Monthly Archives: May 2011

Oh Hai, Mark!

News

Get ready to “mark” your calendars, because I just found out that Greg Sestero, who played Mark in the cult classic film “The Room” is writing a memoir of his experience!  The pub date will be sometime in 2013, but no word as to if it will be released in Spring or Fall of that year.

I enjoy watching bad movies for fun, and I am a HUGE fan of “The Room.”  It has to be seen to be believed.  Since its limited theatrical release in 2003, its cast has been condemned to cinematic obscurity, unless you count Sestero’s performance in “Puppet Master 7.”  Still the film has enjoyed a rabid cult following, and now it seems that Sestero is going to cash in on the film’s popularity.

It seems that there will be a co-author on this book, which is a shame, because I would love to find out if Sestero’s writing is any worse than his acting.  And I can only speculate as to how truthful the memoir will be; since “The Room” is now self-aware I hope that Sestero doesn’t exaggerate events just to placate fans looking for funny stories about director Tommy Wiseau.  Though given everything I’ve seen and read about the movie and about Sestero’s relationship with Wiseau, I’d be willing to believe almost anything! 

I hope there are other “Room” fans out there as excited as I am to read this book.  I don’t care if it sucks, I’ll be first in line to pre-order it!  What would really be nice is if the publisher would let the fans choose the title.  I’d go with “Stupid Comments From My Pocket.”

For more information, visit http://shelf-life.ew.com/2011/05/26/greg-sestero-the-room-tommy-wiseau/

Early Review: Miss Timmins’ School For Girls

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Miss Timmins’ School For Girls by Nayana Currimbhoy (Pub date June 2011)

For some reason I’ve always been fascinated by stories that take place in boarding schools.  Maybe it’s because the concept of young children going far away to live at school is so alien to most Americans, and it’s something that I never got to experience until I went to college out-of-state.  Still I’ve often wondered if the friendships forged at boarding schools are any stronger than those of traditional school students, if the experiences are really that drastically different.

Miss Timmins’ School For Girls is set in 1974 at a boarding school in India.  Run by Presbyterian missionaries, the school is attended by the children of well-to-do Indians who want to give their children a “proper British education.”  21-year-old Charulata is a new teacher at Timmins.  Raised to be a proper young woman by her Brahmin family, she travels across India (initially against her parents’ wishes) to teach at Timmins and finally experience the world on her own.  Soon she finds herself losing her innocence and opening herself up to new encounters, from smoking pot to having an affair with another teacher.  Charulata’s world is then shattered forever when a teacher is murdered outside the school, and she finds herself the subject of local rumors that she may have been involved.

This is a great summer reading book.  It’s a coming-of-age story and a murder mystery, set in an exotic location with interesting characters.  Interestingly, the book switches perspectives between Charulata and Nandita, a student at Timmins, giving the reader a chance to see what life is like for the girls at the school.  Through Charulata’s eyes we also get a glimpse of the mores and attitudes of traditional Indian culture, especially the treatment of women:

“Daughters were raised on malai and rosewater, loved and nurtured and trained to be sweet and soft and pliant.  They were to be led tenderly to the great crossing before they turned twenty.  On the other side, as daughters-in-law, they must eat dirt for the first ten years.  They must be prepared for a life of criticism and scrutiny and acts of random cruelty.”

As a lover of foreign cultures, I enjoyed both the main plot and the details about Indian society.  The book is filled with Indian terminology, some of which I was familiar with and some I was not.  The advance copy I received from NetGalley included a very helpful glossary of these terms; I hope that the glossary is also included in the final print.

I would recommend Miss Timmins’ School For Girls to women of all ages.  Charulata’s combination of strength and vulnerability makes her a compelling heroine, and I think all readers will find something to identify with in her.  This is Nayana Currimbhoy’s first fiction book, and I hope it won’t be her last.

Early Review: My American Unhappiness

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My American Unhappiness by Dean Bakopoulos (pub date June 2011)

My American Unhappiness

This is a novel that I was very excited to read, because it deals with a very relatable issue for people my age, the “Gen Y” crowd.  That is the issue of our collective unhappiness, our dissatisfaction with life in general.  In recent years I’ve personally dealt with this issue, mainly stemming from job frustration and having a BA degree that I’ve never really used.  My friends and family have all at one point expressed a similar feeling of general malaise, whether it be related to jobs, relationships, money, or living situations.  So why are Americans so unhappy?

In My American Unhappiness, Zeke Pappas tries to find the answer to that very question.  As the head of a project called “The Inventory of American Unhappiness,” he collects interviews with people across the nation in an attempt to distill a singular answer to why, despite greater (relative) wealth and opportunity than people of other countries,  Americans are generally unhappy.  While working on this project, Zeke finds himself entering a dark period of his own life.  He is trying to come to terms with being a young widower, while taking care of his sick mother and fighting for custody of his orphaned nieces.

This is a very deep and meaningful story, with an unexpected plot twist and a surprisingly uplifting ending.  Well written and thought-provoking, the book is filled with poignant comments on the hopes of young Americans:

“…that life will offer you much, that you will have choices upon choices set out before you like a feast, and all you have to do is choose the kind of happiness you would like to pursue.”

And the reality when they grow up:

“…you don’t care how somebody’s novel, thesis, art, job, marriage, life is going…because you simply don’t have the energy to hear about other people’s struggles and triumphs.  Your own joys and woes are exhausting enough, aren’t they?”

The characters are interesting and complex, especially the character of Minn.  On the surface she is a typical “girl who majored in Humanities but now works at Starbucks,” but her positivity provides a nice contrast to Zeke’s cynicism.

The only thing that detracted from the book was the political commentary.  For me the intermittent side remarks about Bush, Obama, and 9/11 did little to help me understand Zeke’s character, and struck me as self-indulgent on the part of the author.  They bordered on obnoxious and did nothing to advance the story.

That being said, My American Unhappiness is a valuable novel to read, because it speaks to the sentiments of many modern Americans.  If you’ve ever woken up one day and thought “this isn’t what my life was supposed to be like,” you can get something out of this book.

Surviving BEA

Commentary

Yesterday I went to Book Expo America for the first time.  For anyone who may not know, BEA is a week-long annual publishing trade show held in Manhattan.  Publishers, authors, agents, distributors, librarians, teachers, booksellers and bloggers from all over the country go to BEA to make new contacts and attend the various conferences that go on all week.  You have to be in “the biz” to get in of course, but you don’t necessarily need to work for a publisher to attend.  Book bloggers, members of the press, and people who work for bookstores are eligible to get in.  I had an amazing time at BEA, and I wanted to share my experiences and tips with you in case you want to go or know somebody who wants to go.

Tip #1: It Isn’t Cheap

As a blogger, my badge cost $80 just for one day, and that was the “early bird” price.  Some badges cost more than that, others cost less.  Add in transportation (I took two trains to get to NYC from southeastern PA) and overpriced lunch (but that $8.50 gyro was delicious!) and you end up with an expensive day.  Be prepared. 

Tip #2: Book Online, and Book Early!

Not only do you save money if you get the early bird price, but if you book online you get a confirmation letter with a barcode which allows you to enter the express line at the event.  Once I got into the convention center I was able to get my badge in just minutes, instead of having to wait in the long line of people who did not pre-register.

Tip #3: If You Can, Go With a Friend  

BEA is simply overwhelming.  There are hundreds of booths and thousands of people and if you don’t know what you’re looking for you may not find it.  I tried to take a few pictures of the crowd:

Part of the main exhibit floor

 
 
 
 

There were 28 individual autograph tables

 

It's easy to get lost

 
 
Luckily I was fortunate enough to go with a friend who had been to BEA before, and she helped me decide what to see and helped me navigate the event.
 
Tip #4: Bring a Suitcase for all Your Swag
 
I picked up a ridiculous amount of free galleys.  Even if I wasn’t sure what the book was about, I grabbed it just because it was there.  Bring a suitcase to carry all your stuff home.  Suitcases aren’t allowed on the main exhibit floor, but you can check them for just $3.
 
Tip #5: Not All Authors are at the Autograph Tables
 
Only the bigger name authors are at the autograph area in the back of the building.  The really big ones are ticketed and if you’re not there at 7am to get a ticket you’re out of luck.  My friend and I wanted to meet R.L. Stine but unfortunately we couldn’t get a ticket.  But if you take the time to walk around the booths for a while, you can also meet authors there.  I was able to meet a few authors who seemed really cool and took the time to talk to me about their books.  I can’t wait to read their books and talk about them on this blog!  
 
Tip #6: Expect the Unexpected
 
It is New York, after all!  I saw two men in dress kilts, a man dressed as Michael Jackson, and an elderly woman with pink hair.  The craziest encounter of the day was the “pirate party.”  At one of the booths a rep from one of the publishers came up to me and my friend and asked us if we wanted to go to a pirate party.  Naturally we said yes, and the guy took our picture with his associate who happened to be dressed like a pirate.  He said the picture would appear on their website.  Then they started to tell us about the books they were promoting, a line of seemingly old-fashioned children’s adventure stories (hence the pirate party).  Well when we saw that the books were written by L. Ron Hubbard, we quietly slipped away, not wanted to stick around to potentially be converted to Scientology.  Of course now somewhere on the Internet is a picture of me standing next to a pirate.  I hope Tom Cruise doesn’t read this blog.     
 
Tip #7: Bring Business Cards
 
I did not do this, but I wish I had.  One author I met seemed interested in this blog, and asked if I had a business card so we could keep in touch.  When I go back next year I will definitely have business cards printed up, because who knows who I’ll get to meet!
 
Tip #8: BEA is NOT a Job Fair!
 
You might be saying “duh” right now, but I was surprised to see someone at BEA who clearly did not know any better.  When I was perusing the Image Comics booth, there was a middle-aged guy next to me trying to get the rep to read what I assumed was a sample of his writing, even though it looked like a wrinked scrap of paper.  It took the rep a few tries to get this guy to understand that she wasn’t going to take his submission.  He only ended up looking like an idiot and annoying the rep.  Later my friend saw the same guy trying the same thing at another booth.  Don’t do what this guy did.  As much as I was itching to go to my favorite publisher’s booth, get down on my knees and say “hire me!”,  BEA is not the place to do that.  The reps who go to BEA are not HR people.  Talk to people and make contacts, but don’t bring your resume. 
 
Tip #9: Have Fun!
 
Check out your favorite publishers, but also check out some that you may not be familiar with.  If I had been there by myself I probably would have avoided the children’s and YA booths, but my friend really likes YA publishers, and because I stuck with her I got to meet Melissa De La Cruz, and picked up a few YA books I may actually enjoy.  
 

And I got to see this "Wimpy Kid" display. Sorry this picture is so dark, stupid BlackBerry.

 
 
For me, BEA was worth the time, the money, and getting up at 5am.  Check out www.bookexpoamerica.com for more details on the event!  And look for me at BEA 2012!

Book Review: Infernal Stock – Dixon Breaks Loose

New Release Reviews

Infernal Stock: Dixon Breaks Loose by Ronnie Schiller (2010)

Infernal Stock Dixon Breaks Loose
 
The last book I reviewed was pretty heavy, so now it’s time to have a little fun!  Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a fan of the strange and the macabre.  It’s a rare treat when a story can successfully combine dark elements with humor.  Comparable to ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ this book mixes demons with a dry morbid wit and makes for a fun story.
 
Dixon Breaks Loose is the first installment in the self-published Infernal Stock series.  The second book has not yet been released.  It presents a world in which demons walk among humans, working 9 to 5 office jobs just like we do, only their jobs are to collect souls.  This confirms my theory that corporate culture is Hell on Earth!  Dixon is one of these demons (known as ‘brokers’) who meets desperate women through online dating sites, reaping their souls in exchange for the promise of romance.  Believed to be in a slump at work, he is ordered by his superiors to collect ten souls by the end of the year or face corporate “re-training.”  All is going well until a co-worker goes missing, and the events that follow end up changing Dixon’s perception of his job and his role as a demon.
 
Dixon’s cynical inner monologue is rather enjoyable.  His 1,000+ years of “life” as a demon have given him a cutting insight into the quirks of life on Earth:
 
“I settled in to watch my favorite TV comedy: the local news.  I loved the smiling news anchors, and the toneless way in which they deliver the most lurid tales of human tragedy.  They are devoid of actual emotion, and so casually counterfeit that you’d think some of them are demons like me–and you’d be right.  Don’t ask which ones.”
 
It’s an interesting concept for a story, easy to read yet still well-written.  Its only hang-up is that the ending felt a little rushed, and I wished for a more dramatic confrontation between Dixon and his superiors at the end.  I’m not really sure which direction the story will go in the sequel, but I am interested in finding out! 
 
This is a great book to take on vacation; a fun, fast read but with more substance than some trashy “beach book.”  It has a good fusion of comedic and sinister elements, and is sure to make people think twice about signing up for dating sites! 
 

Early Review: Everything We Ever Wanted

New Release Reviews

Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard (Pub date October 2011)

Everything We Ever Wanted

Sara Shepard is the author of the YA series Pretty Little Liars.  I’ve never read that series personally, but if they are as well-written as this adult novel I would be willing to give them a try.

Everything We Ever Wanted is a mature human drama about a well-to-do family on the verge of being torn apart, both by scandal and by its own dysfunction.  Sylvie Bates-McAllister is the matriarch of this family, struggling with her husband’s unexpected death and her feelings of failure as a mother.  Her world is further torn apart when her adopted son Scott becomes the center of attention in a possible hazing scandal at a prestigious private school.  Meanwhile her biological son Charles and his wife Joanna are finding themselves less than happy in their new marriage, especially when Charles’ ex-girlfriend comes back into his life.

What I loved about this book are the complex characters.  The Bates-McAllister family has wealth and prestige, yet they are a family that cannot communicate with each other.  They hide behind roles they think they are supposed to play, afraid to bridge the gaps among themselves.  Scott feels as if he was never accepted into high society, and acts like the shiftless punk people assume he is.  This strains his relationship with Sylvie, who is desperate to connect with him but can’t get past the front he is putting up.  Charles was raised by a cold and distant father, and despite his love for Joanna he finds himself showing that same coldness to her.  And Joanna’s inability (or maybe unwillingness) to communicate her wants and needs to her husband leaves her feeling disappointed in her “dream” marriage.  This is a family that has everything, yet are on the edge of self-destruction.

This book is set in suburban Philadelphia, and as a resident of this area I can definitely say that Shepard captures the feel of this region and the attitudes of Main Line society.  However the story could really be set almost anywhere, as the themes explored in the novel are universal.  This is a relatable story with deep and realistic characters.  It’s a book that reminds us that people are not always who they appear to be.

Early Review: Domestic Violets

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Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman (Pub date September 2011)

Domestic Violets

Anyone who’s ever wanted to do something creative for a living will likely have a ‘dreams v. responsibility’ crisis at some point in their life.  Is it better to stay with the job you hate because it’s safe, or should you give it up for a chance to live your life the way you’ve always wanted?  It’s a feeling I can certainly relate to, as I am currently lingering in corporate hell waiting to finish my degree.

Domestic Violets is a novel about choosing the road less travelled.  Our protagonist, Tom Violet, is a man living in his famous father’s shadow, working at a mindless job while secretly working on his Great American Novel.  At the same time he’s plagued by the suspicion that his wife is having an affair, while also dealing with his womanizing father showing up at his house for an extended stay.  Things come to a head when the subversive Tom decides to make a daring move that shocks those around him and sets his life on a different course.

The best thing about Domestic Violets is the writing style.  With a biting wit, Matthew Norman expresses Tom’s feelings of frustration and resentment as he goes through his near-midlife crisis.  And Norman’s descriptions of corporate absurdity are downright hysterical:

“The team of mouthbreathing goons in IT couldn’t monitor the broad side of a barn.  I could be buying plutonium from the Libyans on http://www.jihad.org right now and no one would know the difference as long as I kept staring straight ahead like a good hardworking employee.”

This book captures perfectly the sense of despair and bitterness that often affect creative people stuck in the hamster wheel of corporate America.  It reminds me slightly of Fight Club, although not quite as bold.

This is an enjoyable book.  It’s not the most original story I’ve ever read, and a little predictable, but the humor and snappy dialog make it worth reading.  Anyone with a weird family, a boring job, or a desire to change their life will find it relatable.

Do Authors Ever Become Irrelevant?

Commentary

If there’s ever an example of an author who was unappreciated in his own time, it is H.P. Lovecraft.  A classic “tortured artist,” Lovecraft was raised by two spinster aunts, lived in poverty, ended up divorced, and died in near obscurity.  Now more than 50 years after his death, his stories are continuously reprinted, and countless games, toys, and graphic novels have been made based on his writing.  I myself have a plush Cthulhu suction-cupped on my car window. 

What I find interesting as a Lovecraft fan though, is that for as brilliant as many of his stories are, there’s a lot in them to make a 21st century person cringe.  If he were alive today, he’d certainly be sent to court-ordered sensitivity training.  He probably wouldn’t be thrilled to see his Cthulhu become a caricature, either.  And if you were hoping for an interesting female character in any of his stories, you’re out of luck.  The only female character in Lovecraft I can even think of right now is the woman from “The Dunwich Horror,” and she ended up giving birth to a demon.  Clearly someone had issues.

Still I remain a Lovecraft fan, because many of his stories are simply brilliant in their simplicity.  His concepts of dream worlds and otherworldly beings are enough to fill an entire philosophy course, and his influence extends well into today’s horror writings.  For this I’m willing to forgive the racial insensitivity and lack of female perspective.  For me Lovecraft will always be old-fashioned, but never irrelevant.

What do you think?  Are there any authors that you consider to be irrelevant today?  Do you still enjoy any writings that are thought to be outdated?

Early Review: Record Collecting for Girls

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Record Collecting for Girls by Courtney E. Smith (Pub date September 2011)

Record Collecting for Girls

I admit that I don’t know that much about music, and I don’t follow current musical trends very closely.  I still think that the best music was made in the 90s (when I was a teenager), and tragically I’m still mourning the death of the ‘Cool Brittania’ movement.  Despite my lack of expertise about today’s music, I can say with certainty that music makes people feel a certain way.  We all have personal memories or emotions that we associate with a certain song or album.  Music is a personal thing for everyone, and is just as meaningful for women as it is for men.

That is the central theme of Record Collecting for Girls.  Courtney Smith, a former music programmer for MTV, explores the notion that girls can be just as nerdy about music as guys.  She delves into the meaning behind the ‘Your Song,’ ‘Our Song,’ and the ‘Breakup Song,’ and what they mean to women, also peppering in tips on how to cultivate a great record collection.  The book also looks as how men judge women based on their musical tastes, and how women can judge them back (hint: never date a hardcore Smiths fan!)

For me the most enjoyable parts of this book are the chapters dedicated to the history of girl-bands and the roles of women in rock ‘n’ roll.  Smith details the trials of bands like The Go-Go’s and The Bangles as they tried to break into the male-dominated music industry.  It really gave me pause to think that it’s twice as hard for girls to become  rock stars and still resist the virgin/whore image dichotomy that is typically forced upon them.  It was also interesting to read about female superstars like Madonna and Britney Spears, and how they used their sexuality in different ways throughout their careers.  Finally Smith also describes the roles of women as rock groupies or wives, giving examples of women who have been used and abused by the rock icons who “loved” them.

This is an enjoyable and fun book.  It’s good for either the music nerd or novice.  Even as someone who doesn’t follow music, Smith’s extensive knowledge of music did not come off as intimidating to me.  If you’re a girl who has ever been moved by a song or an album, you will enjoy this book.

Book Review: The Blue Light Project

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The Blue Light Project by Timothy Taylor (2011)

The Blue Light Project: A Novel

I have a tremendous nerd crush on Werner Herzog.  For anyone who may not be familiar with him, he’s an award-winning German filmmaker who has been making films for over 40 years.  Seriously, Netflix his movies.  They’re amazing.  Not only does he make interesting movies, but he has fascinating insights on life and the world around us.  For example:

“If you switch on television it’s just ridiculous and it’s destructive. It kills us. And talk shows will kill us. They kill our language. So we have to declare holy war against what we see every single day on television.  We need adequate images, or we’ll go the way of the dinosaurs.”

The Blue Light Project is a novel inspired by this Herzog quote.  It’s a unique story about people who overcome their personal struggles, and of the power of human creativity and expression.  It’s a slow-paced story that gradually builds to its climax, taking the reader on the spiritual journey of the three main characters.  Eve is a former Olympic athlete, searching almost obsessively for her missing brother.  Rabbit is an idealistic street artist, working on his “big project,” who left a lucrative job after experiencing a moral crisis.  And Thom is a once-respected journalist, reduced to interviewing celebrities after a scandal cost him his nomination for a Pulitzer prize.  Their three paths are united after an unknown assailant storms a television studio during a taping of a talent program and takes the contestants hostage.

It’s a slow-starting story with a touch of satire, seemingly nebulous and abstract, that gradually comes into focus as the details are unveiled one at a time.  Taylor’s writing style contains little dialog but beautifully flowing descriptive prose.  The ending is uplifting, and truly manages to capture the sentiment of Herzog’s quote on a grand scale.

This book take a little time to get into, but is a very rewarding read.  A truly original and clever concept.  It’s nothing if not thought-provoking, and is sure to inspire the artist in all of us.