Wimpy Kid Ice Cream Truck Visits Book Beat 24.07.2010

Join us as the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Summer Reading Ice Cream Truck visits Book Beat on Wednesday August 25, 2010. Starting at 4:00 pm come get a free frozen purple popsicle treat to celebrate the upcoming publication of Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 5, which is on sale Tuesday November 9, 2010. Other free goodies will be handed out. PLEASE NOTE: JEFF KINNEY WILL NOT BE MAKING AN APPEARANCE OR SIGNING BOOKS AT THIS EVENT.

Talking Books with Patrick Rothfuss 03.05.2010

We had a chance to talk briefly with author Patrick Rothfuss after his May 2nd book signing held at the Baldwin library.  About 70 of Patrick’s enthusiastic fans came out to hear him speak about The Name of the Wind and its upcoming sequel, The Wise Man’s Fear.

Patrick read a little from his amusing column “The College Survival Guide”, and talked about blogging, writing, teaching, his  family and connecting to the community of fantasy  authors. He also announced the publication of a dark satirical fantasy book, THE ADVENTURES OF THE PRINCESS & MR. WHIFFLE, a title we will have in stock soon.

Of contemporary fantasy writers, Rothfuss recommended three;  Brandon Sanderson,  UK author Joe Abercrombie, and a woman writer currently living and teaching in Chicago; Nnedi Okorafor. Patrick noted he especially liked Okorafor’s ZAHRAH, THE WINDSEEKER, winner of the 2008 Wole Soyinka Prize for literature in Africa.

When asked what world lit classics helped shape his vision, Patrick chose three;  Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, the play Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, and the Memoirs of Giacomo Casonova.

We look forward to another visit with Patrick Rothfuss, hopefully when the sequel is published around March 2011.

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Patrick discusses the finer merits of each book jacket to the first edition. Signed copies of the trade paperback edition of The Name of the Wind, are available now at the Book Beat, please call or write soon to hold one.

Patrick Rothfuss at the Baldwin Public Library, May 2 27.04.2010

Sunday, May 2nd, Fantasy Author Patrick Rothfuss at Baldwin Library

New York Times Best-Selling Author Patrick Rothfuss will be at the Baldwin Public Library, (300 West Merrill Street, Birmingham) on Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 2:00 pm.

His debut fantasy novel, The Name of the Wind has received high praise in the world of fantasy fiction and his fans are eagerly waiting for his next title to be released.  Rothfuss will be there for a reading, signing and Q and A session.   Come out to meet this exciting new fantasy writer.   Books will be available for purchase at the event from Book Beat.

The Name of the Wind marks the debut of a writer we would all do well to watch. Patrick Rothfuss has real talent, and his tale of Kvothe is deep and intricate and wondrous.”

-Terry Brooks, 22-time New York Times bestselling author

“…there were a few lulls throughout, but for the most part I was inextricably hooked to “The Name of the Wind” and was quite disappointed when I came to its end. Thankfully, Kvothe’s tale will continue with the already written second and third volumes of the The Kingkiller Chronicles, as well as a follow-up series, and I for one, will be eagerly awaiting each of those novels. As to how “The Name of the Wind” compares to other notable fantasy debuts, I think that’s really a matter of personal opinion and preference. Myself, I think it’s definitely better than some that I’ve read and not as strong as others, but I personally believe that it will make more sense to look at The Kingkiller Chronicles as a whole since it was originally written as a single story. So, if the rest of the trilogy can improve upon, or even maintain the level of intimacy, passion and realism found in “The Name of the Wind”, then that will be an accomplishment worthy of the hype. For now, Patrick Rothfuss has delivered a very compelling, and I believe, accessible debut that is a promising start to an ambitious new fantasy epic…”  source:  Fantasy Book Critic Blogspot review
CANCELED: Sharon Flake at Oak Park Library 11.02.2010

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

We are sorry to announce that the SHARON FLAKE event has been canceled by the author due to a personal emergency. We are sorry for any inconvenience. PLEASE STAY TUNED: we will schedule a new date and time soon, thank you.

This event has been canceled:

CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULT AUTHOR SHARON FLAKE AT THE OAK PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY

1081f3d2b009ade7f092cb450404466bBook Beat is pleased to announce that award-winning children’s and young adult fiction writer Sharon Flake is visiting the Oak Park Library on Saturday, February 20, 2010 where she will speak and autograph books. The event begins at 4:00 p.m. and coincides with Sharon Flake’s latest young adult title: You Don’t Even Know Me: Stories and Poems About Boys. Sharon Flake gained immediate acclaim with the release in 1998 of her first book, The Skin I’m In, for which she won the Coretta Scott King / John Steptoe Award for New Talent. This book continues to be on required young adult reading lists for schools and libraries around the country and has reached classic status in the YA publishing world. Flake has also received the Coretta Scott King Honor Award for Money Hungry and Who Am I Without Him. Flake’s first book for a younger audience, The Broken Bike Boy and the Queen of 33rd Street has also received much critical praise and is a title on the list for this year’s popular Southfield Public Libraries’ Battle of the Books contest. Her latest book, You Don’t Even Know Me: Stories and Poems About Boys, is a collection of poems and stories concerning the thoughts, fears and realities faced by young African American men in today’s world.  This is written for boys aged 11 and up. This event is free and open to the public and promises to be a fun and thought-provoking visit from an exceptional author. Mark this event on your calendars and arrive a bit early for a great chance to meet and listen to one of today’s top Young Adult and Children’s literary talents.

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Nic Bishop Signings 21.09.2009

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009 Children’s Author/ Photographer Nic Bishop at the Farmington Library

The Farmington Community Library – Farmington Branch, presents children’s nature author Nic Bishop on Saturday, October 3rd from 11 AM – 12 PM.  From 2-3 PM a presentation titled “Behind the Scenes” will happen at the Farmington Main Library, and from 4-5 PM, Nic will present “Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea to Save the Tree Kangaroo”. The Farmington Main Library is located at 32737 W. Twelve Mile Rd. in Farmington Hills. Phone: 248-848-4315

Find out how this distinguished nature photographer captures amazing images in the studio and on location by attending this special presentation. The Farmington Branch Library is located at 23500 Liberty Street, Farmington, MI Phone: (248) 553•0300 for more information.  For mapquest driving directions. The Book Beat will be selling books at this event.

Mr. Bishop’s distinguished photographs bring science alive for readers in award-winning books including Red-Eyed Tree Frog, Frogs, Spiders and Chameleon, Chameleon; Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea.

Bishop, who started taking photographs at age nine, uses his camera – along with other innovative devices – for striking close-ups and stop-action sequences. Find out how this photographer captures amazing images in the studio and on location by attending one or both of his special presentations.

Kindle and the Amazing Vanishing Children’s Books 24.07.2009

“So you decided you wanted to read George Orwell’s ANIMAL FARM and 1984 on your new Kindle. The titles were available for only ninety-nine cents a piece, so you placed your order, waited a few moments, and the books were transmitted to your reading device via a wireless network.

The next morning you woke up and the books were gone!”

Read the complete story on Peter Sieruta’s Collecting Children’s Books blog:  Kindle and the Vanishing Children’s Books