Time again for hand selling online, when book mastermind Billie Bloebaum from Powells books (conveniently located in the Portland airport!) matches enquiring minds with required reading. Deborah writes: I adored Bewitching by Jill Barnett. I’ve read the rest of her books, some I liked, some I didn’t, but I was looking for another author or book that has the same good sense of humor and adventure. Billie says, “Barnett hasn’t had anything new since 2007 … Continue reading The Bookmatcher with Billie Bloebaum→
Time again for Billie Bloebaum, Powell’s Airport book buyer, matching readers to books – a dying art that I can’t get over. Amy writes: The last book I read that I really, really loved was “Sugar Queen” by Sarah Addison Allen. Billie: My first impulse is to go with Alice Hoffman or maybe ‘Like Water for Chocolate’ or ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’ or ‘Chocolat’, but to find a good romance novel with a … Continue reading Bookmatcher: Billie Bloebaum knows Books→
by SB Sarah · Nov 10, 2009 at 1:53 pm · Comments Off on The Bookmatcher: Paranormals and Westerns
The response to our new feature with Billie Bloebaum from Powell’s was rather huge – we have so many letters from people who’ve never been matched to a book, or been hand-sold a new read at the bookstore or library. So, this week we have two letters. First is Rebecca: I’ve often been asked if I “need help” at a bookstore, but I’ve never been directed toward (or steered away) from a particular book. Maybe … Continue reading The Bookmatcher: Paranormals and Westerns→
Groveling is a powerful thing. When it’s done right, it can demonstrate that a hero or heroine has truly changed, that they understand the flaws of their past behavior and are ready to be not so much of an asshat. Sometimes, depending on the plot, the happy ending rests on the strength of the groveling scene. Groveling in a romance is something we’ve talked about before – particularly in the big behemoth thread from a … Continue reading GS vs. STA: Groveling→
We’re starting a new feature here at Smart Bitch HQ. I was having a lively email conversation with Billie Bloebaum, who is the book buyer for Powell’s in the Portland airport, and she mentioned how much she enjoyed handselling books she knew were wonderpants but not as widely known as other more prominent bestselling pants. I mentioned that I’d never had a bookstore employee handsell me a book in a store, and she about fell … Continue reading The Bookmatcher: Dangerous Landscapes→
Stephanie, a lurker (hi lurkers!) asks: I am hoping you, and the bitchery, may be able to help me out. Do you know of any time travel romances along the lines of the Meg Ryan movie “Kate and Leopold”? I’m not picky about who does the time travel or which direction (hero to the future, heroine to the past or vise versa). There was a time when every third romance was a time travel. This … Continue reading GS v. STA: Time Travel Romance→
Last night on the Twitter feed I had a ripping good conversation with so many people about their favorite Harlequin lines and which authors are absolute never-fail for them. So many people mentioned the Harlequin Presents line, while I’m partial to the Silhouette Desire line. Authors that make the autobuy list of many on Twitter last night included Sarah Mayberry, Cheryl St.John and Karen Templeton (from Sybil), Sharon Kendrick, Anne McAllister, India Grey, Day LeClaire, … Continue reading Harlequin Books That Hooked You→
While I was on the Book Tour of Much Bosom Heaving, one of the top questions I got wasn’t, to my surprise, “What is a cuntweasel? Is it a weasel made of cunt, or a weasel whose native habitat is a cunt, or a verb for a maneuver from a cunt that is exceptionally limber? Enlighten us, O Muse!” No, one of the questions people asked me most consistently was “Do you have a list … Continue reading Candy’s Favorite Romances: A Work in Progress→
I’m headed up to Toronto a week from today to tape an appearance on the Steven & Chris show, and to invade the Harlequin Headquarters and look for the elusive tycoon billionaire who hides amongst the maidenheads. The folks at CBC want me to bring a few romances to illustrate the updated power of romance novels on the market today, and while I have a few examples of supreme awesome on the shelf currently, I … Continue reading GS v. STA: Bringing Romance to canada→
Bitchery reader M. wrote in and asked for a specific type of romance, and alas, I drew a blank at helping her out. I did name a few titles, though I won’t mention them here because the secret is part of the plot twist in most of them, but I figured the Bitchery knows all. M. writes: I’m obsessed with a specific type of romance, and someone said you might be able to help. I’ve … Continue reading Good Shit vs. Shit to Avoid: Secret Romance→
Brandi sent me a heads up to these awesome frames, which hang on the wall and show off paperbacks without having to tear off the cover. They measure 5.5” wide by 8.25” tall, so we’re talking mass market paperbacks—but who wouldn’t want a wall of retro man-titty? I mean, I would. I’m already picturing which books I’d hang on the wall: my wayback machine copy of Midsummer Magic, with that swan flying out of poor … Continue reading Bookish Gifts→
