Interview With The Mayor

Mayor Michael Harris has completed our interview! I will get it ready for publication and have it posted by tomorrow morning!

Name that Author

I got 16 out of 28. I'm sure you can do much better!

http://www.sporcle.com/games/namethatauthor.php

Pleasant Hill Library Book Sale

September 12th the Friends of the Pleasant Hill Library are having a book sale. The location of the sale will be at 75 Santa Barbara road right behind the library. This is a great way to support your local library!

Mr. Cellophane

I hate to admit, but I needed to take a bit of a breather from Frankenstein. I'll get back to it soon but my brain just needed a rest. For my mental relaxation I turned to one of my favorite guilty pleasures, Daniel X. The book is roughly 200 pages of adolescent superhero alien blood and guts.

The author of the Daniel X series is 62 year old James Patterson. Even more so than the first Daniel X book (The Dangerous Days of Daniel X), Watch the Skies is a painfully transparent attempt by a man in his 60's trying to write a relevant book for young teens. There are numerous references to 70's classic rock songs and an even greater amount of current pop culture references that are forced into the dialogue which are unnecessary and out of place.

I think that Patterson (who has co-authored both Daniel X books) was probably asked to write a series of books chronicling the life of a teen boy with super-natural powers and two dead parents (who also had special powers) to fill the hole left in the book market from the ending of the Harry Potter collection. I'm sure if I was a bigger Harry Potter fan I could a lot more similarities.

Given all of this however, I'm still going to be reading the next Daniel X book, Daemons and Druids, when it comes out late next year. Maybe I should check into rehab.

Question?

I am about 100 hard pages into Frankenstein and I began to wonder if great writing is enough to make a great book. What I mean is that if a story is bad but written very well is the book bad or good?

There can be no question that Mary Shelley's writing skills are outstanding, but the story itself is dull and boring. It is easy to see why all of the adaptations of the book never stuck to the original story. If they did, the Frankenstein monster, besides speaking like a Shakespearean actor and having a far greater vocabulary then I could ever hope to have, would only be in the film for about 5 minutes. The other hour and a half would be Dr. Frankenstein walking around lamenting his dreaded and cursed creation.

Anyway, back to the question. Is it more likely to have a good book with bad writing and a great story or a good book with great writing and a bad story? Or are they both equally terrible?


PS-I still have about 110 pages left of Frankenstein so my fingers are crossed that I get more monster and less doctor.

The word is their bond

From a rare friendship, a book club for the homeless is born

By Jenna Russell, Globe Staff | July 5, 2009

At the crest of Beacon Hill in a well-appointed room, the Tuesday morning book club is tearing a novel apart.

The critique, on this warm early summer day, is merciless, and as it heats up, the meeting crackles with complaints. There should have been more clues to help the reader unravel the mystery, Donnie insists. Ned, between bites of a glazed doughnut, dismisses a main character as unbelievable. Rob is irked by the same character’s inconsistencies.

“For someone who knows everything about her son, she doesn’t know a damn thing,’’ Rob says, his voice dark with disappointment.

The men drinking coffee at the round wooden table are dressed casually in sweat shirts, jeans, and sneakers. Some of their faces are lined beyond their years. But as they deftly flip through paperbacks assessing literary merit, there is no sign their lives are anything but normal.

For two lively hours every Tuesday morning, in a church meeting room with old oil portraits, they are book club members first and homeless people second.

The story of the book club, now in its 10th month, is a tale of ordinary city life upended. It began with a stunningly unlikely friendship, between two men from different worlds: Peter Resnik, a high-powered lawyer on his way to work, and Rob, a homeless man guarding a friend’s shopping cart on Boston Common. Through months of daily conversations, that began with jokes and sports talk and gradually delved deeper, they found a common interest: literature. And when they saw the bridge that they had built, they recognized its potential for others.

In a short time, they say, the book club has proved its power to reach homeless people and build their confidence. Emboldened by its success, Ron Tibbetts, a Beacon Hill church deacon and longtime homeless outreach worker, has launched plans to replicate it. His new nonprofit group, the Oasis Coalition, aims to establish dozens of small social groups citywide, filling the gaps left by large, institutional programs that offer the homeless food and shelter but little or no personal connection.

“It’s five people in a book group, not 5,000 people fed, but it’s five people I can pull aside and talk to,’’ Tibbetts said.

When talk flows at the book club, the dynamic that emerges is pure and powerful. The members are equals, linked by what they read and respected for their insights. Their discussions, held at Swedenborgian Church on the Hill, are both a stimulus and a respite for people used to staying focused on survival - where to sleep and how to stay dry - rather than the themes and symbols of fiction.

Last Tuesday, they tackled O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi,’’ mulling the idea of objects as identity. Donnie, 47, said he understood the insecurities of Della, the character who cuts her hair and sells it to buy her beloved a watch chain.

“When I was a kid, I wore my hair long, and I took pride in it,’’ he told the group, leaning back into a plump settee. “One night, my mother came in drunk and cut it off, right down to the scalp, and after that I wasn’t the same person anymore. My confidence went out the window.’’

A former Marine who has been homeless off and on since he developed health problems that left him unable to work, Donnie said he likes the camaraderie, and the normalcy, of the book club.

“We’re real people,’’ he said. “You see us on the street and the sidewalk, and a lot of people think the homeless are dirty and drunk, but even those people, there’s a soul in there.’’

. . .

To Peter Resnik, the downtown lawyer on his way to work, the homeless people he saw on the Common did not become real all at once. He talked to Rob and Rob’s friend Chris for months - often, in the beginning, about basketball - before he saw them as friends, and worked up the courage to ask whether they wanted to get off the streets.

Given the distance between their two worlds, it seems extraordinary that they ever talked at all. “It struck me as amazing,’’ said Rob.

Resnik, 64, woke each morning in his home in the Back Bay, where he had moved with his wife and three children from Hingham. An English major at Yale, he moved to Boston for law school and joined the global firm McDermott, Will & Emery, where he rose to prominence trying high-profile product liability cases. He represented one of the makers of the Fen-Phen diet drug, and the foam manufacturer sued by victims of the Rhode Island nightclub fire.

Tall, trim, and quietly good-humored, Resnik almost always walked to his office, on the 34th floor of a gleaming State Street tower. Whenever he had time, he took the scenic, slightly longer route through the Common.

Rob, 50, rose each day from a sleeping bag rolled out on the stained sidewalk beside Tremont Street, where he slept in the doorway of an Army recruiting station. A Woburn native, he attended Catholic high school, joined the Army, and later worked in warehouses and as a courier. Six or seven years ago, feeling overworked and exhausted, he was fired from his job for taking too much sick time, he said. He fell behind on his rent and started living on the streets.

Compact and wiry, with cropped gray hair and a shy but agreeable nature, Rob headed to the Common early every morning after being roused by the Tremont Street businesses opening.

There, on a maple-shaded walkway near the playground, the homeless man stood each day and greeted passersby, who ignored him, insulted him, or gave him money. Resnik always said hello, and one spring day two years ago, he stopped to talk.

The lawyer says he wasn’t on a philanthropic mission. He struggles to explain what it was that drew his interest. But day after day, talking with Rob and Rob’s friend, what he found was not what he expected. The homeless men kept up-to-date on sports and current events. They looked after each other, and watched out for others on the streets.

And Rob, he discovered - Rob liked to read.

Resnik brought him a copy of “Water for Elephants,’’ a novel set during the Great Depression, about a veterinary student who joins a traveling circus. Then he brought him “The Kite Runner.’’ Standing on the Common, they talked about the books. And, there the idea for the book club was born.

Resnik buys the books, Rob makes the coffee, and Tibbetts leads the discussions and recruits readers, toting extra volumes in his backpack when he roams the streets. Because their lives are unstable, the roster of participants is always changing. The club has included people staying in shelters and with friends, and others given rooms through city or state programs. The number has ranged from four or five to a dozen. The members interviewed for this story asked that their last names not be used.

Since their first meeting in September, they have read “Water for Elephants,’’ “Angela’s Ashes’’ by Frank McCourt, and “A Monk Swimming’’ by McCourt’s brother Malachy. They read “The Glass Castle,’’ a memoir by Jeannette Walls, whose tale of her neglectful parents left them deeply troubled, and at Donnie’s request, they read essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson, an assignment almost everyone else found tough slogging. Some of their best discussions centered on “All Souls: A Family Story from Southie,’’ Michael Patrick MacDonald’s memoir of his childhood in South Boston.

At the start, Resnik offered to bring lunch each week.

The founding members of the book club turned him down, and settled on coffee and doughnuts instead. They had enough free meals, they said, they wanted something else - camaraderie and stimulating talk.

“You can’t solve the problem of homelessness, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help some people,’’ said Resnik. “You can do something, with minimal sacrifice, if you stay with it.’’

. . .

For people trying hard just to find a place to sleep, a book club may be nice, but it isn’t always easy. For starters, people on the streets can’t read after dark. In shelters, noise and chaos shatter concentration. When Donnie stayed at the Long Island Shelter in Boston, he read on a bench by the showers, the quietest spot he could find in the complex.

Just hanging on to a book is difficult when you have to carry everything you own. As much as reading meant to him, said Donnie, he had to prioritize the things he needed for survival.

“If it’s a book or socks,’’ he said, “I’m pitching the book.’’

The struggle pays off, book club members said, in the rush of accomplishment they carry from each meeting.

Last week, Tibbetts told the group about a prospective member with a problem: a homeless man who longs to devour books, but reads at a fourth-grade level.

“Get him here,’’ said Donnie, as Rob nodded agreement. “It’s a good start, being here.’’

For Rob, the unexpected friendship he forged on the Common has been transformative. When Resnik learned that an old traffic ticket had blocked his homeless friend from getting a room through the city, he drove him to a court in Palmer, where he represented him pro bono and resolved the case. Because of that kindness, Rob is off the streets. He has found a part-time job as a church custodian and volunteers his time serving meals to homeless people.

Resnik, meanwhile, is helping to raise money to replicate the book club.

“You can walk by somebody who you know is going to ask you for a buck, but if you know their name, you can’t walk by,’’ the lawyer said. “You can’t sleep comfortably if someone you know is sleeping outside.’’

Jenna Russell can be reached at jrussell@globe.com.

Thank You!

Thank you to all of those who raised their voice! The mayor has agreed to an interview, not a conversation but an actual interview! The details have yet to be worked out, but we should be able to get it done in the next week (hopefully).

The Big Bang Theory- Time Share-Time Machine

Book Give-Away Update

I just got back from the book give away and the pickings are quite slim. I'd say there is about 10% of their young adult books and about 80% of their adult non-fiction left over. I went last year towards the end of week two and they had about five times as many books available. I think word is starting to spread (which I guess is a good thing!).

Despite the limited selection I still managed to find 56 books to add to my classroom library.

I highly recommend going soon if you haven't gone yet!

Here is the address of the library:
1750 Oak Park Blvd
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523

The book give-away is going on behind the building in their loading dock area.

The Inspiration Machine

Before The Time Machine I have to admit that I was pretty intimidated by anything written pre-1900. Its true that I am a Government teacher and have to translate the US Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Federalist Papers to urban high school students with 8th grade reading levels or lower (about 5% are at grade level). However reading a novel in this language is not exactly my idea of fun.

No longer!

After acclimating to the old language, I found The Time Machine to be a brilliant little novel. Besides being incredibly creepy at times, The Time Machine has some great chapters on class struggle as well as evolutionary and economic theory.

Since finishing The Time Machine I have a new interest in these early classics and have now begun to read Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. Again it took about five or six pages to get the language down, but, just like The Time Machine, I am completely hooked!

As I still wait for Enemy Mine to arrive in the mail (one of the drawbacks of paperbackswap.com) I know that I have a great novel to enjoy in the mean time. Maybe I'll read Bram Stoker's Dracula next!

For Those Who Would Like To Contact City Hall

Several people have contacted me about how to get in touch with the mayor to voice their own concerns about his lack of communication on the library budget cuts issue.

Here is the contact info:

To email him:
http://www.ci.pleasant-hill.ca.us/forms.aspx?FID=74

To call:
(925) 671-5267, faxing to (925) 671-5238

Thank you for your support on this issue!

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends"--Martin Luther King, Jr.

What's Wrong Mr. Mayor?

It seems like our esteemed mayor Michael Harris is now avoiding our interview. Apparently he wants this library issue to disappear. Word from his representative was that he would have a conversation with me but not an interview. When I responded with the fact that whether it was an "interview" or "conversation" the details would still end up on our blog, all communication stopped.

For those unfamiliar to the history of this, supposedly our mayor was to grant our blog an interview concerning the recent budget cuts to the Pleasant Hill library. Cuts that have made our library amongst the worst as far as hours and staffing in the entire Contra Costa County system. For those who have attended our library in the past month the affects of these cuts are very tangible. The lobby looks like a mess, there are long lines for help, and it takes two to three times as long to get a book you placed a hold on. I mean no disrespect to the librarians and volunteers who work there, they are all doing an exceptionally fantastic job with what they can do, there is just not enough manpower and hours to accomplish these tasks. Our once brilliantly efficient library seems now to run like a dilapidated warehouse in some 19th century slum village. All that was asked of our mayor was to clarify the causes and solutions to this problem.

Now, I would like to give the mayor the benefit of the doubt and say that he was simply too busy, but too much time has passed to stay with that conclusion. I am very disappointed in the mayor as I'm sure we all are. Unfortunately, it is growing clearer by the day that not only do we have a mayor who appears to be anti-education, but now appears to be anti-press. Like I wrote before, I feel as though he wants us all to forget about this issue and pretend it never happened.

Well, guess what mayor Harris, you will find we educated lot do quite the opposite in these situations. We have all read Animal Farm and 1984 and we know our alphabet past the letter C and we will not forget when laws and policy are changed. Remember mayor Harris...all voters are equal, but some voters are more equal than others.

Library Book Givaway!

Its that time of year again! Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa) in August! The Pleasant Hill library is having their annual book giveaway next week! This is the event in which literally thousands (maybe tens of thousands) of books are available for anyone to take.

These are books of all genres and age level. And there is no limit to the amount you can take! Two years ago I took about 500 books to add to my school's library! Outside of the Super Bowl and the last day of school there is no other day of the year I look forward to more!

Here are the details!

August 17th - September 4th (excluding Sundays) from 9 am to 5:30 pm. Used books no longer needed in the collection available to you while supplies last.

Location:Contra Costa County Library, Shipping and Receiving Area

Interview With Local Authors: Simon Wood

How long have you lived in the Bay Area? Which parts?

I’ve lived in the Bay Area for around ten years now. I’ve lived entirely in the east bay in and around Richmond and El Sobrante.

When did you get your first book published?

My first book, ACCIDENTS WAITING TO HAPPEN, was first published in 2002 by a small publisher then picked up a big publisher in 2007.

What type of books do you write?

I write about ordinary people put in extraordinary situations. Sometimes the dilemmas they face are of their own making and sometimes they're just good people in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Why do you write?

Because I have to. There are stories, ideas and themes I want to write about and I feel so passionately about them that I have to commit them to paper. It would be criminal not to…

How involved are you with the community?

I’m a Bay Area chapter board member of Mystery Writers of American and a past Bay Area president of Sisters in Crime. These two organizations work to help nurture and promote mystery writers. I’ve also spoken at a large number of county and city libraries throughout the Bay Area.

What challenges have you faced as an author?

I’m dyslexic and pretty much steered clear of the written word for most of my life. With the help of my wife, I taught myself the basics of creative writing and the rest is history. I have a pretty unorthodox way of getting my work down on paper.

Who were some your influences as a writer?

I’m a huge fan of pulp writers, Raymond Chandler, Lawrence Block, Reginald Hill, but I would say my major influence is Hitchcock. His eye for detail and human frailty and showing us the hero in all of us has had a massive influence on me. I think it shows up a lot in the scenarios in my books and short stories.

What types of books would you recommend for young readers?

I was always in awe of the fantastical as a child so the books I always promote are the Chronicles of Narnia, Norman Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth and a book which isn’t very well known over here, but is in England -- Stig of the Dump.

What do you think is the best way to get young people excited to read?

Introduce them to books that fire the imagination. There always seems to be a push towards certain classics and while that’s fine, people (young or old) need to find stories they love. So let them read whatever’s popular -- graphic novels or even adult books, or whatever. It doesn’t matter as long as they're reading and discovering the power of storytelling. One of the best times with books I had was when a school teacher let us read whatever we wanted as long as we could discuss the book. It was very empowering. Also remind kids that without books we wouldn’t have TV or movies. The human race can't live without stories.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Raymond Chandler, James M Cain, Cornell Woolrich, Reginald Hill, Lawrence Block, Jeffrey Deaver’s short fiction, Dorothy L Sayers, Barbara Vine, Ian Rankin, Patricia Highsmith, James Herbert, Stephen King, Richard Russo, Robert Crais, Harlan Coben, Richard Stark, Jim Butcher, just to name a few.

What are some of your favorite books?

If I was marooned on a desert island, I would want THE LONG GOODBYE (Raymond Chandler), LOVE ON A BRANCH LINE (John Hadfield), THE STRAIGHT MAN, (Richard Russo) and A SIMPLE PLAN (Scott Smith) with me.

Do you have a website we can visit?

www.simonwood.net

Where can we find your books?

In most bookstores or online. Some of my books and short stories are appearing electronically for the Kindle and other e-readers. My website has links to local bookstores, real and virtual.

Link +

Thanks to a recent suggestion I looked into the library's "link +" system. I haven't yet ordered anything on it, but I definitely plan to do so in the near future. The service is incredibly simple to use. You just log in using your CCC LIB card number and name, you pick the system you are affiliated with (CCC Public) and the library in which you'd like to pick up your selection. Here's some more detailed info on the service!

* LINK+ is a union catalog of contributed holdings from participating libraries in California and Nevada.

* Patrons from member libraries electronically request an item not available in their own library and it is delivered to them for check-out.

* LINK+ is available to authorized patrons of the participating libraries.

* LINK+ may be accessed directly at csul.iii.com or while using the local catalogs of participating libraries.

* Books and media may be borrowed if they are listed as "available" in the union catalog.

* An item may arrive at the requestor's library in 2 to 4 days. Books and some media will be held for up to 10 days. Selected media will be held for up to 5 days.

* The loan period for books and some media is 21 days with one 14-day renewal. The loan period for selected media is 7 days. No renewal is allowed for media selected for 7-day loan.

* There is no charge to request or borrow LINK+ materials

CCC Library on Facebook!

I've been trying to find an excuse to cancel my Facebook account for a while now...it seems as though I'll have to wait a little longer. The Contra Costa County Library is now on Facebook. If you become a fan of the CCC LIB you will recieve updates on upcoming events (including the annual book giveaway!).

Become a fan of your CCC Library!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Contra-Costa-County-CA/Contra-Costa-County-Library/72467750817

Found it!

Yesterday I posted that I could not find the book Enemy Mine by Barry Longyear. Well lucky for me (assuming its a good book) I found it! In a final effort I searched paperbackswap.com and there was a copy available. It should arrive in a few days. I can't wait to read it!

Thank you to everybody who gave suggestions!

For those who are unfamiliar with paperbackswap.com you can visit their website or read about it from an earlier posting of ours:

http://pleasanthillbookclub.blogspot.com/2009/07/paperback-swap.html

Interview With Local Authors: Alfred J. Garrotto

How long have you lived in the Bay Area? Which parts?

I have lived in the Bay Area since 1972. I've resided in Lafayette, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, and Pittsburg.

When did you get your first book published?

My first book, Christ in Our Lives, was published by Winston Press (Minneapolis, MN) in 1980.

What type of books do you write?

I write both fiction and nonfiction. In addition to Christ in Our Lives, my nonfiction books include Christian and Prayer (1981), Christians Reconciling (1981), and The Wisdom of Les Miserables: Lessons From the Heart of Jean Valjean (2008). I am currently writing a second volume in the "Wisdom of Les Miserables" format.

Between 1996 and 2007, I published five novels: A Love Forbidden (Picasso Press, 1996), Finding Isabella (Genesis Press, 2000), Circles of Stone (Hilliard & Harris, 2004), I'll Paint a Sun (Genesis Press/Kensington, 2007), and Down a Narrow Alley (2007, Lulu Press, Inc.). I have a baseball novel on the back burner, waiting for its time.

Why do you write?

Writing allows me to release a lifetime of reflection on major issues that all humans experience. I firmly believe that there is truth in fiction. So, whether I write novels or nonfiction the goal is the same: to tell the truth as I see it and experience it.

My secondary reason for writing is to leave a legacy to my daughters and grandchild(ren). I want them to know me better and remember me through my writing.

How involved are you with the community?

I'm quite involved in the Central Contra Costa County community. As a lay minister on the pastoral team of Christ the King Parish, Pleasant Hill, I am directly involved through various programs that help people learn more about themselves and their spiritual side. I also offer support to the parish's many outreach programs that attempt to meet the needs of local community members, particularly those in need of material, psychological, and spiritual assistance.

You are a former President of the Mt. Diablo Branch of the California Writers club, can you tell us the function of the club and what types of things go on at these meetings?

In 2009, the California Writers Club is celebrating its 100th year of promoting excellence in writing. Originally founded by a group of celebrated local authors, including Jack London, the organization provides a place for professional and aspiring writers to meet, network, and improve their written communication skills. The club meets monthly for lunch from September through June, usually on the second Saturday. Our Mt. Diablo Branch has over 150 members. At our meetings, guest speakers (published authors, editors, literary agents, publishers, etc.) who have achieved success in the literary industry share tips and ideas on how we can improve our writing and achieve greater success. Visit our website at http://www.mtdiablowriters.org/.

Are you still a member of the club?

I have been a member of CWC Mt. Diablo for 13 years and currently serve on the board of directors. I am Programs and Website Chair.

What challenges have you faced as an author?

The biggest challenge I face is in marketing my work. I'm not a famous author, therefore I need to take advantage of every opportunity--like this one--to get my work out before the public. I am building an online platform by maintaining a growing presence on the web. I have a website: http://www.blsinc.com/garrotto.htm. I blog at http://wisdomoflesmiserables.blogspot.com/. I'm on Facebook and Twitter. My books are available through all the major online booksellers (and some minor ones). I take every opportunity to do author events (signings) at local bookstores. I'm available to speak to writing and service groups and book clubs. For most authors, marketing is an ongoing challenge, but an essential effort.

Who were some your influences as a writer?

The greatest influence on my writing is Ron Hansen, bestselling author of Exiles, Atticus, Mariette in Ecstasy, and other great novels, and the nonfiction Faith and Fiction. Ron showed me that I could express my religious/spiritual beliefs in novels. Following his model, I have done my best to discuss important life issues in my fiction, as well as my nonfiction writing.

What types of books would you recommend for young readers?

I don't write for the youth market, but I'm quite interested in promoting reading (and writing) among our youth. I say to young people, "Read anything that interests you."

What do you think is the best way to get young people excited to read?

I wish I knew. My own children--now adults--were not devoted readers growing up, even though their dad was a writer. In their post-college adulthood, they are beginning to discover the pleasure of reading for their own enjoyment.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Victor Hugo has to hold first place for me. Les Miserables is my all-time favorite novel. My reading tastes are pretty eclectic, from spirituality to World Wars I and II fiction. My favorite spiritual writer is Ronald Rolheiser (The Holy Longing, The Restless Heart). A favorite war novelist is Jeff Shaara (The Rising Tide, The Steel Wave). I'm leaving out a host of fine writers whose books have entertained and inspired me.

What are some of your favorite books?

I've kept a record of books read since 1999 and average over 30 books a year (not a lot by some standards, but a lot for me). Anyone interested in seeing my favorites of the last decade can search on my name on Shelfari (http://www.shelfari.com/). I also have a complete list of my best reads since 1999 on my website at http://www.blsinc.com/favoritebooks.htm.

Do you have a website we can visit?

http://www.blsinc.com/garrotto.htm

http://wisdomoflesmiserables.blogspot.com/

algarrotto@comcast.net

Where can we find your books?

My books are available for sale at Amazon.com and other online booksellers.
I offer autographed copies through my website.

Several of my novels are in the Contra Costa County Library system.

Bonus!

I found that The Time Machine is on the 1001 books to read before you die list! Once I finish the book I will have read 35 books on this list (sad, I know).

Here is a link to the list:

http://www.listology.com/list/1001-books-you-must-read-you-die


Enjoy!

Donde esta Enemy Mine?

Anyone know where I can find a copy of the book Enemy Mine? Its not in the library system! It sounds like a cool premise and since Time Machine is only 122 pages I'll definitely have time to read one or both of secondary books this month.

And the movie of the month is...

Waltz With Bashir!

For All of the "To Kill A Mockingbord" Fans Out There

The current issue of the New Yorker has a fascinating article on the politics of the Tom Robinson trial. I thought you might all enjoy reading this since in a poll we had a few weeks back 33% of you chose it as your favorite high school book.

View the article here:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/08/10/090810fa_fact_gladwell

The Time Machine: Enriched Classic

Unless you are familiar with 1895 British society, you may want to check out the enriched classic version of The Time Machine. The book is full of notes that give you insight to all of Wells' inside jokes and his mocking of the popular culture at the time. I have found it very useful so far and thought the rest of you who are reading this might also appreciate the extra information.

Teach an Adult to Read

I like to think that one of the missions of this blog is to help promote and improve literacy at all age groups in our community and beyond. I currently came across a program at our local library that I would love to share with all of you.

It's called Project Second Chance, and it is a part of the CCC Library's Adult Literacy Program. They are currently looking for volunteers to help tutor these brave people who are fighting for a second chance at reading. For as much as we love to read, I think it is our duty to help others share in this love.

Tutor training hours are:
Wednesday Sept. 23rd from 6:30-8:30
Saturday Wednesday 26nd from 9:00-3:00
Saturday October 3rd from 9:00 to 3:00

All 14 hours are required to become certified to tutor.

For more information please visit www.ccclib.org/psc

THANK YOU!!!

Interview With The Mayor!?!?!

Three weeks after requesting an interview with Pleasant Hill Mayor Michael Harris he has accepted! I initially requested the interview to discuss the library budget issues and am now very excited to get some answers and clarification on this very big local issue!

I also want to involve the voice of the readers of this blog. If you have a question you would like me to ask please let me know. I promise I will make sure to ask him (within reason).

We are currently in the process of scheduling the interview. I will keep you posted!

August Book of the Month

This month's book selections were all chosen from the Top 10 Nerdiest Books of All-Time. To participate in the discussion, share your views, or to pose questions to a larger group, please leave these in the comments section on the August Book of the Month tab at the top of the page.

This month's primary book of the month is The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. The secondary books (which we recommend if you happen to finish the initial book before our next meeting) are Enemy Mine by Barry Longyear and Dune by Frank Herbert.

Place your book on hold at the library: http://catalog.ccclib.org/?q=the%20time%20machine

Read the book online: http://books.google.com/books?id=08Xf_6gWh9AC&printsec=frontcover&dq=time+machine&hl=En#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Or download the book: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5496237.The_Time_Machine

Happy Reading!!!



PS- August Movie of the Month to be posted shortly!

Interview With Local Authors: Roberta Alexander

This interview is a bit different from those in the past. Roberta Alexander is actually a book reviewer not an author. I think it is interesting to read about the book industry from a different perspective.

How long have you lived in the Bay Area? Which parts?

A long time … first at Stanford, later in Berkeley. My children went through school in Alameda. Then I moved to western Contra Costa County, where I’ve lived for nearly 20 years.

How did you get started reviewing books? How did you get starting reviewing mystery novels?

I’d been working at the Contra Costa Times for a number of years, and had noticed that most of its reviews were a] from the wire service and b] covered books by male authors. I wasn’t anti-male, just concerned that so many of the books I enjoyed never got any publicity.

When I discussed this with the book editor, she suggested I do something to remedy the situation. There were several boxes of unread books from publishers; I went through them and picked out a few. I tried to focus on books by women and on new authors, figuring people who had full-page ads in the New York Times touting their books didn’t need my contribution.

How long have you been with the Contra Costa Times?

I spent 17 years on the copy desk of the Times, leaving in 2001. But I’ve continued to write reviews as a freelancer.

How involved are you with the community?

You mean as a reviewer? Now, not so much. When I was on staff, I sometimes moderated mystery panels and stuff like that. I enjoyed it. But I spent six years on the library commission of the city where I live, and have remained active in library/literacy activities.

What challenges have you faced as a reviewer?

At first I wasn’t taken seriously because I reviewed paperbacks as well as hardbacks. My feeling as a reader was that I was much more likely to buy a paperback, and why shouldn’t it get some attention?

For the last year or so, I’ve been challenged by having less space in the newspaper. That means reviewing fewer books or writing shorter reviews, neither of which I like.

Now that I have a website, I can write some longer reviews.

What was the most original mystery novel you've ever reviewed?

Maybe Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story by Leonie Swann.

Have you ever tried to write a novel?

I wrote my first novel at age 10. I am always writing, fiction, nonfiction, something. For the last couple of years I have been working on a series of essays, some funny, some poignant, dealing with my childhood in New York, among other strange things.

What types of books would you recommend for young readers?

J.K. Rowling did a pretty good job by offering young people (and millions of adults) a story that was exciting as well as meaningful.

What do you think is the best way to get young people excited to read?

In my house, books were always important, and my children picked that up.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

I was an early fan of Janet Evanovich and Alexander McCall Smith, but Evanovich’s later books were forced and unfunny. I like Julia Spencer-Fleming, Judy Clemens, Margaret Maran and Sharan Newman. Although their subject matter varies, what they all offer is strong, believable characters you can follow from book to book.

Do you have a website we can visit?

RobertaInk.com

Bodhi's Baby Books of the Month

This is a new feature that will have recommendations for children's books. At least two members of the club have young children at home and I think this is a good way to recommend books that children will like.

Bodhi is currently 11 months (almost a year) and his books of the month will be books that are at his age level and that he seems to love.

His fist selection is The Little Gorilla by Ruth Borstein. Since Bodhi's vocabulary is pretty limited (mama, dada, ok, book, duck, and good), the following are reviews from Amazon.com.

"Short and sweet, a song of love which . . . is beguiling. Everybody
loved Little Gorilla from the day he was born until one day "something
happened . . . Little Gorilla began to grow and Grow and Grow . . ."
And he was big, and everybody came and sang and danced and wished him a
happy birthday and still loved him. So the message to the audience is
clear: love goes on. The drawings are simple, large-scale [and] they
fit the text very comfortably." -- Review

"Little Gorilla’s velvety-soft jungle world seems as comfortably secure as the story’s evocation of love and friendship. Each page radiates a quiet drama as one after another, the jungle inhabitants indulgently express their affection for the irresistible baby. . . . Preschoolers will take pleasure in joining the conversely shrinking animal menagerie in wishing the not-so-little Little Gorilla a happy birthday."

Pleasant Hill Community Focus

Local paper, Pleasant Hill Community Focus, has written an article concerning the Pleasant Hill library cuts. Katherine Brackin's article, Reduction in Library Hours, gives all the details behind the issue as well as where to go to donate to the cause.

The paper's website is www.pleasanthillcommunityfocus.com.

To view this month's issue please visit: http://www.pleasanthillcommunityfocus.com/PHFocus_Aug09final.pdf

The Concordian

The local magazine "The Concordian" is now available at your Pleasant Hill Library. I first heard of the Concordian after our interview with local author Andre' Gensburger. Its quite possible it has always been available at the P.H. Library and it just wasn't on my radar, but either way I am excited to now be able to get a copy locally.

This month's issue has several compelling articles, some of which include a story on a local Iraq War veteran (by Gensburger), an editorial on the sportsmanship of the British Open (by Dan Ashley), a story on new surgical robots (by Tamara Steiner), and many many local interest stories. There is also an article in there remembering the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshia by another interviewed local author Willem Ridder.

For more info on The Concordian please go to www.myconcordian.com

Local Author Barbara Bentley Wins Major Award

From Barbara Bentley:

Greetings to all,

Some of you may already know about the award but this announcement includes new information.

Several chapters of my book "A Dance with the Devil" tell the story of how I changed the divorce law of California. When a board member from an Atlanta foundation read the book, she wrote me the following letter and sent it to me via my publisher.

"I was impressed and interested in learning of your achievements in the arena of improvement of our laws and justice system. Thank you for making a difference. I am a board member of the Foundation for Improvement of Justice, founded in 1984 by the Chapman family to recognize outstanding contributions to our justice system. Please refer to our web site www.justiceawards.com for further information as to history, purpose, award recipients, contact information, submissions towards our selection process and the awards.
In May and June each year, our Board receive and review approximately 80 to 100 nominations from nominators. The Board finalizes, in a blind selection process, selections down to the very best 8 to 10. These are our Paul Chapman award winners.
In September of each year the award winners, along with their nominators, are recognized at our awards banquet at The Ritz Carlton, Atlanta, Georgia, where they enjoy a wonderful banquet, a nice monetary award for the winner and well deserved recognition.
In closing, I simply wanted to inform you of our Foundation, knowing of your interest in Justice and our interest in receiving the very best nominations/achievements each year in the field of justice."

My friend Sheryl Sturges , a board member of Community Violence Solutions, was kind enough to nominate me.

This past Friday I received a phone call advising me that I am a recipient of one of the six 2009 Paul H. Chapman awards. I am still reeling from the news!

The awards package includes: the Paul H. Chapman medal (photo attached), a check for $10,000, a commendation bar pin, a certificate of appreciation, and an invitation to the awards banquet in Atlanta, Georgia, on September 26. The foundation is picking up the airfare and hotel for four: myself and Sheryl and our two guests.

I feel blessed and honored to be among the recipients. Previous winners include judges, politicians, police, and organizations. In appreciation for my selection, I am donating half of my cash award to Community Violence Solutions in honor of Sheryl Sturges' passion to help victims of sexual assault and family violence.

For more information, please visit http://www.justiceawards.com and http://www.cvsolutions.org/. I have also updated my website www.adancewiththedevil.com.


Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,
Barbara

Valley Life: Eat, chat, spy -- Who knew research could be so much fun?

By Penny Warner
Valley Times

Although I didn't plan to become a fiction writer, I was already making stuff up during my school days.Any time I had to do a paper that required research — which I hated — I always wrote from my imagination and hoped it sounded realistic enough to fool the teacher. I made up stuff on everything from visiting historic California missions to interviewing experts on the importance of atomic energy. And back then, I didn't even have the Internet for help.

Now that I've morphed into a fiction writer, I've come to love research. In fact, I'd much rather research a person, place or topic than actually write the book.I'm currently writing the second book in my mystery series and it requires a lot of research to make the story sound authentic. For example, last weekend, I spent the day just doing research.

First, I sat inside one of those teeny toy Smart Cars to see if my broad-shouldered love interest could fit. I found the car amazingly roomy inside, great for making U-turns on one-lane mountain roads, and perfect for a car chase on the sidewalk. I almost bought one, but they were out of yellow.

Next, I went to the San Francisco County Jail to see what it would be like to visit a prisoner, just as my protagonist must do in order to save her BFF.

Sure, there's plenty of information on the Internet about visiting the jail, like "No cell phones, weapons or gang colors." And good thing, since I'd planned to wear something colorful.

But I wanted to know more. Such as, what color are the walls? (Somewhere between Shenandoah taupe and caramel apple) and what does it smell like? (A cross between a hospital hallway and high school locker room). Those are details you just can't get from the Internet.

The characters in my books like to eat between action scenes and romantic interludes, so I had to check out San Francisco cafes, diners, and bars that would make interesting backdrops for their clue-filled conversations. I discovered a wonderful French cafe hidden in San Francisco's trendy South Park, filled with pony-tailed hippies and spike-haired hipsters, computer techs in logo T-shirts and bike riders in colorful Spandex, all gobbling blueberry crepes and croque-monsieurs. They'd be perfect for an appearance in my latest mystery.While sipping a café au lait, I eavesdropped on conversations that ran from dramatic breakups to outlandish adventures. And I took notes.

On the way home, I swung by Treasure Island, the primary location for my book, to see how I could make that unique setting become a character in the story.That meant attending a wine tasting (I bought a bottle of Treasure Island Wine because the label featured a pirate flag), talking with the security guard (who filled me in on the new TV show "Trauma" being filmed there), and chatting up the commodore at the Treasure Island Yacht Club (he tipped me to the best garlic fries on the island).

Although I'll probably use only a small percent of the things I'd learned, I hope those "telling details" will make the book come alive.

You just can't make that stuff up.

Interview With Local Authors: Lynn Goodwin

How long have you lived in the Bay Area? Which parts?

I am a Bay Area native. I grew up in Los Gatos, went away to college, returned to get a California teaching credential, and then taught in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District and various community colleges for many years.

When did you get your first book published?

My first books, From An Author's Point of View: Tips on Writing and From An Author's Point of View: Tips on Marketing were published by the Other Side of Creativity in 2001. The organization no longer exists.

My current book, You Want Me to Do What? Journaling for Caregivers was published in December of 2008. It offers encouragement, simple instructions, and over 200 sentence starts to help anyone begin writing. Those who have tried it love it, and since I have been marketing it, I've discovered that everybody is a caregiver for someone.

What type of books do you write?

Both of these books are self-help meets how-to. So is my e-zine, Writer Advice, www.writeradvice.com. I've also drafted a YA novel and written plenty of short stories, memoirs, and articles.


Why do you write?

So many reasons; so little time. I guess the simple answer is that I write to share stories, express opinions, analyze events, find my part in things, help others, and explore.

How involved are you with the community?

I am very involved with the writing community. One of the perks of You Want Me to Do What? Journaling for Caregivers is that it has helped me connect with a number of organizations in the medical and care-giving community. I give journaling workshops and talks for any interested organization. E-mail me at Lgood67334 (AT)comcast (DOT) net or visit http://www.writeradvice.com/workshops.html for information.

What challenges have you faced as an author?

Depending on the project and the moment, I can be challenged to find the right word, phrase, subject, angle, or venue. When I remember that everyone has great stories to tell, I know that the rewards of writing outweigh the challenges.

Who were some your influences as a writer?

"I'd like to thank the Academy and..." Truthfully, I am influenced by writers, readers, and critiquers. I name some specific authors as I answer "What are some of your favorite books?" below.

What types of books would you recommend for young readers?

Read books about subjects you love. Follow your heart. Classic or contemporary; fiction or non-fiction; print, graphic, manga, or e-zine, read what you want to read. It will give you sustenance for reading what you have to read. Almost all books have something to say to you.

Who are some of your favorite authors? & What are some of your favorite books?

Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes
Sybil Lockhart's Mother in the Middle
Veronica Chater's Waiting for the Apocalypse
Meg Waite Clayton's The Wednesday Sisters
Rachel Sarah's Single Mom Seeking
Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows' The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society
Jennifer McMahon's Island of the Lost Girls

Based on this list, I should try writing fiction or memoir, shouldn't I?

Do you have a website we can visit?

My website is Writer Advice, www.writeradvice.com. Please visit, click on the links and boxes, and let me know if you have any questions.

Where can we find your books?

You Want Me to Do What? Journaling for Caregivers is available at Amazon and other online bookstores. You can also order it through Writer Advice, www.writeradvice.com. Click on Journaling for Caregivers. Then click on Order Online. You can also ask any independent bookstore to order it.