Thursday, October 3rd, 2024

Author Interview: Danielle Trussoni

Danielle Trussoni

LibraryThing is pleased to sit down this month with bestselling author Danielle Trussoni, who made her debut in 2006 with Falling Through the Earth, a memoir chronicling her relationship with her father that was chosen as one of the Ten Best Books of the Year by The New York Times Book Review. Trussoni’s first novel, Angelology, was published four years later, going on to become a New York Times and international bestseller. It was translated into over thirty languages, and was followed in 2013 by a sequel, Angelopolis, which was also a bestseller. Trussoni has also published a second memoir, The Fortress: A Love Story (2016), and a stand-alone novel, The Ancestor (2020), and writes a monthly horror column for the New York Times Book Review. The Puzzle Master, a thriller involving a brilliant puzzle maker and an ancient mystery, was published in 2023, and a sequel, The Puzzle Box, is due out shortly from Random House. Trussoni sat down with Abigail to answer some questions about this new book.

The Puzzle Box continues the story of puzzle maker Mike Brink, a savant who came to his abilities through a traumatic brain injury. How did the idea for this character and his adventures first come to you? Did you always know you wanted to write more about Mike, or did you find that you had more to tell, after finishing The Puzzle Master

The idea for this character didn’t arrive in a lightning flash. Mike Brink developed through slowly working backward from the puzzle that I wanted to be at the center of this novel. I had developed a puzzle that the character of Jesse Price, a woman who is in prison for 30 years for killing her boyfriend, draws. She hasn’t spoken to anyone for five years but creates a cipher. Mike Brink arrives to solve it. At first, Mike was just a regular puzzle solver. And then I began to research real people with extraordinary abilities and stumbled upon Savant Syndrome. He seemed like the perfect vehicle for solving complex and fun mysteries.

I always knew that I wanted to write more about Mike Brink. I feel that this character has an almost endless supply of fascinating angles to write about. I could see writing about him for a long time!

Your hero has Sudden Acquired Savant Syndrome. What does this mean, and what significance does it have, to the story you wish to tell?

Savant Syndrome is an actual disorder that has occurred only a handful of times (there are between 50-75 documented cases). It occurs when there is damage to the brain, and a kind of hyper plasticity occurs, allowing the person to develop startling mental abilities. Some people become incredibly good at playing music, for example. Other people develop an ability with languages. But Mike Brink develops an ability to see patterns, solve puzzles, and make order out of chaos. Once I began to read about this skill—it’s really a kind of superpower!—I knew that this ability would be perfect for a hero of a mystery novel.

The Puzzle Box involves the Japanese royal family, a puzzle created by Emperor Meiji, and a notable samurai family. What kind of research did you need to do to tell this story, and what were some of the most interesting things you learned, in the process?

First of all, I lived in Japan for over two years. That experience was in the back of my mind as I developed the characters and the story of this book. That said, as I wrote The Puzzle Box, I found I wanted to see the places that appear in the novel: the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, the puzzle box museum in Hakone, and the many locations in Kyoto. So, I went to Japan for two weeks in 2023 to do on the ground research at these locations.

The historical elements of the book, especially the storyline about the Emperor Meiji and the Empresses of Japan, were a different story. I read a lot about the Imperial family, their origins, the discussions and controversies surrounding succession. A big part of my process is to read as much as I can find about something in my work and then carve out the most striking details.

How do you come up with the central puzzles in your books? Are they wholly original creations, or are they taken from or inspired by known puzzles?

The ideas for the puzzles are completely original, and necessarily have to do with the story I’m trying to tell. Each of the puzzles in The Puzzle Master and The Puzzle Box act as gateways to information that helps move the story forward. So I start with story. Then, I speak with the REAL puzzle geniuses, who help me imagine what kind of puzzles are possible. I work with two constructors, Brendan Emmett Quigley and Wei-Hwa Huang, who have worked for The New York Times Games Page (Wei-Hwa is a four-time World Puzzle Champion). They are incredibly smart and really understand what I’m trying to accomplish with my storytelling. Because the puzzles are not just gimmicks or diversions: they are essential to the plot of the novel.

What is different about writing a sequel, when compared to the first book in a series? Were there particular writing or storytelling challenges, or aspects that you enjoyed?

The Puzzle Box is designed as a stand-alone novel and can be read without reading The Puzzle Master. Still, Mike Brink is the hero of both novels, and there are other characters and storylines that show up in both books. I loved being able to go back to characters that I’d already spent time with, and found that because they were familiar, I could go deeper into their minds and feelings. The complications of Mike Brink’s superpower are a challenge for him. How he lives with his gift—and how he can continue to solve puzzles and find happiness—is the primary question of this series.

What can we expect next from you? Do you think you’ll write more about Mike? Are there any other writing projects you are working on?

I hope to write more books in this series, and of course Mike would be returning. I always have three or four novels on the back burner, and sometimes it’s hard for me to know which one will be the next to be written. Sometimes I need to wait and see.

Tell us about your library. What’s on your own shelves?

I am a lover of hardcover books, and so my shelves are packed with contemporary fiction in hardcover. I live in San Miguel de Allende Mexico, and it isn’t easy to get new books, but I’ve managed to find a way!

What have you been reading lately, and what would you recommend to other readers?

I used to write a book column for The New York Times Book Review, and a lot of my reading was for the column. But since I stopped writing it last year, I have been reading for pleasure. I’m revisiting books I loved in my twenties—And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, for example—and I’m reading contemporary thrillers such as The Winner by Teddy Wayne and Look in the Mirror by Catherine Steadman. I have Richard Price’s Lazarus Man, which is out in a few months, on my most anticipated list. There is never enough time to read everything I want, but what I’m reading is exactly what I love most in fiction: sharp, evocative prose that carries me through an engrossing, surprising story. Give me those two things and I’m hooked.

Labels: author interview, interview

Tuesday, October 1st, 2024

October 2024 Early Reviewers Batch Is Live!

Win free books from the October 2024 batch of Early Reviewer titles! We’ve got 197 books this month, and a grand total of 3,718 copies to give out. Which books are you hoping to snag this month? Come tell us on Talk.

If you haven’t already, sign up for Early Reviewers. If you’ve already signed up, please check your mailing/email address and make sure they’re correct.

» Request books here!

The deadline to request a copy is Friday, October 25th at 6PM EDT.

Eligibility: Publishers do things country-by-country. This month we have publishers who can send books to the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, Germany, France, Sweden, Poland, Netherlands, Ireland and more. Make sure to check the message on each book to see if it can be sent to your country.

Pictures of YouNorthThe Kiss of the NightingalePeople Are TalkingThe Girl from Raven IslandLemming's First ChristmasFrostfireAn Anishinaabe ChristmasBoy Here, Boy ThereTove and the Island with No AddressReasons to Look at the Night SkyWhat the Seahorse Told MeThe Phantom of Forest Lawn: Romance and Redemption in the City of the DeadThe Colors of April: Fiction on the Vietnam War’s Legacy 50 Years LaterA Bucket Full of MoonlightReclaiming Quiet: Cultivating a Life of Holy AttentionGive Them Grace: Leading Your Kids to Joy and Freedom Through Gospel-Centered ParentingThe Lady of the MineThe Boy & His ConscienceArmored HoursShaded GroveCrossing from Shore to ShoreThe Little Book of Quotes by Women: Inspiring Words to Live ByLies of a ToymakerAuntie D's RecipesRecovering from Purity Culture: Dismantle the Myths, Reject Shame-Based Sexuality, and Move Forward in Your FaithThe Seaside HomecomingCloaked in BeautyThe Leader's Devotional: 90 Days of Biblical Wisdom for Honoring God in All You DoMedEvacZamboni of LoveScaredy Squirrel Gets FestiveRize Novella Anthology, Volume 2Unmasked Moments: A Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist's Memoir of the COVID-19 PandemicWinnie Mandela, Stompie Moeketsi & Me: My Story of a Notorious Murder and the Events That FollowedOnce Will Be Better, or, My Life StoryThe Future of Technology and Society: A Guide for 2040Hope In HardshipAttic Rain: PoemsPieces of a MurderAngst in the Arms of MorpheusBilly and the Epic EscapeNot in My BookBoy vs. SharkMurtagh [Deluxe Edition]Paint with PloofPatsy Cline's Walkin' After MidnightRain In OctoberLila Said NoNana NanaTractor DanceThe Stars Inside Us23 and You and MeSecret FACTopia!: Follow the Trail of 400 Hidden FactsGalápagos Islands: The World's Living LaboratorySolstice: Around the World on the Longest, Shortest DayThe Forgotten SonBillu ButtonsPractical Money Skills for Teens: Personal Finance Simplified, with a Quickstart Guide to Budgeting, Saving, and Investing for a Stress-Free Transition to Financial Independence365 Inspirational & Motivational Quotes to Live By: Daily Wisdom to Inspire Personal Growth, Resilience, Positivity, and MindfulnessLandscapes & Landmarks Coloring Book for Adults: Scenic Beauty and Iconic Places from All 50 States of America for Mindful Relaxation and Stress ReliefHalloween Coloring Book for Adults: Spooky Fun, Stress Relief and Creative Expression with Dark Fantasy and Gothic ArtBlack MarketOur Comeback Tour Is Slaying MonstersA Once In A Lifetime OpportunityKevin Hops To LondonBirth of a GoddessA Simple Guide to Staying Healthy & Living LongerHadron's RunWhy Like Flies?The Lost KingThe Fairy Godmother's TalePontiac Performance 1960-1974: The Era of Super Duty, H.O., and Ram Air Drag and Muscle CarsStreetWhysMake a Little WaveThe Doll from DunedinFriends and Consequences: Tales from the Old Fort - 1973The Neurodiversiverse: Alien EncountersOn The QuietPeace on Earth & Mercy MildThe Truth About Greece That SummerThe Entrepreneur’s Edge: A 3-Book Compilation on AI, Cybersecurity, and AR/VRSanta Fe Uncovered: A Local's Insight into the Heart of New MexicoDenver Dossier: Themed Adventures for Every TravelerLet's Fix This: Cleaner Living in a Dirty WorldAllies, Arson, and Prepping for the ApocalypseHomemade Healthy Dog Food Guide: Discover the Science Behind Nutritional Solutions, Tailored to Your Dog's Health at Every Stage of Life, and for Chronic or Pathological ConditionsBestGhost: A NoveletteTeach Your Child to Read: A Mommy + Me Coloring BookThe Medici Maxim: Exploit the Power of the Matthew Effect to Achieve Exponential Success: The 9 Cardinal Principles to Activate, Amplify, and Accelerate an Accumulating Advantage (and How They Made the Medici the Richest Family in Europe)Keeper's ProphecyFaith in FoolsRescue Your Late ProjectNowhereBeyond Beliefs: The Incredible True Story of a German Refugee, an Indian Migrant and the Families Left BehindA Legend of the SailorsShikareeThe Horseman's TaleDarkness, DarknessVesselKnee-Deep in CindersThe MahdiJourney to 2125: One Century, One Family, Rising to ChallengesTalking about Adolescence: Book 2: Supercharge Your Body and Brain PowerStormflowerBob and Fluffy's First Adventure: A Story of Kindness and FriendshipThe Curse of the Smoky Mountain TreasureThe Little Hedgehog and the Very Windy DayRise of the Black CrossThe Smell of FallLifersThe Forgotten AlphabetA Coffee for TwoFatal FarmingLie Me Down Among The Cold Dark PinesShe Leads: Leadership Development for Women in BusinessPoinsettia LaneThe Art of a ButterflySuper 8The Garden TaleEvery Rule UndoneTHE SYNEquationHush the Cannon’s Roar: The Life & Times of Bennet Riley: Defender of BuffaloPerfectly YouThe Lightning SeedThe Eye of the SeaPhysics FablesIkigai and the Art of Keeping Your Dreams AliveFirst ContactDadding Poorly: Bad Parenting Advice for the First Decade of Your Child's LifeUnder a New and Brilliant SkyWhy So Blue: A StayCoppinKicks StoryThe Lost LampFission #4: An Anthology of Stories from the British Science Fiction AssociationStars, Clouds & ThornsAbout the BoyCows Can't Be ClownsUnreadable: Another Book You Probably Won't ReadFall, Sacred AppleStep OneThe Last Fairy Godmother: WishlessPoems From the End of Eternal SpaceThe Last Nuclear WarTab's Terrible Third EyeThe Matrix of the MindTemporary Beauty: A Memoir About Panic Disorder and Finding Purpose Through Art and MeditationA Cowboy's RunawayBear's Sick Day: A Story of Caring and FriendshipThe 4MIDABLES - How They Came To BeDo Not Take the TrainThe Christmas ProofFilm Noir Fate vs the Working Stiff: Film Noir in the Public Domain Vol IIThe ProjectionistBad Cop, Worse CopFelones de Se: Poems about SuicideApprenticed to the NightTender Paws: How Science-Based Parenting Can Transform Our Relationship with DogsAnomic Bombs: Five Sci-Fi Tales of Organisms Not Quite Fitting InWho Generated My Cheese?: What You Must Do Now to Survive and Thrive in an AI World—A Full-Color Illustrated PrimerWhere Demons ResideGreen Forest, Red Earth, Blue SeaMy Buddy Bali: A Tourist in Kisses and TearsThe Potent SolutionHolistic Retirement Planning: Being Intentional with Heart, Mind, and Money at Any AgeA Cultural History of America's Scots Irish: From Border Reivers of the Anglo-Scottish Border to Mountaineers in AppalachiaA Choir of WhispersDiane: True SurvivorMiranda FightsAlice Pemberton's Bureau of Scientific InquiryTalmadge FarmDesperate MeasuresThe Perfect PawnA Wilder WelcomeDelphiThe Ultimate Prepper's Survival Bible: Guide to Surviving Any Crisis.No Grid Survival Projects Bible. USA 2024-2025 EditionThe Mechanics of Changing the World: Political Architecture to Roll Back State & Corporate PowerUnnatural IntentA Fate Far Sweeter: Passion & Peril In UkraineHogs Head StewPeople of MemoryStashed in a JarThe Ultimate Guide to Rapport: How to Enhance Your Communications and Relationships with Anyone, Anytime, AnywhereGray WrathEchoes of the TombPreserving the PresentBetween the Lines: A Short StoryThe Focused Faith: Detox Your Digital Life, Reclaim Hijacked Attention, Build Habits for Focus & JoyA Love Worth Waiting ForTwo NecklacesThe Last Quest: Business Exit Strategy from an Unlikely SourceInside: A Visual Journey of Mindfulness for Curious KidsBig Love and War HorseTanglesRule #1 for Depression: How to Eliminate Negative Thinking and Rewire Your Anxious Brain with This Simple Depression BookMaya and Waggers: Mega Gossip

Thanks to all the publishers participating this month!

aka Associates Alcove Press Ashwood Press
Baker Books Bethany House CarTech Books
City Owl Press Entrada Publishing Fawkes Press
Harbor Lane Books, LLC. IngramSpark Inhabit Media Inc.
Ink & Quill Press Legacy Books Press Lerner Publishing Group
Middleton Books Modern Marigold Books New Vessel Press
NeWest Press Paper Phoenix Press Prosper Press
PublishNation Purple Moon Publishing Revell
Riverfolk Books RIZE Press Running Wild Press, LLC
Somewhat Grumpy Press Susan Schadt Press Thinking Ink Press
Three Rooms Press Tundra Books Tuxtails Publishing, LLC
Type Eighteen Books What on Earth! Wise Media Group
Yorkshire Publishing Zibby Books

Labels: early reviewers, LTER

Monday, September 9th, 2024

Author Interview: Andrew K. Clark

Andrew K. Clark

LibraryThing is pleased to present our interview with novelist and poet Andrew K. Clark, whose work has been published in The American Journal of Poetry, UCLA’s Out of Anonymity, Appalachian Review, Rappahannock Review, and The Wrath Bearing Tree. Deeply influenced by his upbringing and family history in western North Carolina, Clark received his MFA from Converse College, and made his book debut in 2019, with the poetry collection Jesus in the Trailer. His first novel, Where Dark Things Grow, a work of magical realism set in the Southern Appalachian Mountains in the 1930s, is due out this month from Cowboy Jamboree Press, and is available in our current monthly batch of Early Reviewer giveaways. Clark sat down with Abigail to answer some questions about his new book.

Where Dark Things Grow follows the story of a teenage boy with a troubled home life, who finds something magical and uses it to embark on a course of revenge. How did the story idea first come to you? Did it start with the character of Leo, with the theme of revenge, or with something else?

The novel came from a short story I wrote about my grandfather’s childhood growing up in Southern Appalachia and grew from there. I’ve always been drawn to magical realism and supernatural stories, so I was interested in mixing a sort of hardscrabble Appalachian setting with those more fantastical elements. Initially the story started with Leo, but as I got into the difficulties he faced, I realized he, like all of us, have a choice: to respond to adversity with anger or with resilience. His story is finding his way to resilience after a dark turn toward revenge and violence borne out of his family’s struggles, what he sees happening to missing young women, and a lack of empathy from the community.

Tell us more about wulvers. What are they, where do they come from, and what kinds of stories and traditions are associated with them?

One of the decisions I made early on in writing the novel was that I would use folklore elements from my own cultural heritage, as much as possible. So wulvers come from Scottish folklore. I use them quite differently than they appear in the lore, mixing in elements of horror and even the notion of direwolves from the Game of Thrones books. In Scottish tradition, wulvers are benevolent, and there are stories of them doing things like placing fish in the window sill of families that were struggling, that sort of thing. So in my novel there is a benevolent wulver, but there is also a dark, sinister one causing mischief. In the folklore, one thing that stuck with me is the wulvers can walk on their hind legs, much like a human, so mine do this when they want to seem imposing.

What made you decide to set Where Dark Things Grow during the 1930s, at the height of the Great Depression? Is there something significant about that period, in terms of the story you wanted to tell?

My grandparents grew up during the Great Depression in Southern Appalachia, and that period of time has always fascinated me. My grandfather was a story teller in the Appalachian tradition (my people came to Western NC in 1739), so I grew up hearing a lot of stories, including what it was like to grow up in the 1930s. One thing that always interested me is that Asheville is seen as this wealthy Gilded Age kind of place in literature and popular culture, but for my grandparents, the Great Depression brought almost no change to their lives – they were very poor before it started and so they didn’t feel the pain that some did. As a matter of fact, my grandfather would say their lives got better because of the Great Depression because my great grandfather got a job with the TVA. I always knew I wanted to write a story about a teenager growing up in this time period, and that story grew into Where Dark Things Grow.

You have described yourself as deeply rooted in the region of western North Carolina, where your ancestors have lived since before the American Revolution. In what ways has this geographic and cultural background influenced your storytelling? Which parts of your story are universal, and which parts could only happen in Southern Appalachia?

What’s often said about Appalachian writers is that the landscape is often a central character to story. That’s true for Where Dark Things Grow and so I don’t think it could happen anyplace else, in the same way. The major themes of the novel: revenge, the corrupting influence of power, criminal behavior (human trafficking), the struggle between good and evil, friendship and family, are universal and could be present in any setting. I think at the heart of every story is this sense of conflict, and so in that way, even if my reader doesn’t have reference points for Southern Appalachia, they can connect to the story and see themselves in the characters.

Your first book was a collection of poetry, and you have published individual poems in numerous publications. What was it like to write a novel instead? Does your writing process differ, when approaching different genres? Are there things that are the same?

I think one thing I carry to my prose is a focus on the structure and sound of the individual sentence. I always admire a well crafted sentence in a book I’m reading. So in that focus on language, there doesn’t feel to be as much of a difference as one might think. What’s different is that a single poem captures a more singular feeling or scene in the case of a narrative poem. In fiction, scenes build on each other and excavate themes more deeply over time. What I do find is that I feel comfortable with the novel form and the poem form; I am not as comfortable with the in between, short stories, if that makes sense. If I have that little to say, it feels more natural to distill it down into a poem. That said, I love short fiction, and read a lot of short story collections. In some ways a poetry collection or short story collection is a perfect vehicle for our modern attention challenged brains. But I love to get immersed in a world, in the lives of characters, the way I can with a novel. I think I’ll always write both.

What’s next for you? Are you working on more poetry, do you intend to write more novels, or branch out still further?

One thing I am happy about for readers is that my second novel, Where Dark Things Rise, is coming next fall from Quill and Crow Publishing House. It is a loose sequel to Where Dark Things Grow, which was published by Cowboy Jamboree Press. These two novels took about seven to eight years to write, and while the first book is set in the 1930s, the second is set in the 1980s, both in the Asheville / Western North Carolina area. I have started a third novel, which is quite different but also in the horror / magical realism genre. I have some poems assembled for a second poetry collection as well.

Tell us about your library. What’s on your own shelves?

My taste is pretty eclectic. You’ll find a lot of southern fiction by writers like William Gay, Ron Rash, Taylor Brown, Daniel Woodrell, S.A. Cosby, etc. You’ll also find a lot of magical realism novels: Murakami, Marquez, Toni Morrison, Jesmyn Ward, Robert Gwaltney, etc. And of course horror novels by Andy Davidson, Paul Tremblay, Stephen King, Stephen Graham Jones, Nathan Ballingrud, etc. I also have a couple of shelves dedicated to poetry books. Some favorites: Ilya Kaminsky, Kim Addonizio, Jessica Jacobs, Tyree Daye, bell hooks, Anne Sexton, W.S. Merwin, Ada Limón – I could go on and on.

What have you been reading lately, and what would you recommend to other readers?

One of my favorites this year is Taylor Brown’s Rednecks, about the West Virginia mine wars of the 1910s and 1920s. It’s a rich narrative; one of the most compelling historical fiction novels I’ve read. I’d also recommend The Hollow Kind by Andy Davidson, which mixes historical fiction elements, horror, and folklore in a delightful way. The Red Grove by Tessa Fontaine is a 2024 favorite, and definitely has elements of magical realism. For poetry, I’m really digging Bruce Beasley’s Prayershreds right now.

Labels: author interview, interviews

Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024

September 2024 Early Reviewers Batch Is Live!

Win free books from the September 2024 batch of Early Reviewer titles! We’ve got 257 books this month, and a grand total of 4,910 copies to give out. Which books are you hoping to snag this month? Come tell us on Talk.

If you haven’t already, sign up for Early Reviewers. If you’ve already signed up, please check your mailing/email address and make sure they’re correct.

» Request books here!

The deadline to request a copy is Wednesday, September 25th at 6PM EDT.

Eligibility: Publishers do things country-by-country. This month we have publishers who can send books to the US, the UK, Canada and Australia. Make sure to check the message on each book to see if it can be sent to your country.

The Lost KingWedding IssuesRebel SkiesLibrary GirlHappy NarwhalidaysThe Last Summer Before Whatever Happens NextThe Lost Siren of MackinacIt Bears RepeatingRebel FireTowed by ToadWater Finds a WayThe Spark in MeSea SnoozeAnne DreamsAnne DaresPast Lives DeniedJohn Lewis: A LifeWe Are Definitely HumanTroop EsmeBarnaby Unboxed!Honk Honk, Beep Beep, Putter Putt!Super Frenemies!Heaven SentAcross the AgesAn Honorable DeceptionMy Grammie's HouseThe Grave ThiefBilly and the Giant AdventureA Face Is a PoemWhere Dark Things GrowNon ServiamEdenThe IslandersPearce OystersYou, Me, and Our ADHD Family: Practical Steps to Cultivate Healthy RelationshipsTigPedro the Pirate: Learning to Trust a New CrewOceansongDropseed: The Story of Three Sad WomenEveryone But Myself: A MemoirFirst Big Book of How: The Ultimate Book of Answers for Kids Who Need to Know HOW!SuperstitionA Cry of HoundsJourney to Eloheh: How Indigenous Values Lead Us to Harmony and Well-BeingThe Sleeping GiantThe Inheritance of Amaya MontgomeryDad, I Miss You: A Residential School StoryATOM INCPink TuxedoThe Very Patient Gus DavisThe Neurodiversiverse: Alien EncountersJean Cage Afterlife and Citizen TrashRio CyborgClock Striker, Volume 2: The Sharing SocietySeventh Avenue UndressedThe Shape of Joy: The Transformative Power of Moving Beyond YourselfTrust + Follow: A 60-Day Devotional to Know Jesus MoreTeam ParkThe Tears Behind the Dream: The True Story of a British Expatriate in Libya - From Bliss to War to Rape...Getting BetterThe Mongol AscensionTakaoka's TravelsThe SwitchboardLet's Work SmarterBeaver PlumwoodJohn the SkeletonHell If We Don't Change Our Ways: A MemoirBig Money: Who Is In Control?Opening the ParablesOpen Wide!: Jaw-Dropping Mouths of the Animal WorldA Truth RevealedThe Literary Handyman LibraryPieces of YouThe Believers: StoriesWhalesong: The True Story of the Musician Who Talked to OrcasChain of EvidenceTeach Your Child to Read: A Mommy + Me Coloring BookDo-It-Yourself Dollhous: Making More With LessMake a Home Out of You: A MemoirA Journey of A Thousand MilesSleeping in the SunGod Bless the ChildThe Price They Paid: Slavery, Shipwrecks, and Reparations Before the Civil WarNight Bleeds Into DawnParis Lost and Found: A Memoir of LoveThe Greta Garbo Home for Wayward Boys and Girls: A MemoirThe Girl from Jersey CityA Mating of ConvenienceThe Third TempleOn Record: 1979: Images, Interviews & Insights from the Year in MusicOn Record: 1986: Images, Interviews & Insights from the Year in MusicOn Record: 1983: Images, Interviews & Insights from the Year in MusicFord Toploader Transmissions 1964-1987: How to Rebuild and ModifyThe Girl at the Renaissance FairEssentials of MurderZamboni of LoveNaturaLeatherneck: Molding Recruit Maggots into U.S. Marines in the 1950sAll That's LeftThe Discovery of MagicThe Queen's CookScaredy Squirrel Scared SillyPunta del Mar - Home of the IndianosThe True AdventurerTale of the Unlikely PrinceThe Thirteenth HalloweenOctober's OceanRiding the Khamseen WindPart BToo Young for Cancer: One Woman's Battle for a Diagnosis and a Fighting ChanceThe SafehouseHell BoundThe Swans Are SwimmingThe Power of Basketball: NBA Players, Coaches, and Team Governors on the Fight to Make a Better AmericaThe Last Drop of Ahura's BloodThe Garden of EdenCows Can't Be ClownsQuick Sex Tips for MenEvergreen: PoemsFloriana and the Lost FriendThe Blooding Of Jimmy HarperAmidst a Breakdown: A Poetry CollectionDigital Threads: The Small Business and Entrepreneur Playbook for Digital First MarketingRebalancing MedicineThe Justice TreeWonder of Weird: PeopleRainier's LegacyWhat We SawFrom SavageryLadyOn Record: 1992: Images, Interviews & Insights from the Year in MusicJumping HurdlesKiko and the Coralline CrestThe Night PixieThat DayHow to Wire Chevy & GMC Trucks: 1947-1987Animal CrossingShameraCat FightRough Diamond - Rough JusticeThe History of Cadatas’ Exploration of the Milky WayWhere When It RainsWho Left God Playing with Mud?!: A Novel Based on a True, Fictitious StoryThe Hangman's BeliefScience’s Dead End, Religions’ Opening, and a Restart for MeaningHaunting MelodyHigh-Trust Leadership: Building High Performance TeamsConversations with My Mother: A Novel of Dementia on the Maine CoastThe End of NobilityPrinciples of Economics Essentials You Always Wanted to KnowDragonslaveThe Crack at the Heart of EverythingSerial Killer Dark Psychology: Analyzing & Understanding Manipulation, Persuasion, Mind Control, & More Through Notorious Criminals in HistoryThe AwakeningKyd's GameDon't Let Me Keep YouPenumbra of SolaceThe Existence of ShadowsGuardians Of Glyndor: The Disappearing CreaturesOccam's Dream: A NovellaBlack Days: Racism and Riots in the U.S.The Hymn of CreationEchoes of the Bloodline: Forsaken LegacyBroken For BetterThe Storyteller's TaleDance Daughters of the Most High!: Amazing Stories of Long Overlooked and Underappreciated Women in the Old TestamentThe Last Quest: Business Exit Strategy from an Unlikely SourceWild EdmundThe Price of Dust: A Tale from the Shadow's PathFragmentsParallelsSir Lanka FilesLet the Purring Begin: Sapphire's TaleThe Girl in the FireAnny in LoveMavi, My Dearest: An Extraordinary Journey to MotherhoodThe Truth About Greece That SummerFablenoirHow to Care for Cursed FishArtificial Intelligence Unleashed: An Entrepreneur's Guide to InnovationCybersecurity for Entrepreneurs: Safeguarding Your Business from Online ThreatsFrom Sinnership to Sonship: The Story of BecomingTanglesTurning Chaos Into Gold: The Alchemy of Women's LeadershipAugmented and Virtual Reality: Unlocking Business Potential for EntrepreneursLearning to Shine: A Guide to Unlocking Your PurposePlayful Pups, 30 Breeds of Cute Puppies: Coloring Book for Kids Ages 4-8Trance Formation: My Hero's Journey of How I Turn Life's Greatest Challenges into Life's Greatest GiftsSeen Her YearThe Orphan ArkSame Me, But Different: Welcoming The New Chapter in My Life: A 7-Module Workbook for Individuals and TherapistsWilliam's Song: Love Letters from the MarginsI Will Come To You: Meditations on the Work of the Holy Spirit of ChristThe Boy Who Feared his own ReflectionA Breath of PowerThe Worms in Fools' FingersCute Costumes: Halloween Coloring BookApprenticed to the NightFelones de Se: Poems About SuicideMad (adj: angry, insane)Beneath the Wild Fig TreeFinding NaomiMy Inked Mirror: The Inspiration Behind My First BookEchoes of the TombThe Owlbear and the OmensHomemade Healthy Dog Food Guide: Discover the Science Behind Nutritional Solutions, Tailored to Your Dog's Health at Every Stage of Life, and for Chronic or Pathological ConditionsPrivate OwensPotty Training for Young Kids: A Parent’s Guide to Smooth and Successful Diaper-Free Home | With Hands-On Comprehensive Guidance | Stress-Free Approach | Interactive Checklists | Real-Life ExamplesMemories of TomorrowAvatars of Destiny: The Quest for Reality’s EdgeThreads: A Daydream on the Birth of the Universe and the History of Human ThoughtAftermath: Into the UnknownKat GirlSummit VisionConversation with XenexAll That SoarsThird Loch From the SunRuthless: The Legacy ContinuesPulstar II: Meadows of InvolutionReal Talk: Navigating Critical Decisions in College and Beyond: Unveiling Secrets to Thrive at LifeLawyers, Dogs, and Money:The Worlds of OriginStolen SecretsGhost MusicFinding RickyCauldron of WrathBig Love and War HorseAlways Haunted: Hallowe'en PoemsNegotiation Odyssey: Mastery in Every InteractionDebilitated MiddleThe SavageEchoCursed EarthEat So What!: The Science of Water-Soluble Vitamins: Everything You Need to Know About Vitamins B and CReality's Endgame: The AI Insanity ShowFury in Her EyesBlazing BrimstoneBlondieIf I DisappearFar From Home Close To Love: In New York CityThe GateShine a LightRing Road: A Journey Around IcelandHow to Write, Market and Sell Children's Books, A Comprehensive Guide: Just About Everything You Should Know & ConsiderTo Do JusticeIkigai and the Art of Keeping Your Dreams AliveArmitageAsayi: An Autistic Teen's Journey to Topple a Shogun in Medieval JapanThe Guide for Bamboozled Grooms and BridesOur Liminal SpacesBetween Two Poles: A MemoirThe Angelino SlayerCountless Roads: A Collection of Short StoriesThe Compass KillerInnovative Business Development: Implementing Transformation from WithinTwo NecklacesDeplorable Instinct: Author's Cut

Thanks to all the publishers participating this month!

A. R. Phillips Press LLC Abditory Press Alcove Press
Anaphora Literary Press Baker Books Bethany House
Boss Fight Books Broadleaf Books Cardinal Rule Press
CarTech Books Cinnabar Moth Publishing LLC City Owl Press
Dark Horse Books Delphinium Books Entrada Publishing
EverImagine Books Harbor Lane Books, LLC. HB Publishing House
Horrific Tales Publishing Imbrifex Books IngramSpark
Inhabit Media Inc. Islandport Press Lies & Bees Press
Lynit Publishing Mirror World Publishing NeoParadoxa
The New Press NeWest Press Paper Phoenix Press
Penguinboots Publishing Picket Fire PublishNation
The Quarto Group Restless Books Revell
Rootstock Publishing Running Wild Press, LLC Simon & Schuster
Stone Bridge Press Tapioca Stories Thinking Ink Press
Tiny Fox Press Tiny Ghost Press True Crime Seven
Tundra Books Tuxtails Publishing, LLC Type Eighteen Books
Vibrant Publishers What on Earth! Wipf and Stock Publishers
Wise Media Group Yorkshire Publishing Zibby Books

Labels: early reviewers, LTER

Thursday, August 29th, 2024

Talpa Search API Released

We’ve released an API for Talpa Search, our innovative new tool for finding books and other media using natural language.

An API allows computers to communicate with each other, enabling one organization’s service or data to be integrated into another’s.

Developers, such as library catalog vendors and booksellers, can use the Talpa Search API to integrate Talpa into their services and applications.

The Talpa Search API takes a query and returns simple JSON, with the results, including details like the result count and appropriate ISBNs and UPCs for the work. Libraries that subscribe to Talpa Search can also direct Talpa to use and prefer their own library’s holdings.

For more information, visit the API Documentation, or email us at talpa@librarything.com.

Labels: apis, Talpa Search