Literature Map

Anyone else heard of this? A friend that I worked with sent me this link a couple of years ago. Sometimes I forget about it and sometimes I'm addicted to it for days on end.

It's a Literature Map. You go on the site, type in the name of an author, click continue. The map that pops up lists authors that have similar writing to that of whom you typed in. From the site: 'The closer two writers are, the more likely someone will like both of them.' Then you can click on the other authors to see what their map looks like.

I can't speak to it's accuracy, but it sure is fun to play with! What do you think?

(click the image for the site I found it on: Exocubic Studio. This was the designer's sketch for a book mobile he made for a library in Little Rock, AR. Beautiful, isn't it?)

My Debut YA Novel Cover

Well this was fun and worth trying out!

I found the rules at 100 Scope Notes via One Librarian's Book Reviews. And while they both wound up with super images, I got a fuzzy, low res pic of some random chick with a big old bottle of booze and an 'Australia' t-shirt. Awesome. So, as you can see, I had to crop the heck out of it and I have ended up with a tiny, little bitty YA book cover. :-D But, it is fun and you should definitely try it! There are some options other than the YA version, but this is where I started!

CREATE YOUR DEBUT YA COVER

1 – Go to “Fake Name Generator” or click http://www.fakenamegenerator.com/

The name that appears is your author name.

2 – Go to “Random Word Generator” or click http://www.websitestyle.com/parser/randomword.shtml

The word listed under “Random Verb” is your title.

3 – Go to “FlickrCC” or click http://flickrcc.bluemountains.net/index.php

Type your title into the search box. The first photo that contains a person is your cover.

4 – Use Photoshop, Picnik, or similar to put it all together. Be sure to crop and/or zoom in.

5 – Post it to your site along with this text

THANK YOU!!

It seems that I've been nominated for a BBAW Award in the category of Best Publishing/Industry Blog! As you can see by smiling kitty, this makes me SO happy:



I really can't thank you all enough for thinking of me and wish everyone the happiest of BBAW's! This one is really going to kick some super fun book butt.

And a huge thank you to the organizers who are managing what I'm sure is tons and tons of info with the nominations, giveaways, emails, judging panels...you guys rock!

Joey Lawrence would say, 'Whoah.'

So, while I'm busy shipping books to reviewers, organizing, and otherwise managing my lists of info, I wanted to pass along something I stumbled across while digging around online:



Isn't it the most incredible thing you've ever seen?! The keyboard is made from typewriter keys. The link to the picture shows how it was done. The link to the website where they have other amazing creations: http://steampunkworkshop.com.

This computer is gorgeous and unique and so darn awesome! Wonder if it comes in a Mac...

History book, Perfect for Family reading!

THE WAR CHRONICLES: From Flintlocks to Machine Guns, A Global Reference of All Major Modern Conflicts
by Joseph Cummins
Published by Fair Winds Press
Hardcover/432 Pages/July 2009
ISBN: 9781592333059

Written in an accessible and engaging style by veteran popular history writer Joseph Cummins, The War Chronicles: From Flintlocks to Machine Guns spans history and much of the globe in recounting the campaigns, invasions, battles, and revolutions that were the most important in history and have had the greatest impact on human affairs.

Each account includes a quick-reference summary, a timeline, an overview of the war, essays on its principal leaders, a series of short, often offbeat features on particular aspects of the conflict, and a narrative account of a pivotal battle. The result is a multifaceted and consistently fascinating history of human conflict.

The best and worst of humanity is on display here, in a collection that will act as a perfect primer for novices while offering seasoned history readers new perspectives on many famous and some not-so-well-known conflicts.

Joseph Cummins is the author of The War Chronicles: From Chariots to Flintlocks, History’s Great Untold Stories: Larger Than Life Characters and Dramatic Events That Changed the World. His other books include Turn Around and Run Like Hell: Unconventional Military Strategies That Worked, History’s Greatest Hits, and Anything for a Vote: Dirty Tricks and October Surprises in America’s Presidential Campaigns.

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To request a review copy for coverage on your online outlet, please email me at onlinepublicist [AT] gmail [DOT] com. Do not forget to include your URL. Mailing is available to US and Canadian addresses only.

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Remember Woodstock...?

**I am currently out of review copies for this title. Links for reviews of it can be found on the left sidebar.**

THE WOODSTOCK STORY BOOK
by Linanne G. Sackett photography by Barry Z. Levine Published by Channel Photographics
Hardcover/176 pages/$35.00
ISBN: 978-1439222614

The Woodstock Story Book contains never before seen photos of the three day music festival that became legendary.

Barry Z. Levine, the still photographer for the Academy Award winning Woodstock film, leads us through the grassy cow pasture to the sardine packed staging area and the garbage strewn aftermath. In those 3 days, he shot so many photos that he had blisters on his thumb and index finger from clicking the shutter and advancing the film.

With text written by Linanne G. Sackett that resonates with the humor and charm of Dr. Seuss, the book presents a chronological account of the event. Along with a foreword by the Woodstock Clown Prince, Wavy Gravy, The Woodstock Story Book includes four perfect-for-framing 8” x 10” fine art prints of iconic rock legends Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jerry Garcia, and Joe Cocker and a free redeemable 24” x 36” full color poster. This rare volume is a must have for anyone who was at Woodstock, wish they had been, or for anyone wanting a bird’s eye view of a great historical event of the 60’s.
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To request a review copy for coverage on your online outlet, please email me at onlinepublicist [AT] gmail [DOT] com. I have VERY limited copies of this title available, so please only request a copy if you are certain you can provide a review for it. Mailing is available to US addresses only.
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Introducing the Harlequin project!

BETWEEN ME AND THE RIVER: Living Beyond Cancer: A Memoir
by Carrie Host
Published by Harlequin/August 2009/Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-373-89214-3
Author website: CarrieHost.com

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"I do have a future, and the picture of that future is made up of a multitude of tiny dots called 'right now.'"

Carrie Host knows that the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness takes a split second to change your life, as well as the lives of your partner, parents, children and all who love you. Packed with inspiration, advice, comfort and hope, Between Me and the River is Host's candid and uplifting memoir of how she found the strength and fortitude to triumph over a rare form of cancer, and craft a new and meaningful life.

When told at forty, with her youngest child just ten months old, that she had carcinoid tumor, Host felt as if she'd been hurled into a raging river, stripped of all forms of potential rescue. The voyage of this strong-minded, openhearted woman out of that river and onto safe shores is told with uncompromising honesty and respect for the miracles that medicine and love can work.

While dealing with practical issues such as how to find the best medical team and what to tell the children, Host also recounts the many spiritual and eye-opening lessons that made her journey so bearable: how to see what is available rather than what is absent, how to free up energy to heal by letting go of anger and fear, and how to believe in the future.

Host's unquenchable sense of humor in the midst of suffering creates poignant moments of laughter through tears. Bracing, lyrical and deeply moving, Between Me and the River is a tribute to one life, and all lives, rerouted by illness. This remarkably honest book provides a deep sense of insight and understanding for survivors, caregivers, family members and friends.

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Please email me to request a review copy of this title: onlinepublicist [AT] gmail [DOT] com. I have several copies available for international shipping. I am also organizing a small blog tour for this project. Please let me know if you would like to take part. This author is available for interviews.

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BIG Giveaway Results!

Hello, hello! Thank you to everyone to participated in the BIG giveaway. I know the rules got a wee bit confusing, but everyone did great with it! Once I created the list and added the multiples, there were 82 entries in this contest. Not bad, huh?

I plugged the list into the List Randomizer over at Random.org and the winner is:

List Randomizer

There were 82 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Jessica

That Jessica is none other than J.Danger, herself! woot woot! Congrats!! Leave a comment that you saw this and I'll get those out to you right away!

I have several new projects to launch, so I will be getting back to scheduled programming for a bit, but you're all going to love what I'm offering, so check back often!

The BIG Giveaway

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED!!

Up for grabs this time around, I have a whole smattering of goodies for ya! And the goodies are as follows:

*mouse pad from Book Club Girl with the Betty Smith quote: 'The world was hers for the reading' on it
*Food, Inc., edited by Karl Weber (finished paperback)
*Gone to Green by Judy Christie (ARC) (I LOVE this book!)
*The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë by Syrie James (ARC)
*The Sword of Medina by Sherry Jones (ARC)
*Crush by Alan Jacobson (ARC)

And what do you need to do to be entered into this super awesome giveaway? There are several ways to gain entry into this one. Please pay attention to the details as I will not enter folks who do not participate in one of the following:

1. Visit: http://marcblatte.com/. Leave a comment here relaying some bit of information you learned from the site.

2. Leave a comment on one of Marc's blog posts: http://marcblatte.com/blog/.

3. Follow Marc on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MarcBlatte.

4. Listen to Marc's interview with Linda Wertheimer on NPR and leave a comment here noting something you found interesting from it.

If you do one of the above AND tweet the giveaway as well, you will receive 2 entries. Please remember to use @OnlinePublicist in your tweet. A tweet without doing one of the above will not be entered. Feel free to enter more than once! This giveaway is open internationally and will close Monday, July 20, 2009 at midnight, CST, with the winner being announced on Tuesday, July 21, 2009. If the winner does not contact me to claim the prize within 7 days, it will go to the next person from the Random.org list.

Good luck and thank you for participating!!

Beautiful Photography Book for Review

**I am currently out of review copies for this title. Links for current reviews of it can be found on the left sidebar.**

Visions of America: Photographing Democracy
by Joseph Sohm
Publisher: Visions of America, LLC (Jan. 25, 2009)
Hardcover, 312 pages
ISBN: 978-0970795717

Visions of America addresses a single question: How do you photograph democracy? After all, democracy is an “idea” and not something one can easily wrap one’s lens around.

But photographing democracy is indeed what Joseph Sohm has done in this epic journey across the 50 states. To capture this country’s incredible diversity, Sohm framed his national work as George Seurat might a pointillist painting.

With each photograph, an individual dot was applied to his American canvas. Spanning three decades, tens of thousands of images were assembled in what becomes a compelling mosaic. Sohm takes us on an insightful journey down the back roads and byways of the U.S., which ultimately leads to a deeper understanding of who we are as a nation.

Visions of America is a sweeping portrait of life in the American democracy, a portrait that shows us the United States. With a foreword by legendary travel writer, Paul Theroux and lyrics by two of America’s most distinguished songwriters, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Visions of America is a work of historic significance.

Joseph Sohm is a Photo-Historian. He has published 50,000 times in National Geographic, Time, Newsweek, New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, ABC, History Channel and MSNBC. His photographs appear in President Clinton’s My Life and his Presidential Library, in Bill Mahr’s Real Time, Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and on John Grisham's "King of Torts" and NBC's "Concert For America."

To receive a review copy, please send a request via email to: onlinepublicist [at] gmail [dot] com. This book is available for US mailing addresses only.