An unofficial --and completely unsupported by actual sales figures-- list of notable books coming through my checkout line last weekend at my Barnes & Noble:
1. Paul Coehlo's The Alchemist. We had a strange run on this yesterday and sold all the copies on the shelf. Someone must have mentioned it at church.
2. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. Definitely headed for the Best Sellers list. I'm going to have to read this one, I think.
3. The Alphabet of Manliness by Maddox. I confess I had no idea what this was until I asked one of the many pubescent boys buying it. He laughingly directed me to the website. Eww. I'll pass.
Conversely, I didn't sell one copy of Terrorist by John Updike. I figured with all the media attention the man could do no wrong right now, but NW Indiana doesn't seem to be cooperating.
Elsewhere, Hot New Thing Monica Ali (author of Alentejo Blue and Brick Lane) describes her writing process in The Washington Post. Ali describes giving in to the narrative pressure of setting and character, resisting the procrastinatory lure of too much research, and allowing characters to have their own voices. Yup. Heard it. Two moments do stand out, though. First, her description of how stories can evolve from a series of images is beautifully written. The second is this advice: "Research gives you the courage to make things up." Well said. I crave this courage. However, I have had the following slogan pinned to the wall above my computer for months: "No Research! Make Shit Up!" I can paralyze my work by looking for the knowledge and authority I mistakenly believe is necessary to "make things up". Anyone else have this problem?
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4 comments:
Memory Keeper's Daughter looks wonderful. It was a discover book for us. I wanted to read it then. I'll get around to it when I'm done with my smut books. Although you'd be proud of me because I'm reading a wonderful book full of substance at the moment. It's called the Thirteenth Tale (I don't think I spelled that right) and it'll be coming out in September. It's so beautiful. When I'm done I'm passing it along to you... and Danielle because I can guarantee she'll love it too.
I love to make shit up. My daughter, who writes only college papers and has to footnote them, is great at making shit up in conversation. She does it with such a straight face and people always believe her. I know she's lying, but it gives me courage. Since I just write fiction, and in alternate realities usually, the MSU works great for me. I really have to show you the wedding from my NaNoWriMo project last year!
MEL
Oh please do show me! I would love to see it!
The Memory Keeper's Daughter has had a bit of a run, more so than just being a Discover book usually causes. It must be generating book club-ish word of mouth...
I'd been thinking that the interest in The Alchemist was from the shiny new hardcover, but your theory is more likely to be right.
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