RA Tip: Book Annotations: Short and Snappy Made Easy

On Thursday, November 6th, the Reference & User Services Association (a division of the American Library Association) and NoveList hosted a webcast on writing annotations. A summary of the main points discussed in the presentation are:

REMEMBER ...

• ANNOTATIONS: 
• Market your collection
• Promote books to their particular audience
• Are easy to repurpose (use again)
• A GOOD ANNOTATION IS:
• Clearly written and easy to identify
• Focused on appeals
• Tailored to it's audience
• TO WRITE GOOD ANNOTATIONS:
• Read OR research the book
• Think about the book's audience
• Start with a narrative hook
• Include a brief plot summary (No spoilers!)
• Include the strongest appeal factors
• Provide context and readers'/viewers'/listeners' advisory
• Keep it enticing, attention-grabbing, and BRIEF!

Before publishing/posting - have someone proofread your annotation OR if no one is available, slowly read the annotation out loud to yourself. These can help in checking for mistakes and in fine tuning your annotation.


NoveList has a great tool for appeal factors, The Secret Language of Books: a Guide to Appeal

Crystal Gardens / Amanda Quick/ Audio Book 9 discs/ Romance

Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick is not your typical historical romance as the main characters are plagued with paranormal gifts that prevent them from leading a normal societal life.

Our protagonist is Evangeline Ames, a female author and private investigator who has left London for the calm life of a country village after an attempt on her life. Her employers have forced her to take time out to recover her wits, enabling her to work on her novel.  However, trouble seems to follow wherever she goes, and when we first meet her she is fleeing out of her window from a man who wishes to murder her. This second attempt on her life sees her escaping from her cottage onto the grounds of Crystal Gardens, the country house owned by the mysterious Lucas Sebastian.  Whilst our heroine is investigating who could be behind the attempts on her life, Lucas is trying to discover who murdered his uncle, the previous owner of Crystal Gardens.  It becomes clear that their investigations could be linked, making Lucas and Evangeline work together to decipher the truth.

Crystal Gardens is for readers who enjoy their historical romance with strong paranormal elements. This was my first experience with the paranormal-romance genre and I found I enjoyed listening to this book on audio. The narrator had a very dramatic way of reading it, though sometimes her voice sounded a little odd (especially when she narrated the male characters).  Her British accent was authentic and each character sounded distinctive.  Quick's books seem to lend themselves well to audio books. Her style is very focused on the mystery components, but the romance seemed to take a bit of a back seat at times.  That is not to say that the romance wasn't good. It was. I just expected more. I do feel that she emphasized the paranormal elements a bit too much, using the term 'psychical' excessively. Readers get the point about the paranormal energies and she could have added depth by building up the story in other ways. Descriptively, Quick excelled in her portrayal of the Crystal Gardens and its otherworldly atmosphere, truly transporting the reader there.

This title is the first in the Ladies of Lantern Street Series.

Similar Titles:  Touch of a Thief  by Mia Marlowe, Heart of Iron by Bec McMaster, Firelight by Kristen Callihan

Any Duchess Will Do / Tessa Dare / 375 pages / Romance

Tessa Dare has crafted one of the most pleasurable books I've read. If you’re looking for a fun, sexy Historical Romance, then you’ll not want to miss this! I thought it perfect escapism.
Oozing humor, it’s filled with witty dialogue and the banter is ever flowing. It also has very sensual love scenes and offers a story that flows faultlessly from beginning to end. There’s no wading in; from the get-go it grabs you and will have you laughing out loud and anxious for more. This talented author touches on one of the most devastating losses anyone could experience, and yet the tone and mood is perfectly balanced carrying the reader forward. I loved it all!

The story begins:  Thirty four year old Griffin Eliot York, eighth Duke of Halford, better known as Griff to his friends and family, is determined to stop his interfering mother’s plans to see him wed. In her latest scheme of kidnapping and spiriting him away to Spindle Cove, he finds the perfect solution. When told to choose any of the ladies with a promise issued that she’ll have them shaped into “Duchess” material within a few weeks, He turns the table. Instead of a proper lady visiting this quaint sea side town, he chooses instead a local; twenty-two year old Pauline Simms. She’s the daughter of a farmer, serves as barmaid at the tavern and her first impression left much to be desired. It doesn’t take long before Griff and his mother learn there’s much more to Pauline Simms than her untidy first impression. This is a very lovable heroine. It’s rare to find a hero and heroine that add equally to the enjoyment of a romance. When that happens, it’s like finding gold. She’s smart, gutsy, feisty, determined and has a dream for better. Life hasn't been easy for Pauline and with the secret deal Griff offers, she finally can envision a future of brightness for not only herself, but her special and much loved younger sister.


Part of the Spinster Cove Series:  1-A Night To Surrender   2-A Week To Be Wicked  3-A Lady By Midnight   4 - Any Duchess Will Do

Similar titles:  The Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn,  The Cynster Novels by Stephanie Laurens,  The Survivors' Club Septet by Mary Balogh

A Strong West Wind / Gail Caldwell / 226 pages / Biography - Autobiography

A Strong West Wind is a memoir of culture and history - of fathers and daughters, of two world wars and the passionate rebellions of the sixties.  It is a memoir written for each of us who longed to move away from our hometowns, knowing that something better just had to be around the corner.  Caldwell, who grew up in the Texas panhandle, artfully uses the metaphor of the wind to steer us through the passages of her life.   Hooked by her first line "How do we become who we are?",  hers is a story of growing up with more questions than answers, that you could be sad and half crazy and still have a life that meant something, that sometimes these definitions are concealed or shrouded in a brighter truth--what looked like an off-road ditch might be another, better path.

Caldwell artfully weaves disparate themes of literature, war, growing up in the 1960's, and her special relationship with her father into a colorful tapestry. As an avid reader, I particularly enjoyed how she cited lines and characters from favorite books to correspond with scenes in her life. Caldwell is at ease discussing a broad spectrum of authors from classics like Shakespeare and Tolstoy to more modern writers, Faulkner and McCarthy. It is clear how important reading is to her life from her first visits to her hometown library "a generous old Georgian mansion with two sets of stone steps up to its wide verandas." Caldwell aptly describes herself as a child "bored beyond measure without a book in my hand."

From girlhood to middle-age, the wind carries us through these spaces in Caldwell's life--a life like so many of our own.

Similar Read-alike suggestions:  The Longest Trip Home by John Grogan,  All Over But the Shoutin' by Rick Bragg, The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer

Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) / Jenny Lawson - The Bloggress / 315 pages / Biography-Autobiography

Her readers obviously don't care whether her book is fact or fiction.  The memoir debuted at the top of the Washington Post and new York Times nonfiction bestseller lists, and in her introduction, Lawson writes, "This book is totally true, except for the parts that aren't".  Lawson relishes revealing plenty about her life, except just how much she may exaggerate about it.  She is hugely popular online where she's detailed her life on the Web for years.

 

The book skims through a series of comic essays, akin to Sedaris if he were an anxiety-stricken Texas mother with a fascination for taxidermy and the zombie apocalypse.  Her writing may be an acquired taste for some, especially with the high animal body count, the constant cursing and the occasionally disjointed manner.  But for her many fans, the randomness will only add to the charm.  The tale is meandering, though never boring and she finds her footing in the world of blogging, where quirkiness is queen.

Similar suggested titles:  Any books written by David Sedaris;  Sippy cups are not for Chardonnay by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor;  My Boyfriend Wrote a Book About Me by Hilary Winston, or Chelsea  Chelsea Bang-Bang by Chelsea Handler . 

I Am Malala - The Girl Who Stood Up For Education And Was Shot By The Taliban / Malala Yousafzai / 321 pages / Biography-Autobiography

When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.  On Tuesday October 9, 2012, she almost paid the ultimate price. When she was shot in the head at point blank range while riding the bus home from school, few expected her to survive.

Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in Northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest ever nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize.

I AM MALALA is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, and of Malala's parents' fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons.

It will make you believe in the power of one person's voice to inspire change in the world. 

Similar Suggested Read-alikes:  Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof,  Blasphemy by Asia Bibi, First Darling of the Morning by Thrity N. Umrigar.

The Snow Child: A Novel / Eowyn Ivey / 388 pgs / Literary/Mainstream

Jack and Mabel live in the wilderness of Alaska in the 1920s. They moved there after the death of their baby. It is a lonely and hard existence. So much so the two of them have stopped talking to each other and to themselves. During a gentle snowstorm one night, the two of them build a snowman and dress it as a child. The next morning the snowman has been destroyed but there are footprints leading off into the deep woods. What follows isn't a straight forward fairy tale but there are enough elements to make the reader think there may be some magic left in the world after all.

Based on a Russian fairy tale, this debut novel is a stunner. The descriptions of Alaska and how cold is it (Hello, Polar Vortex!) help the reader understand the isolation of the place. What the snow person is and what she becomes is left up to the reader. Jack and Mabel have some neighbors that are part comic relief and part teacher. When these families begin to break down the barriers both mental and physical they begin a trek down a trail full of love and heartache. Excellent to read with a roaring fire going in the fireplace.

Reading connections: No One is Here Except All of Us by Ramona Ausubel, Mary Coin by Marisa Silver.

Swamplandia!: A Novel / Karen Russell / 316 pgs / Literary/Mainstream genre

  Meet the Bigtree alligator wrestling tribe of Swamplandia! Florida. The Chief is the master planner of this Southern Florida attraction. His wife Hilola has just died from cancer and their children are coping the best they know how. Their oldest Kiwi is rebelling against life as he knows it, Osceola has begun communing with ghosts while Ava is planning on saving the park and taking her mother's place as the headliner of the show. But the park is failing, people stop coming and the bills are mounting. What is a family to do?

  This family is as messed up as they come. The children have never been to public school and are woefully socially inept. The father lives inside his own mind and doesn't recognize reality needs some serious attention. Kiwi leaves to work at a place that feels like Disney gone wrong, Osceola thinks a ghost wants to marry her and disappears one night into the swamp. Ava seems to be the only normal one but falls into a dream world where she can make everything good again. Not a happy book. There is some gorgeous writing and descriptions of Florida that take your breath away. A serious and dogged literary read.

Reading connections: The Family Fang: A Novel by Kevin Wilson, Middlesex: A Novel by Jeffrey Eugenides

The Forgotten Waltz/ Anne Enright /263 pages/ Literary Fiction

You might enjoy Anne Enright's "The Forgotten Waltz" if you like complicated issues with no easy answers. She has written a tale of emotional turbulence recounting an extra marital affair between a younger woman and a middle aged family man.


The book is written in the first person narrative of Gina the younger married woman. The book is written in a non-linear fashion which unsettles the reader not knowing what to expect next. The story's backdrop is Ireland during the economic downturn of 2008 affecting real estate and the notion of entitlement. Enright has crafted a tale of splintered lives produced in the aftermath of an affair that doesn't lead to a "happily ever after" ending, but one of real life consequences.


Similar titles that are stylistically complex, character driven, and delves into memories, extramarital relations, and Irish angst.


The marriage plot by  Eugenides, Jeffrey; The Infinities by Banville, John ; and Slow Man by Coetzee, J.M.

The Tragedy of Arthur: A Novel / Arthur Phillips / 368 pages / Literary Fiction The Tragedy of Arthur is an emotional and elaborately constructed tour de force from “one of the best writers in America” (The Washington Post). Its doomed hero is Arthur Phillips, a young novelist struggling with a con artist father who works wonders of deception. Imprisoned for decades and nearing the end of his life,  Arthur’s father reveals a treasure he’s kept secret for half a century: The Tragedy  of Arthur, a previously unknown play by William Shakespeare. Arthur and his twin sister inherit their father’s mission: to see the manuscript published and  acknowledged as the Bard’s last great gift to humanity . . .unless it’s their father’s last great con. By turns hilarious and haunting, this virtuosic novel, which includes Shakespeare’s (?) lost play in its entirety, brilliantly subverts our notions of truth, fiction, genius, and identity, as the two Arthurs—the novelist and the ancient king-- play out their strangely intertwined fates.  Comparable titles suggested:   Big Fish by Daniel Wallace and Theft by Peter Carey.

Wide Open / Deborah Coates / 304 pages / Horror

Sergeant Hallie Michaels serving in Afghanistan was killed in action. She was brought back to life with the ability to see ghosts.  There is also news her sister has died back in South Dakota. In returning to her town Hallie finds the past isn't always done and finished. What exactly did happen to her sister and why has the town suddenly stopped answering questions? And what are the ghosts doing?

 A novel with many open ended questions about what the town/people are hiding. There is a bad guy but in my opinion not a fully developed one. What evil does he control and why? The deputy sheriff keeps popping up and is so laconic it is frustrating. What is it with all the elliptical sentences? An interesting tale with great potential but ultimately exasperating. The beginning of a series: Deep Down is second installment. 

Some novels with similar themes: American Elsewhere by Robert Jackson Bennett and The Red Tree by Caitlin R. Kiernan.  

Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling / Michael Boccacino / 239 pages / Horror

A cryptic Gothic horror novel by a debut novelist has a young widow take a governess job with a family dealing with a recent death and a house full of secrets. A deal has been made with an evil being with consequences impacting the present and the future. Will Charlotte figure out the mysteries and keep the family safe?

Not a book for the seasoned horror reader but good for paranormal fans. Charlotte is a believable character who has to make some difficult decisions. The manor house with its hidden rooms and revealing cupboards is a great character in itself.

Some comparable novels are: Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield and A Spirited Manor by Kate Danley. 

  

The Haunting of Maddy Clare / Simone St. James / 318 Pages / Horror

The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James is a tale of ghost hunters, murder and vengeance in 1922 England.

Sarah Piper signs on as a temporary assistant to aid wealthy, handsome ghost hunter Alistair Gellis in flushing out an angry spirit inhabiting her former employer's barn who will only speak to women. Will Sarah be able to withstand Maddy's horrific powers and find out what is driving her anger?

Not only for fans of Horror, Maddy Clare will also appeal to fans of suspense, mystery, and "Ghost Hunter" TV shows. Similar works are An Inquiry Into Love and Death by Simone St. James and The Woman in Black by Susan Hill.

Let the Dead Sleep / Heather Graham / 331 Pages / Horror

Heather Graham begins a new series named McCafferty and Quinn set in post Katrina New Orleans.

Danni McCafferty didn't know her recently deceased father was actively involved in the fight to keep the underworld of crime and evil from overtaking their businesses and way of life in New Orleans. Danni teams up with Michael Quinn, a  former super jock and associate of her father to fight an evil spirit awakened from a de Medici tomb. Graham delivers a tame story rather than a thriller but readers will want to see where Danni and Michael go next in their budding romance.

Heather Graham brings together the elements of romance, the paranormal/occult and Southern life . Other similar works include: Blue Dahlia (In the Garden), by Nora Roberts and  Fat Tuesday by Sandra Dallas. 

Breed / Chase Novak / 310 Pages / Horror

 Breed, by Chase Novak, is a darkly disturbing, cautionary tale about infertility and the horrifying consequences of continued genetic engineering in man's never-ending quest to outwit Mother Nature.

When they have exhausted all possible treatments in the U.S., Leslie and Alex Twisden journey to Slovenia to visit a mysterious doctor who has achieved startling success for other couples in their infertility support group - although many who undergo his treatments suffer an unspeakable side-effect; the desire to eat their children!

Breed will appeal to those who like creepy, intricately plotted horror stories and possibly also to those who enjoy mystery and suspense. Similar works include: The Literary Werewolf: an anthology and The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice.

20th Century Ghosts / Joe Hill / 316 Pages / Horror

20th Century Ghosts, a collection of short stories by Joe Hill (son of acclaimed master of the horror genre, Stephen King), is a Twilight Zone-like exploration of the legacies of the Twentieth Century that haunt us to this day.

Each story explores a macabre facet of life in the last century - from people turning into bugs because of atomic testing to serial killers, child abductions, and our love affair with cinema and Hollywood.

20th Century Ghosts will appeal to lovers of Serling-esque strangeness, suspense and flat-out creepiness. Similar titles include Whispers in the Night and Dark Dreams both by Brandon Massey.

20th Century Ghosts / Joe Hill / 316 Pages / Horror

20th Century Ghosts is a compilation of fantastical short stories from debut author Joe Hill.

Those who enjoy fantasy or horror should appreciate this collection of sixteen stories which can be read all at once or individually, one story per sitting.

The stories average about 20 pages but vary in length from short ('Dead-Wood', 2 pages) to long ('Voluntary Committal', 48 pages) and range from downright creepy ('Best New Horror' or 'You Will Hear the Locust Sing') to almost light-hearted ('20th Century Ghost' or 'Pop Art').

Similar reads might include Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link or The Bachman Books: Four Early Novels by Stephen King.

HORROR Book Talks and Annotations

The Horror Book Talks session will be held Wednesday, October 30 in Room 112 at General Administration starting at 9:00 AM.

Please bring a copy of your Horror book talk selection with you to the meeting. Everyone will be talking about their title and we will discuss the new and improved Annotation format which will be used during Round 5. It is the PRES technique based on a management tool developed by Peter and Susan Glaser, http://www.theglasers.com/.

This technique was adapted by Georgine Olson (a Readers' Advisory librarian in Alaska) for creating quick book talks. Click on Resources for an explanation of how we are going to adapt this technique for writing our annotations and for a link to the PRES Book Talk template developed by Ms. Olson.