Books-to-movies just reached a whole new level

The conversation, and sometimes controversy, about whether great books can turn into great movies is getting even more serious. The agents who 'discovered' "The Kite Runner" manuscript have been lured to Random House from their home at Penguin and are now helping the aforementioned publisher turn great tomes into ideally, great flicks!

See the latest from Variety.

Random House, Focus take 'Dog'
Duo option Beth Raymer's gambling memoir
By DIANE GARRETT

Random House Films and Focus Features have optioned the bigscreen rights for "Lay the Favorite, Take the Dog," an upcoming gambling memoir by Beth Raymer.

Tome, which traces the scribe's journey into the world of professional sports gambling, is skedded to be published by Random House's Spiegel & Grau division in spring 2009. Division snared book and audio rights in an auction; bigscreen rights were negotiated separately.
Under their partnership, Random House Films and Focus jointly acquire bigscreen rights for lit properties and partner on all stages of development through marketing and publicity; co-productions are jointly owned, with Focus hanging onto worldwide distribution and sales rights.
Raymer fell into professional gambling in Vegas, where she started working as a cocktail waitress in hopes of making fast cash. Her gambling led her to New York and the Caribbean, with gamblers soon becoming her second family. But when she fell in love, she had to re-evaluate her life.

Raymer, an MFA candidate at Columbia U., will continue to report on offshore gambling in Central America under a recently awarded Fulbright Fellowship.

"Beth Raymer has that extremely fortunate and rare combination of having lived through some extraordinary times and having the means to write about them with assurance and style," said Julie Grau. "The world she opens up to her readers is fascinating, dangerous, memorable, and terrifically funny."

Random House Films prexy Peter Gethers said the book proposal "connected perfectly" with the shingle's literary and film sensibilities. "This is going to be a fun one," he said.

The project will be part of Focus's expanded production slate. "Reservation Road," the first film under the partnership, made its limited debut last weekend.

The Kite Runner Movie

Charlotte Weekly/Union County Weekly hosted an exclusive showing of "The Kite Runner" Monday, Oct. 8 at Ballantyne Village Theatre. Based on the best-selling book by Khaled Hosseini, the story is about two boys growing up in Afgahanistan before the revolution in the late '70s. More than 250 guests had the opportunity to watch this breathtaking movie, whose wide release date was postponed because of safety concerns over the two young Afgani actors.

This forum is a place to share your thoughts on the movie.

How did the movie compare with the book?

What impact did the movie have on you?

Would you recommend this movie to a friend? Why or why not?

Feel free to leave your thoughts here.

All the best,

Alison

*A special thanks to Sean O'Connell, CW/UCW's arts and entertainment editor for helping to make the screening happen.

October 2007 Book Club Pick: Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

From the stunning stained-glass window turned book cover, it would be easy to think that “Loving Frank” is the story of the private life of a controversial public man – Frank Lloyd Wright. But the book is far more than that. It’s an exploration of one woman’s life and her choices that brilliantly captures the struggle many women still face today.

This historical fiction is based on some nuggets of truth. Wright arguably made one of the most indelible imprints on American architecture. With his emphasis on harmoniously blending nature into private spaces, and his desire to create a uniquely American style, he created many waves in the architecture community. Those soon translated to the personal level after the brilliant, but difficult architect designed a home for Mamah Borthwick Cheney and her husband in Oak Park, Illinois at the turn of the century. Both trapped in loveless marriages, the two quickly became engaged by the other’s wit and charm, and a scandalous personal relationship grew.
Horan uses her training as a journalist to convey the details of Cheney’s unraveling heart and the excruciating decisions she was forced to make. Her characters ask questions such as, “What role do women have?”, “What use is it to stay in an unhappy marriage for the sake of the children?” and “What duty do adults have to themselves when it comes to their happiness?”

Although the story of “Loving Frank” is enmeshed in the details of Wright and Cheney’s relationship, it does what great literature is supposed to do: it makes you think. Horan creates a world so beautiful, readers might slow their page-turning just to be engrossed in her lushly written world a bit longer.

Join Charlotte Weekly’s book club on Monday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark for a phone chat with the author of “Loving Frank.” R.S.V.P. at http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/.

September 2007 Book Club Pick: Mockingbird by Charles Shields

CW/UCW's book club pick for September 2007 is "Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee" by Charles J. Shields.

A great book on literary's most unique authors.

Harry Potter Mania!

It's official! I'm in love!

The newest Potter book is easily the best in the entire series.

It may also be the most satisfying read I've dived into in the last five years. Great closure. Favorite chapter is the one right before the end where Harry and "the creature" are in somewhat of a limbo state. Just the best book ever!

Bravo, J.K.!

Congratulations Khaled Hosseini! This week's New York Times best-selling books

Congratulations to marvelous author Khaled Hosseini, whose "A Thousand Splendid Suns" -- our book club pick for June, is No. 1 on The New York Times' best-selling list.

Here are the top 10 hardcover fiction books for this week:

1 . A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, by Khaled Hosseini. (Riverhead, $25.95.) A friendship between two women in Afghanistan against the backdrop of 30 years of war.

2. THE QUICKIE, by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. (Little, Brown, $27.99.) A police officer’s attempt to get back at her husband, whom she suspects of cheating on her, goes dangerously awry.

3. HIGH NOON, by Nora Roberts. (Putnam, $26.95.) A hostage negotiator must face down her unknown stalker.

4. THE TIN ROOF BLOWDOWN, by James Lee Burke. (Simon & Schuster, $26.) The Louisiana detective Dave Robicheaux copes with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

5. LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN, by Janet Evanovich. (St. Martin’s, $27.95.) The New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum becomes a suspect when her ex-husband disappears.

6. UP CLOSE AND DANGEROUS, by Linda Howard. (Ballantine, $25.95.) After a suspicious plane crash, a woman struggles to find a way out of the Idaho wilderness.

7. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT, by Brad Thor. (Atria, $25.95.) Scot Harvath, a Homeland Security superagent, is stalked by a terrorist mysteriously released from Guantánamo.

8 . SOMEONE TO LOVE, by Jude Deveraux. (Atria, $25.95.) A haunted house in England holds the key to a young woman’s mysterious death.

9 . THE JUDAS STRAIN, by James Rollins. (Morrow, $25.95.) Sigma Force operatives trained in science search for the secret behind the re-emergence of an ancient plague.

10. BUNGALOW 2, by Danielle Steel. (Delacorte, $27.) A writer must deal with the effects of Hollywood success on her family life.

For the complete list, visit http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/index.html.

This week, our book club pick for August, "Water for Elephants" is No. 1 on the Paperback Fiction list!

What is your patronus?

Dear friend Regan White asks that question on her great blog, visit http://www.regansrants.com/.

I can't believe she took my seahorse! I had visions of Aquaman and my Avon toothbrush, circa three years old, but alas a new moniker must be found.

I do however love the idea of recognizing that there are always dementors amongst us. I'm not in for labelling, however it does reduce the stress of thinking you can reason with them. Who would want to be friends with a dementor? Only another dementor!

Potter update No. 3/What house do you belong to?

I'm not as far ahead as I had wanted to. I'm still middling about in the mid 300s but it makes me ponder what is it about Harry's story that has captivated the world over? Could it be that we long for a magical world beneath our mundane existance? There must be more to life than working and daily routines. Harry reminds us that we are more than what we think we are and capable of extraordinary things.

While I get back to the book, feel free to take the Sorting Hat test and see which house you belong to.

I took two of them and the results were the same:

I'm quite surprised! I think everyone wants to be part of Gryffndor.

But alas, I'm quite happy. The description of Ravenclaw's students says:

The sorting hat says that I belong in Ravenclaw!

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose intelligence is surest."

Ravenclaw students tend to be clever, witty, intelligent, and knowledgeable.
Notable residents include Cho Chang and Padma Patil (objects of Harry and Ron's affections), and Luna Lovegood (daughter of The Quibbler magazine's editor).

Take the most scientific Harry Potter
Quiz ever created.

Get Sorted Now!

Potter update No. 2

It's 7 p.m. and do I know where my Potter book is? It's in my bag, by the door and after a long week I can't wait to dive into it.

While I check out what happens to Harry and his friends, check out this great interview USA Today did with author J.K. Rowling by clicking http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2007-07-25-jk-rowling_N.htm

Potter update No. 1

First of all, major kudos to the fine people at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at Charlotte's SouthPark mall for an awesome Potter party. It was the finest I've seen with more than 1,000 people who were all entertained and thrilled while waiting for Midnight. I can't remember having that much fun in a long time. My dear friend and colleague Regan White said she found it truly heartwarming to see such mayhem and excitement surrounding reading!

I scooped up my book and rushed home and read the first two chapters. By 2 a.m., I was snockered and had to sleep. By the time my one eye opened at 8 a.m., I couldn't wait to reach over and start reading again.

I'm only going to talk about where I am in the book without giving away major plot points. Nothing is worse than trying to stay away from all the hoopla. I was at Borders last night and the coffee servers were chatting about the book as if everyone has finished it. At 700-something pages, not likely. It's only Thursday! If one didn't have work, family and life stuff to take care of, inhaling the book would be a breeze.

Best thing so far...it feels like Dan Brown wrote the book instead of J.K. Rowling. I have the utmost respect for Rowling but, truth be told, I have found many of her previous Potter books to be slow and plodding. Even downright boring. That's why I, like my friend Kate Bacon, have loved the movies.

But"Deathly Hallows" is very different. From the first chapter the reader is engrossed! And what a thrill to have a can't-put-down book again. Ah, reading!

It's a lot like falling in love. You constantly hope this will be the one and then when it happens, it takes your breath away.

I'm leaving now to go back to get in another chapter. I'm at Chapter 15. More soon!

August 2007 book club selection: "Water for Elephants"

We're reading the phenomenal best-selling book "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen for August. Hope to see you all Monday, August 20 at 7 p.m., at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark. To R.S.V.P., visit http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/.

The novel, told in flashback by Jacob Jankowski, recounts the wild and wonderful period he spent with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a traveling circus he joined during the Great Depression. When 23-year-old Jankowski learns that his parents have been killed in a car crash, leaving him penniless, he drops out of Cornell veterinary school and parlays his expertise with animals into a job with the circus, where he cares for a menagerie of exotic creatures, including an elephant who only responds to Polish commands. He also falls in love with Marlena, one of the show's star performers-a romance complicated by Marlena's husband, the unbalanced, sadistic circus boss who beats both his wife and the animals Jankowski cares for. This is a book filled with characters you will not forget!

To discuss the book, click on the comment section.

Author Will Allison

Photo courtesy of Lizzie Himmel

What a cool, cool guy! From now on, I'm going to have to start taping our author chats -- it was one I think all readers would have loved. I think I may even like the author even more than his book (if that's possible.) Talking to the author after reading the book actually gives one an incredible sense of completion. You finally get to ask, "What were you thinking in chapter x, what made you do this, how much you do you love or hate your characters?"

Allison's book was our featured pick for July. The author was funny, charming and witty. If I were casting the movie about him, I'd choose scrumdelicious Michael Varnet from "Alias." He had such great insight into his characters. As a stay-at-home dad, he wakes up at 4 a.m. to get into a regular rhythm of writing. Then when he gets stuck he said he reads.

He said he found it difficult to remember the title of his debut book, "What You Have Left" and thought that it sounded like a lot of other titles out there. But soon he realized how it was truly a theme for all his characters. I think what I love most about "What You Have Left" was how raw he was. The chapter where an ancilliary character muffs out his young collicky son was so heartbreakingly honest, it was breathtaking.

Allison said his dream is to see someone reading his book on the subway. Go out and pick up a copy and start reading. You won't only make his dream come true, you'll also enjoy some memorable fiction you forget for awhile.

Allison is currently working on his second novel which is set in New Jersey. Learn more about him at www.willallison.com.

What CEOs read

Ever wonder what tycoons read? It's incredible how personal reading is and you never know how those thoughts on the page intertwine with your own thoughts, words and actions.

New York Times writer Harriet Rubin interviewed several brilliant CEOs to find out what they read. For more, click the title of this post.

What are you reading now?

What are you reading this summer? Tell us your favorite book or help select our next book club pick. Post your comments here or e-mail me at alisonwoo@yahoo.com.

Potter pandemonium

Anticipation builds over book’s final installment
by Siva Ramesh and Alison Woo

In the Charlotte area, the signs have become clearer as the end draws near. The bookstores have laid out their witch hats, wands and brooms. Bookstores around the Queen City are barely suppressing excitement over nothing less than the most coveted book this year—the seventh and final Harry Potter book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” Potter pandemonium begins this week with the release of the “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” movie. In the meantime, bookstores around the area are getting ready to party.

Bewitching night
In Charlotte, Barnes & Noble at Sharon Corners on Fairview Road will fill a model train with Berts jellybeans to prepare for the release at midnight on Friday, July 20. Local Borders also will have a midnight celebration with a Harry Potter costume party and potion-making classes. But the largest event in the Charlotte area will be Joseph-Beth Booksellers’ “Marauding at Midnight” party.

The signature event will include a concert with Seth Boulton & the Dream Machine, in an homage to a band Dumbledore selected for a concert. Other attractions include a hedgemaze and kits that determine who is a dark wizard. Bronte’s Bistro will offer treats for adults including Hufflepuff muffins and Butterbeer.

At the 2005 event to promote Potter scribe J.K. Rowling’s previous tome, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” the store had more than 1,000 visitors – at least that many are expected this year. “Charlotte readers tend to make their decisions at the last minute but we encourage people to buy tickets before the event,” said Jamie Thurman, the store’s public relations coordinator.

If staying up late isn’t your thing, consider Park Road Books who will open at 8 a.m. Saturday . “We think more people will want to be fresh and ready to read Saturday morning. We’re planning to be the place for those readers,” said Park Road Books co-owner Frazer Dobson, who plans to have plenty of copies on hand.

Most branches of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County will hold Harry Potter-themed events, ranging from showings of Harry Potter movies and costume parties to a huge release celebration at ImaginOn, where fans can purchase copies of the book, learn about owls and play a Harry Potter trivia game.

For more information on any of the stores mentioned in this article, visit the following:
Joseph-Beth Booksellers, http://www.josephbeth.com/; Park Road Books, http://www.parkroadbooks.com/; Borders, http://www.bordersstores.com/; and Barnes & Noble, http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.

If you are interested in visiting a library branch for a Harry Potter event, go to www.plcmc.org/programs/harrypotterprograms.asp. Some events require registration.

July 2007 Featured Book Club Pick: What You Have Left

Meet Will Allison. A native of Columbia, S.C., and a former Charlotte resident, Allison’s debut novel “What You Have Left,” released this June from Simon & Schuster’s Free Press, is taking readers by storm in 210 unforgettable pages.

Take me home, country road

Allison tells the story of Holly Greer, whose father, Wylie, leaves her in the care of her grandfather on the day of her mother’s funeral in 1976. Thirty years pass before Holly sees her father again. Through Holly’s search to reconnect with her dad, Allison deftly weaves the stories of three generations grappling with the effects of love, loss, disappointment and forgiveness. Set in the author’s hometown, the book’s country roads and NASCAR dirt tracks echo the coarse exterior of the novel’s characters and belie the story’s strong undercurrent of emotion.

The book was eight years in the making, beginning with a short story that became the novel’s penultimate chapter. “I asked myself, ‘What else do I want to know about these characters?’” Allison said. “Then I wrote each succeeding chapter using whatever time period and focal character best allowed me to answer that question. The method was a bit haphazard, like putting together a jigsaw puzzle or a collage.”

Allison, who now lives in South Orange, N.J., with his wife and daughter, admitted that a fair amount of the novel’s setting came from his South Carolina childhood. “My dad was a big NASCAR fan; he knew Cale Yarborough as a teenager and volunteered as a track steward at Columbia Speedway in the 1960s,” he recounted. “He used to take me and my brother to races all over the South.” In addition to racing research, Allison’s father read over the manuscript to make sure the facts were straight.

The description of the farm belonging to Holly’s grandfather, Cal, was inspired by Allison’s grandfather’s dairy farm on the outskirts of Columbia. “My grandfather’s full name was William Elmer Allison, same as mine, but he went by ‘Skeet,’ after the sound of cow’s milk hitting the pail,” Allison explained. “I wish I could have named Holly’s grandfather Skeet, which I’ve always loved as a name, but Cal (the character) isn’t at all like Skeet, and it would have just been too weird.”

A good story

The former executive editor of Story and a staff member at the Squaw Valley Community of Writers, Allison has penned short stories that have appeared in Zoetrope: All-Story, Glimmer Train, One Story, Kenyon Review and other magazines. He has taught creative writing at various universities and, in addition to working as a freelance editor, writer and ghostwriter, also has been everything from a busboy and landscaper to a process server and baseball card dealer.

Given his past of “cobbling together whatever work” he could, Allison is grateful for the chance to write and the warm reception his debut novel has received. “It’s so hard for first novels to get attention,” he said. “Mostly I’m just grateful to the readers and booksellers who’ve taken to the book, and to Free Press, which has done a bang-up job publishing it.” He is currently working on another novel, set in New Jersey, for Free Press.

As for “What You Have Left,” Allison said, “I hope (readers) find it compelling and moving,” he said. “That’s all I’m ever shooting for – to tell a good story.”

Want to go?

Join the Charlotte Weekly Book Club on Monday, July 23, at 7 p.m., for a phone chat with Will Allison and a discussion of “What You Have Left.” R.S.V.P. for the event at www.thecharlotteweekly.com.

June 2007 Featured Book Club Pick: A Thousand Splendid Suns

The success of a best-selling book can be a double-edged sword. Khaled Hosseini’s first book, “The Kite Runner,” became an international bestseller by spending 103 weeks perched at the top of the best-seller’s list. It also set the bar very high. Readers anticipating the author’s next book wondered if he could capture lightning in a bottle. Hosseini’s latest book, “A Thousand Splendid Suns” actually manages to do something few authors can: follow up a best-selling book with another probable one. This searing portrait of love, loss, friendship and survival is Charlotte Weekly’s book club selection for June.

Like his previous book, “Suns” is set in war-torn Afghanistan and focuses on the lives of Mariam and Laila, two women brought together by war and fate. As they endure dangers in the midst of their war-torn city, they form an inextricable bond with one another that helps them get through unimaginable circumstances. Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to self-sacrifice — a decision that ultimately becomes the key to her survival. The story of a country at war is one that is a difficult story to tell. But it is Hosseini’s masterful ability to weave words as poetry that exalts their struggle and ultimately makes this literary classic a book that is difficult to put down.

Hosseini’s own life story is fodder for his literary prowess. He was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1965 to a father who was a diplomat with the Afghan Foreign Ministry and a mother who taught Farsi and history at a high school. After a short relocation to Paris, his family returned to Kabul in 1980 shortly after the invasion of the Soviet army. The Hosseini’s sought and were granted political asylum in the United States and moved to San Jose, Calif. Hosseini became a doctor but used his background in Afghanistan as the backdrop of his first novel, “The Kite Runner” in March 2001. Last year in recognition of his ability to capture the essence of refugees’ plight, a United Nations Refugee Agency named him a goodwill envoy.

Join Charlotte Weekly Monday, June 25, at 7 p.m. at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark to discuss this story you won’t soon forget. R.S.V.P. at www.thecharlotteweekly.com.

Book review: "This Year I Will..."

‘This Year I Will… How to Finally Change a Habit, Keep a Resolution or Make a Dream Come True’ by M.J. Ryan

When was the last time you thought of your New Year’s resolutions? With just eight months left in 2007, there might not be a better time to determine if this is how you want to live the rest of the year.

Books can change lives by inspiring or saying something to you at the right time. “The Year I Will…” shows readers the steps to take if they want to change and how to make that change permanent.

“The human mind is conditioned to make choices that are easy, known or safe,” said author M.J. Ryan. Known to the publishing world as the editor who launched the “random acts of kindness” trend, Ryan said the lack of illumination in her own life inspired her to make a major change. She began practicing the stuff her books preached and went from “a very negative person to one that finds joy in everything, everyday,” she said. “I was 50 years old and had never exercised a day in my life but I realized that if I wanted to be around for the next 10 years and beyond, something had to give.”

Ryan was inspired by medical data which showed that even after life-threatening events, only 10 percent of patients who had suffered from a heart attack made permanent changes. She began to wonder just what it would take to really make people change.

“Fear can only be used as a motivator for the short term,” she noted. “In order to make long-term changes stick you have to have positive incentives.” Ryan breaks the sometime-scary concept of change into three easily digestible sections: preparing to change, getting into action and keeping going. And if readers just need to jump into making these changes, they can skip to the end where she offers “12 tips to keep your promise to yourself.”

Ryan suggests picking just one big goal at a time and working on it until you reach the finish line. Feel inspired? E-mail me at alison@thecharlotteweekly.com and let me know what you’ve decided to change this year.

Pick up the book at Charlotte Weekly’s display at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark

May 2007 Featured Book Club Pick: "Special Topics in Calamity Physics"

Charlotte Weekly’s ‘Speaking Volumes’ book club pick for May is completely different than any other book we’ve ever read before. This Ashville author Marisha Pessl’s first novel took critics by storm. I interviewed her shortly after her hardcover came out last summer the day before Janet Maslin of the New York Times published her review of Pessl’s work. It’s amazing what a difference a day can make! Overnight Pessl went from dreaming to be a novelist while slaving away at her day job in financial services to a celebrated writer.

Pessl’s book received rave reviews, both by myself and Maslin, who loved the freshness and invention of Pessl’s voice. “Special Topics in Calamity Physics” is modeled after the syllabus of a college literature course—36 chapters are named after everything from Othello to Paradise Lost to The Big Sleep—that culminates with a final exam. Narrator Blue Van Meer, the daughter of an itinerant academic, has an impressive vocabulary and a knack for esoteric citation. Following the mysterious death of her butterfly-obsessed mother, Blue and her father, Gareth, set out on a tour of picturesque college towns, never staying anyplace longer than a semester. This doesn't bode well for Blue's social life, but when the Van Meers settle in Stockton, N.C., for the entirety of Blue's senior year, she befriends a group of eccentric geniuses (referred to by their classmates as the Bluebloods) and their ringleader, film studies teacher Hannah Schneider. As Blue becomes enmeshed with Hannah and the Bluebloods, the novel becomes a murder mystery so intricately plotted that, after absorbing the late-chapter revelations, readers will be tempted to start again at the beginning in order to watch the tiny clues fall into place.

Think of this book as taking the best elements of Harry Potter and Agatha Christie twisted together with a dash of Vanity Fair magazine for pop-culture mentions. Last year, the book was named one of the New York Times’ best ten books for 2006.

Pessl, a native of Ashville, will join our book club meeting to talk about her exhilarating ride to success and the inspiration for one of the most unconventional and unusual books of the year. Join us for dessert and coffee on Monday, May 21 at 7 p.m., at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark to discuss this brilliant book. R.S.V.P. by visiting http://www.josephbeth.com/.

April 2007 Featured Book Club Pick: "A Light on the Runway"

“A Light on the Runway” by Janet Haack

One of the most intriguing qualities about Janet Haack is the life she has led. Acknowledged as a community leader and patron of the arts, Haack may not be as widely recognized for the adventuress’s heart that beats beneath her persona. She tells her inspiring stories in her new book, “A Light on the Runway,” Charlotte Weekly’s book selection for April.

Definitely a woman well before her time, in 1955 Haack studied women’s journalism while many of her peers were at home giving birth to the baby boomers. She credits her father for choosing that path for her and her sister after focusing on opportunities available to women in the postwar boom. After marrying, Janet and husband Donald bundled up into their two-seater plane and flew to British Guiana where they learned firsthand about mining and trading precious gems. That legacy and knowledge became the foundation of a legendary career.

After more than 50 years of marriage, Haack says that being each other’s best friend was one of the secrets to the couple’s success. “We learned to depend on one another in a way we might not have if we were living a conventional life,” she said. “When you’re in the States, you have support people like a (parent), a (sibling) or a friend. We learned to be all of that for each other.”

“Runway” is the female perspective of their adventure saga. Donald wrote “Bush Pilot in Diamond Country” about their life together. But after reading the book, many wondered how a woman could live through such adventures and hardships and still raise a family. Hence, the book “Runway” was born.

The two continue to work together as owners of Donald Haack Diamonds in SouthPark. The store offers everything from everyday jewelry to magnificent gems and everything in between.

The author says she’s the first to concede that their life together – surviving in the jungles of South America and readjusting to “normal” life in the States – has been challenging. If you’ve ever dreamed of living exotic adventures, this book offers an honest appraisal of what it takes to live your dreams.

Meet the author
Join Charlotte Weekly at an exclusive cocktail party with author Janet Haack at Donald Haack Diamonds at 4611 Sharon Road on Monday, April 16, at 7 p.m. Seating is limited to the first 25 readers who R.S.V.P. us at http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/

For more on the author, visit http://www.donaldhaack.com/.

– Alison Woo

March 2007: Eat, Pray, Love

Every story of finding one’s self starts with a quest. It’s enmeshed in all great tales from the sacred – Moses’ search in the desert – to the secular – Luke in “Star Wars.” The outer journey mirrors the inner journey; it is as if placing one foot in front of another helps one delve deeper into the heart, mind and soul.

When faced with a devastating divorce and a life that just wasn’t working, author Elizabeth Gilbert decided to plunge into new possibilities. The book, “Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia” is Gilbert’s bold pursuit for herself; it is also Charlotte Weekly’s book pick for March.

After trying unsuccessfully to conceive, Gilbert realized that there was a huge chasm between the idyllic life she fantasized about and the reality she lived. Following a divorce, she decided to trek to foreign lands where she hoped to be imbued by each chosen city’s unique offering to salve her soul. She chooses Rome to teach her about pleasure, Mumbai (formerly Bombay) to inspire her spiritual longings, and Bali to find balance.

What makes the book sing is Gilbert’s fresh voice, which transcends the “somebody done somebody wrong song” tone which self-help books can sometimes take, and vaults it into true introspective territory. During the yearlong journey, Gilbert learns about herself, and her quest may even inspire readers to begin a journey, even if from the safety of an armchair.

Gilbert is an accomplished writer and memoirist. Her story for GQ magazine about her early bartending days was made into the movie “Coyote Ugly” and it appears that lightning has struck twice: In November, Paramount Pictures announced plans to turn “Eat, Pray, Love” into a movie starring Julia Roberts.

Join CW’s book club as we meet to discuss “Eat, Pray, Love” on Monday, Mar. 19, at 7 p.m., at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in SouthPark. R.S.V.P by visiting http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/.

January 2007: Pride and Predjudice

A new year and an old book!

January we read one of my all-time favorites: Pride and Predjudice by Jane Austen.

The story of love found, lost and won is a classic that rings true to every romantic. If you don't have time to read the book, run, don't walk, to Blockbuster or Netflix the A & E version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. Don't even bother with last year's remake with Kiera Knightly. The six-hour miniseries captures Austen's light and beauty and I think Jane, herself, would approve greatly!

My Top 10 Books of 2006

What's a year in review if you can't have lists?

This past year was a banner one for books. From series endings to noteworthy
nonfiction to brilliant literary debuts, 2006 offered it all and then some.

Here’s Charlotte Weekly/Union County Weekly’s list of this year’s
favorites.

10. “A Year in the World: Journeys of a Passionate Traveler” by Frances Mayes. Broadway Books, $26.

Mayes, also the author of “Under the Tuscan Sun,” uses her venerable talent on other exotic locales and captures the nuances and subtleties that make travel books such enchanting reads.

9. “The End: Book the Thirteenth (A Series of Unfortunate Events)” by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Brett Helquist. HarperCollins Children’s Books, $12.99.

Fans of the famed Lemony Snicket series found that all good things do come to an end. And in this last book, aptly named “The End,” the book found its just desserts. Too delicious to put down, even for adults!

8. “The Audrey Hepburn Treasures: Pictures and Mementos from a Life of Style and Purpose” by Ellen Erwin and Jessica Diamond. Atria Books, $49.95.

Before Angelina Jolie made caring for the world’s forgotten children a cause célèbre, Hepburn raised awareness of humanitarian causes. The proceeds from this incredibly inventive and well-designed book go directly to her UNICEF fund.

7. “State of Denial: Bush at War, Part III” by Bob Woodward. Simon & Schuster, $30.

The journalist who wrote so eloquently for the Washington Post and broke the story of Watergate continues his series on another president. This book looks at the first days George W. Bush thought seriously about running for president through the recruitment of his national security team, the war in Afghanistan, the invasion and occupation of Iraq and the struggle for political survival in the second term.

6. “Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia” by Elizabeth Gilbert. Viking, $24.95.

Gilbert tries to mend a broken heart, induced by divorce and love gone awry, by traveling to three centers that offer rejuvenation for her spirit, mind and body. Ultimately on her search for both pleasure and passion, she finds romance, but that’s the bonus of this earthy read.

5. “Heat: An Amateur’s Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany” by Bill Buford. Knopf, $25.95.

Love The Food Network? Wonder what it takes to become a world-famous chef? Journalist Buford takes readers into the kitchen of chef extraordinaire Mario Batali and acclaimed New York restaurant “Babbo.” The drama and great characters in this book alone are worth it for
even nonfoodies.

4. “Brothers” by Da Chen. Crown, $25.

At the height of China’s Cultural Revolution, a powerful general fathered
two sons. Tan was born to the general’s wife and into a life of comfort and luxury.
His half brother, Shento, was born to the general’s mistress, who threw herself off a
cliff in the mountains only moments after delivering her child. The brothers end up
falling in love with the same woman and move toward the explosive moment when
their paths converge.

3. “Special Topics in Calamity Physics” by Marisha Pessl. Viking,
$25.95.

North Carolina native Pessl’s first literary work – one of the most inventive books of
the year – made her a best-selling author. In this murder mystery set at a boarding
school, each chapter is named for a literary classic. Read this mostly for Pessl’s stylistic
writing and quick wit.

2. “The Audacity of Hope” by Barack Obama. Crown, $25.
This sobering and visionary view on how the nation might tackle some of its most serious challenges comes from potential presidential candidate and current U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.

1. “Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill,
$23.95.

This beautiful love story takes place during the Depression. Gruen said she
felt compelled to write “Water for Elephants” after seeing a photograph of circus performers during that era. “This is an era that’s disappearing from memory and it’s an important part of American history,” she said. The book is a delightful read with characters that remain on the mind long after the last page is read.

December 2006: The return of Adriana Trigiani

Turns out you can go home again.

Best-selling author Adriana Trigiani revisited her most succesful series with a great book, "Home to Big Stone Gap." The ever-gracious Adriana was a phone guest and is much beloved to our book club as she helped launch it in June 2006. Welcome home!

November 2006: The Mermaid Chair

This is an amazing book from the author of "The Secret Life of Bees," It was a true favorite of mine and we even had a chance to meet author Sue Monk Kidd at Myers Park Presbyterian Church. She was awesome! Sadly she wasn't able to join us at book club but Nancy Horn, our guest book club editor did a smashing job.

The Return of The Book Blogger

The hallmark of a great blog is many, many postings!

Hello blog readers!

I've returned. It's been a very busy few months. But without further adieu, let me catch everyone up with all that we've read.

Thanks for e-mailing and asking about our whereabouts. Our book club has been going on stronger than ever but many have missed our blog component. I've learned that people are somewhat shy in cyberspace. While they won't post, they will e-mail. Please feel free to do either and contact me directly at alison@thecharlotteweekly.com or at alisonwoo@yahoo.com.

Happy reading everyone!

Alison

October 2006 Selection: The Memory Keeper's Daughter

I hope you’re enjoying “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter” by Kim Edwards, CW’s book club selection for October. We’ll be talking to the author via phone on Monday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in SouthPark. Please RSVP by visiting http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/ and bring a friend.


When I get several e-mails in one day recommending the same book, I know there’s something to it. The nationwide buzz around “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter” has vaulted the paperback by author Kim Edwards to the top spot on the New York Times’ best-selling list for the past 15 weeks. It’s a haunting family tale that examines the consequences of actions.

The story unfolds on a snowy evening as Caroline Henry prematurely gives birth at home to twins – a healthy son and a daughter with Down syndrome. Remembering how difficult his life had been with a chronically ill sister, Caroline’s husband, who is
a doctor, makes a split-second decision to give away the daughter and tell his wife, when she awakens, that their daughter was stillborn. The guilt nags at him for the rest of his life and the family dynamic slowly unravels as a result. The book’s central theme asks us to look at how decisions we make at pivotal moments can color every aspect of our lives.

Join us Monday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at Charlotte’s South-
Park mall to discuss the book. Light refreshments will be served. Don’t forget
to RSVP at www.thecharltoteweekly.com.

A brief word about author Leah Stewart

Hello all,

I know I haven't blogged in a bit but a lot has happened, including a wonderful new job as editor of Union County Weekly, sister paper to Charlotte Weekly.

I want to thank author Leah Stewart for being such a marvelous and cool person!

She's incredible.

She delighted our book club and regaled us with tales from her life that left an indelible impression on us all. The great part was in addition to being an amazing creative person, she's also a really cool human being.

Kudos Leah! If you haven't read her books, run, don't walk to your local bookstore now and buy them!

The best part of helming the book club is getting to meet these truly talented folks and meeting our readers. Let the good reading roll!

AW

September 2006 Book Pick: "The Myth of You and Me"

Recently, the first friend I ever made in elementary school, Alessandra Scornaenchi, e-mailed me. We had been friends for almost two decades but had lost touch. We met on the first day of first grade when we were both five. I remember thinking how cool it was that I had found my first best friend. From that point on, we were inseparable. I vividly remember spending sun-drenched summers spent running around the block, eating ripe tomatoes from her dad’s garden, and feasting on her mother’s homemade pizzas and pastas. For someone like me, who never had a sister, I never forgot how wonderful it was to have someone to share all your secrets, your ambitions and dreams with someone who just understood you.

Female friendships are the stuff legends are made of. That’s why we’ve chosen Leah Stewart’s magical “The Myth of You and Me” as our book club selection this month. The story delves into the lives of two young women, Cameron and Sonia who meet in their teens and share a deep bond. The story starts many years later after the women have gone their separate ways after an incident that ended their friendship. Cameron receives a letter from Sonia and becomes inspired to track her down and deliver a mysterious package to her. From that point the adventure begins. The book is mainly told in flashback but looks at the heart and humor of what it takes to sustain a friendship. “The Myth of You and Me” is a celebration and portrait of a friendship that will appeal to anyone who still feels the absence of that first true friend.

Join us on Monday, October 2nd at 7PM at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark Mall. We will be hosting an exclusive evening with the author, Leah Stewart. She will be discussing and signing copies of this marvelous book. Please RSVP at www.thecharlotteweekly.com

Fall 2006 Book Pick

Hi everyone,

Our next book pick will be "The Myth of You and Me" by Leah Stewart.

We will be meeting exclusively with the author at our next event on Monday, October 2nd at 7PM.

Save the date!

More will be posted saspo!

Alison

Listen to the Podcast with author Rebecca Lee

If you couldn't make it to our last book club event, or if you were intrigued and want to hear more, click on to the podcast with author Rebecca Lee, author of "The City is a Rising Tide."

Just click on the title of this post, or this link:
http://www.archive.org/details/BBBRebeccaLeeInterview

August 2006 Pick: "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

While the immigration issue seems to be on the back burner for a bit, the discussion of what it means to be American still lingers in the air. My family emigrated to the U.S. when I was just 10-days-old. We moved here from Hong Kong for the great American dream. My mom chose New York City because she had always seen it in movies and thought it looked like a great place. I was always aware that to be here was a privilege one should not take it lightly. I never thought we were any different until I went to school. While other kids ate chocolate cake and Twinkies my parents, who both grew up in British boarding schools, made sure I knew how to prepare tea and scones properly and that 4PM was the correct time for such delicacies. It was just one of the little things that made my family different from many of the Italian and Jewish families that mostly lived in my neighborhood by the sea in south Brooklyn.

This month, we’ve chosen a book that explores one writer’s perspective on what it means to become an American family. Nominated by CW Book Club Member, Katie Creighton, “The Namesake” by Pulitzer Prize winning author Jhumpa Lahiri is a refreshing look into the push/pull that comes from assimilation and the clash of generations all striving for the American dream. We join the the Ganguli family from their tradition-bound life in Calcutta through their challenging transformation into Americans.

On the heels of their arranged marriage, Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli settle together in Cambridge, Massachusetts. An engineer by training, Ashoke adapts rather quickly while his wife resists all things American and pines for her family. Naming their first son becomes a clash of old world values and new choices. They decide on naming him for a Russian writer in memory of a catastrophe years before, Gogol Ganguli knows only that he suffers the burden of his heritage as well as his odd, antic name. Through Gogol the book unfolds as we walk with him as he stumbles along a first-generation path strewn with conflicting loyalties, comic detours, and heart-wrenching love affairs.

Please join us on Monday, August 21st at 7PM at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark Mall to discuss this enchanting novel. Don’t forget to RSVP at http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com

July 2006 Book Pick: The City is a Rising Tide

Summer is the perfect time for lots of travel. If you can’t hop on a plane or a train, you can certainly take your mind abroad and read great books that bring those glamorous locations to you. Our July book club pick is North Carolina author Rebecca Lee’s debut novel, “The City is a Rising Tide”. The author, who lives between North Carolina and New York, takes the readers from Central Park to the Three Gorges Dam in China’s Yangtze River.

It’s the story of young woman’s obsession with her boss and the great lengths she will go to secure his love and attention. In the midst of this, they are working together to create a holistic center in the middle of the building of a great dam, considered by the environmental community to be one of the most dangerous things of modern world, is being constructed. Just how far will Justine go for love and how can you fall for someone without losing yourself are just some of the questions this book asks.

Please join us for summery evening of wine and tasty tidbits on Monday, July 17, 2006 at 7PM at Joseph-Beth Booksellers where we will chat with the book’s author. Because it’s summer, we’re going to mix it up and this event is open to everyone, boyfriends, brothers, husbands or anyone else who would like to come to a summery cocktail party. Please RSVP at: http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/

Interview with Rebecca Lee

Rebecca Lee, author of CW’s book pick this month lives a fascinating life. She divides her time between New York City and North Carolina, teaches writing at UNC Wilmington and is a mother to an 18-month-year old daughter. In the midst of all of this, her first novel, “The City is a Rising Tide” has just come out on bookshelves around the nation.

“For me, the novel grew out of a description of place,” she said. “I realized that when I was in North Carolina, I missed NY and when I was in the City I missed the countryside and the ocean. After that characters formed around that and then the plot.” They had to be characters she loved. Lee spent ten years working on the novel but as the 2001 winner of the National Magazine Award for fiction, she realized that writing a novel used different kinds of creative muscles. “An old college professor said that a short story is like a one night stand whereas a novel is like a relationship,” Lee said. “A novel is more thoughtful and meandering which was more suited to me.”

Lee, is a consummate writer, who not only practices what she preaches, she teaches it too. She said teaching has impacted her writing. “You can tell other people what to do but it’s hard to tell yourself the same thing,” she said. “It’s so inspirational for me to be teaching because you can see how really devoted writers can make leaps if they are devoted to working on the same thing.”

Meet the author
Join Ms. Lee at CW Book Club’s one-year anniversary cocktail party with on Monday, July 17th at 7PM at Joseph-Beth at SouthPark Mall. RSVP at http://www.charlotteweekly.com/

Novello Festival

The Novello Festival of Reading debuted its list of big-name authors who will visit the Queen City this fall. Amy Tan (author of "The Joy Luck Club" and "The Kitchen God’s Wife"), Mitch Albom (author of “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”) and Dr. Andrew Weil (author of “Healthy Aging: Your Lifelong Guide to Physical and Spiritual Well-Being “) are some of the well-known authors that will be featured during this year’s festival. The festival is a celebration of reading and books and has been held each October since 1991. This year the festival will start on October 9th and will run until November 8th. For more information, click on to: http://www.novellofestival.net.

Book Review: "Water for Elephants"

Summer evokes an image of lazy days, of random opportunities and explorations that pan out into some of the best-valued memories. “Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen is an ideal supplemental Charlotte Weekly book club pick for July because it falls into that pattern of endeavor turned treasure; the reviewers at USA Today call Gruen’s work this summer’s delightful sleeper novel. If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, run – don’t walk – to your nearest bookseller. You’re in for a treat.

Set in the 1930s, the novel explores the mostly unexamined world of the circus. In the center ring of Gruen’s narrative is the kindhearted circus veterinarian, Jacob. After some misfortune, he finds his way to the Benzini Brothers’ Circus and his life takes off.

If you’ve ever been curious about just who circus performers are and how they got to be in such a “spec” (circus speak for the spectacular or the show), wonder no more. Gruen constructs her characters in such vivid detail that the reader feels like he or she living life with them, not excepting the numerous animals, such as Rosie the elephant, who populate the story.

“The story contains a lot of plot points that are parallel to the Old Testament story of Jacob,” Gruen said. “But you don’t need to know anything about that to enjoy the story.” Gruen said she felt compelled to write “Water for Elephants” after seeing a photograph of circus performers during that era. “The last time that a train circus performed under the canvas was 1956,” she said. “This is an era that’s disappearing from memory and it’s an important part of American history. Whether you hate the circus or love the circus, it was definitely an important slice. I wanted to record it and wanted to do it right.”

“Water for Elephants” is a delightful read with characters that remain on the mind long after the last page is read.

Meet the author
Gruen will be at Park Road Books in South Charlotte on Tuesday, July 18, at 7 p.m. For more information, call 704-525-9239. Learn more about the book and its author at http://bestbookblog.blogspot.com/.

June Reminder

Don’t forget to join us on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 for an evening of fun and gaiety with best-selling author Emily Giffin. We’ll be chatting about her breakthrough book, “Something Borrowed” at 6PM. Following our talk, she’ll be signing and discussing her book, “Baby Proof” at 7PM. Please RSVP at www.thecharlotteweekly.com.

June 2006 Pick: Something Borrowed

Ah, June! Welcome to the best month of the year. School will soon be out. Summer is coming and the possibilities of a fun-filled, sun-soaked three months entices us to dream of something more. There’s nothing more refreshing than being able to kick back in your backyard with a tall glass of something cool and a great book. This month’s book pick, “Something Borrowed” by NY Times best-selling author Emily Giffin, will be great company on those languorous days when you just want a great and entertaining read.

Giffin is a former lawyer turned author who made quite a splash with her debut novel, “Something Borrowed”. It’s the story of women’s friendships and what it takes to follow your heart. Rachel and Darcy have been best friends since elementary school but somehow Darcy always tried to get the edge over her friend Rachel. Speed it up twenty years later and we find Rachel working at a New York law firm, while Darcy is a publicist, planning a wedding with the handsome guy Rachel introduced her to. After a little too much to drink following her 30th birthday party, she shares an amorous evening with her best friend’s fiancé. But somehow she realized that Dex is actually the only man she's really loved, and that she's always resented her manipulative friend. As the wedding date nears, Rachel knows she has to make a choice. In doing so, she discovers that the idea of right and wrong can be a matter of perspective, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to trust your own heart in your quest for true happiness.

Meet the author
We are so pleased that the author will be joining us for a delightful reception on Tuesday, June 20 at 6PM at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark Mall. Please RSVP for this highly anticipated event at: http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/. She’ll also be at the store to discuss and sign her newest book, “Baby Proof” at 7PM.

Interview with Judy Goldman

Writers have often used real life experiences to fuel their passion for their work. Judy Goldman, author of this month’s book pick, “Early Leaving” said that a murder which took place in her hometown of Rock Hill, South Carolina eight years ago inspired her to ask questions about the emotionally complex topic of motherhood. “I tell writing students you have to write about what keeps you up at night,” she said. “This kept me up at night. I’ve never met the family but my emotions over what happened in that family is what fueled the writing.”

Goldman is both a mother and grandmother and said that she is nowhere near as overprotective as her central character, Katherine Smallwood. “I wanted to explore that issue of how mothers feel so responsible for their children and how we can protect and do too much for them,” she emphasized. “I don’t think you should write a book because you have something to say, I think you should write a book because you have questions. One of the questions I had is how responsible are we for how our children turn out.”

So, what questions did she answer for herself in writing this book? “I think what I learned in writing this book is that we are really training our children to live without us. And if we put ourselves out of a job as parents then we’ve done our job.”

Goldman, who is both a poet and a novelist, mentions many of the Queen City’s most famous spots in her books including famed restaurants like The Pewter Rose and Lupie’s. “Every book I ever write will be set either in Rock Hill, where I was born, or in Charlotte where I have lived for over 40 years. It’s just my way of saying that these are the towns that I dearly love.”

Meet the author
Join us on Monday, May 22, 2006 at 7PM at Joseph Beth in SouthPark to discuss “Early Leaving” and the art of writing. Please RSVP at http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/

May 2006 Pick: Early Leaving by Judy Goldman

Thank you to everyone who came out for a charming evening with international best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith. The author was engaging and enchanting and was kind enough to meet privately with a few lucky CW’s book club members. He talked about some of the great adventures he’s had, including being one of the few gentlemen in the company of some very cheerful ladies at a recent global economic summit. In a group of women that included the wives of British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Russia’s President Alexander Putin, the author sat next to Laura Bush and says she was a gracious and charming woman and had read many of his novels. After meeting with us, he went on to delight the packed theater at the Blumenthal with a recount of his life as a serial novelist. A fun time was most certainly had by all.

McCall Smith is blessed with a true passion for life and the ability to take the stuff our lives are made of and help us transcend beyond them. It is also a quality the author of next book pick possesses. We have chosen Carolina native Judy Goldman’s stirring work, “Early Leaving” as our book club pick for May.

The book is set here in the Queen City and revolves around a seemingly perfect family. Perfect that is until the day their teenage son, Early, who is valedictorian at his prestigious private school, is arrested for murder the morning after graduation. The book is an examination of how well parents really know their children. Surely many parents strive to give their children all they can but when is it too much and when should a parent hold back? This book is an honest look at parenting and marriage and may inspire you to ask some courageous questions.

Goldman is a critically acclaimed poet and writer who was born in Rock Hill. South Carolina. Her first novel, “The Slow Way Back”, won the Sir Walter Raleigh Fiction Award and was a finalist for the Southeast Booksellers Association's Best Novel of the Year. She is also the author of two books of poetry.

The author will be at our next book club event on Monday, May 22, 2006 at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark Mall at 7PM to talk about the book and her career. Please join us for a memorable evening of conversation but don’t forget to RSVP at http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/

Interview with Alexander McCall Smith

Best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith is a very busy man. He’s a prolific writer, the latest of which, “Blue Shoes and Happiness” (see review below) has just arrived at bookstores. He travels around the world sharing incredibly charming stories about his adventures. His only Charlotte appearance will be at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center on April 30th.

Photo courtesy: Elizabeth McCall Smith

But before that, join us Monday, April 24 at 7PM at Joseph-Beth at SouthPark Mall for our book club chat on “In the Company of Cheerful Ladies." RSVP at http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com

22 CW readers will get to meet Smith in person at an exclusive private reception before he goes on stage at the Blumenthal. To be one of the lucky 22, e-mail me directly at: alisonwoo@yahoo.com.

For special discounted tickets to his one-man show, click http://www.blumenthalcenter.org/offer/josephbeth

In the midst of his life as a best-selling author, McCall Smith makes time for erstwhile journalists, like me, who want to know what’s on his mind.

Q: In many of your books, not a lot happens. Is that by design?

Most of us aren’t really involved in major dramatic events. Generally our lives are mundane and uneventful. These little things can be very important and they can say a great deal about the human condition. If one thinks of Jane Austen’s books, nothing really happens and yet they are fascinating. I do think that the small things can say a lot and they say a lot about character and a lot about bigger issues about being human.

Q: What has been the biggest surprise about your tremendous success?

What has surprised and pleased me greatly is the extent to which people have become involved with the characters. It’s quite lovely.

Q: What’s next for you?

I just finished the third in the Isabel Dalhousie series, “The Right Attitude for Rain” and that will come out in fall. I’m working on a book that’s about the retelling of myths. The story I’m working on is about Dream Angus, the Celtic god of love and dreams.

Q: Talk to us about your relationships with your characters?

I feel quite close to them. I feel like I know them. I feel like I know what they will come up with and what they will think. I do keep a certain distance from them. And I think a writer should do that. You shouldn’t get too close to them because otherwise they will become you. You have to have a certain distance.

Q: Is there anyone of your characters that are most like you?

Probably Isabel Dalhousie because I believe she loves philosophy in the same way I love philosophy.

Q: What future adventures are in store for Precious Ramotswe (heroine of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Series)?

They will all continue. I could never let anything nasty happen to any of them. We’re going to have a bit of trouble with Mma. Makutsi’s engagement. But everything will be alright. But it will get a little difficult. In the new book, “Blue Shoes and Happiness” Mma. Ramotswe starts a diet but she soon goes off of it.

Q: How do you find the time to write?

I find that getting away helps. I find it useful to be in a place where there are no disburbances to finish a book. I wrote quite a bit of the newest book in India. I remember finishing and looking out just as the clouds parted and I could see the high Himalayas. I finished my latest book (the third Isabel Dalhousie book) in Santiago and the Cayman Islands.

Q: Who are your favorite writers?

I’m reading a book by an Indian writer named R.K. Narayan. He wrote a series of books in a town called Malgudi. W.H. Auden has also been very influential and I think is important. My tastes in fiction are eclectic and broad. I’m currently reading “No Other Life” by Irish author Brian Moore.

For more about Alexander McCall Smith, log on to: http://www.alexandermccallsmith.com/

Book Review: "Blue Shoes and Happiness"

Run don't walk to the bookstore to sccop up Alexander McCall Smith's latest book, "Blue Shoes and Happiness." It's the latest novel in the charming and unpretentiously beautiful "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series.

As a writer, Smith is very Austen-like in that he's able to elevate everyday occurrences to character studies. It's refreshing to know that in a world where so much happens, there's a place where there is order and meaning. Returning back to Smith's characters is like going home again and always being welcome.



From Publishers Weekly:

The seventh entry in the No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series (after 2005's In the Company of Cheerful Ladies) reaffirms Smith's considerable gifts as a writer. His familiar characters offer further facets of their personalities, and their gentle, tolerant approach to life remains a refreshing contrast to most fictional figures, let alone those populating most mysteries. The author's love for his creations and for his Botswana setting are evident on every page. While the plot will be of secondary importance to fans of Precious Ramotswe, the "traditionally-built," self-taught private detective, and her assistant, Grace Makutsi, Smith presents them with several mysteries, including the search for the identity of a blackmailer and the source of malaise at a nearby game reserve. Ramotswe's intuition and understanding enable her to find the truth, while dispensing justice according to her own personal dictates. Even newcomers will be charmed by this wonderful novel, with its skillful blend of humor and pathos, and will doubtless rush to catch up with the earlier books.

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bee's Author Buzzes Queen City

Sue Monk Kidd, the bestselling author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Mermaid’s Chair, will appear in the sanctuary of Myers Park Baptist Church on Thursday evening, April 20 at 7:00 PM. She will talk about her latest book, The Mermaid's Chair, and answer questions about her other works. After her talk, copies of her books will be sold in the foyer of Heaton Hall, and she will be available for autographs. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Bobbie Campbell at 704-334-7232, ext. 55, or bcampbell@mpbconline.org.

Toni Morrison Visits Charlotte

Photo credit: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

Toni Morrison, a powerful storyteller and much-acclaimed author, will visit the Queen City on Wednesday, April 19, to discuss one of the most powerful events from our nation’s past. She tells the story of Margaret Garner, one of the most significant fugitive slave stories in pre-Civil War America. Morrison’s best-selling book, “Beloved,” was based on Garner’s story. Morrison has penned the words for the operatic rendition of this stirring tale, which will be presented by Opera Carolina April 20, 22 and 23.

In 1856, Garner fled from Kentucky to Ohio with her husband and children. After getting caught, rather than see her children returned to the bonds of slavery, she killed them. The trial resulted in a major legal debate about whether she should be charged with murder or with destruction of property.

It was a bleak time in the nation’s history but one Morrison believed was worthy of reexamining. “Some 10 years later, free of the exhaustion following the publication of ‘Beloved,’ I realized that there were other genres than novels that could expand and deepen the story,” she wrote. “The topic, the people, the narrative theme, passion and universality made it more than worthy of opera: It begged for it.”

Toni Morrison has received the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize for literature. Her other novels include: The Bluest Eye, Sula, Song of Solomon, Tar Baby, Jazz, and Paradise. Opera Carolina’s “Margaret Garner” will be at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center on April 20, 22 and 23rd and will star Metropolitan Opera superstar Denyce Graves in the title role. For more information or tickets, log on to: http://www.operacarolina.org/

April 2006 Pick: In The Company of Cheerful Ladies

The magic of books is their ability to transport you to another time and place. But the amazing part is that no matter how far you travel or how different someone life experience can seem, human beings are essentially the same the world over. This month, with our pick, “In the Company of Cheerful Ladies” we’ll enter the world of Precious Ramotswe, a Botswana woman who leads a very modern and sensible life.

This is the sixth book in the best-selling “No. 1. Ladies Detective Agency” series. Author Alexander McCall Smith has the amazing and deft talent of crafting compelling characters. He writes about characters we all know and love. They may remind you of your neighbor, your family member or even yourself. In this novel we find, Mma (traditional name for Mrs.) Ramotswe, proprietor of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Gaborone, Botswana, now married to Mr. J. L. B. Matekoni, owner of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, and filled with worry over personal problems. At the same time, her assistant, Mma Makutsi, is preoccupied with finding a husband, and it appears that Charlie, the apprentice at the auto shop, has run off with an older woman. Large cups of bush tea remain the main source of relief for thirst and for solving mysteries. Although the agency takes on some criminal cases, most of the plot revolves around the everyday dilemmas of life and that’s what’s most engaging about the story. Join us on Monday, April 24, 2006 at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark Mall at 7PM where we’ll have a tea tasting, desserts and great discussion about this delightful book. Please RSVP at http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com

Mrs. McCall Smith is one of the most charming authors, both on paper and in person. I had the delight to meet him last year in New York shortly before we launched our book club. He is charming, gracious and full of amazing stories about his exceptional life and writing career. We have some very exciting exclusive offers for our book club members.

The Charlotte Weekly and Joseph-Beth Booksellers are proud to be co-sponsoring McCall Smith’s only Charlotte appearance at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center on Sunday, April 30, 2005. Readers can get a $5 discount off of tickets by visiting: http://www.blumenthalcenter.org/offer/josephbeth

Before the show, 22 lucky CW Book Club members will get to have a private audience with the author. Tickets to this private event are free but to snag a spot, you’ll need to E-mail me directly at: alisonwoo@yahoo.com

Happy Reading!

Interview with Sheri Lynch

Listeners of The Link’s very popular “Bob and Sheri” show know that the acerbic styling of one Ms. Sheri Lynch are in sync with women who are trying to make family life, married life and everything else in between, work. That made her latest book, “Be Happy or I'll Scream: My Deranged Quest for the Perfect Husband, Family, and Life” a perfect pick for CW’s book club.

Join Sheri at our next event on Monday, March 27 at Joseph-Beth for an evening that’s sure to be filled with humor and wisdom. Please RSVP at http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com.

We chatted with Sheri to find out how she juggles it all.


1. You've done a great job of really letting women know the reality and not the fairy tale of real life modern woman living. After two successful books and a hit radio show, how do you feel your family life and your own life has been affected by living with the public practically right in your living room?

Believe it or not, it's a non-issue at our house. My children are so young that they have no real sense of how I earn a living. They hear me on the radio, but I think they figure that everyone's mommy is on the radio, too. And around our place, I don't get any special treatment. When it comes time to mop up after the dog or referee the battle over whose turn it is to play with Barbie's Mermaidia, no one cares how many radio stations I talk on or how many books I write. It's all "Mommy! I need you!" I love that. For me personally, the public aspects of my life have proven to be an enormous blessing. I now know for a fact that I'm not alone in my craziness - I have hordes of like-minded sisters everywhere. It's been fantastic for my mental health. It's really made a huge difference in not only how I see myself - as a woman, a mother, a wife - it's helped me to see other women's lives more clearly. I have fewer illusions, and much more realistic expectations. I'm more forgiving - of myself, as well as others. That window into my life works both ways; I've also been allowed into the lives of the women who listen to my show. They've taught me so much about what really matters.

2. What do you hope your daughters learn about the concept "Having it all"?

First, that you can't have it all. That's a fantasy, and a destructive one at that. I hope my girls learn - sooner than I did - that it's not about having everything. It's about being brave enough to pursue the few things that your heart most desperately desires. And to recognize when you get those things, to truly savor and celebrate them.

3. What's the one piece of advice you offer to women today that perhaps, their mother's never told them?

While I wish I had something incredibly lofty and profound to offer here, I can't be a giant phony so let me say this: do not settle for a mediocre sex life. That has the power to really poison a marriage. Then, before you know it, you find yourself lonely for romance and bam! you get into trouble. Figure out what works for you, and teach your man how to get the job done. Candles, toys, Michael Buble - whatever works for you. Own it. And remember: unless you married an honest-go-God psychic, don't expect the poor guy to read your mind. It's all about taking responsiblity in every way, every day, for your own happiness. That's real power.

For more on Sheri Lynch, log on to: http://www.bobandsheri.com

March 2006 Pick: Be Happy or I'll Scream

Our book club is dedicated to books that speak to women and their experience. This month we’ve chosen a very dynamic woman who speaks her mind to Charlotte women and women around the nation every day. Author Sheri Lynch is probably better known for her day job. She’s witty co-host of the popular “Bob and Sheri” show, heard here in the Queen City on 107.9, the Link and around the country. Her latest book, “Be Happy or I'll Scream: My Deranged Quest for the Perfect Husband, Family, and Life” delves into the deeply rich experience of juggling a successful career, marriage and children all the while attempting to craft the “perfect” family.

Lynch credits and blames TV for creating a skewed version of family life. After years of being bombarded by the images of happy nuclear families somehow the lines between fantasy and reality became blurred. Lynch takes you through her life with her husband, stepson, and two pre-school aged daughters. If you’ve ever tried to get some quality time with your spouse, planned a birthday party or help your child do their homework late into the night, you’ll know how agonizing it can all be. It’s written with the same healthy dose of self-deprecating humor that’s heard on Lynch’s popular show. But it’s ultimate gift to readers is that her core message is ultimately being able to accept that even if you feel harried and worn out, you can still enjoy your life…without it being perfect.

Please join us on Monday, March 27th at 7PM at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at SouthPark Mall for what’s sure to be an evening filled with fun, laughter and great stories to share! Don’t forget to RSVP at http://www.thecharlotteweekly.com/