Movie Parodies A-Go-Go

In these tough economic times,many pop culture luxuries have to fall by the wayside. One of those taken for granted pleasures is seeing a movie during it's first run in theaters;whether it's a sneak preview or just even a matinee showing on opening weekend,that thrill of soaking up some shiny new cinema sweetness must be either savored in limited doses or not at all.

However,that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a good laugh that's currently pop culture savvy. Selected for your amusement and approval by the LRG Committee for Much Needed Comedy Relief are several parodies of recent major motion pictures,plus a few flicks that are available at a Netflix queue near you. Make yourselves some popcorn and let's start the show:



The low number of superhero themed films this season haven't kept Just Some Random Guy down;his merry band of Marvel/DC players have been making some smirktastic potshots at the major boxoffice moneymakers of the Summer '09 circuit,starting with the Star Trek reboot:

SPIDEY TREK?





The Randomverse didn't stop there;their look at Terminator:Salvation not only ripped that franchise's cliches but poked some fun at the debatable success of the Wolverine movie as well:

TERMINATOR SAVAGED



Their latest clip is a mash-up of three new movies that have been getting decent reviews and some respectable profits,quite a rarity in movie release history:

DRAG ME UP TO THE HANGOVER HELL





For a taste of last year's superhero summer madness,the folks at Sock Tube Presents have on deck Hellboy 2: The Golden Army. Seeing big league films done by sock puppets really gives you a new perspective on things.

I give you fair warning,tho;Sock Tube productions are spoiler heavy,so if you haven't seen this movie yet(it's pretty good,actually)and want to be surprised,skip this one. For the rest of you out there,even if you liked HB2,you'll find plenty to giggle over and admit to yourself that well,they do have a point there:





For a blast from the past,check out this classic In Living Color look at 1989's Lean On Me that sends controversial principal Joe Clark to a beauty school that needs a serious makeover(that might actually make a good reality series for Bravo,oh wait,they already have that,thanks to Tabatha!):





Recut movie trailers are a great way to reimagine your favorite films and discover just how easy it is to tweak them over to the dark side.

For example,You've Got Mail is a much loved romantic comedy that delights it's fans with wit,book talk and love of all things New York(and in my opinion,Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are at their best together in this movie,even better than Sleepless in Seattle). In the hands of another director/writer,however,this charming little love story could have become a sinister stalker in cyberspace flick-find that hard to believe? Then watch this:



On the funny flip side,see how Stephen King's Misery could have become a romance for the ages:





To wrap this laugh track up,here's a Twilight parody that moves to the beat of a different drum and takes a couple of rim shots at High School Musical as well. The makers of this parody are planning on a New Moon follow-up that should be worth the wait,regardless of which teen related series you're a fervent fan of:

Top Chef Masters,a new season of The Next Food Network Star and yes,more hype for True Blood

Top Chef Masters debuted last night,hosted by Kelly Choi with a couple of brief clips from TC regulars Tom Coliccio and Gail Simmons(who will be on the judging panel for this show from time to time). This competition will have four professionally established chef compete each week in Quickfire and Elimination challenges,with each winner getting the chance to go to the Champion round that could have one of them win $100,000 for the charity of their choice.



Our first four contenders were Christopher Lee,Tim Love,Michael Schlow and Hubert Keller,who won the Quickfire handily. The challenge was to make a dessert that would please a group of Junior Girl Scouts within an hour. The moment that the girls saw his plate with a chocolate meringue swan,fruit and foam dip and that cute little mouse,they all oohed and awed. I would've,too.



The Elimination Challenge was to cook a three course meal in a college dorm room,using only a hot plate,a toaster oven and a microwave. Tim Love really need that microwave,due to his food being frozen solid from accidentally being put in a freezer overnight instead of the cooler.

Tim took it in stride and managed to make some good food(altho his kale was a bit too salty)and while he didn't win,his charity,which was the March Of Dimes, did receive a donation as did all of the other chefs'.



Hubert Keller won the Elimination round,for not only making food that of the critic judges Gael Greene(who seems to be the Hedda Hopper of food critics)deemed worthy enough to be served in one of his restaurants,his creativity and skill was truly a marvel to behold.

One of his menu items was a creamy mac and cheese,and in order to properly drain and rinse the pasta,Hubert went into the bathroom and used the shower to do so! Totally awe to the some there,Hubert.

The best thing about this show is the novelty of seeing mature adults who are cool and confident when faced with challenges compete together. A rare thing indeed. I'm really looking forward to more of this,especially next week when the next four chefs have to deal with the infamous vending machine amuse bouche challenge:






On the new season of The Next Food Network Star,the first challenge was to cater a Food Network party celebrating the channel's sixteen years on the air. Two teams were formed,one headed by Debbie who said she had professional catering experience and the other by Brett,who was rather well organized.

Debbie seemed like a sweetheart at first,but turned out to be not such a great pick to be in charge. For one thing,her method of shopping is grab as much stuff as possible without checking prices and then taking things off at the register when she went over budget(which happens to many of us)but not making sure that all of the folks on her team had the ingredients they needed.

She also decided on putting out a halfassed dessert of chopped up store brought angel food cake and fruit,which was a major league bad idea due to Ace of Cakes Duff Goldman being one of the guests at the party. Debbie wouldn't even take the blame for that menu mess right away at Judge's Table-so not cool there,honey!



The other team had their share of mishaps as well,so it came down to the food and the person sent home for that was Jenn,who made a boring green beans with walnuts dish. Veggies are fine with me and I like green beans,but that was totally not a smart choice to make for such an occasion as a first impression.

However,I don't trust Debbie at all and would have given her walking papers instead. She only focused on the food she was cooking and ignored most of her team during prep time,especially those who were having trouble. The head of FN did say that character was one of the things they would be looking at here and so far,Debbie is scoring low on that:



Next week should be interesting,as the main challenge has everyone working solo but a question of receiving some helping hands gets very dramatic at judging time:





I know that I've been beating the drums for True Blood's second season quite a bit lately,but with June 14 being only a few short days away,I couldn't help but search for more promo clips. One of the major plot points this season will be the social struggle between the American Vampire League and the Fellowship of the Sun,particularly with Sookie's brother Jason joining the Fellowship's ranks.

These two fictional ads showcase the differing p.o.v.s rather well and are pretty funny to boot:

PROUD TO BE A VAMPIRE AMERICAN



FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT?



RANDOM NOTES:

THE TONY AWARDS: I only watched this in bits and pieces but for me,the highlight of the show wasn't Bret Michaels hitting his head on that prop(it was amusing,tho)but Neil Patrick Harris' closing number that he persisted on giving despite the rolling end credits:

On The Shelf with Jacqueline Carey

Jacqueline Carey is one of the leading ladies of fantasy fiction,with several stand alone books that have gathered a following yet she is best loved for her Kushiel series of trilogies.

The Kushiel books(starting with Kushiel's Dart in 2001)are set in an alternate version of the ancient world of France,Greece,etc,where the kingdom of Terre d'Ange is ruled by those who follow the mystical teachings of Elua,a deity that mixes sensuality with spirituality.



The heroine of the first trilogy,Phedre,is marked by one of the divine acolytes of Elua at birth and uses the unusual gifts granted to her thru such a dubious honor to not only save her people from conquest but to rise up in social status as well.

The second trilogy deals with Imriel,Phedre's adopted son and his struggles with life and love,starting with Kushiel's Scion and ending with Kushiel's Mercy. One of her new books is set in the Kushiel world but has a very different heroine at the center of the action.



Naamah's Kiss introduces us to Moirin,born in a more rural section of the country who discovers that she has magical abilities that have been long denied her people due to an ancient betrayal. She also learns that some of her powers originated from her absent father,a D'Angeline priest in the service of Naamah,Elua's divine consort.

In her search for the proper purpose of her powers,Moirin must travel to lands far from home and find a way to help save another kingdom very different from her own. Carey has also a new stand alone fantasy title in a more recognizable reality,Santa Olivia,which has a genetically mutated orphan girl using her heightened strength and senses to help an isolated border town fight oppression from government forces.



Both books are being released nearly back to back,so I was very fortunate in getting the chance to ask Jacqueline Carey a few brief questions about her current books and some of her future literary plans:

1) Your new novel, Santa Olivia, is set in futuristic yet more modern day times than most of your other works-how intentional a choice was that?

Oh, it was entirely my choice! The Kushiel’s Legacy series, and now the coming Naamah Trilogy, are so vast and intricate, and contain so much historical research. As much as I love writing them, I need to take a break between major projects and write something completely different. Santa Olivia, with its near-future dystopian setting and foul-mouthed orphans, was a refreshing break for me.

2) Naamah's Kiss starts off a new trilogy in the world of your popular Kushiel series. Can someone's who is unfamiliar with those books easily get into this one?

Absolutely. There are a few hints regarding events that have passed before, but this is a fresh start, and I didn’t want my new heroine Moirin’s tale burdened by too much backstory.

3) Are there any plans for a follow-up to Santa Olivia?

I have a sequel in mind; something a bit more light-hearted, more of a caper novel. How and when it comes to fruition will depend to some extent on how the first one fares, so we’ll see! I’ve already had a lot of readers ask about it, which is a good sign.







4) Who are some of your favorite fantasy writers?

Many of my favorites remain books I discovered when I was younger, from classics like C.S. Lewis and Lloyd Alexander, to the lyrical writing of Patricia McKillip and the gritty world-building of Richard Adams. A writer I admire and most often recommend to fans of my work is Guy Gavriel Kay, who draws on history, mythology and culture in a way that really resonates for me.

5) If one of your books was to be adapted by Hollywood,which would you prefer-a made for TV film,a cable miniseries or a major motion picture?

I’d opt for a major motion picture, so I could attend the premiere wearing a fabulous gown! In all seriousness, the format of a cable miniseries might best suit the sprawling narrative of any of the Kushiel or Naamah books, though budget is an issue considering the various epic battle scenes. Santa Olivia, on the other hand, would lend itself easily to a film adaptation. Some day, maybe! It’s fun to dream.



Naamah's Kiss is due out in hardcover on June 24 and Santa Olivia is now available in paperback. My thanks to Jacqueline Carey, not just for taking the time to share her thoughts but also for bringing forth more strong female characters to both the literary and the fantasy world. Readers really appreciate having such fiercely independent heroines strut their stuff and swordplay(when necessary):

Indie comic madness at MoCCA Fest '09

This past weekend,my sister Stephanie and I went to MoCCA Fest,which is an independent comic art show. She was there to meet and greet her fellow artists,as well as promote her work and I came along for the ride.

MoCCA(their full name is the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art)supports comic artists of any stripe,whether they're in print or on the web. Steph's been a member for some time now,but this was her first big event with them and it went off pretty well.



It was held at the Lexington Ave Armory,which had tons of space for all of the folks displaying their creative wares. Steph was set up at the Comicbook Artists Guild table,with not only her Nutty Funsters book and the first issue of Cookie Bear but a special mini comic preview as well.



One of her most recent projects has been a collaboration with writer Greg Carter on an online graphic novel called Perfect Agent. Perfect Agent is(in Hollywood pitch terms)a Bourne Identity meets Alias with a touch of Burn Notice added in for flavor.

The story follows the adventures of Tara,a gun for hire type of gal who is trying to keep up with the maddening pace that comes with her professional wetwork as well as her emotional identity. This is a bit of a new venture for Stephanie and it is definitely an interesting path that many of her regular readers(as well as new ones)will care to follow.



Another prominent item at the CAG table was a new anthology of reimagined history and folklore titled Iconic. The book has a Princess Bride set-up,with a mysterious grandfather reading aloud to his jaded video game addicted grandkids stories that feature such familiar faces as John Henry,Sherlock Holmes and Ebeneezer Scrooge.

There's even a St. George vs. the Dragon tale that is told with a Calvin and Hobbes tone to it(my favorite one in the collection). The book is reasonable family friendly and has some interesting local history mixed,such as the story of Gustave Whitehead who,believe it or not,did achieve flight before the Wright Brothers. Iconic is a great way to discover some new flights of fantasy but to also check out the work of some of today's up and coming artists.



Speaking of up and coming artists,Steph and I had the pleasure of meeting Spike,who writes,draws and puts out her own series called Templar,Arizona.

The plot is set in an alternative universe version of America,with the main focus being on Ben,who settles down in this offbeat,out of the way town to escape from some of the problems of his past. While his own troubles still haunt him,they seem rather tame compared to the challenges faced by his eccentric neighbors.Templar,Arizona is smart,sassy and compelling reading for anyone wanting a fresh new look at life.



MoCCA Fest also gets an international following,which made it possible for Steph and I to meet Becky & Frank,who make charming artwork and comics with a 1950's children's illustrated book style called Tiny Kitten Teeth (I love that name!).

They are based in New Zealand and are currently in the States to promote their work and best of luck to them(yes,they do speak with Flight of the Conchords accents and are just as sweetly funny):





I did discover a web comic(that is also in print via college newspapers)that shares my love of pop culture mania. Doug Bratton has been putting out Pop Culture Shock Therapy for several years now,skewering the best of movies,TV,music and celebrity gossip with a nod to the Far Side and Calvin and Hobbes(who has also been a loving target of his satire).

I bought his latest collection,Funny..But Deadly!,which showcases five years worth of PSCT strips by category(which Doug was kind enough to sign and sketch an Elvis in it for me),one of which is Star Wars,a ripe subject for fan based laughs,especially if you've ever watched that infamous Christmas Special:





A few of the bigger names in indie comics were out and about at MoCCA Fest,including Vertigo who gave out free first issues of a new series entitled The Unwritten. Tom Taylor is the son of a beloved children's fantasy writer who disappeared without a trace years ago,leaving him as the spokesman for his boy wizard books whose main character shares his name as his son.

Tom has grown to hate his father's legacy and the demands of keeping up with it but things take a radical turn for the worst as allegations about his true identity and a strange conspiracy involving the power of storytelling threatens to tear him apart. I read the book on the way home and it's a great read,particularly for literature lovers.

MoCCA Fest draws quite a crowd and I can see why. It's a great way for indie comic creators and fans to get together and form new following and friendships. Hopefully,they won't have too many arguments about the secret meanings behind classic comics or other misunderstandings that can't be cleared up with a friendly game of darts. The best thing about shows like this are finding folks who are not as far away from your mindset as you might think:

Will The Princess and the Frog be a hop in the right direction?

Floating around the internet and a theater near you is the trailer for the upcoming Disney holiday film,The Princess and the Frog,which is stirring up talk for a variety pack of reasons.

The main attraction of this film is that it has an African American princess(named Tiana who will be voiced by Anika Noni Rose)as the lead,a first for a Disney animated feature. Ethic diversity for leading ladies and men in Disney films has been slowly but surely coming in the last several years,so more than the usual expectations for success are being piled on here.

The plot has been given several new twists,such as moving the locale to New Orleans and a magical backfire that levels the playing field between Princess Tiana and her amphibian friend:





It's nice to see Disney embrace the 2D style of artwork that many of their best animated films are known for,and while the whole "oh,she becomes a frog,too" deal is pretty predictable(to an adult,anyway),this does look like a well made movie. However,I am a tad concerned about possible stereotyping,particularly since the Big Bad of the story is a "witch doctor".

To be fair,there is a voodoo priestess character(named Mama Odie who is vocalized by Jenifer Lewis)represented in the story as the Fairy Godmother type,so perhaps that is not as bad as I fear. I wouldn't want political correctness to strangle the creativity of any film,but this is a extremely fine line we're walking here and for good reason. Too often,in both the past and present,Hollywood has gleefully waded in the shallow end of the diversity pool,bordering at times between exploitation and patronization of cultural differences.



It's a shame that we even have to think about stuff like this,especially for a film that wants to break out of the usual box for children's fantasy stories. Wouldn't be nice to just go"Oh,cool,a new Disney cartoon!" and not worry about offending anyone's sensibilities,real or imagined.

Hopefully,this movie will lead the way towards more mainstreaming of different cultural influences in both kid and adult orientated fare. Yes,I know that plenty of strides have been made already,but there's still a way to go here,folks. Just the fact that a new Disney Princess is black is such a huge deal proves that.

As shown in the HBO animated series,Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, showcasing a familiar fable thru the eyes of another culture gives it a whole new nuance and flair that keeps the storytelling tradition alive. With any luck,The Princess and the Frog will be more along those lines. The best we can hope for is that the film focuses on that which brings us together rather than what sets us apart to audiences of all ages:

Snap out of your literary doze with Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict

Awhile ago,Laurie Viera Rigler made her first splash in novel waters with Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict,which had modern day Courtney Stone trading places in time with Jane Mansfield,a young woman of the Regency period in England. Despite their very different ways of life,both ladies had romantic troubles that they soothed by rereading Pride and Prejudice.

We followed Courtney's journey in Confessions and now in Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict,Jane Mansfield takes center stage to show us her side of the story.

After falling off her favorite horse(just after seeing her intended husband Edgeworth in a compromising position with another woman),Jane is given a real culture shock when she wakes up in Courtney's bedroom in 21 century L.A.,surrounded by strange objects called "computers" and "cellphones" and clothes that would be considered very immodest in her day(except for a long white gown that turns out to be Courtney's intended wedding dress).



She is pleased with the "television" that shows moving pictures of her favorite book,Pride and Prejudice,not to mention discovering more of Jane Austen's work that she has not yet read. Jane tries to adjust to her new situation with the help of Courtney's friends,who reluctantly accept her lack of memory from Courtney's similar injury in a swimming pool.

The most eager to help of Courtney's friends is Wes,who is also buddies with Frank,Courtney's former fiance who truly did cheat on her. Jane wants to trust in his goodness but is hesitate for many reasons,one of which has to do with Wes' role in hiding Frank's affair from Courtney.

Jane manages to fit into her strange new world,reveling in the freedom and privacy that she never had back home. However,despite how many things have changed for the better in this exciting era,some problems still seem unsolvable,love being one of them:





Jane's mind and manners may be old fashioned but some of those quaint traits turn out to be useful in fixing some of the messes in Courtney's life and she begins to open up her mind about a lot of other things,including her quick judgments about Wes and Edgeworth as well.

As in her earlier Confessions,Rigler blends the fantasy and the folly of wishing to go back or forth to a supposed "better" world where all of your current worries can be easily mended. She also employs the same sharp social satire and high drama of romance that Miss Austen used to entertain and enlighten her readers that holds strong no matter when or where they are:






Even if you haven't read Confessions,Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict is a delightful look at our modern day manners and rules of love,which are just as overcomplicated and confusing as they were in Austen's day. It's also a charming tale of discovering not only your true love but your true self as well.

Rude Awakenings is due out on June 25 and is definitely worth pre-ordering at either your local bookstore or library waiting list. It's a celebration of life,love and Jane Austen,the perfect way to start your summer reading off right. It's also a way to really appreciate the independence that many of us modern women take for granted and that Lizzy Bennet herself would adore:

The MTV Movie Awards and some TV theme songs to tide you over the end of season slump

The MTV Movie Awards were the highlight of the weekend,with plenty of amusing bits by host Andy Samberg and various on and off stage stunts that gathered coverage across all media lines.

The debate over whether or not that Bruno/Eminem encounter was staged(I think it was planned,but that Slim Shady wasn't in on the joke. I know the guy's been in movies but he's not a good enough actor to fake such a reaction,in my opinion)has been pretty much chewed over enough for now.

Twilight cleaned up on a lot of the categories and fans were also treated to the first trailer for New Moon,right after watching Samberg and crew serve them up a saucy slice of spoofery:

TEEN WOLF THREE?

MTV Shows

THE REAL DEAL

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

To me,the best parody moment was Samberg's musical tribute to a great action movie cliche,"Cool Guys Don't Look at Explosions",with Will Ferrell as Neil Diamond and a surprise keyboard cameo:

MTV Shows

Since we're experiencing some lag time between the end of the regular TV season and the start of the summer shows,I thought it would be fun to take a look at some TV theme song favorites of mine. It's been awhile since we had a good intro tune hit the airwaves along with the pop culture and the time has come for us to embrace these little ditties yet again.

The folks at TV Land know this,judging by the theme song Sid and Marty Kroft tribute performed at their last awards show,with Cyndi Lauper rocking the Electra Woman and Dyna Girl(her costume was beyond awesome):



Another offbeat show theme is the one for Small Wonder,that silly syndicated sitcom about a family trying to raise a robot daughter right(no,not kidding,folks. This was a real show). It's kind of cute,in a creepy fifties sci-fi way:



More syndicated sci-fi silliness arrived for the teen market in the 1990s with Out of This World,sort of a Starman meets Sabrina,the Teenage Witch. The theme song is a reworking of "Would You Like To Swing On A Star" that is alarmingly catchy:



Out of the many family themed sitcoms in the eighties,Family Ties was always a regular mainstay on my TV menu and it's theme song"What Will We Do,Baby?" still holds up well on it's own:



Last but not least is Gilmore Girls,with one of best theme songs ever made for a full hour show. While wordless theme music is becoming the norm these days and can be very coolly effective,a sweet set of lyrics goes with everything(sort of like a little black dress or crackers with soup):



RANDOM NOTES:

TRUE BLOOD: June 14 is coming slowly but surely for those of us practically panting for season two. This latest promo is guaranteed to whet your appetite for more bloodsucking goodness(and badness as well):

Open Letter of Support to Susan Boyle

Dear Ms. Boyle,

First off,a very heartfelt congratulations to you on your performances for Britain's Got Talent-as an American,I don't get to watch this show but based on the clips that I've seen on the internet,it's a shame that it took so long for talent like yours to be noticed and appreciated.

I am sorry that you didn't win the competition,as clearly you were the best and a favorite amongst the fans(many of us across the pond here feel the same way about Adam Lambert,someone I think you have a lot in common with). However, please don't feel as if you need to reexamine your performance at the finale;you were wonderful and have nothing to regret on that score:





I have heard about your recent hospitalization and wish you the best of health as soon as can be. This has been a rather hectic time for you and most of the media attention that's been coming your way hasn't been very positive. That says more about them than it does about you,Ms. Boyle,and I hope that not only do you get the rest and relaxation you deserve,but that you regain your emotional strength as well.

Many of us out here are rooting for you,Ms. Boyle. A lot of us have wanted to take a chance and strut our stuff upon whatever stage it's meant for,but felt that we wouldn't be taken seriously or be accepted,for reasons real or imagined. When someone like you goes for their dream, it brings the rest of us on the sidelines a drop of hope that we can do it,too.

On a personal note,I'm pursuing an artistic dream of my own and while it's still an uphill struggle,one of my inspirations to keep up with it is seeing and listening to you use your marvelous voice so well,even as you had a slow start with Memory. Your rendition was lovely and nothing to be ashamed of. Those who were eager to pick that performance apart are those who have little to show for in the talent department themselves(yes,I mean you,Lily Allen,you Twitter twit!) Pardon my outburst,Ms.Boyle,it's only because I identify with you so strongly.



Please don't feel pressured to live up to the expectations of your admirers or be overwhelmed by the naysayers. What's important is that you do what is right for you regarding any sort of singing career. Fame and fortune can give a person plenty of things,but it doesn't buy happiness or personal satisfaction.

I just wanted to let you know that there are folks on both sides of the Atlantic who want the best for you,whatever that may be. We're on your side,Ms. Boyle,and perhaps the perfect way to tell you this is thru song. Music is the coin of your realm and can truly get the message across more succinctly than I can:

YOU'LL BE DANCING ONCE AGAIN



WE'RE STANDING BESIDE YOU



I'M A LOT LIKE YOU



Take care,Ms. Boyle and to paraphrase both Dolly Parton and Whitney Houston,I wish you joy and happiness,but above all things,I wish you love and kindness from your family and friends.

Sincerely,

Lady T and your fellow music lovers

P.S.: Beauty is as beauty does. Inner lasts longer than the outer and makes for a better person,as many folks are starting to see:

BEA '09,Part II: People,places and things

To round up my take on this year's BEA,I'll be going over some of the folks that my sister and I meet up with,as well as a few of the more entertaining aspects of the show. While the number of costumed characters is much lower than one gets to see at Comic Con,Book Expo is not without it's odd ducks and stylish promoters of literary related goods.



Speaking of comics,Stephanie and I went to yet another signing by Mutts creator Patrick McDonnell,for his upcoming children's book entitled Wag(due out in October). This is Stephanie's third time meeting him(it's four for me)and her tattoo of Mooch made her instantly recognizable to McDonnell and his Little,Brown rep.

McDonnell's picture books are as lovely as his cartoons. Wag is a charming read,about as charming as the man himself:





Another great cartoonist we met was Bill Barnes,one of the co-creators of Unshelved. This web comic has been around for several years,set in the quirky yet clever realm of your local library with jokes aplenty about customer service,lack of funds and current trends. If you work in a library or bookstore(or just attend them on a regular basis),you can easily relate.



Bill took a break from his ukulele playing to sign a copy of his and Gene Ambaum's latest Unshelved collection,Frequently Asked Questions that I brought from their booth,along with one of their cool T shirts(I'm not into Klingons,but that motto is beyond awesome). They were also handing out badge ribbons that said "Read Irresponsibly", which is now adorning the center of my built in bookshelves. Another cool book lover's motto that we all should adopt.

If you haven't checked out Unshelved yet,please do so as soon as possible. At the very least,it may help you to remember to make reasonable requests of the librarian the next time you go to the Information Desk:





I did make it over to the Book Blogger signings held by NetGalley at noon and met Sarah Wendell,one of the official Smart Bitches as well as co-author of Beyond Heaving Bosoms. While I am sorry that I missed out on meeting Alea Adou from Pop Culture Junkie(I did get one of her signed blogger cards),Sarah was a real delight and treated me like a rock star.

Sarah was not only kind enough to sign my copy of BHB,she also made me one of her Twitter tweets(complete with picture of me holding up the book). Thank you,Sarah,for being so cool and my favorite section of the Choose Your Romance chapter of BHB is the paranormal romance one,too:





My encounter with James Ellroy was brief,due to the line for his in-booth signing of Advance Reader Copies of his new book( set for a September release),Blood's a Rover,truly reaching all the way to Terre Haute.

It was definitely worth the wait to just say hi to him-Ellroy is not one of those authors who does a lot of meet and greet with readers. I did tell him how surreal it was for me to see him in person after watching a YouTube clip of his moment with Ed Champion the night before(perhaps that was not a good memory for him).

That statement didn't quite break the ice,especially since Ellroy is not a big internet user. Oh well,you don't get a nickname like the Demon Dog of American Crime Fiction for being Joe Friendly:





Stephanie and I took some time out to wander the New Titles display,which didn't have many books that were known to me but several of them were nicely showcased. The wine bottle with the vampiresque book in a box was a good touch there.



LOL cats were also represented,along with Star Wars stormtroopers,Olivia and Elvis. I'm not quite sure what Elvis was promoting(they did hand out buttons and stickers saying "Where Is Elvis",but that didn't clear anything up)but that guy certainly appeared to be Vegas ready.



And so it ends for BEA this year. How things will go for 2010 remands to be seen,particularly since the plan is to hold the show mid week instead of the usual four day weekend(Thursday to Sunday).

I honestly don't think that will be such a great idea-for one thing,many of the attendees that BEA needs(librarians,booksellers,etc)to be there will not be able to get away from work then. It may be less expensive to rent the Javits during the week but those savings won't make up for the lower amount of registered folks going to the show,in my opinion.

One suggestion that's been bandied about is opening one of the show days to the public,which may be a real shot in the arm there. Whatever new idea comes down the pike,I believe that the most important thing that folks in and about the publishing industry can do at BEA is talk. Despite which end of the business one may be at or your personal philosophy of literature,book lovers will find that they have more in common that they know or care to admit:

BEA '09,Part I: The Books

While I did spend only one day at Book Expo America this year,the ground that both me and my sister covered was extensive enough to break my coverage up into two parts. Today is all about the books,baby.

Even with the reduced amount of giveaways,there were still plenty of interesting books being handed out to eager attendees. A few of them were titles that have been buzzed about,others were surprises that many wanted to discover and enjoy(not to mention spread the good word about).

The books that will be featured here in this post are merely a handful of the literary delights that I managed to pick up;a good portion of the rest will be highlighted in future Book Preview posts:

KIDS IN AMERICA



In addition to a double set of upcoming Alex Cross novels,James Patterson made a big splash at the Hachette booth with another new fantasy adventure series for young people.

Witch & Wizard,co-authored by Gabrielle Charbonnet,tells the tale of the New World Order that 15 year old Whisty and her younger brother Whit have been seized by and imprisoned for unknown reasons. During their time in captivity,they developed strange new powers that may not only help them escape but might even save their parents and the world.

This sounds like a fun read for fantasy readers of all ages;hopefully Whisty and Whit get along better than most brothers and sisters do,especially with magical abilities at hand. That could definitely raise the stakes on sibling rivalry there(December 14):





I was fortunate enough to meet Matt De La Pena,who was signing Advance Copies of his third book due out in October called We Were Here. The story is told thru the eyes and journal of Miguel,who must tough things out in a group home for a year after being arrested for an act he doesn't want to talk about.

Miguel makes a couple of friends who help him break out of Juvi and the three of them plan to cross the border into Mexico. However,things get more complicated than any of the boys expected and running away from the past only brings more trouble to the present. Again,not just a book that suits teenagers but is relatable to former members of the disenfranchised youth movement as well:



PAST IMPERFECT



Hitting the shelves by June 9,The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe starts off with Connie Goodwin,a Harvard graduate student looking for material to research for her dissertation.

During her summer vacation,Connie takes over the sale of her grandmother's abandoned house in Salem,Mass and finds a mysterious key tucked into a 17th century Bible which is wrapped in a parchment with only the name Deliverance Dane written upon it.

As Connie searches for answers,she discovers some dark secrets regarding the Salem witch trials and wonders if she may have a deeper connection to those events. Interesting how the subject of women under scrutiny by society has a rather timeless quality to it:





Shandi Mitchell's debut novel,Under The Unbroken Sky,takes place in Canada during 1938,where Ukrainian immigrant Theo has been released from prison after two years for stealing grain that was originally his. Theo reunites with his wife,Maria and their five children(who have been living with Maria's sister Anna)and hopes to rebuilt the life they once had together.

That plan begins to pay off slowly but surely,yet is threatened by the arrival of another missing in action family member. Anna's husband Stefan comes back into their lives and brings with him a whole bag of trouble that could lead everyone down a very dark path of destiny indeed. This book is set for a September release and sounds like the ideal back-to-school read.

A SLICE OF SAGA,ANYONE?



It's great to find fabulous new books,and a wee bit extra satisfying to come across one that won't be out and about until next year. Roses by Leila Meacham is a steadfast saga that spans the twentieth century and concerns the rising fortunes of two industrious families in Texas,the Tolivers with their cotton empire and the Warwicks who are giants of the timber realm.

The heads of these clans,Mary Toliver and Percy Warwick,had the chance to unite once via marriage but that option was not taken,leaving the next generations to struggle with secrets and lies as a result. Roses will be on sale by January of 2010 and seems to be something really worth waiting for. It's been awhile since we had a good old fashioned family soap opera on the scene and high time that we did:





Another author that I was lucky enough to get a signed copy of his upcoming work was legendary crime noir writer James Ellroy(more on that tomorrow),whose latest entry in his current cultural trilogy is called Blood's a Rover(due out this September).

This book takes place during the late 1960s and the early seventies,with such real life luminaries as J. Edgar Hoover and Howard Hughes mixing into the plot about a trio of low level thugs and strong arm men whose fates collide due to their search for Red Goddess Joan.

Ellroy's books are elaborately written,making them a tad tricky to get into. However,I am willing to give this one a try. His innate sense of chaos that verges all too closely to the regular flow of society than most folks are or can admit is alluring and fits right into more than one genre:



Part Two of my BEA coverage will be about all the people that both my sister and I ran into and had the pleasure of chatting with. This was a very successful outing,in my opinion,and partly due to the energy and spirit that New York brings to this event. Yes,my bias is showing but there's a real artistic and emotional vibe that NYC gives to events like this,making them that much richer to enjoy: