This Just In: Ellen Schreiber - author of Vampire Kisses - is coming to Marion Public Library

I am so excited to announce that Ellen Schreiber, the author of the Vampire Kisses series, will be coming to Marion Public Library on Tuesday, October 6th at 3:00 PM. She will be here to talk about her books and she may have a few moments to sign a copy for you if you would like. I can not wait to meet her. Stay tuned for info.

Kinda Like Facebook + Love of Books = Shelfari!!

If you like to use social networking tools like myspace and Facebook and you love books, then you might also like Shelfari. Shelfari creates a virtual bookshelf of all the books you've read, are reading, and want to read and allows you to share it with your "friends". Here you can review books, give them a rating, and comment/discuss with other readers.

You can view my Shelfari bookshelf on the right side of this blog. This is a great way to get book reviews and suggestions for titles to read.

There are other bookshelf sites - such as Good Reads - that you may want to check out. Both sites allow you to put a widget on your myspace of facebook page to share your reading list with others.

You can find out more information at www.shelfari.com or www.goodreads.com

If you do get a Shelfari account, be sure to friend Teen Services Marion Public Library - I'd love to hear what you think about the books you read.

Because There Are Just Not Enough Vampires on this Blog

When I first started as a Teen librarian (How long ago? I won't say) there were these vampire books that were very popular - The Vampire Diaries by L. J. Smith. They have remained popular, and certainly now that people everywhere can't get enough vampire books they have been re-released. Well, they are being made into a show on the CW. Truthfully, I will totally be watching to see what it is like (and if you haven't already - be sure to check out Supernatural on Thursday nights. I love that show.)

The Vampire Diaries follows Elena, who finds herself drawn to the mysterious Stefan. At a bonfire, one of their friends shows up bleeding from a horrible neck wound. Stefan thinks he knows who did it . . . his long lost brother Damon. Soon Stefan and Damon are fighting for Elena's soul as well as for those of her friend's and family.

The show debuts Thursday, September 10th at 8:00 PM. You can check out the books today at Marion Public Library.

An Awesome Gratuitous Twilight Shout Out of the Day

Okay, so In Style magazine (which you can check out here at the library) has asked 10 designers to design the wedding dress they think that Bella would wear based on descriptions from Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. You can see the dresses here http://www.instyle.com/instyle/package/general/photos/0,,20241149_20299475_20661914,00.html

Not all of them are great, but what a cool concept for a story. And some of the sketches are very . . . um, bizarre.

And Now for Something Not Twilight - Or Even Vampires

Sarah Dessen, Author Extraordinaire

If you want to read a good book. You remember a good book - something that just tells a good story. No vampires. No werewolves. No magic, except of course the kind that happens when normal boy meets normal girl and sparks just fly (although sometimes they just kind of kindle and simmer and grow). Well - let me introduce you to Sarah Dessen. Sarah Dessen writes the kind of story that stays with you.

Her most recent book - Along for the Ride - debuted at number 1. That is something exciting to celebrate.

Along for the Ride is about Auden and the summer before she starts college. She decides to spend it with her father . . . here she becomes involved with a fellow bike riding insomniac Eli and together the face the facts about who they are and what they have been through.

Read it today. In fact, read all of her books today. In my opinion, you won't regret it.

From Along for the Ride: "I don't know. It's like, we're headed out somewhere. You never know what's going to happen. So you stop for supplies."

For more about Sarah Dessen: http://sarah-land.ning.com/ and http://sarahdessen.com/home

Gratuitous Twilight Shout Out of the Day

Okay, for the record - I am not a Twilight maniac. Or a "Twifan" as I recently heard. I mean, I have the soundtrack (and the score). I've read the books (but I vehemently hated, loathed and was extremely irked by Breaking Dawn). But I know that some of you - well you are Fans - with a capital F I tell ya. So I thought you would appreciate hearing that there is in fact going to be a line of Edward and Bella Barbie dolls. You can read more about it at http://twilightguide.com/tg/2009/04/22/edward-bella-twilight-barbie-dolls/

And for the record, when I was a huge X-files fan - well, I was deeply upset that I could not afford the $80.00 Mulder and Scully Barbies. So I understand fandom, that is why I am here for you.

For Twilight Fans Who Just Want More . . .

The awesome folks at Kanawha County Public Library have put together a great resource that allows you to read more, do more and hear more related to Twilight. (Technically it's called a reading map, but I know you don't really care.) Anyhow, if you just need more - you'll want to go here. They have some reading lists, a list of songs you might want to listen to if you are in the Twilight mood (including Here With Me by Dido, one of my favorites) and a list of online communities where you can meet with other Twilight fans. For more, go here http://kanawha.lib.wv.us/readingmaps/twilight/

By the way, did you see that Twilight won something like 11 Teen Choice awards last night? And what was Kristen Stewart wearing? Okay, I half way apologize for that shallow moment. But only half way.

And finally . . . what do you think of the New Moon recasting? Learn more about that at Twilight Central at Popwatch http://www.ew.com/ew/package/0,,20234559,00.html

The Vampire's Assistant Movie Trailer

So I went this weekend to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (didn't like it) - but I did see trailers for some other great teen books that are being made into movies.

Like The Vampire's Assistant (movie trailer here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMME_Af7fBM&feature=player_embedded) and Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

And I did get to see the trailer for New Moon. It looks okay - hope the movie is better than the trailer makes it look.

But the one I am really looking forward to Is Where the Wild Things Are. Admit it, you love that book too. Right? Come on, don't leave me hanging.