All the news that’s fit to capsulize!
STIMULATE YOUR BRAIN … AND THE COUNTRY!
In this economic downturn, what better affordable gift to give than a book? To that end, BOOKGASM and Athena’s Bookshelf are co-sponsoring “Jingle Bell Rock,” a Facebook initiative through which authors can promote their 2008 titles, and where readers can not only learn about them, but have a chance to win up to five free books. So point your shopping sleigh that-a-way.
WELL, AT LEAST IT WASN’T ‘MAVERICK’
OXFORD AMERICAN DICTIONARY has declared the 2008 word of the year: “hypermilling.” Of cour — wait, wha-huh? Quoth the OAD, “To hypermile is to attempt to maximize gas mileage by making fuel-conserving adjustments to one’s car and one’s driving techniques.” Ah, okay. Never heard of it.
VIZ-Á-VIS
For the holidays, San Francisco-based VIZ Media has prepped a number of gift-ideal boxed sets of some its most popular manga series, with additional bonus features, including the 27-volume NARUTO MANGA BOX SET, the 21-volume BLEACH MANGA BOX SET, the 12-volume DEATH NOTE MANGA BOX SET, and SHONEN JUMP collector’s editions of properties like DRAGON BALL Z.
PYR CROSSING OVER
Beginning in May, sci-fi/fantasy publisher Pyr is entering the mass-market paperback arena with Joel Shepherd’s Cassandra Kresnov series: CROSSOVER, BREAKAWAY and KILLSWITCH. Pyr plans the titles in the taller mass-market size, at a price point of $9.99. “We’ve had significant interest from the major booksellers in seeing Pyr enter the mass market format, and a great deal of interest in this trilogy in particular,” said Lou Anders, Pyr’s editorial director Lou Anders. “Joel’s series is smart, sexy, action-packed, and features a very well-rounded and admirable female lead.” The company also plans to enter the e-book format soon.
UNLESS, OF COURSE, YOU’RE NEIL GAIMAN
Seven things you might not know about Neil Gaiman, according to the press materials for PRINCE OF STORIES: THE MANY WORLDS OF NEIL GAIMAN:
• If you type the name Neil into Google, Neil Gaiman’s online journal is the first entry. This is before any mention of other famous Neils, such as Armstrong, Young, Diamond or Sedaka.
• Gaiman learned to read at age 4.
• As a child, he loved MARY POPPINS, but hated THE SOUND OF MUSIC.
• Gaiman and his sister were born exactly one year, 11 months, five days apart. Gaiman’s first two children are also exactly one year, 11 months, five days apart.
• He sold one of his first articles to PENTHOUSE magazine.
• He comes from a family of grocers.
• On his seventh birthday, he read through the series of C.S. Lewis’ THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA.
‘CORDUROY’ SUITS THE WEB
Alexander McCall Smith, author of THE NO. 1 LADIES’ DETECTIVE AGENCY, is serializing a new novel online at Telegraph called CORDUROY MANSIONS. The story can be followed at the site, via an RSS feed or e-mail update, or as a downloadable widget. Furthermore, a Twitter account has been set up to track its progress. —Rod Lott
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