May We Suggest...Jeffrey Archer

Jeffrey Archer was born in London, educated at Wellington School and Oxford, where he was president of the University Athletics Club. After leaving Oxford, he was elected to the Greater London Council and three years later at the age of 29, he became a member of Parliament for Louth. After five years, he invested heavily in a company that eventually went into liquidation. Archer was left with debts of 427,727 and on the brink of bankruptcy.

At the age of 34, Archer was determined to repay his creditors in full. He sat down to write his first novel, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less. It was sold to 17 countries within a year. It was also made into a successful serial for BBC Radio and was later televised in 1990 by BBC. His second novel, Shall We Tell the President? was a fast moving thriller about a plot to assassinate Edward Kennedy while he was President of the United States. With two bestsellers behind him, Kane and Abel came next. The book told the story of two men, one Polish and the illegitimate son of a gypsy and the other rich and privileged from a wealthy banking family. The novel became a best-seller all over the world.

Archer followed this with A Quiver Full of Arrows, a collection of short stories. This was followed by The Prodigal Daughter, the sequel to Kane and Abel. Then came the novel, First Among Equals. It became an award-winning television series for Granada. In 1986, he published A Matter of Honour: a tale about a letter that was never opened by the keeper, only to be passed on to his son after his death. His next book, A Twist in the Tale as a second set of short stories. His next novel, published in 1992, was As the Crow Flies, a saga that opens in the east end of London at the turn of the century. Honour Among Thieves was published in July 1993 and was a number one best-seller from London to Tokyo. He followed this with a set of 12 short stories Twelve Red Herrings, published in 1994. The Fourth Estate, based on the lives of Rupert Murdoch and Robert Maxwell, was published in 1996.

Jeffrey's 10th novel, The Eleventh Commandment was published in May 1998 and spent 24 weeks on the bestseller's list. Jeffrey's fourth book of short stories To Cut a Long Story Short was published in March 2000. His fifth, Cat O'Nine Tales was published in 2006. His novel, Sons of Fortune was published in December 2002 and his 12th, False Impression in March 2006. A Prisoner of Birth was published in March 2008 and topped the bestsellers lists around the world. Jeffrey's novel, Paths of Glory, was published in March 2009 and went to number one around the world. His most current work, And Thereby Hangs a Tale was published in 2010.

Archer is also a playwright, having written Beyond Reasonable Doubt, Exclusive and his most recent play, The Accused. He has also written an original screenplay about George Malloy called Paths of Glory and has completed a screenplay to his novel, False Impression.

Now published in 97 countries and more than 37 languages, Jeffrey Archer is firmly established with international sales topping 250 millon copies. He has been married for 40 years to Dr. Mary Archer. The have two sons, William and James. They divide their time between homes in London and Cambridge.

READ-A-LIKES -

W.E.B. GRIFFEN - The works of Griffin might appeal to Archer readers. Griffin's series feature communities of men, members of the U.S. military and police, and they combine accurate historical details with action and even a little soap opera. Try the Badge of Honor series that starts with Men In Blue.

KEN FOLLETT - Fans of Archer's fast-paced suspense stories should also consider fellow Englishman, Follett, another satisfying, old-fashioned storyteller. Predictable unpredictability characterizes Follett's complex, twisted plots. Consider novels such as Whiteout or Hornet Flight.

PATRICIA HIGHSMITH - Readers who enjoy Archer's twisted, psychological short stories should certainly try Highsmith. In her Ripley novels, Highsmith offers a charming, amoral hero and sets his adventures against detailed landscapes involving the rich and famous. The Talented Mr. Ripley is the first in the series.

DAVID BALDACCI - This best-selling Thriller writer might make another good suggestion for Archer fans. Political skullduggery fills his fast-paced suspense stories, known for their intricately twisted plots. Try The Winner or other thrillers such as Absolute Power, The Collectors or Divine Justice.

May We Suggest...Debbie Macomber

With more than 130 million copies of her books in print, Debbie Macomber is one of the world’s most popular authors. The New York Times bestselling author is best known for her ability to create compelling characters and bring their stories to life in her books. Drawing on her own experiences and observations, Debbie writes heartwarming tales about small-town life, home and family, enduring friendships and women who knit. Every book features the delightful sense of humor for which readers clamor. Not bad for a woman who is dyslexic and didn’t learn to read until she was in the fifth grade.

Her dyslexia did not deter the young mother of four from pursuing a lifelong dream of becoming published. She celebrated her first book Heartsong in 1982. She was soon featured in Newsweek—and demand for her books quickly exceeded her wildest dreams. Debbie is a regular resident on the bestseller lists. She is the first-ever recipient of the “readers’ choice” Quill Award for Romance Fiction. Debbie has also been honored with a RITA® for her 2005 The Christmas Basket; an RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award and is a multiple winner of both the Holt Medallion and the B. Dalton Award. In July 2010, the Romance Writers of America presented Debbie with its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.

The prolific author lives in Washington state and winters in Florida with her husband. When not writing, she enjoys knitting, traveling with Wayne and putting on Grandma Camps for her grandchildren, for whom she has built a four-star tree house behind her home in Port Orchard.

Read-A-Likes

If you enjoy reading Debbie Macomber, you might enjoy reading the following authors -

Jennifer Chiaverini writes heart-warming character-centered tales evoking nostalgia for "the good old days" in her readers. Her settings employ the dynamics of life in a small town and of intergenerational conflict to great effect in her tales, all of which focus on some aspect of the traditional art of quilting. Try the Elm Creek Quilters series.

Susan Wiggs tackles the tough issues in her Contemporary and Historical Romances and her novels of Women's Lives and Relationships. Try reading her Lakeshore Chronicles series.

Fern Michaels has proven to be a master at supplying the types of reading experiences focused on women's lives and relationships which her readers demand. Her holiday stories are especially popular with readers because they offer heartwarming affirmations of the power of love and determination. Her novella, Comfort and Joy or the novel, Crossroads are among the hundreds of Fern Michaels's books that are popular among readers.

May We Suggest...J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling was born Joanne Kathleen Rowling on July 31, 1965 in Chipping Sodbury near Bristol, England. Rowling became an international literary sensation in 1999, when the first three installments of her Harry Potter series took over the top three slots of The New York Times best seller list. The phenomenal response to Rowling's books culminated in July, 2000 whe the fourth volume in the series Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire became the fastest selling book in history.

A graduate of Exeter University, Rowling moved to Portugal in 1990 to teach English. There she married and a daughter was born in 1993. After her marriage ended in divorce, Rowling moved to Edinburgh with her daughter to live. While struggling to support daughter and herself on welfare, Rowling worked on a book - the idea for which had reportedly occurred to her in 1990. After many rejections, she finally sold the book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (the work "philosopher" was changed to "sorcerer" for publication) for the equivalent of about $4,000. The book and its subsequent series chronicled the life of Harry Potter, a young wizard and his cohorts at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy.

By the summer of 2000, the first three Harry Potter books (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban)had earned approximately $480 million with over 35 million copies in print in 35 languages. In July, 2000 Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire saw a first printing of 5.3 million copies with advanced orders for 1.8 million. The fifth installment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, was released in June, 2003. The sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, sold 6.9 million copies in the United States during the first 24 hours. This was biggest opening in publishing history. The seventh installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was the largest ever pre-ordered book at stores like Barnes & Noble, Borders and Amazon.com.

Rowling, now Britains 13th wealthest woman does not plan to write any more books in the series, but has not entirely ruled out the possibility. In 2008, Rowling did release The Tales of Beedle the Bard, written from the perspective Harry Potter characters. Her fans anxiously await more from Rowling and the world of Harry Potter.

READ-A-LIKES - if you enjoy the works of J.K. Rowling, try these authors...

C.S. LEWIS - The Chronicles of Narnia from the adventures of Digory and Polly as they try to return the wicked witch Jadis to her own world, the magic becomes mixed up and they all land in Narnia, where the witness Aslan blessing the animals in human speech and much more. The books in the series are -

The Magician's Nephew (book I)

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (book II)

The Horse and His Boy (book III)

Prince Caspian (book IV)

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (book V)

The Silver Chair (book VI)

The Last Battle (book VII)

EOIN COLFER - When a 12 year old evil genius tries to restore his family fortune by capturing a fairy and demanding ransom in gold, the fairies fight back with magic, technology and a particulary nasty troll. The books in the series are -

Artemis Fowl (book I)

Artemis Fowl - The Arctic Incident (book II)

Artemis Fowl - The Eternity Code (book III)

Artemis Fowl - The Opal Deception (book IV)

Artemis Fowl - The Lost Colony (book V)

T.A. BARRON - When Merlin, suffering from a case of severe amnesia, discovers his strange powers, he becomes determined to discover his identity and flees to Fincayra where he fulfills his destiny, saving Fincayra from certain destruction and claiming his birthright and true name. The books in the series are -

The Lost Years of Merlin (book I)

The Seven Songs of Merlin (book II)

The Fires of Merlin (book III)

The Mirror of Merlin (book IV)

May We Suggest...Graham Masterton

Graham Masterton was born in Edinburgh in 1946. After training as a newspaper reporter, Masterton went on to edit the new British men's magazine Mayfair. There he encouraged William Burroughs to develop a series of articles that would eventually become the novel The Wild Boys. At the age of 24, Masterton became an executive in the magazine publishing business and he began writing a series of bestselling, nonfiction books.

His first foray in to the world of horror fiction began with the debut of The Manitou in 1976. This chilling tale of a Native American medicine man reborn in the present day to exact his revenge on the white man became an instant bestseller and was made into a movie starring Tony Curtis. He has since published more than 35 award-winning, horror novels, including Blind Panic, Descendant, Tooth and Claw and House of Bones, among others.

In addition to his prolific fiction career, many of his stories were filmed for TV in the Tony Scott horror series entitled " The Hunger" and the "The Secret Shih-Tan" which starred Jason Scott Lee. Masterton has been awarded the Edgar Award and Bram Stoker Award for outstanding horror fiction, as well as nominated for the World Fantasy Award.

Masterton continues to write novels that range from thrillers to disaster novels to historical sagas. He has published four collections of short stories, written four horror novels for children and produced a popular horror series for young adults featuring the protagonist Jim Rook.

He and his wife, Wiescka, live in Surrey, England and Cork, Ireland where he continues to write several new short stories and is working on his latest novel.

Became a Facebook fan of Graham Masterton.

READ-A-LIKES

If you enjoy reading Graham Masterton, you might enjoy the works of the following contemporary, horror authors -

CLIVE BARKER - With his flair for imaginative plots and sophisticated settings, Clive Barker creates horror and fantasy fiction that is story-driven and thought-provoking. Using bizarre, surreal and paranormal elements, he addresses themes such as good and evil and life and death. Consider reading The Damnation Game, Mister B. Gone and more.

DEAN KOONTZ - His novels blend elements of many genres that combine suspense, horror, fantasy and thrillers. His work creates menacing atmospheres and nightmarish tones. They explore the battle between good and evil and often feature protagonists with paranormal abilities. Consider reading Breathless, Odd Hours and more.

JOHN SAUL - Saul's work has been scaring readers with fast-paced, plot-twisting horror for over three decades. A typical Saul novel begins with a violent prologue of terror past. Characters are placed in the present where a supernatural being terrorizes them. Readers love that the tension keeps building throughout the book. Consider reading Faces of Fear, Perfect Nightmare: a novel and more.

May We Suggest....Gilbert Morris

Dr. Gilbert Morris was born in 1929 in Forrest City, Arkansas. After completing his B.A. and MsE at Arkansas State University, he went on to receive his PhD from the University of Arkansas. Since he began writing in 1986, he has published over 200 novels. In addition, he has been awarded five Silver Angel Awards and a Christy Award in Christian literature.

Writing his daughter, Lynn Morris and his son, Alan Morris, his work has been able to focus on different eras and settings. Together, they have produced a popular and long-running series of romantic, historical adventures set in locales around the United States. Written specifically for the Christian reader, these novels may also appeal to conservative youth and adult readers who enjoy Historical Fiction and Travel narratives. The extraordinary range of settings also appeals to many readers.

Morris's writing is often character-centered coming-of-age stories that also encompass a faith journey for both the male and female protagonists. They use clean, straightforward prose with vivid descriptions resulting in an upbeat and enthusiastic nature of the story. Morris employs a strong sense of place afforded by the characters' travels to many different areas in the U.S. and their exploration of its varied climates and cultures. This is also enhanced by his stories' setting which often occurs during times of great social and technological change.

One can choose from a variety of novels or series in order to enjoy and appreciate the writing of Dr. Gilbert Morris.

READ-A-LIKES

Lee Roddy - created an intriguing historical series for adults that features a young woman of a good family that turns to a life of espionage. Her on-again/off-again love interest will remind readers of the Morris's characters, Cheney and Shiloh. Readers will also appreciate the travel adventures and various settings. The first book in the series is Days of Deception.

Tamera Alexander - Another Christy Award winner, Alexander's writing is meant to inspire women in their faith journeys. Readers who enjoy the travel and adventure found in the Cheney Duvall series, may enjoy the antics of McKenna Ashford in The Inheritance.

Tracie Peterson - is another popular Christian author who employs interesting characters, historical detail and a strong sense of place. Her work is a good match for the fans of Gilbert Morris. Readers may enjoy A Daughter's Inheritance that follows the travels, adventures and romances of the three cousins.

Kristen Heitzmann - writes numerous series and standalone novels with widely different focus and appeal. She incorporates themes and characters into her work that resemble the work of Morris. A good introduction would be The Rose Legacy and then Honor's Pledge

M.L. Tyndall - often sets her novels in a much earlier time period than Gilbert Morris, but many of the same elements appeal to his fans. Her female protagonists are strong-willed and warm-hearted fighting to find the balance between their faith and temptations. The Red Siren is a good novel to start with to enjoy Tyndall's work.

CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF THE MANY WORKS OF GILBERT MORRIS...

Picture Books for the First Days of School

I Am Too Absolutely Small for School by Lauren Child

When Lola is worried about starting school, her older brother Charlie reassures her.

Wow! School! By Robert Neubecker

Izzy finds many things to be excited about on the first day of school.

Llama Llama Misses Mama By Anna Dewdney

Llama Llama experiences separation anxiety on his first day of nursery school.

Wemberly Worried By Kevin Henkes

A mouse named Wemberly, who worries about everything, finds that she has a whole list of things to worry about when she faces the first day of nursery school.

I'm Telling You, Dex, Kindergarten Rocks! By Katie Davis

Dexter knows everything there is to know about kindergarten and is not at all scared about his first day there, but his stuffed dog, Rufus, is very nervous.

Tom Goes to Kindergarten By Margaret Wild

When Tom, a young panda, goes to his very first day of kindergarten, his whole family stays and plays and wishes they could be in kindergarten too.

First Grade Stinks By Mary Ann Rodman

First-grader Haley wishes she were back having fun in kindergarten with her old teacher, until she finds out that first-grade is special, too.

Off to First Grade By Louise Borden

Each member of a first grade class, as well as their teacher, principal, and a bus driver, expresses excitement, worry, or hope as the first day of school begins.

If You Take a Mouse to School By Laura Numeroff

Follows a boy and his mouse through a busy day at school.

Amelia Bedelia’s First Day of School By Herman Parish
A literal-minded first-grader's first day of school is filled with confusing adventures, much to her delight.

Contributed by Vanessa Scudder

May We Suggest....J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts)

With a phenomenal career full of bestsellers, Nora Roberts was ready for a new writing challenge. As her agent put it, like Pepsi, Diet Pepsit and caffeine-free Pepsi, a pseudonym offered her the opportunity to reach a new and different group of readers. The first futuristic suspense J.D. Robb book, Naked in Death, was published in 1995 and readers were immediately drawn to Eve Dallas, a tough cop with a dark past and her mysterious love interest, Roarke.

The series quickly gained attention, great reviews and devoted readers. Since the debut of Loyalty in Death in 1999 on the New York Times bestseller list, every J.D. Robb title has been a New York Times bestseller. While fans had their suspicions, it wasn't until the twelfth book in the series, Betrayal in Death (2001), that the publisher fully revealed that J.D. Robb was really the bestselling powerhouse, Nora Roberts.

The In Death books are perpetual bestsellers and frequently share the bestseller list with other Nora Roberts novels. J.D. Robb publishes two hardcover In Death books per year and occassional stand-alone original In Death story featured in an anthology. The In Death series has received accolades from other blockbuster authors such as Stephen King, Jonathan Kellerman, Janet Evanovich, David Baldacci and others.

Thirty books and fifteen years later, there is no end in sight for the ever-popular J.D. Robb and the In Death series.

READ-A-LIKES...If you like the work of J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) try these authors -
Suzanne Brockman - Fans of Robb will appreciate Brockman's bad boy heroes, the insider military details, the richly developed romance and the fast-paced action-filled story. Try titles such as Breaking Point: a novel, Flashpoint or Force of Nature: a novel.

JoAnn Ross - Readers looking for a more suspenseful, romantic tale might try Crossfire: a high risk novel, or Freefall: a high risk novel.

Julie Garwood - It is suggested that readers read Garwood's Romantic Suspense novels in order as the secondary character introduced in one book is often the lead character in the next book. The five novels so far are Heartbreaker, Mercy, Killjoy, Murder List and Slow Burn.

Karen Robards - Robards delivers tightly controlled plots, solid pacing and romance mixed with mayhem. Robb fans would enjoy the novel, Bait, as well as Guilty, and Pursuit.

WATCH-A-LIKES
Sleeping With the Enemy - In this suspenseful romantic thriller, Julia Roberts stars as Laura, a young woman who thinks she's found the man of her dreams in Martin (Patrick Bergin). Only after they are married does she discover the real Martin - compulsive, controlling and dangerously violent. After three years of living in fear and dread, Laura finally escapes, only to have Martin track her down.

Fatal Attraction - A New York Attorney has a romantic fling while his wife is out of town and then shrugs it off. However the woman involved with him won't be ignored, even if it means destroying his family to keep him.

Nora Robert's Blue Smoke - After witnessing an uncontrollable blaze that burns her family's business to the ground, it's no wonder that Reena decides to become an arson investigator. Now years later, Reena decides to visit the old neighborhood, where she finds romance. However Reena is quickly brought back to reality when she discovers that the psycho that haunted her past has resurfaced to wreak havoc in her life. Now Reena must use her sleuthing skills to snare this pyromanic before her life goes up in flames.

Meet the Staff - Miss Cathy

Miss Cathy has worked for the Library:

for 18 years this next August

Miss Cathy's Favorite book to read aloud:

Shark in the Park written and illustrated by Nick Sharratt

Miss Cathy's Top 3 Picture Books (for this week, that is...):

Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas - it's funny and promotes fun rhyming skills
Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann - it's all about using your imagination
Ain't Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont - it's based on an old song, so you can sing it and it's hilarious

Who's the children's author Miss Cathy currently favors?

Jan Thomas - because she is quirky and fun

Put one of these Jan Thomas books on hold to join in Miss Cathy's fervor for this author:
A Birthday for Cow!
Can You Make a Scary Face?
The Doghouse
Here Comes the Big Mean Dust Bunny!
Rhyming Dust Bunnies
What Will Fat Cat Sit On?

May We Suggest...Michael Crichton

Michael Crichton was a writer and filmmaker, best known as the author of Jurassic Park and the creator of ER. His most recent novel, Pirate Latitudes, published posthumously in November 2009, is a suspenseful adventure story set in the 17th century.

Crichton graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College, received his MD from Harvard Medical School. He taught courses at Cambridge University and MIT. Crichton's interest in computer modeling went back forty years. He was published in the papers of the Peabody Museum, as well as in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Crichton's first bestseller, The Andromeda Strain, was published while he was still a medical student. He later worked full time on film and writing. One of the most popular writers in the world, his books have been translated into thirty-six languages, and thirteen have been made into films.

He had a lifelong interest in computers. His feature film Westworld was the first to employ computer-generated special effects back in 1973. Crichton's pioneering use of computer programs for film production earned him a Technical Achievement Academy Award in 1995. Crichton won an Emmy, a Peabody, and a Writer's Guild of America Award for ER.

Crichton died unexpectedly in Los Angeles on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 after a courageous and private battle against cancer. He is survived by his wife Sherri, his daughter Taylor and his son, John Michael.

READ-A-LIKES - If you enjoy the work of Michael Crichton, try these authors...

PHILLIP KERR - He has been called the British Michael Crichton, and with good reason. In Esau, he spins a high altitude Adventure yarn in which heroes face off against a psycho killer in a race to recover a spy satellite that has fallen into the hidden Himalayan habitat of the fabled Yeti, or abominable snowman. It is a testament to his skill that the reader accepts this wild premise, enjoys a cleverly-plotted story, and learns a little about evolution and Paleo-anthropology in the bargain.

JOHN DARNTON - He writes Scientific Thrillers that merge lurid intrigue with big ideas, ranging from the ethics of human cloning to the physical dimensions of soul. In Neanderthal, archeologists discover two reclusive bands of prehistoric hominids surviving in the wilds of Tadjikistan. One band is benign and vegetarian, while the other is warlike and carnivorous, opening up fundamental questions about human nature even as our heroes struggle to save the cavemen and themselves from the lethal incursions of American and Russian agents.

GREG BEAR - In titles such as Vitals and Darwin's Radio, Bear conveys fascinating ideas about the nature of mind, the microverse, evolution, and the future of our species and civilization with pulse-pounding immediacy. In Blood Music, a disgruntled scientist working to imbue virus with computational capabilities is fired from his job and smuggles his experimental microbes home by injecting them into his own bloodstream. The bizarre and horrifying results are of more than academic interest to mankind, and will haunt the reader long after closing the book.

MATTHEW REILLY or JAMES ROLLINS - Both authors spin fast and furious thrill rides in which valiant heroes struggle over alien technologies and bizarre biological threats in colorful locales from Polar regions (Reilly's Ice Station and Rollins' Ice Hunt) to equatorial jungles (Reilly's Temple and Rollins' Amazonia), while fending off big cats, crocodiles, killer whales, Komodo dragons, sharks, and maniacal villains bent on world domination.

DEAN KOONTZ - any title

TESS GERRITSEN - any title

CLIVE CUSSLER - any title

WATCH-A-LIKES - If you enjoy Michael Crichton's writing, try these movie titles...

Westworld - This story of a technological paradise suddenly turned nightmare is a genuine shocker. For $1,000 a day, vacationers can indulge whims at the "theme park" called Westworld where the gunhands and dance-hall girls are all robots programmed to serve the guests' violent and lustful fantasies--until something goes wrong with their circuitry.

Congo - An expedition to return a gorilla to Africa and find the Lost City of Zinj and its diamond mines encounters a variety of dangers. -

Twister - Scientist Jo Harding and her crack team of tornado chasers are pursuing the most destructive weatherfront to sweep through mid-America's Tornado Alley in 50 years. TV weatherman Bill Harding is trying to get his tornado-hunter wife, Jo, to sign divorce papers so he can marry his girlfriend Melissa. But Mother Nature, in the form of a series of intense storms has other plans. Jo's team is planning to launch revolutionary electronic sensors into the funnel of the tornado. They hope to obtain data to create an improved weather warning system. In order to get the sensors to work, the team must intercept the twister.

Jurassic Park - A wealthy entrepreneur invites a top paleontologist, a paleobotanist, a mathematician/theorist, and his two eager grandchildren to visit his secret island theme park featuring living dinosaurs created from prehistoric DNA.

The Andromeda Strain - A remote village in New Mexico is contaminated by a crashed satellite. Scientists fight the clock trying to analyze the lethal organism and discover a solution.

The Great Train Robbery - A recreation of the dramatic 19th century train robbery masterminded by Edward Pierce. He was the first man in history to rob a moving train, and he and his accomplices got away with a fortune in gold.

Sphere - Far below the surface in the mid-Pacific, U.S. officials have isolated what may be the greatest discovery in human history. They've found a huge spacecraft that plunged into the depths--300 years ago. What is the spacecraft's origin? After three centuries, could there still be a living intelligence aboard?

Become a fan of Michael Crichton on Facebook and join thousands of other fans that enjoy his work.

May We Suggest....JODI PICOULT

Jodi Picoult is the bestselling author of 17 novels: Songs of the Humpback Whale (1992), Harvesting the Heart (1994), Picture Perfect (1995), Mercy (1996), The Pact (1998), Keeping Faith (1999), Plain Truth (2000), Salem Falls (2001), Perfect Match (2002), Second Glance (2003), My Sister's Keeper (2004), Vanishing Acts (2005), The Tenth Circle (2006), Nineteen Minutes (2007), Change of Heart (2008), Handle with Care (2009) - the last three of which debuted at number one on the New York Times Bestseller List - and her newest novel, House Rules (2010).

Picoult studied creative writing at Princeton and had two short stories published in Seventeen Magazine, while still as student. Picoult held a series of different jobs following her graduation: as a techinical writer for Wall Street brokerage firm, as a copywriter at an ad agency, as an editor at a textbook publisher, as as an 8th grade English teacher - before entering Harvard to pursue a master's in education. She married Tim Van Leer, whom she had known at Princeton, and it was while she was pregnant with her first child that she wrote her first novel, Songs of the Humpback Whale.

She has received numerous awards for her writing, including New England Bookseller Award for Fiction in 2003. She wrote five issues of the Wonder Woman comic book series for DC Comics. Her books are translated into 34 languages in 35 countries. Three - The Pact, Plain Truth and The Tenth Circle - have been made into television movies. My Sister's Keeper was a big screen release from New Line Cinema.

Jodi, Tim and their three children live in Hanover, New Hampshire with three Springer spaniels, two donkeys, two geese, eight ducks, five chickens and the occasional Holstein.

READ-A-LIKES - If you like Jodi Picoult's books, try these...

Chris Bohjalian - This New England author closely matches the Picoult's style, characters and subject matter. There are several of his books that have similar themes, such as Before You Know Kindness: a novel, Midwives, and The Buffalo Soldier: a novel.

Jacquelyn Mitchard - This author is best known as the debut novelist Oprah Winfrey plucked from obscurity with her first book selection The Deep End of the Ocean. Other titles similar to Picoult's work include - A Theory of Relativity, The Breakdown Lane and No Time to Wave Goodbye: a novel.

Anita Shreve - This author oftens sets her novels in New England and her protagonists are often women with family cconcerns. Her novel, The Pilot's Wife, was also an Oprah Winfrey pick. Other titles of interest are All He Ever Wanted: a novel and Eden Close.

Sue Miller - Fans of Jodi Picoult should not let this author escape their notices. Her novels often delve deep into the character's emotions. Consider While I Was Gone, Lost in the Forest and The Senator's Wife.

WATCH-A-LIKES - If you're a fan of Jodi Picoult, you might enjoy these movies...

One True Thing - based on the novel by Anna Quindlen

How To Make An American Quilt - based on the novel by Whitney Otto

Stepmom - starring Julia Roberts

Seven Pounds - starring Will Smith

Autumn in New York - starring Richard Gere

IF YOU'RE A FAN OF JODI PICOULT, DON'T MISS HER FACEBOOK PAGE AND JOIN THOUSANDS OF OTHER FANS!

May We Suggest...Lori Copeland

A local author living right here in the Ozarks, Lori Copeland is a prolific writer with more than 95 published books. Her writings include fun-hearted mysteries to contemporary stories in small town settings to historical romances. Lori's website cites that even though her writing career began in 1982 for the secular book market, years later she felt that God wished her to use her gift to honor Him. In 1995, Lori began writing for the Christian book market. Besides her writing, Lori is very involved in supporting missionaries to Mali, West Africa where work is being done to help a local group of people called the Kagoros.

Read-a-likes

Lori Wick, another Midwesterner, writes contemporary and historical romances that are Evangelical in nature. If you like Copeland's Old West series, Men of the Sadle, then try Wick's Yellow Rose trilogy.

Fans of Debbie Macomber's contemporary stories in small town settings, such as the Cedar Cove series and the Blossom Street series, will find Copeland's humorous Morning Shade series equally appealing.

Readers that enjoy Copeland's historical romances should try Gilbert and Lynn Morris' popular long-running series featuring Cheney Duvall, M.D.

Watch-a-likes

Janette Oke's Love Comes Softly series from the Hallmark Channel.

Mail Order Bride - A con woman tries to start her life over on the right track by moving to another state and assuming her deceased friend's identity, until her past threatens to destroy her future.

Every Second Counts - A gifted 17-year-old equestrian on the verge of becoming a world class champion faces the biggest decision in her life: whether to pursue her father's dream of becoming a professional or her aspirations to go to college and lead a normal life.

An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving - Things are so bad for recently widowed farmer Mary Bassett and her three children that this Thanksgiving they may not be able to afford a turkey for their dinner.

Fans

Are you a fan of Lori? Find other fans on Facebook. Book trailers and upcoming books are featured on her website.

Staff Picks: Poetry

The Cinnamon Peeler: Selected Poems by Michael Ondaatje
Absolute Trust in the Goodness of the Earth: New Poems by Alice Walker
Loose Woman: Poems by Sandra Cisneros
Howl: And Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg
Seleted Poems by Gwendolyn Brooks
The Broken World: Poems by Marcus Cafagna
19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East by Naomi Shihab Nye
Vintage Hughes by Langston Hughes
The Language of Life: A Festival of Poets by Bill Moyers, et al.
An Invitation to Poetry: A New Favorite Poem Project Anthology by Robert Pinsky, et al.
American Wits: an Anthology of Light Verse by John Hollander, Ed.
The Pushcart Book of Poetry: the Best Poems from Three Decades of the Pushcart Prize by John Murray, Ed.
Any books from the Best American Poetry series.

Contributer: Jesse Alexander-East, Children's Department Manager, The Library Center

May We Suggest...James Patterson

James Patterson was described by Time magazine as, "The Man Who Can't Miss". According to Bookscan, he has sold more books than any other author in the past three years. He is the first author to have #1 titles simultaneously on the New York Times adult and children's lists and is the only author to have five new hardcover novels debut #1 on the list in one year every year since 2005. Patterson has had nineteen consecutive #1 New York Times bestselling novels and holds the New York Times record for the most Hardcover Fiction bestselling titles by a single author, which is also a Guinness World Record.

Patterson writes several series, including those about characters Alex Cross, Michael Bennet, the four founding ladies of the Women's Murder Club, Max and her flock in Maximum Ride, Daniel X, and Wisty and Whit Allgood in Witch & Wizard. He also has several stand-alone novels that range from a children's holiday picture book to a sizzling summer read.

Two of his novels have been made into movies: Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider both starring Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross. The ABC network ran a 13-episode season of the Women's Murder Club, starring Angie Harmon.

Read-alikes

John Sanford writes a similar suspense, hard-edged series (Prey series) that also have a police detective as their hero. Try the first, Rules of Prey, or the single title Night Crew.

If you like plot twists or alternating points of view, try Greg Iles. He writes more elegantly than Patterson, but tells just as complex stories. Try his novel, The Devil's Punchbowl.

Reading Jeffrey Deaver is like reading Patterson only with a nightmare quality. Try his novel, Devil's Teardrop. In it you will get a glimpse of his series character, Lincoln Rhyme.

If what you like about Patterson is the pace, that once-you-start-reading-you-can't-put-the-book-down feeling, you may like these authors:

Tell No One by Harlen Coben

The Big Picture by Douglas Kennedy

Verticle Run by Joseph Garber

Watch-a-Likes

Seven starring Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt

High Crimes starring Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd

Bone Collector starring Denzel Washington as Lincoln Rhyme and Angelie Jolie

Silence of the Lambs starring Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster

Or try any of the seasons of the hit television shows:

Criminal Minds

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Profiler

Fans

Are you a fan of JP? His website houses many groups you can join, including character- and series-driven clubs to young writers that want help with their stories. You can also become a fan of his Facebook page.

by Tysha Shay, Reference Manager, The Library Station

National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month (NPM). It is a month-long, national celebration poetry established by the Academy of American Poets. So, how can I celebrate? Well, you can start by going to http://www.poets.org/. This site provides all kinds of poetry information, including thousands of poems, as well as poet biographies, and a national events calendar. I would suggest going to the page that features Missouri poets, poetry, events, literary journals, and more. You can also get some ideas for how to celebrate NPM from the 30 Ways to Celebrate page. You can also come to the Library Station where we have a National Poetry Month display. Change it up! Check out some poetry this week.

Read-alikes

Donna Seaman provided a list of readalikes on Booklist Online this week. Her theme: Treasures Unburied. This is what she had to say:

The hunt for buried treasure is an archetypal theme in literature the world over, whether it involves the hidden loot of pirates, an explorer's quest for ancient objects, or an individual looking for family heirlooms. Not only does an arduous and risky search make for a delectable adventure story, the unearthing of a precious object or truth can also have unintended consequences that yield intriguing insights into both history and the human psyche. Each novel of excavated treasures cited below takes a highly imaginative approach to this flexible theme(Donna Seaman, Booklist Online, April 1, 2010).

The following are Seaman's picks, of Treasures Unburied read-alikes available through the Library:

The Bonesetters Daughter by Amy Tan

In the Shadow of the Cypress by Thomas Steinbeck (audiobook cd)

Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Winterson

Once on a moonless night by Sijie Dai

Remarkable creatures by Tracy Chevalier

The Rosetta Key by William Dietrich

Ruins by Achy Obejas

*to place a hold on a book, just click the desired book title above. It will take you to the book's record in the Library catalog. Click on the Place A Hold button on the screen, enter your first or last name, your library card number, and chose a pick-up location. You will be contacted when your book is available for pick-up.