For a list of upcoming book signings and events by ASJA members, click here.
September 2007
Member News
Janine Latus's book, If I Am Missing or Dead, made both The New York Times and The Times of London bestseller lists. Her UK publisher -- Century, a division of Random House -- flew her to London for a book tour and posted 200 posters in tube stations all over Britain
Murder Off the Books (Echelon Press), the first mystery from Evelyn David (pen name of Marian Edelman Borden and Rhonda Dossett), has gone into a second printing. Midwest Book Review said "Murder Off the Books is a real whodunit with a fast pace and unique characters."
Joan Detz, author of Can You Say A Few Words? (St. Martin's Press, 2006), was the featured guest on Wisconsin Public Radio for a one-hour show on commencement speeches
Gene Meyer has been elected to a two-year term on the board of Washington Independent Writers. He also serves on the board of the Freedom to Write Fund in Washington, D.C.
Shannon Brownlee's book, Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine is Making Us Sicker and Poorer, will be published by Bloomsbury Press in September. Overtreated explores the costs and consequences of the $700 billions' worth of unnecessary care that's delivered annually in the U.S. In advance praise, Dr. Marcia Angell, author of The Truth About the Drug Companies, said, "This book could save your life!" Surgeon and author Pauline Chen said, "Brownlee will forever change the way you view health care while restoring your hope for its future."
Legal Ease: A Guide to Criminal Law, Evidence, and Procedure (Charles C. Thomas Pub.) by Andrea Campbell and Judge Ralph C. Ohm has just come out in its 2nd edition and was reformatted for use as a college textbook
Sherry Beck Paprocki's juvenile nonfiction book, Oprah Winfrey: Talk Show Host and Media Magnate, has been named one of 29 nonfiction books for middle and junior high students by the Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA). Authors were honored at a June 24 reception in Washington, D.C., during the annual meeting of the American Library Association
HarperOne will publish Eve LaPlante's third book, Salem Witch Judge: The Life and Repentance of Samuel Sewall, in early October. According to Publishers Weekly, "LaPlante's splendid biography brings a personal touch to Sewall's story"
Joanne Cronrath Bamberger is writing a new column for Work It, Mom!, a new Web site with content to "help professional moms juggle life." Her column, "PunditMom's Spin Cycle," appears twice weekly and will discuss political issues that are of particular interest to working mothers
Gerry and Janet Souterreleased artist biographies in June. Janet's bio (in French) of sculptor Camille Claudel (Rodin's protégé) arrived as did Gerry Souter's coffee-table volume, Edward Hopper: Light and Dark. Gerry's bio of Frida Kahlo is being re-released in a boxed set with his Diego Rivera. All from Parkstone International
Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt's picture book for boys, featuring a James Bondish tooth fairy, You Think It's Easy Being the Tooth Fairy? (Chronicle Books) was just published. Sheri's illustrator is the humorously talented David Slonim
Nancy Yanes Hoffman is now doing book reviews full time as a member of the National Book Critics Circle (NBCC)
Marvin Weisbord's 10th book, Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!: Ten Principles for Leading Meetings That Matter (Berrett-Koehler), co-authored with Sandra Janoff, came out in July and includes practical tips derived from 20 years of leading meetings around the world. The pair co-direct Future Search Network, an international non-profit
Kelly DiNardo's new book, Gilded Lili: Lili St. Cyr and the Striptease Mystique (Watson-Guptill), explores the life of the last great burlesque queen and the woman who inspired Marilyn Monroe
Robert Kanigel's new book, Faux Real: Genuine Leather and 200 Years of Inspired Fakes, was published by Joseph Henry Press in June. His second book, The Man Who Knew Infinity, remains under film option by Matt Brown and Edward R. Pressman
Steve Friess' first book, Gay Vegas: A Guide To The Other Side of Sin City (Huntington Press) was published in June. The guidebook includes extensive commentary on what to avoid in Las Vegas as well as what to see, eat and do. Plus, there's a personal essay about his own same-sex wedding earlier this year, Q-and-As with key gay figures and a whimsical montage of the most phallic images in Sin City
Lauraine Snelling continues her Daughters of Blessing series with Sophie's Dilemma. (Baker Publishing Group/Bethany House). Her newest contemporary novel Breaking Free (FaithWords/August) takes the reader behind the bars of a women's prison
The exhibit of Sally Wiener Grotta's The Wordsmiths Project at BookExpo 2007 drew lots of publicity and buzz. Through The Wordsmiths Project, Sally is encouraging the publishing industry to support ASJA's Writers Emergency Assistance Fund. Please nominate publishing notables (not authors) who should be honored by being included in the project
Damon Brown published The Pocket Idiot's Guide to the iPhone (Alpha/Penguin Books), the first book available on the popular Apple device. Respected indie publisher Feral House will release his next book, Porn and Pong: How Grand Theft Auto, Tomb Raider and Other Sexy Games Changed Modern Pop Culture, in Fall 2008
Sandra Beckwith was the keynote speaker at the National Council of Nonprofit Associations' annual conference and the University of Wisconsin's Writers' Institute recently. She also presented two workshops at the Institute, including one on book publicity. She offers authors a free book publicity e-zine
ASJA Press recently published Anne Hart's 80th ASJA book: How to Start Engaging Conversations on Women's, Men's, or Family Studies with Wealthy Strangers: A Thriller ... Ron Chepesiuk's Gangsters of Harlem was published last February. The British edition of the book, retitled American Gangster, was published in July (2007) by Milo Books. Milo also published in July an updated and expanded edition of the paperback edition of his book, Drug Lords: The Rise and Fall of the Cali Cartel
Marty Klein's recent book, America's War On Sex: The Attack on Law, Lust, & Liberty (Praeger), has been honored as Sexuality Book of the Year by AASECT (American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors & Therapists). With a foreword by ACLU President Nadine Strossen, it is in its second printing
Michael Windelspecht has a new book release, *Genetics 101*, from Greenwood Press. The text is part of a reference series entitled *Science 101*, targeted to the secondary/introductory college audience
Financial Planning's June issue praised the 2007 edition of Julian Block's The Home Seller's Guide to Tax Savings: Simple Ways for Any Seller to Lower Taxes to the Legal Minimum as "a valuable reference for planners and for their clients." He is "an acknowledged authority on tax planning and the go-to guy for advice on the most tax-efficient way to handle a sale."
Melwood: A Story of Empowerment, written by Marian Calabroand Melwood CEO Earl Copus, was published in July by Marian's company, CorporateHistory.net. Her A. W. Hastings: An Illustrated History (2006) won an Apex Award of Excellence for custom publications
Carol Jose's newest book, You Are Not Forgotten: A Family's Quest for Truth, co-authored with the late Evelyn Grubb, coordinator of The National League of Families of POW/MIAs in Vietnam, is slated for release by Vandamere Press in November
Candy Harrington's newest title, 101 Accessible Vacations; Travel Ideas for Wheelers and Slow Walkers, hits bookstores this month. Billed as an accessible vacation idea book with substance, 101 Accessible Vacations contains information on wheelchair-accessible destinations, lodging options, national parks, cruises, tourist attractions and recreational activities around the world
Vow of Vengeance (iUniverse), a medical suspense novel, was just published by Ray Dreyfack and Harold Mellin, M.D. It's Dreyfack's third novel, 27th book, and his first shot at self-publishing ... Cassandra Langer's My Love Affair with Romaine Brooks has been published by the Haworth Lesbian Literary Journal. It features full color illustrations of Langer's rarely seen work. Langer's book review of Marlene Dietrich: A Woman at War by David Riva appeared in the Harvard Gay and Lesbian Review (5/13/07)
Mary Ann Sternberg's third book, Winding Through Time (LSU Press) was released in April. She was notified shortly thereafter that she had been selected to receive one of the Foundation for Historical Louisiana's annual preservation awards for her role in helping bring attention to, and saving, Louisiana historic and cultural places through her books.
Note: On page 15 of the printed ASJA Monthly you will find the Web sites and blogs of members mentioned here.
Send your latest accomplishments to newsletter(at)asja.org. Upload photos and book covers at www.asja.org/upload. Please keep entries to 50 words or less. Submissions may be edited at the editor's discretion.
