Books(in140) & Other Things

• RT @promoteabook, NYT piece has a suggestion for book publishers in digital age: http://xrl.us/oyre7 #
• I’m awake at 11:42 on a Saturday night. I’m very proud of myself right now! #
• @Annkingman agreed!! perhaps we need to start a twitter support group for such things. #
• @annkingman yeah, it’s pretty great for that, isnt it?! #
• need. coffee. now. #
• The best-value books of the year, from the National Post: http://tinyurl.com/6ncf87 #
• Mark Twain was born today. That’s definitely worthy of a drink or two this afternoon! #
• @bethfishread I always need coffee too, I just like to deny it! mmmm coffee…. #
• @bethfishreads want is probably more apt, definitely. grrr… #
• working on bookclub guide for Uncommon Reader/Bennett. Any thoughts about symbols/themes/characters? #
• @splintergen right now I’m loving @missstaceymay (Stacey May Fowles). both books-great. bryan lee o’malley is great too–love scott pilgrim! #
• @flwbooks great question for @slintergen. I took be mean part of. but answers to both would be interesting. #
• welcome to all my new followers! I’d love to hear your book recommendations! #
• @jessicajames LOVE the self-promo I’ll definitely give your book a look! #
• @booklorn I’ll look forward to reading the review! #
• @paulaatAME sounds like a fun read! I’ll definitely add it to my (endless!) list. #
• @paulaatAME i know! the pile of books that are labeled “to read later” is far, far too high! and yet it still grows #
• @rathacat sounds intriguing! are sunglasses required dress? #
• @rathacat will do! #

Since it’s the holiday season, I’ve been shopping a lot. Every shopping trip involves a trip to a bookstore (and sometimes several-Matt can vouch for that!) and this bookstore is often Chapters/Indigo.

Every Chapters and Indigo has a giant display of Heather’s Picks–books the CEO has “read and personally loved” and this cheery little sticker is supposed to entice buyers to buy the book. “Well, Heather loved it,” they are supposed to tell themselves “my mother/friend/brother/father/Secret Santa/I surely will love it too.”

The problem with this situation is that I genuinely do not care what Heather is reading. It doesn’t help that her choices are always safe sure-fire best-sellers or books clearly on their way to that status. It doesn’t help her monthly Globe and Mail ads about these picks say nothing personal or insightful about these books. It doesn’t help her interviews with these authors are vacant, impersonal and ill-prepared. There is nothing appealing or intriguing about these selections because Heather does nothing to make herself or her picks appealing or intriguing.

This isn’t the problem with Oprah. Oprah picks books out of left field and she seems genuinely enthralled by and educated about them. Say what you will about the Oprah Bookclub stigma, she is an interesting and passionate woman, which inspires interesting and intriguing picks. Sometimes they are chick lit, something they are classics, sometimes they are cliche, but they are never boring.

So, what should Heather and Chapters/Indigo do about this?

I think they should do something along the lines of “Canada’s Picks.” Line up a string of Canadian celebrities and public figures and have them select a book-any book-with the only stipulations being that they read it, they loved it, they want others to read it, and it can’t be self-promotion in any way. Imagine how much more intriguing book selections from Peter Mansbridge, Mary Walsh, Rex Murphy, Sara Slean, the Tragically Hip, Jean Chretien, Ben Mulroney, Leah Miller and Paul Gross would be? They wouldn’t have to be A-list stars. One pick a month. Each star would do a teeny segment about their selection on a CBC show (preferably George Stromobolopous). This would be more interesting, engaging and Canadian than Heather’s Picks could aspire to be. It would be like Canada Reads. All year long.

I recognize there would be for greater resources needed to make this program work. But I think we need to be aspirational in our efforts to promote books and Heather’s Picks isn’t. It’s a shell of what Oprah’s bookclub is-and what it could be.

Image credit: Joshua Sherurcij. Found via Wikimedia.

• uncommon reader/bennett: delightful imagining of the Queen as a reader. Short & sweet. Evokes thoughts on reading, readership and the Queen #
• went christmas shopping at a used bookstore today. came home with 4 paperbacks for me, but nothing for my sister yet-she’s tough to buy for! #
• @mikecane @tynishathompson thanks for your top 10s on twitip/@problogger! some v. valuable resources there! #
• How to tend to your bookshelf, courtesy @nytimesbooks: http://tinyurl.com/5bdmg4 #
• @bethfishreads I liked it a lot too! made me rethink my library-management system! #
• @bethfishreads LOL indeed!! #

Books=Gifts is running a campaign encouraging gift buyers to give the gift of reading this christmas. My publishing house is participating in it, as are many. I just hope this experiment resonates beyond the book/publishing community and captures the general public’s imagination.

Here’s a video trailer they did that’s pretty enjoyable.

Is it just me or does Judy Blume look crazy in the video?

• how happy to be/onstad: a 30something woman self-destructs. compelling characters, well written, but lacked oomph needed to be a go-to book. #
• @bookoven that and my friends hate me for forever borrowing their books! #
• RT @canadareads how the cover for Fruit came to be: http://tinyurl.com/56xktb #
• Stuff White People Like/Landers: added materials-quizzes, flow charts-are hilarious. rest of content, while funny, isn’t worth blog-to-book. #
• @alexaclark congrats!! #
• @jchristie that’s simply amazing. I’m glad you closed the sale! #
• RT @AaronsBooks: Spend $100 at a local and $68 stays in yr community. Spend the same $100 at a national chain, and yr comy. only sees $43. #
• the parallels between ancient and modern superheroes: http://tinyurl.com/6ef39o #

• Finishing up some research for a literary guide. What book would you recommend to a bookclub? #
• RT @annkingman Who says books make great gifts? All of these people: http://bit.ly/pQfk (love this video!) #
• @annkingman i didn’t have one in particular in mind. I write for Booclub-in-a-box and am always open to/exploring new ideas for guides. #
• @mettastation it’s not a specific bookclub, it’s creating bookclub guides. it’s always fun to seek out new ideas for guides. #
• @bookthirty you’re welcome! #
• all day sales conferences leave one exhausted! #
• How the Outlander cover art came to be: http://tinyurl.com/6mj633 #
• Penguin authors share the books they plan to give this holiday season: http://us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/features/whattogiveget.html #
• canada reads on twitter–follow @canadareads #
• devil wears prada: enjoyable but overhyped. Found the protagonist unlikable-made it hard to love-but the fashion world is fun to read about. #

• Updating iTunes subscriptions. any good book-related podcast recommendations? #
• Laura Bush looking to write memoir. Will it be as interesting as American Wife? http://tinyurl.com/6jtudq #
• @jchristie sweet, thanks! I’ll give those a look! #
• Canada Reads contendors were announced today. Who are you rooting for? http://www.cbc.ca/canadareads/ #
• E-Books + iTunes: Wired says it will happen: http://tinyurl.com/6dx5ob #
• @elleinthecity v. true. But I find laura bush fascinating and would look forward to a memoir! #
• @girlarsonist you’re welcome! #
• RT @aaronhierholzer Get people to buy books for the holidays: http://xrl.us/oyfxo. #
• Kindle 2.0 to hit shelves early 2009 http://tinyurl.com/5vnybk #
• RT@steverubel Amazon is open sourcing PR – smart. http://ping.fm/RycrF #
• @annkingman listened to my first one on my walk to work this morning. Def. adding it to the regular podcast rounds! #
• @annkingman no problem! #
• okay. I am starving and it’s 10:30. when is the earliest acceptable time to have lunch? #
• commitment/savage: a sequel of sorts to the kid. interesting look @ one gay marriage, enjoyable, but takes too much from the kid and column. #
• @angelawilson agreed! it’s always time for lunch. I did manage to hold out until 12:30 though. I’m very impressed with myself! #
• @janismiller I’m super excited by the prospect of true iphone reading. I def. love my iphone a little too much. #
• @ehrenc agree w/ your assessment on the Penguin iphone app. as for something universal, I’m holding out too. It has to happen. #
• bananas/chapman: interesting, and sometimes scary account. A bit elementary for those w/ prior knowledge, but there’s party tidbits for all. #
• How the cover of Book of Negroes came to be: http://tinyurl.com/6pd6kl #
• @samtitle sadly, nothing other than vague mumblings. #
• @ehrenc agreed. love the idea, but the execution needs serious work. #
• RT @pickover Best female bloggers. http://tinyurl.com/6pvc2f wanted: definition of “best”. #
• RT @sarahw NYTBR notable books: http://tinyurl.com/5geq2s #
• NY Times Notable Children’s books: http://tinyurl.com/5lcgkh #

• @mettastation I read Payback a few weeks ago and LOVED it. The podcast version on CBC is great too. #
• @FredRamey 2666 is on my X-mas wish list. I really liked the savage detectives and 2666 has gotten rave reviews. #
• @FLWbooks thanks! I’ll definitely take a look! #
• bitchfest: a diverse, thoughtful & celebratory collection of essays from Bitch. didn’t agree w/ everything in book, but it made me think. #
• RT @thenewbie S&TC movie prop book begets real book: http://tinyurl.com/5a64dl #
• hello @dcagle @susankelly I’m looking forward to talking books with you! #
• @littlebrown definitely paperbacks. you can get down & dirty with them in ways you can’t with an e-reader #
• The true cost of book discounting: http://tinyurl.com/6clmux #
• @littebrown I’m just convinced I’ll lose it, drop it, spill coffee on it or break it in my backpack! sad for a paperback, but survivable. #
• @bookglutton that’s awesome! I’m very excited to give it a try! #
• Random House going digital: http://tinyurl.com/5cn23e #
• Twilight took in $70.6 million this weekend. Why are experts so surprised? http://tinyurl.com/6kgtvl #
• RT @bookgal Seriously smart blog post on the state of publishing: http://tinyurl.com/6xfo95 #
• @fredramey agreed! In some ways, I’m optimistic for that very reason. #

• good morning @magnoliapr @bookgeek @gonzlomagana @pickover @ibookersguide thanks for the follow! reading anything good lately? #
• It’s 9am on Monday and I’m still caffeine-free. This needs to change! #
• listening to The Next Chapter podcast w/ Deborah Ellis talking about new book “Off to War” http://www.cbc.ca/podcasting/ #
• thanks for the follow @angelawilson @aaronsbooks @milfredo @ruthdfw I would love any book reccomendations you may have! #
• 45 reasons books are perfect gifts (1 reason a day until XMas!) http://tinyurl.com/5dbmlb #
• good afternoon @bookmarketer @duckywriter @fredramey @missmaro @mettastation what are you currently reading? #

• Toronto literary events, November 22: http://tinyurl.com/696l5c #
• @chicklitgurrl congrats!! #
• @aaronsbooks what else has been selling well this season? any surprises? #