A writer from New Zealand named Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923) once said, "The pleasure of all reading is doubled when one lives with another who shares the same books."

"Each time we re-read a book we get more out of it because we put more into it; a different person is reading it, and therefore it is a different book."

"Show me the books he loves and I shall know the man far better than through mortal friends."

"The oldest books are only just out to those who have not read them."

"What we become depends on what we read after all the professors have finished with us. The greatest university of all is the collection of books." -Thomas Carlyle

Legal Action in the Book Industry:

On June 23rd, a district court judge denied the plaintiffs' request in the suit against Oregon's minors' access law that would have blocked enforcement of the law until the trial is completed. The judge set the trial for October 3rd, 2008. The Minor Access Law makes it a felony to allow any minor under 13 to view or purchase a "sexually explicit" work. The plaintiff's are 6 Oregon area booksellers, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) in addition to a few other related organizations/groups. The groups filing the suit were disappointed in the judge's decision to leave the block in place until the trial is held, but they were glad the trial was given an early date.

The scheduled trial will judge the constitutionality of the statute that blocks the display and sale of books and magazines that plaintiffs reiterate are "protected by the first amendment."

For more information visit the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE).

Online Destinations for Those Who Love Books and Reading!

There are more and more websites popping up that cater to readers! Here are a few of our favorites:

LibraryThing.com: This site encourages users to input their personal library with reviews of books they've read. It is particularly useful for discovering new titles that you'll like by accessing other users' libraries that have similar reading tastes. You can also easily look up specific works by title and author. And from the publisher's perspective they've got a great early reader review program (and it's free of charge for the initial year or so which is an extra bonus!)

Shelfari.com: Another great site about books with some fun and interesting features for readers. It's easy to meet other readers with similar likes and dislikes and it's just as easy to stay anonymous and just read through the online discussions to get an idea of what you'd like to read next (and what you really DON'T want to read next!) And they've been doing a bit of revamping! We're looking forward to checking it out again soon!

BookSprouts.com: This is an online book club site. While the "book club" function could be incorporated into the more extensive sites, for some the simpler the better. This particular site is a new addition to the crowd and looks like it might be a great choice for those who are looking to arrange a reading group online (or even for those who want to arrange for some easy communication between the members of a longstanding reading group that meets monthly or bi-monthly, etc.) Check it out. It's got easy to use nomination and voting features to ensure that everyone in the group is as involved as they want to be and up to date on the latest info!

This is just a tiny portion of the huge mass of sites available to the avid reader online. Get out there and discover the site that accommodates your specific needs today!

Watch for Reviews of LJW Titles

Review copies of LJW Publishing's two upcoming releases have been sent out so you can be on the lookout for reviews of both 21st Century Advertising for New Home Builders and Meeting Lizzy. The books have been sent out to the big book reviewers in the publishing industry (both print and online publications), but LJW Publishing is just as excited to hear back from early reader review programs. Early reader review programs select random readers in the book's target market and provide them with copies prior to the actual publication date in exchange for reader reviews. It should be interesting! Watch for reviews from readers at LibraryThing.com and FlamingNet.com.

The Making of a YA Novel: Meeting Lizzy by SarahBeth Carter

I've recently had my taste in movies called into question. This led me to dissect my movie preferences to try to define why I like what I like. It's more difficult than you'd imagine! The result (after much thought, mental arguing, and talking to myself) was that I now know that I am obsessed with people.

I don't get obsessed with story lines near as much as I get attached to great characters. And they're not always likable. I love characters that are honest depictions. I love characters that are so real that I feel like I know them. I love characters that are so normal that when they do "normal" things it doesn't seem ridiculous. I love characters that are ordinary in every way except one (this is my explanation for my obsession with all movies "superhero"). I love to see ordinary people act extraordinary when the situation demands it and I believe this is a reflection of real life. (That last is an argument for my husband; apparently he doesn't think ordinary people are capable of acting extraordinary. This is his definition of unrealistic. I find that line of reasoning depressing and sad. But we've agreed to disagree).

I'm not saying that I don't love a good story. But ever since I started thinking about this I've realized how much it changes my perspective on things. If someone I know is relating an event in their life instead of finding myself asking questions along the lines of, "What happened next?" I find myself asking questions like, "How did you feel? Were you terrified?"
Some will question my sanity, but to those I say...it's been done and will be done again so feel free! I think characters are more important to a good movie than a good story. And I'll go so far as to take that same theory and say that it can be applied directly to books; at least that's a quality I find in my favorite books. And it's the method behind my madness when it comes to writing.

The initial idea for my latest project (Meeting Lizzy releasing September 19, 2008) came while I was driving home from a late night class on a deserted freeway in the rain. It wasn't a quick, barely there sprinkling typical of Arizona, but one of the rare, but intense downpours that always happen as soon as the sun has dried out and cracked your windshield wipers so visibility is pretty low. I remember the frequent overpasses blocked out the rain intermittently supplying me with bursts of silence amidst the sound of the pelting rain.

Realizing my radio wasn't on I tuned it in to one of my favorite stations and caught the end of a feisty, intense song about finding a reason to change who you are. When it was over I switched channels and ran into another song that happened to be right in the middle of a verse I recognized telling the story of someone who wanted to step in to help a stranger. That's all it took. The mixture of feelings created a character in my head. I immediately placed that character in an intense scenario and I pondered just what he would do all the way home. I started writing that night. The very beginning of Meeting Lizzy features the same character I envisioned in the very same scenario I had originally placed him in; it's intense, often uncomfortable, sometimes funny, and very honest.

Writing to me is capturing the essence of people on paper. What do they feel? What do they do? And why do they feel and do these things? I theorize that honest, believable characters carry the story, and I hope when you pick up Meeting Lizzy... you'll see just what I mean!

A Positive Voice Amongst the Mob of Negativity Surrounding New Home Builders

LJW Publishing’s upcoming release, 21st Century Advertising for New Home Builders by Preston John, will be on shelves July 18, 2008. The book is a timely addition to an industry that is currently being overwhelmed by the negative effects of a changing economy. The upcoming release may be described by some as a “survival guide” for those in the new home building industry, but Preston John would describe it as a guide to thriving in an industry of change.

The Book: 21st Century Advertising for New Home Builders
Publisher: LJW Publishing
Distributor: Atlas Books
Author: Preston John
ISBN 13: 978-0-9761986-5-9
Publication Date: July 18, 2008
Price: $12.95
Binding: paperback, perfect binding
Page Count: 196
Book Category: Business/General; Business/Construction; Business/Advertising

The Author: Preston John
The author, Preston John, is the C.E.O. of the nation’s largest Sales & Marketing firm specializing in New Home Builders. He is aware of the necessary steps to take during industry climate changes to ensure that his clients outlast their less prepared competitors. He has dedicated his career to sales & marketing in the real estate industry and continues to thrive on the never ending growth that completing the job successfully requires.

The Publisher: LJW Publishing
LJW Publishing is a division of LJW, Inc., founded 23 years ago and still experiencing new and exciting possibilities. LJW Publishing’s main offices are located in Mesa, Arizona just outside of Phoenix. The company is excited to publish this particular work as it is so applicable to current economic issues in the nation and in the new home building industry specifically.

For More Information:
For more information on the book, the author, or the publishing company contact Sarah Carter at sarah@larryjohnwright.com

Do You Belong to a Book Club?

by GauchoTexts (contact the author for info on book clubs!)

A book discussion club is a group of people who meet to discuss a book or books that they have read and express their opinions, likes, dislikes, etc. It is more often called simply a book club. Traditionally, a book club consists of several members who meet in person each month to talk about a specific book or literature.

However, the advent of web forums and email has made it possible for book clubs to exist online. Nowadays book discussion clubs may meet in private homes, libraries, bookstores, online forums, pubs, and in cafes or restaurants over meals or drinks. While both traditional and online book clubs offer readers the opportunity to participate in spirited discussions, each type has its own set of advantages.

In person meeting book clubs offer the benefit of having all members in the same room face to face, which makes for a much more personal and intimate experience. Since most in person meeting book clubs are somewhat small in size, each member typically has more control over what books are selected to read (often members will vote on a list of suggested titles that have been submitted or take turns selecting).

At the same time, it is often difficult to organize and maintain a book club that meets face to face regularly. In addition to the challenge of recruiting quality members for a book club, a regular meeting time and place may be difficult to establish, especially if members have busy schedules. A responsible and experienced moderator is also very difficult to find while maintaining such a book club. Also, the small size of the traditional book club typically limits the diversity of views and perspectives that enter into the discussion. There is less number of people and so limited ideas are shared among themselves.

Online book clubs offer several advantages over the in person meeting group model. Due to the availability of the internet anywhere and everywhere and the variety of book clubs available, readers who turn to the Internet to find a book club enjoy a much wider selection of clubs, including many dedicated to a specialized interest or genre. In addition, online book clubs can be more convenient, as many of them are available at any time of day.

Of course, there are also disadvantages associated with online book clubs. For instance, the intimacy of a personal discussion is lost, along with the social interaction that is often a part of the traditional book club experience. Few of the non-serious members are added who tend to destroy the ambience of serious and long lasting discussions. There is also a need of a strong and a responsible moderator, who regularly eyes upon the activities of the members and if the need arise, may take an action on the defaulters.

In addition to discussion-oriented book clubs, a book club can also be a place to compare prices, writing previews and reviews and purchasing books. These book clubs offer lot of features like book searching, creating your own space and login id, having a specialized shopping cart, price comparison from various vendors and special discount coupons In addition to this they offer great deal for readers who wish to purchase several books each year.

Many of these are available online, where readers can use the book club's website to choose their books. One of the America’s most wanted online book club is www.gauchotexts.com. It has all the features you could wish in a book club for comparing prices and ordering books. You will come to know why it’s most wanted only after you login www.gauchotexts.com and give it a try!