News - Books

Book Sense's hot streak continues. Remarkably, six Book Sense 76 picks constitute the entire shortlist for the U.K.'s Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2002. This news comes in the wake of the continuing streak of network morning shows featuring Book Sense titles.

The pad is on press now and will be in the October white box mailing. You can also click here for the list in PDF format. Thanks! Carl carl@booksense.com

Bo Caldwell has written fiction for years, publishing about a dozen short stories in Ploughshares and other literary magazines. But she's also written an equal amount of nonfiction, in the form of personal essays for the Washington Post's Post Magazine and other publications.

By Carl Lennertz Reminder: Bring photos of your 76 display to the Regional Shows! This is so you can have a chance to win a color printer ... AND ... have your photo considered for a portfolio to be shown to publishers over the next year. So, spiff up your display, take a snapshot (or several), and bring it to the ABA booth at each show. We're up over 350 reporting stores for several weeks now, and another regional list is imminent ... maybe? Hopefully!

By Daniel Halpern The bond between a writer and an editor is complex and essential. Daniel Halpern, editorial director of Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins, remembers the writer F.X. Toole, an "unusually unyielding author and friend," whose collection of short stories, Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner, became one of those books that can justify a life in publishing.

Following in a noble tradition, in the past few years, some independent booksellers have begun publishing or writing their own books. These booksellers noted that -- despite experiencing many challenges along the way -- publishing or authoring books has given them a sense of accomplishment and has allowed them to bring to light important books or ideas that otherwise might never have been published.

Author Monica Wood of Portland, Maine, is a good exemplar of the apt phrase "Those who can, teach." The "teach" part is demonstrated by the adult education and other workshops in fiction-writing technique that Wood's led for years -- and by her new book, The Pocket Muse: Ideas & Inspirations for Writing (Writer's Digest Books), a September/October Book Sense 76 pick.

By Carl Lennertz BIG!!! -- Bring photos of your 76 display to the Regional Shows! This is so you can have a chance to win a color printer ... AND ... to have your photo considered for a portfolio to be shown to publishers over the next year.

The Science Fiction Achievements, more popularly known as the Hugo Awards, were recently announced. Among the winners were:

When Tony Horwitz stepped off the plane to Savage Island, he knew almost nothing about the place. He'd done this on purpose. As part of a year and a half-long journey throughout the Pacific following in the wake of 18th century explorer James Cook, Horwitz wanted at least one blank spot on the map -- a place that was truly terra incognita for a 21st century American author.