WIN THE SILENT GIFT BY MICHAEL LANDON JR - Literary Local - October, 2009

Let's start out with the important stuff right away!

Leave a comment here to win my copy of The Silent Gift by Michael Landon Jr and Cindy Kelly. Please let me know how to contact you.

You can get an extra entry by following this blog, just be sure to tell me.

You can get another entry by sending me an email and tell me who Michael Landon Jr. took to his high school prom. Click here to send me a note. Be sure to tell me the name you posted under.

This contest is open to the US only since I am paying for postage and will end on 11/15/09.

Michael Landon Jr. lives in Encino, CA , which is close enough to me to be "local". The best information I came up with is this interview on youtube in two parts.

Literary Locals September, 2009

My literary local for the month of September is Robert J. Carvounas. Robert is a local Huntington Beach resident and wrote a book on a famous landmark called the Golden Bear.

I have never had an author change my mind about a review, but I missed the mark with this book.


Here is what I wrote and what sparked a discussion with the author: This is a very BRIEF history of the Golden Bear. It leaves out many details about the local music scene and the influence the Gold Bear had on local musicians.

The Golden Bear started out as a restaurant and evolved into a music venue that showcased everyone from local bands like Honk to Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt. I spent a lot of time there from the late 1970's until it closed in 1986.


Taken from Robert's web site:
Just mention the name "Golden Bear" to a Huntington Beach local and the utterance is usually met with a knowing smile and regretful tilt of the head. Almost everybody— young and old— still remembers the once great landmark. This book is not intended to be— nor could any one text ever be— a recounting of all the great memories from countless individuals over three generations. Instead, it is meant to provide the historical context for those memories. It is the story of the people behind the Golden Bear. From Harry Bakre— whose talent and vision gave birth to the Golden Bear when Huntington Beach itself was still in it's infancy— to Del Kauffman, George Nikas, and the Babiracki Trio who presided over the Huntington Beach landmark when it was a legendary live music venue. It contains their personal stories and recounts some of their interactions with legendary performers— and also with their community. It is a story about Huntington Beach businessmen who created a legacy that still reverberates to this day. It is a story of success, a story of triumph, and ultimately a story of defeat and great loss. The world lost the Golden Bear when it was demolished in the summer of 1986.

Here is what Robert has to say about his book:

Wow. A book review... never thought I'd see that. Thanks Mary. In response: I PURPOSELY didn't concentrate on the music because that was secondary to me. The music lasted for 23 of the 57 year existance of the Golden Bear. Plus, if you know about the Golden Bear, you probably know something about the music. It's the earlier history and the people behind the Bear that most people don't know about. And, it's their contribution to our community that is the reason the Golden Bear existed at all! The bands would (and did) play a million other places. In addition: I was 15 years old when it closed. I didn't live in those times to see the local bands play there... they most probably didn't amount to much in the larger music scene so most people my age never heard of them before! Sorry. I wasn't going to try and recreate a history of music that I don't know and don't like. For instance: I LOVE the Dixie Dregs and could have written pages about their performances... but WHO ELSE would care about that? Music is subjective and for every person that remembers (or wants to read about) a certain band, there are 100 others who've never heard of, and don't care about, that band. To me: the Golden Bear owners gave Huntington Beach that entertainment, the bands would play anywhere somebody would allow them... big difference there, in my mind anyway. The focus of MY book is on the (pre-music) early history and the locals who presented the music to our community and gave us a place to see the bands we love... it's not about the bands (how boring and unoriginal would that be???) So, I hope that explains it. There is plenty of room for Golden Bear history. If somebody wants to write (or read) a book about music at the Golden Bear or the Orange County music scene, please sit down and write one. I was simply not interested in that. Thanks again and take care. Robert J. Carvounas

Before I did my research, I too thought of music when I thought of the Bear. But during my research, I started to feel a strong connection to those locals who presided over the landmark day in and day out, year after year... rather than bands that floated in and out a couple times (or less) per year. It's great to remember the music, for sure. And, I hope my book gives people the historical context into which they (myself included) can fit all of their special memories of that great place! Rather than having those memories exist in a vacuum of information about the past.

I think it is great when local authors actually do the research and write about local landmarks. If there is no one to write it down in an easy to read form, then a lot of information is lost for future generations.

Literary Locals August, 20009

Tif over at Tif Talks Books posted her Literary Local this morning. She is highlighting Moose, Bear and Hummingbird by Susan Tone, Gabriel D'Luzansky and Mary Delaney. Go check out her beautiful pictures of Montana as well. Click on the Literary Locals to see Tif's post.

MARLENE PEREZ mini INTERVIEW!

For my first Literary Local Author spotlight, I have picked Marlene Perez who lives in Orange County, CA.

I nicely asked and received answers to two questions!

1. Your website biography mentions an elderly Chihuahua. Does your puppy participate in your writing in any way?

We go on walks and I sometimes get my best ideas away from my desk, so he contributes by getting me out of the house.

2. Your characters in the Dead series are all name after flowers (Daisy, Rose, Poppy). How did you name them?

I once read that the actor Poppy Montgomery comes from a family where the girls are all named after flowers and thought that would be a fabulous idea for a family of mostly women. Rose is the classic beauty, Poppy is the more flamboyant beauty, and Daisy is the natural kind of beauty. So for me, the characters match their floral counterparts.

I am just in love with the Dead Is series and there are 2 more book to come!

Look for new books in the DEAD IS series! DEAD IS JUST A RUMOR will be out in the fall of 2010 and DEAD IS NOT AN OPTION will be out in the spring of 2011.

You can also check out Marlene's Amazon page here.

Be sure to check out her latest release:

The Comeback

Sophie Donnelly is one half of the most popular and powerful couple in school, until new girl Angie Vogel shows up and compromises everything. Angie steals Sophie's starring role in the school play, and, worse, her super-popular boyfriend. Sophie has been quickly dispatched to social Siberia, but not for long--she'll do anything it takes to make a triumphant comeback.

Reading level: Young Adult
Mass Market Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Point (August 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0545088070
ISBN-13: 978-0545088077

I just ordered my copy!

Here is some background information from her web site:

I grew up in Story City, Iowa, which I think has to mean something. I am the youngest of twelve children, which means that I’m very familiar with the survival-of-the-fittest theory.
I now live in Southern California with my family, a psychotic cat, an elderly Chihuahua, and an albino corn snake. The corn snake and I have agreed to keep our distance.

Favorites
My favorite song in the entire world is either “We Close Our Eyes” by Oingo Boingo or “At Last” by Etta James, depending on what day of the week it is. I also like blues, anything from the ’80s, punk, emo, and cheesy ’70s disco.

I watch (too much) t.v. My favorites include Heroes, Dexter, Californication, Gossip Girls, Ugly Betty, Grey’s Anatomy, Men in Trees, Moonlight, Friday Night Lights, Reaper, Pushing Daisies...well, you get the idea. Thank goodness for dvrs. Old favorites include Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, My So-Called Life, Freaks and Geeks, Roswell, and Veronica Mars.
My favorite movies include Grease, Sixteen Candles, The Princess Bride, Galaxy Quest, Raising Arizona, The Opposite of Sex, and Brick.

My favorite books (this could take all day!) include fairy tales, Anne of Green Gables, The Little Princess, Pride and Prejudice, I Capture the Castle, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Forever, and Down a Dark Hall.

You can get two more chance to win my brand new copy of DEAD IS THE NEW BLACK by becoming a fan on Marlene's facebook page by clicking here. Just be sure to post a comment to let me know!

MARLENE PEREZ GIVEWAY!

To kick off my first Local Author Spotlight with MARLENE PEREZ, I am hosting a giveway for DEAD IS THE NEW BLACK!

To enter, please leave a comment here with a way to contact you!

This contest ends on September 1, 2009 at noon (Pacific time).

Additional Entries:

Sign up to follow me as a Blogger Follower. Click here if you are not sure what this is. This is worth 2 entries, please note it in the comments section in this post.

Post a note on your blog with a link back to this giveway...another entry!

Since I am paying for the shipping, I can only sent this in the USA...

Also, the winner will be picked at random.