Oh, just go on over to Working Stiffs and read all about it there. Why reprint when you can simply click?

Don’t forget about the cool contest below — only eight more days to enter. Be silly, be thoughtful, be whatever. But give my characters of Trevor, Mitchell, and Kerri some answers! I have lots of books to give away… will you win one?

In all of last month’s year-end hoopla and the chaos that’s been the start of 2007, I completely missed out on this quarter’s Buy a Friend a Book Week.

It ends on Sunday the seventh, so hurry up and go buy a friend a book for no good reason. Two I’d suggest off the top of my head: Rebecca Drake’s Don’t Be Afraid and Fred Zackel’s reprint of Cocaine and Blue Eyes.

A lot of people who stopped by my Thursday Thirteen yesterday were enthusiastic about my plans to add a Library Thing scroller to my sidebar sometime during the upcoming year. Sounds like you guys need something to fill your time until Trevor’s Song hits the shelves.

In light of that, I thought my book talk today would look back over the 146 books I read in 2006 — 2 more than last year! — and hit the highlights, but skip the lowlights (the 48 I didn’t bother to finish).

I finally got around to reading The Devil Wears Prada — and I surprised myself by loving it. It was one of those books that people either love or hate and I have to say that I got it. Totally. Maybe it’s because I could see myself being Amanda. Maybe it’s because I still aspire to wearing haute couture. I don’t know. But I read this in bed and laughed so hard, I shook the Tour Manager out and onto the floor.

Then I switched gears, per usual, and checked out Marcia Muller‘s Cyanide Wells. I like her SharonMcCone series, but this was actually better. Point Deception was almost as good, but not quite.

Keeping in the thriller vein, next was my second David Liss book, A Conspiracy of Paper. Love love loved this historical thriller! It was a book club selection and I was able to swap a few e-mails with Liss.

I tried my first-ever Nick Hornby book this year, A Long Way Down. I can’t say that I loved it, but it’s sure resonated with me. I have How to be Good on Mt. Read-Me-Now; hopefully I’ll get to it soon. (I should)

Kathy Lette‘s Mad Cows also had me chuckling. Maybe you need to be a mom to appreciate this one; I’m not sure.

In grad school, I took a course in Latin American lit, so revisiting Carlos Fuentes for The Old Gringo was a nice treat. Fascinating book, as was another classic, Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Don’t forget Patrick Suskind’s Perfume.

I caught up on Stephanie Plum this year, and read my first Sue Grafton. (I know, what took me so long? I had trouble believing she’d live up to the hype. She did.) Other authors I revisited: T. Jefferson Parker, Linda Fairstein, Jonathan Kellerman, Jill Churchill.

Ever read a Western? Tabor Evans wrote this series a loooong time ago, called Longarm. I read one, called On the Great Divide, and loved it. That man has more sex than Trevor, I swear it.

My friend CheesyGiraffe (I think) clued me in to Nancy Atherton‘s Aunt Dimity series. Rumor has it that her sales are slipping; why not help her out and expose yourself and a few friends to this fun series? I have a few of these on Mt. TBR; don’t be surprised if they show up as a contest prize along the way (although don’t hold me to that!)

More firsts for me this year: Lisa Scottoline, Stephen Woodworth, and Jodi Picoult. I’ve since collected more of those, too. JA Konrath, Susan Wittig Albert, Daniel Silva, and Rachel Caine all were new to me, and all series I’ll be sticking with.

As she did with To Die For, Joyce Maynard made me cry with The Usual Rules. I was very resistant to any 9-11 fiction, but this was worth it. Thanks to Cheesy (can you tell why I like her so much?) for making me stick with it when I wanted to give up.

I’ll admit it. I read Pamela Anderson’s Star. I loved it. If you need a good, campy beach read, pick it up. So what if it’s a barely fictionalized account of her life? It’s funny as hell and I really hope Pamela was never as naive as Star. The plane scene still cracks me up.

Back to historical fiction with Rebecca Kohn‘s The Gilded Chamber. Esther is my favorite of the Jewish heroines; I often call her the first feminist because she risked being beheaded in order to stand up to her husband, the king, and save the Jews. Kohn did her story justice.

My biggest shock of the year? Loving Nora Roberts‘ Northern Lights. I didn’t think I’d like it, that it wouldn’t be well-written or that the plot would be predictable. Instead, I couldn’t put it down. Once I was done, I sent it to my friend Dana and I think I just ruined the surprise by saying that…

In a nutshell, that’s the reads of the year. Notice how many mysteries and thrillers are on this list? Just trying to earn my spot among my other Sisters in Crime, although I’m going to try to ease off this genre a bit as 2007 opens; on first awakening the other night and hearing a hooting owl, I was convinced it was a group of bad guys, ready to break in and steal my books.

Happy reading, everyone, and happy 2007.

Another book about punk rock has entered my radar: Babylon’s Burning: From Punk to Grunge, by Clinton Heylin.

Best known as a biographer of Bob Dylan, Heylin’s apparently written other books about punk: From the Velvets to the Voidoids, and All Yesterday’s Parties: The Velvet Underground in Print, among other books about music.

Well. If you don’t remember what happened the LAST time I blogged about a book about punk, let me refresh your memory.

One book hardly makes me an expert on the genre of books about punk, but I’m sure game to turn myself into one. Therefore, I’d like to hand down this challenge:

If Barb at Front Street Reviews is willing, and if someone in Mr. Heylin’s camp is willing, I’ll read Babylon’s Burning and review it for all of you. We’ll see how this Brit’s take on punk compares to Steven Lee Beeber’s.

Given that we’ve got the perspectives of two different countries, each rich in punk tradition, I think this could be an interesting project.

Go to Front Street Reviews and click on Non-fiction.

See a review for a book I’ve mentioned here a few times? You know, that Heebie Jeebies book?

See who wrote it?

Yeah, that’s right. That’d be me.

Read the review. Buy the book. Read the book. Read the review again; I’m worth a second look.

Then, go back to Front Street Reviews and find more good stuff to read.

The world of contemporary fiction is mourning the loss of Bebe Moore Campbell, a fantastic writer and, like me, an alum of the University of Pittsburgh (although I don’t think she was a writing major).

If you’ve never read any of Campbell’s works, this would be a good time to pick some of them up. She even wrote a children’s book, about mental illness. She was an important writer, with an eye for detail and an ear for dialogue, and her talent will be missed.

Condolences to her family and us fans around the world.

Congrats to author K L Going, whose book Saint Iggy was named one of Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Books of 2006 — and Publisher Weekly’s Best Children’s Books, too.

I’ve linked the book to Powell’s Books, but if you think of it, why not order from my friends Richard and Mary Alice at The Mystery Lovers Bookshop? They can get anything on the planet and having a strong holiday season is extra important for them this year. (You may have to call them to place an order for Saint Iggy, but they have a toll-free number and are wonderful people. Free shipping if you meet the order minimum, too, so why not look through this here blog for some book suggestions and order all those up, too? Feel free to tell them I sent you!)

Happy reading and here’s to more kudos for my new friend KL.

I’ve been suffering under the delusion that Trevor’s a true original. But then Karen! sent me a book that totally left me exhilarated at how good it is, and at the same time, left me deflated as to how close to Trevor the character of Curt was drawn. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Rather, I think it says a lot about the people who are drawn to music, and drawn to making it (although for Trevor, making music is by and large, a means to an end). And author KL Going‘s descriptions of the inside of The Dump, her fictional club, invoked both memories of CBGB’s and other backstages I’ve been in. Totally real, totally vivid.

Anyway, the name of the book is Fat Kid Rules the World, and you can buy it, but it looks like only used. (Here’s a link.) Scour your used bookshops for it.

This one’s a keeper.

Look for me to be picking up lots of copies whenever I can, and maybe giving them as prizes down the road.

I wish award-winning books were more like this one (which won plenty of awards) and less snooty, but that’s just me and I’ve always preferred more accesible literature.

Ya know, sort of like I write.

On November 1, 2006 (that’s today!), Point Blank Press is bringing back Fred Zackel‘s first novel, 1978’s Cocaine & Blue Eyes. The novel, which was made into a TV-movie in the early ’80s, has received critical acclaim over the years for creating a resurgence in the American private-eye novel.

Part of the Time magazine review from November 28, 1978, said:

“Drugs and thugs, a missing person and a backchatting investigator also
dominate Cocaine and Blue Eyes. Fred Zackel’s sprightly first novel, set
mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area, combines the story of a Pacific
Heights dynasty, corporate shenanigans, Chinatown gangs, a spectrum of sex,
aging flower children, Mafia money and the houseboat life in Sausalito. The
result is as nerve-rattling as a full-throttle auto chase from Grant Avenue
to Fisherman’s Wharf.”

Congrats, Fred!! May your sales be amazing!

(copied from the e-mail I got from the Bowling Green Creative Writing Department listserve notice)

Sorry to keep you all waiting, but it was worth it. The Pens look amazing this year. I hope they keep it up.

One question: One of our new defensemen is named LeTang. Is that what a French astronaut drinks?

Now. Onto our fifth winner, with no further ado.

It’s Karen!, she who appears in my comments more than maybe anyone else. (What are the rest of you waiting for? Don’t let her get away with that!) She wrote me the greatest story about being attracted to the bad boy… how many of us have been there, done that? Even though her bad boy was into rap and all that icky stuff, she conjures up all the memories that I need. Man, I can’t wait to get to work on a bad boy or two…

Partly as a joke, due to another story, I’m giving Karen a book I just loved. Bel Canto is one of the few award-winning books that I didn’t shy away from, and I can still close my eyes and recall the mental picture I created while reading the scenes of Roxanne singing, standing beside the piano…

Now, the joke is the whole opera angle. Apparently, our friend Karen! used to argue with her sister in a rather operatic way… I’ll let her tell you the story if she so desires. Or maybe I’ll just write it; complete with the flowery lyrics, it could make for a great scene.

So Congratulations to Karen!

And now, for our next winner of the day… This one’s a bit unorthodox, as her entry neither hit my inbox, nor did it make the deadline. Rather, it appeared in the comments about an earlier winner.

That’s right. I’m sort of blindsiding her with this, but that’s what friends are for, right? Marci, you done good, woman. Like some of our other friends this week, you connected me to my radio because you yourself connected to your radio.

For that, I’m sending you a copy of one of my favorite graphic novels of all time: Lyrical Life, a story told entirely in song lyrics. If this baby doesn’t have you singing along, you’re hopeless.

One last note about Lyrical Life: the e-mail on their website has been deactivated, so I can’t ask how the sequel is coming. Let’s hope it’s still in the making.

Okay. I’m off to get some work done for the first time in days. I have a huge stack of books here to mail. Maybe I’ll even wrap and address them first. *wink*

Happy Buy a Friend a Book Week, everyone. I hope you’ve been having as much fun as me.

Before I post about our winner, I’d like to take a minute and publicly thank all of you guys. I’m having a great time with this stuff. I hope you are, too.

And a HUGE public thank you to my favorite witch and her husband. They know why. I feel my sanity returning and part of my path clearing.

Okay. Now that I’ve let you in on more of my personal life than I ever have before, let’s move on to our fourth winner.

It’s Musie, of course. AmericanMuse is her screenname, and it’s an apt one. This woman could be my muse, except she talks to me via computer and not in scenes. She talks to me of awakenings, to music, to guys-as-hot-things. She talks to me of obsessions: flying out to see shows (NOTHING I’ve ever done. I swear!), meeting guys in bands, calling radio stations to win tickets.

And of getting behind an otherwise unheard-of band, and mourning their demise. (Five Bolt Main had better not follow that path!)

For all of this, Musie wins something from MY musical obsession: a Copy of This Monster Lives, the inside look at the making of Metallica’s 2004 documentary, Some Kind of Monster. An added bonus to this book is the inside look at how movies are made, which is almost more fascinating than the subject itself. (yeah, yeah, revoke my MetClub card.)

Oh, and for me, meeting Bruce Sinofsky, one of the directors, was sort of like musie’s story of being outside the club. Unexpectedly, you’re talking to a really neat person and man, if there was only more time…

Congrats, musie.

Tonight’s winner told me a really cool story of turning 18 on the 18th and going to see (she actually admitted this!) Bryan Adams in concert!!!

What inspired me was the innocence of her story, the air of expectation she had about Mr. Adams, and the promise of magic on your birthday. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions about what all that means, but all of you used to Trevor and his whiles need to reference the first noun of the first sentence in this paragraph… Innocence. I know, I know. There’s no innocence when you’re around Trevor, unless you’re Mitchell, but keep wondering what I’m talking about, at least until we find Trevor’s Song a home.

Jebbie wins a book of poetry by an author who has always struck me as having that same air of innocence and hope about her: Jewel. Yes, Jewel, the Alaskan singer with the fresh, innocent and hopeful voice. I almost didn’t let this one go; I think I’d like to get a copy for my own shelf and make the time to re-read it the right way — nice and slow, with lots of time to savor and be inspired.

Congrats, Jebbie!

Monday, October 2. Day two of Buy a Friend a Book Week reminds us of the importance of the independents — radio, especially.

This one goes to Nimrodiel, as she’s known online. She’d like us to check out and support WEFT 90.1 FM radio (although I’ll never argue if you also check out and support an independent radio station whose airwaves touch my precious Martian ears: WYEP.

Nim’s entry is especially important, not just because of the impact that independent radio made on her — and her father — but because when Trevor’s Song gets published and on the shelves, it’ll be time to turn our attention to my follow-up. Right now, that’s the story of Boomer, THE DJ at KRVR in Riverview, and her fight to help keep her independent radio station on the air.

Perfect timing, Nim, ’cause I’ve been editing like mad the past few days, while I wait for the good word from my trusted reader.

And for her efforts, she wins a copy of… (I have to decide between two!) Cowboys are My Weakness, by one of my favorite authors, Pam Houston.

Yeah, Yeah. I can hear you thinking, “But that’s a story collection about outdoorspeople and relationships. What’s it got to do with music?”

Well. The very first story, “How to Talk to a Hunter” quotes that independent lady herself, Janis Joplin. “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.”

It was the first time I’d ever heard that lyric.

Long live independent radio.

Congrats, Nimrodiel.

I’m proud to announce that we have our first winner of the Buy a Groupie a Book Week contest!

It is our last and final entrant (how’s THAT for timing?), Russell Morse, who inspired me with the simple reminder of the positive feelings that music often leaves us with.

Big Congrats to Russell, who wins a copy of Tom Perrotta’s The Wishbones, a book I read many years ago and can still recall the texture and mood of.

Enjoy it, Russell, and thanks for being my groupie!

While you’re waiting for me to finish revising Trevor’s Song, market it, find it a publisher, and get it on the shelves, here are two more goodies for you, in order.

First is Sleep Toward Heaven, by Amanda Eyre Ward. One of the best, most powerful and moving books I’ve read in a VERY long time.

Next up is A Certain Slant of Light, by Cynthia Thayer.

Check ’em out. Let me know when you agree that yeah, these books ARE worth the delays until Trevor is in your hands. And as always, if you’d like to buy them, I suggest checking BookSense for an independent bookseller near you.

Happy reading! I’m off to … *sigh* edit.

The good folks at Front Street Reviews are joining me and bringing you yet another chance to be a friend for whom a book is bought!

Check out my original contest and then head on over to Front Street for even more Buy A Friend a Book Week fun!

And if you haven’t had enough of THAT, be sure to check out the other BAFAB participants, listed down at the bottom of this page of my blog. There’s some fun stuff taking shape, all to entice YOU to buy a friend a book.

Well… with a Martian twist…

Here’s the deal: to help promote the good folks at Buy A Friend a Book Week, I’ve come up with a contest for you guys, my devoted groupies.

During the month of September, I want YOU to send ME a story of how music has touched your life. Maybe it was the first song you fell in love with. Maybe it was the first song you fell in love to. Maybe it was your first meet-and-greet. The night Prong’s Tommy Victor told you that you were beautiful.

Hey, wait. That last is one of mine. No stealing!

What I’ll do, during Buy A Friend a Book Week, coming up this first week of October, is Buy a Groupie a Book.

That’s right.

Seven of you lucky groupies will win a copy of a book — no, not Trevor’s Song, sad to say (I’m still revising it. Again. I know. You’re eager. So am I.), but a book about music that has inspired me in some way and now sits on my shelves, immune to the huge and vast quantities of trading that I do.

E-mail me your stories — you can reach me through the website, as always. And the seven of you who touch me the most deeply will win a copy of someone else’s book. I’ll announce the winners each day during BAFAB week, which is October 1-7 this year.

If you decide to go out and pay it forward and buy another friend a book during Buy a Friend a Book week, let me know. There might be a few special goodies in your package — but be honest. Somehow, I have a bad habit of smelling out a lie. Also, be sure to scroll down this here page for the list of other blogs who are also running BAFAB contests and join some of them. Be sure to tell them West of Mars sent you!

Good luck, and here’s to good stories!

(legal stuff: writing quality is less important than content, but spelling mistakes and text-speak are turn-offs. By submitting your story to me, you are hereby allowing me to in turn be inspired by it and use it in some way, shape, or form in future fiction writing that I may do. You will own no rights to any future work you’ve inspired, and no royalties will be due to you. But let’s face it. The publishing industry being what it is, you’d only get about five cents anyway, and is THAT worth haggling over?)

So over at Book Relay, we’re swapping historical fiction books. Here are my moves:

Steal:
March/the other book with the long title
Zorro
Marrying Mozart
The Dark Queen
The Ruby Ring
The Serpent in the Garden

*** these are in rough order, but go for the book with the fewest steals and ask for a reveal (from anyone) if they’re all on three.

First off, the mystery world has lost one of its pioneers: Mickey Spillane, the creator of the Mike Hammer series. Rest in peace, Mickey, and may Mike live on in reprints and collectors’ editions.

Secondly, this book article mentions one of my old professors (who came up in conversation the other night; how’s THAT for karma?): Chuck Kinder.

Chuck mentored not only me but Michael Chabon, among others. He’s the one who convinced me to pursue this writing thing, and who gave me the confidence I need to pursue the rather unconventional genre of Rocktion, I think Joe called it the other night — rock and roll fiction, about bands and the people who make the magic happen.

Pick up Chuck’s books, all of them, but especially this new autobiography. No one tells a tale like Chuck Kinder, and if you can’t hear him in person, this should be the next best thing. I’ll be picking up a copy myself in the next few days and reading it shortly. Hope you do the same.

This time, it’s Rachel Caine’s Ill Wind. What a wonderfully imagined world. Here is what my friend JayYapaway had to say about it; she said it better than I can.

Hey, I’m an author, not a critic. An author who’s been reading more than writing lately; time to fix that. More soon, but in the meantime, did you see the latest bit about Daniel’s Obsessions?