Book Thingo

Did you spot the buff butlers in Sydney today?

Kat — Fri, 11 May 2012 09:51:31 +0000

At lunchtime today, the lovely ladies from Mills & Boon were giving out free books to passers-by at Martin Place, Pitt Street Mall and the QVB. They were aided by so-called ‘buff butlers’ (though I’d say there was more buff than buttering). The initiative seemed well received, although for more impact they really needed more butlers. I say that in a completely objective (not objectifying way).

Check out the pics below or on our Flickr page (I particularly love the butler who pimped out the books to a group of schoolgirls—there’s no more exciting time for Mills & Boon than when you’re in high school!). Also, Decadence had the guys on their knees!

Did you spot the buff butlers and grab a book? Let us know!

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Bookmarked

Kat — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:45:00 +0000

BOOKMARKED is the name we gave to our paper.li journal, but since not everyone is on Twitter and not everyone on Twitter likes paper.li, I thought I’d run an adhoc omnibus of links on the blog to highlight links and news that might be of interest.

Kristan Higgins announced as keynote speaker for ARRC2013

ARRA recently announced that contemporary romance author Kristan Higgins will be one of the keynote speakers for the 2013 Australian Romance Readers Convention.

How likely is it that you’ll find R*BY finalists in your library?

Library insider VaVeros looked up the availability of titles shortlisted for the 2012 R*BY awards and concluded that they’d be pretty hard to find in your local library. June Loves, Helene Young, Mardi McConnochie, Anna Jacobs and Anna Campbell seem to be the most popular.

‘Harlequin makes a total of 1.94, and I make .06.’

Former Harlequin Intrigue author Ann Voss Peterson has written a guest post on Joe Konrath’s blog explaining why her contract with Harlequin does not allow her to make a living out of writing. It’s an interesting post, and the comments that follow—some from fellow ex-Harlequin authors—are a little depressing. There’s also some discussion around how well ebook backlists sell through Harlequin versus the author self-publishing their own backlists. Harlequin doesn’t come out well in this one.

Index of Harlequin Mills & Boon historicals

Maili sent me a link to a fan site dedicated to cataloguing category historical romances. This is for the dedicated glommers!

10 Aussie books to read before you die (and none of them are romance books)

ABC’s First Tuesday Book Club is asking readers to help them put together the ‘utlimate Australian reading list’. Looking at the list of nominees, I suspect quite a few people have nominated books they *think* should be in the list, rather than books they actually enjoyed. I know this because Maestro is on the list but there are no Melina Marchetta titles at all.

It’s also telling that male protagonists (based on a quick skim of the synopses) outnumber female protagonists by more than 2 to 1. That’s not even taking into account the books where the female lead apparently finds self-awareness through a man.

In non-fiction, the men are even more interesting than the women, apparently.

Digital rights—who decides?

The Australian Society of Authors hosted a seminar exploring digital rights and you can find the podcasts on the ASA website. It’s a very interesting discussion and provides insight into what the Australian publishing industry is at when it comes to digital publishing.

Publishing consultant Leonie Tyle (formerly with Woolshed Press/Random House) encourages authors to be outspoken about their inability to make a living out of writing in Australia. She also doesn’t think the big 6 publishers are nimble enough to cope with the rapidly changing industry.

Publishing consultant Alex Adsett’s speech mentions romance readers and Carina Press (around 4:25). Adsett also recommends at least 25% royalties for ebooks, but that seems very low to me. (She does have other recommendations, like rising royalty rates over time, which make sense to me, so I guess the message is ‘it depends’.) She also talks about self-publishing. Update 10/5/2012: Alex tweeted to clarify that the 25% rate is for traditional publishers. It’s around 40% standard for startup e-publishers.

The other speakers were writer and if:book Australia manager Simon Groth, author and ASA executive director Angelo Loukakis, and author Marianne de Pierres. The Q&A segment is also available.

I’d be interested to hear from e-published authors (especially those who publish with e-only publishers) if the advice in these podcasts matches their experience in e-publishing.

Experimentation in UK digital publishing

Momentum publisher Joel Naoum undertook a study on digital publishing experimentation in the UK trade market as part of an Unwin Trust Fellowship. Some of his key findings include:

Publishers think territorial copyright is essential to their business but probably won’t last in the digital space (and deals falling through due to limited rights availability)
Piracy is considered a huge threat
Little experimentation around DRM from publishers
Most publishers use a protective strategy around pricing, and many are largely driven by Amazon
Book-related apps are topical for publishers but require high levels of investment
UK publishers have a less negative view of Amazon than in Australia
Biggest area of innovation is in streamlining the book production process

You can read the abstract and download a copy of the report here.

How I can love the BDB when it’s so wrong on many levels

I recently came across a piece written by Rachael over at Social Justice League on how to be a fan of problematic things and it pretty much explains how I manage to simultaneously love reading the BDB yet hate myself for it. :-) But seriously, it also provides a framework for talking about romance books (among other things—the article isn’t specific to any one problematic topic) that we love even when we know there are serious issues with the story.

2012 R*BY awards – Finalists

Kat — Sun, 06 May 2012 22:33:04 +0000

Source: stock.xchng

Congratulations to all the finalists for the 2012 R*BY awards!

Romance Writers of Australia has announced the finalists for the 2012 Romantic Book of the Year awards. The awards will be presented on Saturday, August 18, at the RWA national conference at the Gold Coast.

Short Sweet
Molly Cooper’s Dream Date by Barbara Hannay
How To Save a Marriage In a Million by Leonie Knight
Abby and The Bachelor Cop by Marion Lennox
Single Dad’s Triple Trouble by Fiona Lowe

Short Sexy
The Fearless Maverick by Robyn Grady
The Man She Loves to Hate by Kelly Hunter (Kat’s review)
The Wedding Charade by Melanie Milburne
Her Not-So-Secret-Diary by Anne Oliver

Long Romance
Midnight’s Wild Passion by Anna Campbell
Boomerang Bride by Fiona Lowe (Kat’s review)
The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry
The Voyagers by Mardi McConnochie

Romantic Elements
The Trader’s Wife by Anna Jacobs
The Shelly Beach Writers’ Group by June Loves
Busted In Bollywood by Nicola Marsh
Shattered Sky by Helene Young

More at Book Thingo:

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Envyious — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:06 +0000

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa (The Blood of Eden, Book 1)

A compelling read, given Julie Kagawa’s brilliant writing and ability to create characters we can sympathise with, but it offers nothing new in terms of the vampire mythos.

Oh how I wanted so badly to LOVE this book! It had all the ingredients of a five-star read—most especially in today’s young adult (YA) market. Post-apocalyptic? Check. Vampires? Check. Did I hear you say, What about zombies? Check that, too (though they’re not named thus in the book, they are pretty much the mindless, walking dead with a one-track mind: to eat you).

Throw in a feisty katana-wielding female lead and a love interest worthy of being swooned at and it should have been a straightforward A+. Ach, but it pains me to admit that it falls short of being mind blowing.

A world post a contagious vampiric virus

The Immortal Rules begins with a multiple public hanging and continues not to shy away from violence throughout. Julie Kagawa sets the scene within the first few pages and it’s clear that humans are now several rungs down the food chain, living in walled cities run by vampires where breaking curfew could be fatal. Allison ‘Allie’ Sekemoto is a feisty, sarcastic (at times, inappropriately so, but then again she’s a teenager so I guess that’s a given, right?) and apparently illegal book lover. That last one was what won me over but there’s plenty to admire about the disillusioned but steadfast Allie.

Fangs and a serious case of photodermatitis

It’s a very traditional take on vampires but it’s how Kagawa tells the tale that made me flip pages past 1 am. By that I mean more Stoker and Rice than sparkling in the sunlight. I was engrossed by Kagawa’s world building, especially when we realise that Allie doesn’t recognise everyday objects we all take for granted, like a lawnmower or a wheelchair. In her reality the concept of school is bewildering and no one actually has any access or much need for mundane equipment that are relics of our current time.

Casualties, targets and thirst-quenchers

We’re introduced to many characters along the way and so the list of possible victims is quite extensive (but there are definitely a few idiots you would want dead). Not unlike Suzanne Collins, Kagawa isn’t afraid to sacrifice a few characters and it was awesome. The end.

(As a sort of unrelated side note it was a tad difficult not to giggle at the name of the vampire who sired Allie since translated into my native language (Tagalog), ‘Kanin’ (his name) means ‘rice’. He’s meant to be mysterious and aloof but my mind was saying surely with a name like that he secretly wants to open his own restaurant right? Dish of the day, blood pudding! You understand my dilemma. Moving on…)

Of blood and sacrifice

What I loved best was the subtle romance intertwined with our heroine’s plight in learning to accept what she’s become. There’s no love triangle! HOORAY! It’s already believable. I maintain that it was hard enough to get the attention of one guy, let alone two, as an awkward teen, so triangles always make me suspicious of the heroine. Allie doesn’t wax poetic about Zeke’s masculine allure and superb beauty at first sight—more a casual description of his person. It’s later on, after they spend some quality time trying not to get killed while getting to know one another, that she realises he’s hot stuff.

Some cover matters

Lastly, while I don’t judge books solely by their covers (though admittedly it is taken into account) I do notice the covers of my books. Allie is explicitly described as Asian of implied Japanese descent—with her ‘squinty’ eyes, small stature and, most notably, her surname, but to my disappointment, the cover doesn’t portray this at all. She’s gorgeous, that’s for sure but, well, not Asian.

I did only get an uncorrected proof but it had what I assume to be the final official cover (as revealed on Kagawa’s blog and on the HarlequinTeen facebook page.

More often than not authors have nothing to do with how their covers turn out and I may just be nitpicking; nevertheless, it would be nice for the art department to take note of. She really should look a lot like the model on the reprinted versions of Lian Hearn’s Tales of the Otori series (particularly this one).

Yay or nay?

Despite being a compelling read, there was nothing new here in terms of the vampire mythos and, unfortunately, was somewhat predictable. However, these are small misgivings compared to Kagawa’s brilliant writing and ability to create characters we can sympathise with.

Who might enjoy it: Fans of the vampire and post-apocalyptic genres as well as The Hunger Games, minus the politics and the insufferable faux love triangle

Who might not enjoy it: Those looking for a new take on vampirism (though I’d advise them to stick with it—it’s really Allie’s growth as a character that makes the novel worthwhile)

A review copy of this book was generously provided by Harlequin Teen.

Title: The Immortal Rules (excerpt)
Series: The Blood of Eden (Book 1)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Flawless by Carrie Lofty

Wandergurl — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:24 +0000

Flawless by Carrie Lofty (The Christies, Book 1)

A second chance romance filled with adventure and set in a South African diamond mine. Not your conventional romance.

Lady Vivienne Bancroft’s father, Sir William Christie, died and left each of his four children an inheritence. For them to claim it, each one has to take a part of his business and make it successful. Vivienne ends up with a diamond mine in South Africa that she has to make profitable in a year.

Miles Durham, Viscount Bancroft, and his wife have been estranged for a few years. He wants to get her back and somehow prove himself to her by taking part in making the venture profitable.

I love adventure romances in your not so average settings! It’s not often that you get a romance in colonial South Africa—in a diamond mine, no less—and for that alone I bought this book. (Okay, Rendezvous also recommended it in their newsletter.) It didn’t disappoint.

Vivienne is quiet and strong, and she has been on her own for quite some time. All she wants to do is get back to her life, her lovely New York brownstone, but somehow she’s ended up in Africa with her ex.

Miles is really a rogue—the kind who gambles and who squandered her dowry and had nothing come of him. So it’s no surprise that she dumped him because she realised he was a lying, cheating cad. South Africa is his redemption in more ways than one. He’s actually a competent, capable bloke (I guess he’d be a bloke if he didn’t have a title) and I like how Carrie Lofty is able to show Miles developing self-awareness and actual balls, not just the ones attached to his nether regions.

Vivienne and Miles become more aware of what they’re capable of. In South Africa they’re not just society people—they actually have the capacity to make a difference, and not just profit wise. To me, this arc is what anchors the book.

Their story and growth as a couple is intertwined with their growing diamond mine and the fledgling industry. The story sounds well researched and the bits of history and facts are quite interesting. I also liked the way Lofty uses the secondary characters to show the life and times of the Victorian era—they provided insight into history, how people treated others, and why they did so. The adventure of the setting matched the adventure of Miles and Vivienne getting to know each other again and discovering that each person is more than what they seemed, and in Vivienne’s case, that Miles might be worth that second chance.

Yay or nay?

If you like adventure romances with just the right amount of character and insight, this one is for you.

Who might enjoy it: Readers who like romances in unusual settings

Who might not enjoy it: Readers looking for a conventional romance

Title: Flawless (excerpt)
Series: The Christies (Book 1)
Author: Carrie Lofty
Publisher: Pocket/Simon & Schuster

Vodcast: Books with romantic elements recommended for Aussie Author Month 2012

Kat — Tue, 01 May 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Kate and Kat talk about their favourite Australian romance authors. Part 10 (final) of a series of vodcasts for Aussie Author Month 2012.

In this series, Kate and I talk about some of our favourite Australian romance authors, with some digression into our to-be-read lists. In our final vodcast for this series, we talk about our favourite books with romantic elements and why we love them so much.

Unfortunately, due to technical issues, the bit where we talk about tentacle porn ended up on the cutting room floor.

If you can’t see the video below, click here to view it directly on YouTube. It runs for just under 10 minutes.

Again, thanks to Ben Reynolds, who recorded these vodcasts for us.

Reading list

This is a complete list of the authors and books we mention in the video, and I’ve indicated which ones are recommended reads.

Colleen McCullough

The Thorn Birds (recommended by Kate)

Dominic Knight

Disco Boy (recommended by Kat)

Krissy Kneen

Affection (recommended by Kat)

Melina Marchetta

The Piper’s Son (recommended by Kat)

Narelle M. Harris

The Opposite of Life (recommended by Kate)

If you have more recommendations for Australian authored books with romantic elements, we’d love to know!

More at Book Thingo:

Vodcast: Fantasy romance recommendations for Aussie Author Month 2012

Kat — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:02 +0000

Kate and Kat talk about their favourite Australian romance authors. Part 9 of a series of vodcasts for Aussie Author Month 2012.

In this series, Kate and I talk about some of our favourite Australian romance authors, with some digression into our to-be-read lists. We’re talking about fantasy romance and this is a subgenre that I dearly wish more authors would write in.

If you can’t see the video below, click here to view it directly on YouTube. It runs for over seven minutes.

And, of course, we couldn’t have done these vodcasts without the help of the ever awesome Ben Reynolds.

Reading list

This is a complete list of the authors and books we mention in the video, and I’ve indicated which ones are recommended reads.

Denise Rossetti

The Lone Warrior (recommended by Kate and Kat)

Juliet Marillier

Heart’s Blood (recommended by Kate)

Kylie Griffin

Vengeance Born

Louise Cusack

Destiny Of The Light

Which Aussie authors of fantasy romance would you recommend, and which of their books should we start with? We’d love to know!

More at Book Thingo:

Vodcast: Romantic suspense recommendations for Aussie Author Month 2012

Kat — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:00:57 +0000

Kate and Kat talk about their favourite Australian romance authors. Part 8 of a series of vodcasts for Aussie Author Month 2012.

In this series, Kate and I talk about some of our favourite Australian romance authors, with some digression into our to-be-read lists. This time we talk about romantic suspense. No prizes for guessing our author picks. :-)

If you can’t see the video below, click here to view it directly on YouTube. It runs for just over five minutes.

Again, thanks to Ben Reynolds, who recorded these vodcasts for us.

Reading list

This is a complete list of the authors and books we mention in the video, and I’ve indicated which ones are recommended reads.

Bronwyn Parry

As Darkness Falls
Dark Country
Dead Heat (recommended by Kate and Kat)

Helene Young

Border Watch/Wings Of Fear
Shattered Sky
Burning Lies (to be released; recommended by Kate)

Which Aussie authors of romantic suspense would you recommend, and which of their books should we start with? We’d love to know!

More at Book Thingo:

Vodcast: Erotic romance recommendations for Aussie Author Month 2012

Kat — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:56 +0000

Kate and Kat talk about their favourite Australian romance authors. Part 7 of a series of vodcasts for Aussie Author Month 2012.

In this series, Kate and I talk about some of our favourite Australian romance authors, with some digression into our to-be-read lists. This time we talk about erotic romance. One thing I didn’t notice until I replayed our chat is that none of these authors have an Australian publisher. And they should!

If you can’t see the video below, click here to view it directly on YouTube. It runs for just under eight minutes.

And, of course, a big thank you to Ben Reynolds, who recorded these vodcasts for us.

Reading list

This is a complete list of the authors and books we mention in the video, and I’ve indicated which ones are recommended reads.

Ann Somerville

Remastering Jerna (recommended by Kat)

Cathryn Brunet

Three Over Par

Jess Dee

Photo Opportunity (recommended by Kate)
Island Idyll

Lexxie Couper

Tropical Sin

Rhian Cahill

Which Aussie authors of erotic romance would you recommend, and which of their books should we start with? We’d love to know!

More at Book Thingo:

Vodcast: Contemporary romance recommendations for Aussie Author Month 2012

Kat — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:00:18 +0000

Kate and Kat talk about their favourite Australian romance authors. Part 6 of a series of vodcasts for Aussie Author Month 2012.

In this series, Kate and I talk about some of our favourite Australian romance authors, with some digression into my to-be-read pile. Here we talk about contemporary romance authors, although I fudge a bit and cross over to romantic elements. But they all end happily, I promise!

If you can’t see the video below, click here to view it directly on YouTube. It runs for just under 11 minutes.

As usual, our thanks to Ben Reynolds, who recorded these vodcasts for us.

Reading list

This is a complete list of the authors and books we mention in the video, and I’ve indicated which ones are recommended reads.

Angela Verdenius

Doctor’s Delight

Fiona Lowe

Boomerang Bride (recommended by Kate)

Kandy Shepherd

Love Is A Four-Legged Word (recommended by Kate)
Home Is Where The Bark Is (recommended by Kate and Kat)

Melanie La’Brooy

Love Struck
The Wish List (recommended by Kat)

Nicola Marsh

Busted In Bollywood

Toni Jordan

Addition (recommended by Kat)

Which Aussie authors of contemporary romance would you recommend, and which of their books should we start with? We’d love to know!

More at Book Thingo: