The Divining Wand

When choosing books as great holiday gifts, or even for yourself, more than likely the tendency is to select a new title. Yet what about considering the classics, the keepers — the ones our authors return to again and again.

Melanie Benjamin (Alice I Have Been coming January 12, 2010):

“I really do reread my books all the time. I only toss out books that I know I’ll never read again, and that happens rarely. I’d have to say the Provincial Lady series by E.M. Delafield are probably my most reread books of all time.”

Alicia Bessette (All Come Home coming in August 2010):

“I recently reread Little Women and loved it. I just finished reading a phenomenal book, The Ninth Life of Louis Drax, by Liz Jensen — it’s inventive, entertaining, and challenging — and my first instinct was to immediately return to page one and savor it a second time.”

Meredith Cole (Posed for Murder, Dead in the Water coming May 11, 2010):

“I reread books by Agatha Christie and Jane Austen all the time. Great books are best savored again and again.”

Therese Fowler (Souvenir, Reunion):

‘I reread quite a few books; which ones and when depend upon what I feel I need at a given time. I’ve reread BEL CANTO, THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, THE THINGS THEY CARRIED, SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS, and LOLITA, to name the more prominent of them.”

Jessica Barksdale Inclan (Being With Him, Intimate Beings, The Beautiful Being):

“I re-read Pride and Prejudice every year. My favorite!”

Sarah Pekkanen (The Opposite of Me coming March 9, 2010):

“There are too many to count. You can pick up so many more details and nuances upon a second reading.”

Emily Winslow (The Whole World coming May 25, 2010):

“I often reread “Houses of Stone” by Barbara Michaels and “Naked Once More” by Elizabeth Peters (which are both pen names of the same author, actually). They are fun, suspenseful novels with feminist heroines, each story with a writer at the heart of its mystery.”

More than likely those visiting this site would agree that books are among the best holiday gifts with autographed ones being perfection! Autographed, is that possible without going to a book signing?

Indeed it is and, with the holidays only more than a month away, this Fairy Godmother contacted authors who had had a new book released within the past six months to ask, “Do you autograph by mail?” So anyone searching for that unique, reasonably priced, perfect present, here are what some of our authors do:

Arrangement with a local bookstore:

Eve Brown-Waite (read Presenting Debutante Eve Brown-Waite and First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria) says:

” Via a special arrangement with my local bookstore I can purchase, personalize, autograph and send a copy of FIRST COMES LOVE, THEN COMES MALARIA to anyone in the USA for just $25. That would be the cost of the book itself in most stores. This book would make a great gift for any world traveler, do-gooder, or Peace Corps-type on your holiday list (also, anyone who just loves a good read). I don’t make any money on this, but it certainly helps spread the word about my book and supports a great, independent bookstore. I need all orders by BY NOVEMBER 15 in order to ensure delivery by the holidays. Anyone interested can contact me at Evebwaite@comcast.net.”

Therese Fowler (Souvenir, Reunion) offers:

“I made an arrangement with my local indie, Quail Ridge Books & Music — 800-672-6789 — in Raleigh. When a reader calls and orders an inscribed copy, the store lets me know and I drop by to inscribe it before they ship the book. For basic autographed copies, they ship from signed stock that they keep on hand.”

Ivy Pochoda (see Ivy Pochoda’s The Art of Disappearing) says:

“If you’d like autographed copies of my book, contact my local bookstore BookCourt — 718-875-3677 — in Brooklyn.”

Books in the mail:

Mia King (Mia King and Table Manners is doing a holiday special – $20 for a signed/dedicated book of choice and ceramic “live simply” plaque. $5 shipping. Contact mia@miaking.com

Carleen Brice (Orange Mint & Honey, Children of the Waters):

“If people send me a book with return postage, I will autograph and send it back. But let’s say for the holidays return shipping is on me. They just have to buy the book and send it to: Carleen Brice, P.O. Box 7108, Denver, CO 80207.”

And Jessica Barksdale Inclan (Being With Him, Intimate Beings, The Beautiful Being) offers the same. Contact jbarkinclan@gmail.com

Maud Carol Markson (Looking After Pigeon) provides two options:

“I could send out personalized book plates or if the person prefers, he/she could purchase the book directly from me and I could send it to them ($20.00 would probably cover the cost of the book and the packaging and shipping to anywhere in the US).) Contact MaudCarol@aol.com

Book Plates:

Tish Cohen (Little Black Lies,Town House):

“I do mail out signed book plates, as well as sign books mailed in to me.” Contact tish@tishcohen.com

CJ Lyons (Urgent Care):

“I offer my readers customized signed bookplates.

I’ve sent dozens of these all over the US and abroad, even had a few people ask for several, all personalized to various friends they were gifting with my books.” Contact cjlyonswriter@yahoo.com

And with this early planning you can do the same!

Once again The Divining Wand asked its authors: What does your Muse look like? Or what does s/he sound like? Or what does s/he feel like? Muse(less)? What inspires you to write?

And this time the responses introduce several interesting characters, real or imagined.

Debutante Joëlle Anthony (Restoring Harmony YA coming May 13, 2010):

“What does my muse look like? Well, he’s tall and skinny and always hungry. Oh, wait…that’s my husband. But actually, they are one in the same. So much of what I write is either inspired or encouraged by him. He has made the whole writing thing possible for me, and now it’s my turn to support him in the style he’s become accustom to. Luckily, that style is as a minimalist. Seriously, I couldn’t ask for a better muse – funny, sweet, a great reader/editor, and while he allows me to fail, he expects me to try my best.”

Meredith Cole (Posed for Murder):

“My muse doesn’t look like anything or anyone in particular. I think s/he is more of a state of mind I need to reach to open up my imagination and let in new ideas. The pleasure of creating something new inspires me to write. A story gets a hold of me and I want to find out what happens to the characters. I write the kind of stories that I love to read.”

Eileen Cook (Unpredictable, What Would Emma Do? YA and Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood YA, coming January 5, 2010):

“Picture my muse as a small petite thing, she looks elegant and beautiful, but she swears like a sailor and has been known to drink bourbon. She likes manhattans and says it is for the cherries in the drink, but I think she lies. You don’t want to see what she’s like when she’s cranky.”

Thaisa Frank (A Brief History in Camouflage, Sleeping in Velvet and Heiddegger’s Glasses coming May 1, 2010):

“My muse is a hunk whom I apparently time-share with at least one other writer. Or perhaps it is just me. When I get a title, I know I have a book or a story. Now and then it’s a key image.”

Jessica Barksdale Inclan (Being With Him, Intimate Beings, The Beautiful Being):

“My muse is my second grade teacher, or looks like her: skirt, hair up, glasses. But she also has a whistle and a yard stick, making sure I get in my chair to write! My muse is a taskmaster.”

Holly LeCraw (The Swimming Pool coming April 6, 2010):

“I just tell myself: get to the place. I know when I’m there. I can’t wait to get inspired; rather, I have to start working, and have faith that inspiration will come. Inspiration is mainly a matter of getting out of one’s own way.”

Book Giveaway: The Divining Wand’s giveaway of two copies of CJ Lyons’ Urgent Care, remains open until this evening at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Please leave a comment on this post to be entered in the random drawing. The winners will be announced in tomorrow’s post.

The description beneath Jessica Barksdale Inclán’s name on her Red Room Blog identifies the author’s writing as, “Some say heartfelt and honest, some say Harry Potter for adults with sex.” What a creatively versatile author who publishes contemporary novels, short stories, poetry, essays and now paranormal romances. Her latest offering, The Beautiful Being — the third and final book in the paranormal romance trilogy which includes, Intimate Beings and Being With Him — will be released tomorrow, September 29th, and is certain to please current fans as well as attract new ones…including possibly you.

Ah, but you don’t read paranormal romance. What about The Time Traveler’s Wife or any of books in the Harry Potter series?

According to Wikipedia: Paranormal romance is a sub-genre of the romance novel. A type of speculative fiction, paranormal romance focuses on romance and included elements beyond the range of scientific explanation, blending together themes from the genres of traditional fantasy, science fiction, or horror.

Paranormal romance has its roots in Gothic fiction. Its most recent revival has been spurred by turn of the century technology, e.g. the internet and electronic publishing. Paranormal romances are one of the fastest growing trends in the romance genre.

Describing the literary genre of The Beautiful Being is as simple as that, however to present the final book of a trilogy in a coherent and intriguing manner requires a bit more explanation. And Jessica’s following answers go a long way in revealing that.

Q: How would you describe your paranormal romance in 10 words?
A: The world will end if they don’t find each other.

Q: What is your backstory maxim for the trilogy?
A: You may think you are alone, but your soulmate is there. Just wait.

Q: How would you describe perfect happiness for your characters?
A: Finding peace by finding each other. And peace is happiness, pure and simple.

Q: What are their (the characters) greatest fear?
A: Never finding one another–living life alone and in a perpetual state of longing and quest.

Q: What are your most overused words or phrases?
A: One novel, I had a character “biting her lip” and “chewing her cheek” over and over again. Frankly, it is a miracle she had a face left after the story was over.

Q: If you could acquire any talent, what would it be?
A: Speaking fluent and impeccable French.

Q: What is your greatest achievement?
A: My two boys, though all I mean by achievement is actually pushing them out into the world. The rest is really all about them.

Q: What’s your greatest flaw?
A: I am the most impatient person on the planet Just writing this sentence took too damn long.

Q: What’s your best quality?
A: I am interested in everything.

Now here’s The Beautiful Being Synopsis:

“They are here among us…

Far from home, gifted with special abilities, hunted for their powers. And they are desperate to find their other, the one who completes them…before it’s too late…
Together, anything is possible…
As leader, Eden Mirav must protect his people from the enemies who wish to destroy them. Despite his extraordinary abilities, Eden has not been able to locate his double—the one person who could make him whole and help him control his remarkable power to age himself with a simple thought. With her, he can grow even stronger. Without her, he is doomed to an uncertain fate. Just when he’s about to abandon all hope, she stands before him in the blazing hot sun of the desert like a shimmering mirage…

Recently rescued and freed, Ava Arganos has been working in the desert—and waiting for the day that her double finds her. When Ava first lays eyes on Eden, she doesn’t recognize him immediately even though she feels the charged, sizzling connection between them. Now united, Eden and Ava surrender to a fiery, explosive passion that only renews their bond as they combine forces to battle their most treacherous foe yet…”

Rather than “show” instead of “tell” more about this novel, please view The Beautiful Being Book Trailer and then read an Excerpt from the novel.

In Jessica Barksdale Inclán’s Bio you’ll discover that a few of her credits are: internationally-known author, a finalist (debut novel Her Daughter’s Eyes) for the YALSA Award for the best books of 2001 and best paperbacks for 2001, and an instructor for on-line and on-land creative writing courses for UCLA extension. Jessica has also studied with great women writers, including Sharon Olds, Anne Lamott, Kate Braverman Grace Paley, Marjorie Sandor, and Cristina Garcia.

Jessica is an amazing talent and now, having written the final book to her trilogy, says: “I love science fiction, fantasy, alternate worlds, and paranormal romances allowed me to play in that field for awhile. It was a challenge, a stretch, and I do feel that it helped me grow as a writer. Whether or not I will publish more paranormals remains to be seen! Currently I am working on a novel that is more like my first six, contemporary women’s fiction. And essays, too. It is all good.”

The Beautiful Being will be available for purchase tomorrow at your local bookstore or at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s and other online retailers. However Jessica has generously offered three sets of the trilogy as a Giveaway! Remember the mention of how you too could become a fan? Now here’s your golden opportunity to win the complete set for yourself, a friend or a family member. To enter, please leave a comment on this post between now and Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. EDT. The winners will be announced in Thursday’s post. And to quote Jessica, “It is all good.”

Having learned how some of our authors spent — or wished they had spent this summer — let’s hear from more of them beyond their pages.
Katie Alender (Bad Girls Don’t Die):
“What do I wish I were doing this summer? Exactly what I’m doing! Except maybe in a cleaner house. Although I would love to have the chance to visit my brother and his family in Switzerland, but my short deadline doesn’t really leave much opportunity for that. I also wish I were losing a pound or two a week… ha ha.”

Tish Cohen (Town House, The Invisible Rules of the Zoe Lama Juvenile, Inside Out Girl and Little Black Lies YA coming October 13, 2009):

“Right now I’m finishing up edits on the third adult book (due out next summer) and am listening to French jazz and the soundtrack to Something’s Gotta Give – which is all, you guessed it, French jazz.”

Meredith Cole (Posed for Murder):

“I wish I were writing in a quiet vacation home, preferably at the beach. Instead, I’m writing in my half unpacked/half painted house. I’m not very good at writing when everything is packed and in complete disorder, so I’m not getting much done right now.”

Ad Hudler (Man of the House, All This Belongs to Me, House Husband):

“I wish I were exploring the entire state of Oklahoma, border to border, in my truck.”

Jessica Barksdale Inclan (The Beautiful Being coming September 29, 2009):

“I need to teach and I love to teach, but I wish I did not have to teach so much — Five classes much.”

Holly Kennedy (The Silver Compass, The Penny Tree, The Tin Box):

“I’m doing exactly what I want to be doing this summer. I’m spending time with my kids and husband, then sliding off to Hawaii for 12 days to take in a writers retreat and present at the conference (where I’ll hopefully inspire some upcoming writers.”

Kristy Kiernan (Catching Genius, Matters of Faith, and Between Friends coming April 6, 2010):

“I’m doing what I want to be doing (editing BETWEEN FRIENDS, starting on the new one), but I’d rather be doing it somewhere else…like St. George Island, FL.”

Judy Merrill Larsen (All the Numbers):

“I’m having a great summer–I finished a major rewrite of what I hope will be my next novel on June 30, so now I’m taking some time away from it before going back to tweak it. In the meantime, I’m traveling to Seattle to visit my son and have a reunion with my mom, sister, aunt and cousin (one of those trips we’ve talked about taking for years), and then at the end of August my husband and I are running away to Amelia Island. And of course, I’ll be reading up a storm, trying to catch up.”

Kristina Riggle (Real Life & Liars):

“I wish I had more time to go camping. I miss sitting by a campfire in the still, cool night.”

Allison Winn Scotch (The Department of Lost & Found, Time of My Life):

“Oh gosh, summer really, really makes me wish that I didn’t live in New York City. I am a beach bum at heart, so I’d much rather be loitering on the beaches in Southern Cali than pounding the asphalt pavement here. Just to wake up at a beach house and step outside and inhale the air…oh, I’m getting depressed just thinking about it. But that said, we’re headed out west for two weeks, so I should get my California fix then.”

[Note: Not only did Allison enjoy her vacation, she just heard that Time of My Life paperback edition has gone into its third printing. Congratulations Allison!!].

Music, known as the universal language, can also be the most energetic force in inspiring a writer’s creativity. With that in mind, don’t you wonder what’s on your favorite authors’ playlists as they write?

The following writers share what and/or who they’re currently enjoying in song, and you may find their answers both surprising and revealing.

Meredith Cole (Posed for Murder)

“What’s on my playlist this week: John Legend, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All-Stars, and Lucinda Williams

“I don’t write to music normally, but I occasionally will when I’m at a cafe. Noise doesn’t bother me when I’m out like it does when I’m at home.”

Ad Hudler (Man of the House, All This Belongs to Me

“I am musically illiterate. I don’t have a playlist, don’t have an iPod. If I do have music on when I’m writing, I find it can’t have a beat or lyrics because they’re too distracting.”

Jessica Barksdale Inclan (The Beautiful Being, Intimate Beings)

“What’s on my Playlist: I listen to books, not music. I am currently listening to “A Changed Man” by Francine Prose.”

Holly Kennedy (The Silver Compass, The Penny Tree and The Tin Box)

“My playlist is an odd mix of present and past. At the moment, I love Nora Jones, but I also enjoy Christmas music, even during summer months. I usually choose a list of 20-30 songs for each novel and while I’m writing I play them in the background over and over again. I find it helps me set the tone.”

Lara Ziielin (Donut Days)

“I am (still) obsessed with Coldplay’s “’Viva la Vida’” and I really like Kings of Leon right now too. Music definitely helps me write, and if I find the right song that’s totally a fit with what I’m penning at that moment, I’ll hit repeat on iTunes and just let it play over and over. Sometimes I’ll look at the play count for a particular song at the end of the day and it’ll be something insane, like 200.”

So, readers, what’s on your Playlists?