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Wouldn’t you want to publish your own book soon? Bloggers are known to be frustrated journalists or desperate authors. I’m not really sure about that. I love to write. But I don’t know if I have the discipline to finish an entire book. But whenever I do see JK Rowling in the news, I’d love to be in her shoes.

The most difficult part about getting your book published is finding a publisher who believes in your work. Self Publishing may be the answer to those budding novelists or authors. Authorhouse can help you, being the world’s largest self publishing company.  The company provides quality book publishing and marketing services for authors.  With Authorhouse, you need not rely on a publisher’s faith or approval in your manuscript.  You can publish your own book and place your destiny as a writer in your own hands.  Why put up with rejections from publishers?  Publishers’ judgments are not infallible.  Remember that 12 British publishers rejected JK Rowling’s manuscript before Bloomsbury decided to take it a year later.

If you have submitted a manuscript and got a rejection, do not take it sitting down.  Do something about it.  Self publish with Authorhouse  and get the last laugh — JK Rowling surely did.

Since reading novels have been one of my hobbies, I usually start the year looking at the top ten books of the previous year to check out those that I might have not considered. This usually happens if the book did not make the best seller list (especially on a year when a Harry Potter book is released) or did not make it to Oprah’s Book Club. There are several media organizations that come out with their own list every year. Each one seems to have their own criteria. Except for Rowling, there were no famous writers that came out last year like Ishiguro or Rushdie. So, I decided to take Entertainment Weekly’s list which was more lighthearted and seems to fit into a normal reader’s taste.

Entertainment Weekly critic, Jennifer Reese, honors the following books in 2007 which she believes is worth the read. I will provide details on the top 3 and just enumerate the rest.

The top spot goes to Lionel Shriver’s “The Post Birthday World.” This novel tells the story of Irina McGovern who discovers herself torn between two men: her serious, responsible and boring partner, Lawrence, a self-made intellectual who works at a London think tank; and their mutual friend Ramsey, a world- class snooker player, who is romantic, charming and self-absorbed. In alternating chapters, Shriver lays out Irina’s two futures: one in which she stays with Lawrence, and one in which she leaves to marry Ramsey. Shriver playfully suggests answers, only to snatch them back again. Which was the better choice for Irina — the steamy lover Ramsey or the steady companion Lawrence? Neither plot ends the way the reader — or Irina — might expect. Though I have never been a fan of romantic novels, it would be interesting to read something about the road not taken. Wouldn’t it be great if we can look ahead of our options to find out how each one turns out?

The first runner up is “Shakespeare’s Kitchen” by Lore Segal (not the cookbook). The novel is disguised as a book of short stories with the author explaining that in a good plot, nothing happens that is not a result of what happened before nor a cause of what happens next. The story revolves around a gregarious New Yorker Ilka Weisz who takes a job at a small-town Connecticut and worries she’ll never find new friends. But Ilka is quickly embraced by an insular clique of intellectuals who drink martinis, obsess over poetry prizes, philander, and gab about it all nonstop. It starts off as fizzy academic comedy. By the time you realize that you’re actually reading a novel — and that it’s profoundly sad — this sneaky, splendid book is over.

Next one on the list is Joshua Ferris’ “Then We Came to an End.” This dazzling debut consists primarily of the rumor peddling, flirting, and time wasting familiar to most white-collar drones. ”Every agency has its frustrated copywriter whose real life was being a failed novelist working on a small, angry book about work,” the narrators tell us. This is a large, generous book about work. The characters of the story cope with a business disaster in time-honored tradition which most of us desk-job workers understand: through gossip, secret romance, elaborate pranks, and frequent coffee breaks. This wickedly funny, big-hearted novel about life in the office signals the arrival of a gloriously talented writer.

Check out the rest of the list.

4. Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O’ Nan

5. A Free Life by Ha Jin

6. On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

7. The Gravedigger’s Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates

8. Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson

9. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

10. The Terror by Dan Simmons

To all booklovers out there, which one catches your interest? I think I will try out number one first. Then maybe Joshua Ferris’ novel will help me look at my work in another perspective. Nothing matches a funny book that will make you laugh at yourself. As soon as I finish any of them, I will post my recommendations.

Alice Sebold’s 2002 novel depicts the visions and feelings of a 14 year old girl, Susie Salmon, who is brutally raped and murdered in Pennsylvania. It is a coming of age story where the principal character watches from her own heaven as her family and friends deal with her loss while she simultaneously comes to terms with her own death. Susie narrates as she watches her family torn apart by the tragedy and envies the life of friends she left behind.  The novel received critical acclaim in 2002 and became an instant bestseller.  The first time I checked the book’s synopsis, I thought it was a book similar to Mitch Albom’s 5 People You Meet in Heaven or a touching story that deals with the joys and pains of family life.  After reading the first few pages, I realized it was altogether a different story from the one I had anticipated it to be. The horror of Susie’s death touched me in a different way.

What is different from the book is that it did not prepare me for the violence of her death because of the casual manner that Susie narrated her story.  In the first few pages, I did not realize that her death was in any way brutal.  Even while she narrated her ordeal, it sounded like a normal tragedy.  But the pictures in my mind created by her words did not match the calmness of Susie.  It made me grateful that I had 3 sons and no daughter.  If I did have any daughter, I probably would have never allowed her to walk alone after reading the novel.  No 14-year old should have to go through what she did.  I can almost imagine the suffering her parents felt . . . the panic . . . the disbelief . . . the failure.

More than the tragedy of her rape and death, I felt the loss of her youth, the opportunities and experiences she would never have.  This you would feel as she watches her friends grow up and while she helplessly looked on as her family was torn apart slowly.  The book does not take into account any religious belief even while it describes Susies afterlife.  Susie merely existed in a world different from ours.  She did get a chance to live an adult life when she was transferred into Ruth’s body before the end of the book.  But even that was shortlived.  Only one thing was certain — Susie was dead and she missed out on a life robbed by a sick, lonely man.

Despite the tragedy, it was difficult for me to put down the book.  There was no browsing nor skipping of other parts.  I read every word on the book as I tried to understand all of Susie’s visions and feelings.  This is definitely a book I will always remember.

Interestingly enough, Peter Jackson (director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy) bought the rights for the movie production of the book and is currently on location doing the film.  Peter Jackson is director and scriptwriter while Susie Salmon will be played by Saoirse Ronan (Izzie in “I Could Never be Your Woman”).  Jack and Abigail Salmon will be played by Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz as Susie’s distraught parents.  The film is scheduled for release in March 2009.

After finishing Rhonda Byrne’s bestselling self-help book, I am still trying to absorb everything. The book is based on the movie produced by Byrne. However, it is the book that has received more mileage, reaching the top of the New York Time’s Best Seller list (hardcover advice) and has managed to stay on the list for 42 weeks. The book is hardly original as it compiles insights and advice from the world’s top mentors on self-improvement.

The Secret expounds on the law of attraction and how it affects our everyday life. According to experts, the Secret has been known by the most prominent and successful people for centuries. The concept is actually very simple - what the mind conceives and believes, the Universe will find a way to achieve. I’m sure we have all heard that before. However, the book includes details on visualization and other techniques to assist the mind in conceptualizing our desires. It is also broken down into several parts that deal with wealth, health, relationships, etc. Nevertheless, every part says the same thing — make your desire known, meditate on it regularly, visualize, anticipate, and believe that it has already been achieved. Read the rest of this entry »

Robin Sharma’s international bestseller, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, is the story of Julian Mantle’s journey to enlightenment from a fast-paced aimless life. Julian Mantle is a brilliant lawyer whose work and lifestyle leads him to an almost fatal heart attack. Despite his success, his endless work hours, indulgence to expensive restaurants, wine and Cuban cigars left him a wandering lonely man with no purpose.

After a surviving a major heart attack during his courtroom trials, Julian decides to sell all his precious assets and his most beloved Ferrari to search for fulfillment and purpose in his life. His journey begins in India where he learns about the Sages of Sivana. With persistence, he finds the mystical sages and meets Yogi Raman, his mentor. Yogi Raman teaches him the techniques to control his mind, find his purpose and shape his destiny. Julian returns from the Himalayas to share his experience with his former apprentice, John, to fulfill his commitment to share the knowledge and wisdom he gained in Sivana.

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