Drive-by Signing

Friday, April 25^th was a great day. I got to meet one of my favorite authors, Harlan Coben. Mr. Coben was in town Friday on a whirlwind book signing tour. His schedule took him to Murder By the Book for an official signing, but he was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to stop by Katy Budget Books and sign some of his books we had in stock. Besides being a great author, he is really tall, cute and a very nice guy. Before he left, he spotted our bestseller display. He gave a two thumbs up, for Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney. Mr. Coben said he bought the book for his son. He started looking through it on his plane ride and ended up really enjoying it. He highly recommended it as an adult read.

For my fellow Coben fans, we have several signed copies of Mr. Cobens books. Come on over and take a look.

By the way, last week's blog entry sucking up to Mr. Coben by Brent Dore' was a total coincidence. Honest.

Stacy M. - Events Coordinator

The Man's Guide to Mysteries

Several guys have asked me, what's a good book that will keep me entertained throughout?  They usually go on to say that they don't like to read or get bored easily because its never is as good as 24 or Gladiator.  This pains me because there are some amazing books out there that men of all ages will absolutely love....and ladies, they would make great gifts as well...and you might like them too.  These authors are just the tip of the iceberg and I will add to this list regularly.  Read on and enjoy.

A Man’s Guide to Mysteries

 1. Harlan Coben (stand alones)

…Tell No One, Just One Look, The Woods

 The current King of suspense…bar none.  Coben has already claims the top 2 spots on my list because he is just that good.  I would argue that he is among the best to ever master this genre.  His books beautifully weave epic suspense, brilliant humor, dry sarcasm, and fun into a wild ride.  If you have never read Coben…I only have one question…why not?  His absolute best is Tell No One…check it out and I promise that you will be amazed.

 2. Harlan Coben (Myron Bolitar Series)

…Drop Shot, Fade Away, Back Spin

 Really anything that Harlan Coben writes is gold and the Myron Bolitar series is no exception.  This is where Coben started and there are some genuine gems.  The main character, Myron Bolitar, is an arrogant sports agent who winds up in some very interesting (…to say the least) situations.  The books are funny, great for guys (…honestly, Coben transcends all gender gaps), and keep you guessing the entire time.

 3. Vince Flynn (Mitch Rapp Series)

…Transfer of Power, Separation of Power, The Third Option

 This is the author that ignited the spark and made me love to read again after I rebelled against my mom (…yeah, I was a wild child and rebelled by saying that I hated to read…yeah, I’m a dork) in junior high.  Flynn’s run of masterpieces are built around the character of Mitch Rapp.  Rapp is a CIA assassin that must protect America by taking the war on terrorism right to the terrorists and it makes for an exciting thrill ride.

Plus, he is the creative consultant for the tv show, 24...maybe you have heard of it.  And I say this with the most respect to Jack Bauer but Mitch Rapp would kick the crap out of him.

 4. Brad Thor (Scott Harvath Series)

…Lions of Lucerne, Path of the Assasin, Blowback

 Cast from a similar mold as Vince Flynn, Thor builds his books around Secret Service agent Scott Harvath.  Harvath has killed his share of terrotists…just with his own unique flair.  Plus, the author’s name is Thor…that guarantees that it is going to be great for guys.

 5. Old School John Grisham

…The Firm, A Time to Kill, Pelican Brief  and The Partner

 Let me first say that I really am not a big fan of Grisham’s newer stuff.  Its good but nowhere near where it was when he first defined the genre of legal thriller.  Basically, he “jumped the shark” with some of his random recent stuff and hasn’t been able to recapture the magic of The Firm, A Time to Kill, The Partner, or The Pelican Brief. I highly recommend Grisham and I promise that he will keep you engaged and thinking until the very last page.  His new stuff is good but his old stuff is phenomenal.

Thats my thoughts...check back soon for more recommendations.

Brent Dore

Happy Earth Day

As Alicia said last week, KBB has become more focused on going green this year. Every time you buy a used book you're doing your part too! Every used book you buy is one less book in a landfill, and no more trees were cut down to provide it. What a fun way to recycle!

Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth is probably one of the most well-known books about global warming, but there are several other excellent books on the subject. The Rough Guide to Climate Change by Robert Henson give a comprehensive look at the symptoms, science, debates and solutions for global warming.

The important thing to remember is anything you can do, counts!. You can make a difference!

Happy Birthday Louis!

LOUIS L'AMOUR: CELEBRATING THE CENTENNIAL, 1908-2008!

KBB celebrates an American icon.

Did you know...

• L'Amour's first western was "The Town No Guns Could Tame", a short story in the collection Long Ride Home.
  

• The family originally spelled their name LaMoore.

• L'Amour wrote four Hopalong Cassidy novels under the name Tex Burns.

• Since his death in 1988 over sixty million copies of his books have been sold.

These and other facts about Louis L'Amour may be found at his website www.louislamour.com.

Bombay Briefing- Week 3

Greetings Friends and Neighbors,

The fun continues, we're making progress, painfully slow , but we may be in our apartment by the end of the week. Hopefully, they are signing the lease any time now in Mike's office, and I can meet the realtor later this afternoon to get the key. Mike is trying to get his boss to get the furniture delivered asap, tomorrow or Fri. If we can get the fridge up and running by the weekend, Mike and I can to that first grocery store run this weekend. I think it'll take both of us that first time. We did a little scouting last weekend and had a hard time identifying things. Found the Tide detergent and toilet paper, but the yogurt was harder to identify and coffee was nowhere to be found, except instant. The eggs aren't refrigerated, which makes me nervous, but have had that issue in other countries too, so I wasn't that shocked, just nervous. We love a challenge.

As soon as we get the key, I'll go buy dishes, sheets, etc. Have already done some looking, so think I can breeze through the Shoppers' Stop and make selections pretty quickly and have it all delivered. I still have 2 weeks before I go home, so hopefully I can get the pantry and fridge stocked and Mike situated and functional before I leave. Yikes.

That's about it for now. This hotel living is getting old. I'm ready to have something to do. I haven't ventured out on the streets much. Mike's driver will pick me up anytime and take me wherever, but the traffic is so overwhelming, it's just not worth it until I really have something I need to do. Once we get in the apartment, it'll be easier. The shops in that neighborhood are within walking distance and streets aren't as congested. It'll be fine. Later, Nancy

Think Green!

The 2008 theme in the book world is going green.

Katy Budget Books has jumped on the band wagon by recycling as much as possible.

We have a paper recycling bin that has its proceeds going to a local Katy Boy Scout Troop.

We also have a couple of very diligent employees that are making regular trips to a large recycling center with items from the store and from our homes. It's amazing how much less trash gets put out when we recycle all we can.

Today I was at the grocery store and used cloth bags for my groceries. (The hardest part of that is remembering to bring them!)

There are so many things that are easy and simple to do to help keep our planet green. Of course, there are several books written on this subject such as, "True Green @ Work, 100 Ways You Can Make the Environment your Business".

What are some of your ideas?

Alicia

What in the world is Brent doing theee days?

As we celebrate our 25th Anniversary at KBB this year, many of you have memories of watching my kids grow up here in the store. Brent, now 23, was born just about a year after we opened the store. For much of his childhood, we had few employees, and he was my shadow as I waited on customers, picked up book orders, etc . He could often be seen playing with his army guys in the middle of the floor. Some of you remember his playpen being set up in the front of store (and some of your kids joined him in the playpen at times).

Guess what? Brent is all grown up now! He graduated from TCU in 2007 and currently attends Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas. We are also very excited about his upcoming wedding! He is marrying Julie Duhrkopf, who is graduating from TCU in May, in July of this year. They will live in Fort Worth where Brent is employed by Trinity Chapel Bible Church.

You can visit Brent's new blog called "The Open Dore" if you are interested in hearing more about his faith journey and other topics near and dear to his heart (including cooking and politics). theopendore.blogspot.com

Pulizer Prize Winners Announced

Book-related winners of the Pulitzer Prizes, announced yesterday, are:

• Fiction: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (Riverhead Books)
• Drama: August: Osage County by Tracy Letts (Theatre Communications Group)
• History: What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 by Daniel Walker Howe (Oxford University Press)
• Biography: Eden's Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father by John Matteson (Norton)
• Poetry: Time and Materials by Robert Hass (Ecco) and Failure by Philip Schultz (Harcourt)
• General Nonfiction: The Years of Extermination: Nazi Germany and the Jews, 1939-1945 by Saul Friedlander (HarperCollins)

In addition, Steve Fainaru of the Washington Post, who won the international reporting category for his "heavily reported series on private security contractors in Iraq that operate outside most of the laws governing American forces," has written a book called Big Boy Rules: In the Company of America's Mercenaries Fighting in Iraq that will be published by Da Capo Press in November.

Recommended Read

Just finished the paranormal romance called "Dagger-Star" by Elizabeth Vaughan.
Red Gloves is "Chosen" to fulfill a destiny she didn't know she had. Will she be able to accomplish everyone's expectations as well as accept the love of a quiet man with scars of his own?
Elizabeth Vaughan also wrote the Warprize trilogy which I enjoyed.
Alicia

Bombay Briefing - Week 2

Greetings Friends,

Our second week in Bombay has begun so I'll send a little update. Mike stays busy at work and I'm shopping for air conditioners, mattresses and stovetops. (Holy Cow!! Literally. A couple of them are sauntering down the street outside my hotel window right now.) We think we've found an apartment, (new building in safe neighborhood, 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, walking distance to grocery and other shopping) but things move slowly here (just like at home, except here it's a third-world-country kind of slow). I'm going there today to check on the painters, get a little more info on gas hook-up for stove and plumbing for laundry room. I thought it was weird enough that we had to buy the stove, didn't realize we had to have the gas line installed also. Things that make you go Huhhhhhhh?

Otherwise, things are plugging along. We have picked out furniture and appliances, so as soon(or as late) as painting and cleaning are done, we'll be ready to have it all delivered. Sounds easy enough, huh? Still have to get dishes, linens, etc. and I'm sure that first trip the grocery store will be interesting. I'm just hoping to get Mike settled in before I go back to Texas on the 25th. It'll be close and we may have to adjust our definition of "settled in".

In the meantime, we're asking all of you to eat a great big salad and think of us. We've been warned to not risk eating any raw fruits or veggies, even here at the Hyatt. I'm about ready to take my chances. Once we get into the apartment and can wash it ourselves in bottled water, we'll be fine, but that seems like a long time away. Gotta go. I'll keep you posted. Big crunchy salad!!!!!

Love y'all, Nancy

Booksense Book of the Year Winners!

• Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseni

• Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

• Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

One of the fun jobs I get to do at Katy Budget Books is purchase the sidelines or gift items we carry. I just finished visiting with two reps who had a lot of new and fun items I decided to try. One of the "hottest" items is the "Hillary Clinton Nutcracker". A must see! It should be in the store within the next couple of weeks.
There are lots of other great gift ideas that will coming in soon. Hope you get a chance to come by to take a look.
Alicia

Out of the Box

Small Favor, the 10th book in Jim Butcher's wildly popular Dresden Files, is finally here! Shhhh.....I'm going to sneak home to read it now.

No one's tried to kill Harry Dresden for almost an entire year, and his life finally seems to be calming down. For once, the future looks fairly bright. But the past casts one hell of a long shadow. An old bargain has placed Harry in debt to Mab, monarch of the Winter Court of the Sidhe, the Queen of Air and Darkness-and she's calling in her marker. It's a small favor he can't refuse...one that will trap Harry Dresden between a nightmarish foe and an equally deadly ally, and one that will strain his skills- and loyalties-to their very limits. It figures. Everything was going too well to last...

Book to Movie

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards is now a movie on Lifetime premiering Saturday, April 12th. It stars Dermot Mulroney, Gretchen Mol, and Emily Watson.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter is a brilliantly crafted family drama that explores every mother's silent fear: what would happen if you lost your child and she grew up without you?

Listen to Kim Edwards' podcast.