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Showing posts with label book launch. Show all posts
[Book Blurb] The Medici Boy by John L'Heureux
Donatello: Art, Pain, Passion, Murder
“John L’Heureux has built a gripping story of love, genius and betrayal.”
--JM Coetzee, Nobel Prize for Literature, Booker Prize Winner
“Deeply enjoyable, The Medici Boy soars like an operatic aria, before breaking our hearts.”
--David Henry Hwang, playwright, M. Butterfly, Chinglish
“L’Heureux’s
is certainly one of America’s greatest living writers. I’d put him in
the top ten...And now he’s come out with his first new novel in ten
years, The Medici Boy, and it’s a masterpiece, the most ambitious,
beautiful, and complex novel I’ve read this year…”
--David Vann, Financial Times of London
Astor + Blue Editions is proud to release perhaps the most passionate work of master storyteller, John L’Heureux, in The Medici Boy [ISBN: 978-1-938231-50-6
(Hard Cover); ISBN: 978-1-938231-48-3 (E-book); US $25.95; Historical /
Literary Fiction; 346 Pages, April, 2014]. Described as “one of America’s greatest living writers” by the Financial Times of London,
L’Heureux returns with a long-awaited new historical fiction novel; the
result of years of research—backed by a Guggenheim Grant—on location in
Europe.
In this well-conceived, historically accurate rendering, the Renaissance
worlds of art, politics and passion collide. With his distinct style
and rich, sinewy narrative, L’Heureux ingeniously transports the reader
to Donatello’s Renaissance Italy—directly into his bottega, (workshop), as witnessed through the eyes of Luca Mattei, a devoted assistant.
While creating his famous bronze of David and Goliath,
Donatello’s passion for his enormously beautiful model and part time
rent boy, Agnolo, ignites a dangerous jealousy that ultimately leads to
murder. Luca, the complex and conflicted assistant, will sacrifice all
to save Donatello, even his master’s friend—the great patron of art,
Cosimo de’ Medici.
John
L’Heureux’s long-awaited hardcover delivers both a monumental and
intimate narrative of the creative genius, Donatello, at the height of
his powers. With incisive detail, L’Heureux artfully renders the master
sculptor’s forbidden homosexual passions, and the artistry that
enthralled the leading—and competing—powerbrokers of Renaissance
Florence: the Medici and Albizzi families. The finished work is a
sumptuously detailed narrative that entertains while it delves deeply
into both the sacred and the profane within one of the Italian
Renaissance’s most consequential cities, fifteenth century Florence.
###
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Award-winning
poet, novelist, and short story writer, John L’Heureux has taught at
Georgetown University, Tufts, Harvard, and (for more than 35 years) in
the English Department of Stanford University where he was Lane
Professor of Humanities. There he received the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and earned it again in 1998.
A prolific writer, L’Heureux has written more than twenty books of fiction, short fiction and poetry. His works have appeared in the Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, Harper’s, The New Yorker, and have been included in dozens of anthologies including Best American Stories and Prize Stories: the O. Henry Awards.
John
L’Heureux has twice received writing fellowships from the National
Endowment for the Arts and in 2006 he was awarded a Guggenheim Grant to
do research for The Medici Boy, his new novel.
He is retired and lives in Palo Alto with his wife Joan.
###
You can check out the cinematic book trailer in the link below:
Also, this book has got some press from the Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/book-world-the-medici-boy-by-john-lheureux/2014/05/04/82984268-cf1c-11e3-a6b1-45c4dffb85a6_story.html?wprss=rss_entertainment
Do check it out when you can!
Tag :
book launch,
Fallen: The Event. Lauren Kate in Manila
My heart literally pounded when I saw this from National Bookstore's Facebook page:
Lauren Kate is coming to Manila! Oh.My.God. I have to get to this event!
Anyway, from snooping on the facebook site of NBS, I got information on how to secure invites for the event and have your book signed as well.
To get invites, simply buy a copy of Fallen or Torment from today until the event -- there are papers on the back of the book that would serve as your invite for the event at the Podium on November 27th, 2010, 5pm.
To get your book signed, well, its a different story -- if there are too many people that go to the event then the names would be raffled off. Lucky people who would get called would get their books signed, after all, Lauren can only sign a certain number of books.
But oh my god. I am so stooooked! I guess I'll see you at the event then?? :)
Trash Book Launch
So, last Tuesday, Oct 19th, I got a chance to go to the book launch of "Trash" by Andy Mulligan at National Bookstore Glorietta 5. This is my third book launch so far, second of Andy Mulligan's, and I wouldn't pass up a chance to have a book signed! The launch was attended by a lot of British nationals [well, obviously since Andy Mulligan is also British, and taught at the British School Manila so his colleagues, and former students were out there to support him].
The launch started at 5pm, where he was introduced by a big boss of National Bookstore [NBS], and there was a brief question & answer by the audience and also by the host!
Some notable questions and his answers:
**What are you currently working on?
He's currently working on another book, due for next year. It's about a girl who falls in love with a boy from the streets. So Trash lives again [everyone laughs]. It was a work in progress but Mr. Mulligan's laptop was stolen so he has to rebuild everything from scratch!
Note: However, we should be able to get something new from him by Feb 2011! It will be a sequel to Ribblestrop, entitled "Return To Ribblestrop." Oooh! I can't wait for that! And ooh man, let's hope Andy gets to remember all the lines he typed when he was creating his new novel.. it's due to be sent to the publisher this December 2010 so here's hoping there's another book out after the Return to Ribblestrop novel!
**Will you hold another book launch when Return to Ribblestrop comes out? [personal question that I asked when I was having my booked signed]
Hopefully National Bookstore will invite me again, but we'll see how it goes.
**Will there be a sequel to Trash?
Unfortunately, no. The book in itself is simple and there's not much elements to place in a sequel.
**Will Trash be turned into a movie?
There is a British filmmaking company who has already bought the rights to the book. They are currently on pre-production and are scouting for the location. They did go to Brazil and were thinking of setting the movie there. He was trying to convince the film people to try and film it in Manila, but unless he is JK Rowling or some other money making author, he has no rights to the filmmaking process. And currently, he's not getting his hopes up too early as these film people tend to put the red light on projects very quickly and unexpectedly.
**Are the characters of Trash based on someone you know?
Yes, there is a boy in India from which the main character, Raphael is loosely based on.
**How did you make the transition from a light young adult read [Ribblestrop] to a more serious young adult read?
As a background, Andy Mulligan has already penned his debut novel titled Ribblestrop - it's about a group of kids in a school... well, they are very, very special kids and the school is quite special as well. Andy says that writing Ribblestrop was harder because there were too many characters involved and intertwining them in the novel takes far more time. Trash, on the other hand, only involves three characters and the story is far more simple than Ribblestrop.
**How do you feel that children reading your book may think how lucky they are that they are not living in the streets?
The novel wasn't written as a journalistic expose meant for kids to realize the realities of what's outside. It was just written as a tourist seeing what's real in MNL. If the kids realized that they are lucky then it's good that they learned something but the book definitely wasn't meant to be written in an expose form.
**No photos from the book launch from my camera yet! I've no idea when I'm going to get the time to upload them though!
The launch started at 5pm, where he was introduced by a big boss of National Bookstore [NBS], and there was a brief question & answer by the audience and also by the host!
**me interviewing Andy Mulligan. Photo by National Bookstore from their Facebook site.
Some notable questions and his answers:
**What are you currently working on?
He's currently working on another book, due for next year. It's about a girl who falls in love with a boy from the streets. So Trash lives again [everyone laughs]. It was a work in progress but Mr. Mulligan's laptop was stolen so he has to rebuild everything from scratch!
Note: However, we should be able to get something new from him by Feb 2011! It will be a sequel to Ribblestrop, entitled "Return To Ribblestrop." Oooh! I can't wait for that! And ooh man, let's hope Andy gets to remember all the lines he typed when he was creating his new novel.. it's due to be sent to the publisher this December 2010 so here's hoping there's another book out after the Return to Ribblestrop novel!
**Will you hold another book launch when Return to Ribblestrop comes out? [personal question that I asked when I was having my booked signed]
Hopefully National Bookstore will invite me again, but we'll see how it goes.
**Will there be a sequel to Trash?
Unfortunately, no. The book in itself is simple and there's not much elements to place in a sequel.
**Will Trash be turned into a movie?
There is a British filmmaking company who has already bought the rights to the book. They are currently on pre-production and are scouting for the location. They did go to Brazil and were thinking of setting the movie there. He was trying to convince the film people to try and film it in Manila, but unless he is JK Rowling or some other money making author, he has no rights to the filmmaking process. And currently, he's not getting his hopes up too early as these film people tend to put the red light on projects very quickly and unexpectedly.
**Are the characters of Trash based on someone you know?
Yes, there is a boy in India from which the main character, Raphael is loosely based on.
**How did you make the transition from a light young adult read [Ribblestrop] to a more serious young adult read?
As a background, Andy Mulligan has already penned his debut novel titled Ribblestrop - it's about a group of kids in a school... well, they are very, very special kids and the school is quite special as well. Andy says that writing Ribblestrop was harder because there were too many characters involved and intertwining them in the novel takes far more time. Trash, on the other hand, only involves three characters and the story is far more simple than Ribblestrop.
**How do you feel that children reading your book may think how lucky they are that they are not living in the streets?
The novel wasn't written as a journalistic expose meant for kids to realize the realities of what's outside. It was just written as a tourist seeing what's real in MNL. If the kids realized that they are lucky then it's good that they learned something but the book definitely wasn't meant to be written in an expose form.
**No photos from the book launch from my camera yet! I've no idea when I'm going to get the time to upload them though!
Tag :
book launch,
Blog Tour: Nebula's Music by Aubrie Dionne
Hiya everyone! It is my pleasure to host a blog tour for the first time. Wheeee! So below is an interview with Aubrie Dionne and I hope you guys support her by getting her book "Nebula's Music"!
ficklefan: Where did you get your inspiration for your book?
Aubrey Dionne: I love the genre of Space Opera. I’m a big fan of Star Wars, Star Trek, Pitch Black, Serenity, anything that has romance and action up in space! Nebula’s music is my first foray into that genre and boy did I have a great time writing it.
Nebula is inspired by the character Data from The Next Generation. I watched star Trek growing up at 7pm and 7:30pm every night for about seven years. Data's journey to become more human fascinated me. There was one scene where he plays the violin and I marveled at the fact that he can take up an instrument and play it perfectly in minutes compared to a human that has to spend a lifetime perfecting their skills. But did his music have emotion? Probably not.
Nebula is not entirely an andriod. She's made from a real human and experiences that woman's past memories. In a way, she's closer to being human than Data can ever be, but can she break some of the barriers that he never could? Can she experience fear, triumph, or fall in love? Would a human reciprocate that love?
Nebula is inspired by the character Data from The Next Generation. I watched star Trek growing up at 7pm and 7:30pm every night for about seven years. Data's journey to become more human fascinated me. There was one scene where he plays the violin and I marveled at the fact that he can take up an instrument and play it perfectly in minutes compared to a human that has to spend a lifetime perfecting their skills. But did his music have emotion? Probably not.
Nebula is not entirely an andriod. She's made from a real human and experiences that woman's past memories. In a way, she's closer to being human than Data can ever be, but can she break some of the barriers that he never could? Can she experience fear, triumph, or fall in love? Would a human reciprocate that love?
ficklefan: What book are you reading now, are you currently enjoying it?
Aubrey Dionne: I'm currently reading Shadowmarch by Tad Williams and I love it. It's epic fantasy on a grand scale. The books in my to be read pile are: The Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, and Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter.
ficklefan: Do you set a writing time wherein you have to achieve x number of words written?
Aubrey Dionne: I try to get one thousand words a day, five days a week. Some weeks are better than others, but that seems to work for me. I end up writing a short story every month and a new book every six months.
ficklefan: Who are the authors you admire, and why?
Aubrey Dionne: I admire the old classics: Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice), Lord Tennyson (The Lady of Shalott), and Charlotte Bronte (Jane Eyre). They set the stage for all of us!
ficklefan: After reading your book, would you have any suggestions on what to read next?
Aubrey Dionne: My next novel, Messenger in the Mist, comes out in July. It's about a messenger torn between two kingdoms, scheduled to deliver a letter that carries the assassination plans for the man she loves.ficklefan: Do you have any guilty pleasures that you wish to share?
Aubrey Dionne: Chocolate, watching Pirates of the Caribbean over and over again, checking my email all the time, and watching Ghost Hunters.
ficklefan: Aside from writing, what are the other things you'd want to do?
Aubrey Dionne: I play and teach flute for my other career and I love playing in orchestras and playing for weddings. I'd also like to travel to England , Australia , and Aruba !
ficklefan: Can you relate in some ways with your main character? If so, why?
Aubrey Dionne: Oh yes! Every character that I write has part of me in them. Nebula is only a few years old, so she's socially behind. I was the youngest in my grade and so I struggled with the same problems all the way through high school. I was the last one to drive, I was the last one to wear makeup, etc etc.
Thank you for the interview!
Aubrie
Thank you for the interview!
Aubrie
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Each note brings her one step closer to the truth.
When the cyborg Nebula plays the piano she experiences memories from a time before her creation. These memories—which involve a captive rebel fighter being held on their ship—bring with them complex human feelings and awaken a desire for her to discover her origins.
Radian is the long-lost love of the woman from which Nebula was made. He’s vowed to avenge his finance’s death and rescue her sister from the Gryphonites, a fierce race out to enslave the galaxy. Nebula grapples with her identity and how much of who she is comes from someone else’s past. She is not the woman that died, yet she is undeniably drawn to Radian.
Together Nebula and Radian seek to rescue his fiancé’s sister and end the Gryphonites’ cruel reign. But can Radian learn to love again and can Nebula accept a past made from someone else’s memories?
Each note brings her one step closer to the truth.
When the cyborg Nebula plays the piano she experiences memories from a time before her creation. These memories—which involve a captive rebel fighter being held on their ship—bring with them complex human feelings and awaken a desire for her to discover her origins.
Radian is the long-lost love of the woman from which Nebula was made. He’s vowed to avenge his finance’s death and rescue her sister from the Gryphonites, a fierce race out to enslave the galaxy. Nebula grapples with her identity and how much of who she is comes from someone else’s past. She is not the woman that died, yet she is undeniably drawn to Radian.
Together Nebula and Radian seek to rescue his fiancé’s sister and end the Gryphonites’ cruel reign. But can Radian learn to love again and can Nebula accept a past made from someone else’s memories?
Ilustrado Book Launch.
I find that there's not much book launches done here in Manila. I was absolutely stoked when I saw an ad from National Bookstore that Miguel Syjuco is launching his debut novel, "Ilustrado" on April 10th.
At first, I was a bit hesitant to go -- the heat is overbearing in MNL and well, that's the only thing that's stopping me. But then I realized: "How many book launches will I ever get to go this year?" And so I dragged myself from my comfortable bed and went to the event.
I was a bit early, I arrived around 1:15PM and it turns out that the press launch was at 1:00PM and the book signing was at 2:00. I was just in time! Yay! So, I listened to Miguel as he talked about his book to the media, how he had felt when he won the prestigious Man Asia Literary Prize and the Palanca Book Award, and where he got his inspiration from his books [ie he lifted some parts from his own favourite books]
This is the first time I attended [albeit accidentally] a press launch and I don't really know what to expect! I did manage to get some videos but please bear with me if I can't upload them now.
After the talk, there was a Q&A session and one of the cutest thing that happened was Miguel answering a difficult question his mum had asked him!
There was an autograph signing after the talk and I managed to get my book and a friend's book signed too. For those living in Manila, if you didn't get your book signed during the event, you can still avail of a 20% book discount to Ilustrado until April 30th if you buy the book from National Bookstore. Regular price is P385, sale price is now P308! That's quite a huge price difference, you can still use that extra money to buy sale books or commute! =)
Forgive the photos - i was seated way out back and I only brought my basic point & shoot camera with me to the launch.
I was a bit early, I arrived around 1:15PM and it turns out that the press launch was at 1:00PM and the book signing was at 2:00. I was just in time! Yay! So, I listened to Miguel as he talked about his book to the media, how he had felt when he won the prestigious Man Asia Literary Prize and the Palanca Book Award, and where he got his inspiration from his books [ie he lifted some parts from his own favourite books]
This is the first time I attended [albeit accidentally] a press launch and I don't really know what to expect! I did manage to get some videos but please bear with me if I can't upload them now.
After the talk, there was a Q&A session and one of the cutest thing that happened was Miguel answering a difficult question his mum had asked him!
There was an autograph signing after the talk and I managed to get my book and a friend's book signed too. For those living in Manila, if you didn't get your book signed during the event, you can still avail of a 20% book discount to Ilustrado until April 30th if you buy the book from National Bookstore. Regular price is P385, sale price is now P308! That's quite a huge price difference, you can still use that extra money to buy sale books or commute! =)
Forgive the photos - i was seated way out back and I only brought my basic point & shoot camera with me to the launch.
Tag :
2010 books,
book launch,