Write Right! (The Business of Books' upcoming workshops)

Hi, folks! My friends Jen and Kerry, the brilliant minds behind the Business of Books, have great workshops coming up in Seattle this spring. You'll learn a lot, plus I guarantee you'll have fun. I also suspect you'll meet some other inspiring aspiring authors. 

Check out the details, courtesy of Jen: 

Write a Successful Query LetterMarch 20, 6:30-8:30pmHotel 1000, Seattle, WA
We’ll walk you through creating an attention-grabbing and business savvy query letter for your book project, no matter the genre. During the two-hour workshop, you’ll learn how to:

• Compose a compelling opening that will knock anyone’s socks off
• Write a query that matches the tone and voice of your manuscript
• Detail all the ways you and your book project are a good business bet
• Distill everything an editor or agent needs to know into succinct letter form
• Use examples of other successful query letters to your advantage
• Research and compile a targeted submission list

By the end of this hands-on workshop, you’ll have a running start on your query letter and a clear plan for capturing the attention of the right agents and editors. A query letter serves as your stand-in, your pitch, your first shot across the publishing bow. We’ll show you how to make every word count. $99.Register: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/580652

Craft a Winning Book ProposalApril 10, 6:30-9:30pmHotel 1000, Seattle, WA
You may have a terrific book or book idea ready to dazzle the world. Alas, without a spot-on book proposal, it may never see the light of day. Don’t let this happen to you! In this three-hour workshop, learn how to create a savvy and professional proposal that will make publishers and agents sit up and take notice. Two industry insiders will walk you through the key elements of any successful proposal–including title/subtitle, opening pitch, author bio, and marketing ideas–and help you polish each one with hands-on exercises. By crafting a winning proposal, you’ll get your book idea out of the slush pile–and onto the shelves. $149.Register: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/580652

Encouraging the young writer

I recently had a request from a parent for reading recommendations for her nine-year-old who is a very advanced reader and writer. I thought I would share what I came up with...

For writing guides, I would recommend a pairing of the sublime and the ridiculous. In my opinion, every serious writer, no matter what age, should have a copy of Strunk & White's The Elements of Style. I think the illustrated version, with Maira Kalman's zany visuals, would be perfect.  That's the sublime...

For kicks, I also think your daughter should take a look at Dan Gutman's My Weird Writing Tips. Much of his information will be old hat to her, and some of his assumptions are for the writing-averse reader, but I think his chatty tone is fun and his lessons about revision, character, plot, and perseverance are good reminders to all writers. It will also help her feel super-confident because she will recognize topics and good practices.

Another book I just got in with writers like your daughter in mind is Thrice Told Tales: Three Mice Full of Writing Advice. The author uses the familiar nursery rhyme to illustrate literary devices and analysis. It's unique, clever, and easy to understand without talking down.

As for novels, I'm a big believer in letting readers follow their bliss, but I also think it's great to provide books that are challenging without being emotionally inappropriate. (I have to confess that I read way outside most parents' comfort zones when I was growing up... I realize now that I glossed over things I wasn't ready to confront, and reading beyond my level helped sate my curiosity so I stayed home reading throughout my adolescence rather than experimenting like some of my friends!) 

For advanced readers, I always recommend classics. The Swallows and Amazons series, the Anne of Green Gables series, books by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Little Women are all great. Anne's love of literature and Jo's writing might be particularly appealing! (Montgomery also did a fantastic series about Emily, a girl who grows up to be a writer, but it's just a little darker and gets into romantic plot points earlier than Anne.) 

So many families read the classics aloud early to children with great listening comprehension, and sometimes that means the classics get overlooked when the readers are at the right age to read them alone. I never underestimate the power of rereading! Especially for writers, familiarity with a text is not a bad thing. 

Another fun idea would be read-together pairings of classics and recent books inspired by them. Among these: the Narnia books paired with The Twistrose Key; A Wrinkle in Time with When You Reach Me; The Adventures of Robin Hood with Will in Scarlet. These are books I love on their own, but I think a young writer can benefit from comparing to closely observe how stories can be retold.

Along those lines, there are many retellings of fairy tales and myths that could be interesting to study. One of my favorites recently was Rump, the story of Rumpelstiltskin told from Rumplestiltskin's point of view. Very clever and entertaining! 

As you might have guessed, I might be able to go on for hours... but I'll stop here. 

"Teardrop" by Lauren Kate

I've polishing off tons of digital advance copies from publishers, and there's so much great stuff, I've take to jotting notes on mini index cards I stick in my e-reader cover so I don't get overwhelmed by trying to write down EVERYTHING.

So here's the mini take on Teardrop, Lauren Kate's exciting entry in a genre I don't want to state because I'm afraid it may be a spoiler...  but go to the jump if you want to see anyway.

Teardrop is the first in a trilogy and goes on sale October 22, 2013. You can preorder a copy with the bookstore where I work (yippee!) or your local independent bookstore. (Sure, you can order other places, too, but I think they don't need the plug on my little blog.)

This is a romantic, exciting, and mystical story set in contemporary Louisiana.

Eureka was saved from the rogue wave that killed her mom as they drove over a bridge together. Survivor's guilt and grief for her mother change Eureka, but despite her depression, she doesn't cry. She hasn't cried since she was a very little girl and her mother told her never, ever to cry again. Time for therapy, right? Yes, but there's more to it than bottled up emotions...

With her friends Cat and Brooks, Eureka starts to piece together clues her mother left behind-- about Eureka's powers, about her mother's work, and about mysteries that could change the world.

I really enjoyed this! The pacing, the characters, and the specifics of the mysterious magic were all very well done. I'll definitely put #2 on my reading pile when it comes out.

The Summer Prince

I used to be a die-hard read-to-the-end reader. Maybe it was Puritan work ethic from growing up in New England; maybe it was optimism; maybe I had too much time on my hands? Over the years as a bookseller, my willingness to put a book down developed to what I imagine as near the decisiveness editors and agents must have. Unless someone I know and trust has recommended something, if a book doesn't grab me right away, I often put it down and move right on the the next in my overflowing to-read pile.
When I picked up The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson and read the first page, for some reason I wasn't hooked. Carnivale and an execution? Nah. I pushed it aside. But the next morning, the book called to me from my discard pile. I tried again. After several chapters, I came up for air--briefly-- then dove right back in.
This unique and fascinating teen novel is like Margaret Atwood with a samba beat. Once I let the language and the future-foreignness absorb me, I was completely hooked.
Wakas are the young people and grandes are the mature ruling class of Palmares Tres, a tenuous paradise city built of interconnected glass bubbles, floating on the ocean and ruled by a matriarchy of Aunties and the Queen-- a government that is cyclically blood-thirsty, requiring the sacrifice of a chosen Summer King every five years to sanctify the reign of the Queen.
June is an aspiring artist and the stepdaughter of one of the Aunties. June and her best friend, Gil, a dancer, are prone to large gestures and devotion to Art. When Enki, a dancer who came up from the lower class in the verde, the bottom level of the pyramid and society, is chosen as the Summer King, both June and Gil are attracted to Enki's charisma, elegance, power, and message. What could have been a traditional love triangle (albeit with one couple a same-sex couple) becomes a much more complicated dance when not just sex but art causes passions to flame.
Over the whole book lies the knowledge of Enki's impending sacrifice.
Suspense, drama, love, steamy sensuality, justice, art-- to think I might have missed all that on a snap judgment! I'm so glad I picked this back up. Let me be the one to tell you--give The Summer Prince at least a chapter. And if you're not into it by then, just set it aside and wait for a day you're feeling adventurous and willing to go out on a reading limb. It's strange and satisfying, fresh and fascinating.

Love Water Memory by Jennie Shortridge

I get a huge kick out of reading advance reader copies from publishers before a book is published, but there's something even more exciting: reading a manuscript from an author I love before the publisher even puts the galleys out.
In 2012, I had the honor and privilege of reading the manuscript for Love Water Memory by Jennie Shortridge. The novel comes out April 2, 2013 from Gallery Books in a beautiful hardcover edition. I can't wait for others to catch on to this delight!
This is the rare novel that is thoroughly loving and romantic, sweet without being sappy.
Lucie is discovered knee-deep in San Francisco Bay. Just weeks before her wedding and her 40th birthday, something traumatic happened, and she lost her memory. Now her fiance Grady reclaims her, but their relationship is full of tension as they try to protect each other, putting their deep love at risk with their cautiousness.
Truths in the story tease out beautifully-- with suspense, care, and insight. The reader's gentle discovery and characters' revelations make this a book that lingers in the heart.
This is my favorite novel by Jennie Shortridge yet-- a bold statement from me, not only because I've loved her others so but also because I usually have a hard time picking favorites. But the uplift of hope and emotional suspense filling this novel make it a stand-out even among well-loved titles.

Music that I would recommend with this novel: soulful, romantic, atmospheric female vocalists like Etta James, Carla Bruni, Jolie Holland.

The Double Game by Dan Fesperman

Here's another fantastic read that I pulled from my pile!
In itself, it is a fun and satisfying middle-aged-man Cloak & Dagger story, but the layers of spy fiction fan geekiness push it over the top into the CAN'T MISS THIS category for fans who just can't get enough of Le Carre, Furst, Fleming et al.
Bill Cage, a 53-year-old former international journalist, current reluctant PR hack, divorce, disappointing dad, and beloved only son of former State Department employee Warfield Cage, gets the chance to live out the plots of his favorite spy novels. But when real danger strikes and he realizes how much he has to lose, is playing the game still worth it?
A mysterious note referencing favorites in the spy genre kicks it all off. Soon Bill is leaving Georgetown to revisit Cold War sites from his childhood. There are book codes, clues leading through deliciously old-world bookshops, microfilms from the KGB, and tons of references to spycraft's golden era.
Great drama, great character, and also great that even though there are some very thrilling scenes, some of the major cruxes of the story have wonderful psychological depth.
Watch for Litzi, a competent, smart femme who doesn't necessarily need to be fatale to be completely magnetic.
Perhaps best of all is the full bibliography at the end. I made a two-page wish list in my reading journal just from that.
The drink of this book: whiskey, neat. But also vodka, slivovitz, red wine...

I think readers who enjoy this might also try Pavel & I by Dan Vyleta (a spy thriller set in post-WWII Berlin, with loads of twists and turns), Restless by William Boyd (a 1970s mother-daughter story in London intertwined with mom's shenanigans as a spy in WWII) and-- a bit more of a stretch, but there's something about the deep reading, the family ties, and the layers of fiction-- The Tragedy of Arthur by Arthur Phillips (a contemporary drama about a son, his conman father, and the undiscovered Shakespearean play that won't let them go). 

Snowdrops by A. D. Miller

I finally got around to reading this Man Booker 2011 shortlist title, and I'm so glad I did. I usually like Man Booker shortlisters, I often like a book set in Russia, several customers had read and recommended it, so I was a little worried about it living up to expectations. Phew-- what a relief that it completely sucked me in with its sharp writing, suspenseful storytelling, and completely evocative and atmospheric style.
This contemporary novel is told as Nick/Kolya's confession to his fiancee before their wedding. It chronicles a London lawyer's fourth and final expat year in the depraved but beautiful, captivating yet horrifying Wild Wild East of Moscow, where bribes are necessary for everything, who you know could make or break you, and people really might do the unthinkable.
Miller doles out pithy and clever descriptions as well as heartbreaking statements about midlife, ambition, and love. The emotion is powerful and fascinating.
From the beginning, we know that a corpse has been uncovered near Kolya's flat. ("Snowdrops" are, in addition to flowers, corpses that are discovered after the snow melts in Russia.) This lends a sense of suspense and lurking danger throughout the story.
But the story is not a murder mystery; it is a love story, a story of intrigue and manipulation, and a business cautionary tale.
I found this well-written and gripping, if rather bleak. Bundle up, pour yourself some cocoa with a shot of vodka, and hunker down for a read-in-one-sitting winter's indulgence.
For more about Snowdrops (and to find it at an indie bookstore near you), click here. 

Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway

Zany, quirky, and enigmatic-- a very fun and unusual adventure.
This novel reads like a combination of Neil Gaiman, Alan Kurzweil, and Gail Carriger.
Joe Spork, a clockmaker, is in his 30s-- a quiet, kind, concentrated type of man. He runs the old clock shop his grandfather Daniel started in London. Joe worries about paying his taxes on time and treating women with more respect than his loutish friend Billy. He tries very hard to distance himself from the legacy of his dad, Mathew, a gangster who ran the secret underworld Night Market.
Joe gets snared in intrigue when Billy introduces him to client Edie Bannister, an old woman with a bad-breathed, blind pug named Bastion (who gets interior monologues from time to time). Edit has Joe work on repair jobs, including a clockwork device that is part book-- and part world-changing mechanical beehive. This is the Angelmaker, aka Apprehension Machine.
The story goes back and forth between the present-day troubles Joe has with government types and creepy religious/craftsman fundamentalists and Edie's youth (her special agent training, heroic transgender-disguised rescue, bonus baby elephant...).
There is a lot of the bizarre in the plot, and I'm sure I missed some of the twists and turns, but I enjoyed the quirky characters an over-the-top adventure. Perhaps my favorites, aside from Edie's training days above the  steampunk codebreaking train the "Ada Lovelace", were the scenes with Mercer Cradle, lawyer extraordinaire, and the smart and sexy Polly. 

'Tis the Season!

Without my usual retail holiday work, the season has kind of snuck up on me this year. Luckily, the Random Acts of Reading blog gave me a gift-giving prompt this month.
Read how I responded to, "What book do you want to give this year? What book do you want to get?" here.
What book would you love to get this year? 

Random Acts of Reading guest post: backlist

I love the book blog prompts Erin at Random Acts of Reading gives us every month. For November, we got to think about older favorites for kids. No surprise that the other bloggers' contributions had me going, "Oooh! Oooh! Oooh! I knew she was a kindred spirit!"

See the whole fabulous list and sing a variation of that song from childhood: "Read new books, but read the oll-lld; Some are silver and the others GOLD."

The post is here. 

A page-turner: "12.21" by Dustin Thomason

Back in the 1990s, I studied Biology and read Michael Crichton medical thrillers for escapism... and I also met a very nice boy who had been friends with my best friend from childhood.
We all wound up in college together, and that nice boy and I took some pre-med requirements together. He went on to med school, but that wasn't all-- he also wrote a best-seller called The Rule of Four with another friend, Ian Caldwell. Yowzah! That's right, I can say I knew Dustin Thomason when.

This summer, Dusty's first solo book came out, and it's a terrific medical thriller with history, romance, and plenty of drama! 12.21 features a long-lost Mayan codex, a mysterious and devastating outbreak, and a race for a cure that kept me turning the pages. I'd write more, but I'm pretty tired from staying up late to read...

If you've been craving an edge-of-your-seat medical thriller, let me recommend 12.21 by Dustin Thomason-- a great book by a great guy. 

"Goodbye for Now" by Laurie Frankel

As an independent bookseller, I take great pride in introducing readers to books they might not have found by themselves. One of the challenges of handselling is coming up with a bookseller-to-customer-pitch that conveys exactly why I think this particular book will be the right fit for this particular reader in their current reading mood.

I’m thrilled to make reader matches for Laurie Frankel’s Goodbye for Now (on sale August 7th) because I think it’s just the kind of unexpected delight so many of my customers rely on indie booksellers to recommend. But because I love this book so much, I want it to find an audience beyond just the curious readers who come into my store. As much as I like to feel indispensable, it would feel even better to know I helped this book get the chance it deserves on bookshelves around the country.

Its gorgeous cover will definitely draw readers in, but I offer this little tutorial on “How to Handsell Goodbye for Now” in hopes that all my bookselling brothers and sisters will help a wide, receptive audience discover this wonderful novel. We all know how enthusiastic readers and word of mouth can push a book to the bestseller list! I think this has the indie-driven hit potential of The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein and Wild by Cheryl Strayed.

Here are some of the leading questions I might ask to determine whether a customer will love Goodbye for Now as much as I did:

“Are you interested in a story that sucks you in and feels like a light read but also has lots to ponder?” The writing and characters make the reading effortless, but the story has such depth that readers will want to linger.

“Did you like The Art of Racing in the Rain?” 
Because really, who didn’t? But, between us, a book about a dying dog, race cars, and a true love who dies of a brain tumor doesn’t sound like any easier a sell than a book about true love, start-ups, and ever-lasting life through technology, does it? They’re both great books! It’s all in how we set expectations and convey our enthusiasm.

“Are you in the mood for a contemporary novel with romance, a Seattle setting, and technology?” 
Our store is located near Microsoft, Google, Adobe, and many other tech companies. Frankel captures the start-up culture and programmer/user/sales dynamic so perfectly, many of our readers will connect through their life experience.

“Did you like Set This House in Order?” 
Matt Ruff’s Set This House in Order is one of Queen Anne Books’ backlist stars and one of our favorite book club recommendations. Like that novel, Goodbye for Now appeals to both men and women and uses technology in the plot to delve deeply into emotions.

“Can you imagine a book that reads kind of like a mix between John Irving and Mary Shelley/ William Gibson and Jodi Picoult, but has its own distinct heart and voice? Sound good? It is.” 
Goodbye For Now has the charm, quirk, and sad sweetness of The World According to Garp matched with the science-has-its-consequences drama of Frankenstein. Like Gibson’s novels, it convincingly ponders the impacts of technology in near future, and like Picoult’s, it raises ethical questions that pack a punch, all while giving you characters you don’t want to let go. How are those for mash-ups? Pretty darn amazing, I think.

To sum it all up, I’m very excited to sell Goodbye for Now, and I hope others are, too! 

Booksellers, publicists, reviewers, readers, bloggers: if you want to talk to me about it, let me know; it would be my pleasure. 



For your further Frankel edification:
Laurie Frankel's author site, complete with a hilarious book trailer. (Watch for fingerpuppets of Einstein talking about an Adam Sandler movie, Virginia Woolf going into the drink, and more.)
My recommendation of Goodbye for Now for Queen Anne Books.
My recommendation of Laurie's first novel, The Atlas of Love, for Queen Anne Books.

The shortlist for the 2011 PNBA Book Awards, which includes The Atlas of Love.

Riff on a recipe

My awesome sister-in-law Elizabeth Tigani has a great wellness website, DishingWell.com. She recently posted one of her favorite summer recipes, gluten-free lemon spaghetti with kale. It sounded so good, I had to try it. But you know me: I always do my own thing with recipes!
The original from DishingWell has (as you'd expect) gluten free spaghetti and kale, as well as lemon zest and parmesan. I eat gluten, Jordy doesn't care for spaghetti much, I didn't have kale, we're vegan (so no parmesan), I can't have pasta without garlic, and I was too lazy to juice AND zest lemon. So here's my gluten-full, vegan, protein-rich variation:

Garlic Lemon Basil Capellini with Broccolli Rabe, Spinach, and Navy Beans


Boil a big pot of salted water.

Chop 4 cloves of garlic. Wash about 6 sprigs of fresh basil. Cut one lemon into sixths and remove the seeds. (Just wait-- you'll see how lazy I am!)

Put small pieces of broccoli rabe in a colander. Put your colander over the boiling water pot and cover with the lid to steam/ boil for about 5 minutes. Add handfuls of spinach to colander. Steam for another minute. Take colander out of pot and set aside in your clean sink.

If you're pressed for time, rinse and drain a can of navy beans. (If you have time, soak and cook to rehydrate some-- it's healthier!)

Boil your capellini. (Takes about 2 minutes).

When your capellini's done, strain in colander WITH THE BROCCOLI RABE AND SPINACH IN IT. Yeah, heck, why not?!? Why dirty a bowl?!?

Put your empty pot back on the stovetop. Add a glug of olive oil. Put your garlic and a few shakes of chili pepper flakes in the oil; sautee. (It's totally fine to use a packet from delivery pizza. I used one.) Then add your beans. Then dump your colander o' goodies (pasta, spinach, broccoli rabe) into the pan. Turn off heat.

Rip up the basil and toss it in the pot. Squeeze your lemon wedges into the pot. Add a little more olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, maybe a grind of fresh black pepper to taste. Put the lid on the pot and shake it around to mix or be civilized and use a utensil to stir.

Plate and enjoy!

(Notice how you really only dirty on big cutting board, your pot, your colander, a knife, a spatula, and your dinner plates? This is why I really love this recipe. If you enjoy it with a nice bottle of rose, you don't have to have the buzz kill of lots of dishes after your lovely meal.)

I also added avocado to the leftovers one day and ate it all cold-- another delicious variation.

Just finished "Outcasts United" (kids' version)

I'm reading through boxes and boxes of galleys for the fall season, and I just found the kind of well-written narrative non-fiction for kids I've been waiting for!!! It's the young reader's edition of Outcasts United by Warren St. John, coming from Random House Sept. 11, 2012.
Inspiring and informative, the book tells the true story of Luma Mufleh, a young woman from Jordan who moved to the US for college and decided she couldn't return to her home country after graduation; even though her parents threatened to cut ties with her, she wanted to take advantage of the opportunities available to women in the United States.
But in Atlanta, Luma felt lonely and isolated. She found joy in pick-up soccer games, and decided to start a youth soccer team for the children of refugees in nearby Clarkson, GA. She recruited and coached boys for under-13, under-15, and under-17 teams-- the Fugees. With some help from the local YMCA and Tracy, a young volunteer, she not only coached and managed the three teams, she also started a tutoring program to help the boys off the field. She assisted families with everything from paperwork to groceries to introducing the kids to trick-or-treating. She literally gives one boy the shoes off her feet. She's tough, she's strong, she's caring, and she's real.
But what really got me about this book is the way the author uses the boys' personal stories to teach an overview of atrocities of the modern world. Just a handful of players' backgrounds provide a shocking tour of the world's conflicts-- Sudan, Iraq, Bosnia, Congo, Liberia... St. John gives a clear overview of the situations and the boys' heartbreaking reasons for coming to the US. It made me get out a map to appreciate the global diversity of the Fugees. Then I wanted to get out my wallet to donate to the Fugees. And finally, I wanted to get out my old soccer cleats and play some soccer, because the kick-by-kick descriptions of some of the games were that exciting!
I haven't read the original version of this book, but the kids' version is extremely satisfying. It will be a great discussion book, a fabulous gift, and a wonderful read for kids who are curious about the world, kids who like soccer, or kids who just enjoy a good story about likeable underdogs. 

Treasure Island!!! Book club, here we come...

Just finished Treasure Island!!! by Sara Levine. Fast, fun, sly, and oddly and unexpectedly sweet. 
I get to lead discussion of it Saturday night at Book Mixer. Here's hoping we get a good crowd!!! 

Music pairings for this book might be songs by The Decembrists, The Pogues, and Regina Spektor. Other suggestions?

Drink pairing: definitely something with rum. Perhaps a custom cocktail called "The Dead Parrot" made with rum, nutmeg, ginger ale, and lime. Serve with a side of mac & cheese.

Speaking of picture books...

I participated in Random Acts of Reading's blogger panel again! They asked, "What children's book would you give out on World Book Night?" Tough question, especially given the fact that children's books cover such a wide age range. I went with a classic. You can check out the full post on Random House's Random Acts of Reading blog.

If you don't know the other book bloggers on the panel already, do visit their sites! Lots of great inspiration! There's Julie of Booking Mama, Heidi of YA Bibliophile, Kathy (aka BermudaOnion), Rene with Notes from the Bedside Table, and Alyson from Kid Lit Frenzy. 

Storytime! Read aloud with kiddos

I just finished up my monthly Queen Anne Books storytime at Twirl Cafe, a neighbor business-- a play cafe for kids and their grown-ups. (First Friday of every month at 10:30 am, if you're in the Seattle area!)

Today we started with Split! Splat! by Amy Gibson, illustrations by Steve Bjorkman. The kids (babies- 5 years) did a great job providing their own sound effects with the "rain shakers" I handed out (plastic Easter eggs partly filled with rice, taped together with packing tape). It was a fun book for the group, even if it is kind of jazzy/ silly and abstract. We talked about how rain doesn't stop our fun (a given for PNW kids), and whether anyone had ever squished through mud with bare feet. We all agreed that a bath is required after mud pies.

Then we followed up with the ever-popular Where Is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox with illustrations by Judy Horcek. The Seattle Children's Theater did this as a play not too long ago, and some in the audience knew it well. We started off with the kids identifying the animals on the cover (before I told them the title). Because one boy identified them as "baa baas," I asked everyone to help call out for the Green Sheep in sheep language every time I asked, "Where is the green sheep?" I cracked myself up with our sheep bleats-- and others seemed to enjoy our baa baas almost as much.

It was a good springtime selection. Rousing renditions of "If You're Happy and You Know It" and "The Alphabet Song" (by request) rounded out our storytime fun. 

At left, you can see all that's left of the batch of spicy sweet potato no-fry fries I made for dinner tonight. I'm still trying to figure them out, but even in this beta phase, they're pretty darn irresistible.

Here's how I did it (my almost-recipe):
Peel a sweet potato and cut it into fry-shaped pieces, just a bit bigger than McDonald's fries.
Toss with a dash of cayenne pepper, a dash of salt, and a few dashes of chili pepper.
Microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave for another 1-3 minutes, until the fries are floppy.
Add a splash of olive oil and toss.
Lay 'em out on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees until crispy-ish, scalding fingers to flip them over once during baking.
Serve with chipotle ketchup, and all will be forgiven.
(We had these with vegan black eyed pea BBQ sandwiches and a side of garlic broccoli.)

Another guest post at Random Acts of Reading

This time they asked, "Is the picture book dead?" Guess what we all said? :)

http://randomactsofreading.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/we-ask-a-book-blogger-is-the-picture-book-really-dead/#comments

Making Toast by Roger Rosenblatt

This week, I wrote a book report for the other blog I feed, www.onebravethingaday.com. That's the blog for the book I'm working on-- the inspirational memoir of my co-author, Linda Lewis Keeney.
Since we started writing together, Linda and I have been reading and comparing notes on books that might be good comparisons to ours. I chose Making Toast because it deals concretely yet tenderly with the after-effects of grief. One Brave Thing a Day is a lot about moving healthily through grief-- the daily mourning that comes with having a severely disabled daughter who cannot communicate; the mourning of the deaths of Linda's mother, her creative partner, and her good friend's son; and anticipatory mourning, thinking ahead to the death of her medically-fragile daughter.
Want to read my recommendation for Making Toast by Roger Rosenblatt? Getting there is as easy as clicking here. An excerpt from my  book report: "At times, reading [Making Toast] felt like attending the wake of someone I didn't know (but wished I had)."