Apple Seeds - October 2006
Ted Nelson Lundrigan: Hot off the presses! Yes, we have Ted’s newest book, “A Bird in the Hand”- and it’s here for your early Christmas shopping! Ted has more than found his niche. His hunting experiences, stories of clever hunting dogs, as well as his ability to reminisce and to speculate about those many places he and his dogs stopped at along the way makes for pleasurable reading.
I already read it – the first book in Nora Roberts’ latest “Circle” trilogy. “Morrigan’s Cross” introduces Hoyt who travels forward in time to form a circle of six to battle the forces of evil. The books are to be published in August, September and October (in stores on Halloween). Lifetime is currently filming “Montana Sky” in Calgary, starring John Corbett—with more movies to come.
On that same note, I just finished a “Time Travel” that had a good comedic concept, but was just too predictable. The characters had no depth, and were forgettable minutes after closing the book. Phooey.
The Lisa Gardner “thriller” books have been selling so fast, it’s time for you to start bringing them back in—the shelf looks a little bare. Gardner (a former romance author) is writing about some pretty terrifying people, and the awful thing you realize as you read is that these people could be your neighbors—or members of your own family.
We were just informed that schools were told there is NO MORE MONEY FOR THE CHILDREN’S MILK BREAK. What? L Maybe we could say the kids are addicted to milk, and then they could probably receive special funding. !
Reading a Western is “way cool”. There are always the shoot-‘em-up, stab-‘em-deep kind of things, but (as one customer said) these nasty doings have to be righteously done by the guy in the white hat—who is broad of shoulder and narrow of hip. Hmm. And Mr. P thinks I like westerns for their historical values…
While checking on a western author for a customer, look what I found:
Max Brand (1892-1944): “aka Frederick Schiller Faust (real name), aka Frank Austin, aka George Owen Baxter, aka Walter C. Butler, aka George Challis, aka Evan Evans, aka Frederick Faust, aka John Frederick, aka Frederick Frost, aka David Manning, aka Peter Henry Morland. (How did that guy keep track of who he was on any given day?) A prolific author, Brand’s popular books are still in print!
Just got into the dianagabaldon.com website and had a ball. This lady is a real nut! (Well, not so nutso—after all, she’s written some pretty terrific novels—but what a sense of humor!) I especially liked her answers to FAQ (that’s “Frequently Asked Questions”). Do the site and keep reading, it’s quite long, but FUN.
The ACS Newsletter listed this as “Grade A Homework Site”
homeworkspot.com
Hannibal Lecter still causing nightmares? Well, get ready for Thomas Harris’ next book to be released Dec. 5. “Hannibal Rising” will have a first printing of 1.5 million, with the audio and large print books ready to go at the same time. Creepy stuff—and pure evil.
Haven’t read Stephen King’s “Cell”. Soon!
Nice two-page interview in Sept. Romantic Times Mag. with Dennis LeHane—who actually trained as a short-story writer.
And—the Oct. Romantic Times Mag. had a 2-page spread on Michael Connelly. Did you know that Connelly (a former Los Angeles Times reporter) published a compilation of some of his newspaper articles in a book called “Crime Beat”?
Mickey Spillane (Mike Hammer!) passed away on July 17. I “Googled” his obit, and—sorry—had a great time reading it. Just type “Obit Mickey Spillane” and click the first one on the list. It’s strangely quite funny.
Another suspense author (and former police officer), Dorothy Uhnak, has died. Uhnak, at 76, was often depressed and ended her life with a deliberate drug overdose. Several of her books were made into movies or set into a TV series, one of which starred Angie Dickinson.
Philippa Gregory’s “The Other Boleyn Girl” (already filmed by BBC) will now be made into a big-screen movie by Columbia Pictures.
August 16th marked the 29th year since Elvis Presley died. Did you know the city fathers (AND my Dad) tried to stop Elvis’ first movie from playing in Walker? Yeah, well, that was back before all those “personal” TV commercials too!
Hey, fellas, if your gal is a Danielle Steel fan—here’s a great idea for a Christmas gift: The author has launched (poured?) her own brand of perfumes! Oh, and the motif will be pink and black lace. (Eyebrows raised, everyone?)
“Attention Kmart Shoppers” was a headline in a recent Publishers Weekly. Fourteen (14!!!) romance authors climbed aboard a bus and, signed books at 11 stores in Chicago & Detroit.
Vince Flynn’s “Act of Treason” (hardcover!) is (of course) on the bestseller lists. He is busy this fall, with October 18th scheduled for “The O’Reilly Factor” and “Fox News Live”. He also has a non-stop agenda for October & November.
I guess some people have money. A complete boxed set of Lemony Snicket’s Unfortunate Events books is on the market for Christmas giving—at $150 a box.
Sue Monk Kidd’s “The Secret Life of Bees” has been on the Paperback Bestseller (Trade Size) for an amazing 160 weeks.
James Lee Burke (Crusader’s Cross) had 111 rejections slapped on his first novel “The Lost Get-Back Boogie”. Oh, after it was finally printed—it was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Did any editors lose their jobs over that one?
David Baldacci’s paperback “Camel Club” has been on the PW Bestsellers List for 2 weeks—at the No. 2 spot. The book has 1,390,000 copies out. So, hey, why don’t we have any yet?
Goodness, so many of our people are stopping in to say they’re packed and heading south. Good grief, it seems like they just said, “Hello!”
Prof. Bill be-bops in with LOTS of books for the store—because he now has LOTS more time to read—but, with LOTS less gossip. (That’s a tongue twister!)
Our High School Senior, Michelle, is still efficiently helping out on Saturdays. Sharon has stopped in—bearing gifts of coffee or goodies. With our friend and mentor (Prof. Bill) checking up on us and visits by Nina and Sharon, we are reminded that someone really cranked up the time clock over the past 15 years. It’s great having these terrific people around to (basically) keep me sane!
To all our Snowbirds: Have a great “winter” and we’ll watch for you in the spring!
Happy Fall, ya all.
Gotta go…bye for now…… … | 
