Archive for July, 2009

Jul 30

The undead are rising!

          At least trends involving zombies look to be on the rise.  Is anyone else as excited as I am about Zombieland?  Looks brillant.  Looks like zombie books are going to be a hot comodity here soon.

http://www.observer.com/2009/media/pocket-books-goes-all-zombie-craze-signs-zombie-beatles-book

          Has anyone read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies?  I keep seeing it and thinking about it.  I haven’t read the orginal book (shame I know) so I feel like I should first. 

          I’m not at all surprised that zombies books are on the rise.  Books tend to go in trends. Perfect example, has anyone noticed how many vampire books are out right now?  I went in Barnes and Noble a few weeks back and they had an entire table stacks high with different titles that were young adult books only.   They probably could have made a whole other table for adult ones too.   The Sookie Stackhouse books are definately selling well everywhere.   Personally I love the Vegas Vampire books by Erin McCarthy which are usually in the paranormal romance section.  I started reading them a couple years ago.  By the way, Bled Dry (which was published in 2007) has lots of plot points similar to Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyers (published a year later).  Hmmm.  Actually I don’t think Meyers was copying by any means but I definately had the feeling of this story has been done before only sexier.

          The part of this article that bothered me was how they said they wanted to make the new book Paul is Undead a huge franchise.  I understand dreaming big but isn’t it a little early to tell the press about all these dreams when for all you know the book could completely flop.  What is that phrase about getting ahead of yourself?  I can’t remember right now but it feels like that is what they are doing with this book.

          I do however think it was very smart to make a zombie book that was original.  Doing another classic meets undead clash would just seem like trying to hard to capitalize on another book that did well.  The idea was original with P&P&Z but if it is done again it will feel like a copycat.

          What do you think about the zombie trend?  Will you read Paul is Undead?  More importantly, quick Zombies or Vampires?  Haha, just kidding.

Does anyone else remember when some kid hacked an electronic sign in Texas to say this?

http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dwarning%2Bzombies%2Bahead%26fr%3Dyfp-t-151&w=316&h=259&imgurl=www.journalstandard.com%2Farchive%2Fx1452244443%2Fg13c10475eb1f01e6d78a64b8253fe96325e3522e83b66c.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.journalstandard.com%2Fnews%2Fx1851002780%2FCaution-Zombies-ahead&size=16k&name=Caution+Zombies+…&p=warning+zombies+ahead&oid=d3faa2a0493e73d2&fr2=&no=9&tt=9&sigr=125e8og56&sigi=12v32mk8c&sigb=12h6jlfq9

 

Probably one of my very favorite news items of all time.  I really want to know if anyone believed it.  Like was anyone driving, saw the sign, and went home scared and prepared for an attack?

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Jul 29

The space venture continues…

http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2009-07-29-book-buzz_N.htm?csp=34

          Another Hitchhiker’s Guild to the Galaxy sequal?  Didn’t the guy who wrote those books pass away?  The answer to both of those questions is yes.

          The six instalement of the space venture was written by Eoin Colfer.  If that names sounds familar it is because Colfer has made best sellers list with his own series, Artemis Fowl.   Being no stranger to sci-fi it makes sense that Colfer would decide to write a follow up to a book that he loved so much at a young age.  It is probably a series that had a lot of influence on Colfer deciding to be an author in the first place.

          I’m not entirely sure how I feel about someone writing another book to a series that is already such a classic.  Part of me wants to scream, no, don’t touch it.  Another part of me is curious.   It seems like perhaps Colfer could do it justice.  After all, being a fan himself, I’m sure he too did not want to ruin it.

          Lately I have been considering something along the lines of working off of someone elses work.  I don’t want to say too much about it but I was so inspired that I am just thinking about it.  It would be kind of different because it would be doing a story off of a different form of art besides prose.  Sort of like how Meg and Dia often write songs telling stories from classic books that they love like East of Eden, Brave New World, and Indiana (only to name a few of the many).

          What do you think about authors writing sequels to books by other authors?  Are you excited about another Hitchhikers book?

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Jul 28

More news of the GC camp

          Looks like Billy Martin isn’t the only Good Charlotte member making news in the book world this month.   Vocalist Joel Madden admitted recently that he is working on a memior.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/35/20090728/tmusic-joel-madden-to-write-good-book-716af92.html

          It doesn’t seem like Madden is any rush to finish the book.  Most article I found quoted him as saying “If I put a book out.”   After that he would also have to actually sign a book deal but I doubt that would be any kind of issue.   Not to be negative against famous people but it makes it pretty easy to get a book deal.

          If you have ever listen to Madden’s lyrics, you will be able to predict how interesting his memior will be.  His father walked out he and his twin brother Benji were sixteen.   Both brothers took up jobs in order to help their mother out to support the family that also included two younger siblings.    Sometime later all the siblings actually decided to take their mother’s maiden name (Madden) because they wanted no association with their father. 

          Good Charlotte was formed when Madden was still in high school.  After some years they began playing small shows at bars and eventually got radio play.  After some time their first single, Little Things, made it onto the Billboard charts.  Many predicted that would be the last we saw of these boys but then Young and the Hopeless hit the shelves.  Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous was the first single which gots the band many MTV gigs but it was far from being the only one.  The album brought a slew of megahits including  The Anthem, Girls and Boys, and Hold On.    The band also released “Chronicles of Life and Death” which did okay but not great, and “Good Morning Revival” which spawned another chart topping single,  “Dance Floor Anthem.”  The band is currently working on a fifth album.  They have gone from small bars, to stadiums, to big venues and everything in between.  I’m sure the book will have lots of interesting stories about their many tours.

          In another interesting life turn, Madden ended up dating hollywood party girl Nicole Richie.   The couple has a daughter named Harlow and is expected a second child.  They have been spotted buying blue baby stuff so it looks like it is a boy for this adorable family. 

          For Hawlow’s baby shower, the couple encouraged guest to bring only books as gifts saying they would love their child to have a huge libary of books.  Sounds like my kind of couple!!! 

        Richie and Madden also started The Richie Madden Children’s Foundation which helps mom’s and families to be with regular baby items that they otherwise could not afford.  Madden is also involved with UNICEF. 

          Sounds like more than enough life stories to fill a very interesting book.  I wish Madden the best of luck in continuing with the book.  I actually loved Richie’s book (it was girly and cheesy but that is okay sometimes) so perhaps she will be able to help her man out!

           Will you buy Madden’s book?

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Jul 27

Hot for books…

          Okay so this isn’t really a news article that I found but Marina Orlova, aka Hot For Words, is on the O’Reilly Factor tonight so it seems sort of like news.  If you haven’t already heard, Orlova has a book coming out next month; 8/18/09. 

          You can pre-order the book here…

http://www.harpercollins.com/book/pre-order.aspx?isbn13=9780061776311

         In case you haven’t heard of Orlova, she is a Russian linguist who shot to stardom two years ago with her YouTube videos.  The videos often feature the bombshell 28 year old in skippy or sexy clothing discussing the orgins and roots of words.   The videos prove her tagline, “Intelligence is sexy.”

          Personally I love her.   I think that it is awesome that she is combining sexy and smart.   There is this weird view that girls or guys that are smart and have multiple degrees have to be this nerdy not hot type.  She is breaking down that stereotype.   On the opposite side of that same point, she is proving that good looking people don’t have to be dumb. 

          Perhaps I like her so much because I can relate to her.  I got my photography job though a photo of myself.  At the time they were known for hiring hot girls to be event photographers.  Now it isn’t so much that way.  It was something that makes sense.  In general, girls in particular are more comfortable having a girl take their pictures.  Plus I have no qualms about telling them if there hair is messed up and fixing it for them, telling them if their tags or bra is showing or anything else.  I know I would want someone to make me look good in pictures so I do the same to them.  I may have got the job for being a cute girl that would ‘enhance’ the party but I have proven to the company that I am an asset because I write intelligent sounding blurbs for the pictures plus I am a photography nerd so I know how to make my photos look good.  Even more so, I can pick up the technology side of things when they come up because I’ve spent the last six years of my life working in electronics.   Probably one of my favorite things about myself is that I can feel sexy in my own skin and yet feel that it is okay to be a smart person.  I look up to Orlova for doing  just that.

          I can see how some people can say that Orlova is using sex appeal to get famous.  I have to argue though that even if someone is going to her site or videos just to look at her, they are still being exposed to educational topics.  Her videos are honestly very interesting.  I had a teacher my junior year of high school that made us to tons of etomology stuff and I have been interested in it sense.  I would not be at all against going to school to get a philology degree like Orlova.  I will definately be picking up the book to check it out.  It is bound to be an interesting read.

          So what do you think about Hot For Words?  Do you watch her videos?  Will you buy the book?

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Jul 26

Book News July 20-23

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Posted in News/Current Issues, Videos

Jul 23

Hot girls at Comic Con?

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Posted in Blah blah blah, Videos

Jul 23

Good Charlotte musician to create comic

http://comics.ign.com/articles/100/1006775p1.html

          Since Comic Con started today I wanted to find news from it.  Mostly there was lots of stuff talking about exactly who was going to be there star wise.  Then finally I found a story about Billy Martin from Good Charlotte.

          Martin is going to cowrite as well as create the artwork for the comic to be named Vitriol the Hunter.  I think it sounds interesting because in the article is says it is going to relate to monster myths and be done in a horror style. 

           Artwork by Martin can already be seen on lots of Good Charlotte albums and merch as well as Level 27 Clothing (Martin’s line) and even conceptually in some of GC’s music videos.     I’d  say that music videos are the closest to comic books.   You have to put together a story board and have the story make a progression.  Well I guess you don’t have to in all videos but the ones that GC puts out normally tell a story.

          I tried to look up Brent Allen but could only find links to this same story (or ones basically the same).  Finally on IMDB it linked his name to Brent Allen Caputo.  I can’t tell for sure if it is the same person.  When I search that name it comes back with information on an actor that has mainly done stunts.  I was hoping to find something that would show his background in comics but no such luck.  If anyone knows more information please share!

          My biggest question about this series is if it will be successful or not.  Will people take Martin seriously as a comic or will he just be regarded as a musician stepping outside his boundary?  What do you think?  Will you pick up his comic?

          If you are at Comic Con (I’m seriously jealous of you by the way) you can actually talk to Martin and Allen on Saturday (??? I think that is the right date).  If you are there let me know how it is going/was?

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Jul 22

The Kindles got some competition

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2009-07-22-ereader-network_N.htm?csp=34

          So I happen to work at T-Mobile currently.  In the past I have worked for Verizon, AT&T/Cingular, and Sprint.  I tend to know what’s what in the cellular world so this news caught my attention today.  Today AT&T announced that they will carry an electonical reading device next year.  Hmm, sounds like Kindle, which uses Sprint signal, might have some competition.

          First off, this device is aimed for people wanting to be able to read documents in a better format than the current ones you see on data phones like the iPhone and Blackberry.  I can see how this would be a product that could be popular.  The store I work at caters to many professionals from some of the biggest US companies.  The way documents are viewed is a question I get asked about every day.   This new product will be the first of it’s kind to be available at cellular stores. 

          I am assuming that like the Kindle, clients will be able to subscribe to magazines and newspapers.  This would be something else that would appeal to professional clients.  Many times major companies have people from all different countries working for them.  Want to have the paper from back home sent to you?  Why not?  Unlike the Kindle, this will also work oversees when AT&T has coverage.

          It will be interesting to see how book sales do on this device.  It is not the primary purpose so I am curious about if the advertising will include the fact that e-books can be purchased.  I would imagine it will be something the sales people will be aware of and told to bring up during the sale but it might not be something that they concentrate on.   Since the books will be available through purchase from Barnes and Noble, it will almost seem like most of the advertising will come from their side.

          With Sprint and AT&T getting into the e-book business, it will be interesting to see if T-Mobile and Verizon get into the game as well.

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Jul 21

Target makes an impact on book sale

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/books/22target.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

          This is so crazy that this is the first story I came across today.  Only an hour before typing this I was standing in the bookstore at Target and wonder to myself, were this books bestsellers before they landed on the Target shelves or are the best sellers because Target picked them up.

          The article definately proves that Target is making quite the impack on the book world.   It seems like plenty of books would have done just fine on their own but tons were able to do well because Target maked them for their bookseller club.   It is a good thing that so many authors are able to get exposure to their books that otherwise they would not.

          One thing I absolutely loved about this article was learning that it is actually a panel of Target employees that decide which books are choosen.  It isn’t some publisher paying big bucks or anything like that. It seems so organic to have the type of people that would be shopping there and reading them decide which books they see fit to sell to the public.   It adds a personal touch.  It is like when I go to Powell’s books in Portland I can’t help but walk by the employee picks.  There is a music store in Portland too (sorry I’m spacing out on the name) that had employees pick their favorite and write little blurbs about them.  I’ve bought a few cds just because the person that wrote that made it sound good.

          I think Target is a great place to be bringing such a great variety of books.  It really is the kind of place that you go there for anything and everything.  When I walk by the books at other chains stores it seems like mostly all they have is best sellers and mass market series.  It is nice to see a store giving so much thought to what they put out and allowing there to be a huge variety.   People that might not otherwise go to a bookstore are able to find truly good books regardless of how popular they are.  I know Target was who introduced me to Kyra Davis who is now one of my favorite writers.

          What do you think of Target’s book section?   Have you bought books there?

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Jul 20

Ex-Beauty Queen to pen book

          It seems like about everywhere online (and I’m sure all the entertainment television news shows as well) are reporting on Ex-Miss California Carrie Prejean’s new book deal.  Reports say the book will look into what truly happen to make her lose her crown.  This is looking at it from her perspective which is that she was decrowned because she spoke out against gay marriage.

          Personally,  I do not think that is the reason she lost her crown.  It was stated over and over again that she was not making events that she  had been scheduled for.  If I’m correct, being Miss anyone means you have contracts to make certain appearances.  This is part of your job basically.  When you don’t show up to your job you get fired.  That is the way the world works.  The fact that she was attending events that were anti-gay instead should not even be an issue.  I would imagine any event, no matter the content, that took her away from her contracted events would have cased her to lose her position.

          The whole controversy surrounding Prejean is interesting.  Let me first say, I am pro gay marriage.  Do not take anything I say next as saying I think there is anything wrong with same sex marriage.

          I was raised to believe that no matter who you loved it was natural.  What sex you are attracted to is just the way it is and there is nothing wrong with it at all.  Notice, I am saying it is  how I was raised.  My beliefs on about everything in the world spawn from what my family taught me.  I understand that people are raised differently.  If someone is raised to believe one way about a controversal issue, how can society look down on them? 

          The way that Prejean handle the question was the most honest she could be without trying to offend people.  If I remember correctly she said that she was against it but she was glad she lived in a country where there was freedom for people to choose.  She said she was raised to believe it was wrong.  How else would she have answered that honestly? 

         What do you think about Prejean’s book deal?  Will you read the book?  Do you think her anti-same sex marriage views are what caused her to lose her crown?

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