Apple Seeds – January thru May, 2010
Open 7 Days a Week, Starting May 10, 2010
Ya, I know – 5 months! What’s up with that? Either I’m lazier than I thought, or something. It’s crazy, but I just couldn’t put two words together. It seems to take so much effort, and then I can’t stop the word wheel from spinning!
So, here we go…
What a thoughtful friend/reader! A snowbird, she remembered we kept running out of Robert B. Parker books. Well, she struck it rich at a sale and bought a “whole bunch” of them and brought them to Walker on a “Let’s go for a snowmobile trip.”
It so happened, the author of Spencer (Spencer For Hire, starring Robert Urich,) the Sunny Randall Series, and his Jesse Stone novels (starring Tom Selleck) passed away while at his writing desk at his home in Cambridge, Mass. on January 18th. A former English professor, Parker wrote 65 books, which also included westerns. He was 77.
A pop-culture phenomenon author died January 17 at his home in London. Erich Segal, age 72, died of a heart attack, and had battled Parkinson’s disease for 25 years. His “Love Story” – both the film and the book, were appreciably labeled “classics” of the times.
Oh, hey, we have added Bob Siqveland to our Area Author Section with his “Wilderness of Time” mystery. Bob has put together a novel that has a character that simply gives you the “willies”. And, a novel that makes one wonder about some people [and their past]. Sweet dreams!
Then, Bob let me read his first novel and anyone (Catholic & Protestant) growing up in the late 50s and 60s Viet Nam Era will love this Football/Basketball 3-Guy Friendship Book, “The Immaculate Erection”. It was a two-night read for me, and I was not happy to have it end! A really good read. I’m sending one to my brother, it’s that terrific. We have both books in our store, and I encourage you to spend the time reading two very well written novels.
An interesting article in the “Writers’ Journal” magazine, March, April 2010: “Harry Whittington, King of the Paperbacks” by James Tipton. From the mid 1940s to the mid 1960s, Whittington published more than 170 novels! Besides doing 60,000 word novels per month, he was also doing 30,000 word novels for Man From U.N.C.L.E. Magazine. (All before computers, remember.) He sold 15 plots to Hollywood, and created 3 television series, including The Lawman. But, surprisingly, he was most famous as Ashley Carter for the Mandingo-Falconhurst series, even though no one knew he was (!) Ashley Carter. Still an active author, Whittington died on June 11, 1989.
Jodi Picoult’s latest, “House Rules” is out this March. It’s about Jacob Hunt who is an 18-year-old with Asperger’s Syndrome, a higher functioning form of autism. Because, like many others with AS, Jacob does not look someone in the eye, has nervous twitches, and has a “not interested” demeanor, he becomes the suspect in the murder of the one person who could clear him: his tutor. Even his mother begins questioning his capabilities.
Donald E. Westlake, who died in late 2008 or early 2009 (depends on which bio you read!), apparently wrote this “elegant, melancholy” novel in the 1960s, and never had it published: While on tour, actor Paul Cole sleeps with a married woman, and her husband beats him so severely he emerges from the hospital with short and long term memory problems. As he makes his way home to New York City, he is unable to keep appointments with doctors or the unemployment office, and no one has the time to help him. “Lovely language… from the master.” The novel is “Memory”. Paperback.
Jack Higgins: “The Wolf at the Door”, first week on the Publishers Weekly Hardcover Bestsellers /Fiction List 2/1/2010 at #7 is, I believe the 84th book written by Higgins.
The “Where Are They Now?” that Romantic Times Magazine Readers asked were so many that they will continue to be answered for a long time. Here are a few romance authors:
Dallas Schulze, “married-since-the-Jurassic” to suddenly-single by the death of her husband; she has been back at work writing once again.
Christiane Heggan was last published in 2006, and thanks her readers and RT, but she is no longer writing.
Paula Detmer Riggs stopped publishing in 2003. Losing four of the most important people in her life in a short period of time, she said she hit a wall and could not make the written words make any sense. She gave up until now and is trying again, very slowly, and thanks everyone for asking about her.
Read more in the February RT magazine. You can always e-mail Faygie@RTBookReviews.com if you like that feature in the magazine, or if you have an author you would like searched.
Do you “Kindle” or use some other form of electronic reading matter? Most of the readers we have asked say that they like the paper, EXCEPT when traveling, especially flying. Makes sense. We, of course, like the paper!
Also, just as a reminder: The bestseller listings you find in the Metro newspapers are HARD-COVERS. Which is why 99 out of 100 times we do NOT have them in stock right away. Sorry.
Did you know: THE WORLD ALMANAC has been published since 1868?
Called Dan Prusi and ordered more books. He said he wasn’t selling any more, and I said WE WERE! He was thrilled. You will find a fresh stock on the shelves for your pleasure.
And, just before that I sent an e-mail to our prolific writer, Terry Mejdrich; got one right back: He has been writing his science column for the Grand Rapids newspaper, and a column for another paper (can’t remember which one, and my scribbles are a mess), and I know he does a lot of news items for the Hill City School. (Our grandkids go there…) He’s been doing his farming and remodeling the kitchen (hey, ours needs it too), and just all those things that life calls for, I guess.
Bill Turgeon, of Hiram Hill Homestead fame on our shelves, is next. Finally got ahold of him so we could order more of the Homestead books and more of his second book. Now, he is all set for the season.
Karen has been enjoying the writers and author’s sessions held in our Library in conjunction with the Minnesota Legacy Grant Organization (Minnesota Citizens for the Arts). As Karen is an avid reader, an honest critique (!), and belongs to writer’s groups (including ours), and has actually finished a novel, she KNOWS A LOT! The sessions were terrific, well-attended, and, hopefully, will continue for a little longer.
Our Sherry is planning on leaving us sometime in the near future. She is getting kind of anxious, and I am N0T. Believe me, I know how lucky Bob and I have been the last two years that we have had Sherry and Karen. Not many business owners have to turn over the keys to the business and trust the employees to keep the doors open. They could have taken a hike, you know. Oh, good Lord, it’s a good thing they didn’t think of that! Anyway, with all our hearts, THANKS SHERRY AND KAREN!
Hey, Prof. Bill - without you, there simply would not be a Little Apple Bookstore.
Thank You.
Gotta go…bye for now…… …
Apple Seeds EXTRA
Have any of you watched the program “Hoarders”? Please don’t look in my office. I don’t collect. There just isn’t room. All I do is slide the stuff from one side of the room to the other and back again, then just high-step over it all. ‘Need a new carpet, but the only solution is to bring in a semi, load it, do the carpet, THEN sort thru the stuff. My library is FULL.
Been watching TV about all the money makers?
A big percentage of Americans (the percentages change daily) do NOT trust almost anyone in the banking business, the trades business, Wall Street, etc. Then you get than ding-dong on late nite TV selling his “Make a Fortune” books. Common sense tells you he’s the only one making a fortune, yet some fools still buy his books! (Wonder how that would go over on “Crazy Days”?)
Did you hear the one about the neighbor’s dog driving his pickup down to our lawn? The only excitement we’ve had for months, and no one thought to take a picture!
“Shut Up About Your Perfect Kid” by Gina Gallagher and Patricia Konjoian, originally a self-published book, will now be published by Three Rivers publishing company. Only a parent of a child with a disability, however minor, can know the struggles – and therefore, love the title of such a book.
Thumbing through Publisher’s Weekly (2/22) in the Spring Religion Section, I found “The Book of Catholic Jokes: Vol. II by Tom Sheridan. $12.95, paper.
About time we had something delightful from the religious corner of our world!
Bernard Cornwell’s “The Burning Land” is the 5th in the Saxon Tales, and was on the Hardcover Bestseller List in February. His website bio is short, but has a WOW factor. Check it out when deciphering the order of each series: bernardcornwell.net
Love a cool ghost story? A true ghost story?
Log on to fernmichaels.com and she’ll fill you in on her “friendly”. Oh, and by the way, her paperback “Vanishing Act” has been on the Bestselling Lists since the end of January.
SF/Fantasy Authors reviewed in Publisher’s Weekly (PW):
Elizabeth Bear, Michael Moorcock, Terence Taylor, Raymond E. Feist, Piers Anthony, and (What?) Charlaine Harris (Listed here?). Maybe PW has a new reviewer/editor, or maybe…Well, that just stopped me cold. You DO know about Sookie Stackhouse don’t you? Harris’ books have been on the best seller list (8 at a time) last year. They started out as Romantic Fantasy Books, which they still are, except now the men are enjoying them and DON’T like to be caught reading “femmie” books. They’re Mysteries, of sorts, and Fantasies, of sorts, and FUN. You know? SciFi? I don’t think so.
And, right below the Charlaine Harris thingie, there was a review of Sherryl Woods “Sweet Tea at Sunrise”, the sixth Sweet Magnolia Romance. An excellent author, whose books are always top sellers.
Well, guess what? There are all kinds of Comic Reviews out there in the review magazines I receive, BUT not a one of them rates them. Same old chant from last year. Even the Batman and Robin latest (Batman Reborn) $24.95. Um. That must mean, Hardcover? Anyway, somebody is skinning and eating somebody’s faces. Yuk. No thanks. Ain’t my kinda Batman.
Did you know there are bookstores like ours that pride themselves for NOT alphabetizing their shelves! Amazing. Said it’s more fun to dig!
March Romantic Book Review Mag, suggests that Vampire stories have almost reached their peak, and Angels and Demons have now hit the market place. Listing popular current and past books and remarks by several authors and upcoming reads, we tend to agree. Then Stephen King comes out with vampire comic books! I guess nobody knows nuthin’ nohow.
Our Writing Group has discussed many times of the great books, and the resulting lousy movies. Take for instance Will Weaver’s “Gravestone Made of Wheat”. The STUPID movie idiots didn’t understand the novel, and buried the wrong person, and buried the whole meaning of the whole book.
There have been others that have resulted in a rash of letters, and (thank God) failures of directors, movie writers, producers, etc. as there should be. People are not dumb.
Get it right! Yeah.
Whenever someone asks for “that mystery author ‘PJ something or other’” we always respond with “P.J. Tracy”, because we are so familiar with her. “Her” being a mother/
daughter team (remember, “Monkeewrench”).
Mama is from Minnesota and daughter is from California.
Well, there is another PJ: P.J. Parrish.
This is a sister team; one lives in Florida and one lives in Michigan. You may recognize Louis Kincaid and Joe Frye Thrillers, as well as several other mysteries.
Now in Paperback, and on Bestseller Lists:
Alex Cross’s TRIAL, by James Patterson & Richard DiLallo: Talks are that this may be the next (younger!) Alex Cross movie. Too bad we can’t go back in time and make Morgan Freeman younger!
Mary Higgins Clark and her “Just Take My Heart” is # 5 on the May 3rd PW Bestseller List. (Her hardcover “The Shadow of Your Smile” Was #1 on the PW Hardcover Bestseller List for April 26, and Carol Higgins Clark’s “Wrecked” hardcover was #7.
It was a fluke, but Carol’s editor realized at the last minute that Mary’s main character and Carol’s minor but important character had the same last name!)
Nicholas Sparks has Two paperbacks on the Bestseller Lists: “The Last Song” (#2) and “Dear John” (#8).
Lee Child’s “Gone Tomorrow” is still there; after being on the list for 5 weeks, it’s sitting at #7.
And that Janet Evanovich! She snuck (sneaked?) “Hero at Large” in on us, and it’s at No. 9 on the List. (I know nothing.)
MORE OF THE “NOW IN PAPERBACK”
J.D. Robb’s “Kindred in Death”
“Fatally Flaky” by Diane Mott Davidson
Lisa Scottoline’s “Look Again”
“Cemetery Dance” by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Stieg Larsson’s “Conservative Victory”
The spring catalogues are out for the Children’s Books, and I have to say the categories are all over the place; much more than last year’s gloom and doom. The board books for the crawl-about tykes are FUN and FUNNY, and the pre-school sets can learn lots of bug and twiggy things too – without breaking the bank, if you wish. We, of course, keep our toddler and kid’s section to a minimum, because we simply do not have the room, and send the parents to the Drug Store or to Book World for the more expensive books.
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It’s time to meet Linda, the newest lady behind the counter, and the latest to join our team. She fit right in with Sherry and Karen, and she will be glad to help you find your books!
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David Baldacci’s latest hardcover, publication 4/19/10, “Deliver Us From EVIL” is #1 on the (PW) Bestseller List for May 3rd. AND is #1 on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction Bestseller List! Of course - - - he’s GOOD!
Stuart Woods: When interviewed for his #6 place (first week on the PW list for “Lucid Intervals” – Hardcover) said, “…favorite summer read “Lassie Come Home by Eric M. Knight – the greatest possible read for a kid. It forced me to finish learning to read at five, so I could find out what happened to the dog….”
Michael J. Fox now has three books to his credit, with “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future” his latest – already a bestseller.
The fully authorized biography has reached Hardcover Bestseller Lists all over the States: Willie Mays. With 135,000 authorized in print, you can tell it’s a sure-fire hit.
Have a great day, everyone! | 
