Mailbox Monday -- February 1

Hi there!  Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  It's drawing to a close in my neck of the woods, and I'm still up doing laundry.  UGH!  Anyway, we had a weekend full of snow (double UGH!), but The Girl and I had a fun time making homemade bagels today.  They weren't too uniform in size, but they looked and tasted like bagels, so I'd say it was a success.

Anyway, I have a week filled with reviews and tour posts, so I'm posting Mailbox Monday a day early.  Mailbox Monday is the weekly meme hosted by Marcia from The Printed Page, where book lovers list the titles they received for review, purchased, or otherwise obtained.  I received just two books this week:

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, which Michele from A Reader's Respite kindly sent me to read for the War Through the Generations Vietnam War reading challenge.  Thanks, Michele!

Benjamin Pratt & the Keepers of the School: We the Children by Andrew Clements, from Simon & Schuster.  Not sure why I received this one, but The Girl is willing to give it a try, despite not really liking Clements' Frindle.





What books did you add to your shelves recently?

The Girl's Thoughts on Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman by Dav Pilkey

When I told The Girl about Julie's new Kid Konnection feature on Booking Mama on Saturdays, she was excited to participate.  It took us a few weeks, but here we are.

The Girl (age 9) borrowed Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman by Dav Pilkey from her teacher; apparently this book is a big hit in her 4th grade class.  She also went crazy buying some new and used Captain Underpants books during the recent family book-buying spree.  I will admit that when she brought this book home, I raised my eyebrows and said, "Wedgies, huh?"  And The Girl said, "Mom, they're funny, okay?" in that tone that means she's reading it and that's that. (Oh, how I dread the teenage years!) I haven't read this book, and I'm not sure I'll every pick up a Captain Underpants book except to stare at it quizzically, but she enjoys them.

She asked me to ask her some questions because she didn't feel like writing a review, so here goes:

Me:  Who's this Captain Underpants dude?

The Girl:  He's the principal, Mr. Krupp.  Harold and George used the 3-D Hipno Ring to hypnotize him.  Whenever anyone snaps their fingers, he turns into Captain Underpants.  Captain Underpants saves the day.  When anyone pours water on his head, he turns back into mean old Mr. Krupp, and he'll give them detention.

Me:  I see.  So, tell me what this book is about?

The Girl:  Harold and George used the ring to hypnotize their teacher, Ms. Ribble, so they can get better grades.  When they hypnotized her, they said not to turn into a wicked wedgie woman.  Then they heard a news report that the ring works different on girls, so it does the opposite of what you say.  So Ms. Ribble becomes the Wicked Wedgie Woman, and she gives people wedgies.

Me:  So how does Captain Underpants figure into this story?

The Girl:  He tries to stop the Wicked Wedgie Woman from taking over the world with her robots.

Me:  What was your favorite part of the book?

The Girl:  Can you include this quote?  [The Girl thrusts the book at me.]

Me:  Sure!

The Girl's favorite passage:

Before long, every cop in the city was hanging from a street sign.

"Call the National Guard!" screamed the Chief of Police.  "Call the Army -- call the Marines -- call a HAIRSTYLIST!"  (page 117)

Me:  Interesting.  You've made me slightly curious about this book.  What else did you like about it?

The Girl:  In the back of the book, there's an animation thing where you hold the book with your thumb and flip the page back and forth and it looks like Captain Underpants is really punching the robot.

Me:  Cool!  They don't make books like they used to, I guess.

The Girl:  In the old days, you mean?  Because you're old.

Me:  When did you grow a sense of humor?

The Girl:  [Smiles and does the "talk to the hand" movement.  I respond by rolling my eyes.]

Me:  So why do all the kids like Captain Underpants?  I'm assuming you enjoyed the book since you bought a bunch of them.

The Girl:  Yes, I did.  Because they are very, very, very, very [catches her breath] very, very funny.  Humorous.  An action-packed adventure.

Me:  Do you think grown-ups would like the books, too?  Would I like them?

The Girl:  No.  Because you don't like potty jokes that much.

Me:  Actually, I think potty jokes can sometimes be funny.  Would your father like this book?

The Girl:  No, he's an old grouch.

Me:  I hope you're just kidding.  At least he doesn't read our posts much.

So there you have it.  I actually think I don't want The Girl writing reviews because these conversations are pretty funny.  I hope you enjoy them, too.

To read other reviews for the latest Kid Konnection, visit Booking Mama.

Disclosure:  The Girl borrowed this book from her teacher.


and



© 2010, Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy or reproduce content without permission.

Guest Post: Misa Ramirez, author of the Lola Cruz mystery series

Today, I'm happy to welcome Misa Ramirez to Diary of an Eccentric.  Misa is the author of the Lola Cruz mystery series, which includes Living the Vida Lola and her latest book, Hasta la Vista, Lola!.

Misa is here to talk about the lengths she's willing to go in the name of research.  I haven't yet read any of the Lola Cruz books, but after reading this guest post, I've added them to my to-read list.

Please give a warm welcome to Misa Ramirez:

Writers are willing to do a lot in the name of research.  I’m no exception.  My name is Misa, and I’m a mystery writer.  Mysteries with a touch of romance, that is.

I wrote Living the Vida Lola, the first book in my mystery series, without having to do anything outrageous.  I visited the marina, took notes and pictures of the boats docked there, the rickety steps leading to the water, the color of the metal rooftop.  Tattoos figure prominently in the book, but I didn’t actually go out and get a tattoo.  A belly button piercing has a starring role, but no, I didn’t go out and get my belly pierced, either.

In book two, Hasta la Vista, Lola!, there’s identity theft. I didn’t go out and steal anyone’s identity (though I did become WAY more cautious about my own papers and private information as a result of my research) and no one stole mine. So far, so good.

Then came the planning of book three, Bare Naked Lola. Much of it takes place in a Nudist Resort, although I won’t reveal just what Lola’s willing to do, or how much clothing she’s willing to take off to solve a case. What I couldn’t quite research from the comfort of my own home was just what it was like to be in a nudist resort.

What’s a good girl to do?

Visit a real, live nudist resort, of course. And that’s just what I did. The place I visited was truly unique–and has the additional infamy of being the hiding place of Cary Stayner, the Yosemite Killer from 1999. Not a pleasant claim to fame, but it certainly makes for colorful history.

So, back to my story. I visited this nudist resort. They were quite accommodating, actually, bless their naked hearts. I saw a day in the life of nudists. Some do it part time, some 24/7. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much skin in one place!

The thing about being a writer is that you never know what exciting adventure your story will take you on, and ultimately take your readers on. Ever hear of a little concert called Woodstock? My nudist resort has Nudestock. Seriously! I don’t think I could have made that up. I learned so much about how nudists live–and Lola gets to tell the story in the book I’m currently writing. So, tattoo or belly piercing? Nope, not necessary to experience. But seeing how the nude live? Yes, that’s something you have to see in order to get it right.

So here’s my question. What crazy thing have you good girls done that you never thought you would?

About the Author

Misa Ramirez is the author of the Lola Cruz mystery series: Living the Vida Lola (January ‘09) and Hasta la Vista, Lola! (2010) from St. Martin’s Minotaur / Thomas Dunne Books. A former middle and high school teacher, current instructor at Southern Methodist University’s Continuing Education program, and active CEO and CFO for La Familia Ramirez, this blonde-haired, green-eyed, proud to be Latina-by-Marriage girl loves following Lola on her many adventures. You can find her at http://misaramirez.com or http://chasingheroes.com and on http://thestilettogang.blogspot.com.

******

Misa would like to offer one of my readers the chance to read a Lola Cruz mystery.  All you have to do is answer the question at the end of her guest post in the comments, along with your e-mail address.

The winner will choose either a copy of Living the Vida Lola or Hasta la Vista, Lola!

This giveaway is open internationally and will close Sunday, Feb. 7 at 11:59 pm EST.

And the winners are...

Thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway for Shanghai Girls by Lisa See.  The winners are:

Iliana

and

Mystica!

Congratulations and happy reading!  I hope you both enjoy the book as much as I did.

Review: The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

"1942.  It is several days before Passover," the badchan said.

"Before Passover?"  Hannah drew in a deep breath.  And then, all of a sudden, she knew.  She knew beyond any doubt where she was.  She was not Hannah Stern of New Rochelle, at least not anymore, though she still had Hannah's memories.  Those memories, at least, might serve as a warning.

"The men down there," she cried out desperately, "they're not wedding guests.  They're Nazis.  Nazis!  Do you understand?  They kill people.  They killed -- kill -- will kill Jews.  Hundreds of them.  Thousands of them.  Six million of them!  Don't ask me how I know, I just do.  We have to turn the wagons around.  We have to run!"  (from The Devil's Arithmetic, pages 63-64)

The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen is the most unique Holocaust novel I've ever read.  Published in 1988, the book focuses on 12-year-old Hannah Stern, a Jewish girl who lives a relatively normal life in New Rochelle, New York -- a girl who is tired of hearing the same stories at every Passover meal, tired of watching her grandfather raise his tattooed arm and shout at television documentaries about the Holocaust.  But during this particular Passover, Hannah will learn a very important lesson, one for which should could pay the ultimate price.

When Hannah opens the door as part of the Passover ritual to symbolically welcome the prophet Elijah, she opens the door to the past.  In fact, she travels back in time to a Polish village in 1942, where she is a young girl named Chaya living with her aunt and uncle.  On the way to her uncle's wedding, Chaya and a group of villagers are rounded up by the Nazis and told that they will be relocated.  Hannah realizes that she has been somehow transported to the past, and she remembers all that she'd been told about the Holocaust.  Despite her attempts to warn everyone, which just causes them to either look at her like she's crazy or panic or both, Hannah/Chaya and the others are taken to a concentration camp and put to work.

The Devil's Arithmetic is a beautifully written, heartbreaking novel for middle grade readers that emphasizes the importance of remembering.  It is obvious that Yolen performed extensive research to write about the inner workings of a concentration camp, and the book is packed with so many interesting details and compelling characters that despite the heavy content, it was difficult to put down.  Told from the point of view of Hannah, readers see the horrors of the camps from the eyes of a child and more importantly, the eyes of a child who knows the outcome of World War II and the fate of millions of Jews and lacks the power to change the course of history.

Hannah's story makes you wonder whether it would be worse to walk into one of the camps not knowing what horrors await you or fully knowing the reason why the smoke stacks are constantly spewing out ash.  Yolen raises these issues without being overly graphic, though many of the images could be shocking to some young readers, especially those not familiar with the Holocaust.  Nevertheless, I think The Devil's Arithmetic is an important book for children and adults alike, reminding us that we should not forget those who perished at the hands of evil nor those who survived against all odds.

Disclosure:  I purchased my copy of The Devil's Arithmetic.



© 2010, Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy or reproduce content without permission.

Review: The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

When they arrived at the palace she had a word with Grant, the young footman in charge, who said it was security and that while ma'am had been in the Lords the sniffer dogs had been round and security had confiscated the book.  He thought it had probably been exploded.

'Exploded?' said the Queen.  'But it was Anita Brookner.'

The young man, who seemed remarkably undeferential, said security may have thought it was a device.

The Queen said:  'Yes.  That is exactly what it is.  A book is a device to ignite the imagination.'  (from The Uncommon Reader, page 34)

The Uncommon Reader is a delightful novella by Alan Bennett that all book lovers should read.  If you're like me and books have taken over your home and life, then you'll understand the plight of the Queen of England.  The Queen, while chasing after her dogs, finds herself in a mobile library, and she borrows a book.  This simple act completely changes her life, and she soon learns that reading is a lot more interesting than carrying out her royal duties.

The next morning she had a sniffle and, having no engagements, stayed in bed saying she felt she might be getting flu.  This was uncharacteristic and also not true; it was actually so that she could get on with her book.  (pages 13-14)

I nodded and laughed my way through this short book, finding myself here and there between its pages.  The Queen moves Norman -- the young man whom she met in the mobile library -- out of the kitchen and into her office, and she turns to him for book discussions and recommendations, much to the chagrin of her personal secretary, Sir Kevin.  The way she and Norman talked about books and authors reminded me why I enjoy reading book blogs:  partly for book recommendations and partly for the companionship of fellow book lovers.  I found it hilarious when the Queen would meet with her subjects, and instead of asking them about their travels or other trivial questions, she'd ask them what they were reading and even pull out her current book to show them.  However, the novella is a bit depressing in that the Queen's love of the written word is not shared by Sir Kevin, the prime minister, and other close contacts, and they do what they can to keep her away from books.

The Uncommon Reader made me remember exactly why I love reading so much.  Reading takes you on adventures to places you normally wouldn't travel, allows you to experience things you normally wouldn't experience, and lets you escape the stresses of your life for a little while.  But The Uncommon Reader is about so much more than an obsession with books; it's about finding yourself and broadening your horizons, no matter your age.  The fact that it's all about books is just icing on the cake.

Disclosure: I purchased my copy of The Uncommon Reader.

Mailbox Monday -- January 25

Although I didn't want the weekend -- or the hours of Beatles Rock Band at Serena's house -- to end, it's time for another Mailbox Monday.  Marcia from The Printed Page hosts this weekly meme, where book lovers share the titles they received for review, purchased, or otherwise obtained over the past week.

I received only 2 books for review, but they both look really good:

Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart by Beth Pattillo, from Phenix & Phenix

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann, from Random House for an upcoming TLC tour

What books did you add to your shelves recently?

Review: Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World by Abigail Reynolds

Her eyes locked with her husband's again.  "I intend to put this knowledge to good use by waiting until he is deep in a book to confess any sins I have committed.  Then I will have the pleasure of a clean conscience, and he will be none the wiser."

Bingley said, "An excellent plan.  Upon my honour, when Darcy is reading, Bonaparte and all his army could come charging through with sabres drawn, and he would take no notice!" (from Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World, page 199 in the ARC)

The above quote about Mr. Darcy certainly applied to me when I was reading Abigail Reynolds' latest Pemberley Variation, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World, in which she poses one answer to the question, "What if Elizabeth Bennet had accepted Mr. Darcy's first marriage proposal?"  What follows is not merely a re-telling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice but a different story about Austen's beloved characters, one that is fresh and unique while staying true to the Darcy and Elizabeth I know and love.

Reynolds opens her novel shortly after Darcy and Elizabeth are married -- occurring when her sister, Jane, is still sad about Mr. Bingley's sudden departure from Netherfield and prior to the elopement of her boy-crazy and impulsive sister, Lydia -- with Darcy taking Elizabeth to Pemberley for the first time and Elizabeth recalling how she came to be married to a man she loathes.  Mr. Darcy just assumed she'd accept his proposal, despite insulting Elizabeth with comments about her embarrassing family and low status, and the passionate kiss he forces upon her is observed by Colonel Fitzwilliam and Lady Catherine's gatekeepers.  This leaves her with little choice but to marry the arrogant Darcy and put up with the fact that he doesn't want her associating with her family; if she chooses otherwise, she feels her family will be ruined and any chance for her four other sisters to marry will be lost.

Darcy soon learns that Elizabeth doesn't share his feelings of love, and when an accident occurs and Elizabeth realizes that she does in fact love Darcy, it might be too late.  Lonely, without family or friends, Elizabeth passes her days at Pemberley, feeling certain that she and Darcy will spend the rest of their lives simply co-existing.  Both are too proud and stubborn to talk about their feelings, and when her sister, Lydia, runs off with Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth is sure that Mr. Darcy will want her to permanently sever all ties to her family.

While reading Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World, it became obvious to me that Reynolds has read Pride and Prejudice many, many times and knows these characters inside and out.  Though her writing style is part old-fashioned, part-contemporary, it was easy for me to lose myself in the story and actually forget I was reading an Austen sequel.  Sometimes it felt that Elizabeth's abhorrence of Darcy was stated too many times, but it was easy to overlook because the path Reynolds paved for the two was interesting.  It was entertaining to watch Darcy come to the realization that he can be an arrogant ass and Elizabeth come into her own as the mistress of Pemberley.  The only disappointment for me was not getting to see much of Elizabeth's family.  I can do without the annoying Mrs. Bennet, but I felt the absence of the witty Mr. Bennet.

Since the book opens in the middle of Austen's story without any introductions of Darcy or Elizabeth or any backstory about their first meeting or the reasons why Elizabeth's family (really, mother) is so embarrassing, I think it would be hard to truly understand if you haven't already read Pride and Prejudice.  For those of us (me included) who have read Pride and Prejudice more than once, it's nice to just start at the exact point where Reynolds' story begins.

I highly recommend Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy:  The Last Man in the World if you love Darcy and Elizabeth and have every wondered "what if?"  You can be sure that I'll read more of Reynolds' Pemberley Variations in the future!

Check out my interview with Abigail Reynolds and enter to win a copy of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World by clicking here.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World from Sourcebooks for review purposes.

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World is my 2nd book for the Jane Austen Challenge.

Interview: Abigail Reynolds, author of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World

I first discovered Abigail Reynolds when I read her modern-day retelling of Pride and Prejudice, titled Pemberley by the Sea.  I was thrilled to have the chance to interview her back in 2008 (click here to read my review of Pemberley by the Sea and my first interview with Abigail), and I'm excited to welcome Abigail back to Diary of an Eccentric for the release of her latest Pemberley Variation, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World, which answers the question "What if Elizabeth Bennet had accepted Mr. Darcy's marriage proposal the first time he asked?"  I'll be posting my review of the book tomorrow, but let me just tell you that I look forward to reading more of these Pemberley Variations!

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my latest "chat" with Abigail, and I'd like to thank her for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions.

How many times have you read Pride and Prejudice?  

I don’t think I can count that high.  At least twenty times cover to cover, and far more when I read just a segment.  I know the story so well that I can jump in on any page.

Do you plan to add to your Pemberley Variations series?  What are you working on now? 

I have so many ideas for Pemberley Variations that I’ll probably keep writing them as long as I can keep them fresh and different.  I just finished the first draft of a new variation where the twist is that Elizabeth refuses to read Darcy’s letter, and therefore remains in ignorance of Wickham’s perfidy and Darcy’s virtues.  It makes their meeting at Pemberley rather exciting!

How do you feel about the plethora of Pride and Prejudice sequels out there?  Any thoughts on the paranormal Austen sequels?  

Personally, I’m delighted to see so many sequels out there, both published and self-published, and I’ve read a great many of them.  It’s evidence that we can’t get enough Jane Austen!  I enjoy seeing the different takes from different writers.  In addition, the Paranormals are an interesting twist. I think of it as Twilight meets Jane Austen.   Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is on my to-read list, and I’m curious to see what’s next.  We have P&P zombies, vampires, and werewolves so far – what’s next?

Besides Pride and Prejudice what other books do you find yourself re-reading?  

My comfort-food reading is pretty varied, from YA to historicals to fantasy.  The pile I couldn’t live without includes The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth Speare, The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, the highly underrated Beacon at Alexandria by Gillian Bradshaw, and Jaran by Kate Elliott.  Characters from all those books live in my head.

What do you enjoy doing when you're not writing? 

I love to read, of course, and I like to bead, despite having no talent whatsoever at making jewelry.  I enjoy spending time with my 18-year-old daughter who has a great sense of humor and is always introducing me to new experiences.  Although I haven’t been able to travel much since having kids, visiting new places is one of my favorite things in the world.

Thanks for inviting me!

Thanks, Abigail!  I wish you much success, and I look forward to reading more of your work in the future.

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MR. FITZWILLIAM DARCY: THE LAST MAN IN THE WORLD -- IN STORES JANUARY 2010!

In this sexy Jane Austen sequel, Elizabeth Bennet accepts Mr. Darcy's first marriage proposal, answering the "What if...?" question fans everywhere have pondered

"I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry."

Famous last words indeed! Elizabeth Bennet's furious response to Mr. Darcy's marriage proposal has resonated for generations of readers. But what if she had never said it? Would she have learned to recognize Mr. Darcy's admirable qualities on her own? Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy follows Elizabeth and Darcy as they struggle to find their way through the maze of their prejudices after Elizabeth, against her better judgment, agrees to marry Darcy instead of refusing his proposal.

Two of the most beloved characters in English literature explore the meaning of true love in a tumultuous and passionate attempt to make a success of their marriage.

About the Author

Abigail Reynolds is a physician and a lifelong Jane Austen enthusiast. She began writing The Pemberley Variations series in 2001, and encouragement from fellow Austen fans convinced her to continue asking “What if…?” She lives with her husband and two teenage children in Madison, Wisconsin. For more information, please visit http://pemberleyvariations.com/.

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Would you like to read Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World?  Well, you're in luck!  Sourcebooks is offering 2 copies to my readers!  All you have to do is leave a comment with your e-mail address.

Because the publisher is shipping the books, this giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada readers only.  The giveaway will run through Sunday, Jan. 31 at 11:59 EST.

Interview: Jamie Ford, author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

I'm thrilled to welcome Jamie Ford to Diary of an Eccentric today, and I'd like to thank him for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions.  Ford is the author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (which I reviewed here), a story set in Seattle that focuses on Henry Lee, who as a young boy during World War II, witnessed the relocation of Japanese families -- including his best friend and first love, Keiko Okabe -- to internment camps.

What inspired you to write Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet?

It was really the perfect storm of a lot of things, good and bad, beginning when my father died. He was Chinese, but an only child, so when he passed I felt cut off from my Chinese heritage. I was also working in advertising at the time on some truly soul-killing accounts. When that happens I tend to write on the weekends just as a creative outlet, and began kicking around a few story ideas set in Seattle’s Chinatown, circa 1940. And then I skipped my twenty-year high school reunion to attend a writers' conference. It was there that I brought some recent work and met with an editor who thought I had a bright future. Now here I am talking to you…

What do you want readers to take from the book?

I didn't want to write a story that's something for everyone, but rather have it be everything to someone. And that everything is the love story—that some things, and some people, truly are worth waiting for, even at great hardship and personal sacrifice.

Beyond that, I hope people visit Seattle's Chinatown International District. I hope they pick up related books or at least do some googling of the historical aspects of the book, lest we forget.

Are you working on another book?  If so, any hints?

I am. Just turned it in to my editor a few weeks ago and am diving into revisions. It's the story of a student conscript who becomes a kamikaze pilot. It's tentatively titled, Whispers of a Thunder God. And oddly enough, it's another love story.

I'm also doing research for a YA (Young Adult) series.

What do you enjoy doing when you're not writing?

Live entertainment—whether it's MMA (mixed martial arts) or theater, I love it all. I'm also a comics geek; currently I'm feeding my manga addiction.

What book are you reading now?

I'm reading an ARC of Juliet by Anne Fortier—an amazing book that'll be coming out later in the year. It's already a huge hit and it's not officially "out there" yet.

What/who are some of your favorite books/authors?

I love Harlan Ellison. He's known for short fiction, but his essays are incredible—they're honest, caustic, painful, self-aggrandizing and self-deprecating at the same time. He's a true self-taught man of letters, the last of a dying breed, I'm afraid.

I'm also a big Sherman Alexie fan. Another writer who's mastered the alchemy of blending truth, humor, and tragedy.

Can you describe your experience getting Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet published?  Any advice to aspiring writers hoping to see their work in print?

My publishing journey has been a dream, like a vacation on that 70s show, Fantasy Island—I keep expecting Herve Villechaize to pop up and offer me an umbrella drink.

As far as advice to aspiring writers—Orson Scott Card said it best, "Writers block is your subconscious telling you this sucks." Listen to that inner voice. Learn from it and move on. Keep writing.

Thanks, Jamie!  I wish you much success, and I'm looking forward to reading more of your work.

Courtesy of Random House, I have a trade paperback copy of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet to give away.  Just leave a comment and tell me why you want to read the book.

Because the publisher is shipping the book to the winner, this giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada addresses only.  This giveaway will be open through Sunday, Jan. 31 at 11:59 EST.
 

Click here to check out the other stops on the  Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet blog tour.

Review: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

His father pointed at the door.  "If you walk out that door -- if you walk out that door now, you are no longer part of this family.  You are no longer Chinese.  You are not part of us anymore.  Not a part of me."

Henry didn't even hesitate.  He touched the doorknob, feeling the brass cold and hard in his hand.  He looked back, speaking his best Cantonese.  "I am what you made me, Father."  He opened the heavy door.  "I...am an American."  (from Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, page 185)

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is a beautifully written story set in Seattle that takes readers back and forth in time as they follow the story of Henry Lee.  In 1986, Henry is in his 50s and dealing with the recent death of his wife, Ethel, when the new owner of the Panama Hotel unearths the belongings of numerous Japanese families in the basement -- Japanese families who left their photographs and other personal items behind when the U.S. government shipped them off to interment camps during World War II.  The announcement causes Henry to reminisce about his best friend and first love, Keiko Okabe.

In 1942, Henry and Keiko are 12 years old and struggling to fit in at their all-white school.  Henry is a Chinese American whose father orders him to speak only English in their home -- even though his parents' inability to understand the language means they no longer communicate with their son -- and wear a button stating "I Am Chinese" so that he is not mistaken for the Japanese "enemy."  The button does little to stop the bullies at school from beating up on him because of his race.  Keiko is a Japanese American who doesn't even speak Japanese and finds herself unwanted by her country, the only country she's ever known.  Henry knows his parents wouldn't approve of his friendship with Keiko, but even when she and her family are sent to internment camps, he keeps in touch with her -- at least at first.

As a grown man, Henry is trying to forge a relationship with his college-aged son, Marty, and is still dealing with his feelings for Keiko and his issues with his father.  He finds himself drawn to the Panama Hotel and the items in the basement and begins looking for something that will bring him face-to-face with the past.

In Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Jamie Ford has created such endearing characters in Henry and Keiko, whose innocence is marred by the ignorance of a country at war.  The first word that comes to my mind when I think about Ford's handling of Henry and Keiko's young love and Henry's love for Ethel and desire to care for her through a difficult illness is tenderness.  He successfully balances this tenderness with the harsh treatment of Asian immigrants and their American-born children, allowing readers to feel Henry's anger and confusion.  As a Chinese American himself, Ford does a wonderful job presenting the conflicts in Henry's relationship with his father; readers can understand that his father wants the best for him, but we feel a great sadness that his own prejudices and stubbornness stand in the way of a loving relationship.  The bitter and the sweet converge several times, creating a story that tugs at your heart.  I was drawn to Ford's writing and Henry's story from the very beginning, and it was difficult to put the book down.

Click here for an excerpt and a reading group guide.

About the Author

Jamie Ford is the great-grandson of Nevada mining pioneer Min Chung, who emigrated in 1865 from Kaiping, China, to San Francisco, where he adopted the western name "Ford," thus confusing countless generations.  Ford is an award-winning short-story writer, an alumnus of the Squaw Valley Community of Writers, and a survivor of Orson Scott Card's Literary Boot Camp.  Having grown up near Seattle's Chinatown, he now lives in Montana with his wife and children.

Stay tuned for my interview with Jamie Ford.

Click here to see the rest of the blog tour stops for Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet from Random House for review purposes.

Guest Post: Ben H. Winters, author of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters

Today, I'm happy to welcome Ben H. Winters to Diary of an Eccentric.  Ben is the co-author of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (which I reviewed here), the latest Jane Austen mashup from Quirk Books.

Here's what Ben has to say about the process of adding sea monsters to Austen's Sense and Sensibility:

Jane is my Co-Pilot: The Fine Art of Making Sense and Sensibility Totally Ridiculous

Since writing Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, I've gotten a ton of feedback about how nice it is that I've made Jane Austen appealing to certain readers -- meaning readers who previously suffered a persistent allergy to The Classics. I am complimented for taking the prim and decorous Jane Austen and making her, A) really violent, and B) really funny.

The first compliment I will gladly accept. Over the decades since Sense and Sensibility first appeared, it has been noted by scholars and casual readers alike that the book is sorely lacking in shipwrecks, shark attacks, and vividly described decapitations. I believe it was the poet and critic Thomas Chatterton who admired the novel's careful plotting and social critique, but lamented the total absence of vengeful ghost pirates.

But I can't take credit for making Jane Austen funny. As is well known by passionate fans of Austen -- I have yet to meet any other kind -- the old girl has always been funny. Take for example Mr. and Mrs. Palmer, a set of secondary characters in Sense and Sensibility. The periodic appearances of the Palmers comprise what any comedy writer will recognize as a running gag. Mrs. Palmer is chatty and trivial, while Mr. Palmer (a delightful Hugh Laurie in the Ang Lee version) is gruff and unaffectionate. What Mrs. Palmer labels "droll," the reader -- along with Elinor, our sensible heroine -- recognizes as plain distaste for his wife, her friends, and everybody else in the universe. Every time those Palmers show up, we know we're in for the next variation on the same great gag.

Note that Austen doesn't do to the Palmers what Charles Dickens would: Exaggerate their core traits to the point of absurdity. (Also, she doesn't name them something like Mr. and Mrs. Featherwit). The Palmers are funny, but they're plausible, and their primary function in the book is to provide not laughs, but a corrective to Marianne's rosy ideal of married life. So Austen makes them funny, but not ridiculous.

Making them ridiculous was my job. When the Palmers appear in my monsterfied Sensibility, I give Mr. Palmer's drollery a murky, weird-tales back story, part of the preposterously elaborate foreshadowing of my H.P. Lovecraft-inspired denouement.

I play the same game, of comically amplifying what's already there, in varying ways throughout the book. Colonel Brandon, stiff and formal and middle-aged, becomes a stiff and formal and middle-aged man-monster. Genial Sir John becomes genial adventurer/explorer Sir John. Had Austen made all her characters ridiculous in that Dickensian way, if she had been the kind of writer who is forever winking at her readers, my book would be (as they say in improv comedy) a hat on a hat. But because Sense and Sensibility is so eloquent and restrained, Sea Monsters gets to go way over the top.

This is true even on the simple level of vocabulary. Austen's precise early-19th century diction is the textual equivalent of Eustace Tilly, the top-hatted, monocled figure from the cover of the New Yorker: Her writing simply oozes good taste. The trick was to appropriate that ever-so-tasteful and old-timey Austenian style to describe things she never would have:

In the profound silence that followed, their ears were filled with a low thrashing sound, as the corpse of the bosun's mate was noisily consumed by devil fish. At length the captain drew upon his pipe, and spoke again. "Let us only pray that this is the worst such abomination you encounter in this benighted land; for such is but a minnow, when compared to the Devonshire Fang-Beast."

"The . . . what?"

Even more fun to play with than Austen's eloquent vocabulary is her universe of enforced emotional rectitude. The Dashwood sisters live in a world where one's feelings are not blurted out -- or, at least, they're not meant to be, as sensible Elinor is continually reminding sensitive Marianne. It's a constant struggle to keep one's emotions hidden beneath the surface; all I did was literalize that metaphor in the most preposterous way, by adding deadly and dangerous monsters which appear literally from beneath the surface.

There was one factor above all that made Sense and Sensibility such a fun comic foil, and that is the place the book holds in the cultural firmament. One question I've heard a lot (or read a lot, as it's the sort of thing that comes up on blog comment-threads), is "Why didn't you do Persuasion? That's the Austen book that actually takes place on the water!"

The answer is simply that Persuasion, unlike Sense and Sensibility or Pride and Prejudice, may be a great book, but it is not a Great Book. It has not gathered around itself the unmistakable stink of importance.

Sense and Sensibility, on the other hand, stands in the literary tradition as Margaret Dumont stands before Groucho Marx, as the Chairman of the Reception Committee in Duck Soup: Prim and proper and radiating worthiness -- just waiting, in other words, for someone to hit it with a pie.

©2009 Ben H. Winters, author of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters

For more information please visit www.BenHWinters.com and www.quirkclassics.com.

Thanks, Ben.  I wish you much success!

Congratulations to The Girl!

I was scarce on the blogs last week because we had some late nights due to school functions for The Girl...and some celebratory dinners!

After months of research, it was time for the school science fair.  The Girl loves science, so this was a fun, though time-consuming project.  She built an electroscope and tested a bunch of objects to see which generated the most static electricity.  She presented the project to her class in December and was thrilled that she received a 98 out of 100!

She had to present her project to the judges on Thursday, and later that evening, the three of us were happy to learn that she won the 1st place medal in the 4th grade physics/electricity group!  Great job, my sweetheart!  I'm so proud!

Then, she auditioned for the school play, Disney's Cinderella Kids.  She's certainly not shy like her mother because she chose a song ("Headphones On" by Miranda Cosgrove), practiced practiced practiced, and sang in front of about 50 people, then read from the play.  And she made it!!  She was a little disappointed that all the "big" parts were given to the older kids (she wanted to be one of the mean stepsisters), but she's happy to be a mouse and villager.  I don't know what the rehearsal schedule is yet, but I'm sure we'll be very busy until the end of April.

After having to learn the ropes at 3 schools by the time she was in third grade, I'm so happy to see her doing so well.  We had to pull her out of private school after 2nd grade because of huge tuition hikes, got her into one of the better public schools in the area for 3rd grade but she wasn't happy at all, and managed to find a less expensive but really good private school where she transferred during second half of the last school year.  She said she finally feels at home.  And I'm so thankful.

Mailbox Monday -- January 18

It's time for another Mailbox Monday, the weekly meme hosted by Marcia from The Printed Page where book lovers share the titles they purchased, received for review, or otherwise obtained during the past week.

I added just 3 new books to my shelves this week, which was a relief after trying to find space for the spoils of the family book-buying spree!

The Help by Kathryn Stockett, which I won from Presenting Lenore.  I've been dying to read  this  book!

The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel with Bret Witter, from Hachette for review.

Get Lucky by Katherine Center, from Random House for an upcoming TLC Book Tour

What books did you add to your shelves recently?

Review: Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters

...Willoughby executed a mocking gesture with his hands, holding the flat of his palm below his nose and wiggling his fingers in comical imitation of Brandon's deformity.

Elinor rolled her eyes.  "Why should you dislike him so?"

"I do not dislike him.  I consider him, on the contrary, as a very respectable man, who has everybody's good word, and nobody's notice; who has more money than he can spend, more time than he knows how to employ, and two new coats every year.  Who, though he may have a thinking mind, has also a fish's face, and should perhaps be more comfortable out of his gentleman's coats and submerged in the tank in my parlour."  (from Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, page 56)

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters is Ben H. Winters' take on Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, with an "Alteration" turning all of the sea creatures in the waters near England into, well, monsters.  The book opens with the death of the Dashwood patriarch, who while lying on a beach and torn apart by a hammerhead shark scrawls a plea to his son in the sand, asking that he take care of his current wife and their three daughters, Elinore, Marianne, and Margaret.  When the young Mr. Dashwood's wife convinces him that his plans for his stepmother and half-sisters are too generous, the women, essentially penniless, brave the waters and travel to the Devonshire coast to settle on Pestilent Isle.  A relative of Mrs. Dashwood, Sir John Middleton, provides the women with a cottage, and they constantly travel to his house on Deadwind Island to visit with him and Lady Middleton -- a woman who was taken against her will from her homeland by Sir John as the adventurer and his men ravaged the area.  As in Sense and Sensibility, Marianne falls for Willoughby, Elinor falls for Edward Ferrars, and Colonel Brandon has a thing for Marianne -- and their plans for happiness don't work out they way they wish.  Unlike the Austen novel, however, Colonel Brandon is part man and part octopus -- and there are plenty of references to face rot, moving tentacles, and sliminess.

I really wanted to like this one, but I didn't make it past page 141.  The book was interesting and amusing in the beginning, and the characters of Lady Middleton and Sir John were hilarious, but after awhile, it started to bore me.  While sea monsters are an interesting touch, they weren't well integrated with Austen's story and characters, or at least not well enough in the first half of the book to keep my attention.  While zombies were well integrated into Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, with the Bennets and several other main characters trained as zombie slayers, the sea monsters in Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters make an appearance here and there, are killed or fought off, and then the characters go back to their routines.

There are a few references to the Alteration, a sub-marine station, Elinor's visions of a symbol that she eventually sees tattooed on Lucy Steele, and Margaret's fascination with steam coming out of a mountain on the island and her insistence that strange, chanting people are out there somewhere, but I just couldn't get myself to keep reading to find out what happens.  After 141 pages, the sea monsters were no longer interesting, and while Winters injects witty dialogue about the sea monsters, it just wasn't enough. I think my biggest issue with Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters is that Winters takes Jane Austen's writing and adds a bit of his own here and there.  I think if Winters had completely re-written the story in his own words, I would have found it unique, and the story would have flowed better.  If I'd wanted to read Austen's writing, I would have picked up Sense and Sensibility for a re-read.  I was expecting the sea monsters to be a bigger, more clever part of the story, and while it is possible that they do take center stage later on in the book, the pacing in the first half was a bit off and prevented me from continuing.  I wanted to know more about the Alteration, the symbol, and the chanting; I wanted more than a few mentions here and there before moving to more tedious scenes.

It's been many years since I read the Austen novel, so I was approaching Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters as someone who didn't remember the details of the original story, and maybe that affected my feelings about the book.  Also, in terms of supernatural creatures, sea monsters aren't the most interesting to me, and I was looking for something really exciting to hold my attention.  However, I do applaud Winters for taking a chance, as adding sea monsters to a Jane Austen novel is bound to generate strong feelings among readers. Although Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters didn't work for me, I encourage those of you interested in these mashups to give it a try, as I've seen a lot of favorable reviews.  And I might even give it another go myself after I re-read Sense and Sensibility later this year for the Jane Austen Challenge.

Stay tuned for an entertaining guest post from Ben H. Winters, author of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters.

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters from FSB Associates for review purposes.

Review: Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

...In the days before the Republic, I would have already been sent sight unseen to my husband's home in a red lacquer sedan chair.  By now I would have given birth to several children, sons hopefully.  But I was born in 1916, the fourth year of the Republic.  Footbinding was banned and women's lives changed.  People in Shanghai now consider arranged marriages backward.  Everyone wants to marry for love.  In the meantime, we all believe in free love.  Not that I've given it freely.  (from Shanghai Girls, pages 15-16, hardcover)

I can tell you already that Shanghai Girls will make "the best books I read in 2010" list.  Set in China and the United States from 1937-1957, Shanghai Girls covers the Japanese invasion of China, World War II, and China's civil war.  Lisa See tells the story through the eyes of Pearl Chin, a modern girl born and raised in Shanghai, a "beautiful girl" who earns money with her sister by posing for painted advertisements for an assortment of products.  Pearl is older sister to May, who is their parents' favorite, who is more beautiful than Pearl, needier than Pearl, and less educated than Pearl.  But despite their differences, they are best friends.

When Shanghai Girls opens, Pearl and May lead relatively carefree lives -- the family has servants, they have new and modern clothes, and they are able to earn money to save for themselves.  They have grand plans for their futures; they don't have bound feet and they won't be subject to arranged marriages.  But their world is turned upside down when their father tells them that he squandered all of the family's money, including their earnings, and to ensure that he and their mother can continue living in the family home, he has sold the girls to Old Man Louie, an American born merchant, to become wives to his younger sons and move with them to America.  They have no intention of becoming wives to men -- boys, actually -- they don't know or moving away from the city they love.  But then the Japanese invade China, bombs are dropped on their beloved city, suffering is everywhere, and the girls have nowhere to go.  Their family is disgraced, torn apart, leaving nothing but their bond to one another.

Shanghai Girls runs the gamut of emotions.  Pearl and May's story is heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time.  It is a story of survival, moving forward when you have nothing and recognizing the importance of family, loyalty, duty, and honor.  Lisa See's writing is brilliant, detailed, and beautiful, and she touches upon cultural issues -- particularly with regard to gender and class -- the harshness of the immigrant life, sibling rivalry, and racism and discrimination in the United States during and after World War II, among other things.  Pearl's first person, present tense viewpoint puts readers in the midst of the action; we can hear the bombs falling on Shanghai, we can feel the sisters' fear as they enter a country completely foreign to them, and we can feel their frustration as they struggle with being "worthless" women according to Chinese culture.

I have zero in common with Pearl, yet I felt a kinship with her from page one.  In telling her story and not holding back -- even when doing so reveals her own flaws -- Pearl seems real.  She's just a woman dealt a bad hand who could have given up and perished at the hands of the Japanese but kept plugging along, learning to be happy with her lot and discovering joy here and there along the way.  Shanghai Girls is one of those books that you can't put down.  Certain scenes hit me hard in the stomach and brought tears to my eyes, and I knew almost from the start that I would be deeply affected by this book...and absolutely love it.

About the Author

Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of Peony in Love, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Flower Net (an Edgar Award Nominee), The Interior, and Dragon Bones, as well as the critically acclaimed memoir On Gold Mountain.  The Organization of Chinese American women named her the 2001 National Woman of the Year.  She lives in Los Angeles.

Read an excerpt of Shanghai Girls here.

Check out the other stops on the Shanghai Girls blog tour by clicking here.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of Shanghai Girls from Random House for review purposes

GIVEAWAY!

Courtesy of Random House, I have 2 trade paperback copies of Shanghai Girls up for grabs.  Just leave a comment on this post with your e-mail address.  This giveaway will run until Sunday, January 24, at 11:59 pm EST and is open to U.S./Canada addresses only.