Tom Clancy is back this December
In today’s news, learn about the upcoming book from Tom Clancy, what the iPad means to a novelist, and the “parent problem” in YA lit. Enjoy!
- Tom Clancy fans rejoice! The mega author is back this December with Dead or Alive, his first novel in 7 years. In typical Clancy style, the book will be a suspense thriller featuring international terrorism and tough protagonists. Publisher Penguin reports that some of Clancy’s best known characters, including Jack Ryan, John Clark, and Mary Pat Foley, will join forces to protect America from “The Emir, a sadistic killer who has masterminded the most vicious terrorist attacks on the West.” The Guardian and New York Times have more info, but you’ll still have to wait 8 months to read the book.
- You may know some avid readers who are excited about the iPad, but what are authors saying? The Daily Beast met with novelist Jay McInerney to get his take on the device. In the interview, McInerney admitted he could use a more convenient way to transport reading material–”I sometimes carry an entire carry on case of magazines and books”–and after a few minutes with the iPad, he seemed to like it more than his rarely-used Kindle: “I really like the way that it presents books and magazines, as opposed to the other screen presentations.” He didn’t say whether he could see himself writing on the iPad, but don’t be surprised if the iPad slowly becomes as ubiquitous as laptops at coffee shops.
- In her exploration of young adult fiction, Julie Just of the New York Times noticed a trend that goes beyond vampires: the parents in many of today’s most popular teen books are (gasp!) unlikeable! In her essay “The Parent Problem in Young Adult Lit,” Just talks about the incompetent, absent, or peripheral parenting that seems to be popping up all over YA fiction. But is this really a “problem,” or simply an expected part of the teen genre? As Just points out, a present parent leaves a lot less room for the page-turning drama that keeps teens reading.
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