In my first “Upcoming Books!” post, I had mentioned a book out tomorrow/Tuesday that all Brontë lovers would hopefully enjoy. “The Flight of Gemma Hardy” by Margot Livesey received a great review from The Boston Globe, and it has calmed my classic literature fears. Normally I veer away from rewritings, adaptations, offsprings, and homages to classic works, but apparently this particular novel is up to par! Read on to see what Meredith Maran has to say about the book.
Publishers and Booksellers See a ‘Predatory’ Amazon – National Public Radio – Lynn Neary
Publishers have long complained about Amazon’s pricing policies; it sold e-books at cut-rate prices in order to win customers for the Kindle. Now, explains Joe Wikert, general manager and publisher at O’Reilly Media, Amazon is undercutting competitors by selling e-readers, like the new Kindle Fire, at a loss.
Amazon has power, yes. What we don’t know is how long they can hold that power.
‘Hunger Games’ Book Sales Bode Well for the Film – The New York Times – Brooks Barnes
Lionsgate’s movie adaptation of “The Hunger Games” does not arrive in theaters until March 23 — still too far away for analysts to predict ticket revenue. But if spiking sales of the books are any indication, Lionsgate’s marketing efforts are whipping up a five-alarm box-office fire.
Sometimes my heart breaks a little when I see a beloved book turned into a movie. But when I read about news like this – that millions more are bought and read prior to the installment of the movie, my heart soars! I’m excited for all the new fans.
Best-sellers Lists: How They Work and Who They (mostly) Work For – The Sacramento Bee – Allen Pierleoni
How do books make it onto best-seller lists in the first place? The answers are elusive.
“The creation of a best-seller list is the most nebulous thing you will ever encounter,” said Paul Takushi, book promotions and marketing manager for the UC Davis Store. “No one really knows how it’s done.”
How the New York Times figures its lists is nearly as secret as, say, the recipe for Coca-Cola.
Book Review staff editor Gregory Cowles explained in an email: “(The formula) is a secret both to protect our product and to make sure people can’t try to rig the system. Even in the Book Review itself, we don’t know (the news surveys department’s) precise methods.”
Formulas!! Timing!! Hollywood!! Oh my.
In all seriousness, it’s much more complicated than that. Fascinating read, check it out! See if you can predict which books (once published, of course) will become instant hits.
The True Story of Hansel and Gretel: a novel of war and survival by Louise Murphy 
In the last months of the Nazi occupation of Poland, two children are left by their father and stepmother to find safety in a dense forest. Because their real names will reveal their Jewishness, they are renamed “Hansel” and “Gretel.” They wander in the woods until they are taken in by Magda, an eccentric and stubborn old woman called “witch” by the nearby villagers. Magda is determined to save them, even as a German officer arrives in the village with his own plans for the children.
Combining classic themes of fairy tales and war literature, this haunting novel of journey and survival, of redemption and memory, powerfully depicts how war is experienced by families and especially by children, and tells a resonant, riveting story.
A heartbreaking, wonderfully written tale of lore, truth, and horror. Little portions of the Hansel and Gretel fairy tale come to life in the haunting atmosphere of World War II Poland. Everything from the names, the crumbs, the modern conception of a “witch,” even the burning oven. Despite all the hardships and sadness, I can promise you there is a happy ending. Not a cheerful, sun-is-shining one, but an ending that makes the breath you didn’t realize you were holding release.
There are multiple stories woven into the children’s. The reader learns about the various villagers; the witch, her grand-daughter, and the grand-daughter’s lover; the Nazi occupiers; and the partisans causing raucous to the Nazis in the forest. Murphy goes into detail about the various ways one could disguise their true identity, the starvation the Polish endured, the violence the Nazis inflicted, and even the cremation of the bodies at the camps. That particular passage was difficult and riveting all at once.
For any history buff who enjoys folklore, fairy tales, and fantasy, this is a great novel about love and loss. I liked it and I would highly recommend it, but it would take a while for me to work up the courage to read again.
Rating: ★★★ of 5
GoodReads: 3.99 of 5
Here’s a glimpse from the news this week about upcoming and newly published books!
Calico Joe by John Grisham will arrive April 10th, and it will be a novel on Major League Baseball! 
Summary: In the summer of 1973 Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen. The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas dazzled Cub fans as he hit home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as he shattered all rookie records. Calico Joe quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his Dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever.
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The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey will be published January 24th, a modern Jane Eyre!
Summary: Fate has not been kind to Gemma Hardy. Orphaned by the age of ten, neglected by a bitter and cruel aunt, sent to a boarding school where she is both servant and student, young Gemma seems destined for a life of hardship and loneliness. Yet her bright spirit burns strong. Fiercely intelligent, singularly determined, Gemma overcomes each challenge and setback, growing stronger and more certain of her path. Now an independent young woman with dreams of the future, she accepts a position as an au pair on the remote and beautiful Orkney Islands. But Gemma’s biggest trial is about to begin . . . a journey of passion and betrayal, secrets and lies, redemption and discovery that will lead her to a life she’s never dreamed.
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Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith published January 10th.
Summary: In Elizabeth the Queen, we meet the young girl who suddenly becomes “heiress presumptive” when her uncle abdicates the throne. We meet the thirteen-year-old Lilibet as she falls in love with a young navy cadet named Philip and becomes determined to marry him, even though her parents prefer wealthier English aristocrats. We see the teenage Lilibet repairing army trucks during World War II and standing with Winston Churchill on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on V-E Day. We see the young Queen struggling to balance the demands of her job with her role as the mother of two young children. Sally Bedell Smith brings us inside the palace doors and into the Queen’s daily routines—the “red boxes” of documents she reviews each day, the weekly meetings she has had with twelve prime ministers, her physically demanding tours abroad, and the constant scrutiny of the press—as well as her personal relationships: with Prince Philip, her husband of sixty-four years and the love of her life; her children and their often-disastrous marriages; her grandchildren and friends.
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From Publisher’s Lunch, be on the lookout for these upcoming books!
Bronte church in Haworth sees repair bill jump £50,000 – BBC
St Michael and All Angels Parish Church in Haworth, West Yorkshire, had raised the £65,000 needed to secure £100,000 in funding from English Heritage.
But rising costs of building work now means it requires up to £50,000 more.
…
John Huxley, secretary at Haworth church, said: “We were overjoyed to learn we had reached the total, then knocked sideways by finding out building costs had gone up by so much.
“The reaction from the public to help raise funds has been absolutely phenomenal.”
The church said a meeting would be held on Tuesday to discuss further fundraising options.
I was thrilled to hear they met their goal yesterday! But how are they going to get the rest of the money?
Enhanced E-Books: Blowing Up the Book – The Wall Street Journal – Alexandra Alter
The new novel “Chopsticks” tells the story of a troubled young piano prodigy—using family photos, letters, documents, instant messages and YouTube videos. It’s a love story, a mystery and a parable about creativity and madness.
It’s also an experiment, one that could have far-reaching implications for the book industry, as publishers stretch the definition of what constitutes a book. “Chopsticks” straddles the digital divide that is transforming the publishing world—it’s both a novel and a digital app.
My mind is screaming “no!” We already have videos and apps and ads and media bombardment everywhere else. I can see this becoming a useful tool to children, possibly, but not for adults in my opinion. Even with children, there’s still a need for touch – to feel the fuzzy sheep, to touch the rough sandpaper – when they’re reading (or being read to). That’s something an ebook cannot provide. But, to continue…
“The consumer is not asking for this,” said Jane Friedman, CEO of Open Road Media, an e-book publisher that is experimenting with enhanced titles. “It takes it from being a reading experience to something else, and we are publishers.“
Thank you, Friedman! Let’s be friends.
Where have all the book illustrators gone? – The Independent – Melanie McDonagh
Charles Dickens enjoyed close collaborative relationships with the illustrators of his novels, but now it’s rare to find a picture outside the world of children’s books. Is drawing a lost art, or could we be on the brink of a new golden age?
McDonagh talks about trends in art culture and the desires of authors and publishers. It’s pretty interesting to see the trends in publishing and illustrating.
The Unexpected Inspirations Behind Beloved Children’s Books – The Atlantic – Tom Hawking
The acid trips, war wounds, and survival stories that led to your treasured childhood fantasies…
What was the story behind Harry Potter, Where the Wild Things Are, Watership Down, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Chronicles of Narnia? Take a look and find out about 10 of your favorite children’s books. Really neat and fun to read!
Scribbles & Wanderlust 