Alex C. Telander: What was it that made you decide to become an agent, and when did you know?

Michelle Brower: An agent came to my college to speak, and I was totally amazed- you can get paid to read books and talk to people all the time?  I didn’t know for sure that was what I wanted to do, but I got an internship and that sealed the deal.

Alex: How did you become an agent?

Michelle: Oddly enough, I answered an ad on Craigslist for a part-time internship.  Once I started, I didn’t want to stop, and worked my way up to agent within that company.

Alex: What does an ordinary day look like for you?

Michelle: I usually start in the morning answering emails from the night before and returning calls.  I usually have at least a few meetings or phonecalls scheduled every day, and I have lunch with an editor 2 or 3 times a week (sometimes more!).  I often have drinks with an editor after work- really, the only time I have to read or edit happens after work or on the weekends.

[CONTINUE READING . . . ]

Book Report for Week of April 29th

Microsoft Invests in Barnes & Noble 
Today it was announced that computer giant Microsoft has invested $300 million in a subsidiary of the Barnes & Noble Nook ereader.  Microsoft will own 17.6% of the Nook subsidiary, valuing it at $1.7 billion.  Unsurprisingly, Barnes & Noble shares are up more than 70% pre-marketing trading, and it seems clear which side Microsoft is taking in the competitive Kindle vs. Nook ereader battle.  Microsoft will also begin providing a Nook application on its new Windows 8 platform.

[CONTINUE READING . . .]

In That Quiet Earth by Alex C. Telander

Much like his first collection, , Alex C. Telander’s new short story collection, “In That Quiet Earth,” runs the gamut of genres, showing his extensive breadth and range as writer. Readers will not be disappointed and will find a number compelling storylines and complex characters to become engaged in reading about.

The collection kicks off with a short piece exploring a man who is changing in a way he doesn’t want to. “The Lonesome Road” is one of the first stories Telander wrote, and goes into depth about the security we feel in everyday life, and what happens when that is suddenly taken away. Some other interesting stories include “Outside the Chamber,” exploring the role of Nazis charged with gassing victims, to a classic fantasy tale in “The Adventure of Lem, Odo and Tom,” and ending with “Motion in Motion,” a unique stream of consciousness story unlike any other. The collection also features two sneak peeks at two of Telander’s future novels.

The collection is a broad and fascinating one, providing something for everyone, leaving readers at the end wanting more and waiting for Alex C. Telander’s next work.

To download the ebook in any format, click HERE or the cover above.

Ebooks vs. Print

There are many different types of books that have been published; all shapes and sizes, lengths – some short, some very short; some long, and some behemoths! Accordingly, there are many different types of reviews to go with these books. Sometimes there is a correlation: a short review for a short book, a long review for a long book (I tend to do the latter, especially if it’s a long book that I enjoyed, such as Under the Dome and The Way of Kings). But when it comes down to the type of book, different thoughts and processes need to be employed, especially in the case of the fiction book versus the nonfiction book.

The Fiction Review
When it comes to writing a book review on fiction, the two parameters to keep in mind are the story and the characters.  (There’s a minor third, writing, that I will get to later.) I’m a story kind of guy, so if it’s a good story, I’m hooked right away, and that tends to be what I look for in a book I’m interested in reading.  I certainly get picky with books that take a while to get going, especially if the world isn’t interesting enough to get me engaged or at least keep me interested. The second parameter is character, which can pretty much always save a book, even if the story isn’t doing it. Now, I’m not saying that a terrible story can be miraculously saved by a strong character or two, but a story that doesn’t really seem to be going anywhere, or is dragging along, trying to pick up steam, can be kept alive with its characters. Some people read books solely for characters, and decide to read certain books on this premise.  Characters can be interesting, or complex, or have some unusual tic that the reader may identify with or just keeps them interested; or it can be all these things.

[CONTINUE READING . . . ]

The Art of the Book Review Part II: Fiction vs. Nonfiction	The Art of the Book Review Part I: How I Write a Book Review	Ebooks vs. Print
April 27, 2012	April 13, 2012	March 30, 2012
The Authors of Stephen King	Borders Lives on . . . Sort of	Great Tools for Writing
March 16, 2012	March 2, 2012	February 17, 2012

Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers Stories by Alex C. Telander “With an imagination that knows no bounds, Alex Telander has crafted an amazing genre spanning collection that kept me turning pages till dawn.” -- Richard Doetsch, New York Times bestselling author of Half-Past Dawn, Thieves of Darkness and The 13th Hour.

Danielle Bartlett , Associate Director, William Morrow	Michael Homler, Editor, St. Martin's Press	Justin Golenbock, Publicist, Tor & Forge
April 1st	March 1st	February 1st

Ben Loory	Ernest Cline	Juliet Eilperin	Robert Charles Wilson
February 1st	December 1st	November 15th	October 17th