Chapter 16 - Part 532

Emotional Truths And Gonzo Premises

Kevin Wilson talks with Chapter 16 about what’s real—and what’s weird—in his short stories

By Susannah Felts | February 14, 2011

February 14, 2011 The characters in Kevin Wilson’s debut story collection, Tunneling to the Center of the Earth, experience emotions that almost any reader would find both soothingly and troublingly familiar, though the stories in which they appear often depict realities far from any we know. With his first novel slated for publication this summer, Wilson, who directs the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, answered questions via email about his work—and the state of things for young literary writers today—for Chapter 16. Wilson will read from his work at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville on February 14 at 7 p.m.

More Good News for Sepetys

The buzz is growing for Ruta Sepetys and her debut YA novel

By Margaret Renkl | February 14, 2011

February 14, 2011 Pre-publication attention continues to heat up for debut YA novelist, Ruta Sepetys. Since the last time we checked in on the Countryside, Tennessee, writer, she’s picked up another starred review, this one from School Library Journal, and a blue ribbon from the Book-of-The-Month Club–the first time a young-adult novel has ever made the list.

How to Turn a How-To Book Into a Sitcom

CBS greenlights David Hornsby’s pilot based on a book by Nashville author John Bridges

By Margaret Renkl | February 11, 2011

February 11, 2011 David Hornsby was in high school when his mother gave him a copy of John Bridges’s etiquette book, How to Be a Gentleman: A Contemporary Guide to Common Courtesy, for Christmas. She gave his brother a copy, too; scroll down for a picture of the two of them pretending to be thrilled by the gift.

Ms. Cheap Talks Love

Mary Hance releases a new book of marriage advice, and there’s not a coupon among the tips

By Liz Garrigan | February 10, 2011

February 10, 2011 There is probably no other Tennessean columnist—nor any journalist in Nashville, for the that matter—who is more connected to the daily’s readers than Mary Hance, known to the masses as Ms. Cheap. After all, everyone wants to save a buck. Hance, author of several previous books, has now parlayed her popularity into a new title, Love For a Lifetime: Daily Wisdom and Wit for a Long and Happy Marriage, a sort of Life’s Little Instruction Book of wedlock. Hance will discuss the book on February 13 at 2 p.m. at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Cool Springs, at 6 p.m. at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Memphis, and at 5:30 p.m. on March 3 at the Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville.

Unashamed, Unafraid

In motherhood, Amy Greene followed in her own mother’s footsteps, and it’s worked out just fine

By Margaret Renkl | February 10, 2011

February 10, 2011 Like many girls in the mountains of East Tennessee, including her own mother, novelist Amy Greene married young and had a baby soon thereafter. But her story does not feature the failed dreams or tragic unhappiness many readers might expect. Instead, Greene remains the happily married mother of two children, and her novel, Bloodroot, was one of the most highly acclaimed books of 2010.

The Immigrant's Tale

In her debut novel, Pamela Schoenewaldt tells a vivid story of hardship and hard work

By Faye Jones | February 9, 2011

February 9, 2011 In her first novel, When We Were Strangers, Knoxvillian Pamela Schoenewaldt tells the story of Irma Vitale, a young Italian woman who comes to America, as all immigrants do, in the hope of making a better life for herself. The book is a vivid account of not only Irma’s own story but also that of America itself. Pamela Schoenewaldt will discuss When We Were Strangers at 7 p.m. on February 10 at Borders Books in Nashville.

Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones

By Dolly Parton with Holly George-Warren, curated by Rebecca Seaver
Ten Speed Press
336 pages
$50

“Featuring behind-the-scenes stories from Dolly Parton’s life and career, and the largest reveal of her private costume archive, this gorgeously photographed book spotlights her most unforgettable looks from the 1960s to now.”

~ the publisher