The Printed Page

Just a short note to let everyone know that I’ve updated the book list and created individual pages for everything NBC related. There maybe something in the new additions to spark your interest and sign up for a chat. Don’t forget you can always send me titles for consideration. Check out Noontime Book Chat on the left side bar under ‘Pages’.

In this economy buying books to participate in book events such as Noontime Book Chat is something of a luxury. One, or some of the books, may interest you but not be in your TBR piles. It’s hard to justify buying books, even used ones, when you have other financial obligations. Or if you live in area like I do with a very small library system  there may be a limited number of copies of a book, books may simply unavailable or the wait list, for popular books, is long and your name is near the bottom. I’ve been pondering this for the last few days and I’m thinking of asking a couple of my contacts in the publishing industry if they would be willing to supply books occasionally for NBC. I realize this isn’t the best of times for them either but then one never knows. I don’t what titles might be available to us but I’m sure we’d find something to spark a discussion.

If nothing else I’ll hold NBC even if it’s just me. It’ll give me an opportunity to work on reading challenges, shrink the TRB piles, avoid writing reviews which aren’t my most favorite thing, babble without a care in the world and legitimatize those conversations I’m already having with myself. At least then when I answer myself I’ll know that I’m no longer certifiable. Really I don’t mean to sound frustrated, patience is not a strong point for me. The day patience was handed out I was no where to be found. Now I’m thinking out loud and you’re reading my thoughts. You may not be able to read your spouse’s mind after all these years but you can read mine.

The first Noontime Book Chat here at The Printed Page will be Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. My co-host will be Dar at Peeking Between the Pages. Thank you Dar.

Dar – email isn’t working this morning so I wanted to make sure you knew I’d reserved the week of February 9th for our NBC. Once email is done with it’s temper tantrum I’ll be in contact.

Marcia

Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

Mailbox Monday will be a bit different over the next few weeks. Because I’m the curious type when it comes to books (yours) and all things related feel free to show off those books, gift cards, bookmarks, book lights and covers, Amazon Kindles, Sony eBook Readers or anything else book related you may have gotten. To give everyone time to share your holiday stash all things book related may be through Monday, January 12th.

A bit of breathing room this week.

General fiction ~ Yellowknife by Steve Zipp

Christian thriller ~ Collision of Angels by Michael Carver

General fiction ~ People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

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Side notes:

Lorraine Kleinwaks, VP, Book Wish Foundation sent me a note asking if I’d spread the word about a holiday book campaign for the refugees in Darfur. As reading is an important part of my life I wanted to pass this along to my all my visitors. For every two MM comments left on this blog over the next 3 weeks I will donate $1 to the holiday book campaign. MM last week raised approximately $10 for this charity. We have two weeks of fund raising to go.

Review copies available: Mainline to the Heart and Other Poems by Clive Matson. Check it out here.

Review copies available: Fiction by Ara13. Check it out here.

Come February Noontime Book Chat (NBC) previously hosted by J. Kaye is moving here to The Printed Page. You can read the moving announcement here. If you’d like to host a Noontime Book Chat please check out the NBC page.

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Need a break from the snow piled up outside your front door? Why not take a trip to Mexico. It won’t cost you a dime and you can come back and visit any time. (Psst … I’ve posted our vacation pics)

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What books came into your house last week? Don’t forget to leave a link to your Mailbox post or a list of books if you don’t have a blog.

Good morning all,

I’m feverishly working to get something posted before I leave for work today. For right now I’m going to throw out some book titles I have sitting in various places throughout the house just begging to be read. Some of these many of you have already read but for some of you, like me, they may be sitting in a TBR pile and you just need a little incentive to get moving on them. If you’d like to host one of these titles let me know by filling out the Contacting Marcia page. Please be sure to include which title(s) and date(s) you’d like. I will do my best accommodate all requests but they will be filled on a first come, first serve basis so be sure to include alternate titles and dates. If none of these books appeal to you please feel free to send me a title for consideration.

If you’re new to NBC you can find participant guidelines here.

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NBC Schedule February 9th-13th Book: Sarah’s Key Hosts: Dar at Peeking Between the Pages

February 23rd-27th Book: Hosts: up to 4 slots available

March 9th-13th Book: Hosts: up to 4 slots available

March 23rd-27th Book: Hosts: up to 4 slots available

********** Available book titles

This is by no means a comprehensive list, just what I had in my line of sight. I have some ARCs and mystery/thriller/suspense to add. Don’t forget if none of these books appeal to you please feel free to send me a title for consideration. This list is subject to change at any given moment.

Fiction (some might have historical elements to them) People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult The Eyre Affair: A Thursday Next Novel by Jasper Fforde The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry The Sonnet Lover by Carol Goodman The Reincarnationist by M.J. Rose The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Women’s/contemporary fiction Matrimony by Josh Henkin Mrs. Perfect by Jane Porter Bitter Sweets by Roopa Farooki The Wednesday Sisters by Meg White Clayton Souvenir by Therese Fowler Girl’s Guide to Witchcraft by Mindy Klasky Love the One You’re With by Emily Griffin

Historical Fiction The Whiskey Rebels by David Liss

Memoir From Harvey River: A Memoir of My Mother and Her Island by Lorna Goodison

Noontime Book Chat (NBC) is moving to it’s new home starting the week of Monday, February 9th. J. Kaye is the founder and original host of NBC. Over the past several months NBC has developed quite a following in the book blogging community. Thank you to J. Kaye and her fellow NBC hosts for this very successful book event.

The reason behind the NBC move is J. Kaye’s focus for 2009 will center on reading challenges. She is hosting no less than 10 challenges and participating in 22 more!  She is a brave, brave soul. Be sure to stop by her blog to check out the final three NBC she’s hosting this month and all those reading challenges. I’m personally participating in the eBook Reading Challenge she’s hosting. I’m a Challenge challenged individual myself so my challenge participation is very limited. Must be fear of failure.

When I found out that she was shifting her focus to challenges for the upcoming year I asked if I could follow in her footsteps and host NBC. She gave me her blessing and NBC has a new home. My goal is to be as successful as she was and provide interesting and entertaining book commentary for the participating hosts and followers of NBC.

The format for NBC won’t be changing except for one minor tweak. Until I can get a handle on the organization, planning and time it takes to keep NBC successful I’ve decided to go with a bi-weekly format. For right now NBC will be the 2nd and 4th week of every month.

Stay tuned to The Printed Page for more Noontime Book Chat details.

Occasionally I’m contacted by a publicist or author whose work doesn’t appeal to my personal reading tastes but may generate interest among my visitors. If you’re interested in receiving a review copy of Fiction by Ara13 please send inquires to ara13c [at] yahoo [dot] com.

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This One Is Mine (Amazon link) Web site of Maria Semple Little, Brown and Company December ’08 304 pages Fiction Book provide by Hachette Book Group USA DNF/77 of 289 pages

********** From Amazon: Former television producer and writer Semple (Arrested Development; Mad About You) bashes Hollywood celebrity, New Age nonsense and struggling relationships in this smart and funny debut. Violet Parry, who puts aside a TV writing career to have a baby and take care of the sumptuous L.A. home of her legendary impresario hubby, David, scratches a seven-year itch with D-list rocker Teddy Reyes. Yet Violet is hardly ready for the roller-coaster ride with a man who thinks only “about my rent and my car and getting laid and staying sober.” Meanwhile, David’s conniving sister, Sally, sets out to snag a rich husband, training her sights on Jeremy, a robotic sports-stats genius with a promising TV career. In one of the most hilarious sendups of New Age claptrap, David figures out if he’s willing to stick around to see where Violet’s wild ride will take them. Semple’s takes are tack sharp as her delightful cast is driven comically and tragically ever deeper into a culture of artifice. Semple obviously knows her turf, and she does an exquisite job of stomping all over it.

Amazon rating: 12 reviews/ 4.5 stars ********** Me: The year is not starting off on a high note. Not the book for me.