A Book to Film, and my lame tie-in story.

I went to see The Hangover last week, and saw a trailer for a new comedy based on a book which is still sitting on my bookshelf UNREAD that a friend gave to me maybe two years ago.

Yes, this humorous novel from Ecco Press by Larry Doyle, was given to me as a gift from my friend Kim who said something to the effect of, "This reminded me of your writing - but I know you can do better if you just stick with it."

Sure, I'm an editor, but I've always dabbled in writing, all my life, and I've been meaning to pick up the book and read it already [Kim - apologies, I never meant any insult.] In fact Kim knows I haven't read it because we're still part of a writing group we affectionately named WRITE CLUB, several years ago. In fact, we've met on and off for close to 8 years I think.

Also please know I mean no offense to the author, of whom I am in no position to judge as I still haven't read the book yet, especially as he has done what I have not which is get a novel published, something which I'm not actively pursuing at the moment [although it is one of my life goals]. He was also a writer for The Simpsons, so no slouch there. I very much look forward to the read.

His book, originally published in hardcover in 2007, will not need any help from me, as I hope it sees a nice resurgence in sales as the movie gets closer to release date which is right around the corner as July 10th [according to the IMDB page on the film]. But, I am more than happy to discuss it here, as I plan to read it soon - better late than never. And as I pack up books to move to a new house, this is one of the books I'll be leaving on my shelf until the move, as a reminder to dive right in.

I openly admit, I am sometimes a slacker. Ask my friends, ask my wife. Hell, the name of this blog is Bookrastination, a not-so-subtle play on procrastination [of which I am the king]. This'll prove how much of a slacker I am, as I grabbed the book off the shelf to double-check the publication date, I noticed I had the front flap used as book mark, I was only on page 10.

Well, I'm glad to see someone saw something special in this book which is about a high school nerd who puts it all on the line during his graduation speech, enough in fact to develop and make it into a film. I vow to read it before the movie comes out, and I hope a lot of people do the same. I got about three weeks.

I must end with mentioning that the fantastic jacket illustration and interior chapter illustrations are by none other than Evan Dorkin [a magnificent comic book creator and very, very talented man].

If anyone has anything to say about this book/movie/story, please feel free to comment below, I'd love to hear your angle.

Tim Akers signs with Pyr Books. Sweet!

I was stoked to read Lou Anders' post on facebook that he has signed up-and-coming fantasy author, Tim Akers' second novel, The Horns of Ruin to Pyr Books. Read all about it here [I also added the Pyr Books blog to my blogroll].


Like Lou, I've read an early version of Tim Akers' debut novel, Heart of Veridon, which will be coming out from Solaris books this Fall. I thought it was really something [although I must confess I was involved in working on a small aspect of the editorial development of this book], but am I wrong in wanting to tell people how much I liked it? I think not.


Let me just quickly also say that I met Tim last year at World Fantasy Con in Calgary and he is a hell of a nice guy and we talked videogames, Magic the Gathering, and other assorted nerdy things over dinner. Soon after I wound up coincidentally working on his book and really loved the world he created. It was fantastical, action packed, and the world ticked with a special mechanical hum. A great read if you're looking for something to sink your teeth into at the end of the summer when it releases.

I simply wanted to echo the great news here. Bravo Lou & Tim!

Interesting blog discussion on character, story, action!

Hi friends,

An interesting discussion has just begun by friend and fantasy author S.C. Butler over on SF & Fantasy Novelists site. His post: Give Me Narrative or Give Me Death, starts off an interesting discussion on what is most important to a reader in a book.

Head on over and chime in (I did). I'm aware the conversation and opinions can go various ways, but isn't that the fun of comments and blog posts anyway? To throw in your two cents and see what everybody else has to say?

Talk amongst yourselves.

P.S. New post soon on a fantastic bound galley I picked up last week.

Other Books I'm Excited About from BEA

I wanted to run through a few more of the advance reader copies, that I picked up at BEA that I have only just started reading. Now that there are plenty of books on my to-be-read shelf, let's take a peek the newest additions that I picked up at the show.

First up is my off-center photo of the advance uncorrected proof of Beg, Borrow, Steal: A Writer's Life by Michael Greenberg from Other Press. This collection of autobiographical essays was first written by Greenberg for the Times Literary Supplement. A native New Yorker, describes his life as an aspiring writer, describing in vivid detail all the struggles, the highs and lows, and at only 66 pages in I feel connected to the author by his New York experiences.

It has even already affected my personal journal writing, as I'm already trying to keep in mind the panache which the author writes about the everyday, the mundane, and the seemingly ordinary. He writes about topics such as documenting his daily commute, the transport of garbage to the Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island, and other goings on and how it ties into his life, his father's scrap metal business, and all the menial jobs he's had in the struggle to survive as a writer.

Swinging back to graphic novels as I often do, I wanted to talk briefly about the advance reader's edition of a new book from IDW, an adaptation of Richard Stark's Parker novels by the award-winning Darwyn Cooke in this first installment, The Hunter.

Adapted with the blessing of Richard Stark (Donald Westlake) before he sadly passed in 2008, the Cooke adaptations are moody, highly stylized, and in my opinion - dead on.

Illustrated in black & white with only a wash of blue ink throughout, this effect sets up a noir-ish atmosphere that other books seldom accomplish. IDW is so behind this new series, they printed a limited number of hardcover advances to give away at BEA, and I'm glad I was able to snag one. More to come soon.

Oh, and I had to post this picture of the King, as I found him rocking out not far from the Diamond booth.

BEA weekend from my eyes.

It was a fun weekend for me, attending Book Expo America at the Javits Center. Long but fun. Lots of walking around, handshaking, grabbing books, grabbing iced coffee, and taking rests. But between seeing old friends, and meeting so many new ones, I was pleased. I know the press has reported that attendance and giveaways were down from the last few years, but it felt like a rallying show to me in the eyes of the larger world and the doom-and-gloom feelings. I had a blast.

I had the pleasure of joining in the Blogger Signing Event hosted by Firebrand & Netgalley on Saturday at 4pm, which was really neat. I was sharing the table with bloggers: Stephanie of Stephanie's Written Word, and Gayle of Every Day I Write the Book. They were super-nice and it was a treat to be seated with them and talk about books & blogging about them.



Also, I wanted to mention again, one of the books I'm most excited to finish, the graphic memoir by David Small, STITCHES. I snapped a photo of the advance copy, I scored at the Norton booth.

Creepy, sureal, and yet happy and sad at the same time, I'm less than 100 pages in and already swept away by the honesty and cruelty of the story, and I'm attached to the sad story, a touching memoir with emotional art reminiscent of Bill Plimpton and Chester Brown, among others. Here is a photo of the author signing at the W.W. Norton booth - I was glad to see so much buzz generated about this terrific new book.


As Heidi MacDonald summed up at The Beat, it didn't matter one bit that this was a memoir written as a graphic novel to anyone grabbing up a copy. Everyone I spoke with seemed highly impressed with the format and style.

More to come on books I'm excited to read that I picked up at the show and other assorted highlights.

Thursday BEA Notes & Pics

Today was the first day of BEA, the official set up day as well as a day filled with conferences, panels, and discussions about what else - books.

I first paid homage to Osprey, the military history publisher that I've consulted for, as they were very generous in getting me a badge for BEA weekend. I felt it was the least I could do to show up at the booth and help them set up for a bit. Here's John and Kerry hard at work.

Also, I helped Shirley open boxes and sort books before I headed out to attend two of the conferences in the meeting rooms the convention floor. [Shirley - I'll put the other pic up on facebook soon.]

I wanted to say hello to a few colleagues as they set up before I grabbed a bite then headed to the meeting rooms. The floor was a flutter with forklifts, people frantically opening boxes of books, and wandering eyes like myself, taking it all in.

I visited a few more booths then headed downstairs to the Red Hot EReader panel which discussed many of the new options and technologies of ereader software and devices. This was informative as I have yet to purchase an ebook/reader yet, but as of now I'm still undecided on what to get.

Then I attended the BEA Editors Buzz panel where 6 prominent editors discussed the books they were excited about. Since I was only able to nab two bound galleys I'll discuss them here.
When Alexsis Gargagliano, an Editor at Scribner, discussed the wild ride of reading this unbelievable memoir, I knew I had to grab a copy. In Alex Lemon's Happy, his life seemed unreal, the amount of things that happened to him and the many things he did to himself sounded extraordinary. I was intrigued as it is also a story of redemption and I can't wait to take the journey with the author.
If I find copies of the other books over the weekend I'll talk about them here soon. I do plan to review these two books when I'm finished with them.

I also grabbed the one graphic memoir discussed, Stitches by David Small. When Executive Editor at W.W. Norton, Robert Weil, spoke about this dream-like memoir by a multiple award-winning children's book author and illustrator, it sounded right up my alley.

I've already read 50 pages, and it reminds me of Chester Brown's I Never Liked You, another favorite of mine. It is certainly looking to be a classic graphic memoir and I see it getting loads of review attention. It is beautifully illustrated and contains hints of that warped childhood that we all can [certainly I can] identify with. [Apologies for the terrible jacket image grab, I couldn't find anything this late in the evening. Need to get that scanner.]

Later that evening I left for the Petrossian Resturant on West 58th Street, for a wonderful launch party for the U.S. release of, A Crate of Vodka.

The evening promised "a night of Russian caviar, cocktails, and conversation" with authors, Alfred Kokh and Igor Svinarenko. I had a blast, and was joined by my good friend Nancy.

The party felt more like a publishing throwback with great conversation, piano playing, and of course...vodka. I'd like to thank Robert Miller, publisher of Enigma Books, for the invite.

Generally, this is how I like to end any night...with a little drink maybe, and a good book. On this night, it happened to be a flute of vodka and reading about a reporter and a politician discuss 20 years of Russian history and politics as they work their way through 20 bottles of vodka.

And this is only day 1.

B.P.R.D. Vol. 10: The Warning TPB

I read a lot of comics. I don't post reviews of all of them, and for some reason whenever I read a new B.P.R.D. book - I want to talk about it. I don't want to give away much, but I want to share that this is the type of book I feel lots of people would enjoy. And B.P.R.D. volume 10, The Warning, is no exception.

And this newest story is another wonderful addition to the B.P.R.D. library. As Abe [Sapian], [Johann] Kraus, and friends figure out that the plague of frogs has returned in a new and frightening way, they are on the hunt to find Liz Sherman, who has been kidnapped by a mysterious gentleman from her dreams.

Other ancient enemies surface as well, and this series continues to include solid storytelling and crisp characters throughout. With each adventure, I care about the them more and more, and want to follow them on their bizarre journeys.

Also, the end of the story hints at connections from one of my favorite characters from this series, Lobster Johnson, so I wait in eager anticipation to see where the next story takes me.

Lastly, I thought it worth mentioning the superb storytelling by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi. But I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I've come to love the artwork by Guy Davis. Not only are his interpretations of the main characters moody and atmospheric but everything from military vehicles, to gigantic machine/beasts, to all the backgrounds and scenery come to life and I simply get lost in the pages.

Kudos to the good folks at Dark Horse for including the sketchbook in the back, with notes by the various creators. It really adds a bit of creative insight to the process. I don't have anything bad to say. I guess my only hesitation would be for new readers of the series to come in at this point, as it would be best to start at volume 1, and it might be difficult to pick up on all the nuances if coming in cold. That being said, many adventures await...