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The Royal Wedding in Print

If you were one of the millions of people who stayed awake to catch the Royal Wedding on television, or watched the recaps for hours the very next day, this might be of interest to you. Just two weeks after the big day, the story of Prince William and Catherine has come out in print, officially out tomorrow! Andrew Morton – author of the groundbreaking 1992 biography Diana: Her True Story, presents his newest novel with numerous stunning photographs of the newlyweds and their history, for all the royal fans hungry for more. It is said to feel like an expensive scrapbook, perfect for those who just can’t get enough.

Throughout the novel, there are various chapters that mostly focus on William, his early years, adolescence and student life and even intimate details about life at the Palace, his parents’ messy separation and his role as Diana’s confidante. So if you’re looking for some adorable photographs of Will from his shy days, to his charming and handsome lad years, this is the book you will go gaga over.

What seems unfortunate is that there is only one chapter devoted solely to Catherine, which seems a little peculiar, as no one really knows too much about her. However, she does go on to share private details about her life, like how she and a boarding-school roommate mooned boys across the hall.

So now that the wedding is over, and the media has died down, this book helps make that media saturated day feel special again. I’m looking forward to looking through it, but I highly doubt I missed anything from that big day. How about you? Are you still interested in the royal couple or was the wedding enough?

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Charlaine Harris joins the “Kindle Million Club”

As sales for eBook readers continue to hike, there are authors who also become a part of this growth. Currently there is a term that is being used to describe the top authors that sell over 1 million ebooks in stores.

Author Charlaine Harris, has recently joined the “Kindle Million Club”, alongside other favorite authors like Stieg Larsson, James Patterson, and Nora Roberts.

Harris was ecstatic to hear that she now has also left her imprint (no werewolf pun intended) in the world of the Kindle as well. As she explains, “It’s been an amazing few years for myself and the Kindle both, but even more so to have my books available to my readers in ways that just a few years ago would have seemed as fantastic as vampires coming out of the coffin.”

Although many of us know Charlaine Harris from her witty but dark Sookie Stackhouse series, she has also written a few other series’ as well. The Harper Connelly series is about a young woman with a supernatural gift-she can locate dead bodies and sense how they died. Her Lily Bard series follows a house cleaner as she solves murders and tries to heal (emotionally) from a violent attack she suffered years earlier. And the Aurora Teagarden series, about a librarian who solves crimes.

But now that Harris has stated that Sookie Stackhouse #13 will conclude the series, it makes me wonder what new series she may come up with! I fully admit to having only read the Sookie Stackhouse series, but I would love to listen or read something new after her Stackhouse fame. What do you think about her writing something new? Are you hoping for another urban fantasy? I know I am!

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Catch Regis Philbin’s memoir this fall!

How many of you used to love waking up to Live! With Regis and Kelly? I remember loving the dual growing up, especially Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford. Now although I can still catch him on television (not for long), it was great to hear that Regis Philbin would be releasing a memoir this fall.

It is said to chronicle his illustrious showbiz career, which has spanned more than four decades and include stories about cohosts like Kelly Ripa, Kathie Lee Gifford and even celebrities. Jack Nicholson, George Clooney and Jerry Seinfeld are all said to make an appearance in the memoir.

Regis says the book will serve as a “personal thank-you” to his fans. Fitting for someone who has announced their retirement from Live! back in January of this year.

If you want to check out other novels written by Regis himself, check out I’m Only One Man and Who Wants to Be Me?

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Listen To The Audio Book Before Hitting The Big Screen!

If you’re a fan of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, it has just recently been announced that Stanley Tucci has closed a deal to join Lionsgate’s adaptation of The Hunger Games. He will play the role of Caesar Flickerman, whom you might know as the iconic host of the Hunger Games who interviews the 24 tributes, which are televised for the nation to see.

It has been reported that Gary Ross will be directing the film from a script by Billy Ray with a release day of March 23, 2012.

So if you haven’t heard The Hunger Games audio book, you have more than enough time to catch up and find out what all the excitement is about. Let’s just say the story is about a televised event called, “The Hunger Games” and the terrain, rules, and level of audience participation could change but one thing remains constant: Kill or be killed.

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Can the movie top the audio book?

So I finally did it. This past weekend I went out and saw the film Water for Elephants. Although I was originally a huge fan of the novel by Sara Gruen, I must say I can understand why the film was also a huge success. This pulse-pounding, heart-wrenching story truly captured the spirit of a man finding true love, fighting for it, and holding on to the memory amongst a circus. The film captured the same thing.

The film had the power to make you forget that you were sitting in a theater, and rather made you believe that you were a part of the greatest show on earth, while also witnessing the beautiful and abused menagerie, clowns, dogs, and of course the elephant, Rosie.

The big difference I felt between the novel and the film was that as a reader I felt as though Jacob Jankowski was truly telling me the story, as though he was sitting right next to me as I turned each page. However, when I was watching the film I felt like I was an audience member at the circus, getting a special access pass to go beyond the stage and witness what really goes on behind the curtains.

Both experiences are great and hope you all have the opportunity to read/listen to the novel and go check out the movie.

However, if I could do one thing differently in the film it would have been picking unfamiliar faces for the leading roles, Jacob and Marlena. Although I believe Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon played their roles well, these two characters were supposed to be people who had no one to go home too, individuals who no one would be looking for or recognize. I wanted to see unknown actors pop up and take the leads, fresh faces that show up out of nowhere, like on a passing train.

If you haven’t listened to this audio book yet, I highly recommend you do. It takes you on an adventure you’ll never forget, about a young man who runs away and joins the circus during the Great Depression. What could be better than that?! If you’ve seen the film, what did you think of the film and novel?

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Pulitzer Prize Winners Announced

For those of you who haven’t heard yet, the Pulitzer Prize winners were announced for 2011. Among the winners were Jennifer Egan’s novel A Visit from the Goon Squad and Ron Chernow’s novel Washington: A Life.

Jennifer Egan’s novel A Visit from the Goon Squad won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It’s the story of an indie record label owner who has a wide network of loosely connected characters. The Pulitzer board called the book “an inventive investigation of growing up and growing old in the digital age, displaying a big hearted curiosity about cultural change at warp speed.”

Ron Chernow’s novel Washington: A Life, won for the Biography and autobiography category known to be the landmark biography of George Washington.

Although I have yet to listen to both of these audio books, I am looking forward to starting them soon. I hope you do as well!

Below is the full list of winners and finalists for the “Letters, Drama, and Music” categories:

FICTION
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
FINALISTS:
The Privileges by Jonathan Dee
The Surrendered by Chang-rae Lee

DRAMA
Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris
FINALISTS:
Detroit by Lisa D’Amour
A Free Man of Color by John Guare

HISTORY
The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery by Eric Foner
FINALISTS:
Confederate Reckoning: Power and Politics in the Civil War South by Stephanie McCurry
Eden on the Charles: The Making of Boston by Michael Rawson

BIOGRAPHY OR AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow
FINALISTS:
The Publisher: Henry Luce and His American Century by Alan Brinkley
Mrs. Adams in Winter: A Journey in the Last Days of Napoleon by Michael O’Brien

POETRY
The Best of It: New and Selected Poems by Kay Ryan
FINALISTS:
The Common Man by Maurice Manning
Break the Glass by Jean Valentine

GENERAL NONFICTION
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee
FINALISTS:
The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brain by Nicholas Carr
Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History by S.C. Gwynne

MUSIC
Madame White Snake by Zhou Long
FINALISTS:
Arches by Fred Lerdahl
Comala by Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon

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My Father’s Daughter – Released today!

Do you remember your favorite moments in the kitchen cooking with mom or dad, licking the spoons when baking cupcakes, or just helping them out in general? Gwyneth Paltrow does. So much so, her new cookbook released today, My Father’s Daughter: Delicious, Easy Recipes Celebrating Family & Togetherness, takes you through her experience in the kitchen with fun and practical recipes. You won’t get caught up on the topic of healthy eating either; rather Paltrow manages to ensure she is not preachy. The book beholds useful and interesting recipes that could be made every day, amongst them are a few soups, a pasta with homemade sauce, and fewer than 3 burger recipes perfect for grilling in the summer. She also ensures that there are vegetarian options as well, so there is a sumptuous collection of recipes for any palette.

Yet, the book goes beyond your typical cookbook. This novel takes you through the Paltrow family, with side notes paying homage to her father, her family’s favorite burgers and her stories of making broccoli negotiations with her kids. The tone throughout is not what you would typically expect from a dramatic actor, rather it’s quite the opposite from being sappy or dreary. She states that “a meal made for your family is an expression of love, a source of pleasure.” It is this culinary philosophy that makes this cook book that more intriguing to learn from.

It was nice to see that in the first few opening pages Paltrow quickly points out that she had a lot of professional help testing recipes and writing the book from the well-known food writer Julia Turshen. This is also great to see because it does lend itself to more credibility to the actual recipes at hand; however, it is still a cookbook by a home cook.

Complete with 150 delicious ideas for breakfast, sandwiches and burgers, soups, salads, main dishes, sides, and desserts, this impressively illustrated book also includes full-color photos throughout. One of my favorite recipes I’ve read so far is the Fried Zucchini & Spaghetti. Why not have a look for yourself and share it with the rest of the audio book community. I know this isn’t your typical book review, but I was truly excited to share the new release of this inspiring cookbook for any cook at home. It definitely serves more than great recipes but also inspiration to get you cooking.

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The wait will soon be over for all you Twilight fans.

The countdown will soon be over for all Twilight fans. The Twilight Saga Official Illustrated Guide by Stephenie Meyer comes out tomorrow. It has been confirmed that it will be available not only in hardcover but as well as an ebook.

The must-have hardcover edition – the only official guide- will feature maps, character profiles & histories, genealogical charts, outtakes, and illustrations from various artists including some sweet drawings from the official Twilight graphic novel and even Bella’s wedding dress just to name a few. The guide will also include conversations from Stephenie Meyer herself, so you can probably read some new quotes from the author. So if you think you already know everything there is to know about Twilight, this book will allow you to further explore the unforgettable world that Stephenie has created in Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner.

Don’t miss this essential book for any Twilight Saga fan. With nearly 100 gorgeous illustrations and photographs you need to add it to your book collection.

Soon the wait will be over. Just one more sleep.

Below is a sneak peak of Bella’s wedding dress:

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Enter To WIN David Sedaris on Vinyl!

Do you love David Sedaris? How about his audio books?

If so, life just got better! Just show us where you love listening to audio books and you could WIN David Sedaris on vinyl!

Enter to WIN here.

Don’t miss this chance to own a collectible. Plus, you’ll also receive a FREE download for Live For Your Listening Pleasure.

Winners will be announced on April Fool’s Day so stay tuned!

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What if Charlie Sheen narrated an audio book?

It’s obvious that we just can’t get enough of Charlie Sheen’s antics, his delusions of grandeur, and even his dedication towards being a “bi-winning” sensation. So what’s stopping a Charlie Sheen memoir from being published? I know I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on that.

Well, according to TMZ, Charlie Sheen is asking for at least $10 million in order for his story to be told. He already plans on calling the memoir When the Laughter Stopped – an honest account of what is really going on behind the scenes after the cancellation of the show Two and a Half Men.

However, some may wonder why anyone would pay Mr. Sheen $10 million to tell us his story? I mean isn’t it right in front of us? But what I’m really interested in seeing or better yet, hearing, is the audio book narrated by Charlie Sheen himself.

Unfortunately, nothing has been confirmed, but with a possible memoir on the way, there’s no better approach then having Charlie Sheen narrate his own audio book. But until then, you can catch his tiger blooded self all over You Tube, TMZ, Entertainment Tonight, Dateline, and the list goes on.

So, whether or not you’re a fan or just enjoy the controversy around his lifestyle, would you be interested in listening to an audio book narrated by Charlie Sheen?