Books are my passion and I read a lot of them. On this blog you can read more about all the lovely books that enter my life. Have a book you think I woul enjoy? Please check my review policy.
I do not accept awards since I don't like to highlight just a few bloggers, when there are some many great ones out there.
I prefer to read physical books, not ebooks. One reason I, and many like me, prefer physical books, is the smell. Sometimes I just hold the book in front on my face and smell it. You don't get the same experience with a kindle or a nook. Until now ... Karl Lagerfeld have developed a bookperfume, and it is now possible to buy it:
Karl Lagerfeld is quoted with this:“The smell of a freshly printed book is the best smell in the world.”
In a pressrelease the following is stated:- This is an opportunity to celebrate all the glorious sensuality of books, at a time when many in the industry are turning against them. The idea is that is should relax you, like when you read a book, to a level of meditation and concentration. Paper passion has evolved into something quite beautiful and unique. To wear the smell of a book is something very chic. Books are players in the intellectual world, but also in the world of luxury.
The perfume costs 115 dollar. Maybe a great present to a booklover?
Lagerfeld's perfume is not the first time someone have tried to cash in on the smell of books. Since 2009 Kindle users, among others, have been able to buy the smell of books on a box:
Does your Kindle leave you feeling like there’s something missing from your reading experience? Have you been avoiding e-books because they just don’t smell right? If you’ve been hesitant to jump on the e-book bandwagon, you’re not alone. Book lovers everywhere have resisted digital books because they still don’t compare to the experience of reading a good old fashioned paper book.But all of that is changing thanks to Smell of Books™, a revolutionary new aerosol e-book enhancer.Now you can finally enjoy reading e-books without giving up the smell you love so much. With Smell of Books™ you can have the best of both worlds, the convenience of an e-book and the smell of your favorite paper book. Smell of Books™ is compatible with a wide range of e-reading devices and e-book formats and is 100% DRM-compatible. Whether you read your e-books on a Kindle or an iPhone using Stanza, Smell of Books™ will bring back that real book smell you miss so much.
Would you consider buying something like this? I really want the perfume, just to smell it.
Maggie Stiefvater, the author of the trilogy the Wolves of Mercy Falls and the book the Scorpio Races, and her publisher Scholastic announced today that they soon will be publishing a completely new series for the young adult audience written by Stiefvater.
The Raven Cycle will consist of four books, and the first one, The Raven Boys, will be published September 18th this year. Stiefvater have called this series "magical" and you will find elements of the paranormal, suspense and romance in the books. Here is what the publisher writes about the first book in this series:
The Raven Boys introduces readers to Richard “Dick” Campbell Gansey, III and Blue Sargent. Gansey has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on the hunt to find Glendower, a vanished Welsh king. Legend has it that the first person to find him will be granted a wish—either by seeing him open his eyes, or by cutting out his heart. Blue Sargent, the daughter of the town psychic in Henrietta, Virginia, has been told for as long as she can remember that if she ever kisses her true love, he will die. But she is too practical to believe in things like true love. Her policy is to stay away from the rich boys at the prestigious Aglionby Academy. The boys there—known as Raven Boys—can only mean trouble. When Gansey and his Raven Boy friends come into her life, Blue realizes how true this is. She never thought her fortune would be a problem. But now she’s not so sure.
I am thrilled that Stiefvater will be publishing a new series. I have still to read the last book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls - trilogy and the Scorpio Races, but I love her writing style. This is so exciting news.
Every autumn there is a bunch of new series on television. Some of them become very popular, and are turned into books later. That is the case for series like Supernatural og Criminal Minds.
But a lot of TV - series have been books before they were filmed for TV. Rizzoli & Isles, The Vampire Diaries, Bones, Dexter, True Blood and A Game of Thrones are examples of that. This autumn there will be a lot of new TV - series based on books. Here are some of them:
(be aware that some of the trailers involve spoilers)
This series is also based on fairytales, the fairytales collected by the brothers Grimm to be excact. The producers behind this series are the same that produced Buffy og Angel.
Rowling more positive to e-books J.K. Rowling have refused to sell the digital rights to her series about Harry Potter, but now she have, according to her agent, decided to think about it again. The digital rights to Rowling’s bookseries are estimated to 100 million GPB.
Sweden’ answer to Twilight A new young adult series is creating headlines in the Swedish newspapers. The Circle will be released in Sweden in the middle of April, and is predicted to be a big success. The book is the first in a planned trilogy telling the story of six teenage girls who find out that they have magical powers and are in fact witches. The rights have been sold to the UK, Estonia, Italy, Germany. Denmark and Norway at auction, and 20th Century Fox have expressed interest in making an American movie version of the series. The Swedish booktrailer:
New trilogy from Brennan Sarah Rees Brennan, know for the Demon’s Lexicon, is working on a trilogy.Listen for a Whisper is descriced as a gothic where a young journalist finds out that her hometown is harboring many secrets. The series will be published by Random House Children’s.
Steampunk from Carriger. Gail Carriger is working on her first young adult – series. Espionage and Etiquette is a spinoff from Soulless and takes places 25 years before Soulless. The series is described as Ally Carter meets Steampunk. There will be published at least four books.
Ghosts from Schwab The Near Witch have created a big buzz in the blogosphere, even though the book have not been published yet. Schwab is currently working on her next project, a book about ghosts which will be called The Archived.
The next big thing? The Lacios Project may be the next bestseller in the young adult genre. Harper Children’s will publish the series which is written by Erin Bowman. The storyline revolves around a town where boys are being kidnapped before they turn 18 years old. None of the boys are ever seen again. Bowman have published parts of the first chapter on internet.
New post-apocalyptic series Harper Teen will publish Demitria Lunetta's In the After. A post - apocalyptic trilogy where the readers meet a 17 year old girl who is doing her best to survive in a vicious world and protecting a little boy. The first book wil be published in 2012.
New series from Conrad NYT bestselling author, Lauren Conrad, is writing a new series. Conrad, who have written the L.A. Candy series, is now working on The Fame Game. This is a trilogy featuring Madison Parker, one of the characters from the L.A. Candy universe. Publication will begin winter 2012.
There was also presentations of the hottest titles being published in the UK this fall on the London Book Fair this week. I will be back with more information on that soon.
Today I am very happy to welcome Alyson Noel to both my blogs. Give her a warm welcome!
It is a special day today, because "Evermore" is released in Norway in Norwegian translation this weekend. I am so excited about that. Alyson Noel's series is pure magic. It is one of my favorites, and I hope the Norwegian readers, who haven't read her yet, will also embrace it.
Here is the Norwegian cover:
I interviewed Alyson in June, the interview was aimed at the Norwegian readers. Here is what she told me: Thanks a lot for accepting this interview, Alyson Noel. You have written 4 books in the Immortals series so far, and they have all been well received. How does that feel?
It feels like a dream come true! Prior to THE IMMORTALS I’d written seven contemporary novels—six for teens, one for adults—and with EVERMORE being my first attempt at paranormal I wasn’t sure how it would be received, so I was completely thrilled to see the way that readers have embraced it!
How would you describe the series to someone who hasn’t heard of it yet?
I would say that it’s an exciting, romantic, paranormal tale of alchemy, reincarnation, mystical dimensions, immortals, ghosts, auras, and chakras, and two star-crossed lovers, Ever and Damen, who’ve traveled across time—across continents—to be together, only to be thwarted each time. But now that they’ve found each other again, they’re determined to overcome all of their obstacles to realize the happily ever after they’ve sought through the centuries.
Where did you get the idea for the Immortals?
THE IMMORTALS was born form grief. Five years ago I lost three people I loved in five months, and shortly after that almost lost my husband to leukemia (he’s in full remission now). Experiencing that sort of intense grief and fear got me thinking a lot about life and death, mortality and immortality, and the binds that tie us to our loved ones even after they’re gone, and Ever and Damen’s story was born from there.
How many books can we expect about Ever and the Immortals?
There will be six books in total. I’m working on the final book now.
How do you go about when you develop a character?
I usually start with a premise—a sort of “what if” scenario—then I come up with a character who is not at all ready to handle the situation and challenge she’ll find herself in, then I create a cast of allies and enemies, then I watch them all grow and change as we head off on the journey!
How is a normal writing day for you and when and where do you write?
I have a home office that I head for each morning, and I pretty much stay there all day, drinking green tea, answering e-mail, twittering, facebooking, myspacing, and, of course, writing! I aim for 2000-3000 words a day, sometimes I’m able to accomplish it in a few hours, sometimes it takes all day, but I don’t stop until I hit it. I keep to this routine seven days a week, including most holidays.
Do you do a lot of research and planning before you sit down to write?
Research is one of my favorite parts of the process, and for THE IMMORTALS I did a lot of it. I read a lot of books on metaphysics, reincarnation, near death experiences, auras, chakras, ghosts, mediums, psychics, crystals—you name it—I also took a three-day psychic development class with world famous medium, James Van Praagh, and I went under hypnosis in several past life regressions as well. All of which was fun and fascinating and revealing, and most of which helped create the world of the books.
You deal with a lot of paranormal subjects, such as life after death, mediums, reading people’s auras etc. Do you believe in the supernatural yourself?
I definitely believe there is more to the world than what we are used to seeing!
“Radiance”, the first book in the spinoff series featuring Riley, Ever’s sister, is coming out in august. Why did you feel like writing a whole new series about her?
Riley was so much fun to write, that she actually ended up with a much bigger role in EVERMORE than I originally anticipated. So when I was approached to create a series told from Riley’s point of view, I jumped at the chance and I’m so glad I did. Writing RADIANCE turned out to be some of the most fun I’ve ever had while writing a book, so I really hope readers enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Is there any authors or books that have inspired or influenced your writing?
Judy Blume’s books inspired me to become a writer, JD Salinger’s books inspired me to keep at it. Has the Immortals been optioned for television or film yet?
We are in negotiations now for something that could turn out to be extremely exciting . . . my fingers are crossed!
What do you associate with Norway? Ever been here?
I have never been to Norway (yet!) but when I think of Norway I imagine pristine landscapes made of clear blue skies and sparkling waters, the artist Edward Munch, delicious sea food, and beautiful, friendly people—someday I hope to find out if I’m right!
Anything more you would like to add?
I’d just like to thank my Norwegian readers for all of their enthusiasm and support of THE IMMORTALS series—it really means the world to me, thank you!
Thank you so much, Alyson, for taking the time to do this. I am honored to have you on both my blogs today, and I wish you the best for the series about Riley.
If you haven't read The Immortals yet, I suggest you do so. It is really good. I love, love, love it!
Radiance is scheduled for release August 31th. I can't wait to get my hands on that book.
You can visit Alyson Noel's website here. And here is her blog.
Let's finish off with the trailer for Radiance. It is so beautifully made, and I love it:
Oslo Time
