Crossing social media streams: #fridayreads on Twitter

Last week, Salon.com's Laura Miller wrote a piece about the fine art of book recommendations which spurred some fascinating discussions in the book-blog-reading world.

Since the other regular feature I write for Salon is all about recommending books, people often ask me for tips. It's a ticklish question. In a review, I can expound at length, giving readers a pretty good sense of what I like so they can judge if my preferences align with their own. One-on-one, however, what really matters to me is what you like to read.

This rings true for anyone who's ever majored in English, worked in a bookstore, taken a job in publishing, or just consistently shown up at family gatherings armed with books (and yes, there are some people who are described by all four of these situations). How to tailor one's recommendations for the right person? And the horrible feeling of recommending a book you love--only to have the person not quite enjoy it.

Miller advocates something more personal and complicated than Amazon.com's familiar "customers who bought this item also bought" e-commerce algorithm, which skews so heavily towards the big bestsellers.

But on the opposite side, we've found ourselves really enjoying a book mention/recommendation that comes in 140 characters or fewer--the Twitter hashtag topic #fridayreads (if you're not a Twitter user, you can still view the Tweets by clicking here). In this case, brevity is the name of the game, and most Tweets are confined to just a title, sometimes an author, and a few words on why the person is enjoying the book, if that much. Started by Bethanne Patrick, also known as The Book Maven, this post on Know Thy Shelf has more of the history of this topic.

We're always pleasantly surprised to see our own titles come through on the #fridayreads feed (thanks, @reftechrob, for recommending Marathon!), but in general, watching it scroll by each Friday is a great window into what people are reading all over the world. Sometimes they are miniature recommendations, sometimes they're just a 140-character-or-less peek at a bookshelf or night-table.

So if you're not yet part of the #fridayreads community, jump in! Or leave your own current reading list in the comments. We're looking forward to seeing this topic continue to grow.

Either way, knowing that this many people are reading warms our bookish hearts.

Behind the Scenes with Overlook: With Peter Quinn and New York 1

Here's a sneak peek at Peter Quinn's interview on NY1, where he retraced the steps of Judge Joseph Crater on the last day he was seen alive. The New York State Supreme Court Justice disappeared on August 6, 1930, and was never seen again. It remains one of New York's most famous unsolved mysteries.

But it's not unsolved in Quinn's new book The Man Who Never Returned, on sale next Thursday from Overlook. Using his real-life knowledge of New York and extensive research, Quinn has crafted a story whose conclusion is both "logical and surprising" (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

A few photos of his walk down W. 45th Street in New York City with NY1 reporter Rebecca Spitz are below. Enjoy! And get excited for The Man Who Never Returned!

Intern Adventures: Testing the Editorial Waters

Have you been craving more updates about the glamorous life of a publishing intern? Fear not--our wonderful publicity-and-sometimes-editorial Intern Michael is here to update you on his exciting 10-to-5 and take any questions you may have in the comments! Happy reading!

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Since I started working at Overlook earlier this summer, many people have asked me the obvious question: “What exactly does an intern at a book publisher do?” To many an asker’s disappointment, the innocent query can result in a somewhat boring discussion unless a conversant is duly prepared for a detailed rundown on the inner-functions of the website CisionPoint. The temptation to glamorize my position here can be a bit overwhelming and at times I’m tempted to exaggerate the truth about the less exciting duties of a publicity intern.

Intern Michael hard at work in the Overlook offices Tuesday.
No, we're not making him read ALL of those books. (Just most of them.)
Thanks, Michael!

In a post last month I detailed some of those responsibilities, including the fulfillment of media requests and the collection of names and email addresses for contact lists. While I recognize and appreciate the necessity and value of tasks like these for any business to function, they never quite qualify as the most compelling explanation of the job I chose to undertake this summer. Don’t get me wrong, I love working in publicity. One thing I’ve discovered while working here is that there is a huge amount of fulfillment to be found in the marketing and promotion of meaningful literary works in an industry that is as competitive as books.

That said, there is still an incredible amount of work that needs to be done in order to bring those books to market, not all of which makes for the most thrilling of conversations.
Since starting here two months ago I’ve had the good luck to receive some jobs outside of the publicity department. While these odd assignments provide me with better fodder for making my job sound more important than it is, they also give me more insight and a better understanding of the way that Overlook functions overall as a publishing house.

At least once a week I try to sit down for a few hours and read submissions that we receive from literary agents and agencies. These submissions range from completed and bound books that have been published in foreign countries and are seeking North American distribution to incomplete manuscripts and proposals that desperately want a publisher’s interest and approval. I try to give them all as much time and attention as possible as I write reports which are then delivered to our editors for their input and opinions.

On several occasions I’ve had the opportunity to work with our sales team in the research and development of sell sheets, promotional tools which our staff uses to assist in the sale of our current or upcoming titles. Last week I created a sheet for the paperback edition of Return to the Little Kingdom: How Apple & Steve Jobs Changed the World. In spite of some recent bad press on the iPhone 4, it wasn’t difficult to find an overwhelming amount of positive statistics and headlines about Apple, information which can then be used to drum up interest in this book about Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

The more time I spend at Overlook, the more I realize that while some of the more monotonous tasks that are required of an intern are indeed dull, they do represent an essential aspect of the overall mission of the business: the publication of distinguished books of outstanding quality that would otherwise remain “overlooked” by other houses. While my internship here might not include the same perks and excitement that belong to our head publisher Peter Mayer , I do feel like I get enough exhilaration at work by formatting and printing the Publisher’s Weekly morning report he reads every day.

Missing Since August 6, 1930: The Man Who Never Returned

This is the original Missing Person poster for the Honorable Joseph F. Crater, gone missing on August 6, 1930. The story of Judge Crater is one of the most interesting unsolved cases in New York--the New York State Supreme Court Justice was last seen leaving a restaurant near Times Square, and simply disappeared.

80 years later, the case is still alive in the public consciousness (here's a quick primer for those who are unfamiliar with Judge Crater). Beloved Overlook author Peter Quinn has taken this story and woven together true crime and historical fiction in The Man Who Never Returned (coming August 5, 2010). Private investigator Fintan Dunne, the hero of The Hour of the Cat, is hired in 1955 to solve the crime.

Here's a picture of Peter Quinn holding one of the first copies of his new book fresh off the presses.

Early Praise for The Man Who Never Returned:

"Quinn delivers a satisfying solution to the real-life mystery of Joseph Crater... Quinn not only makes the existence of clues at such a late date plausible but also concocts an explanation that's both logical and surprising. The depth and complexity of the lead character is a big plus." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Freely mixing history, mystery, and novelistic license, Quinn offers a noirish tale... Quinn’s rich, insightful, evocative descriptions of New York, both in Crater’s time and in 1955, will certainly please fans of historical crime novels." --Booklist

"This hybrid of mystery and history builds a compelling case." --Kirkus

Nathaniel Lande and Homer Sincere on Blog Talk Radio

This morning, Nathaniel Lande was on BlogTalkRadio's Comedy Concepts show, hosted by Nancy Lombardo, to discuss his new book The Life and Times of Homer Sincere, Whose Amaing Adventures are Documented by His True and Trusted Friend Rigby Canfield. The book is a story of friendship, travel, adventure and growing up, set from New Orleans to Hollywood.

Being on BTR's Comedy Concepts was wonderful, according to Lande.

"It was a very rewarding and wonderful experience for both me and Homer Sincere," Lande said. "Nancy is perceptive and loves good books. I found the hour we spent together enriching."

Listen to the full interview here!

Listen to internet radio with Comedy Concepts on Blog Talk Radio

Luis H. Francia's event at National Book Store in the Philippines!

Last week, Luis H. Francia (author of A History of the Philppines: From Indios Bravos to Filipinos) attended an event in honor of his book at the Super branch of National Bookstore in the Philippines. Professors, teachers, journalists and local writers were in attendance.

Here are a few photos from the event for our readers not based in the Philippines. And here's a recent review in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Enjoy!

Can't get enough Frank Deford? You could be in luck!

(Above: Frank Deford with Overlook editor Aaron Schlechter
and getting ready for his interview on the set of the Today Show)

Can't get enough of Frank Deford and his new book, BLISS, REMEMBERED? If you're an NPR listener, you're in luck--tune into NPR on Saturday for his interview on Weekend Edition!

If you're in Chestertown, Maryland (a name you should recognize from the novel!), you're even luckier. At 3 p.m., Frank will be reading from and discussing Bliss, Remembered at The Compleat Bookseller (310 High Street).

Frank Deford's BLISS, REMEMBERED on the Today Show, and a giveaway!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Thanks, TODAY, for having Frank Deford on for such a wonderful segment. (Every time we watch this video, we STILL laugh at the Jackie Collins comparison). BLISS, REMEMBERED was featured as one of Today's "Hot Summer Reads," and this segment was put together beautifully with photos and video from the 1936 Olympics--the backdrop of this wonderful novel.

Not quite as funny as the Jackie Collins comparison, but the Associated Press asked if Bliss, Remembered had been ghostwritten by Nicholas Sparks. While we don't quite see the comparison, it's true that Deford has penned a beautiful love story and (as Lauer pointed out) gotten inside the mind of a fascinating female character.

And don't forget to tune into NPR's Weekend Edition on Saturday for a wonderful (and long!) interview with Deford.

Finally, what you've all been waiting for... GIVEAWAY! Leave us a Tweet (@overlookpress), Facebook comment (friend us here!) or comment about why YOU want to read Bliss, Remembered. The Olympic history? The love story? Longtime Deford fan? We'll pick three winners at random from all of the participants.

Thanks, and happy reading!

From iPhone App to Overlook Hardcover - David Carnoy's Journey

Last week Overlook published the hardcover edition of CNET editor David Carnoy’s debut novel KNIFE MUSIC, a book that has otherwise existed only in digital formats. Our foray into the experimental world of self-publishing has certainly raised some industry eyebrows – a derisive colleague asks, “Self publishing? Really? You encourage that?”

We do. Not only does Overlook encourage the integration of new technologies into the world of publishing, but it seems that Carnoy’s novel and its journey from mobile app to printed book has struck a chord with reviewers and press throughout the media. Below are some recent stories on KNIFE MUSIC, Carnoy’s success as a self-publisher, and the future of printed media as it collides with interventions in new digital technologies:

Recently Carnoy guest edited an article on Publishing Perspectives (read it here) and discussed self-promotion in the age of self-publishing.

Gizmodo covered Carnoy’s relationship with iPhone Apps – in 2008 the App Store rejected Knife Music for objectionable content. Now, backed by Overlook, a new app has been accepted, naughty language and all. Read the full article here.

A few days ago Carnoy was on Media Bistro’s Morning Media Menu radio show offering his opinion on eBooks, self-publishing, and landing a book deal. His full interview is here.

David penned a letter to Steve Jobs that was posted on the Huffington Post, thanking the Apple exec for rejecting Knife Music, which may or may not have led to his book deal. Read it in its entirety here.

Knife Music is now available as a free iPhone App, downloadable at the Apple store. It’s been nabbed more than 400 times in less than two weeks. There is also a teaser available on Scribd (click here!) which has received more than 6,000 reads.

New Yorkers can meet Carnoy this Thursday when he makes an appearance at the Lincoln Triangle Barnes & Noble for a reading and signing at 7:30pm. Hope to see you there!

The Fine Art of Setting Up Book Signings

There’s an interesting article in today’s Wall Street Journal from Joanne Kaufman—Authors: Where Do I Sign? It talks about the delicate balancing game publishers face when setting up author signings, and it’s definitely something that we deal with on an everyday basis here at Overlook. While we recommend reading it in full, here are a few excerpts, with our thoughts.

"Which authors get to sign at which New York locations is a tricky gavotte involving publishers, chain bookstores and other venues. In fact, independent bookstores or locales like the 92nd Street Y are sometimes more appropriate perches."

As an independent publisher, we particularly like working with independent bookstores. Their specialties and dedicated staffs are always a joy, and the unique personality of each bookstore can work really well with many of our authors.

However, working with Barnes & Noble and Borders is a crucial part of our jobs. Getting to know the big locations of their stores, particularly in Manhattan, is one of the first things every publicist learns to do. Their staff works extremely hard to accommodate our preferences and needs (and will also sell books off-site at events, which means those sales will be reported to best-seller lists—huge bonus!) and it’s an efficient and friendly business model.

“It's not that certain branches confer more bragging rights than others, according to literary agent Laurence Kirschbaum. It's just that certain branches are simply better for certain types of books. "There are definitely uptown authors and subjects and downtown authors and subjects," he said. "A lot of it has to do with where a writer has most of his posse. Thus, you're not going to put the latest Tea Party author at the B&N at 82nd and Broadway," Mr. Kirschbaum continued, alluding to the store in the heart of the famously liberal Upper West Side.

This rings particularly true to us. Even a chain store will have its own personality, whether it’s in terms of size, accessories (the Lincoln Triangle B&N has a piano and excellent video equipment), or the surrounding neighborhood. An author who’s a West Village or Upper East Side resident or native will often get the best response there.

“Whatever the location, "the key thing is the network the author can call on to show up," said Mr. Kirschbaum. Indeed, Ms. Gottlieb's publisher asked about the size of her mailing list and the number of people she thought she could recruit for her event. "And they had to provide that to Borders to justify why they should have me there," said the author, who ended up with a respectable crowd of 100.”

Interesting anecdotes: that sports books often get the lunch slot at the Wall Street borders, and that it’s no coincidence celebrity books are usually at the biggest B&N, in Union Square—there’s capacity for over 1,000 people.

Anyways, whether you’re an aspiring author, a harried publicist, or a reader who enjoys meeting and greeting authors, this article delves into an important part of book marketing and publicity that isn’t often exposed to the public. (Interested in book publicity in general? We enjoy Book Flack at Large and the Book Publicity Blog).

And as an aside, we’ve dealt with this recently—author David Carnoy will be reading, discussing and signing from KNIFE MUSIC on Thursday night at 7:30 at the Lincoln Triangle B&N. Want more info on David? Go here. Hope to see you there!

Elizabeth Abbott's SUGAR: A BITTERSWEET HISTORY in New York Times Book Review

Elizabeth Abbott's new book Sugar: A Bittersweet History is reviewed by Issac Chotliner in this Sunday's (July 11) New York Times Book Review: "The most dispiriting aspect of our belated environmental consciousness is the realization that many of the delightful substances we put into our mouths - like cold bottled water and inported produce - have costs that far outweigh the immediate gratification they deliver. In Sugar, her thorough, workmanlike new study Elizabeth Abbott reminds us that this has been true for centuries."

Sugar: A Bittersweet History is a compelling and surprising look at the sweet commodity, from how it Africanized the cane fields of the Caribbean to how it fueled the Industrial Revolution and jump-started the fast-food revolution. The book explores the hidden stories behind this sweet product, revealing how powerful American interests deposed Queen Lili’uokalani of Hawaii, how Hitler tried to ensure a steady supply of beet sugar when enemies threatened to cut off Germany’s supply of overseas cane sugar, and how South Africa established a domestic ethanol industry in the wake of anti-apartheid sugar embargoes. The book follows the history of sugar to the present day, showing how sugar made eating on the run socially acceptable and played an integral role in today’s fast food culture and obesity epidemic. Impressively researched and commandingly written, Sugar will forever change perceptions of this sweet treat.

An Intern's View: R.J. Ellory at Partners & Crime Mystery Booksellers

Our fearless publicity intern Michael meets British thriller writer R.J. Ellory in this latest dispatch from the front lines:

"As someone who is still adjusting to the rigors of working long hours indoors at an office, there is no greater joy than the much coveted out of office assignment (even on days as hot as these past few have been). This past week I had the supreme pleasure of hauling some posters down to Partners & Crime, one of my favorite NYC bookstores (located at 44 Greenwich Avenue) for the purpose of promoting an author reading that took place last night, July 6th at 7:00 pm.

The only thing that can make an out of office assignment better than a run of the mill errand is the opportunity to meet an Overlook author. Yesterday I met not only R.J. Ellory, author of the recently published novel The Anniversary Man and guest of honor/reader/book-signer at last night’s event, but I was also introduced to Overlook authors David Carnoy and Peter Quinn. In the case of Ellory, I actually had a chance to chat with him in the office and was impressed with his ability to confuse me with a bona fide Overlook employee.

Although I’ve worked at other Overlook sanctioned events in the past (loyal readers will recall my rainy night at an Amanda Palmer concert last month), this was my first official author reception and I was more than impressed with the turnout. Perhaps even more entertaining than the selected passage that Ellory chose to read from his latest novel was his improvised question and answer discussion with the audience that followed. Roger answered several queries at great length, ranging in topic from his own personal history as a writer, his choice of “the American canvas” as a subject for so many of his books, his favorite writers, and the twenty-two unpublished novels he has written that are collecting dust in his England loft.

Ellory’s most insightful quip arrived when he attempted to define “classic” literature – books like Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood or the works of Annie Proulx and Willa Cather – the literature he most cherishes as a reader and the kind he strives to emulate and write himself. He defines these genreless classics as those that are so compellingly crafted and paced that they can’t be read fast enough yet so beautifully written they must be savored slowly.

Although I didn’t stick around long enough to get my copies of Anniversary Man or A Quiet Belief in Angels signed, I was able to at least score some free dinner (catered events are by far the best), which is more than enough to entice me to attend Overlook’s next New York author reading. David Carnoy, author of Knife Music will be reading at the Lincoln Triangle Barnes and Noble next week on Thursday July 15th at 7:30 pm."

Publishers Weekly raves about "On The Many Deaths of Amanda Palmer"!

Reminder: you can still upload your own palmeresque on the Amanda Palmer Trust site. You can win an advance readers' copy of the book--and it's time to start really getting excited for that!

Publishers Weekly is certainly excited to have read the On the Many Deaths of Amanda Palmer, giving it a starred review and calling it "coy, engaging, and delightfully imagined." See below for the full review!

Web Exclusive On the Many Deaths of Amanda Palmer (And the Many Crimes of Tobias James)
Rohan Kriwaczek, Overlook, $24.95 (240p) ISBN 9781590203811

Inspired by the imagined death of the real-life (and living) Amanda Palmer, the front woman for the self-described "Brechtian punk cabaret" band, The Dresden Dolls, Kriwaczek (An Incomplete History of the Art of the Funerary Violin) puts his mischievous faux-scholasticism to work. Presented as an anthology of "Palmeresques," an artistic form of fan response to Palmer's mysterious death, each text offers its own darkly fanciful version of the songstress's demise. Also imagined are a jumble of issues concerning the shady dealings of the Amanda Palmer Trust (APT) selection committee, the possible influence of a murder suspect on their proceedings, and the intervention of the Boston police. A postmodern Russian nesting doll of realities, complete with poems, charts, and censored text, this book is successful on many levels: creepy and fun when accepted at face value; tantalizing when looked at as evidence in a murder mystery; insightful in its commentary on modern celebrity and culture--in all coy, engaging, and delightfully imagined. Illustrations. (Jul.)