From the terrific Earlyword blog comes notice of the fact that one of our customers’ favorite authors, Nora Roberts is profiled in the new issue. You will have to pick up the issue at the library or on the newsstand, but you can read and hear from the author of the profile here.

From the All Over Albany blog comes late word that renowned graphic novelist Jessica Abel will be speaking tomorrow, Wed. April 1st at 1pm at the Stapleton Theatre on the HVCC Campus.

Word just coming across the wires that the literary world has lost another giant, author John Updike as died from lung cancer at age 76.

The soon to be released book, The Yankee Years , by former Yankees skipper Joe Torre and Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci is generating a ton of pre-release buzz and discussion. ESPN’s senior baseball writer Buster Olney has written extensively about the furor on his blog. And the Daily News Mike Lupica has this view of the fallout. You will have your chance to read the book and make up your own mind on February 3rd, when the library will have copies available. Pre-order reserves are available.

From the folks at Learn-gasm comes this extensive collection of tips for readers involved with book clubs. Thanks to Kelly for passing this along!

From the terrific book info blog, Give Em What they Want, comes these links to tributes to Donald Westlake. Los Angeles Times Guardian (UK)Washington Post

Michael Connelly’s latest book is called The Brass Verdict. Fans of his novels know that he often sprinkles music references throughout his work. Now for the first time, the author has compiled a complete list of those music references on his webpage.

Very popular YA author Lauren Myracle (ttyl, i8r etc) has a brand new title that is sure to please fans of Stephanie Meyers, or those who like their reading dark, dramatic and literate. Below is a trailer put together by her publisher Amulet Books.

From our friends at Borders Media, comes this inside look at the new Dennis Lehane novel, “The Given Day”, which arrived on the shelf today.

From one of our new favorite on-line sources for book info, comes word that a new Alexander McCall Smith novel is available now only in serial form from the Telegraph, a UK newspaper. New chapters will appear daily until February and there is an audio version as well. Nice to see one of the UK’s newest literary stars, revive and update a marketing technique from the days of Dickens and Melville.