Assg.1. I'm confused about this assignment. Didn't I just do this last week when I commented on the two genre links I've been following? Let me know if I'm misreading the assignment.
Assg2. I've spent 1 hour and 30 minutes on my first subgenre! No way can I do this assignment in the time allotted off the desk! My scheduler has been very generous but an hour and a half won't be nearly enough for this.
I chose Steampunk as one of my subgenres:
Fan site: TOR - then used the search box to focus on Steampunk. I did a Google search to find the site. Didn't find much discussion of why fans like the literature but did learn that Steampunk is a cultural phenomenom! Clothes, design and even philosophy.
Authors: Jules Verne
Appeal Factors: Fast-paced
adventure
unique characters
combine history, SF, Fantasy
Verne titles: 20 000 Leagues Under the Sea
Around the World in Eighty Days
These are classic fantasy titles that have migrated into the Steampunk world due to the time period, the fantastic inventions and happenings.
I'm going to post this event though I have 2 more subgenres to go. I'm on my way to BEA and there's no more time this week. I'll try to finish next week.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Week 5
Assg.1
I chose to monitor Mystery Readers International and Stop, You're Killing Me!
MRI was not a good choice. It's a commercial site that requires paid membership in order to access the information. This site is geared toward book store owners rather than readers.
Stop, You're Killing Me! was a better choice.
It:
-lists new titles in all formats
-lists award winners
- has great indices:
genre
historical
character
This site is a good reader's advisory resource.
Assg.2: Early Word
I liked the current information in the body of the newsletter. Also liked the NPR and Indie Next Bestseller links.
Movies and tv shows based on books is a good resource and I'll continue to monitor theses.
Not so thrilled with the links to review sources that list old reviews - caveat: I grab PW, LJ and Booklist when they arrive in the branch so I have already read the posted reviews.
Assg.3: Early Word - highly anticipated titles
I found it hard to apply appeal factors to titles I hadn't read(lots of the titles on the list are no longer "anticipated.")
There were several reviews and blurbs that did give appeal factors - one was The Dinner- descriptors used gave an idea of what type of reader might enjoy the book - " family", "chilling," "shocking," and "unputdownable". I have read this title so I found the appeal factors on target and would give this to an reader who likes literary but fast moving fiction.
Another was Madness Underneath described as a teen thriller that is "sinister and fun." I would suggest this to a young adult who likes thrillers with a dose of humor and not so much blood and gore.
I chose to monitor Mystery Readers International and Stop, You're Killing Me!
MRI was not a good choice. It's a commercial site that requires paid membership in order to access the information. This site is geared toward book store owners rather than readers.
Stop, You're Killing Me! was a better choice.
It:
-lists new titles in all formats
-lists award winners
- has great indices:
genre
historical
character
This site is a good reader's advisory resource.
Assg.2: Early Word
I liked the current information in the body of the newsletter. Also liked the NPR and Indie Next Bestseller links.
Movies and tv shows based on books is a good resource and I'll continue to monitor theses.
Not so thrilled with the links to review sources that list old reviews - caveat: I grab PW, LJ and Booklist when they arrive in the branch so I have already read the posted reviews.
Assg.3: Early Word - highly anticipated titles
I found it hard to apply appeal factors to titles I hadn't read(lots of the titles on the list are no longer "anticipated.")
There were several reviews and blurbs that did give appeal factors - one was The Dinner- descriptors used gave an idea of what type of reader might enjoy the book - " family", "chilling," "shocking," and "unputdownable". I have read this title so I found the appeal factors on target and would give this to an reader who likes literary but fast moving fiction.
Another was Madness Underneath described as a teen thriller that is "sinister and fun." I would suggest this to a young adult who likes thrillers with a dose of humor and not so much blood and gore.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Week 4
Forgot to comment on Recommendation from Goodreads: I don't find them useful at all. They are too general and often unrelated to my reading interests.
My reaction could be because I never need reading recommendations - my house overflows with books! I know the authors I like, the genres I enjoy and really have trouble understanding people who don't just enjoy the serendipity of just browsing the shelves and picking up a book with an attractive cover or an interesting title.
Of course I never say this to a customer. I employ my reader's advisory skills and send them home with several titles
Made friends with Katie and Debbie.
Added a Mystery shelf to Goodreads and it shows on my page but the books I selected for the shelf do not appear. The shelf reads 0. Another reason why I dislike Goodreads!
My reaction could be because I never need reading recommendations - my house overflows with books! I know the authors I like, the genres I enjoy and really have trouble understanding people who don't just enjoy the serendipity of just browsing the shelves and picking up a book with an attractive cover or an interesting title.
Of course I never say this to a customer. I employ my reader's advisory skills and send them home with several titles
Made friends with Katie and Debbie.
Added a Mystery shelf to Goodreads and it shows on my page but the books I selected for the shelf do not appear. The shelf reads 0. Another reason why I dislike Goodreads!
Week 4 - Goodreads
I recommended two titles to a Goodreads friend. The titles were Defending Jacob and Nobodies Album. My friend gave 5 stars to The Dinner by Koch.
The titles I recommended also dealt with parents trying to save children accused of crimes. I did think Nobodies Album was closer in style to The Dinner and cited that in my recommendation.
I already have many Goodreads friends so I didn't have to do this.
I have an useasy association with Goodreads. I find it incredibly user unfriendly! Front screen is overwhelming and I can't find a way to delete a message sent by Goodreads. A Help and User section would be great.
That said, I do enjoy posting what I'm reading and seeing what friends are reading. Seeing other people's point of view is interesting.
Another good feature is the giveaways section. I've received a couple of ARCS by registering although you need lots of time to go through the offerings. You can narrow your search by genre or author.
The titles I recommended also dealt with parents trying to save children accused of crimes. I did think Nobodies Album was closer in style to The Dinner and cited that in my recommendation.
I already have many Goodreads friends so I didn't have to do this.
I have an useasy association with Goodreads. I find it incredibly user unfriendly! Front screen is overwhelming and I can't find a way to delete a message sent by Goodreads. A Help and User section would be great.
That said, I do enjoy posting what I'm reading and seeing what friends are reading. Seeing other people's point of view is interesting.
Another good feature is the giveaways section. I've received a couple of ARCS by registering although you need lots of time to go through the offerings. You can narrow your search by genre or author.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Conversations
1. If you enjoyed Eat,Pray, Love you'll like Walking Back to Happiness by Christine Palmer. Palmer is a bit overweight and discontented with her life. She decides to walk from southern France to northern Spain following the Santiago de Compostela trail. Her stated goal is to fit into a skimpy, silk Bellino top but she achieves much more than that. Funny, insightful and inspiring.
You might also like Wild:from lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed.
2. Have you read A Discovery of Witches by Harkness? The main character is a witch although she denies it. She finds herself attracted to a vampire. Romance without the angst set in Oxford, U.K.
Other authors you might like are Anne Rice and Laurel K. Hamilton.
3. If you are looking for a heroic presidential adventure you can't go wrong with PT-109 by Robert Donovan. It's the story of John F. Kennedy's survival after his boat is hit by a Japanese destroyer during WW11. He spends 30 hours in the water towing the disabled boat and saves all but 2 of his crew.
Unfortunately, BCPL no longer owns copies of this classic but it is available through ILL.
Another amazing survival story is Unbroken by Hillenbrand.
You might also like Wild:from lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed.
2. Have you read A Discovery of Witches by Harkness? The main character is a witch although she denies it. She finds herself attracted to a vampire. Romance without the angst set in Oxford, U.K.
Other authors you might like are Anne Rice and Laurel K. Hamilton.
3. If you are looking for a heroic presidential adventure you can't go wrong with PT-109 by Robert Donovan. It's the story of John F. Kennedy's survival after his boat is hit by a Japanese destroyer during WW11. He spends 30 hours in the water towing the disabled boat and saves all but 2 of his crew.
Unfortunately, BCPL no longer owns copies of this classic but it is available through ILL.
Another amazing survival story is Unbroken by Hillenbrand.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Assignments
Read the Appeals article.
Posted my Appeals titles.
Sent one recommendation to a friend. I had trouble with this. My first post disappeared into the netherworld. I tried again and it seems to have been successful.
Some direction on what to choose from the pulldown menu would have been helpful. I chose the Google post link but it didn't work the first time. The second attempt took the post but I had to enter security words to "prove I wasn't a robot."
Posted my Appeals titles.
Sent one recommendation to a friend. I had trouble with this. My first post disappeared into the netherworld. I tried again and it seems to have been successful.
Some direction on what to choose from the pulldown menu would have been helpful. I chose the Google post link but it didn't work the first time. The second attempt took the post but I had to enter security words to "prove I wasn't a robot."
Appeal factors assignment
Donna Leon's latest title, The Golden Egg features her popular character Commissario Brunetti. In this title Guido is touched by the death of a man he knew only by sight. His detective work uncovers a sad tale of scandal and abuse. I recommend this series to readers who enjoy:
strong, individualized characters - Brunetti, his family and his work colleagues each have unique personality traits. Readers who follow the series look forward to Chiara's(Brunetti's daughter)latest ethical stance and the continuing mystery of Signorina Elettra and her amazing research skills that can uncover whatever detail Brunetti needs to solve his case.
steady pacing - Leon's stories move like the canals of Venice - steady and sure. The action may diverge to a side issue but there is always linear movement toward the solution of the mystery.
setting - Venice is the city in which the story takes place. The atmosphere is conveyed by the description of the architecture, the narrow streets and of course the canals. Even readers who have not visited Venice will feel they have been transported.
detail - followers of the series look forward to the descriptions of Paola's lovingly prepared meals and the family routines. The mystery itself always involves an unfolding solution that is exposed like an onion skin - layer by layer.
I enjoyed The Dinner by Koch. Two brothers and their wives meet for dinner at a ritzy restaurant in Amsterdam. One brother is a politician - the other, a former teacher who is no longer employed for mysterious reasons. They meet to discuss an incident involving their teenage sons.
I would recommend this title to customers who like:
strong characters - each of the characters is unique and the author exposes them through their actions rather than through physical descriptions.
setting - the action takes place over a short period of time in a restaurant. It is described to illustrate the ambiance of a 5 star dining venue.
detail - table settings in the restaurant, clothing of the characters serve to draw the reader into the story.
tone - there is a tension throughout the book. The reader knows things are not as they appear. Characters are not open but yet not fully exposed. The reader feels that something explosive is going to happen yet is never sure of what it is until the end.
strong, individualized characters - Brunetti, his family and his work colleagues each have unique personality traits. Readers who follow the series look forward to Chiara's(Brunetti's daughter)latest ethical stance and the continuing mystery of Signorina Elettra and her amazing research skills that can uncover whatever detail Brunetti needs to solve his case.
steady pacing - Leon's stories move like the canals of Venice - steady and sure. The action may diverge to a side issue but there is always linear movement toward the solution of the mystery.
setting - Venice is the city in which the story takes place. The atmosphere is conveyed by the description of the architecture, the narrow streets and of course the canals. Even readers who have not visited Venice will feel they have been transported.
detail - followers of the series look forward to the descriptions of Paola's lovingly prepared meals and the family routines. The mystery itself always involves an unfolding solution that is exposed like an onion skin - layer by layer.
I enjoyed The Dinner by Koch. Two brothers and their wives meet for dinner at a ritzy restaurant in Amsterdam. One brother is a politician - the other, a former teacher who is no longer employed for mysterious reasons. They meet to discuss an incident involving their teenage sons.
I would recommend this title to customers who like:
strong characters - each of the characters is unique and the author exposes them through their actions rather than through physical descriptions.
setting - the action takes place over a short period of time in a restaurant. It is described to illustrate the ambiance of a 5 star dining venue.
detail - table settings in the restaurant, clothing of the characters serve to draw the reader into the story.
tone - there is a tension throughout the book. The reader knows things are not as they appear. Characters are not open but yet not fully exposed. The reader feels that something explosive is going to happen yet is never sure of what it is until the end.
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