Monday, September 29, 2008

Book BIN Tuesday -- Banned Books Week




"Every banned book enlightens the world." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson



I've always loved books. Big oversized hardcovers, thick paperbacks with the covers falling off, anything in between. From a very early age I was a voracious reader, glomming my way through an author's backlist once I'd discovered them. (Of course, at that time I didn't know what "glomming" or "backlist" meant -- I'd just run to the librarian, hand her a book and say, "What else have you got by this author?")



Which is why Banned Books Week is so important to me. So many of the books I see on those lists of challenged or banned books were ones I read and loved as a kid, and I'm appalled at the thought of other kids not having the opportunity to experience them as well.



I went searching, and found a couple of lists of challenged books: from 1990-2000, and 2000-2007. I wasn't school-age when these books were challenged, but I've read a LOT of them anyway. Some of my favorites?



Harry Potter series, JK Rowling (my kids glommed these this summer -- it was a kick discussing the stories with them!)


The Giver by Lois Lowry (damn fine YA novel.)


A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle


Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan


The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton


The Color Purple by Alice Walker


A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein (Are you KIDDING me?)


James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (Ditto!)


Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher (OMG best YA author for reluctant readers, esp. teen boys)


The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney (Made me cry)


The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain


Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson


And Tango Makes Three by Richardson and Parnell




Books on the list that I taught back when I was a junior high English teacher:


Go Ask Alice (companion to Romeo and Juliet, along with Like Water for Chocolate and other challenged books); Bless Me, Ultima; Summer of my German Soldier (in WWII unit, along with The Diary of Anne Frank.).



Books my kids love that I can't believe are on these lists:



The Junie B. Jones books



Anything by Shel Silverstein or Roald Dahl



Captain Underpants? Seriously?



Goosebumps



Scary Stories



The Stupids






So my Book BIN suggestion this week? Take a look at a list of challenged books, and go out and buy one. Support an author who's been affected. Read something wonderful. And then pass it on.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Book BIN Tuesday -- Nice and Naughty

Book BIN returneth!

Yep, I'm turning over a new leaf and kicking off my blog return with a brand spankin' new Book BIN! This one came out last week but it caught my eye. Hot cover, sexy blurb -- whaddaya think?


After a disastrous lesson in heartache, Alexa Jones confines her adrenaline rushes to intense boardroom negotiations. When her legendary control cracks and she indulges in a high-octane encounter on the hood of her sports car, she never plans to see the enticing stranger again. Then she finds herself across the boardroom table from him and there’s suddenly more at stake than just her career.

Justin Winston got more than he bargained for on his summer drive, but he should have known nothing is ever that easy. He’s met the woman of his dreams yet he doesn’t know who she is. Luckily, he can always count on his practical brother for the things that matter, and this time is no exception. But, when a web of corporate espionage entangles them all, it’s clear Justin isn’t the only one who’s fallen for their mysterious siren.

In Justin and Jason, Alexa finds something as unique and rare as the patent they will risk their lives to secure. The freedom to explore—and satisfy—the full range of her desires. From naughty to nice. Can Alexa accept the love of two men?

Can one man satisfy Alexa’s appetites? Or will it take two?

Jayne's website
Book Video
Buy link

Oh, and another little tidbit -- this is part of the Menage and More anthology, so you can look forward to seeing it in print as well!

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Win Stuff!

Hey all!

Just thought I'd send you on over to Angie's blog, where she's asking for input on Samhain covers. Post your favorites, and you could win a prize!

Have a great Saturday!

Friday, September 19, 2008

Arrr!

Avast, ye scurvy dogs! 'Tis that most important feast day, the one we look forward to all year. I'm speaking, of course, of Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Some fun in honor of the day:

Pirate Personality Test
Pirate Name Generator

And, of course, a little "Aye" Candy:













So enjoy the day! My Pirate name is Ham-Hands Misty. How about you?