Online children's book community - Tikatok.com

Tikatok.com, the leading children's online book community where kids can write, illustrate and publish their own hardcover or soft-cover books, has announced a new Web site designed that provides easier search capabilities and improved integration with buildabearville.com, the interactive online virtual world created by Build-A-Bear Workshop®.

Tikatok.com's new site more prominently showcases featured books, with new books posted every week. The enhanced search capabilities make the Tikatok archives easier to search, and find fellow child authors and their books. The new site also offers improved integration with Tikatok Blog (nightly.tikatok.net) to keep authors updated about special contests, events and writing challenges.

In addition, a new "recent activity feed” lets authors know about new books posted by their friends, new posts in their Tikatok book clubs, and new comments others have posted about their books.

Tikatok.com is also now more integrated with buildabearville.com®. Children using Tikatok have been able to create their own books using Build-A-Bear Workshop artwork, characters and special StorySparks(TM). Now these books appear in the Build-A-Story® Libeary at Tikatok.com and in the virtual Libeary® in Build-A-Bearville® for millions of kids to enjoy.

For more information about Tikatok, please visit Tikatok.com
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Magic Tree House

On this week’s special episode of Barnes & Noble Tagged! (www.BN.com/Tagged), host Molly Pesce welcomes beloved children’s book author Mary Pope Osborne to the Studio, with the help of her daughter, 7-year-old Magic Tree House superfan, Charlotte.

Best known for her bestselling Magic Tree House series, which has been translated into over 20 languages and sold over 53 million copies around the world, Mary Pope Osborne has been delighting children with her stories since her first release in 1982.

Stop by the Barnes & Noble Studio (www.BN.com/Studio) this week to hear about the 42nd adventure in the Magic Tree House series, the newly released A Good Night for Ghosts, and stay tuned to hear 7-year-old Charlotte interview the author about her inspiration behind the tree house, the introduction of Merlin, and how the input of children has helped shape the series from the beginning.

Stay tuned after the interview for Molly’s Tagged! Close Up of Chicken Dance by Tammi Sauer, and for Molly’s Top Tags in new book, DVD, and music releases for kids who need to “chill out” this summer.
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Free Copy of Bill O’Reilly's First Book

Bancroft Press is holding a special promotion to give away FREE copies of Bill O’Reilly’s first book and novel, Those Who Trespass. 

All customers have to do is purchase ANY of the nearly 50 hardcover books published by Bancroft Press! Just use the code TWT when paying for the website purchase (www.bancroftpress.com) and receive Those Who Trespass along with FREE shipping for the entire order. All copies are in mint condition and only 397 copies of available with a limit of one per person.

About the Book

With three consecutive number one bestsellers, Bill O’Reilly has proved that he’s the king of the nonfiction list. With Those Who Trespass, he extends his bestselling domain to fiction, giving readers a novel that’s an exciting look into the no-holds-barred world of television news.

One by one, high-level executives and correspondents are being murdered. Soon it becomes clear that the killings are linked, the work of a bitter former newsman exacting revenge on those who derailed his career. Tommy O’Malley, a tough but warmhearted New York City detective, is assigned to crack the widening, high-profile murder cases, but encounters competition from a beautiful and tenacious tabloid reporter, Ashley Van Buren. As the story unfolds, Tommy and Ashley quickly discover they’ve got much more in common than a knack for solving crimes.

Those Who Trespass combines suspense, action, psychodrama, and romance with a fascinating glimpse into the harsh realities behind the delivery of our daily dose of television news—a picture only Bill O’Reilly could bring to life.

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A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi

A Circle of Souls~ Preetham Grandhi
352 p, Cedar Fort, ISBN: 1599552353

Synopsis: The sleepy town of Newbury, Connecticut, is shocked when a little girl is found brutally murdered. The town s top detective, perplexed by a complete lack of leads, calls in FBI agent Leia Bines, an expert in cases involving children.

Meanwhile, Dr. Peter Gram, a psychiatrist at Newbury s hospital, searches desperately for the cause of seven-year-old Naya Hastings devastating nightmares. Afraid that she might hurt herself in the midst of a torturous episode, Naya s parents have turned to the bright young doctor as their only hope.

The situations confronting Leia and Peter converge when Naya begins drawing chilling images of murder after being bombarded by the disturbing images in her dreams. Amazingly, her sketches are the only clues to the crime that has panicked Newbury residents. Against her better judgment, Leia explores the clues in Naya s crude drawings, only to set off an alarming chain of events.

In this stunning psychological thriller, innocence gives way to evil, and trust lies forgotten in a web of deceit, fear, and murder.

About the Author
Preetham Grandhi, MD, immigrated to the United States from India to pursue a career in child and adolescent psychiatry. He currently resides in Westchester County, New York, with his family. Do visit www.acircleofsouls.com to read more about the book.
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I Used to Know That By Caroline Taggart

I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School ~ Caroline Taggart
192 p; Publisher: Reader's Digest; 978-0-7621-0995-1

Take an entertaining trip back to the classroom with I Used to Know That. This small but mighty collection will trigger your memory with fun facts you learned in school—from adverbs to the Pythagorean Theorem.

Author Caroline Taggart discovered two things while researching this book and talking with other people: One, everybody had been to school. And two, they had all forgotten entirely different things. Contained in this handy little book are the facts that you learned in school, but may not remember completely or accurately. Covering a variety of subjects, this book features all the most important theories, equations, phrases, and rules we were all taught years ago.

Rediscover:
* History: The first president to occupy the White House was John Adams in 1800
* Religion: The seven deadly sins and the names of the twelve apostles
* Literature: In which Shakespearean play “The quality of mercy” speech appears
* Science: The periodic table of elements devised by a Russian chemist in 1889 includes the symbol for lead (Pb), silver (Ag), tin (Sn), and gold (Au)
* Nature: How photosynthesis works

The information—presented in easy-to-retain, bite-sized chunks—is accurate and up-to- date. It will touch a chord with anyone old enough to have forgotten half of what they learned at school. Witty, engaging, and fun, this little book will appeal to the student in each of us.

Author Bio
Caroline Taggart has been an editor of non-fiction books for nearly 30 years and has covered nearly every subject from natural history and business to gardening and astronomy. She has written several books and was the editor of Writer’s Market UK 2009.

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Booksalemanager.com

All across the nation, many Friends of the Library and other nonprofit organizations hold book sales that feature cheap books that were either donated or removed from circulation. Typically these sales sell books, CDs, magazines, and DvD's for rock bottom prices. A typical sale will sell most of their items for under 3 dollars.

Being charity organizations, these nonprofit organizations often have limited resources to advertise and promote their sales. As such, many people are never made aware of the excellent deals they are missing within their own communities. That's where Booksalemanager.com comes in. They are attempting to bridge the gap between Organizations looking to more effectively advertise their sale, and people looking to find more places to get good deals on books and media.

Friends of the Library organizations and other non-profit groups can freely advertise their sale on booksalemanager.com. People looking to find sales can use their powerful search tools to find these sales. They can search by state, zip code, sale size, and date ranged. Furthermore, people can create an account and save sales to their calendar to help them better track the sales they want to go to.

I believe book sales are a great way to find bargain books and media while at the same time supporting the local libraries we all know and love. It's a total win-win.
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Author Sandy Lo Set to Appear in Staten Island

Author and editor of StarShine Magazine, SANDY LO, will be celebrating her debut novel LOST IN YOU by signing copies for book club members at Lacey's Bridge Tavern, a family style restaurant in Sandy's hometown of Staten Island, NY on Sunday, July 26, 2009.  The event is open to the public and all forms of media is welcome.  Lacey's Bridge Tavern Book Club will be discussing various novels, and attendees will be able to purchase LOST IN YOU, have it signed by Sandy Lo and discuss it with her as well as her 8 years running StarShine Magazine.

For more information on SANDY LO and LOST IN YOU: http://www.sandy-lo.com/. Join the mailing list for updates on book signings and new projects.  Keep up to date with Sandy Lo on Facebook: www.facebook.com/sandylo120 and on twitter.com/authorsandylo.
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The Lie by Fredrica Wagman

The Lie ~ Fredrica Wagman
224 p, Zoland Books,  978-1-58642-157-1

Ramona Smollens has a chance meeting on a park bench with an older man, Solomon Columbus. The two became lovers, and soon Ramona is leaving the home of her mother and recently deceased father for marriage and the trappings of adult life. She takes with her a dark family secret, the sort of secret one simply did not talk about, one that would stalk her as she matured into her role as wife and mother. Coming of age in 1950s America, Ramona gets her cues about a woman's role from the world around her, and about female sexuality from the silver screen. But when experience teaches her that Hollywood's ideal is in fact "the lie," truth and desire collide with a force that is deeply moving and unforgettable.

Author Bio
Fredrica Wagman is the author of six previous novels. She has four grown children and lives with her husband in New York City. For more information please visit www.fredricawagman.com

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Real Life Tales of the Berenstain Bears

Everyone remembers at least one of the Berenstain Bears adventures; whether it’s Sister’s rejection from the Boy’s Club, visiting the Dentist, moving to a new house, or going on vacation.

Every book tells a story, but sometimes there’s a story behind the book as well – a fascinating nugget of information that adds to the work’s appeal and makes for an interesting tale in itself.

The Book Files, an original Web video series from the Barnes & Noble Studio (www.BN.com/Studio), uncovers the extraordinary back-stories behind books old and new, famous and obscure.

This week, tune in to find out how the Berenstain’s real-life vacations to the Jersey Shore inspired the adventures in The Berenstain Bears Go on Vacation, including how they used real-life pictures and home videos to recreate their stories for the book.

Further, stay tuned to find out why this edition holds a place of honor in the 300+ book series, particularly for “brother bear” – Stan and Jan Berenstain’s son, Mike.
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Burn by Linda Howard

Burn by Linda Howard
384 p, Ballantine Books, ISBN-0345486560

New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard kicks off the summer with BURN, another red-hot romantic thriller (A Ballantine Books Hardcover; On-Sale: July 7, 2009). A fast and furious read, BURN is filled with the kind of sexy suspense, heart-stopping romance, beautiful people, and risky business that have become Linda Howard’s trademarks.

It’s true what they say: money changes everything. And money certainly changes Jenner Redwine’s life when she wins a lottery jackpot. But it also costs her plenty. Her father rips her off and disappears; her fortune-hunting boyfriend soon becomes her ex; and friends-turned-freeloaders give her the cold shoulder when she stops paying for everything.

Though flush with new money, Jenner couldn’t imagine finding a place in the world of the wealthy. But now, seven years later, she’s rubbing elbows with the rich and no-longer-so-different, despite the fact she still feels like a party crasher. Luckily she finds an ally—and guide to the rarified realm of privilege—in shy, kind-hearted heiress Sydney Hazlett, who quickly becomes Jenner’s confidant and surrogate sister.

When Sydney invites her on a charity cruise aboard a luxury liner, Jenner reluctantly agrees. But while she’s expecting—and dreading—two weeks of masquerade balls, art auctions, and preening Glitterati, what she gets is more like a Hitchcock movie than a Love Boat episode. Taken hostage by a menacing stranger, Jenner must cooperate in a mysterious cloak-and-dagger scheme, or else. With nowhere to run, and Sydney’s life as well as her own at risk, Jenner is drawn into a game of dizzying intrigue and harrowing danger. But as her panic gives way to exhilaration, and fear of her captor turns to fascination, Jenner rediscovers feelings she hasn’t had in years—and realizes she’s finally found a life worth living. If she survives.

Linda Howard is a true romantic genius and her novels have been heating up the bestseller lists for years. With it’s gripping suspense and steamy romance, BURN is a thriller that’s sure to put a little sizzle into summer.

About the Author

LINDA HOWARD is the award-winning author of many New York Times bestsellers, including Death Angel, Up Close and Dangerous, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Cover of Night, Killing Time, To Die For, Kiss Me While I Sleep, Cry No More, Dying to Please, Open Season, Mr. Perfect, All the Queen’s Men, Now You See Her, Kill and Tell, and Son of the Morning. She lives in Alabama with her husband and golden retriever.
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Book Excerpt : Acne For Dummies

Acne For Dummies (For Dummies (Health & Fitness) 

by Herbert P. Goodheart M.D.

Book Excerpt : Helping Your Child Deal with Acne's "Invisible Scars"

Acne affects adolescents at a time when they're developing their personalities and evolving into adulthood. The psychological impact of severe or even mild acne can lead your child to feelings of diminished self-esteem and be a source of anxiety when it comes to dealing with the world. During this time, peer acceptance is very important to them and physical appearance and attractiveness is highly associated with status. Besides the physical scars that acne can produce, your teen may also be suffering emotionally.

Acne, particularly, severe facial acne, can bring out cruel taunts, teasing, and name calling from other children. Some teens lose interest in sports such as swimming or basketball because of the need to undress in locker rooms and expose their back and chests. Some kids become so preoccupied with how their skin looks that they may not want to go to school, they may pull away from their friends, show dramatic changes in their thinking and behavior, become withdrawn, and may even become depressed.

Our society places a great emphasis on physical appearance; we're all constantly bombarded with advertisements that display models and movie stars, all of whom are depicted as paragons of beauty and flawless perfection. They often serve as the spokespeople for health and beauty aids that imply that you can look like them if you buy the products they're promoting. When you see media portrayals of all those people with perfect skin, just remember that almost all of those photos are touched-up and airbrushed. Some of the models even have -- heaven forbid -- acne, just like your kid does!

Teens with acne are often told, "It's no big deal, and anyway, you'll grow out of it; it's just a normal part of life." But to a teen with acne, it is a big deal; they often feel insecure and lack self confidence. The truth is that many kids don't "just grow out of it". The main thing to remember, acne, even very severe acne, is treatable. But you as a parent should be aware of the "invisible scars" that some teens carry on the inside; they can be really tough!

You Can Do Something About It

Here are a few simple, yet effective, ways to communicate your willingness to help:

• Let your child know how much you care: Give your child adequate time to bring up the subjects of their acne and allow them to address or respond to your questions about the behavioral changes you've noticed.
• Listen patiently: They may want to communicate their feelings but have difficulty doing so. Think back to your own teen years. You may not have always felt like it was easy to be open about your thoughts and feelings.
• Don't be overly judgmental about your child's appearance: Approach the subject of acne in a gentle, caring manner and try to give a little space when it comes to some of the relatively harmless decisions they make about their clothing and grooming habits.
• It's extremely important to keep the lines of communication open: Take the time to pay undivided attention to your kid's concerns. It's important to even if your child seems to want to withdraw.
• Don't lecture on the subject: Try to avoid telling your child what to do. Instead, pay careful attention and you may discover more about the issues causing his or her problems.

©2009 Herbert P. Goodheart, M.D., author of Acne For Dummies

Author Bio
Herbert P. Goodheart, M.D., of New York, NY, author of Acne For Dummies, is a practicing dermatologist who also teaches at the Mount Sinai College of Medicine. He is the author of a highly regarded dermatology textbook.

Author's Website

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Children's Book Review - Colors and Shapes

Colors and Shapes (My First Books) ~ DK Publishing
26 pages | ISBN 9780756633707 | 1 - 5 years

With imaginative photographic designs, simple word labels, and stimulating questions, My First books and games build vocabulary and lay the foundation for early literacy skills in preschoolers. Spanning a variety of popular subjects¬––such as vehicles, animals, colors and first words––the simplistic artistic design is both inviting and engaging for parent and child.

This board book includes wipe clean pages specifically designed to practice early writing and drawing skills. Exciting photographs illustrate preschooler’s favorite subjects and motivate them to practice the challenging activates again and again.

* Features dry-erase pen with triangular grip for preschoolers to develop pencil control
* Pen wipes clean from pages and leaves hands, clothing, and furniture mark free
* Puzzles and games build children's pre-reading and mathematic abilities
* Includes a pull-out, wipe-clean writing slate for children to practice

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The Lady in Red by Hallie Rubenhold

The Lady in Red: An Eighteenth-Century Tale of Sex, Scandal, and Divorce ~ Hallie Rubenhold
320 p, St. Martin's Press, ISBN: 0312359942

It is the shocking, engrossing, and true story of Lady Worsley, who enthralled all of England with her very public divorce from Sir Richard Worsley. As the couple’s sexual escapades and affairs were laid out in court, the entire country watched with mouths agape. Not just some dull and dry history, The Lady in Red is proof that eighteenth century London was just as riveting as celebrity antics today.

The Lady in Red has a great deal of potential as a mainstream history, and will appeal to a similar audience as Georgiana by Amanda Foreman. Hallie Rubenhold is not your average stuffy historian—she is young, hip, and very excited about her newest venture.
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Free Christine Warren Story

New York Times-bestselling author Christine Warren has written a free short story that takes place in her “The Others” world (where the books HOWL AT THE MOON and ONE BITE WITH A STRANGER – out in Oct. – take place). The story is called “Heart of the Sea” and people can sign up for it at the new romance site, www.SheLovesHotReads.com.

An excerpt of the story can be found here: http://www.sheloveshotreads.com/paranormal/on-the-hunt-for-power-and-passion.html

Or people can sign up directly here: http://us.macmillan.com/static/sheloveshotreads/exacttarget/heartofthesea.html
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GREETINGS FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE by Monica McInerney

Buy the Book
448 p, Ballantine, ISBN-13: 978-0345506382

For many of us, the idea of walking away from our jobs and running a charming B&B in the Irish countryside sounds fabulous. Not so for Lainey Byrne, an events manager in Melbourne who gets a real kick out of controlling the chaos of her professional and personal life (in other words, telling everyone what to do). But when Lainey’s Aunt May passes away, someone from the Byrne family must return home to Ireland and take over her business for a year in order to collect the inheritance. As usual, Lainey volunteers, deciding to break up with her sexy, sensitive boyfriend “for practical reasons.” After all, their work keeps them apart even in Melbourne. How would the relationship survive a year of separation?

When she arrives, Lainey discovers something she didn’t anticipate: a run-down house on the Hill of Tara with nary a guest in sight. And since Lainey can barely cook or clean, the challenge is on. Between getting the B&B up and running (with a little help from old friends), worrying about her family from afar, adjusting to country life, and dealing with the repercussions of choosing not to pursue long-distance love, Lainey begins to suspect that she’s in way over her head. Then a reunion with a gorgeous childhood friend sparks unexpected complications, and Lainey realizes that fate may have another path for her. It just might be time to slow down, take a breath, and take stock of who she really is—and who she wants to be.
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The Summer Kitchen By Karen Weinreb

Buy It!

The Summer Kitchen combines deft social criticism with a glimpse into the exclusive world of Bedford, NY, the enclave of the super-wealthy.  Nora Banks, wife of a wealthy Wall Streeter, has a gorgeous eighteenth-century house and two children who want for nothing.  But her perfect life all comes crashing down when the doorbell rings at five am, and federal agents take her husband to jail for financial fraud.

With only the friendship and support of her children’s nanny Beatriz, Nora turns her passion for baking into a business of her own.  The themes of baking and food (think custard with sherry and dark chocolate glaze) add a level of hearty sensuality to the narrative, and the culinary descriptions will make readers’ mouths water.

The Summer Kitchen is a story about rejecting materialism and finding one’s true calling, and is ultimately uplifting as Nora changes her way of thinking about life, family, money, and her marriage.  The quality of the writing and timeliness of the plot make The Summer Kitchen an emotionally rich, involving first novel.

Karen Weinreb is a journalist with an undergraduate degree from Yale University and a postgraduate degree from Oxford University.  She has written for newspapers in Australia, where she was born, and for magazines in the United States, where she now lives with her family. More info at visit http://www.karenweinreb.com/.
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Children's Book Review - Big Boys Use the Potty

Big Boys Use the Potty! (DK Sticker Reward Books)
12 pages | ISBN 9780756614515 | 1 - 5 years

Like all parents who're trying to get their kid out of the diaper and onto the potty, I've been to hell and back. My kid and I are still trying to get him trained and its not an easy task. He's eager to sit on the potty one day and stubbornly refuses to go near it another day. But having read this book, I think he'll be inspired to become a big boy like the one in the book with his cute teddy bear.

Together the boy and his teddy go out and get a Potty each and learn to tinkle and poop (or at least try to) in it. It's fun and nicely illustrated and most important of all, in my opinion, shows a kid happily trying out this arduous task. He doesn't always achieve his goal but he doesn't give up as he gets a star as a reward on a chart each time he does the "deed"! Now that's an incentive I was already using, but these stickers really have my son intrigued and we're going to try and use them to get him really motivated. It's too soon to tell if the lesson sticks, but the book certainly does do its part in this collective effort.

The only con I could find is that the stars themselves aren't very attractive. They're a pale pastel blue color and experience tells me that children are more stimulated by bright colors or funny faces.

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Jenna Maclaine's Spread the Word Summer Contest

Check out the contest Jenna Maclaine is having this summer!



There are a ton of ways to get entered and since it’s a “spread the word” contest, you can enter as many times as you spread the word! Each time you mention the contest – whether its on Facebook, mySpace, Twitter, etc – you have an entry for the contest!

For more information check out her Website.
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Review - Dial Emmy For Murder

Dial Emmy For Murder: A Soap Opera Mystery ~ Eileen Davidson

304 p, Signet, ISBN: 978-0451228253

Synopsis:
Alexis Peterson’s days are filled with scheming, backstabbing, adultery and murder. She is a soap opera star, after all. But a new role has her feeling like she’s in the horror business.

Tabloids and fans are stunned when soap star Alexis Peterson leaves her popular show for another soap, but she’s too busy preparing for her new job as a presenter at the Daytime Emmy® Awards to notice. When her co-presenter goes missing on award night, Alex realizes she has another murder mystery on her hands.Working behind the scenes to find out how her costar could have met such an end, Alex invites handsome Detective Frank Jakes back into her life. But first Alex must focus on finding the killer before she sees another one of Hollywood’s brightest stars burn out. Who knew soap operas could get so dirty?

My Thoughts:
Mysteries are one of my favorite genres. Whodunits, in particular, are something I cut my teeth on and as such I just adore them. This book is one such, with the lead character and prime suspect doing the investigating as well. Now that's a guaranteed recipe for success! And mayhem!

The whodunit portion of this novel is deceptively simple. With an ample number of suspects among the cast of the show and outside, Alex has her work cut out for her. She's no investigator and so she bumbles her way across, often getting hit on the head. For a veteran actress, she surprisingly comes across as someone very real and untouched by the unreal work and world she's doing and leading. That part was a bit hard for me to digest. Of course, she does take off in the middle of the day to surf - well, that does make it somewhat believable, in a contrary kind of way.

The novel is breezy, it's fun and the suspense is good - in fact, you could say, it's the stuff of soap operas - just kidding (sort of!). I have to admit halfway through the novel I guessed who the culprit might be, but not how it'd all be revealed in the end. There's also an interesting love triangle in the offing and hopefully more will be revealed in the next book of this series, Death in Daytime.

Read an excerpt from Dial Emmy For Murder at A Book Blogger's Diary.
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Chat with Author Jane Green

The Penguin Group would like to invite you to join bestselling author Jane Green for a chat about her newest novel, Dune Road, on Monday, July 6^th at 2 PM EST. You can join the chat by visiting The Water Cooler at the scheduled time.

Dune Road is the story of life in an exclusive beach town after the tourists have left for the summer and the eccentric (and moneyed) community sticks around—from the bestselling author of The Beach House. Warm, witty and gloriously observed, Dune Road is Jane Green at her best, full of brilliant insights into challenges that come with forging a new life.

The chat, which is the first in what will be a monthly feature in the newly launched “From the Publisher’s Office” network on the Penguin website, will allow readers to ask questions of the author, after having had the first three chapters of the book serialized on the site. The reading experience will be rounded out with a complete Readers Group Guide once the chat has been completed. If you can’t take part, all chats will be archived on the site, so check back at any time.
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