How Would You Like Your Book?

Printed? Autographed? E-book? Kindle book? Audiobook? All formats? Some combo?

I  recently cranked away about the fact that, for now, Stephen King's Joyland is only available in a noirish paperback edition. And I didn't want to wait for no paperback.  Not when I wanted to read it right then at 11 PM.  I wanted a good story, not a single paragraph from the author explaining some notalgic artistic concept.



So I was quite pleased to get an announcement from my friend Heather Ordover, host of the Craftlit podcast, that her Young Adult novel, Grounded: The Seven (Book 1), will be available however you want it: print, signed or unsigned, e-book, Kindle book, or a combo. An audiobook is in the works. 

That's what I like: a choice. And a simple way to order.

The book will be released in the first week of October. If you need it at 11 PM tonight, no dice. But she is taking pre-orders.

Since I am someone who loved the medieval teenage assassin nuns, I know I will enjoy Heather's tale about a teenaged girl with supernatural abilities who gets sent to psychic boot camp run by her aunt.  If this isn't your idea of fun, you should buy it as a gift, or spread the word, or like it on Facebook.  Someone you know might really enjoy seeing the information, and you'll be supporting independent publishing in general and my pal Heather in particular.

Just for the record, I have not been given a free copy of this book. I ordered mine, both signed and Kindled. 

Spies, Lies, & Cries

Mea Culpa

Trouserville's Department of Corrections, Amplifications, and Moderately Sincere Apologies would like to issue follow-ups to some previous posts.

1.  Spies (Happy To Be American) 

Well, I was so pleased to see that the secret court issued a now sort of public wrist-slap to the secret spies of NSA. Guess the judges weren't too impressed with the defense.  "Yes, indeed, we did indulge in a little bit of domestic overspying, but golly gee willikers, Mr. Judge, it was technical difficulties and we fixed them and plus we set up a compliance department and we now have 300 people making sure we don't over sneak." 

I think I'd feel more secure if they could bring back the spies of yesteryear! 

Not very secret spies Boris and Natasha

Mad Magazine's Spy vs. Spy

2.  Lies (Go DIrectly to Jail)

We don't need no stinkin' fact checkers; Trouserville's family and friends keep this blog on the straight and narrow.

I passed on what I thought was reliable dope from the Wall Street Journal regarding New Improved Monopoly Empire Now Without Go To Jail Cards.  Turns out it was just plain dopey unverified dope. I did drill down to the Hasbro website, but I missed the public outcry and the subsequent revelation that all is well:  you can still go to jail.  My sister informed me of this because she is a professional who pays attention to details, not a lazy oldster who only skims the silly news, and not even every day. You can read her accurate reporting in the Monopoly Empire post on her blog, Pink Slip.



3.  Cries (Compare and Despair No More)

I have been hewing to my resolve to compare and despair no more on the fitness front.  But that resolve was sorely tried by an article about James Kales, at age 98 a Senior Olympics medalist.  Here's the trying part:  although he did some field and track sports in his youth, he didn't take up tennis until he was 85,  and at the same time took up serious dancing. These activities (tennis six days a week, dancing three to five nights a week), plus a little bowling and sensible eating allowed him to bring home two gold, three silver, and one bronze medal in decathlon activities like shot put, discus, javelin. 

Sigh! I'm more than three decades younger and the only shot put I can handle is the shot I put in the gin & tonic.  Discus? Does flinging an old CD down as a coaster under the gin & tonic count?

Of course, this article appeared in the Wall Street Journal, so take it for what it is worth. And just to avoid any future corrections Mr. Kales, much to his annoyance, did not actually win a medal in discus.

It's TIme To Eat My Words

I admit it.  After Friday's post exhorting you to get rid of your books,  I have some nerve to ask you to buy one on Monday.

DIng-ding-ding. Shameless Self-Promotion Alert.

An essay and knitting pattern of mine are included in the second Defarge book: What (Else) Would Madame Defarge Knit?  My pattern is based on one of the first detective novels, Wilkie Collins' The Woman In White, and my essay discusses the not-so-guilty pleasures of detective fiction.  I'll ratchet down the shamelessness by not arguing that my essay and pattern alone are worth the cost of the book; you'll get over twenty others.

What's that you say?  You don't knit? Buy the book anyway.  Read it yourself, or give it as a gift to a reader or knitter (I'll warrant you know at least one of each). I do think you'll enjoy the personal essays on the wide variety of literature that inspired the patterns:  The Miss Marple Stories, Moby Dick, Rosemary's Baby, Anne of Green Gables, The Satyricon, The Odyssey and many more. 

You can buy it HERE.  

You'll be supporting independent designers and a feisty independent press.  The first Defarge book was black and white only;  this time around there are professional models, color photos, and an improved website.

Best of all, you are not required to buy the book in the shelf-stuffing DT (dead tree) format; it's available in digital-only or digital+print formats.  

If you buy a copy, let me know, and I'll eat a word or two on camera and post it here.

Hand me the chocolate sauce, Jeeves.