genre Fiction

Vampires seem to be the hot theme of the moment in the fiction world. With Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga being all the rage amongst the young adult readers, and now Colleen Gleason is creating a stir with adult vampire reads.

Gleason combines historical fiction, romance, horror, and the paranormal to create books in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles. Like Meyer, Gleason is pumping the series out rather quickly: The first, The Rest Falls Away (2007), was released the same year that second, Rises the Night (2007) was completed. Less than one year later, The Bleeding Dusk (2008) was published as the third in the series. Now, the fourth - but not final - installment is out.

When Twilight Burns (2008) has just hit shelves. To celebrate (and advertise) in a “green,” money-saving manner, Gleason has set up a virtual book tour with Mediasite. The live web cast has passed: it was held on Tuesday, August 5. However, fans and interested readers can still view the video for the rest of the month.

Did you go to a Stephenie Meyer’s book release, vampire themed party this weekend at Borders or Waldenbooks? I did not, but apparently over 225,000 people did! The two stores proudly announce the huge success of the Breaking Dawn events, with a total of about 250,000 books being sold within the first few hours of the book hitting the market, including online sales.

Approximately 1,000 stores nationwide hosted a “From Twilight til Dawn: A Night with a Bite” party. The highly anticipated teen read came in second only to Harry Potter for number of pre-orders.

The photo shown here is a snapshot of a New York City party for Meyer this Friday evening. For everything Stephenie Meyer and the Twiglight Saga, head over to the ultimate and official fan page at TwilightLexicon.com.

Over 900 Borders and Waldenbooks stores in the U.S. will celebrate the August 2 release of Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. The book is the fourth and final installment in Meyer’s best-selling vampire series, The Twilight Saga.

In-store book release parties will be held from 10 p.m. Friday, August 1, until midnight, when the book will officially be on sale. The parties will have a theme of “From Twilight til Dawn: A Night with a Bite,” and will include events such as costume contests (come dressed as a character!), trivia contests (kicking off the parties promptly at 10 p.m.), and debates on themes related to the book series. Locate your closest participating Borders or Waldenbooks store at the Borders’ Web site. The Web site also allows you to pre-order a copy that can be picked up at a party.

All events are free – with no purchase necessary to participate – and many have prizes!

Sisterhood stars Blake Lively, 20; Alexis Bledel, 26; America Ferrera, 24, and Amber Tamblyn, 25 attended the premiere of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 in New York City, today, Monday July 28.

The four actresses revisited their roles from the 2005 film version of the teen novel series written by Ann Brashares for a sequel this summer. Playing Bridget, Lena, Carmen, and Tibby (in order as the actresses stand, left to right), they bring four unique stories together on the big screen once again.

In addition to the quartet - who are each showing their own distinguished personal style here - three of Blake Lively’s Gossip Girl (also based on a teen novel series) costars showed up in support. Chace Crawford, Leighton Meester, and Ed Westwick all made appearances.

The new movie, in theaters next week (August 6 official release date), takes pieces of plot from the second and third novel in the series, but is largely based on number four: Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood.

Harper Collins Publishers has an ongoing, monthly, online drawing - Book in a Bag - for five random readers to win three must-read new novels, packed into a designer bag courtesy of The SAK.

This month, you can enter to win the Ashbury Leather Shopper shown here (click on it to see more details at The SAK), stuffed with three new fiction novels courtesy of Avon A books em>(an “imprint” of Harper Collins): The Safety of Secrets (2008) by DeLauné Michel, The Flirt (2008) by Kathleen Tessaro, and The Godmother (2007) by Carrie Adams.

After the lucky five win, and the rest of us mope about not getting something for free, be sure to return each subsequent month to Harper Collins Book in a Bag online to enter to win a new bag, with new books. Up next month will be the California Classic Crossbody in Teak from The Sak, with three more must-read books: It Had To Be You (1994) by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, The Smart One (2008) by Ellen Meister, and One in a Million (2008) by Kimberla Lawson Roby.

Good luck … but not too much, because I want to win, too!

Laura Dave announced her new novel - The Divorce Party (May 2008) - in style, yesterday, July 9!

Where bookstores and libraries might do for other authors, this stylish penner went for New York City’s upscale, women’s store Henri Bendel that sells everything a woman needs in life from clothes and accessories to makeup and gourmet food.

The book is already receiving rave reviews from readers and critics alike. It tells the story of two people who celebrate the anniversary of their divorce. And on the other end of the marriage spectrum: their son is newly engaged.

Laura Dave previously wrote London is the Best City in America (2006), and has also been published in Glamour, The New York Times, Self, Redbook, ESPN the Magazine, and The New York Observer.

Bloomsbury Auctions is preparing two hefty, book-related auctions replete with original artworks, children’s illustrations, 19th and 20th century literature, manuscripts, personal letters and notes, literary collections, early publications, and first editions and prints.

The goods are divided into two categories: The first collection - “Literature” - will be up for sale by auction on Thursday, June 19, starting at 2 p.m with a total of 302 lots that are currently available for online viewing.

The second - “Children’s Literature and Bibliophile Sale” - happens on Wednesday, June 25, at 2 p.m. with 509 lots that are also available for prior viewing online.

There are numerous authors with work up for grabs; some names include A. A. Milne, Hans Christian Andersen, Frank L. Baum, Truman Capote, Henrik Ibsen, Charles Lamb, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, J. M. Barrie, and William S. Burroughs.

Even if you don’t have the mad money to participate (starting bids range from about $200 to $2,000), it is utterly fascinating to peruse the items. As a book lover, I was in awe of how many original pieces were still around and intact.

Borders, previously teamed online with Amazon.com, has branched out on its own to bring you a Web site experience as close to the in-store atmosphere that we love about book stores as possible.

There are so many new features, I couldn’t even begin to cover them all - you’ll have to just go see for yourself!

Be sure not to miss “Live at 01″ where you can see author interviews, in-store appearances, readings, and more. The “Magic Shelf” is another must-check out feature that allows you to peruse themed shelves, as you would in the store, and browse through books to help you decide if you should buy it.

But be warned, all of these new features use a lot of Internet technology that can jam your computer if you don’t have a top-speed connection. Plus, there’s no cafe to order a soy latte to enjoy while shopping - you’ll have to make it yourself.

The master fiction writer behind the James Bond character, Ian Fleming, would have turned 100 yesterday. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth, Britain is going crazy with events and book releases for an entire year.

Everything tied into this centenary celebration affair can be seen at the official Ian Fleming Centenary Web site through a diary events, updates, announcements, Fleming’s history and story, and details of everything James Bond.

To kick it all off, new hardback editions, with new cover art, of all 14 Ian Fleming Bond books were released by Penguin Publishing yesterday; the Royal Mail is featuring James Bond stamps, and BBC Radio 4 hosted a Fleming/Bond show on May 24.

Keep yourself in the know for more upcoming happenings by visiting the Fleming centenary site, and subscribing to the RSS feed.

The photo shown here is the new cover for Casino Royale’s. All 14 of the new covers were designed by Michael Gillette.

I’m guessing that you enjoy reading books. I’m also going to guess that your interest in reading began at a young age because someone put a fun, colorful, easy-to-read book in your hands and taught you how to read.

Not all children are so lucky. Some cannot afford books. Some have illiterate parents. Some will never learn to read; others will have such difficulties that they will be turned off from books.

That’s where First Book comes in.

First Book is a nonprofit organization that gives “children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books.” And they need your help on both ends - collecting and distributing.

Here’s how you can help inspire a child to become an avid reader:

* Donate funds to First Book. Every $2.50 buys a new book, because 98 percent of their income goes directly to the cause.

* Register your organization, school, community center, etc. to be eligible to receive new books.

* Buy yourself some new books through the First Book shop and the proceeds of your purchase will go to the charity.

* Check out the “Get Involved” part of the Web site to realize dozens of other ways to help.