Week 5

Assignment 1

I spent time viewing Early Word. I found that this site offered the most comprehensive information on the latest books and publishing industry news. However, I was most pleased with Early Word's reporting on books that have been, or will be adapted to TV series and film. I was pleased to learn that Philippa Gregory's The White Queen has been picked up by BBC/Starz for a 10 part series. A feature that I really like about Early Word are the clips from the series/movie being featured. Watch two clips from The White Queen here.

I am an outsider of the Science Fiction world. I enjoy SciFi themed movies and shows, but I get a little lost with novels. Particularly series! There are so many characters to follow and plots to understand and characters crossover and there's the element of an "otherverse" that requires an understanding of the created language and governance. It is all too much to handle. I thought that following Locus would help to simplify the mystical world of SciFi. But, I still find the whole thing daunting. I did learn about the Cole Wins Compton Crook Awards, the Asimov's Readers, and the Analog AnLab Awards presented within the SciFi genre. The site post each year's recipients along with recipients of other awards.

Assignment 2

In general, Owings Mills customers seek popular titles that appear on the New York Times best seller's list. There is also a trend of customers requesting titles that they have heard in an interview on NPR, and other programs. Most often the customer has forgotten the title and author, but they remember the particular program they were listening to. In this case, I consult the particular site to get more information about the book.

I have had customers who look for books to read before they see the movie; however, most customers have an interest because they have already seen the movie.

Assignment 3

The Huffington Post list Z A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald as one of the best books of 2013. Readers who enjoy romantic stories of the rich, famous, and exotic will be enthralled with this fictionalized love story of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Readers of period novels will enjoy the novel's journey through time. Clearly The Great Gatsby is an appropriate read-alike. However, The Collection by Gioia Diliberto a story of young seamstress working for Mademoiselle Chanel entwines all of elements of Z with rich detail of historical Paris, love affairs, and colorful characters.