Friday, April 30, 2010

Nik Recommends Geektastic!

Hello everyone! The Toronto Public Library has been hosting a series of incentives all month long to "Keep Toronto Reading." A dear friend of mine and work colleague hosts an AMAZING book blog called the "Keepin' It Real Book Club" and she agreed to help out the initiative by hosting on her site a series of book reviews in under 3 minutes, where people who work in publishing or with books in some way recommend a book they think everyone should read.

I asked her a couple of weeks ago if she'd be open to me recommending Y: The Last Man. After hearing me talk about it endlessly in the office, she had read it, and excitedly said yes yes! So I kept meaning to do it, and kept forgetting with the mountain of other stuff I'm supposed to be working on (in theory). Last night it suddenly occurred to me I hadn't done it yet, and today was the last day. So I grabbed the BKV series, ready to hold up the volumes and talk excitedly about it... only to find that there was already a review of it on the site, and they were saying pretty much EXACTLY what I was going to say.

So, I switched over to a book that I found in Shakespeare and Co. in NY last October, started reading on the plane ride home, and LOVED and I have been meaning to post on it for months here. It's called Geektastic and it's a collection of YA short fiction about the world of geek- and nerddom, edited by Holly Black Cecil Castellucci. It's SO funny, and I loved it.

So head on over here and you can see me recommending this book to you!! (Once again I apologize for the super-quiet microphone. ARGH. I don't know what's wrong. I think I have to start shouting in these things. I'm going to do a video podcast for the finale of Lost, but since it'll probably be me screaming and crying and yelling, I don't think the volume will be much of a problem in that case...) ;) And also, be sure to scroll back and watch many of the other recommendations, many by people I know or have worked/am working with at the moment. (Evan Munday's is probably my fave of the bunch. The video is brill.) Be sure to leave comments to show you were over there! :) And definitely check out the book. It's SO much fun, and right up our alley.

And while I have your attention, I hope you can go over to my publisher's new TV blog, where they're highlighting all of the TV companion guides and authors of those companion guides on a regular basis. Since this fall we will be bringing out guides to Lost, Glee, Vampire Diaries, True Blood, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and House, it seemed like a good time to finally have a site to showcase it all! So check it out when you can. It's called Books on TV (I had suggested "Books to Watch" which I still think is pretty damn catchy, but they went with the other title instead). It's a fun site that's updated regularly, and again it's done by the brilliant woman who does the Keepin' It Real Club!

11 comments:

Austin Gorton said...

Yeah, I like "Books to Watch" better too, but I'll still check it out. :)

JK said...

Thanks for the kind words and the killer contribution, Nik! And as for Books on TV, we'll be posting an interview with your talented editor today!

Eugen Caitaz said...

Hi Nikki! You are the best! I watch this video, there, you are so funny...:) Nikki, I have seen there, in your room, that you have piano. You can to play on piano???

stacy said...

hi Nikki, speaking of books for tv, I bought the first season of Buffy the other day in the used book store. I'm ready for the rewatch! (first watch for me)

Ambivalentman said...

Fun video, Nikki. I enjoyed it and am poised to buy the book on your recommendation. Dammit, it better be good! :)

humanebean said...

Oh, Nik! SOMEone must have a MacBook you could use for the finale video podcast!!! If I have to ship you one MYSELF (not quite sure how that will work going through customs but we hafta figure something out) you simply must be able to quickly, easily and yes, audibly record your wonderful self to share with the loyal minions. It's so SIMPLE. I'm TELLIN' you.

*periodic Mac rant now over*

JW said...

Yes, I have to give my vote-which-does-not-count for "Books to Watch" too.

The Question Mark said...

Thanks for the reccomendation, Nik!

Oh, by the way, when I'm not blogging and watching LOST I moonlight as an actor/singer, and I just auditioned for Glee!

Wish me luck, everyone! :D

humanebean said...

@? -Good luck!!

Nikki Stafford said...

Jenea: There actually isn't a piano in that room (that's my bed... I only realized AFTER I posted it to YouTube that my freakin' BED is in the background.. nice one, Nik) but I DO play the piano! My piano is downstairs in the main room and I played for 15 years. I'm only starting to pick it up again now after many many years of not playing. My daughter wanted me to learn "Life on Mars" so she could sing along. Thanks for picking a heavily syncopated piece written by Rick Wakeman, kiddo. Nice. ;)

Stacy: Yay! I'm starting to put together a team for the rewatch. I think it will definitely be happening!

humanebean: I knew that comment would bring you out. :) Turns out, my speakers were turned down (duh... duh duh) and when I turned them up, the volume was actually fine. D'oh.

Question Mark: You are KIDDING!! Luck luck luck!!! Please keep us posted on what happens!! I love that show.

The Question Mark said...

Thanks, guys! :)