Eight books for Christmas

This is a newsletter I sent to my readers' list, so a few of you might have already read it. You may disregard, in that case. But remember, when you can, to patronize your local independent bookstore!

Hi, friends:I'm writing this on the day after Thanksgiving, called Black Friday by retailers. The traditional explanation for the name is that this is the shopping day that puts retailers in the black. Here's a different take: according to http://thecitydesk.net/ there was a Lawrence Black who was a famous salesman for Osberger's Department Store, which is now Macy's. He always wore a black suit, and was respected by everyone in the trade. When he died late in November in 1964, clerks all around the city wore black as a tribute to him. The next year, on the day after Thanksgiving, they wore black to remember him, and thus the tradition began.Black Friday always means it's time to think about Christmas gifts.

I hope you'll think about books, for young and old alike. I had the great good fortune to attend a science fiction conference in Nantes, France this year, and through that event and others I've found some new writers (to me) and won new respect for writers I already know well. So here's a short list of books I recommend, with tags for the readers I think will most appreciate them. I had three books of my own come out this year--including one reprint--and those are here, too.

And please, when you can, order from your local independent bookstore! It's not always possible, of course, not even for me. But it would be nice to do all we can to stop our independents from disappearing.

Here's my Black Friday list, in no particular order:

Miracle and Other Christmas Stories, Connie Willis: charming, funny, and moving holiday stories for adults and young adults of all interests. Not a new book, but one I bring out every year to enjoy again.

Bright of the Sky, Kay Kenyon: big, colorful space opera with a great hero and a fantastic new universe. This book has that Kenyon edge, and is a great read for lovers of really good science fiction. Got a starred Publishers Weekly review, too!

Singer in the Snow, the paperback version. It makes a good gift for young adult readers in this affordable format. And by the way, the original trilogy of The Singers of Nevya is due to be reprinted in 2009! I'm thrilled about that, and I'll let you know. (I'd also love to know if you think an omnibus or three separate books would be best.)

Old Man's War, by John Scalzi, is an entertaining piece of military science fiction. I don't usually read much in that genre, but I enjoyed this, and it made a great birthday gift for my brother-in-law who is a veteran. He liked it a lot.Last Summer of the Apocalypse, by James Van Pelt. Fabulous novel, which is getting a lot of critical attention--a coup for the small press (Fairwood) which published it. A refreshing character-driven take on the post-apocalyptic genre.

Absalom's Mother & Other Stories, which Fairwood also published. This is a collection of my short stories, everything from time travel science fiction to musical fantasy. Most have been published before, but there are two new ones. I think these are best for adults, although young adults who read at a high level will also enjoy them.

The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls. This is NOT science fiction. In fact, it's all true, a memoir, one of the most compelling reads I've ever picked up. I just have to pass it along. I think it's an outstanding choice for women readers on your gift list. I loved it, my mom loved it, and my sisters loved it.

Last but not (I hope) least, Airs and Graces, the second book in The Horsemistress Saga, by Toby Bishop. Toby is me, of course. Airs and Graces should be suitable for adults or older young adults (there's a bit of offstage sexual inference--my teenage students thought that any concern about that was pretty funny, but just so you know!)

I wish you peace and joy through this whole season. I hope you'll let me know if you enjoyed some of these special books!

Louise