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NewInBooks' #WeNeedDiverseBooks Picks for August

We are 100% behind the We Need Diverse Books campaign. The more sorts of lives, cultures and perspectives that we can experience through literature, the better. This month there were some particularly great releases by diverse authors, that you can read more about below.

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The scope and brilliance of The Incarnations is ineffable, but we will do our best. Susan Barker has masterfully woven history, humanism, communism, and madness into one delectable novel. Wang is a middle aged taxi driver with a complex past. The son of a deviant mother and communist elite, his story is but one of many depicted in The Incarnations, which alternates between Wang's current life in pre-olympics Beijing, and stories of his past lives throughout 1000 years of Chinese history.

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Nalo Hopkinson, internationally acclaimed author of Midnight Robber, weaves wonderful stories of magic, mischief, and emotion. Falling in Love with Hominids, her latest release and a collection of short stories, redefines werewolves in the first story and only picks up steam from there. Nalo synthesizes Afro-Caribbean, Canadian, and American influences into engaging, multi-dimensional stories that you wont want to put down.

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Fans of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah will get similarly swept away in Tendai Huchu's The Hairdresser of Harare. A portrayal of a rapidly changing modern Zimbabwe, The Hairdresser of Harare follows the friendship of talented hairdresser Vimbai and suave Dumisani through times good and, suddenly, unexpectedly, bad.

Have some recommendations to share? Connect on Twitter @newinbooks

The News in Books Week of August 21

Christmas is Coming Early

Book Lovers, get ready for October. This year the Publishing Industry is planning Super Thursday in the first week of October, which will involve the release of over 500 new titles. Think your To Be Read Stack is bad now? Just wait until you see these titles Read More ↦

But This Week, We Mourn the Passing of Authonomy

HarperCollins closed the gates on Authonomy, the website where aspiring authors could submit their work to be reviewed by other authors, and, if they were one of the top 5 submissions that month, have it in turn reviewed by HarperCollins editors. Plenty of authors received contracts through Authonomy, so there has been much sadness Read More ↦

#RealLifeStruggles in this Bustle Article

Check out these 12 Experiences Only Books-Lovers had in College. Our Favorite: You Can't Study In The Library, Because You're Too Distracted By All The Books Read More ↦

Near, far, Wherever you are, You can Attend the National Book Festival

There will be extended coverage of this year's National Book Festival, so if you can't make it to DC, tune in remotely. Read More ↦

The Weekly Dose of Satire

Learn how to name all of your novels for best results Read More ↦

Have some news to share? Connect on twitter @newinbooks

The Authors of The Nanny Diaries Tell Us About Their New Book

We got the chance to interview Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, authors of The Nanny Diaries, about their new book: How To Be a Grown-Up.The Nanny Diaries is a novel that I will always adore. I remember voraciously re-reading in the summer of 2003, as I was a teenager completely obsessed with books (and had my fair share of babysitting experiences to relate). I'd throw my beloved copy into my gym bag, bike to morning swim practice, and spend the following hours pouring over the pages. I probably read The Nanny Diaries five times that summer alone. I love how Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus can write a novel that is extraordinarily relatable and peppered with smart humor. After chatting with the authors, I am convinced that How To Be a Grown-Up will earn a spot on my 'favorites' bookshelf - right next to The Nanny Diaries.

Tell us a little bit about your new release, How To Be a Grown-Up.

Rory is a 40-something mom stunned when her husband, former child-star Blake Turner, starts backing out of their marriage—and family. She ends up taking a job working for a MONSTROUS 23 year-old and going Converse-to-Manolo to save her job and her dignity.

Has your writing style (or habits) changed at all since The Nanny Diaries? How has it evolved?

Believe it or not, we actually follow the same method we established on the fly when writing our first novel. We still outline extensively, divvy the chapters up to get a first draft and then edit together until the publishers pry it from our hands. The biggest difference between our first and our tenth books is how much we trust each other. We have almost no disagreements. One of us will call the other and start to pitch her on changing a scene and the other one will interrupt to say, “You had me at hello. Go for it.” It’s such a shame that you can’t jump to the trusting part when you first meet someone, but that’s life.

Where is your favorite spot in NYC? Why does it bring you joy?

We both still swoon when we walk the reservoir path in Central Park. Something about finding yourself by this serene body of water right in the middle of the city with limestone buildings just beyond never loses it’s magic. It makes a girl want to throw a beret up in the air, Mary Tyler Moore style.

What have been your biggest "pinch me" moments in your careers?

Oh, hands down meeting Madonna. And having her know who we were! We’ve never sweat that much in our collective lives. She was just lovely. The follow up would be going to number one on the New York Times bestseller list. And of course, when we sold our first book and stood at an ATM in midtown, where we got the call from our agent, crying and hugging.

Who are your literary heroes working today? Why do you admire them?

Honestly, any author keeping their lights on while getting books into stores is our hero right now. It’s such a tumultuous moment in history for the industry that we tilt our hats to anyone and everyone figuring out how to adapt.

What books are currently on your night stands?

What Pretty Girls are Made Of by Lindsay Jill Roth and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.

What advice would you give your teenage selves?

The memories you wish you could cut out of your brain at eighteen get fuzzy fast at 40. All that boy drama you can’t wait to outgrow and marry away from — WRITE IT DOWN. What he said. What you said. Whose backyard you were in. What you were wearing. All of it. Because when you’re on hour six of driving your kids to a theme park, it’s a nice film to play in your head now that you know the happy ending.

What's your favorite line from How to Be a Grown-Up?

“She’s got a Working for Old Bitches checklist and I’m helping her check every box.”

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

In the moments before a big test or performance, my (Emma’s) dad used to always pull me aside like he was going to tell me a secret and whisper, “Hey, this time f*** it up.” Knowing that my value or lovability wasn’t riding on the task at hand relaxed me enough to get out of my own way. Now we say it to each other whenever we get so caught up in what we’re trying to accomplish that we’re tipping into paralysis. F*** it up! Throw your whole self in, warts and all—the vital thing is that you show up and try.

Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin are the authors of The Nanny Diaries and the new book How To Be A Grown-Up.

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Interview with Mary Carter, author of Accidentally Engaged

Tell us a little bit about your new release, Accidentally Engaged

Accidentally Engaged is a quirky, romantic comedy, about Clair, a tarot card reader who has trouble predicting her own future, especially when it comes to love. When Rachel, a bride-to-be, gets cold feet she leaves her diamond engagement ring behind, and Clair is forced to return it to Jack Heron, the handsome vodka magnate who wants to marry Rachel. The Heron Estates is where the rest of the adventure plays out, with a demanding mother, a crazy grandmother, a suspicious butler, and of course, a second handsome man to complete the love triangle. Will Clair help this family untangle their conflicts and find love of her own, or is her future in big trouble?

I do need to state that I originally wrote Accidentally Engaged in 2007 and it did very well. This is a re-print edition, complete with a new cover. Oxygen Television once considered hiring me to rewrite this into a movie made for television, and although that deal did not go through, I would love to see that happen some day.

I hope it’s also okay if I give a little plug about my other new novel: London From My Windows. It was released at the end of July. It’s about Ava, a woman who suffers from severe agoraphobia until she inherits a flat in London, England and is required to stretch her comfort zone and get out into the world if she wants to keep it.

Where do you find inspiration for your books?

My imagination is always where it starts. When you write a novel, you end up living with these characters for a long time. I imagine characters that interest me enough to invest this kind of time, and I often play out adventures I wish I could have, or conflicts that need to be solved. There is a lot of practical work involved and then hopefully a little bit of creative magic as well. Accidentally Engaged was pure fun and it’s one of the things I love about it.

Pretend you qualified for the next Olympics. What sport would you compete in?

This is a fun question. Ever since I was a little girl it was the figure skating that captured my attention. I’d have to go for that! And, I love to compare figure skating to writing. Sometimes people say— it was an easy read— and they mean it a bit flippantly, as if there isn’t much to the book. What they don’t understand is how much work I do to make my books a smooth read. Just like figure skating. They make it look so easy, but years of practice and many falls are behind the polished performance. Do I get a gold medal?

Where is your happy place?

Sometimes I think I’m still trying to find it. I am happy when I finally “click” into a book and get to lose myself in the story. I’m happy walking my dog along the lakefront. I’m happy going to thrift and antique stores and looking for treasures. I’m happy looking at houses and properties and imagine owning them. I’m really happy traveling. That’s the ultimate adventure. So for me, it’s a place of mind rather than a specific place. That said, even though I have moved from the city three times, New York City is also one of my happy places.

What’s an average day like for you?

I write during the day. I walk the dog. And I teach writing workshops at night here in Chicago. This just happened a year ago. So it’s still a bit new, but its been a fun adventure so far. I move around a lot so my life is not completely predictable. I’m writing a good deal of the time, but I also have days where I wander around, watch television, read books, hang out. My characters’ lives are always a bit more exciting!

Who was your childhood hero?

These are fun questions. I think they would all be characters in books. Sam in Sam Bangs and Moonshine, Sylvester in Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, Nancy Drew, The Boxcar Children, the children from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. I think sometimes writers forget how powerful characters in stories can become, how much they can add to one’s life.

What’s the last book you read?

Jack of Spades by Joyce Carol Oates, and The Martian by Andy Weir.

Mary Carter is the author of the new book Accidentally Engaged.

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Bestselling Novels Now in Paperback | August 2015

Bestselling novels now in paperback!

Interview with Ted Kosmatka, author of The Flicker Men

Tell us a little bit about your new release, The Flicker Men.

The Flicker Men is a physics thriller that explores some of the weirder implications of quantum mechanics and the nature of consciousness. I’ve always felt that the best stories, no matter the genre, have at their heart some kernel of mystery, and to me, there is no greater mystery than the wave/particle duality of matter. To my mind, it’s the fundamental mystery of existence. It speaks to the nature of everything around us, and everything we experience.
The story follows an unstable quantum physicist after he’s had a breakdown and is trying to get his career back on track. He’s given one last chance, but instead of pushing forward with new research, he chooses to replicate a very famous foundational experiment in quantum mechanics—but with his own twist. That one small change leads to a startling revelation that creates shockwaves in the physics community and the world at large. Soon there are forces aligned against him that will stop at nothing to keep their secrets hidden.

What’s the best “dirty” job that you’ve had (á la the Discovery Channel show)?

That’s a tough one. Before I worked as a writer of video games, I worked in a lab. And before I worked in a lab, almost all my jobs were dirty. I was a house painter, a zookeeper, a corn detassler, and a dishwasher. My dirtiest job, though, had to be as a sinter plant laborer at a steel mill. The sinter plant made sinter, which was used as a raw material by the blast furnace. My job was to shovel raw materials—like flue dust, iron pellets, and lime—onto conveyer belts. I remember when I was hired at the steel mill, they told me I was going to the blast furnace department. The guy who hired me said that the blast furnace was dangerous, “but at least it’s not the sinter plant.” The next day, there was a paperwork change, the jobs got reshuffled, and I got switched to the sinter plant. The air was so thick with particulates that you sometimes couldn’t see more than a hundred feet inside the building. You had to wear a mask just to breathe safely. The black dust fell like snow. At the end of the day, when you left the job, you looked like a coal miner—coated in black grime that got into everything and was difficult to wash off. I’ve often wished that the “Dirty Jobs” show would do an episode on working in a sinter plant. I’d love to see that.

BAM! You’re a superhero. What’s your superpower?

I’ve always liked the idea of superpowers that seem fairly pointless, and then the trick is to find out how to use them in a way that’s effective for you. In this way, it’s much like real life. We all have talents. The key is to not let them go to waste. My completely useless superpower is the ability to hold my breath for a freakishly long time. I’ve never met a person who can beat me in real life, which isn’t to say those people don’t exist, of course. I know I’ve seen people on TV who break records at that sort of thing, and I’m not on their level at all, but for just a regular dude walking the street, I’m still something of an anomaly. This ability has done me absolutely no good in life, I want to stress, though I suppose if I’d been born into a family of divers, I might have been able to do something with it. If my life were a movie, I’d see a car go off a bridge with a group of nuns inside it, and I’d jump in the river and finally use my superpower to save somebody. As yet, this hasn’t happened.

Which book from your childhood or teenage years has stuck with you as an adult?

Jurassic Park is one. Pet Sematary. Mutiny on the Bounty. Ben Bova’s Orion. I loved Anne McCaffrey’s dragon sci-fi. I grew up reading lots and lots of science fiction—a lot of it in magazines like Asimov’s, Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Analog. I really loved the short story form. Some favorites were writers like James Tiptree, Jr., Theodore Sturgeon, and Philip K. Dick, whom I share a birthday with.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

You need a plan B. (And a plan C, and a plan D.) And mostly you’ll be working those plans while you’re still chipping away, trying to make plan A happen. I would have starved to death a hundred times if I’d only been writing. Never give up on your plan A, but know that you need to put food on the table until it finally happens. Follow your dreams, but have contingencies.

How do you like to spend a rainy day?

Mountain biking. I love biking in the rain. Something about getting totally drenched while the wheels are spinning, flinging water and mud everywhere. I love it. Also, there’s a solitude in the rain that I really like. When you are out and about in the rain, even if there are other people around, it’s like you’re alone, because the rain hems you in. The rain is a kind of barrier.

What’s the coolest video game you’ve helped create?

Dota 2 is the coolest video game that I helped create. I love that game. Writing dialogue and backstory for the characters was some of the best fun that I’ve had as a writer. I still play that game every single week. Playing pubs is a lot of fun, and sometimes when I’m killed, a hero will taunt me with a particularly scathing line, and I’ll feel the burn and think, wait a second, I wrote that line. And now it’s being used against me!
I play a pretty mean Spirit Breaker, and I’ve been known to do okay with Chaos Knight as well. I’m also partial to Dragon Knight and Enigma.

What’s your favorite quote from The Flicker Men?

I really liked some of the lines about using an electron microscope. “Zooming in is like falling. Like you’ve been dropped from orbit, and the ground is rushing up to meet you, but you’re falling faster than you could in real life, faster than terminal velocity, falling impossibly fast, impossibly far, and the landscape keeps getting bigger, and you think you’re going to hit, but you never do, because everything keeps getting closer and sharper, and you never hit the ground—like that old riddle where the frog jumps half the distance of a log, then half again, and again, and again, without ever reaching the other side. That’s an electron microscope. Falling forever down into the picture. And you never do hit bottom.”

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

That’s a tough one. There have been different mottos, I suppose, at different times in my life. The one I’m going with now is “trust your gut.” It’s funny, but the times in my life when I’ve made dumb mistakes don’t bother me too much. Or, at least, they don’t bother me more than they should. I’m human, so I’ll make mistakes, try to improve. But the times when I made a mistake against my own instincts—those mistakes end up bothering me a lot.

Ted Kosmatka is the author of the new book The Flicker Men.

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The Martian: Trailer and Release Date Announced

Have we mentioned how much we love The Martian? It's very rare that a single book captivates our entire team, since we all have very different tastes. Our COO started the craze. Then Chloe got on board. Ricci followed, and I just started reading it. Ben's next. We're obsessed. The Martian is NewInBooks' current favorite thing. We even have a post on books to read if you like The Martian.

When we saw that The Martian's trailer launched today, we jumped up and down (not an exaggeration) and immediately crowded around Chloe's desk to watch it. Twice.

There are a ton of great movie adaptions of books coming this holiday season - but you'll find the entire NewInBooks team at our local theater for this one.

Excited? Yeah. You should be. The film releases on October 2 - we'll be there. Read the book before then - it's worth it. NewInBooks approved.

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Want to nerd out with us about The Martian trailer and all things Watney? Come chat with us on Twitter @NewInBooks.

Why we love the 2015 Hugo Awards

We are very excited for the 2015 Hugo Awards. Mostly because, we kind of love the authors up for the prize this year. The winners will be announced on August 22, 2015 at World Con in Spokane, Washington. In anticipation, let's recap why we love the short list for this year's novel category.

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The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu, Translated by Ken Liu, is one of the first Chinese science fiction novels to reach the greater american science fiction reading public. The winner of multiple awards within his own country, Cixin Liu weaves the story of an Earth at imminent threat of alien invasion, and the choices that the human inhabitants of the planet must confront.

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The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison is the story of an outcast at court. The youngest, exiled, half-goblin son of the Emperor must step into his place as heir when his father and brothers are killed in an "accident'. Isolated in his new power, he must learn who to trust, how to act, how to love, and how to stay alive.

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Skin Game by Jim Butcher didn't disappoint fans who already enjoy Harry Dresden's romps through magic, Faerie, life, death and, in the case of Skin Game, Hell. As Chicago's only professional wizard, and the Winter Knight to the Queen of Air and Darkness, Harry Dresden must bend to the whim of the often twisted and cruel Queen Mab of the Faeries. This time, she is sending him into a high security bank vault with his arch nemesis, in an attempt to steal something from hades himself.

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Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie, despite our love for the other nominees, has our vote this year. Ancillary Justice, the first book in the series, is a previous Hugo award winner and its sequel is equally deserving of a place among the best science fiction books. Breq is a soldier who used to be a warship. Now, placed in charge of another ship as it's captain, she must traverse vast swaths of the universe, navigate the inconsistency of human emotion, and continue her own inner struggle with identity.

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The Dark Between the Stars by Kevin J. Anderson is a read for fans of classic science fiction. A tale of galactic empires, other worldly powers, and intergalactic strife, fans of Dune will enjoy this tale of action and adventure.

Who are your favorite picks for this year's Hugos? Let us know on Twitter @newinbooks!

Interview with Marci Jefferson, author of Enchantress of Paris

When we heard that Marci Jefferson's books are about 'remarkable women in history who dared to defy powerful men,' we knew that we needed to interview her and learn more. We loved chatting with Marci Jefferson, author of Girl on the Golden Coin and the new book to read - Enchantress of Paris.

If you want to win a copy of Enchantress of Paris, you're in luck! We're currently running a giveaway. Enter here and win a new book to read.

Tell us a little bit about your new release, Enchantress of Paris.

The alignment of the stars at Marie Mancini’s birth warned that although she would be gifted at divination, she was destined to disgrace her family. Ignoring the dark warnings of his sister and astrologers, Cardinal Mazarin brings his niece to the French court, where the forbidden occult arts thrive in secret. In France, Marie learns her uncle has become the power behind the throne by using her sister Olympia to hold the Sun King, Louis XIV, in thrall.

Desperate to avoid her mother’s dying wish that she spend her life in a convent, Marie burns her grimoire, trading Italian superstitions for polite sophistication. But as her star rises, King Louis becomes enchanted by Marie’s charm. Sensing a chance to grasp even greater glory, Cardinal Mazarin pits the sisters against each other, showering Marie with diamonds and silks in exchange for bending King Louis to his will.

Disgusted by Mazarin’s ruthlessness, Marie rebels. She sacrifices everything, but exposing Mazarin’s deepest secret threatens to tear France apart. When even King Louis’s love fails to protect Marie, she must summon her forbidden powers of divination to shield her family, protect France, and help the Sun King fulfill his destiny.

Who are your literary heroes? Why do they inspire you?

I spent several formative years of my nomadic, Air Force life growing up in southern Georgia. Gone With the Wind was one of the first movies I remember watching. I read the book (for the first time) in fourth grade. Scarlett O’Hara, with her sass and savvy, stuck with me. She is vain, selfish, manipulative, and mean. But she sacrifices pieces of herself for those she loves. Scarlett is the archetypal survivor, but one without insight. Modern women could learn from her mistakes.

You write about remarkable women in history who dared to defy powerful men. Do you have women from history whom you turn to for inspiration?

Edith Cavell, the British nurse who defied the Germans occupying Belgium during World War One by helping allied soldiers escape. I’ve been a nurse for seventeen years, and I can only aspire to be as selfless as Edith, though I certainly am as stubborn.

Why France?

Because France is where Marie Mancini was. I actually learned about Marie while doing research for Girl on the Golden Coin. In most sources, Marie is mentioned as King Louis’ first love, someone he might have married if not for his duty to his country. But deeper study revealed a story far more complex, full of conspiracy, corruption, passion…I couldn’t resist writing about her. You might say she enchanted me!

What's on your writing desk?

My novel in progress is top secret at the moment! But I can tell you about a short story I have coming out in March, 2016, in the anthology titled A Fall of Poppies, Stories of Love and the Great War, along with fellow authors Jessica Brockmole, Hazel Gaynor, Evangeline Holland, Kate Kerrigan, Jennifer Robson, Heather Webb, Beatriz Williams and Lauren Willig.

The Great War has ravaged Europe, leaving devastated landscapes and scarred psyches in its wake. In spite of the peace treaty signed on November 11, 1918--Armistice Day--war still rages within. Men and women, those who fought and those who watched from the sidelines, pick up the pieces of their shattered lives: widows dream of revenge, nurses withhold their secrets, prisoners plan for escape, lovers reunite, and the product of violence brings an innocent war-child. The guns have stopped, but courage and resolve are still tested. In the deep silence of the ceasefire, peace does little to hinder the emotional battles still to come. Yet on the scorched battlefields, a fall of poppies brings hope.

My contribution to this work is short story about a Belgian rebel who hides from the world, only to find an ally in the enemy.

Say you're hosting a dinner party and can invite anyone in the world, alive or dead, fictional or real. Who's coming to dinner?

Scarlett O’Hara, Elizabeth Bennett, Helen of Troy, Anne Boleyn, Alexander the Great, Merlin, Jesus, Frances Stuart, Marie Mancini, Ragnar Lodbrok, Edith Cavell. This is a hard question. Dinner would be interesting.

What's in your Netflix queue?

Practical Magic and Cold Mountain. I never tire of watching them.

What's your favorite line from Enchantress of Paris?

This quote from Marie Mancini’s memoire is on the opening page of Enchantress of Paris, and is far better than anything I could ever write about her. “Conscious that freedom is the richest treasure in the world and that a noble and generous spirit must stop at nothing to acquire it, I applied my efforts to obtaining it.”

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

Live your dreams.