Publishing Insider

off to the show

It's the nat'l book show this weekend, BookExpo America. A GREAT chance to bring authors and booksellers together and to talk business trends with all. The show kicks off at Javits Friday, but there's a full day of education on Thursday, a place where future trends are uncovered. (In 1991, a bookseller told the gathered about a new thing - reading groups - which went on to be THE phenom of the 90's.) What's next? All things digital, like information on what's selling shared between stores (Above the Treeline) to ongoing training and cost issues.

As for me, I have my eyes and ears open, and pockets full of throat lozenges and snack bars if we work through lunch; much coffee also to be consumed. Also this year, I will have cortisone for the nice poison ivy I got on my neck. It's always something.

the movie Once

Great NPR piece on the making of Once, set in Dublin. Director wanted to make a modern musical, where we'd totally believe when the characters broke into song. As a kid, I had a big problem buying into that suspension of reality, but have grown to love it, and i can't wait to see this movie.

Stills the one

Nice to play an old album and be surprised. Forgot that Stephen Stills comes in on Loggins & Messina's Golden Ribbon.

my best tee

Ah, casual Fridays (as opposed to casual Mon., Tues., Wed., and Thurs.). Got my Prairie Lights Aesthetic Dept. t-shirt on. One of my favorite shirts from one of my favorite stores.

standing in against the curve

It's so bizzarre how Red Sox pitcher Okijima is looking down at the ground as he lets go of the ball! I would find that disconcerting, no matter what kind of socks I was wearing.

pretty woman

So, my Dad always goes on about Myrna Loy.  Ok, ok, I say, ignoring him. I do love her in the Thin Man...and then a friend got us the entire Thin Man boxed set for Xmas. And at the end is a retrospective on both Wm. Powell's career, and Myrna's. Omigod, what a beauty! I never really saw it before, as I was to enamored of the traditional beauty of Donna Reed and Grace Kelly.  And Myrna is the more so for her charitable work in her later years.  Dad, I get it now!!

Shrek is in the house!

How happy am I that the riff from Tone Loc's Funky Cold Medina is in Shrek 3?!

dueling spouses!

Dan's wife, Tammy, answers back with her name circle, with a nice mystery writer twist:

Chip Harrison, Thomas Harris, Thomas Perry, Perry Mason, Sarah J Mason, Sarah Parestski, Karen Kijewski, Karin Slaughter, Tod Slaughter, Charles Todd, Nora Charles, Nora Roberts, John Maddox Roberts, Ford Maddox Ford, GM Ford

another great name circle!

From Dan Domike, Jackson Street Books, Seattle:

Harper Lee, Harper Collins, Tom Collins, Tom Joad, Jodie Foster, Foster Brooks, Brooks Robinson, Robinson Jeffers, Jefferson Davis, Miles Davis.

Picks from the Pearl!!!

Nancy Pearl set many authors' hearts aflutter last week with her wonderful below-the-radar picks last week on NPR. We saw sales take off again on Mike Perry's Truck. Kelly Link's stories from Harcourt look great! Here's the full list.