Silent Thunder by Iris Johansen & Roy Johansen – Giveaway

28. July 2008 · 159 comments · Categories: Book Giveaway, Thrillers · Tags: , ,

PhotobucketCongratulations to Susan of Oregon – enjoy the book!

Last week I posted my first-ever podcast. It was an interview with bestselling author Iris Johansen and her son, award-winning author Roy Johansen. They wrote a great thriller novel called Silent Thunder that promises to be a best seller. If you love books that beg to be movies, you’ll love Silent Thunder. It’s all that a thriller-lover wants in a fun summer read, so I’m happy to be able to offer one copy to a carp(e) libris reviews reader!

3 Ways to Win:

1.) Leave a comment telling me whether or not you like thrillers and mysteries. Who are your favorites?

2.) Email subscribers are entered into this and all future giveaways, for as long as their subscription is active. Simply place your email address in the little white box at the top of my sidebar on the right. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you don’t receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post. Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post.

Do all three, and you’ve got three entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Thursday, July 31, 2008, to enter.

Of My Real Life I Know Nothing by Ana María Moix

23. July 2008 · 59 comments · Categories: Book Giveaway, Short Stories, Spanish Literature · Tags: , ,


Ana María Moix, one of Spain’s most well-known writers today, gives us a wonderful collection of short stories, translated by Sandra Kingery. Of My Real Life I Know Nothing is a series of shorts, each containing stories of heartfelt meaning that catches the reader by surprise at each and every ending. For me, nothing gives a short story more to remember it by than a great explanation-point finish, something substantial to catch you offguard.

Moix’s latest collection seems to start out in a more serious tone, with scenes of a tragic nature. As the book progresses, the stories take on more humor while still holding onto the introspective look at human failings. By the time the final story is reached, Mere Puppets, the reader will enjoy an outright humorous look at the varying personalities in a tour group in Italy. Mere Puppets, as funny as it is, continues to deliver the deep undercurrents of human nature one learns to expect, and looks forward to finding, in Moix’s work throughout Of My Real Life I Know Nothing.

If you’re as intrigued by the premise of this collection as I was, I have an extra copy to give away to one of you.

3 Ways to Win:

1.) Leave a comment telling me whether or not you’ve read any translated works lately. What would draw you to a translated work? (Be creative – while winners are drawn randomly, if the original winner doesn’t claim their prize, a new winner is chosen by originality of the comment.)

2.) Email subscribers are entered into this and all future giveaways, for as long as their subscription is active. Simply place your email address in the little white box at the top of my sidebar on the right. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you don’t receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post. Come back and leave me a Comment with a link to your blog post.

Do all three, and you’ve got three entries to win! You have until midnight EST on Sunday, July 27, 2008, to enter.

Published by Latin American Literary Review/Press.

Podcast Interview with Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen

22. July 2008 · 2 comments · Categories: Interviews, Podcasts, Thrillers · Tags: , , , ,

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If you’ve ever visited carp(e) libris reviews before, then you know I usually review books from the indie publishers: literary fiction and nonfiction, memoirs, works recently translated to English, even art books. But did you know I’m a sucker for thrillers and mysteries too? My shelves are not only lined with the books you’ve read about here, but I also have quite a collection of everything from Raymond Chandler and Agatha Christie to Dean Kootz and Stephen King. So when indie bookseller Schuler Books & Music welcomed Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen into their store for a book signing, I took over my podcasting equipment and sat down with the Johansen’s for an interview.

Podcast, did you say? Yes, this is the latest addition to carp(e) libris reviews, a longtime goal I’ve had. In fact, I’ve wanted to podcast ever since iTunes first introduced me to the addiction. So I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to speak to Iris and Roy about their first book together, Silent Thunder.

A special thanks must go out to the Johansen’s for answering my questions and giving me my first shot at a live interview. I’d also like to thank Schuler Books & Music for their high level of professionalism. What an amazing and friendly staff! No wonder I shop there all the time…

Johansen Interview [ 0:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Circles of Silence by Jonathan Harvey & Jean-Claude Carrière

16. July 2008 · 1 comment · Categories: Book Reviews, The Cahier Series · Tags: ,


When I was in high school, I discovered opera. I saw my first one (Faust) and was so moved by it that when the opportunity came to actually be in one as a supernumerary, I did it. That opera was Der Fliegende Hollander (The Flying Dutchman) by Richard Wagner. So when I picked up Cahier 3 of The Cahier Series, published by Sylph Editions, I was delighted to note the subject matter. Circles of Silence discusses the opera Wagner Dream by Jonathan Harvey in collaboration with Jean-Claude Carrière, writer of the libretto.

Wagner Dream is indeed a dream realized. Harvey had always desired writing an opera with a Buddhist theme. Apparently, this was also Wagner’s desire, but for him, it never happened. Wagner Dream shows the last days of the famous German composer’s life as he has visions and dreams, talking with Buddha and finally “seeing” his opera come to pass.

The most fascinating portion of the cahier is the interview of Harvey and Carrière by Margery Arent Safir, which allows us an explanation in some detail of this translation between Buddhism and music. The cahier then wraps up with a section by Jonathan Harvey, which will give the true music lover much to ponder, as he shares his parallels between music and Buddhism. After reading Circles of Silence, I will most definitely be looking into hearing Wagner Dream.

The Death of the Poem and Other Paragraphs by Justin Courter

10. July 2008 · Comments Off · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , ,


Not too long ago, I reviewed an exceptional book called “Skunk: A Love Story,” one of those rare finds in literature you know you’ll not forget. Fortunately for me, and anyone else lucky enough to have discovered Skunk, author Justin Courter has not pulled a Margaret Mitchell on his readers by producing one great work and calling it quits. The Death of the Poem and Other Paragraphs is poetry (in paragraphs) that demands to be heard. I haven’t laughed out loud so much since–well, since Skunk. From the very first poem, Courter had my attention.

The poems, fun and edgy, sarcastic and all too true, sometimes had me initially perplexed until the “aha” light came on, compelling me to read each one at least twice so I could laugh some more, feeling good about getting it. Don’t be thrown, though, by all my talk of laughter. There is something deliciously biting about the poetry as well. And if you’ve ever worked in an office job while staring out the windows saying, “There must be more, oh why can’t I just create all day and skip the paper clips?” well, let’s just say this is poetry you’ll want to memorize and recite out loud just to irritate and mortally confuse your coworkers who live to file, sort, and staple. As Courter would say, “…the office is a kennel full of rabid bunny rabbits. Stomp softly and carry a carrot stick.”

And since I’m wearing out my copy of The Death of the Poem and Other Paragraphs, this Courter guy just got himself another Goldfish Award. Get a copy.

 

 

Interfictions – An Anthology of Interstitial Writing

07. July 2008 · 44 comments · Categories: Book Review and Giveaway, Short Stories · Tags: , ,


If you’ve ever enjoyed a story that seems impossible to categorize, unique and one-of-a-kind, slipping through the cracks of conventional labels, then Interfictions is waiting for you. One imaginative short story after another gives the reader a break from the humdrum, feeding the brain on the real merged with the surreal. Interfictions is filled with characters who hobnob with unlikely individuals, such as talking cats, ghosts obsessed with buttons, and creatures I can’t even begin to explain here.

An interesting feature in this collection occurs after each story when authors share a couple paragraphs, explaining where they came up with the story line, why they write in the manner they do, and other insightful tidbits. If you love writing as much as reading, you’ll find these added paragraphs just as fascinating as the stories they follow.

If you’re looking to stretch your literary mind with some truly inventive writing, enjoying the ride all the way, then give Interfictions a look. You’re sure to find several new authors to track down. I, for one, found a few that bear researching further, because for me, their short stories just whetted my appetite for the interstitial.

Don’t be an interstick-in-the-mud. Enter to win a copy of Interfictions from carp(e) libris reviews; the winner will be drawn at random on Thursday, July 10, 2008.

3 Ways to Win:

1.) Leave a comment telling me something about your short story reading habits. Is it easier for you to get some creative food with a short story? Or is there something else that draws you to them? (Be creative–if I don’t hear from the randomly chosen winner, #2 is chosen by their comment.)

2.) Subscribers are automatically entered into this and all future giveaways. Just enter your email address in the little white box on the upper part of the right hand column. (Please make sure to verify your Feedburner subscription by responding to the email they send you. If you don’t receive it, check your junk mail. Only verified subscriptions are entered for all the giveaways.)

3.) Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link back.

If you do all three, you have three entries to win.

Published by Small Beer Press.