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Sunday Wrap-up: It’s Been a “Challenging” Week

10/30/2016 / / 9 Comments

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This week:

I had a “challenging” week. On Monday Karen and I launched our Bestseller Code 100 reading challenge. Yesterday I finished the NaNoWriMo October Prep challenge. In between I had an unexpected health challenge. I’m on the mend now, so let’s get to the links.

 

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Monday:  The challenge is to read through the list of 100 bestsellers picked by the computer model described in The Bestseller Code by Jodie Archer and Matthew L. Jockers. The following week (November 7) we’re starting with book number 100, Dennis Lehane’s Shutter Island.

Thursday:  We asked book lovers where they pick up their books at reasonable prices.  The discussion flourished on our Bestseller 100 Reading Group Facebook page.

Saturday:  Did you see the online interview with author Jodi Picoult earlier in the week? If not, I’ve got a brief summary and links to the archived video.

What’s coming up next week:

National Novel Writing Month begins Tuesday.  As I’ve told my friends and family, don’t expect to hear from me again until December.

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Are you ready?

Books currently reading:

Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics by Joe Klein (Book 98 of the challenge)

Rough Day: Detective Lottie King Mystery Short Stories by Shelley Coriell


Because you can’t read just one…

Links to posts read and enjoyed on other sites:

Pages Unbound Reviews asks  Can You Run a Book Blog without Book Reviews? After running a children’s book review blog for a number of years, I would say that writing reviews can become drudgery.  Blogs that offer a mix of content are more fun to read, too. What do you think? Can you leave out book reviews completely? (Link originally found at Got My Book).

Having recently discovered the awesome Helping Writers Become Authors blog, I have to mention How to Find and Fill All Your Plot Holes  (just in time for NaNo.)

 

Today we’re joining the Sunday Post meme at the Caffeinated Book Reviewer blog.

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#amreading Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

10/29/2016 / / 0 Comments

Jodi Picoult, who is one of The Bestseller Code 100 challenge authors, did an online interview on Facebook this week promoting her latest, Small Great Things (Amazon affiliate link).

Did you catch the interview? If not, I figured out how to embed it here. The interview is about 45 minutes long, but well worth the time. Note: It takes a minute or so for the interview to start.

Summary:

The novel is about a nurse named Ruth who is told she shouldn’t touch one of the babies in her care because the baby’s parents are white supremacists and they requested no African Americans care for their child. What does she do when an emergency comes up and she is alone with the baby?

Discussion:

Picoult says it took her twenty-five years to find a way to write about racism in America. She went to a racial justice workshop, interviewed a number of African Americans about their lives, and also spoke to a former white supremacist. Because she writes from three points of view;  as Ruth the African American nurse, as the white supremacist father, and as the white lawyer who defends Ruth, Jodi had to create three different voices. The author says that after writing as the supremacist, she felt the need to take a shower.

During the interview, she also discusses some of her other books and the process of writing. I smiled when she disclosed her daughter protested because she found out her mother had used one of their conversations in the book.

If you watched the interview, what did you think?

 

Hardcover: 480 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books (October 11, 2016)
ISBN-10: 0345544951
ISBN-13: 978-0345544957

#BestsellerCode100: Where Do You Find Books?

10/27/2016 / / 0 Comments

Have you picked up the first book in the reading challenge, which is Dennis Lehane’s Shutter Island: A Novel (Amazon affiliate link), yet?  If so, where did you find it?

A big advantage of reading this list is most of the books are popular enough that you can expect to find them fairly easily. Some you might have already on your shelves. But if not, where do you go?

Of course, there are the usual places:

  • Libraries
  • Bookstores
  • Online giants

We have some serious book lovers doing this challenge and I’ll bet you have found some great places to pick up books at reasonable prices.  Are you willing to share your secrets?

Where are your favorite places to pick up deals on books?

 

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Public domain photo via Visualhunt.com

#BestsellerCode100: Challenge To Read 100 Novels From The Bestseller Code

10/24/2016 / / 10 Comments

We are launching an exciting new challenge.  Let’s read through the list of 100 bestsellers picked by the computer model described in The Bestseller Code by Jodie Archer and Matthew L. Jockers (Review in a previous post).

After sorting through 20,000 novels from the last few decades, Archer and Jockers used their computer model to pick 100 books that are the best of the potential bestsellers. The list contains novels from a mix of genres. Many you will recognize, some you may not. Currently you can see book numbers 100 through 90 at the 100 Book List link in the navigation bar.

Why participate?

Readers:
  • Challenge yourself to read books of different genres
  • Discover new favorites from a list of seasoned authors, many of whom have series or multiple published titles (more books for your TBR pile)
  • Find out how your tastes compare with the computer model
Writers:
  • Explore the novels that are the best of the bestsellers (according to the computer model)
  • Learn what it takes to write a bestseller in a variety of genres by reading them critically
  • Share writing tips and insights

How to participate:

Check with the 100 Book List tab in the navigation bar at the top of the blog for our reading list and links to all the discussions.

We’re starting with number 100 on the list, which is Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane. Pick up a copy and read it over the next two weeks. If you have a blog and want to do so, post your thoughts. On November 7 we’ll publish a post to start the conversation and to gather links (now published). No blog? No worries. We’ll have plenty of ways for you to join in. Also, during the week your host Karen will discuss the featured title from the reader’s perspective and host Roberta will take on the writer’s perspective.

Don’t worry if you’re doing NaNoWriMo or can’t get to the book in two weeks. Pour a cup of your favorite beverage and stop by any time.

Find the conversation on social media:  We’ll be using #BestsellerCode100 on Twitter, discussing at The Bestseller Code 100 Facebook Group and posting to The Bestseller Code 100 Pinterest Page.

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Join us every other Monday for a new book from The Bestseller Code 100.

Sunday Wrap-up: The Bestseller Code Reading Challenge Coming Tomorrow

10/23/2016 / / 12 Comments

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This week:

The October 2016 NaNoWriMo Prep Challenge is going well. Having a concrete goal to strive for every day has made the novel preparation work much more manageable.  Some of the assignments have pushed me to try new things, too. For example, I had been dreading writing down how my main character is going to change over the course of the novel. I probably would have avoided it at all costs, or written something generic, if it hadn’t shown up as an assignment. The challenge made me investigate character arcs in greater depth and in the course of my research, I developed the perfect arc for my character. When I was done, I wanted to give a high-five everyone in the room (that would have been the cats.)

What’s coming up:

Karen and I are going to launch our big reading challenge tomorrow and we are holding our breath in anticipation . We are inviting everyone to read through the list of 100 best books picked by the computer algorithm discussed in The Bestseller Code with us. We hope you stop by tomorrow to find out all the details and that you consider reading along with us.

Posted recently:

Summary and review  of The Bestseller Code by Jodie Archer and Matthew L. Jockers. The authors developed a computer algorithm to tell whether a book would become a bestseller or not. After evaluating 20,000 novels written over the last three decades, they were able to predict with 80% accuracy. They also used the model to create a list of the 100 books with the best scores from those they evaluated.

Posted Whodunit Challenge #5. Can you guess the mystery author?

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Whodunit Challenge #5 Answer is revealed.

Books currently reading:

Finished the first reading of books number 100, Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane, and number 99, State of Wonder by Ann Patchett, on The Bestseller Code 100 best books list.  Primary Colors is up next.

Links to posts read and enjoyed on other sites:

As a writer, I’m always looking for cool names for my characters. Turning it around for Top Ten Tuesday, The Bookwyrm’s Hoard and I Wish I Lived in a Library  have “ten characters I’d name a pet (or car or child) after.” We once named a cat Miss Rumphius from a favorite children’s book. That is, until a week later we found out the cat was a boy. Fun idea, though.

Today we’re joining the Sunday Post meme at the Caffeinated Book Reviewer blog.

 

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The Bestseller Code: Anatomy of the Blockbuster Novel by Jodie Archer

10/20/2016 / / 4 Comments

A few weeks ago Jodie Archer signed her new book written with Matthew L. Jockers, The Bestseller Code:  Anatomy of the Blockbuster Novel at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore. It was a rainy day and I went on a whim, but it turned out to be worthwhile, perhaps even life changing. A book signing that was life changing? It’s that kind of book.

 

What the authors did:

What makes a novel a bestseller? Can you predict which books will become bestsellers? To answer those questions, Jodie Archer and Matthew Jockers used computer models to examine the digital manuscripts of 20,000 novels written over the last few decades. First they “trained” the model using 28,000 features to figure out how a bestseller is different from a non-bestselling novel. Using a reduced set of features (the 2,799 that seemed to have best predictive value), they tested whether they could establish if a novel would become a hit. Averaging over the three different methods they used, they were able to predict whether a given manuscript would become a blockbuster with 80% accuracy.

Writing tips:

Right up front, this book is not a how-to for writing bestselling novels. Some of what the authors found, however, can be translated into useful writing tips. The factors they identified in bestsellers are not top secret, but reflect writing techniques used by experienced and well-trained authors.

For example, they found bestselling novels rarely contain the word “very,” whereas “very” can show up frequently in non-bestsellers. The difference is because experienced authors know to avoid the word. To follow their example, you can find numerous tutorials online about more active and concrete substitutes, such as 45 Ways to Avoid Using the Word ‘Very.’

The book also offers insights into titles, themes, characters, and  plotting. For plots, the authors graphed the emotional turns or “beats,” forming curves.  Using E.L. James’s Fifty Shades of Grey as a case in point, they show how the places where the beats occur in the novel are important factors in determining whether the novel will be a bestseller or not.

Not clear what we mean by emotional curves? Kurt Vonnegut explains more about it in this video:

The bottom line is if you want to improve your chances of writing a bestselling novel, this book will reinforce what you already may have learned with supportive data.

At this time the authors are  not using their model to predict bestsellers as a service. To find out more and sign up for a mailing list, see their website.

Dear Reader:

The Bestseller Code also has much to offer to novel readers. In the final chapter, Archer and Jockers have created a list of 100 books their computer model picked as best reads. How did the computer do? On Monday October 24, 2016 we are going to launched a challenge to read through the list and share our thoughts. For now you can see some of the books on the 100 Book List in the navigation bar. We hope you will join us.

Conclusions:

The Bestseller Code offers an understanding of how computers can mathematically predict bestselling novels.  At her book signing, Jodie Archer encapsulated how this may change our future when she compared how a book can be considered a work of art versus how publishers treat books as products. Perhaps computers will be able to pick the most likely products to become bestsellers, but humans are still needed to appreciate a novel’s value as art.

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press (September 20, 2016)
ISBN-10: 1250088275
ISBN-13: 978-1250088277

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Answer to #Mystery Author Whodunit Challenge 5

10/18/2016 / / 2 Comments

Did you recognize the mystery/suspense author from last week’s Whodunit Challenge #5?  Janet Evanovich was the author with the popular series mixing romance and mystery genres. You probably would have recognized her if we revealed the protagonist in the series is bounty hunter Stephanie Plum.

Janet Evanovich started out writing romance novels. She readily admits she collected rejection letters for 10 years prior to publication. In fact, she said she had filled a crate with them . One day she decided to burn the letters, give up, and got a job at a temp agency.  Fortunately for readers everywhere, one of her submissions that was still out caught the eye of an editor and soon she was able to quit the temp agency to write full time.

We were “counting down” to her newest novel because the books in the series all have a number in the title. For example Janet Evanovich’s most recent release in the series is Tricky Twenty-Two: A Stephanie Plum Novel.

If you have a few minutes, you can learn more mystery author Janet Evanovich from this interview about her 27th book at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore (on Facebook).

Series: Stephanie Plum
Publisher: Random House (November 17, 2015)
ISBN-10: 0385363230
ISBN-13: 978-0385363235

Newest Book:

Also in the series, Turbo Twenty-Three: A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich, is due out November 15, 2016. According to Evanovich’s website, Stephanie goes undercover at an ice cream factory and someone gets their “just desserts.” (groan)

Publisher: Random House  (November 15, 2016)
ISBN-10: 0385363249

For Writers:

If you are a writer, you also might want to look for How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author by Janet Evanovich and Ina Yalof.

In the book Janet Evanovich reveals a highly personal view of all aspects of writing. Starting with writing tips, such as how to plot, she takes the reader through revising, publishing and has a whole section on what it is like to be a writer. She has an amazing ability to create quirky, believable, and relatable characters. It isn’t a surprise, therefore, that Part 1 of the book is dedicated to “Creating Great Characters.”

Whether you are a reader or a writer, our whodunit challenge mystery author Janet Evanovich has some sensational books for you.

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Join Us For Two Writing/Reading Projects: First is #NaNoWriMo

10/13/2016 / / 0 Comments

Fall is so energizing.  Maybe that’s why we are launching not one, but two writing/reading projects around here. We’ll be announcing the big one next week. We hope you will join us for both.

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First up, is National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo. Basically, the goal is to write 50,000 words in the month of November. You can read more about it here. Are you going to sign up? The NaNoWriMo theme for 2016 is “Blast Off.” Let’s do it!

Everyone has different reasons to take part in NaNoWriMo. Mine has been to try to improve my writing skills. Believe it or not, it is actually working. This year I have been preparing by taking an October Prep Challenge, too.  It has been helping not only to develop an extensive background for the novel, but also to develop the habitat of focusing on writing every day.

Writing Project for 2016:  A Thriller

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Premise:  J.R. operates in the shadows, doing jobs for clandestine government agencies they want kept off the record. After he rescues a young woman with a violent past, he and his team find themselves battling a hidden adversary bent on destroying them. J.R. must figure out who is orchestrating the attacks before he loses his life, or far worse, his enemy uncovers J.R.’s secrets.

Frankly, there’s much more to it than that, but I’m keeping some of the juicier details under wraps for the time being.

Are you doing NaNoWriMo in November? What is your project going to be?

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Changed My Blog’s Look (Again)

10/04/2016 / / 2 Comments

Today I decided my blog looked too messy and decided to change the theme. I thought the notebook look was fun at first, but got tired of it.

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I think the new header image is more “mysterious.” Does the accent color of the text in the sidebar match the header in your browser?

So, what do you think?

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