What's Releasing (10-05-09 edition)

Books releasing the week of October 5th:

The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans

Synopsis

Dear Reader,

When I was in seventh grade, my English teacher, Mrs. Johnson, gave our class the intriguing (if somewhat macabre) assignment of writing our own obituaries. Oddly, I don't remember much of what I wrote about my life, but I do remember how I died: in first place on the final lap of the Daytona 500. At the time, I hadn't considered writing as an occupation, a field with a remarkably low on-the-job casualty rate.

What intrigues me most about Mrs. Johnson's assignment is the opportunity she gave us to confront our own legacy. How do we want to be remembered? That question has motivated our species since the beginning of time: from building pyramids to putting our names on skyscrapers.

As I began to write this book, I had two objectives: First, I wanted to explore what could happen if someone read their obituary before they died and saw, firsthand, what the world really thought of them. Their legacy.

Second, I wanted to write a Christmas story of true redemption. One of my family's holiday traditions is to see a local production of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. I don't know how many times I've seen it (perhaps a dozen), but it still thrills me to see the change that comes over Ebenezer Scrooge as he transforms from a dull, tight-fisted miser into a penitent, "giddy-as-aschoolboy" man with love in his heart. I always leave the show with a smile on my face and a resolve to be a better person. That's what I wanted to share with you, my dear readers, this Christmas — a holiday tale to warm your season, your homes, and your hearts.

Merry Christmas


New Moon: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion by Mark Cotta Vaz

Synopsis

Explore the making of the film New Moon in this ultimate visual companion, lavishly illustrated with full-color photos of the cast, locations, and sets. This beautiful paperback edition celebrates the onscreen creation of Stephenie Meyer's fascinating world, brought to life by Academy Award(R)-nominated director Chris Weitz.

With never-before-seen images, exclusive interviews and personal stories, renowned author Mark Cotta Vaz takes you behind the scenes with cast and crew, uncovering intimate details of the filmmaking process.


A Touch of Dead: The Complete Stories (Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Series) by Charlaine Harris

Synopsis

Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is no typical southern belle. She can read minds. And she’s got a thing for vampires. Which, in a town like Bon Temps, Louisiana, means she’ll have to watch her back -- and neck...

New York Times–bestselling author Charlaine Harris has re-imagined the supernatural world with her “spunky” (Tampa Tribune) Southern Vampire novels starring telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse. Now, for the first time, here is every Sookie Stackhouse short story ever written -- together in one volume.

Stories include “Fairy Dust,” “One Word Answer,” “Dracula Night,” “Lucky,” and “Giftwrap.”


Also available:

• American Rebel: The Life of Clint Eastwood by Marc Eliot
  
• Evidence: An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman
  
• Finding It: And Satisfying My Hunger for Life without Opening the Fridge by Valerie Bertinelli
  
• The Ghost King by R. A. Salvatore
  
• Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls
  
• How to Raise the Perfect Dog by Cesar Millan
  
• Julie Andrews' Collection of Poems, Songs, and Lullabies by Julie Andrews
  
• Manhood for Amateurs: The Pleasures and Regrets of a Husband, Father, and Son by Michael Chabon
  
• Return to the Hundred Acre Wood by David Benedictus
  
• Three Feet from Gold: An Inspiring Story of Perseverance by Sharon L. Lechter
  
• Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett