See you in NYC!

See you at BookExpo America! ForeWord will host the Independent Publishers Lounge in booth 2362.

The Book of the Year Awards ceremony will be held Friday at 2:00 at the African American Publishing/Independent Publishers Stage in the African American Pavilion.

A list of the Book of the Year Award winners will be posted online Friday evening.

MYSTERY PUBLISHER IS COMMITTED TO COZIES

A good mystery is something most readers can appreciate. Mysteries come in all shapes and sizes, but the cozy is a classic favorite. From the novels of Agatha Christie to Murder, She Wrote, cozy mysteries have won over generations of readers with their amateur sleuths, humor, and enjoyable plots.

FTW spoke with Brian Farrey, interim acquiring editor at Midnight Ink about the genre and several of the cozy mysteries on the independent publisher's fall list.

"Typically, a true cozy is a light mystery without significant blood or gore," Farrey said. "Most of the violence happens 'off screen,' that is to say a body is found and we don't witness the actual murder. The sleuth is often (though not always) an amateur, thrust into a position outside their normal vocation."

Midnight Ink, a mystery publisher, was established in 2005. It publishes in a variety of sub-genres, including soft- and hard-boiled mysteries, but cozies have been a staple of their list from the beginning. Karen McInerney's Gray Whale Inn Mystery series was one of its first; the third book in the series was released last fall.

"As Midnight Ink has developed over the past few years, we've found that we've been most successful with our cozies and our soft-boileds," Farrey said, ".you'll most often find more cozies and soft-boileds in our catalog than anything else."

Many recent cozy series have been based in the world of crafts. This allows the books to attract a readership other than just mystery readers.

Cut, Crop & Die (978-0-7387-1251-2) a crafting mystery by Jeanne Campbell Slan. It is the second book in her Kiki Lowenstein Scrap-N-Craft Mystery series. This wholesome mystery takes place in St. Louis and contains plenty of charming Missouri dialect and scrapbooking tips.

After the murder of her husband, Kiki found her dream job working in a scrapbook store. But when a guest at one of their events is killed, the store is in danger of losing customers, and Kiki's friends are being questioned by her new love interest, Detective Chad Detweiler. Kiki has to find out who poisoned the obnoxious Yvonne before her life falls to pieces--again.

Readers will enjoy watching Kiki balance a preteen daughter, a blossoming love life, and a murder investigation. The cliffhanger ending will leave readers waiting for the next book in the series.

Terri Thayer's Quilting Mystery series has also seen a new installment this spring. Dewey Pellicano is the youngest quilter at a retreat at the Asilomar State Park in California. In Ocean Waves (978-0-7387-1217-8), the third book in the series, Dewey becomes involved in a dangerous situation when she sees a woman jump from a cliff, a precious sewing box goes missing, and the leader of the retreat is murdered.

In the series' first two books, Wild Goose Chase and Old Maid's Puzzle, Dewey inherited Quilters Paradiso from her mother and learned to quilt in order to make the shop a success. At the retreat she hopes to increase her knowledge and attract new shoppers to the store. Luckily Dewey's investigation doesn't detract from her learning experience--the book is full of unique quilting ideas and techniques. The mystery is a bit complicated, but quilters and readers who are familiar with the Julia Morgan-designed conference grounds will quickly be drawn in.

According to Farrey, Midnight Ink currently has twelve active cozy series, and is developing about five more, including the Broken Vows series by Lisa Bork.

In For Better, For Murder (978-0-7387-1866-8), the first book in the series, Jolene runs a sports car showroom in the upscale small town of Wachobe, New York. As she's about to make a huge sale, the dead body of a man she used to date tumbles out of the car. An investigation ensues, and her estranged husband Ray is taking the lead.

As the head of the small town's zoning board, the murder victim had disagreements with many business owners in the community, including Jolene. Readers will enjoy getting to know the townspeople and deciding which one of them is devious enough and has a motive to steal money from the town treasury, commit murder, and try to frame our heroine. Like the rest of the town, they will also root for Ray and Jolene to resolve their differences.

Diehard cozy fans might enjoy visiting the InkSpot blog, where several Midnight Ink authors regularly post about writing, their books, and topics of general interest to book lovers. Bork, Slan, and Thayer are among the bloggers.

Despite the term "cozy," these books don't have to be read in front of a roaring fire, and are great beach reads. As Farrey said, "the hallmark of a cozy is that it's fun."

by Whitney Hallberg, Managing Editor

INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING AT BEA

According to show director Lance Fensterman, BookExpo America may be noticeably quieter this year. For those attending, there are still a number of quality events and programs to take in.

Thursday

The Benjamin Franklin Awards will be presented by the Independent Book Publishers Association on Thursday, the last day of the Publishing University, at the Roosevelt Hotel. A reception will be held at 6:00. The awards ceremony will begin at 7:00.

Chuck Klosterman, author of Chuck Klosterman IV and Killing Yourself to Live, will deliver the BEA Opening Night keynote address in the special events hall.

Friday

Pick up the latest issue of ForeWord and a list of Independent Galleys 2 Grab at booth 2362. Or download a copy in PDF format right now, print it, and bring it with you.

At the African American Publishing/Independent Publishers Stage
• IBPA presents Books to Film, 10:00-12:00
• NYCIP Keynote by Peter Selgin, 1:00
• ForeWord's Book of the Year Awards Ceremony, 2:00

Saturday

• Independent Publishers Editor's Buzz, 11:00 in room 1E15

• Authors of Indie Buzz, 3:30 at the Downtown Stage

At the African American Publishing/Independent Publishers Stage
• Grass Roots Marketing with Shel Horowitz, 11:00
• Internet Publicity and Social Networking with Karen Strauss, 12:00
• Sales Trends at Barnes & Noble with Marcella Smith, 1:00
• Good Business in Tough Markets with Marion Gropen, 2:00
• Self-publishing with Carol Hoenig, 3:00
• POD and Independent Presses with David Prentice, 4:00

Sunday

At the African American Publishing/Independent Publishers Stage
• 1001 Ways to Social Network with John Kremer, 10:00

BOOK REVIEW

Honor Yourself: The Inner Art of Giving and Receiving
by Patricia Spadaro
(Three Wings Press, 978-0-9816033-0-8)

According to Patricia Spadaro, "When you honor yourself, you are giving birth to your best self so that you can turn around and give creatively and abundantly to others. Conversely, and just as importantly, when you give to others, you also honor yourself. You honor what your heart was made to do." Yet, for most people, the concept of honoring the self raises a paradox: "How do I honor myself and honor others? How do I balance what others need with what I need? How do I give and receive?"

The sages of the East and the West all teach that learning to dance with paradox is part of what it means to live a fully human, engaged life in which one is both a giver and a receiver. "Life," say the sages, "is not a matter of this or that, but a matter of this and that." Spadaro reveals how paradox, "woven like a golden thread through the worlds spiritual traditions," is meant to offer an opportunity for breakthroughs-the apparent tension inherent in paradox produces energy, creative thought, and reorganization at a higher level of functioning.

The author states that assumptions about the way things work, the "myths" that are learned early in life and then automatically accepted as true, keep one stuck in a straitjacket that prohibits turning around to perceive that there are other possible options. Spadaro counters these myths with the real magic that can happen when one knows, accepts, and honors oneself at the deepest levels; only then can one give with an open heart, freely, and without resentment.

With stories from the wisdom traditions of East and West, personal anecdotes, and the experiences of contemporary people as they explore the art of giving and receiving, Spadaro illuminates ways to celebrate ones gifts and greatness, to appreciate the wisdom of the heart, set adequate boundaries, recognize and deal with unhealthy relationships, and honor necessary endings.

Spadaros engaging, compassionate, and at times, surprising book asserts that honoring oneself so that the gifts one was born to share are "no longer gasping for air" frees one to give the only gift that matters-the gift of oneself.

Patricia Spadaro has co-authored six books on personal growth and practical spirituality. She is also a publishing coach, freelance writer, and executive editor.

Reviewed by Kristine Morris

Read more reviews at www.forewordmagazine.com.

FOREWORD BOOK CLUB: LITERATURE AND WAR

This week, the ForeWord Book Club offers an excerpt from Literature and War: Conversations With Israeli and Palestinian Writers by Runo Isaksen, translated by Kari Dickson (Interlink, 978-1-56656-730-5).

Author David Grossman, in his absorbing interview titled "In Morality's Catastrophe Zone," says:

"I felt that I would never understand my own life-as a Jew, an Israeli, a father, a man, a lover, an author-unless I understood how I would have behaved there, in Shoah. And I wanted to write from two perspectives, from the Jew's, but also from the murderer's. It was crucial for me as a Jew to understand how I would have dealt with the total denial of my individuality and humanity in those conditions. But at the same time to try to understand how a normal person can become a murderer, what processes you have to go through to start killing."

The entire interview with Grossman will be available for one week at the ForeWord's Book Club.

AUTHOR PAGES: MAXWELL NEWHOUSE

The Author Pages feature nearly 100 interviews with authors whose work has been reviewed in ForeWord magazine. Maxwell Newhouse, author of The House That Max Built (Tundra Books, 978-0-88776-774-6) writes:

"I write to have an excuse to paint. Painting gives me an opportunity to put my thoughts down on canvas. I especially love children's books. They give me a chance to share my ideas and experience with the children. Most of my books depict my memories of growing up in a time when things were simpler. Stress for me then was a very foreign word. Now when the pressures of day to day life begin to get me down I escape into a world that is full of fun and adventure..

My recent book, The House That Max Built is a dream come true. I have worked in the construction industry most of my adult life. What a great feeling it is to see something rise out of the dirt, and be completed. The book enabled me to build the house of my dreams, even if it was only on canvas. To share this with small children, explaining to them what goes into building a house is just fantastic!"

Visit ForeWord’s Author Pages to read more about the authors reviewed in the pages of ForeWord.

This week at Publishing Insider, J.B. Stanley offers tips for getting started on that novel.

At Publishing Matters, Eugene Schwartz Eugene Schwartz discusses lessons learned from librarians at an AAP panel.

At Shelf Space, Carlie Webber pens a column titled "They're evil! They're brilliant! They're reviewers!"

At Editor’s Notes, Editor-in-Chief Heather Shaw talks about what you read when there's nothing to read.

Visit www.forewordmagazine.com for publishing news, book reviews, and the ForeWord Book Club.

FOREWORD FOOTNOTES

Biography & Autobiography. MERV GRIFFIN: A LIFE IN THE CLOSET by Darwin Porter (Blood Moon Productions, b/w photos, 576 pages, hardcover, $26.95, 978-0-9786465-0-9): author of The Secret Life of Humphrey Bogart and Katherine the Great: Hepburn, Secrets of a Life Revealed chronicles the life (1925-2007) of an American television host and media monster; among the personalities mentioned are Jacqueline Kennedy, Rita Hayworth, and young actor Al Pacino, who, when asked, "How did you make it from the Bronx to Broadway," answered, "By subway."

Biography & Autobiography. WILLIAM G. MILLIKEN: MICHIGAN'S PASSIONATE MODERATE by Dave Dempsey (University of Michigan Press, 30 b/w photos, 291 pages, softcover, $22.95, 978-0-472-03363-8): environmental consultant and author of Ruin and Recovery: Michigan's Rise as a Conservation Leader presents the life (b. 1922) of Michigan's "gentleman governor," whose fourteen-year term was the state's longest, and examines his popularity; subjects include environmentalism, his term as lieutenant governor, and the creative marketing idea to exhibit an antics-rich monkey in the children's section of the family department store thereby attracting young ones and their shopping mothers.

Biography & Autobiography. YUCATÁN THROUGH HER EYES: ALICE DIXON LE PLONGEON, WRITER AND EXPEDITIONARY PHOTOGRAPHER by Lawrence Gustave Desmond (University of New Mexico Press, 71 halftones, 4 maps, 387 pages, hardcover, $45.00, 978-0-8263-4595-0): archaeologist and senior research fellow with the Moses Mesoamerican Archive and Research Project at Harvard University presents a life of a Victorian woman (1851-1910) in Mexico; references include Alice's Yucatán diaries, a bullfight during the fiesta at Izamal, and the Mayan sites of Chichén Itza and Uxmal.

Business & Economics. THE FEMALE BRAND: USING THE FEMALE MINDSET TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS by Catherine Kaputa (Davies-Black / Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 176 pages, hardcover, $24.95, 978-0-89106-284-4): personal branding business coach and author of U R a Brand!: How Smart People Brand Themselves for Business Success offers a way to leverage women's female traits to "create a powerful, authentic brand" that will increase their chances for fulfillment and success; topics include developing "skills as a negotiator, presenter, communicator, boss, and networker" and boosting one's "beauty quotient" by "making the most of what you have."

Family & Relationships. TURN UP THE HEAT: A COUPLES GUIDE TO SEXUAL INTIMACY by Kevin Leman (Revell, Baker Publishing 301 pages, hardcover, $17.99, 978-0-8007-1903-6): psychologist, Oprah guest, and author of Have a New Kid by Friday addresses the complete picture of intimacy; among the chapters are "Love Handles Can Be Sexy," "Lights On or Lights Off?" and "Men Don't Think Just About Sex"--they think about food and ESPN too.

Health & Fitness. GLUTEN FREE EVERY DAY COOKBOOK: MORE THAN 100 EASY AND DELICIOUS RECIPES FROM THE GLUTEN-FREE CHEF by Robert M. Landolphi (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 7 x 9, two color text, 184 pages, softcover, $16.99, 978-0-7407-7813-1): graduate of the Johnson and Wales University culinary school and culinary arts instructor at the University of Connecticut presents tested recipes that are free of wheat, barley, rye, and "cross-contaminated" oats; among the food formulas are County-Style Chicken Potpie, Spiced Pumpkin Roll, and New England Clam Chowder thickened naturally with the starch of pureed potatoes.

Health & Fitness. CHANGE YOUR HABITS, CHANGE YOUR LIFE: A PROVEN PLAN FOR HEALTHY LIVING by Dana Demetre (Revell / Baker Publishing, 351 pages, softdcover, $14.99, 978-0-8007-3331-5): speaker, founder of Women of Purpose, and former host of radio show Health Solutions Today draws from biblical principles to teach transformation of life through renewal of mind; among the chapters are "The Battle of the Flesh," "Change Your Habits," and "A Forty-Day Journey to Nourish Your Spirit and Nourish Your Body," e.g., Day 31 references freeing oneself from the "bondage" of appetite.

Health & Fitness. TINA VINDUM'S OUTDOOR FITNESS: STEP OUT OF THE GYM INTO THE BEST SHAPE OF YOUR LIFE IN 8 WEEKS OR LESS by Tina Vindum (Falcon Guides / Globe Pequot Press, 7 x 8, color photographs, 250 pages, softcover, $19.95, 978-0-7627-5129-7): weekly radio host of SportsByline USA and American Council on Exercise accredited fitness instructor presents her health program, which is rooted in "back-to-basics conditioning"; topics include limitations of the gym, "BodyMind" connection, and the "Flashlight Technique," for mental focus concerning alternating peripheral and pinpoint vision.

History. THE GLORIOUS FOURTH OF JULY: OLD-FASHIONED TREATS AND TREASURES FROM AMERICA'S PATRIOTIC PAST by Diane C. Arkins (Pelican Publishing, 8 x 9, color and b/w illustrations, hardcover, $19.95, 978-1-58980-611-5): contributor to Woman's Day and Family Circle and author of Halloween: Romantic Art and Customs of Yesteryear honors the nation's birthday; topics include star-spangled banners, jubilant parades, and "dressing the patriotic part" with such historic personality likenesses as Betsy Ross and Uncle Sam.

Pets. ANGEL ANIMALS BOOK OF INSPIRATION: DIVINE MESSENGERS OF WISDOM AND COMPASSION by Allen and Linda Anderson (New World Library, b/w photographs, 6 x 7, 256 pages, softcover, $14.95, 978-157731-666-4): clergy members and authors of Angel Dogs with a Mission present an anthology of true stories of animals serving as a "spiritual support system"; among the chapters are "Angel Animal Heroes," "Hearing the Whispers of Love," and the vignette "A Dog's Life" where "Gonzo," a terrier, revives his distraught master by sprawling on her chest after she had swallowed thirty-six sleeping pills one night.

Religion. THE LIVING BUDDHA: AN INTERPRETIVE BIOGRAPHY by Daisaku Ikeda, Burton Watson, translator (Middleway Press, 162 pages, softcover, $14.95, 978-0-9779245-2-3): president of Soka Gakkai International, "the most dynamic Buddhist organization in the world" offers a historic narrative on the Buddha's life and an account of a life "dedicated to helping all people free themselves from suffering and futility and attain true peace of mind"; among the topics are Indian society, Enlightenment, and Buddha's death including the division of his ashes among the mourners.

Social Science. THE GART CLOUD: THE INVISIBLE FORCE POWERING TODAY'S MOST VISIBLE GREEN BRANDS by Richard Seireeni (Chelsea Green, 320 pages, hardcover, $24.95, 978-1-60358-061-8): brand consultant and former art director of Rolling Stone magazine offers candid and valuable advice for new green businesses; among the 23 sustainable businesses profiled are Ben & Jerry's, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and Tesla Motors with its sleek new all-electric sports car that drives better than a Porsche.

by Alex Moore, Book Review Editor

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