Inside Jacket

I remember Love You Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott being a good book.  Sadly, it has fallen ill to the passage of time.  I read it much too long ago and I simply can not remember anything about it.  And that my friends is a very sad thing because Elizabeth Scott rocks.  I have no hesitations in recommending her books.

I can tell you what Love You Hate You Miss You is about from reading synopsis’s myself.  In fact, I’ll share with you from Scott’s website:

It’s been seventy-five days. Amy’s sick of her parents suddenly taking an interest in her. And she’s really sick of people asking her about Julia. Julia’s gone, and Amy doesn’t want to talk about it. No one knew Julia like she did. No one gets what life is without her.
No one understands what it’s like to know that it’s all your fault.

Amy’s shrink thinks she should keep a journal but instead, Amy starts writing letters to Julia. And as she writes letter after letter, she begins to realize that the past holds its own secrets–and that the present deserves a chance.

Looking over some of the reviews myself, it feels vaguely familiar but yet I cannot recall any feelings nor basic details about the book.  However, other reviewers were very enthusiastic about Love You Hate You Miss You and sad that it didn’t receive more attention at the time of it’s release.  Hey, it’s Elizabeth Scott, I say go read it despite my not being able to remember anything about it.  Will it stand the test of time?  For me, obviously not.  But I didn’t dislike it in the least.  I don’t think all books have to have staying power.  It was a good read at the time.

As a side note – I find it interesting to note how our feelings for a book change over time.  Do you find yourself  not being able to remember basic plotlines of books that you’ve read in the past?

Links of interest: My book reviews of Something, Maybe, Living Dead Girl.  Elizabeth Scott website and blog.  Other blogger reviews.
Genre:  Young Adult
Publisher:  Harper Teen.  May 26, 2009.
Hardcover, 288 pages.
Love You, Hate You, Miss You is available from your local independent bookstore, Powell’s, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.

Copyright 2010. Maw Books Blog

Maw Books has an affiliate relationship with several bookstores, including Indiebound, Powell’s, and Amazon . When you buy a product (not just books – any product), via one of my links, Maw Books earns income from the sale and as always, it’s much appreciated as all affiliate income is used to support the blog. There is no cost to you.

What to read, what to read? Perusing bookshelves for the next thing to take on is tons of fun, but really daunting. So many books. That cover is really cool, but the story sounds kinda lame. That cover is awful, but you've heard great things about that book. Let me make things easy for you. Read these books: The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai and The Last Werewolf by Glen Duncan.

I don't typically read the werewolf/vampire books, but a trusted friend recommended this one to me, so I had to listen. I now have to step off my high and mighty "I don't read werewolf/vampire books" pedestal because not only have I read one, I also loved it. Since I'm not a reader of this genre, it's tough for me to say that this isn't your typical werewolf book, but I'm gonna say it. This isn't your typical werewolf book. It's about Jake Marlowe, the last remaining werewolf to be taken out by the World Organisation for the Control of Occult Phenomena. But after already being alive a couple hundred years, Jake just doesn't care anymore. He's the existential werewolf. What more could he possibly live for? Well, there's always something to live for, right? It's not long before Jake finds his reason. The same friend who recommended this book also gave the best description: It's like Le Carre wrote a werewolf novel. That's spot on. Even if werewolf books aren't your "thing," you should give this one a shot.

What's the deal with this one? Ok, so. Lucy Hull is a children's librarian in a small Missouri town. She loves books, but hate the restraints put on her by conservative co-workers and parents. She leads the story time, but can't read or recommend anything too "controversial." You know, like Harry Potter. Fortunately, she and 10-year-old book devourer, Ian, have figured out ways to get him the literary contraband without his fundamentalist Christian parents finding out. But that's not the basis of the story. Things really get rolling when Ian dupes Lucy into kidnapping him. Is she saving him from harmful parents or using the kidnapping as an excuse to break free from her confining life? This book is an homage to books. Many of the chapters are written in the styles of some of our favorite books, from Pat the Bunny to the Choose Your Own Adventure books. It's a fun read, so perfect when you need a break from an existential werewolf.

–Lindsey

P.S.–click the book covers for more info on these books or to order a copy.

Steve Martini is the author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, including The Rule of Nine, Guardian of Lies, and others featuring defense attorney Paul Madriani. Martini will be at Village Books on Thursday, June 2, 7:00pm for his latest, Trader of Secrets. Click here for info.

My earliest experiments with the written word were limited to feeble attempts at poetry in grade school. Story telling did not come to me until later, though when young and foolish I told some whoppers to my father. I was not good at this as evidenced from the red palm print his pummeling left on my ass.

Writing lies for a living did not occur to me until much later, when I was in my early forties. This followed a brief career as a journalist wherein I attempted to tell the truth but was not always successful, followed by a period practicing law in which knowing the truth was often a disability. In short, I was severely handicapped and overcame great odds to become a storyteller and crafter of creditable fables. How did it happen? Elmore Leonard might tell us that I lacked the sand and skill to write believable ransom notes which, according to him, is among the highest forms of writing and pays the best.

What I remember, however, is that during that hazy period between journalism and the law, that confusing transition between searching for the truth and shading my eyes from it, I stumbled across a couple of books that left a marked impression on me. And the word “couple” is precisely right, for I did not have much time during this period to read fiction.

The two books in question were The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth (1971) and Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett (1978). These two books, for me, cut a swath in fiction and in particular the genre of international thrillers that I had not experienced before, or for that matter since. The Day of the Jackal remains in my view the single best international thriller written in modern times. The fact that a true to form feature film followed closely the story of the novel did not hurt its success and served to reinforce the fundamental element of credibility embodied in the book. 

The detailed story of an attempt on the life of Charles de Gaulle, President of France, carried out by a professional assassin code-named “The Jackal” reads not like a novel, but like a memoir of the assassin, co-authored by the detective who tracked him. The meticulous research, the revelation of how to craft a false passport stands up even in today’s high tech era. The political backdrop behind the book, the fact that many of the characters and events peripheral to the story were real, coupled with the ability of the author to move flawlessly from the assassin’s point of view to those who are trailing him and back again all contribute to novel’s success. Within three pages you forget that you are reading a novel. The story is in a word –“believable”. In the end, the reader is left to wonder, did it happen?  This is the ultimate tribute to any novel. And Forsyth did it to a “T”. The story rings TRUTH in upper case letters. It was so evocative that it defined an era in terror when a journalist found a dog-eared paperback of the book at the scene of an investigation pursuing Illich Rameriz Sanchez – Carlos, who was later dubbed “The Jackal” as a result. What more can be said?

Similarly The Eye of the Needle authored by Ken Follett, utilized history, historic characters and events to craft a story so steeped in reality and fact as to leave the reader wondering whether he was reading fiction or a detailed intelligence report replete with dialogue from the major players. The topic this time was the kidnapping, and failing that, the assassination of war time British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

In both stories the authors used minute details from history and dropped in as if seamlessly parachuted the fictional characters of their own creation. The techniques employed very nearly resemble those used by the OSS (the Office of Strategic Services) the predecessor of the modern day CIA and Britain’s SOE (Special Operations Executive) to create believable cover stories and identities for spies who were dropped behind enemy lines during World War II. It was vital that sufficient detail and motivation be given to these operatives so that if interrogated and even tortured, the cover story carried a sufficient breath of believability that it would hold up, that it might save their lives. It often did. In my view both of these books meet that test. It was that commitment to detail that caused me to first wonder when I read them, whether I could come close to that standard myself as a novelist – as a writer of lies for a living.

There are readers and then there are book lovers. Rachel falls into the latter category. When you need a good fantasy recommendation, seek out Rachel. This girl knows her stuff! And now she's heading up our Fantasy Book Group, which meets the 3rd Saturday of each month at noon, and our Young Adult Book Group, which meets the 2nd Saturday of every month at noon. These groups are open to anyone, so we'd love to see you!

You can also check out Rachel's book reviews by visiting her blog.

Our book group coordinator, Cindi, took some time to ask Rachel some questions. Enjoy!

1. Why did you want to start, not one, but two book groups at VB?

I actually mentioned my desire to start both a Young Adult and a Fantasy book group during my job interview. As a customer, I loved Village Books, but the store struck me as out of the loop in the fantasy scene. I have talked to a lot of other people who feel the same way, and shop elsewhere for this reason. The Young Adult section seems much more up to date, but still we don't have a large young adult demographic. The book groups are just one of the ways I would like to work on improving our perception in both those areas. In general, though, these genres have a lot more in common than is immediately apparent: they are both underappreciated, often labelled trite, and considered easier to write. Book groups are the perfect opportunity for those who love these genres to meet others with the same passion, and discuss not only specific books, but why some of these stereotypes about young adult and fantasy exist, and how the actual books disprove them.

2. How long have you been a fan of fantasy and why?

I was converted into a fantasy fan when I read Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness quartet in eighth grade. From there, it didn't take much reading in the fantasy genre to notice a clear trend: women in fantasy are often tougher, smarter, and cooler than those in other books (or at least that's how it struck me in junior high). I couldn't get enough of these women who seemed more powerful, and less inhibited than women in other works. I believe that fantasy was able to help lead the way into writing stronger women, because people were more agreeable to reading about an opinionated woman in an unrealistic setting, so they could justify her strength as fantasy. Of course, all fantasy stems from and spills back into reality. Still I never actually prefered fantasy over other genres until I started writing. When I realized that most of what I was writing was fantasy, it became a necessity to ensure I read plenty in the field I want to publish in. Now I'd say about 75% of what I read is fantasy.

3. Some have said that Young Adult (YA) literature is more exciting in today's market than adult fiction, what do you think?

I agree! I do not say this to be insulting to adult fiction. Rather YA literature deals with discovering who you are. Most adult fiction deals with REdiscovering who you are. Both are important journeys, but I've always been most drawn to that period when you're finding your place in the world for the first time.

4. Have you been in book groups before?

No, I haven't, and the reason why is very relevant here. I tried a few times, but it never worked out. Every book group I attended looked down on fantasy (and sometimes on young adult), and would say, "we want to read REAL books here." I read all kinds of books, but I feel strongly that fantasy and young adult deserve as much respect as any other genre and they don't always get it. I would be perfectly comfortable in a book group that didn't read fantasy exclusively, but I don't feel welcome in one that spits on the genre.

5. Describe your reading taste.

I will read anything, but, of course, I have favorites. Currently, I primarily read fantasy, though I also read a lot of young adult as well. The foremost reason for this is because I'm trying to publish my own fantasy works and it's important to know what's current in the genre you're working in. Honestly, though, I just enjoy a good story. The best way to really know someone's taste is by specific books, so here are some books I loved (you will see a lot of fantasy and young adult, but then others pop up in there!): Love, Inc. by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout (YA), The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy, The Black Jewels by Anne Bishop(F), The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison(YA, F), Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (YA, F), The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella, Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan (YA), A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (YA, F), Sabriel by Garth Nix(YA, F), Looking for Alaska by John Green (YA), His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman (YA, F), Shogun by James Clavell, Graceling by Kristin Cashore (YA, F), The Other Boleyn Girl by Philipa Greggory, Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson (YA), Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (YA), Blood and Chocolate by Annete Curtis Klause(YA, F), Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder (F), Aurelia by Anne Osterlund (YA), Druids by Barbara Galler-Smith and Josh Langston (F), Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan (F), Secrets of Jin-Shei by Alma Alexander (F)

6. Tell us something about yourself that is unique to you and might surprise us…

I do not re-read books. This is a shocker to a lot of book lovers, but my reasoning is that there are so many amazing books out there that I haven't read yet that I cannot bring myself to spend (I won't say waste) my precious time re-reading things. I have re-read books in the past, usually by necessity, and I have never found a book that I enjoyed reading as much as the first time.

Caribou Island, the latest from Legend of a Suicide author David Vann, is a novel of storm-beaten Alaskan landscapes and the weathered relationships of its characters. A long-married couple, Gary and Irene, build a cabin on an island in the middle of a remote Alaskan lake in an effort to rebuild their life together but can’t overcome the isolation. The novel blankets readers in harsh, overcast days, the landscape as human as the characters. The setting is culled directly from the memories of the author, who spent his youth in Alaska, hunting and fishing with his father. He is unapologetic for the darkness of the novel, which over and over again has been described as “bleak.” Knowing Vann’s history (a father who committed suicide, his stepmother’s mother killing her husband then herself), the gloominess of Caribou Island makes sense; it would be surprising to see Vann write anything but a story so bound in tragedy.

Talking with the author is a different story. Vann is not somber or “bleak.” He’s spirited and quick-witted, eloquent in his speaking—the type of person with whom you’d sit next to at a bar and would end up spending the next few hours unexpectedly engaged in a lively conversation.

He answered a few questions in advance of his appearance at Village Books that was on February 18, 2011.

How are you feeling about the success of Caribou Island? Independent booksellers have really been behind the book, which is wonderful. It’s been a thrill-ride. It’s been really encouraging.

Because of the darkness in your books, are you ever afraid that people aren’t going to be able to differentiate between you and your characters? I think everyone always thinks I’m a freak anyway [laughs]. I’m not worried. I actually think that every one of my characters is me. It wasn’t until six months after I finished the book that I realized that I was Irene. I realized that a lot of her views of Gary are views that I had of my family. But I’m also Gary because I have his vacancy, and I’ve gone off on projects that aren’t well-planned. With Rhoda, their daughter, I feel her hopefulness, that people are good and that it all should just be able to work out. I’ve never hidden the fact that I work from true stories and that, for me, fiction is the transformation of these true stories. We can take what was ugliest and disturbing in real life and it becomes redeemed. It becomes meaningful and coherent, whereas the tragedy in real life was empty and completely terrifying. I love reading tragedy, and don’t think anyone should have to apologize for writing tragedy. Almost all our great works have been tragedy. It’s what we do.

I think people are just uncomfortable with it. People have so much tragedy in their own lives, and they don’t want to read anymore of it. Right, but I think if you actually explained that there’s this wonderful release and redemptive power in fiction that’s different than the tragedy in real life it helps to steel the tragedy in life. If someone has tragedy in their real life, the perfect thing to read is tragedy, not comedy. Comedy doesn’t do anything to the tragedy and despair, but reading tragedy makes it more manageable. I think we as Americans have this silly idea that we can protect our lives and ourselves through positive attitude, and it’s wrong. It makes us liars and less fully human.

You pretty much answered my next question, but do you ever think there will come a point where you’re no longer writing such heavy stories? I think Caribou Island has humor in it, with Jim and Monique and Carl on the boat.

Yes, and I felt like Mark was the court jester to everyone else. Yeah, I really wanted to do that. I alternated chapters where there is tragedy with chapters that are lighter. There are chapters that have nothing to do with the arc of the story, such as Carl going out on the boat, and that was me giving the reader a break. They get to go on a tour of Alaska, go on a fishing boat, see life in a cannery, a helicopter ride on a glacier. I try to provide some of those general satisfactions for the reader to see this beautiful place.

How do you feel about all the comparisons between you and Jonathan Franzen? It’s wonderful! I thought it was funny, the one from The Times [London] that said Caribou Island made Freedom sound like a soap opera. It was wonderful to be compared to such an important writer, but we just write completely different stuff. I’m focusing on a rural landscape and trying to write this smaller cast of characters where a lot of pressure is put on them, whereas he’s trying to write with a wider scope, more of American culture. It’s just completely different aesthetics. Although I wish I would’ve had to suffer being on the cover of Time [laughs].

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer? All of my life. From before I could write my mom was having me tell stories about squirrels and she was writing them down. After that, I’d write down all our hunting and fishing stories and give them out as Christmas presents. I’d laminate the pages and they’d have illustrations and titles like “North to Alaska.” I always knew I wanted to write, it was just a problem of trying to figure out how to make any money out of it. So I’ve always had a second job. I was a captain on sailboats, a teacher a lot, professor now. This last year is the first time I can actually live off my writing, which is just amazing to me.

What are you reading right now? Tinkers. I was slow to get to it but am reading it and loving it. With teaching and assignments, I often get pulled from what I want to be reading, but I read a whole bunch of stuff.