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It’s our first installment of “Hosts on the Hot Seat,” our Q&A segment where you Q and we A. We recommend The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope and Is This Tomorrow.

Hosts on the Hot Seat

Remember when we asked you all to ask us questions? Many of you did and we’re answering a couple of them in this podcast. Don’t forget to submit your own questions here!

Connor in Ohio wondered what we do when we encounter an unfamiliar word while reading. Ann and I both tend to infer the meaning from context when we’re reading a paper book. When we’re e-reading we take advantage of the “click and define” feature. Unfortunately, that can lead down the Google rabbit hole, looking up things other than definitions. It recently happened for me while reading A Constellation of Vital Phenomena and for Ann while reading Detroit: An American Autopsy.

Robin from New Jersey asked if we were both readers growing up and what books or people influenced us. I’ve always been a reader. Early series I loved included The Hardy Boys, The Three Investigators, The Tripods Trilogy, and the Doctor Who show novelizations. Ann started her reading career by memorizing Twinkle Tots, and read, while in the bathroom, the entirety of a biography of Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts. The Chocolate War was very important to Ann in middle school. A few picture books that I particularly remember loving are The Story of Ferdinand and The Little House, and Ann loved The Story About Ping.

Two Books We Can’t Wait For You to Read (16:51)

The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope by Rhonda Riley is a beautiful love story about Evelyn, a woman who meets a person who is clearly not human, but their connection is instant and strong. This is a book I read knowing very little about the story, and the twists and revelations were wonderful to experience. In my opinion, the story synopsis on the book gives away far too much of the plot, so I beg you, don’t read the flap copy!

Ann recommends Is This Tomorrow by Caroline Leavitt. It’s the story of the disappearance of a child in the suburbs of Boston in the 1950′s. The writing is beautiful and captures the domestic life of the 50′s and 60′s perfectly, and brings these characters to vivid life.

Ann and I have each read (and loved) the other’s recommendation, so both of these books are recommended by both of us!

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This week we bring you the wonderful Booktopia Vermont talks from Elizabeth Kelly and Jon Clinch. Elizabeth discussed her new book Last Summer of the Camperdowns, which is just landing in stores now/very soon. Jon, author most recently of The Thief of Auschwitz, read from a work in progress called Belzoni Dreams of Egypt, a book that sounds like a ton of fun, and one that I can’t wait to read.

Next week, Ann and I will be back to answer some of the questions we’ve already received from you folks. If you’ve always wanted to ask us a question, be sure to click through to our easy form and ask away!

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This week: May short-story read-along, a new Q&A feature, our thoughts on “unlikeable characters,” and A Constellation of Vital Phenomena.

I’ve announced the May Short Story Read-along, To Do by Jennifer Egan. We’d love your participation. Head on over, read the story, and then see if you can write a story in “list” format. The best way to share your story is to post it on your own blog, tumblr, or in a Google Doc, and put the link in the comments of the read-along post. If your story is very short, you can post it in the comments, but be aware that much of the formatting will be lost.

We’ve made it easy for you to ask us all of your burning questions. We loved doing the live podcast Q&As at recent Booktopia events, so we’d love to make it a more regular feature. If you have a question for either or both of us, we’ll try to answer it on the podcast. Ask about our jobs, the podcast, request a book recommendation, or ask us about anything you like. If we can answer, we will. Depending on the volume of questions, we’ll either do a Q&A episode or integrate the answers into regular episodes. Thanks to Book Fight for giving us the idea (I’m a huge fan of their “Writers Ask” episodes).

To ask your question, just click on the BOTNS Q&A form: http://bit.ly/BOTNSQA

Looking for Friends (in all the wrong places):

Claire Messud was recently interviewed by Publishers Weekly about her novel, The Woman Upstairs. In the article, the interviewer asked Messud, “I wouldn’t want to be friends with Nora, would you? Her outlook is almost unbearably grim.” Messud’s answer is terrific, and started a conversation on blog posts and social media about “unlikeable characters.” Michael and I share our thoughts about these complicated characters. Some of the other books that we mention during this conversation: The Corrections, Gone Girl, Finn, Lolita (audio read by Jeremy Irons), Tampa, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving We’d love to hear your thoughts, too.

Two Books One book we can’t wait for you to read

Michael talks about Anthony Marra’s A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, a novel about a man who saves the daughter of his neighbor from abduction by Chechen authorities. Beuatifully written and emotionally compelling, it spans the whole of 2 Chechen civil wars. Michael has coined a new term for this type of book: “clutch-worthy” — the kind of book that after you finish, you clutch the book to your chest.

In the meantime, I’ve decided to postpone my segment 3 recommendation because I do feel strongly that this book is important and you should think about reading it. Anthony Marra is touring (he’ll be in Corte Madeiera and Santa Cruz in June), and many bookstores have signed copies. Check with your local bookstore. It is also the May pick for Powell’s Indiespensible — I know many of you are members, but even if you’re not, as of now it appears to still be available to order.

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This week, we’re pleased to bring you the first two author talks from Booktopia Vermont. Paula McLain and Nichole Bernier were delightful and entertaining. Enjoy!

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Michael’s Short Story Month reading plan. What movies do to books, good and bad. Plus we recommend the new books from Claire Messud and David Sedaris.

May is Short Story Month

Ann’s been reading a short story a day, all year. That was too much for me to commit to, so I’m just doing it for the month of May, which is Short Story Month. I’ve collected all of the books I’m pulling the stories from onto one shelf in Goodreads, though of course, I’ll read other things that catch my eye, including the May Short Story Read-Along.

One of the books I talk about, I Don’t Know the Author or the Title, But It’s Red and It Has Three Zombie Stories In It by Kelly Link, is only available through Harvard Book Store, as far as I can tell. Ann recently read Flying Lessons by Kelly Link recently in her writing class at Grub Street in Boston, and now wants to read everything Kelly has ever written. Ann also recommends the New Yorker Fiction podcast  as a great way to hear stories, followed by a discussion of the work.

Follow @annkingman on Twitter for short story recommendations throughout the month. Follow my month of reading on the Books on the Nightstand Facebook page.

Books Into Movies, Movies on to Books (11:10)

The movie adaptation of The Great Gatsby (in theaters May 10) is getting people talking, especially about the movie-tie-in edition of the book, which has star Leonardo DiCaprio on the cover. Many people dislike movie-tie-in covers in general (and some stores won’t even carry them), but we think that anything that gets people to read a book is worthwhile.

Other book/movie news:

• The first trailer for Mister Pip has been released and it looks like they’ve really translated the feel of the book onto the screen.
• World War Z, the movie, comes out June 21. While it looks like a heck of a lot of fun, I’m not sure it will accurately capture the tone of Max Brooks’ novel. However, a new edition of the audiobook has just been released, and now features narrators like Martin Scorcese, Mark Hamill, Alfred Molina, Henry Rollins and Nathan Fillion, to name just a few. You can see the full cast list at the end of the description on the audio’s Goodreads’ page.

And Two Books We Can’t Wait For You to Read (25:49)

Ann calls The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud “one of the best novels she’s read in 2013.” It’s the story of Nora, an elementary school teacher who forms an intense attachment to the family of one of her students.

I recommend David Sedaris’ new book Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls, especially on audio. It’s a wonderful collection, hilarious, yes, but also incredibly moving at times.

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It’s Edgar Week! The 2013 Edgar Awards will be presented on May 2nd at the Edgars Banquet. In celebration, I speak this week with Daniel J. Hale, Executive Vice President of the Mystery Writers of America.

Daniel J. Hale is the Executive Vice President of the Mystery Writers of America, the premier organization for authors and fans of mystery and crime fiction. I spoke with Dan about the history of the Edgars, what they represent, and what they mean to the winners. I had a great time talking with Dan, and I hope you enjoy the interview. If you receive this by email, the link to listen is at the bottom of the email.

The complete list of Edgar nominees is here: http://www.theedgars.com/nominees.html. You’ll recognize several of the nominees, I think, including Booktopia Vermont 2013 author Chris Pavone’s The Expats. It’s no secret that Michael and I are rooting for him.

As I mentioned, I will be reading and blogging all five of the Short Story nominees. That blog post will go live on Friday, May 3rd, and you can access it by clicking the “Project Short Story” tab at the top of this page.

As always, we ask our guests to recommend two books that they can’t wait for us to read. Dan’s suggestions: The Charm School by Nelson DeMille and Watchers by Dan Koontz. Both great choices, and Watchers is a personal favorite of mine as well.

Michael and I will be back next week with a regular episode. Happy reading!

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We review the stacks of books we wish we could read right now.

Ann and I are always bemoaning all of the books we want to read, books that are piled on our nightstands or bookshelves. If we had unlimited reading time, these are the books we would pick up right now. We thought it would be fun to give you a quick overview of all of those. You’ll likely hear more about some of these as we get to them in the upcoming weeks and months.

On Michael’s Nightstand

• A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin
• The Demonologist by Andrew Pyper
• The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards by Kristopher Jansma
• The Massive, Vol. 1: Black Pacific by Brian Wood
• Doctor Who: Shroud of Sorrow by Tommy Donbavand
• A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
• Nebula Awards Showcase 2013 edited by Catherine Asaro
• Brick by Brick by David C. Robertson

On Ann’s Nightstand

• The House of Special Purpose by John Boyne
• The Man From Primrose Lane by James Renner
• All That Is by James Salter
• Life After Life by Jill McCorkle
• Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
• The Good House by Ann Leary
• After Visiting Friends by Michael Hainey
• Rapture Practice by Aaron Hartzler
• Walking with Jack by Don J. Snyder
• Tampa by Alissa Nutting

We hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into our TBR lists!

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This week, we present the Booktopia Santa Cruz talks from Cara Black and Matthew Dicks.

It’s our final two author talks from Booktopia Santa Cruz, finishing up with Cara Black, author of Murder Below Montparnasse, the latest Aimee Leduc mystery, and Matthew Dicks, the author of Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, which will be out in paperback on May 7.

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A cool idea for a literary event; keeping up with your favorite author; Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn and Ben Okri’s The Famished Road

Short Story Salon

I recently attended a Short Story Salon hosted by Vanessa, one of our BOTNS listeners in Boston. Seven of us got together and each person brought a short story to read aloud.  It was so much fun; I can’t wait to do it again.  For more details, including a list of the stories that everyone read, see “My week in short stories #13.“ My favorite story was Horton Hatches the Egg which, yes, is a short story. I chose to read Donald Barthelme’s “The School.” If any of you are in the Providence, RI area and want to give it a try, let me know. This evening was inspired in part by Four Stories, an occasional reading series in Boston where four authors read from their work.

Author Stalking

Over on our Goodreads group, Cathy asked for tips and strategies for keeping up with a favorite author. Michael and I brainstormed and came up with a few ideas:

• Check publisher web pages. Many publishers will allow you to sign up for email alerts if an author has a new book, or for information about specific authors and categories. Not every publisher offers this, but do check and see if your favorite authors’ publishers do.
• AuthorTtwitter feeds
• Author Facebook pages
• Author websites – you can subscribe to RSS feeds (try Feedly in place of my dear departed Google Reader)
• Google alerts for your favorite author’s name
• Authors’ Goodreads pages
• Librarything Local to find out which authors will be doing events near your location. There is an app called Readar to get this information on your iPhone.
• Sign up for your local bookstores’ email newsletters for information about new books and events
• Don’t be afraid to reach out to authors through their Facebook page or twitter feed if you have a question about their work.

Two books we can’t wait for you to read

We both bring your attention to some of our old favorites this week.

Michael can’t believe that he hasn’t previously recommended Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects, her first novel. It’s dark and creepy, maybe even darker than Gone Girl. It’s the story of Camille, a reporter who is sent back to the small town where she grew up to investigate the murder of two teenage girls.

The Famished Road by Ben Okri won the Booker prize in 1991. I was reminded of this book when Chinua Achebe died last week and Emily Gatlin wrote a post for Bookriot about African literature. It’s a magical realist novel based in an African myth, with stunning imagery, told from the point of view of a young boy who is a spirit child living in the real world.

Next week we’ll have the final two author talks from Booktopia Santa Cruz, then we’ll be back with a special episode on April 23rd that we think you’ll enjoy.

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Fun bookish events to attend; looking back at The Tournament of Books; and our recommendations for The Rime of the Modern Mariner and Wave.

First the Fun

Square Books in Oxford, MS (which was just named 2013 Publishers’ Weekly Bookseller of the Year!! YAAAYYY!!) is hosting Camp Square Books, May 21-24, with four authors, bus tours, meals and books! Ann and I are sorry we can’t attend, but maybe you can!

For only the second time, Book Expo America is opening registration to non-industry folks. Dubbed “Power Readers,” the average everyday book lover (that’s you!) can attend for only $49. Publishers’ booths, authors signing, free books and book-related goodies, BEA is a book-lovers dream.

A reminder that Two Books I Can’t Wait For You to Read, Volume 2 is now available for purchase. It’s the perfect book to get (and give) if you just can’t get enough book recommendations!

Then the Game (x:xx)

The 2013 Tournament of Books just concluded and we are simply thrilled that Adam Johnson’s The Orphan Master’s Son was the winner! Ann and I both enjoyed reading the judges essays on their decisions, and the commentary by the tournament creators. So many of our favorite books were in contention and it was an entertaining process from beginning to end. In 2014, we promise to feature the Tournament of Books earlier, so you’ll all be reminded to follow along.

Two Books We Can’t Wait For You to Read (21:29)

The Rime of the Modern Mariner is a graphic novel written and illustrated by Nick Hayes. It recasts Coleridge’s poem as an ecological fable for today. The illustrations, done in shades of blue and black, are simply stunning! (This link has some interior images)

While reading Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala, Ann felt like her body was in a vise. This memoir of the author’s experience surviving a tsunami that killed her parents, her husband and her children, and surviving the inexplicable grief that followed.

A reminder that April is National Poetry Month and Ann and I, not poetry enthusiasts (yet!), are committing to read each day’s Poem of the Day, emailed out by Knopf. Follow this link to see the poems emailed out for April 1. To sign up yourself, click here and select the “Knopf Poetry” newsletter.