What’s on my iPod: “Lonely Boy” by The Black Keys
What I’m reading: The Secret  by Rhonda Byrne
The last person I followed on Twitter: @katespadeny

1.  Leon H. Gildin on Great Thoughts

Leon H. Gildin – award-winning author of both THE POLSKI AFFAIR and THE FAMILY AFFAIR – stopped by Great Thoughts to give a little insight to the 30 year process that went into writing his historically riveting novels. Here is an excerpt from Leon’s guest post:

Shorty after the publication of “The Polski Affair” in 2009, a reviewer started his review by saying, “Just when I think I know all the bits of WWII history, something new comes along that surprises and shocks me. Such is Leon H. Gildin’s tale of the 1943 goings on at the Hotel Polski.”

As an author, I took this as a compliment. Bringing to light an aspect of the Holocaust which, aside from Abraham Shulman’s research work entitled “The Case of Hotel Polski,” can be found only in the Yad Vasham in Israel is an act in which one can have pride. When the accomplishment is recognized by the International Book Awards and given the 2010 award for historical fiction, it is even more rewarding.

At another time and far from Arizona, where I now reside, I practiced law in New York. One of my clients was Abraham Shulman who was a writer in both Yiddish and English. He was bright, he was amusing and he had lots of ideas. One day, some thirty or more years ago, he came in with a signed copy of his latest work, “The Case of Hotel Polski.” It had been published by The Holocaust Press and distributed by Schocken Books.

I don’t know how many copies of the book were ever sold but I do know that I read it, I found it fascinating. I reread it, I underlined portions of it and I knew that someday I would do something with it.

More on Gildin’s latest, THE FAMILY AFFAIR:

How can a woman’s struggle to reconcile her guilt of survival both unite and divide her family for years to come? It is some two years since Anna Adler returned from a reunion of the survivors who were “guests” of the Hotel Polski after the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto. At the reunion, she was applauded for her courage in testifying against the Commandant of the Polski at his War Crimes Trial. Despite the accolades, Anna’s obsession with what took place at the hotel during her period of imprisonment continues to haunt her.

The Family Affair, a sequel to The Polski Affair, tells of the fortuitous discovery of new members of Anna’s family, bringing her both joy and torment. For Anna, the ties that bind run deeper than she cares to remember … or admit. This results in explosive revelations and a family forever changed, proving that some things are better left unsaid.

2. Jon Reiner in San Francisco Book Review

Jon Reiner – author of memoir THE MAN WHO COULDN’T EAT – stopped by San Francisco Book Review and shared a great essay on the writing process. Here is one of the lessons he learned:

Lesson One: Get To It

Deadline pressure accelerated my thinking and led me to realize the first of two key lessons for the story-to-book process. One man’s panic is another man’s opportunity. All those years when I’d been frustrated by agents’ and editors’ failure to see the brilliance of my 100,000+ word manuscripts, I would have killed for this kind of an opportunity. Put it in perspective, brother. You’ve been graced with dumb luck and handed a great story (the basis of The Man Who Couldn’t Eat).  You’ve been telling people for years at cocktail parties, little league games, car washes, that you’re a writer. A writer writes. In the words of John Berryman, “The artist is extremely lucky who is presented with the worst possible ordeal which will not actually kill him. At that point, he’s in business.” The best writing is done on an empty stomach, right? You’ve got hunger in your wheelhouse. Get to it.

More on 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 .BLOOD ORCHIDS on Sheknows.com

Blood Orchids by Hawaiian author Toby Neal was featured in a January round-up of thriller novels on SheKnows.com! Here is what she had to say on the new novel:

This thriller is the first from debut author Toby Neal and the first for Lei Texiera, a determined young cop trying to overcome her abusive childhood to right wrongs for others. It takes just a few chapters to become absorbed in Blood Orchids, and once it opens up to the reader, it is difficult to put down again.

Neal introduces the underbelly of Paradise in the Hawaiian Islands when Lei and her partner Pono stumble across two drowned teenage girls. The twisted tale establishes the complexities of Lei’s upbringing and her issues which drive her to be both impulsive and have great gut feelings with varying outcomes.

This is a great first effort from Neal, who has three other titles forthcoming in the Lei Crime series planned already. She also introduces the Chang crime family, who, while not the main focus, are sure to make things difficult for Lei in the future. Their ties are deeper than she knows and shockingly close with the man who molested her as part of a revenge plot against her father.

More about BLOOD ORCHIDS

“Blood Orchids is that rarity among debut crime novels, in that it satisfies on every level. A powerful new talent is on the scene.”
– Drew Cross, former police officer and author BiteMarks

Hawaii is palm trees, black sand and blue water— but for policewoman Lei Texeira, there’s a dark side to paradise.

Lei has overcome a scarred past to make a life for herself as a cop in the sleepy Big Island town of Hilo. On a routine patrol she finds two murdered teenagers—one of whom she’d recently busted. The girl’s harsh life and tragic death touches a chord with Lei, and she becomes obsessed with the case. The killer is drawn to her intensity and stalks her, feeding on her vulnerabilities and toying with her sanity.

Steaming volcanoes, black sand beaches and shrouded fern forests are the backdrop to Lei’s quest for answers. She finds herself falling in love for the first time—but the stalker is closer than she can imagine, and threads of the past are tangled in her future. Lei is determined to find the killer—but he already knows where she lives.

4. Founder & Publicist of BookSparksPR Crystal Patriarche on Writer Unboxed

Our very own Crystal Patriarche stopped by Writer Unboxed and shared three effective ways to use the hottest new thing – Pinterest – for book publicity! Here is one of her tips:

#2 Hold a contest

Facebook contests have sort of worn their welcome when it comes to books. What used to be a really cool way to connect with readers and give them a chance to win books and prizes is now common place and these contests are a dime a dozen – what started out as “win one book”, quickly became “win 30 books”, “win 90 books”, “win a year of books”, “win a brand new car and a year of books!”. Put a cool new spin on your giveaways by doing a “Pin It” contest. Encourage readers to visit your website or blog, pin photos of your book(s) to their personal boards, and share with their networks. Because Pinterest incorporates Facebook and Twitter, the sharing capability is automatic and the viral effect is large. Award the best book board or the person who uses Pinterest in the most creative way or shares their board the most, or have them create a cool book board with their favorites of all time. Have them incorporate your book into a board that explores the themes of the book. The options are endless.

Read more of Crystal’s Pinterest advice here
5. BookSparks Groupie program in FULL SWING! 

Hey BookSparks Groupies! We would love to thank you for taking the time and signing up to be a part of our groupies program – we have MANY fantastic books coming your way! Including new titles from Toby Neal, Leon Gilden, Sarah Pekkanen and MORE!

We invite all of our loyal blogger friends to jump on board. As a BookSparks Groupie, you get first dibs on the newest books from our clients to review and a special little gift each month to thank you for all you do.  Sign up here