|
We love good books, just like you do
|
|
Welcome to Bywater Books
Dear Readers,
This month, we're delighted to be publishing the new novel by Georgia Beers, 96 Hours. The story is set in Gander, the town in Newfoundland that played host to passengers whose flights were grounded on 9/11. For more details, see Author Profile and Hot Off The Press below.
We're also pleased to announce that 96 Hours will go on sale from our website on Monday, October 17. It will be available as an e-Book a couple of weeks later, on Monday, October 31.
We'll be launching the book at Womencrafts. To find out more about the women-owned and operated business at the heart of Provincetown, check out Womencrafts below.
The launch takes place during Women's Week at P-town this year. Bywater will be hosting further events besides, and authors Sally Bellerose and Marianne K. Martin will also be in town. For more details, see P-town 2011 below.
As always, we at Bywater strive to bring you the finest in lesbian romance, mystery, and literary fiction.
Till next time!
Kelly Smith
Marianne K. Martin
Val McDermid
|
|
|
The events of 9/11 are not an obvious subject for fiction — as Georgia Beers readily admits: "I was hesitant. I mean, who wants to revisit that whole time?"
What inspired her to do so was a documentary about Gander, "a tiny Canadian town" that took care of airline passengers stranded there when their flights were grounded. It was, says Georgia, "the perfect example of humanity. It still gives me goosebumps."
Georgia was watching the documentary with her partner Bonnie, who "turned to me and said, 'Wouldn't that be a great setting for a romance?'" Georgia agreed but soon realized it would be a challenge: "The dichotomy of terrible devastation and burgeoning love was a tough nut to crack."
She made the effort partly to pay tribute to the people of Gander. And partly because "The romance genre is by nature formulaic, but it doesn't have to be boring, you know? I thought this would be a nice way to keep it unique and original while still following 'the rules' so to speak."
Lots of research was required — a first for Georgia ". . . and no, it's not something I would relish doing often. There's always that nervousness in the back of your mind about whether you're getting details right, what you might have screwed up, are you doing justice to the event and the people that witnessed it. I did a lot of research . . . and yet I'm still sure somebody will read it and say, 'That's not how I remember it' or 'A person from Gander wouldn't say that.'"
Well, if they do, Georgia knows that "I have the best fans around and they do nothing but support me and send me praise. They're amazing and I hope I always deserve they're attention."
She adds that "I definitely want to surprise my fans," so you may find Georgia turning her hand to a different genre: "I tend to read more suspense than anything else, so I'd really like to try my hand at that some time." In the meantime, she's considering a story that takes its cue from her own life; it's "about a young teen who comes to live with her lesbian aunts. I mean, seriously, how could I NOT think about that and what kind of story it could make?"
Georgia lives in Rochester, New York with her partner Bonnie, her teenage niece Mikki, two dogs, and a cat.
by Caroline Curtis
|
96 Hours
by Georgia Beers
9/11. Numbers carved on the hearts of every American. Numbers that transformed millions of lives. Numbers that threw two women together.
Erica Ryan is flying home from London after a disastrous business trip. Free spirit Abby Hayes is flying into New York City to visit her mother before jetting off again when their flight is diverted to Gander, Newfoundland.
The people of Gander are generous, and Erica and Abby are invited into a stranger's home. It's a simple act of kindness, and it draws the unlikely pair together.
For 96 hours Erica and Abby share a rollercoaster of emotions and eventually find themselves drawn to one another. Will their nascent connection survive everyday life when they return home?
Georgia Beers is the winner of one Lambda Literary Award and two Golden Crown Literary Awards.
"Beers gives a welcome expansion to the romance genre with her clear, sympathetic writing." —Curve Magazine
$14.95 Lesbian Fiction 224 pages ISBN 978-1-932859-84-3
At fine stores everywhere
or order directly from Bywater Books. |
|
To win the Bywater title of your choice, simply answer this month's question:
What is the title of the first book by Georgia Beers?
E-mail us at trivia@bywaterbooks.com or by post to the address in the column below — see To Order Books.
Congratulations to our most recent winner, Alena from Germany!
|
Soon after Womencrafts opened for business, rocks were being thrown through its windows.
This was back in 1976 when no-one had heard of the pink dollar, and when "radical" meant selling items specifically to lesbians. In the years that followed, Womencrafts continued its "radical" strategy and even had to field complaints about discrimination. But 35 years later, Womencrafts is still here and it's a long time since any rocks were thrown.
All this explains why Kathryn Livelli, the current owner, remains confident at this time of economic gloom. The store survived rocks; she'll survive this downturn — thanks, says Kathryn, to "the support of women who keep us here."
She pays tribute to the "wonderful, loyal customers," for whom Womencrafts has become a reliable source for lesbian literature at a time when independent bookstores across the country are closing.
Womencrafts has always been more than a bookstore, though. From its beginning, it has been a business that supports women, selling the work of 90 artists and craftswomen from across the United States and Canada. Jewelry, pottery, mosaics, and more make up the core business of Womencrafts (check out the website), and sales enable donations to be made every year to women's foundations. Truly, this is a business created by women for women.
For that reason, says Kathryn, both customers and staff are very protective of Womencrafts. In fact when the previous owners were looking to sell, they chose Kathryn and her partner Debbie Estevez because they knew the store would be in good hands: Kathryn was already a member of staff. They said later that selling the store felt a little like "walking her down the aisle."
Debbie, who was "an integral part of the business," passed away in 2009. Kathryn is full of praise for the current staff: Karen, Michelle, and Bea are "incredible," "like a family," and "my left and right arm", while Wendy, her partner, "has truly been a miracle in my life."
So when you're next in Provincetown, take a walk to 376 Commercial Street, and enter the world of Womencrafts.
And if you're there during Women's Week (October 7-16), pop in and say Happy Birthday! The store is now 35 years old, and celebrating!
|
|
The Indelible Heart, the new novel from Marianne K. Martin picked up another good review. Margaret Lane, writing for The MidWest Book Review, described it as "a moving lesbian romance, highly recommended."
Meanwhile, Jerry Wheeler of Out In Print writes that "Val McDermid is a national treasure. Unfortunately, it's not our nation. This marvelous Scottish crime writer of twenty-four novels has an unimpeachable reputation as one of our leading literary figures, and her latest, Trick of the Dark, is yet another example of her considerable storytelling abilities."
He continues: "As with all McDermid's work, Trick of the Dark is sumptuous and literary without being esoteric. She has a craftsman's eye for detail and a winning way with the creation of voices . . . But all the style and detail would mean little if the mystery at the heart of the story wasn't so damn involving. McDermid wastes no time. She hits the ground running . . . If you've read Val McDermid before, Trick of the Dark will be a great addition to your collection. If you haven't, this standalone work is an excellent starting point. But be warned that you might become addicted."
To see the whole review, click here.
|
|
Calling all Book Groups:
Ever wanted to know what an author thinks about her own book?
Choose a Bywater title to discuss at your Book Group, and we'll arrange for the author to join the conversation — in person, by webcam, or over the phone.
Book Group Leaders, feel free to write us for a complimentary copy of any Bywater book for your review.
E-mail our Publicity Dept at KarlsbergM@aol.com.
|
Bywater is looking forward to being part of Women's Week once again. This year, events run from October 7 thru 16.
Georgia Beers, Sally Bellerose, and Marianne K. Martin will be reading alongside Kate Clinton at the Fairbanks Inn. The host will be Lynn Ames, and the event takes place Thursday, October 13, at 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Bywater will be joining up with Womencrafts to launch the new book by Georgia Beers, 96 Hours. Join us Thursday, October 13, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Georgia, Sally, and Marianne will be appearing at the Harborside Lounge, alongside Lynn Ames, Fay Jacobs, and Andrea Myers. Come and have a drink with them all on Friday, October 14, from 11 to 2:30.
Kate Clinton, Georgia, and Sally will take part in a discussion about writing and life. Hear them speak at the Crown and Anchor on Saturday, October 15 at 10 a.m.
We'd like to thank the Crown and Anchor for its support — so please enjoy a meal at the Central House.
|
Over the next few months, All Things Gay will be talking to Bywater authors. Interviews will be 45 minutes — long enough to get properly acquainted: Sally Bellerose, October 10
Lisa Gitlin, October 17
Georgia Beers
will be appearing at the Pride Center of Western New York on Thursday, October 6. To celebrate the opening of the new Lending Library, Georgia will part of an evening of Lesbian Fictions Authors. All will give a short reading, and this will be followed by a panel discussion. The event starts at 7 p.m.
The Pride Center of Western New York,
206 S. Elmwood Avenue,
Buffalo, NY 14201-2156
For more details: (716) 852-7743 or click here.
Sally Bellerose · will appear on the panel Plot: Shaping the Story at the Write Angles Conference. Saturday, October 22 at 9:30 a.m.
Willits-Hollowell Center
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, MA
· will be appearing in November's meeting of Drunken Careening Writers at the KGB Bar, NYC. The event will be hosted by playwright Kathleen Warnock. Thursday, November 13 at 7 p.m.
KGB Bar
85 E. 4th St
NYC 10003
|
|
Your favorite authors also write blogs, have their own websites, and can be found on social networking sites.
Lindy Cameron
Click for her website, and for news of her press.
Cynn Chadwick
Click for her website.
Stella Duffy
Click for her blog.
Find her on LibraryThing, MySpace, and Twitter @stellduffy.
Elana Dykewomon
Click for her website. Find her on Facebook and Red Room.
Z Egloff
Click for her website. Find her on Facebook and Red Room.
Marcia Finical
Find her on Facebook.
Katherine V. Forrest
Click for her website.
Lisa Gitlin
Find her on Facebook.
Jill Malone
Click for her website. Find her on Facebook and MySpace.
Marianne K. Martin
Find her on Facebook, MySpace, and Red Room.
Val McDermid
Click for her website. Find her on Facebook.
Bett Norris
Click for her blog. Find her on Facebook.
Joan Opyr
Click for her website.
Mari San Giovanni
Click for her website. Find her on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter @MariSanGiovanni.
Sally Bellerose
Click for her blog. Find her on Facebook.
Georgia Beers
Click for her website. Click for her blog.Find her on Facebook.
You can also follow Bywater Books on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter @BywaterBooks. And tune in to our YouTube channel. Subscribe to it, and you'll be alerted each time a new video is posted.
|
|
|
| To Order Books
Order online:
www.bywaterbooks.com
Order by phone:
1-734-662-8815
Order by mail:
Bywater Books
PO Box 3671
Ann Arbor MI 48106
click here to print order form
Shipping Costs:
Book Post — free
Priority Mail — $7 for first book, plus $2 for each additional book
Overnight — $22 for first book, plus $3 for each additional book
Booksellers:
Bywater Books are distributed to the trade by Consortium Books Sales and Distribution and are available through major wholesalers.
Click here for catalog. |
|
