HEFT by Liz Moore

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Dani Stone

A few months ago as I was convalescing on the couch from minor surgery, I was scrolling through my Twitter feed catching up on the latest news and pictures of lunch menu items when I saw one of my favorite authors, Jennifer Weiner, talking about a book she had fallen in love with, Heft by Liz Moore. “Interesting,” I said to myself, although I may have actually spoken it out loud to the cat because I was nibbling on pain killers at the time but anyWHO, I decided if Jennifer recommended it, I better check it out.

I’m glad I did.

The first thing you must know about it me is that I am colossally fat. When I knew you I was what one might call plump but I am no longer plump. . . I do feel very shy and sort of encased in something as if I were a cello or an expensive gun. Arthur Opp

This is how the book begins, with a letter from Arthur, a former professor, to his beloved former student, Charlene.

When she is very bad, usually I will tell her things to calm her down. I will tell her Mom, Mom. We have to be quiet because the neighbors will call. . . Then I will wait for her to fall asleep, and then I will leave her on the couch and see her in the morning. Kel

This is our first introduction to Charlene’s teenage son, Kel.

These two very different paragraphs are my favorite thing about this book. Liz Moore knows her characters. The voice of the reclusive academic is just as distinct as the beleaguered teenager.

After a phone call from Charlene puts their two paths in motion, Arthur and Kel begin to make their way toward one another and the book flips back and forth from each perspective with ease. I found myself rooting for both of them.

From Amazon: Heft is a novel about love and family found in the most unexpected places. I couldn’t agree more.

If my description of the plot is a little vague, it’s because I don’t want to give too much away. I want you to discover Heft for yourself. If you’ve already read it, I’d like to know what you thought.

Stuffed Sleigh Contest

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Malena Lott

While many of you may be over the stove cooking up something delicious for Thanksgiving, I am thankful my mother in law said I don’t have to BRING A THING. (Except for my beautiful family, of course.) Now, my MIL has known me for 17 years and she’s grown to accept that I don’t like to cook, am not very good at it and I’d be happy eating a turkey sandwich for T-day, let alone a big fancy meal. But fancy we shall have! So it gives me great pleasure to offer one of our Sleigh Ride readers a “thank you” gift for purchasing the anthology that’s sure to get you in the mood for the holidays. It even has a fruitcake! And it wouldn’t be a sleigh ride without hot cocoa, right? And some hot guys? So, without further ado, I present to you SLEIGH RIDE: A Winter Anthology and the awesome BIG STUFFED SLEIGH contest. Remember, you can always gift it to a friend, too.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

All this plus a cozy throw!
Package includes:

Michael Buble “Christmas” album (Target edition with 3 extra songs) ~ $17 value

Lady Antebellum “A Merry Little Christmas” album ~ $7 value

ILU “text” Coffee mug, in honor of Dani Stone’s, “No Place Like Home” story and her crazy coffee cup collection ~ $7 value

Cozy throw to cuddle up and read Sleigh Ride with! ~ $30 value

Box full of books including:

FALLING TOGETHER by Marisa de los Santos (hardback, $26 value)

YANKEE DOODLE DIXIE by Lisa Patton (hardback, $25 value)

RECKONING FOR THE DEAD by Jordan Dane (mass market paperback, $8 value)

AND SHE WAS by Alison Gaylin (mm paperback, ARC, no retail value)

SLICKER by Lucy Jackson (trade paperback, $15 value)

SPIN by Catherine McKenzie (trade paperback, ARC, no retail value)

THE ATLAS OF LOVE by Laurel Frankel (trade paperback, $15 value)

DRAGONSWOOD by Janet Lee Carey (trade paperback, ARC, no retail value)

How to Enter:

Send (forward) your receipt from the purchase of SLEIGH RIDE by end of day Nov. 30th, 2011 to buzzbooksusa (at) me (dot) com. A confirmation e-mail in return will confirm your entry in the contest.

Where to buy Sleigh Ride: (as of 11/11/11)

print book from our Buzz Books site here

for the nook: BN.com for nook

or the print book or ebook for the kindle: Amazon

Sleigh Ride includes short stories by Samantha Wilde, Maria Geraci, Maggie Marr, Megan Barlog, Malena Lott, Dani Stone, Jenny Peterson.

Based On The Novel By. . .

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Dani Stone

AKA: An Ingenious Excuse To Get Your Book Club Together More Often

For our Rebel Book Club this month my ladies and I have chosen, Water For Elephants. Yes, we know, the book originally came out in 2006 and many of us have already read it but we have an ulterior motive. In April, the movie Water For Elephants was released, based on the bestseller by Sara Gruen. When I brought up the idea of reading the book, seeing the movie together and then meeting later to discuss, well, the vote was almost unanimous. More girl time? Yes, please!

Hollywood doesn’t always do a book justice. In fact, I have friends who are adamant about never watching a movie based on a novel because the characters rarely live up to the images they’ve created in their minds. Although I can’t imagine anyone being disappointed with Vivian Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara. But I digress.

As excited as we are about watching Reese Witherspoon (a blonde Malena Lott look-alike) strut around in sequins and Robert Pattinson as a non blood-sucking Jacob Jankowski, we’re positively giddy about the movie premiere of another NY Times bestseller, The Help.

Shut the front door, you say? I will not. In case you haven’t heard, the brilliant debut novel by Kathryn Stockett comes to life in August.

The novel, tied with Saving CeeCee Honeycutt as our favorite of 2010, is set in Mississippi in the 1960s. The story follows newly graduated college student, “Skeeter” Phelan as she sets out to give a voice to the black nannies and maids, the forgotten women of the south. With an A-list cast like Allison Janney, Cicely Tyson, Sissy Spacek and Octavia Spencer as the sassy Minny Jackson, I’m hopeful the movie will be as poignant and moving as the book. I’m taking tissues just in case. You can watch a trailer for The Help below.

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi809278745/

The books and movies alone are entertaining but when shared with a group of lit sisters they’re like Goobers and popcorn, absolutely delicious. I adore the ladies in my book club. Getting to see them twice in one month is a rarity. A delightful rarity.

I had the pleasure of meeting Beth Hoffman on her book tour for Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. During the audience Q&A,an excited reader asked if she had been approached for a movie deal. She has. Before you get all squeally like we did, Beth said no. . . for now.

I understand why authors want to hold their novels close and protect them for awhile, but Beth, when you decide to let Hollywood have their way with your creation, we’ll be there to watch.

BEbabes Chapter of the Week

Posted on October 2, 2009 by Malena Lott

RedChairAffair
(L to R: Deena Flanigan-Kreutzer, Dani Stone, Stacie Unruh and Jennifer Wright. Deena, Dani & Stacie are Rebel book clubbers.)

Let’s see, besides being FREAKING HILARIOUS and a generous spirit, Dani Stone also reads. What’s not to love? Join me in giving an atta-babe and mimosa toast to Chapter 2 queenB Dani Stone and her Rebel Book Club in Wichita, Kansas. Can’t wait to hear more from you gals!

1. How often do you all meet? Currently we meet once a month. I know that might sound like alot to other groups but it really makes you work hard to carve out time to read when you know you only have 30 days to do it.

2. Where do you meet? We take turns meeting at each other’s homes. When I send out the nominations for the next month’s book I ask for volunteers to host. I like your idea of doing it at a restaurant though at some point, maybe somewhere that has a private party room to keep the mess at bay.

lustlizard 3. What books in the past have sparked great discussion? We’ve only met twice. Our first two books were The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove and Jennifer Weiner’s latest, Best Friends Forever. Lust Lizard provided an interesting discussion because it was so odd and different from anything we’d ever read. Books that have moved us individually and sparked “mini discussions” at nomination time include, “Lovely Bones,” “My Sister’s Keeper,” and “The Red Tent.”

4. What are you reading now? Burn. I’m not quite done and we meet in less than 2 weeks so I need to get on it!! So far I’ve only heard one negative grumbling about it so I’m excited to get everyone together and talk it over.

5. What do you all eat/drink at your parties? Though I was in a previous book club that served elaborate potlucks and even themed meals, we’ve kept it very low key in the form of appetizers and wine. Anything that can be dipped with a chip or a spread on a cracker is the usual fare including a new concoction created by fellow founder, Stacie Unruh that we simply call, “Hella-Good Dip.” It’s cream cheese, Raspberry Chipotle grilling sauce and black beans, baked until it’s bubbly and hot. Delish!

6. What do you love best about your book club? The members of my bookclub are lighthearted, fun and often a little outlandish. From the beginning our motto has been, “we don’t judge.” If you want to come to bookclub in sweatpants carrying a bag of Fritos because you’ve had a bad day, that’s okay. As long as you come with an open mind, an open heart, ready to listen and laugh, you’re going to be welcomed with open arms and a full glass.

Thanks, Dani! You can connect with Dani’s club by following them on Twitter. See our TwitterBEbabes directory for all the info. I hope Dani has inspired you to start up a chapter of BEbabes in your area. It’s easy! Just pop over to the Book Club page for the deets, use the invite we’ve supplied on the page and invite your girlfriends, co-workers or other interesting gals for a girls night out with great reads at least every other month.