Book Launch Party for Returning My Sister's Face by Eugie Foster

Award-winning author Eugie Foster (eugie) is hosting a book launch party in her journal for her short story collection, Returning My Sister's Face and Other Far Eastern Tales of Whimsy and Malice, published by Norilana Books. For more information about the author and the book, see the Norilana press release issued by norilanabooks.

I love the title of this book and the cover is absolutely gorgeous. She's another author whose work I know only by reputation, but whose book absolutely must go on my to-read list. As an added bonus, Ms. Foster is offering anyone who purchases the book this month a limited edition of the Returning My Sister's Face audio MP3 CD, which has audio versions of five of the stories, including one previously unreleased.

A Special Gift From a Friend

asakiyume has given me a very special gift: a picture she drew in response to my post Birthday's Bring Our Family Together, in which I mentioned my husband's soup creation, 10,000 Golden Dragons of Happiness Mushroom Soup. You can see the picture she drew in the comments of the post, or on Deviant Art.

Thank you, asakiyume! I love this picture very, very much! 8-D

Plugging Another Book: We Never Talk About My Brother by Peter S. Beagle

Ana, a self-described "twentysomething bookworm," over at things mean a lot, posted today in The Sunday Salon - Book Buying, about a new book out by Peter S. Beagle: We Never Talk About My Brother, by Tachyon Publications. If you've ever read anything by Beagle, you know this is a book you have to read. If you've never read anything by Beagle, you must take my word for it that this is a book you have to read (along with everything else of his you can get your hands on), because Beagle is wonderful.

Ana, who receives a newsletter from Beagle, reports that only 5,500 copies of this book were printed and that Conlan Press (which my limited researches indicate is a press specifically to promote Beagle's work) is trying to sell out the entire run by March 31, 2009, in the hopes of convincing Tachyon to issue a second printing. Like many authors, Beagle is having financial difficulties. In this instance, his financial difficulties are related to disputes over compensation for the many screenplays he has written. You can read more about this on the Conlan Press website.

Oh, and if you enjoyed the movie, The Last Unicorn, I hope you know that it was based on Beagle's book of the same name and the book is better! (Even though it is an excellent adaptation.) The movie version I just linked to is a new DVD release. If you buy from this link at Conlan Press, Beagle is supposed to receive more than 50% of the purchase price; buy it elsewhere and Beagle gets nothing from the sale.

One more thing I should mention--if you purchase from Conlan Press, you can, for an additional fee, request that your purchase be signed or personalized by Beagle, which would make a wonderful gift for some special someone. Even if that special someone is you. ;)

So do Peter and yourself a favor, and add one more book to your reading list, and one old favorite movie, remastered, to your viewing list. You won't be sorry.