Coming up on Fiction Nation...
It's been a big week here at Fiction Nation headquarters! I've been ordering linens (cover the table or drape to the floor?), telling the flower arranger that I want a shiny green leaf like a camellia, not a fluffy green leaf like a fern, and informing the wine delivery people that if they deliver the champagne to my house mid-week — lets just say it's a risk I am frankly not willing to take. In other words, there's been a lot of HOLY CRAP I'M GETTING MARRIED IN A WEEK, and not a lot of thoughtful, quiet book-reading time. I did make it through the latest Crate and Barrel catalogue, and while I found the characters compelling, the plot was weak — where was the conflict?
So what I'm saying is I'm taking some time off. I hope you'll stick around and read some of my older reviews, maybe follow the links and meet some new writers, and please do check back the week of June 2nd.
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The Big Shuffle by Laura Pedersen. This is the third in a series about teen poker hustler Hallie Palmer, so I felt a little like I had wandered into a conversation already in progress. But Hallie is a charming narrator (and Pedersen is a witty, funny writer) and I kept up. Poor Hallie's dad dies practically on page one, and the rest of the book deals with the fallout. Job One, taking care of her 9 brothers and sisters. Despite the grim premise, lots of laundry and much exhaustion, this book was hardly a downer. (Seriously, I have one brother and we did everything but rip each other's limbs off and set the house on fire.) Ten kids! Not without my Taser!..."
Click here to read the complete review
That's this week on Fiction Nation, on Take Five, XM 155 on Friday May 16th at 11:30pm, on Saturday May 17th at 6pm, on Sunday May 18th at 10:00am and 8:00pm, and on Monday, May 19th at 12:00 midnight and 3:00am. You can also hear Fiction Nation on Sonic Theater, XM 163, on Thursday, May 22nd at 3:00pm. All times EDT.
Plus, check out Back of the Stacks to see what I thought of Max Brooks' World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War.
**A Little Something We Didn't Have Room for on XM**
Face Value #7 — Gin Blossoms Are Not a Pretty Flower!: We're getting close to the end of my frequent visits to Dr. Sundaram — mostly because my wedding is just over a month from now and I want to be smooth and unbruised — so anything left has to be done fast! Read the rest here.
Remember when but not what? All reviews are now listed by airdate.
And remember, if you have comments about the show, you can email me at fiction@xmradio.com.
Fiction Nation is where you'll find book reviews, essays, gift recommendations, and the secrets to instant weight loss and younger looking skin! Fiction Nation can be heard daily on Take Five, XM 155, and every weekend on both Take Five (XM 155) and Sonic Theater (XM 163).
Fiction Nation started its life as an idea for a book review show at XM Satellite Radio. Originally, it was going to focus on science fiction and fantasy, since I felt the nerd population was badly underserved. After about a year of pitching everyone in the building ("Lady, I'm just delivering pizza! And I hate your ideas!") I tried it out on Amy Reyer, who runs Take Five, Women's Talk on XM 155. She decided to put my show on the air, for which I am very grateful. Fiction Nation first aired in September of 2005.
Fiction Nation is primarily a book review show, but you'll also hear essays about bookstores and writing, among other things. You won't hear reviews of political rants, screeds or tracts. No diet books. No biographies. Nothing but fiction, mostly by authors that you may not yet know. (I figure John Grisham and Stephen King don't need my help at this point.) I've branched out from my original concept and talk about all kinds of fiction, although I do like my vampire books.
Everything you hear on XM can be found here, plus there'll be some web exclusives.
So feel free to poke around. If you're looking for a book I talked about on XM, it'll be in Reviews. Essays used to be called 'rambling diatribes' but we decided that was too long. With the holidays approaching (this will be correct once a year, kind of like a stopped watch) I offer the Gift List. The Back of the Stacks is a web-exclusive look at some of my personal favorites, and if you'd like to suggest a book for review or simply want to shower me with praise, it's Contact and Links. The XM link is where you can become a subscriber — in fact, go do that first.