Friday Sep 10
Lit Life
Friday, 27 August 2010 14:38

The Mystery Man

Written by Joanna Dykhuis
bad-things-happenThere are three telltale signs that indicate the success of a mystery novel. First and foremost, there has got to be a body. Someone has to die — and we're not talking a peaceful, slipped-away-in-their-sleep kind of death, either. Second, the relationships must be convoluted and twisted so that no character is free of suspicion. Lastly, praise from fellow authors helps establish the mystery novel as a worthwhile read.

Harry Dolan's first novel, Bad Things Happen, meets all three requirements.

The book revolves around a mysterious stranger who has a dark past. His friend is murdered and he sets out to find out who did it.
"That's what drives the plot, [the] murder," Dolan said.

A love interest between the main character and the victim's wife adds layers of complexities to the plotline. Every action or attitude is a potential motive and all must be examined. These elements combined result in a novel that Stephen King declares to be a "great f------ book," where James Patterson said, "Bad Things Happen is a very smart, well-written roller coaster ride that is always threatening to hurl the reader out into roaring empty space."

Besides earning praise from King and Patterson, Bad Things Happen was named as one of the best crime novel debuts of 2010 by Booklist and Bill Ott. It was also featured on NPR as a top pick from indie booksellers. That's not too shabby considering this is Dolan's first published book. It came out last year and was recently released in paperback.

"About 10 years ago I made the conscious decision to write a novel so I just moved up [to Ann Arbor] and decided to make a new start and write," Dolan said.
The book took about 15 months to write, and Dolan knew where to begin.

Author talk and signing with Harry Dolan
Schuler Books and Music, Lansing
Sept. 16, 7 p.m.
schulerbooks.com, (517) 316-7495
"I started out with the main character ... and his back story," he said. "The other characters grew up around him."

Despite similarities between Dolan and the character David Loogan, such as working as an editor and an interest in mystery writing, Dolan said "the character David is not based on any one person, but is only the kind of type you might find in mysterious literature."

As for the other characters, they are based on the people that Dolan has hung out with. To be clear, he was referring to the "highly educated kinds of people" such as professors that are found in Ann Arbor, not murderers or mysterious strangers with dark secrets.

In the book, the main character works for a mystery magazine. Unsurprisingly, Dolan reads mostly mystery novels. He studied philosophy and fiction writing during college and has worked as an editor.

"I like books that are sort of fast-moving and driven by a lot of sharp dialogue and a lot of plot twists; those are the kinds of books that I find entertaining," he said.

He writes mystery for the same reasons and has a second book being published in 2011 - Very Bad Men, the sequel to Bad Things Happen. We can undoubtedly look forward to more cases of unsavory death, complex characters and-hopefully for Dolan-continued critical acclaim.

 


 

Other Literary Events in September

Mostly Fiction Reading Group — Zeitoun
Sept. 20, 7 p.m.
Barnes and Noble, East Lansing / barnesandnoble.com, (517) 324-3926
This month's selection is the 2010 One Book, One Community read, Zeitoun by Dave Eggers. Having to deal with the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina was hard enough for most New Orleans citizens. But what if, as you help rescue other survivors, you are then arrested and accused of being a member of Al Qaeda? Dave Eggers tells the moving story of Syrian-born Abdulrahman Zeitoun and the way that life has radically changed in a post-9/11 world.

Fabulous Fiction
Sept. 13, 1-2:30 p.m.
CRDL- Faith Johnston Memorial Library / youseemore.com/Chippewa, (989) 433-0006
Join a discussion of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. This epistolary novel tells the story of Juliet Ashton, an author who is looking for her next topic-anything but war. As luck would have it, Juliet starts corresponding with a group of people on Guernsey who used literature to help them survive the Nazi occupation of their island during WWII. Juliet is intrigued, and end up visiting to Guernsey in order to get more information.

Speculative Book Discussion
Sept. 28, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
CADL Downtown Library / cadl.org, (517) 367-6300
One of the best aspects of sci-fi is its ability to explore at a problem on both large and small scale at the same time. This month's book, Hyperion by Dan Simmons, does just that. In a Canterbury Tales-esque setting, Hyperion follows seven pilgrims on their quest to the Shrike. Their society is crumbling, and foundations of humanity are crumbling with it. This dark tale offers a look at what could happen to society if pushed to extremes.
Banner
Thursday, 29 July 2010 16:39

One Book, One Community, One Author, One Good Time

Written by Joanna Dykhuis

dave-eggers

For a first-time student, the first six weeks of college are critical. This is the time when friendships are forged, study patterns are set and the party circuit is put in place.

At Michigan State University, the list also includes the One Book, One Community program. Now in its ninth year, this program is a staple for MSU students and a launching pad for their college careers.

"First year students interact around the book so they connect," said Ginny Haas, director of community relations. "[The program] is based on a common experience and it's a positive interaction."

Before the pressures and stress of school and social life set in, the program hopes to encourage conversations and promote discussion among peers and the larger community in a range of settings.

One Book, One Community presents
Dave Eggers

East Lansing High School Auditorium
Aug. 29, 7 p.m.
Free - Attendees will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis
onebookeastlansing.com

The One Book, One Community program is not a purely original concept.

"The initial idea was to develop a program like the ones that started out in Seattle and Chicago," Haas said. "We wanted to have something that would bring communities together."

Both the City of East Lansing and Michigan State University found their answer in the One Book, One Community (OBOC) program.

"We have been told that this is the first program to bring together a university and a community," says Haas. "And the author always thinks it's a great program."

The OBOC program begins before the academic year even starts: incoming freshman are asked to read the chocsen book before arriving on campus where they are then encouraged to join in community-wide discussions. The first book of the program was Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 followed the next year by Frankenstein. The Color of Water, The Kite Runner, The Glass Castle and The Soloist have all been featured books with author appearances.

Though assigned readings make most students groan, Haas is proud to say that this program has become "part of the culture" of the university.

"It's not only for freshman but is used by the faculty in other classes," she says.

The OBOC program boasts consistently high participation by the students.

"The lowest polled percentage [of participating students] was 55 and the high was 95," Haas said. "The average is 76%. It's amazing."

Participation may hit another high this year as the book for the 2010 program is Zeitoun by Dave Eggers. The popular author of six books, including What is the What, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and The Wild Things, tells the true story of a man's struggle for survival in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The book was chosen by a committee who seeks works that offer a strong plot with well-developed characters, a moral or humanistic vision and cultural resonance with American students.

After "An Evening with Dave Eggers" on Sunday night, the author will appear during the MSU academic welcome program that kicks off the students' official year. The public is welcome to both events. Students can enjoy OBOC-related events for weeks to follow including a special New Orleans dinner in the residence halls, a documentary film, a study away program in the Big Easy and multiple discussions addressing issues related to Zeitoun and the post-Hurricane Katrina situation.

Monday, 21 June 2010 13:32

Family stories translate to paper

Written by Joanna Dykhuis
In a sentence, Thom Vernon's first novel, The Drifts, is a book with "four people fighting like hell to get what they want."

"One thing that I take from all those stories is that people, no matter what, are going to
do what they have to do to get what they want, to survive," Vernon said. "There's a part of me that really admires that [and] makes me take notice and I just fell in love with these characters."

MM_July_Lit_LifeThough this summation is an almost universal theme, the novel has a specific setting, time frame and history. It is set in Arkansas as a blizzard moves in, and author Thom Vernon has loaded the book with personal and local history.

Vernon, who is originally from Michigan, has family in Arkansas. It was there in the south that he reached his own conclusions about the stereotypes he had so often encountered.

"For me, it was important to show a side of Arkansas that I had experienced versus the caricature that's always given of the south. I've always been very welcomed and embraced there."

The Drifts was inspired by the stories he was told from his Arkansas family.

"My aunt would tell me stories; my grandmother would take me down [to Arkansas] and then I went back as an adult," he said.

The stories he heard do not directly translate into The Drifts, however.

"My book is not a retelling of those stories, but [it is] inspired by the weirdness of those stories."

Vernon did not know that his time spend listening to his family tell stories would result in a novel.

"For years I didn't know these stories were attaching themselves to my imagination," he says.

Apparently they have, though, and to a fun end. The four main characters in The Drifts are making serious life choices and, with an incoming blizzard, must face the reality of their situations with immediacy.

"It's coming to a head on that night. The momentum picks up ... and is avalanching."

His love for writing was inspired through an acting career. Vernon appeared in such shows as "Seinfeld", "Grace Under Fire" and "General Hospital". He has written a number of short stories, screenplays and academic articles; The Drifts is his first novel.

Since finishing The Drifts, Vernon has been working on a piece about Walter Benjamin, a German Jewish literary critic and philosopher who was forced into exile during World War II because Hitler stripped German Jews of their citizenship.

Vernon moved to Toronto in 2006 in order to live with his partner, who is from Zimbabwe. In the United States, citizens who are in same-sex relationships are not able to sponsor their partners for immigration. Because of this, Vernon became what he calls a "queer exile from the States."

"My book would be an attempt to put statelessness and the exile experience into literature ... interwoven with queer exile," Vernon said.

 

Thom Vernon
Schuler Books and Music, Lansing
July 29, 7 p.m.
Free
schulerbooks.com, (517) 316-7495

 

 

Thursday, 27 May 2010 15:53

Aliens in Nigeria

Written by Joanna Dykhuis
litlifejuneart"I'm hard to categorize," says Nnedi Okorafor, international award-winning author. Judging by Okorafor's fourth and latest novel, Who Fears Death, that statement seems about right.

Described as "a dark, gritty magical realist novel," Who Fears Death is set in a post-nuclear holocaust future as genocide sweeps through a region of Africa. The story revolves around the protagonist Onyesonwu whose ancient name asks the question "Who fears death?"

If it sounds a little intense, it's because it is.

"I know it's difficult to read," Okorafor said. "It was a difficult story to write."

Writing the story was an especially hard time for her because her father, with whom she was very close, had passed away.

"The only way I could get through that time was through writing ... it just allowed me to pour all my rage, all my distress, all my sadness into it: writing got me through all that."

Though this is not Okorafor's only novel, it is her first venture into adult writing. Her debut novel was Zahrah the Windseeker in 2005 which won numerous awards. The Shadow Speaker came in 2007 and in 2009 she published Long Juju Man, a children's book that won the Macmillan Writer's Prize for Africa.

Though these stories are not works in a series, Okorafor maintains that all four books are related.

"Their worlds are connected," she says. "Everything I write is connected."

The most obvious associations are the setting and style. Her parents, both Nigerian, began taking her family on trips back to Nigeria from the United States when she was young. Now, Okorafor says Nigeria is her muse. Not only does she often place her stories there literally or figuratively, she also draws heavily from African folklore.

"There are also elements of traditional African literature," she says.

On the other hand, Okorafor also involves her personal worldview.

"I see the world as a magical place ... magical things are popping up [in my writing] because that's how I see the world. Magical realism has fantastical elements."

Add to that a deep respect for the imagination of Stephen King, whom she calls "one of Anansi's sons."

Nnedi Okorafor

Schuler Books and Music
2820 Towne Centre Blvd, Lansing
June 2, 7 p.m.
schulerbooks.com, (517) 316-7495

Her influences collide in Who Fears Death, and the result is a post-apocalyptic tale written for mature readers.

"I'm attracted to post-apocalyptic literature ... and I'm still trying to figure out why," she said.

She has her theories, however, for why the genre has seen an increase in popularity in recent years.

"The whole idea of everything ending, the threat of running out of oil ... global warming: these things are always looming in the back of our minds. What would happen if it would all end? What happens after?"

Lest that sound too ominous, Okorafor assures that Who Fears Death "has dark and light. It's not all doom and gloom. I like to think it has an optimistic feel."

She is currently working on another young adult fantasy and has also finished a novella about aliens in Nigeria. At the intersection of her influences are stories written in a way that is uniquely hers.

"I tend to take from all these things and make my own," Okorafor says. "Categories have never been good for me."

 

 

Page 1 of 5
September 2010
S M T W T F S
29 30 31 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 1 2
Banner
Banner
Banner