If Karen A. Chase absolutely had to turn 40, she decided she could do it gracefully in Paris… for nearly 40 days. What began as a blog to communicate with friends and family, became a travel journal filled with over a months’ worth of daily humorous, insightful, and detailed glimpses into her Paris adventures, each of which could be read in about 40 seconds.Peppered with Chase’s own delightful photographs, she also weaves in longer stories that reflect upon her experiences with the French, food, travel,photography, writing and love in the City of Lights. A companion to the e-book,her Bonjour40 blog still contains images and some notes for readers who crave more from her Paris adventure.

2. Jon Reiner on The Nervous Breakdown

Author Jon Reiner stopped by The Nervous Breakdown to share an excerpt of his widely popular memoir THE MAN WHO COULDN’T EAT. Here is a highlight from the man who couldn’t eat himself:

The corned beef is good—salty, lean, chewy—and they’ve browned the toast to the right consistency, so it sticks to the pile of meat and makes unbroken slabs for pushing in load after load. After nearly a half hour of solid eating, I finish the entire plate, gulping glasses of orange juice and water to neutralize the salt flats curing in my mouth. Between them, the boys leave over a full stack of pancakes that would be a shame to waste. It’s the restaurant’s signature dish, and hey, they’re already cut into bites. I clean another plate.

We waddle out of the place around eleven and drive our rental car to a gorgeous ribbon of beach bordered by dune grass and gentle, sparkling surf. There are only three other groups of people in this secluded paradise. The day looks to be terrific, and I start unpacking the beach umbrella, blankets, towels, pails, shovels, baseball gear, football, Kadima paddles, and cooler that comprise our light packing. The boys dig an umbrella hole in the fine-grain sand, and I spread the blankets and towels behind.

Suddenly, I begin to feel strange. I’m sweating and going green at the gills. I double over at the sand hole, nauseated.

More about THE MAN WHO COULDN’T EAT

Imagine not being able to eat or drink a single thing.  No lobster roll on the beach in Maine; no hot dog at the ballpark; no cool drink on a hot summer day; no birthday cake; nothing. In The Man Who Couldn’t Eat (S&S/Gallery Books: September 6, 2011), Jon Reiner – a James Beard Foundation Award-winning writer –chronicles his three-month struggle to live without food. Based on Reiner’s acclaimed 2009 Esquire magazine article by the same name, the book reinvents the foodoir, telling what happens when a man obsessed with food is denied the taste of it.  A beautifully written chronicle of one man’s journey from plenty to deprivation and back again,The Man Who Couldn’t Eat  will change the way you think about more than just your next meal.

3. Auryn’s app VAN GOGH AND THE SUNFLOWERS on Babble

It’s a big week too for storytelling pioneers Auryn as they just launched their latest children’s app VAN GOGH AND THE SUNFLOWERS! Here is a highlight from Babble‘s review on the artful new app:

The beautiful Van Gogh and the Sunflowers storybook iPad app, based on Laurence Anholt’s Camille and the Sunflowers book, launches today. Geared toward ages 4-11, it’s not just a digital storybook — characters can be personalized to become part of the watercolor animation, and completing each page (view the gallery below) unlocks another exciting level.

Little readers will also experience Van Gogh’s paintings in a 3D museum, where they can listen and read all about the artist. The app is designed to appeal to both the right and left side of a child’s brain, and delights kids andparents by making art education fun.

More about Auryn

Auryn is a premiere digital publisher focused on creating award-winning interactive children’s stories for the iPad and other tablet devices. We collaborate with authors, illustrators and publishers to turn their stories into educational, engaging and entertaining experiences. Auyrn’s patented technology (Aurynization) brings any illustration style to life through animation and interactivity. Kirkus Reviews, Fast Company, NPR, PadGadget and Animation Magazine all herald Auryn as a leader in creating sophisticated and immersive “app” experiences.

4. BONJOUR 40 on Book End Babes + Amazon Bestseller List

The excitement of Karen A. Chase‘s BONJOUR 40 continues! Book End Babes gave another great review of the BONJOUR 40. There is also big news on Karen’s Amazon ratings – she has broken the top 50 in the nonfiction-travel-Europe-France category! #15 now to be exact. Help her climb to the top by downloading Paris here . Here is a highlight of the Book End Babes review:

Ah, Paris! I’ve never been, but thanks to author Karen Chase, I got to put a little French in my fall break. While my body was in Texas on a ranch, my mind was in Paris. Chase’s book is based on the blog she kept while living in Paris for 40 days. It’s a travel log, set up by date and numbered 1 through 40 so we get Paris as she saw it versus categories or themes.

Chase wasn’t traveling in search of love or redemption, so don’t expect an EAT, PRAY, LOVE a-ha moment in the quest, but she does do a great job of making her trip enjoyable for the reader and leaving us with some nice takeaways about life and adventure. She also includes history and facts to inform us along the way. The food bits and the Louvre, in particular, were my favorites. -ML

More on BONJOUR 40

If Karen A. Chase absolutely had to turn 40, she decided she could do it gracefully in Paris… for nearly 40 days. What began as a blog to communicate with friends and family, became a travel journal filled with over a months’ worth of daily humorous, insightful, and detailed glimpses into her Paris adventures, each of which could be read in about 40 seconds.Peppered with Chase’s own delightful photographs, she also weaves in longer stories that reflect upon her experiences with the French, food, travel,photography, writing and love in the City of Lights. A companion to the e-book,her Bonjour40 blog still contains images and some notes for readers who crave more from her Paris adventure.

5. Auryn’s app VAN GOGH AND THE SUNFLOWERS on SheKnows

Auryn continues to change the way children learn with their new app VAN GOGH AND THE SUNFLOWERS. The revolutionary app made #1 in the “5 Must-have iPhone apps for preschoolers” on SheKnows! Here is what the blogger had to say about the newest way for children to learn about Van Gogh:

#1 VAN GOGH AND THE SUNFLOWERS

Introduce your preschooler to the beautiful world of color and art through this entertaining and heartwarming storybook. Based on actual events, the story of Van Gogh and the Sunflowers teaches an important lesson of tolerance and compassion to both boys and girls. This magical story implements reproductions of some of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings and includes beautiful watercolor illustrations. Your preschooler can explore games and have fun with colors while interacting and learning at the same time.

Price: $1.99 (introductory)

More about Auryn

Auryn is a premiere digital publisher focused on creating award-winning interactive children’s stories for the iPad and other tablet devices. We collaborate with authors, illustrators and publishers to turn their stories into educational, engaging and entertaining experiences. Auyrn’s patented technology (Aurynization) brings any illustration style to life through animation and interactivity. Kirkus Reviews, Fast Company, NPR, PadGadget and Animation Magazine all herald Auryn as a leader in creating sophisticated and immersive “app” experiences.