Monday, November 19, 2012

Miami Book Fair & VOYA Review

Hi guys! I LOVE this new review from VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) Magazine:

DAYS OF BLOOD & STARLIGHT
Having remembered the events of her former life as a chimera, Karou returns to Eretz only to discover that the chimeran city of Loramendi has been reduced to ashes, its citizens dead. Grieving and heart-sick, Karou joins forces with the White Wolf and his surviving band of rebels. In the war between angel and chimera, shades of grey abound and Karou must discover the truth if there is to be any chance of peace, or redemption.

Taylor casts a spell with her writing, drawing readers into a world of angels and chimera, heroes and monsters, where nothing is as simple as black and white, and the fates of two universes are in peril. Taylor's world is lush, sensual, and wonderfully original, featuring flawed characters and emotionally fraught decisions sure to resonate with readers. Karou is a strong, passionate main character driven by her own convictions even in the face of great loss and hardship, while Akiva is a warrior with a bloody past seeking redemption. Secondary characters are given personalities just as complex and serve as interesting alternative perspectives for readers. Issues of redemption, salvation, love, war, and morality make this novel perfect for classroom or book club discussion. Taylor manages to make a five-hundred-page epic read at a breakneck speed that will have readers struggling to finish in one sitting. This sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Little, Brown, 2011/VOYA October 2011) will paradoxically satisfy readers' desire for more of Karou's story while leaving them begging for the third installment.

Thank you, VOYA!

Meanwhile, I've been in Miami for the Miami Book Fair, the largest & oldest book fair in the country. 





It was my first time in Florida, and in usual book tour fashion, I didn't have time to see much of it, but I did take a cab to South Beach in the evening and roll up my jeans to walk in the dark warm ocean. It was very lovely. I am deeply a beach person, though it has been years since I have spent the kind of time at the beach that I did in my youth, but being at a shore just does something to me. I feel my senses open like a flower. So, to the actual shoreline part of Miami Beach: yay. The rest, I can't say. Miami is TOO BIG to see at a glance. 

Here's the view from my hotel balcony:




I could see no fewer than six hotel pools from here! Also, this colorful beast:




Had dinner the first night at the hotel restaurant, Area 31 at the Epic, with lovely Little Brown folk, including Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia, authors of the Beautiful Creatures series, very soon to be a major motion picture!!!!!





Area 31 has the funkiest dessert menu. Check it out. What would you get? 





To carry the dessert theme over, check out this "macaron bicycle" at the book fair:





At the fair, I had a few interviews and a panel: with Tonya Hurley (left), author the Ghost Girl books and the start to her new series, Blessed, and Gennifer Albin, author of the new novel Crewel. Both of these books I am very excited to read!





Our panel was really a delight. Tonya and Gennifer were both so smart and funny and generous with advice and insight, and we got great questions from the audience. Thank you so much for coming!

The fair's Author Hospitality Suite was bustling (I saw Andrew McCarthy there!), and at various tables authors introduced themselves and chatted. In one case, I was speaking to a lovely woman who had written a memoir about Paris, when I realized (and squealed): I read that! Here is Eloisa James, author of Paris in Love, a memoir of her sabbatical year in Paris with her family. 




The story got even better (for me), when she in turned declared: You wrote Smoke & Bone? I read that! Ha. It was delightful :-)

Oh. Also, I attended Molly Ringwald's reading of her new book, When It Happens To You, and was quite impressed with her. It was unexpectedly emotional. The passage that she read was about a single mother at the moment that her beautiful young child is identifying as being transgender, and after the reading, a woman got up to the microphone to let Molly know that she was the mother of a young transgender man Molly had met at a previous event. They both got choked up, and the mom handed her an article her son had written about how much it means to him to have the author's advocacy. It was pretty cool. Ms. Ringwald was civil but not inviting to comments about Sixteen Candles and Breakfast Club, however heartfelt. Which I get. That was a long time ago. 

All right, guys. One last Miami picture. Hoochie shoes! Saw a lot of these in my very short time there!



I'm in Kansas City right now. If you're in the area, come say hi at Rainy Day Books tonight, and Barnes & Noble Zona Rosa tomorrow. Also, I'm going to be on TV on Fox 4 News at 9:15. EEP! This is my first ever TV appearance! What to wear ... ? :-)






6 comments:

Ana'Molina. said...

Those shoes are really cute, a little!
It would be great to see your face on TV!!!!
I can not wait for the book goes on sale in Mexico.
By the way, I've met several fans, who want to help with the petition the Publisher!
Several people of Tijuana and all Baja California!
Really hope you can come to Tijuana, we are very excited!
And once again, I love you Laini, really!
The guys who are helping, they say Hi, especially my two best friends, Kathy and Bryan!

Commander Kip said...

Have fun in KC! I unfortunately don't get home from college until Tuesday night, so I'll just miss you. So sad. :(

June G said...

Glad you're having such a good time. The publisher sent me a copy of Ringwald's book for a giveaway on my blog. I totally get her feelings about the old days, but she also has to recognize that those movies of long ago, is what's providing the platform now and building the foundation of her book-reading audience. Always remember where you came from...

Miranda Hardy said...

The Miami book fair was great and it was wonderful to see you in person. My daughter was so happy to meet Ringwald and McCarthy. It was fabulous.

Good luck with the rest of the tour and I hope you get longer in Miami the next time you are down here.

Charley Robson said...

EeeeEEEEEEeeee, I must buy Days of Blood and Starlight ASAP with that little review there! Grah!

Oh wow, you look like you're having a wonderful time - and well deserved too! If only I could nip across the pond and come see you *sniffles*

Anonymous said...

As I work my way through Days of Blood and Starlight (I'm absolutely in love all over again by the way) I had another author post this link on his Facebook and I had to stop myself from giggling to pieces. (http://www.geekologie.com/2012/08/pretty-kitty-chimera-cat-is-its-own-frat.php) It's a chimera cat! I have never heard of such a thing. But I got a kick out of it and thought you would too. <3

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