J.K. Rowling Interview: The Final Chapter - contains spoilers

The final chapter, the last book in the great Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, will be in theatres July 15, 2011 in the USA and Canada.  Fans of Harry Potter will be sad to witness the end of what has been a magnificent journey through the adolescent years of Harry Potter and his friends Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and more.  To commemorate this event, I located an interview of J.K. Rowling on Dateline.  J.K. Rowling speaks of the writing process, fame, and saying goodbye to Harry.



In case you are wondering, the official trailer for part 2 hasn't been released yet.  There are some good mock ups on YouTube but I always prefer the real official trailer.  Keep your eyes open for it.  The DVD and BluRay of part 1 are now available in stores.

Book Review: The Town Cried Murder by Leslie Ford

The Town Cried Murder
Author:  Leslie Ford
Copyright:  1938  Charles Scribner's Sons
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Pages:  191
Source:  I purchased this book at my favourite second-hand bookstore "Never Without a Book"

(from the back cover) "The Town Cried Murder...Lovely Faith Yardley's betrothel to a man from the north is abruptly followed by murder--and more murder.

Transformed by terror, quaint and beautiful Williamsburg, Virginia, waits for the killer to strike again, and wonders:

This time, will it be Faith Yardley herself?"

My review: 

In her attempts to save their home, Faith Yardley's aunt, Melusina, will stop at nothing...even if it means using her niece as a pawn to bring money into the family via the betrothal of her young niece to a man she does not love but has the means to keep Yardley Mansion in the family.  Melusina announces the betrothal before the couple have even made it official which sets off a stream of events, including murder.  Many are suspect...many have motive...two people are dead. 

Cleverly written so the reader is unsure of the identity of the killer, our focus is drawn from one individual to another as the main character, Lucy Randolph, contemplates motives and unwittingly becomes involved.  Leslie Ford wrote this novel in the first person character of Lucy Randolph which makes it quite fun as we follow this Victorian type spinster in her ponderings and sometimes foolish actions as she attempts to solve the mystery, protect her cousin, Faith Yardley, and her new young border gentleman Bill Haines.

Once I got into this novel, I was caught up in the excitement and drama of it all.  I did find, however, the first couple of chapters to be rather dry as they were given to covering background information of the area of Williamsburg and the residents thereof.  Upon the introduction of Bill Haines, Miss Lucy Randolph's new boarder, though, the story picked up pace and moved rapidly so I found I did not want to put it down.  I really enjoyed The Town Cried Murder and recommend it to any who enjoys a good mystery.  Character development is superb and the story development was keenly accomplished with twists of plot.  I like a mystery that keeps you guessing and Leslie Ford has achieved that with The Town Cried Murder.

http://gadetection.pbworks.com/w/page/7932269/The-Town-Cried-Murder

About the author:

Leslie Ford has been an important and highly successful author of mystery novels since 1928.  Her books have been translated into nine languages, winning a world-wide audience for her colorful characters an effective story backgrounds.  Leslie Ford, Brenda Conrad, and David Frome are pseudonyms for Mrs. Zenith Jones Brown (nee Jones) according to detectivefiction.com.  She is an American author - December 8, 1898-August 25, 1983 (Golden Gate Mysteries:  A Bibliography of Crime Fiction).

 
The Town Cried Murder is a Vintage Mystery, with its first publication date being 1938. As such, it will be counted as my third in the Vintage Mystery Challenge hosted by Bev at My Readers Block.

Top 10 Bestselling Books in Canada Ending April 10

For the week ending April 10, from BookNet Canada, here are the top 10 selling books in Canada:


1) City of Fallen Angels

2) The Help

3) Big Girl

4) The Shadow of Your Smile

5) The Land of Painted Caves

6) 44 Charles Street

7) The Fifth Witness

8) Indulgence in Death

9) The Gathering

10) Bossypants

Have you read any of these?  Are you familiar with these titles?  Do you know who the authors are?

In My Mailbox (Just Received) 4/18/11

In my Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Last week I received for review:

Ultimate Victory Denied by Jim Kenfield (complimentary copy provided by the author for review)

Remembering the Ladies by Ann Covell (complimentary copy provided by the author for review)

Lover's Betrayal by J.E. Hopkins (complimentary copy provided by the author for review)

Izzy's Pop Star Plan by Alex Marestaing (complimentary copy provided by BookSneeze for review)

and I received this which I won:

Chime (ARC) by Fanny Billingsley (Thanks to Cari's Book Blog)

Book Review: Hot Leaders Cool Facilitators by Bart R. Wendell, PhD.

Hot Leaders Cool Facilitators:  Learning to Lead One Meeting at a Time
Author:  Bart R. Wendell, PH.D.
Copyright:  2010
Publisher:  Networlding Publishing
Genre:  Business
Includes:  Table of Contents, Tables, Diagrams, End Note: The Enneagram
Pages:  162
Source:  Complimentary review copy provided by the author
http://networldingthinktank.com/great-new-author-hot-leaders-cool-facilitators/

About this book: "Discover what great leaders know about meetings from a trusted advisor to CEOs and boards.  Meetings are leadership laboratories, intense microcosms in which the leader's style and substance are uniquely on public display.  Once someone has convened a meeting, his leadership will never be the same again,.  This book is about how leaders can consciously use meetings to develop their executive skills from good to great." (from the back cover)

My review: 

Bart Wendell, in his book Hot Leaders Cool Facilitators, discusses types of leaders in regards to how they lead.  Do they lead from the gut, the head or the heart?  Can they lead with a combination thereof?  By identifying how a person deals with conflict, rallies the troops, or conducts a meeting, it can be determined how best to utilize strengths.  In doing so, weaknesses, like backing down if another becomes "hot" (heated, argumentative), can be turned around to better advantage while lessening confrontation and allowing everyone the freedom to address issues. This book is about creating better leaders by teaching them how to conduct better meetings.

 

"Shifting Gears to Cool Down"

"Race-car drivers know that there are times when they can negotiate a particular corner on the racetrack in less time by entering the corner at a slower, more deliberate speed, and then increasing speed through the turn.  Similarly, great meeting leaders know that downshifting allows each participant to take a process check and provides everyone the perspective and objectivity that reduces intensity.  Rather than simply pausing, switching gears and slowing the pace of discussion allows time for reflection and sets the stage for divergent points of view to surface.  What feels like a detour can often be the quickest route to the finish line, by slowing the discussion, the leader can actually speed the progress of the group."~ page 76

I found this book to be insightful.  As I read of varying scenarios I could recognize different leadership traits in people I know.  I also recognized myself.  Hot Leaders Cool Facilitators is a great tool in developing leadership abilities as it helps the reader identify characteristics of good leadership, how to shift focus, keep a group on track,and maintain order while allowing the people to have a voice.  The teachings within are priceless.  Whether you run meetings at work, attend town hall meetings, write an editorial to a newspaper, or lead your children, there are numerous scenarios wherein we may utilize the lessons Bart Wendell teaches in Hot Leaders Cool Facilitators. 

Not strictly for the boardroom, Hot Leaders Cool Facilitators is a great resource.  It is not a fast read because the principles discussed deserve pondering and practice.  Every business student should use this book!

Rated 4.5/5

About the author:

Bart R. Wendell, PH.D. is a business consultant and psychologist.  A master facilitator and trusted adviser, his clients have included The International Monetary Fund, PBS, NPR, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Fidelity Investments, The Ford Foundation, The United States Air Force Academy, and Rock Tenn, and he is a past seminar instructor at The Harvard Business School Executive Leadership Program.

Author Interview:

1. Why did you decide to write this particular book?

I find meetings fascinating and ripe with great possibilities. It’s frustrating to watch potentially great leaders display such incompetence and sap so much energy from their organizations during meetings. Just like parents get practically no preparation for parenting, leaders get no practical preparation for what good leadership looks like in meetings. I felt that the mental road map I use could be very useful.

2. How is this book different from others on the market focused on your area of expertise?

My book answers the question, ‘What does great organizational leadership specifically look like in meetings?

This books is intended to fill a middle ground between books that focus on the basic mechanics of meeting management such as airtime and parking lots, and those that focus on theories of organizational leadership.

3. What are the top three benefits for people reading your book?

They will: 

-Have a road map to make sense out of bad meetings.

-Understand how to take the steps to save such a bad meeting from itself.

-Better understand themselves and others so that they can use this road map and understanding in time to display leadership before the meeting ends.

4. What one story can you share that is a sort of signature story for your book?

It’s a personal story about how managing temperature can lead to great success as well as crashing failure. I was asked to design and lead a meeting between the presidents and board chairs of the four major organizations in public broadcasting, including PBS and NPR. This had never happened before because of tensions between organizations and between individuals that had built over 35 years. Gathered around the table were a former governor, a former ambassador and so on. I had to bring enough heat, enough drive for results, to the situation to convince these folks that results were possible while also bringing enough cool, enough pausing for perspective and analysis, that worthwhile decisions got made.

The first meeting was a great success in spite of everyone’s doubts coming in and led to regular meetings known as the ‘G-4′. I lead these meetings over a period of years until one particular moment when I failed to summon enough heat to push back on one of the players. He had summarily suggested we no longer needed the ground rules that had been so painstakingly constructed. My failure to do so undermined my leadership and it was the last of that particular series of meetings I was asked to lead.

The book is a lessons learned from that and other experiences, told through stories and analysis.

5. What will a reader do differently once he or she has read your book?

The reader will: 

-Never take for granted the impact of any meeting on their leadership.

-Know where to place their focus in a meeting that is in trouble, whether they’re in front of the room or simply at the table.

Bart R. Wendell, PH.D.

Trusted Advisor and Facilitator to Executives and Boards.

Author of ‘Hot Leaders, Cool Facilitators: Learning To Lead One Meeting At A Time’

(NetWorlding Leadership Series: 2010)

http://www.wendellleadership.com/

Problems with GFC

Is anyone else having problems with GFC?  I see the header on many blogspot blogs but cannot sign up to be a friend, my blog included?  Has anyone else noticed this?

Is Literacy a Problem in Your Child's School?

Since the 1970's provincial governments have been asking elementary schools to make do with continually shrinking budgets. The result is an increasing number of Canadian children growing up without books and the opportunity to develop essential literacy skills and a love of reading. Our mission is to give every child a strong literacy foundation and the chance to reach their full potential. We know we will get there with the help of Indigo's 7,000 employees and millions of customers by providing new books and educational resources to high-needs elementary schools. For more information visit Love of Reading.

April is National Poetry Month

Here's a friendly reminder to enjoy some poetry today.

http://www.bookcentre.ca/files/Poetry.pdf

Roald Dahl Story Excerpts to Appear On Cereal Boxes in the UK

Excerpts from Roald Dahl books will appear on tens of millions of cereal boxes over the next few weeks as part of an ambitious attempt to encourage more children to read. Realising that children will scan cereal boxes for games and prizes, the publisher of Roald Dahl books, Puffin, had an innovative idea.  What if they were to print excerpts of some of Roald Dahl's books on the backs of cereal boxes!  Children across the UK would be picking up these stories on boxes every day at breakfast. 

A deal was struck with the estate of Roald Dahl to realize this goal.  The excerpts from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; The Witches; The BFG; The Twits: Danny, and Champion of the World will be printed on a minumum ten million boxes of cereal sold in Asda supermarkets over the next few weeks. They will appear on the back of all of Asda's own brand of children's cereals.

The portions will be only a hundred or so words long, but Francesca Dow, the managing director of Penguin's children books, which owns Puffin, said she hoped this would encourage many to track down the whole book after reading the boxes: "The great thing about a cereal box, is that it potentially is reaching millions of households that just don't read any literature outside of school.

"There could be an enormous number of children discovering Roald Dahl for the first time, bleary eyed over the breakfast table."

Ms. Dow added: "There is a real awareness in the publishing world that there is an increasingly tight competition for children's time, especially from digital activities such as games consoles, as they grow up. And combine that with anxieties about school budgets being cut and libraries closing and we need to find different ways to get books in front of children, especially children growing up in households that don't read."

This is a brilliant effort on the part of Puffin publishications and Asda supermarkets to increase the literacy rate and desire of children to read.  Perhaps this will catch on with publishers in other countries, after determining the effectiveness of this campaign.  I truly hope so.  How about some Robert Munsch?  or A.A Milnes or EB White? 

What do you think?  Would this encourage your child to seek out these books so they might finish the story?

Teaser Tuesdays 4/12/11

Hosted by Shoud Be Reading, Teaser Tuesdays are a weekly bookish meme.  Choose any page at random and select two sentences from somewhere on that page.  Be careful not to include spoilers.  Include the title of the book and the author's name.  I like to add the page number too.  Post the teaser on your blog and link up with Should Be Reading.  It's a great chance to get a glimpse into other books and perhaps add to your TBR/wish list.

"And now, sitting there with the unmistakable odor of burnt cloth in my mind at least, I realized I'd been very stupid indeed.  Not for not setting fire to the melange in the fireplace, though that was stupid too, but for mentioning Luton and the check."  ~ page 109, The Town Cried Murder by Leslie Ford.  This book was copyrighted 1938 and is one of my reads towards the Vintage Mystery Challenge.

"A pair of strong hands gently lifted her aching body off the wet ground.  They held her and snuggled her against a warm, muscular chest.  She could hear whispers of comfort, as she was carried into an old house.  She let her mind slip away into unconsciousness, knowing someone was there and they were going to help her." ~ page 10, Quicksilver by Joy Spraycar.  I have been looking forward to reading this book for some time now and 10 pages in, it appears very promising.  The cover is incredible with hidden images.  The artist uses colour to create mood and portrays well the plot within.  Created by Tescanu Elena, it is one of the nicest covers I have seen.  My daughter likes this book so much that I promised to give it to her once I have read it and prepared a review.  I will likely get her to do a guest post for this book too. To view the cover, see my post Do You Judge a Book By Its Cover?.  How's that for a tease within a tease? ;0

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!  Be sure to visit Should Be Reading too.  Enjoy your reads!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 4/11/11

Sheila at Book Journey hosts this fun weekly bookish meme.The Killing Game by JC Stevens which I actually finished reading a little while ago but was waiting to hear about a date for a blog book tour which didn't come so I posted the review.  ( the post is dated March 24 as that is when I prepared it but not when I actualy posted it). I read Agatha Christie's Partners In Crime.  I can hardly believe I haven't read any Tommy and Tupence novels before!  I am sure this was my first and I just love these two!  You can read my review here.  Oh, before I forget, I read our bookclub read, Percy Jackson and the Olympians:  The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.  Loved it!  No review until after bookclub, April 21st.  Hang tight! 

This week I am still working on some of the same books including 21st Century Great Global Depression, The Town Cried Murder and Hot Leaders Cool Facilitators. 

Up next is Quicksilver!!!  I am so excited to read this novel!  Of course, there is the never-ending, always growing TBR pile which consists of ahem...cough...upwards of 12 titles.  Sheepish grin.  Where does my time go?  Not reading lately, that's for sure.  Hopefully this coming week will be better.

How's your reading?  Is your TBR pile growing or diminishing?  I hope you're not all going to make me feel bad about mine.  Are you? Have a great week and until next time "Happy Reading"!