thoughts • images
A PIT STOP
fascinations • nuisances
Here’s the skinny on autographed, personalized books for the holidays
It’s that time of year again…
… and even though this year has been extremely different from those past, it is still possible to get personalized books shipped wherever you want, wrapped up and ready to go.
I am, as always, working with my beloved independent bookstore in Asheville, NC, Malaprop’s, to offer personalized, autographed copies of my books. Signed, personalized books make great gifts and autographing eReaders simply hasn’t taken off yet.
If you want an autographed book you can call Malaprop’s directly at 1-800-441-9829 or 828-254-6734. The store is chock full of helpful, cheerful folks. Once one of these charmers answers the phone, just tell them which book(s) you want to order, the author’s name—that's me—and how you would like the inscription to read.
FOR TIMELY DELIVERY: ORDER SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
What about those inscriptions?
How do you want the book personalized? To you? To the in-law you’re always trying to suck up to? Do you want it to say “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,” “For a history buff,” or nothing at all so that you may re-gift at will? Will I inscribe anything that you desire? Oh no, my dears, I absolutely will not. Outright offensive or just weirdly personal inscription requests will be completely ignored. So there. Once you’ve decided on your (sane, courteous) inscription request, Malaprop’s can handle it. Simply give them your payment information and shipping address.
What about gift wrapping?
Yes indeed, they gift wrap! I told you they were wonderful. So, you can have that autographed book gift-wrapped AND have a gift card slapped on it. That package of holiday reading cheer will be shipped wherever you want and will arrive ready to be shoved under a tree, stuck in a (larger than usual) stocking, placed next to the menorah, or donated to your local library.
My books are available wherever books are sold, and if you would like to patronize an independent bookstore closer to your neck of the woods while shopping from the convenience of your own home, pay a visit to bookshop.org. Links to all vendors can be found on my “Buy” page.
Happy Happy Merry Merry Joy Joy!
Here’s the skinny on autographed, personalized books for the holidays
It’s that time of year again…
… and even though this year has been extremely different from those past, it is still possible to get personalized books shipped wherever you want, wrapped up and ready to go.
I am, as always, working with my beloved independent bookstore in Asheville, NC, Malaprop’s, to offer personalized, autographed copies of my books. Signed, personalized books make great gifts and autographing eReaders simply hasn’t taken off yet.
If you want an autographed book you can call Malaprop’s directly at 1-800-441-9829 or 828-254-6734. The store is chock full of helpful, cheerful folks. Once one of these charmers answers the phone, just tell them which book(s) you want to order, the author’s name—that's me—and how you would like the inscription to read. FOR TIMELY DELIVERY: Order by December 14th. You may also order at the link below.
Sooner is better depending on your needs. Might it arrive sooner than you think? Possibly. But this year has been nothing if not unpredictable and chaotic, and who needs the added seasonal stress?
What about those inscriptions?
How do you want the book personalized? To you? To the in-law you’re always trying to suck up to? Do you want it to say “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,” “For a history buff,” or nothing at all so that you may re-gift at will? Will I inscribe anything that you desire? Oh no, my dears, I absolutely will not. Outright offensive or just weirdly personal inscription requests will be completely ignored. So there. Once you’ve decided on your (sane, courteous) inscription request, Malaprop’s can handle it. Simply give them your payment information and shipping address.
What about gift wrapping?
Yes indeed, they gift wrap! I told you they were wonderful. So, you can have that autographed book gift-wrapped AND have a gift card slapped on it. That package of holiday reading cheer will be shipped wherever you want and will arrive ready to be shoved under a tree, stuck in a (larger than usual) stocking, placed next to the menorah, or donated to your local library.
My books are available wherever books are sold, and if you would like to patronize an independent bookstore closer to your neck of the woods while shopping from the convenience of your own home, pay a visit to bookshop.org. Links to all vendors can be found on my “Buy” page.
Happy Happy Merry Merry!
Nook sale! "Signing Their Lives Away" ebook is just $2.99!
Our publisher just let us know that the bestselling book Signing Their Lives Away: The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence —written with my husband and sometimes co-author Joseph D’Agnese—is on sale. The special Nook ebook price is $2.99, so if you’ve been meaning to check it out, now is the time.
The deal is supposed to run through Memorial Day weekend, and end late on 5/27. If you are traveling or have plans for the holiday weekend, don’t take a chance. Carpe that freaking diem.
Quick reminder: Signing Their Lives Away tells the often quirky stories of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence. We think it pairs nicely with summer, frosty brews, a slab of ribs, a beach umbrella, and a red-white-and-blue muumuu. Get your patriot on.
Meanwhile—if you need another reminder: The Girls of Atomic City is still on sale for $3.99 through the end of June 2. Yay.
“The Last Castle” Just $4.99–This Sunday Only!
Happy to share that The Last Castle is a Kindle Goldbox Deal this coming Sunday, Feb. 10.
For that day only, the ebook will be on sale at Amazon for more than half off its usual price.
Just follow this link on Sunday, and dive into a world of Gilded Age glamour and intrigue.
Paperback Tour for "The Girls of Atomic City"
Yes, it’s about that time to hit the road. Here are the cities I’ll be visiting in the coming months. Check back for additional dates. Hope to see some of you out on the road!
Monday, February 24, 2014
New York, NY
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
*Event Closed
Saturday, March 1, 2014, 9:15 AM
Long Beach, CA
Long Beach Festival of Authors
Long Beach Convention Center, 110 Pine Ave.
Monday, March 3, 2014, 11:15 AM
Denver, CO
American Physical Society - Annual Meeting
Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th Street
*Registration Required
Tuesday, March 11, 2014, 7:00 PM
South Hadley, MA
Odyssey Books, 9 College Street
Thursday, March 13, 2014, 7:30 PM
Fredericksburg, VA
Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall
1301 College Avenue
*Ticketed Event
Saturday, March 15, 2014, 5 PM
Asheville, NC
55 Haywood Street
Tuesday, March 18, 2014, Noon
Oak Ridge, TN
Oak Ridge High School
1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike
*Ticketed Event
Friday and Saturday, March 21 - 22, 2014, 2:00 PM
Charlottesville, VA
Monday, March 24, 2014, 7:00 PM
Austin, TX
603 N Lamar Boulevard
Tuesday, March 25, 2014, 7:00 PM
Houston, TX
2421 Bissonnet Street
Wednesday, March 26, 2014, 3:00 PM
Oxford, MS
Oxford Conference for the Book
Journalism Panel moderated by Curtis Wilkie
Overby Center at the University of Mississippi
555 Grove Loop, Suite 247
Tuesday, April 1, 2014, 7:00 PM
Ann Arbor, MI
2513 Jackson Ave. (in Westgate Shopping Center)
Wednesday, April 2, 7:00 PM
Cincinnati, OH
2692 Madison Road
Monday, April 7, 2014, 7:00 PM
Naperville, IL
123 W. Jefferson Avenue
Tuesday, April 8, 2014, 6:00 PM
Wichita, KS
4701 E. Douglas Avenue
Thursday and Friday, April 10 - 11, 2014
Boone and Hudson, NC
Caldwell Community College
Details forthcoming
A shielded dummy in a basement for atomic bomb testing in Nevada, March 1953.Photograph by Volkmar Wentzel, National Geographic
BOOK GIVEAWAY: Enter to win THE GIRLS OF ATOMIC CITY by Denise Kiernan
Book giveaway over at Riffle! Three copies available. Only eight days left!
THE GIRLS OF ATOMIC CITY was hailed by top media outlets as “fascinating” and “a phenomenal story” when it was first published earlier this year. It hit The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times Best Seller lists, made Amazon’s Top 100 Best Books of…
Autographed and Personalized Books for the Holidays
It’s gift-giving-buying season once again. I am, as always, working with my fantabulous independent bookstore Malaprop’s to offer personalized, autographed copies of The Girls of Atomic City and other titles. Signed books always make great gifts and autographing eReaders simply hasn’t taken off yet. I work with Malaprop’s year round, but during the holidays I get lots of questions about wrapping and shipping and so forth.
Here’s the skinny:
The easiest way to get an autographed book is to call Malaprop’s directly at 1-800-441-9829 or 828-254-6734. The store is chock full of helpful, cheerful folks. Once one of these charmers answers the phone, just tell them…
- Which book you want to order and the author’s name.
- How you want the book personalized. To you? To the mother-in-law you’re always trying to suck up to? Do you want it to say “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,” “For a history buff,” or nothing at all?
- Give them your payment information and shipping address.
That’s it! Malaprop’s will get me in to sign and will ship your book out to you or to the person of your choice, autographed and ready to go.
But what about gift wrapping?
Yes indeed, they gift wrap. I told you they were wonderful. So, you can have that autographed book gift-wrapped AND have a gift card slapped on it. That package of holiday reading cheer will be shipped wherever you want and will arrive ready to be shoved under a tree, stuck in a (larger than usual) stocking, placed next to the menorah, or swapped at an office party.
Can I order online?
Technically, yes, but calling is much more efficient and, in the long run, will take up much less of your time.
Which books of yours can I order?
Any of them, really. Here are some of the most popular titles. Others can be found on my website.
The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II
Signing Their Rights Away: The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the Constitution
Stuff Every American Should Know
The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed
Happy shopping, and thanks for supporting a local independent bookstore!
A friend sent this along knowing I’d love it.
"In 1951, A.C. Gilbert, inventor of the ERECTOR set, released the U-238 Atomic Energy Lab. Using real radioactive materials, one could witness mist trails created by particles of ionizing radiation.
The set included four Uranium-bearing ore samples, and originally sold for $49.50, and one could order replacement radioactive materials.
Note: Geiger Counter sold separately.”
"We'll Back Our Boys: The Southern Home Front During World War II"
Here’s the official release and invite to a symposium at the National Archives in Atlanta at which I’ll be speaking. I can’t say enough about the Archives and how important they are to our culture, our educational institutions and our society. If you’re going to be in the area or know someone who will, please stop by and do pass on the information.
• Denise Kiernan, author of the New York Times Best Seller “The Girls of Atomic City” featured on the PBS News Hour and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
• Fritz Hamer, University South Caroliniana Library curator and author of “Charleston Reborn: A Southern City, Its Navy Yard and World War II, 1940-1946”
• Courtney Tollison, Furman University professor, historian for the Upcountry History Museum in Greenville, SC, and author of “We Just Did Everything We Could”
• Edward A. Hatfield, Emory University Ph.D. candidate with dissertation in progress: “The Too-Busy City: The Politics of Growth and Development in Atlanta, 1946-96”
• Nathan Jordan, NARA Atlanta archivist of military-related records
Yesteryear’s stereotype-defiers: Kick-ass vintage public domain photos of women in science.
LOVE LOVE LOVE these.
Dates set for " The Girls of Atomic City" National Tour
Girls of Atomic City — National Tour in May & June
I’m hitting the road in May and June to promote my book, The Girls of Atomic City. Here’s the list of cities, bookstores, and events. The first half is a driving tour through the Southeast; the second half will see me bopping around the U.S. to various bookstores and festivals. If our paths cross, stop by and say “hi”!
SOUTHERN DRIVING TOUR
Charlotte, NC
Thursday, May 2
Park Road Books 7 pm
4139 Park Rd.
Charlotte, NC
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Greenville, SC
Friday, May 10
Fiction Addiction 12 pm
Venue: City Range Restaurant
615 Haywood Rd.
Greenville, SC
*Lunch Event & Signing
Nashville, TN
Tuesday, May 14
Parnassus Books 6:30 pm
3900 Hillsboro Pike
Nashville, TN
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Raleigh, NC
Thursday, May 16
Quail Ridge Books 7:30 pm
3522 Wade Ave.
Raleigh, NC
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Southern Pines, NC
Friday, May 17
Country Bookshop 4:30 pm
140 NW Broad St.
Southern Pines, NC
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Chapel Hill, NC
Saturday, May 18
Flyleaf Books Noon
752 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Chapel Hill, NC
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Knoxville, TN
Tuesday, May 21
Union Ave Books 6 pm
Venue: The East Tennessee History Center Auditorium
601 Gay St.
Knoxville TN
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Atlanta, GA
Tuesday, June 4
A Cappella Books 7 pm
Venue: Carter Presidential Library
441 Freedom Parkway
Atlanta, GA
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
August 30 - September 1, 2013
Decatur Festival of Books
Details TBD
Sylva, NC
Saturday, June 29
City Lights Bookstore 6:30 pm
3 East Jackson St.
Sylva, NC
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
* * *
*NATIONAL TOUR
Milwaukee, WI
Saturday, June 8
Boswell Books 2 pm
2559 N Downer Ave.
Milwaukee, WI
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Chicago, IL
Sunday, June 9
Chicago Tribune Printers Row Festival
Solo Presentation
Details TBD
Lexington, KY
Wednesday, June 12
Joseph-Beth Booksellers 7 pm
161 Lexington Green Circle
Lexington KY
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Denver, CO
Friday, June 14
Tattered Cover 7:30 pm
2526 East Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Los Angeles, CA
Saturday, June 15
Vroman’s Bookstore 4 pm
695 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
San Francisco, CA
Monday, June 17
Book Passage 6 pm
1 Ferry Building
San Francisco, CA
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Seattle, WA
Wednesday, June 19
Elliot Bay Book Company 7pm
1521 Tenth Ave.
Seattle, WA
*Talk, Q&A, Signing
Albuquerque, NM
Friday, June 21
Bookworks
Albuquerque, NM
Venue: National Atomic Museum
You can hear my wife Denise Kiernan talking about her new book The Girls of Atomic City via this link from this interview which aired this morning on National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition Sunday.
Denise was interviewed along with two of the women she profiles in the book.
The article accompanying the audio link also includes a free chapter of the book.
* * *
Geez, I hope this post comes through okay. Been having problems. More stuff has been going on, too. Will post about it soon.
Thanks, baby! Homemade pizza for you later!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this video about Caravaggio (one of my fave painters) as juicily described (better than I ever could) by my darling, Giulia Bernardini. Art fans take note: Giulia, an M.A., instructor of art history and humanities, will be teaching Sensuality and Splendor in Rome, Italy, this summer. It is well worth your time and dime to join this one-week, on-site art seminar that will examine the High Renaissance and Baroque art in the Eternal City! I, for one, can tell you that Giulia’s knowledge, passion and personality are a RARE combination, best sampled in one of the greatest cities on the planet. For full details, visit wonderfeast.com
Here I am talking about my latest book, The Girls of Atomic City. I love these old Ed Westcott photos. Thanks to Touchstone and Simon & Schuster for putting this together.
Goodreads | Book giveaway for The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II
Thanks Touchstone Books and Joseph D’Agnese for setting up this giveaway of my upcoming book over at Goodreads.
Kim Ruehl and Zilphia...
I “tagged” friend and writer Kim Ruehl in my “Next Big Thing” post. Click on over to read about her fascinating book project, “We Will Overcome: The Life and Times of Zilphia Horton”.
The Next Big Thing—my turn in the hot seat
Recently, my husband, author Joseph D’Agnese, “tagged” me in his “The Next Big Thing” blog post. “Next Big Thing” works like this: one writer answers some questions about her next book and then passes that blog post along to other writers she knows, “tagging” them. (See end of this post for my author picks.) Those writers then answer the same questions a week from now and so it continues, kind of like a chain letter, but without the threats of doom and dread.
So now, tag—I’m it.
1) What is the title of your next book?
The Girls of Atomic City. Here’s a look at the cover:
2) Where did the idea come from for the book?
Years ago, while researching another project, I came across a fantastic black-and-white photograph by Ed Westcott. In the photo, two rows of young women sat on stools in front of large panels covered in knobs and dials. The caption next to the photo explained that these young women, many right out of high school in rural Tennessee, were working to help enrich uranium for the first atomic bomb…only they didn’t know that at the time. I was instantly hooked and began researching the town—Oak Ridge, TN—and tracking down people who had worked there during the war.
3) What genre does your book fall under?
Narrative non-fiction, narrative history.
4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
I would love to see Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone portray young women in an adaptation of this story. I was really mesmerized by Lawrence’s layered performance in Winter’s Bone.
5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Young women travel to a secret city in East Tennessee to work, unbeknownst to them, on the world’s first atomic bomb.
6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I took the traditional route, start to finish. The book was represented by my agent, Yfat Reiss Gendell, of Foundry Literary + Media, and will be published by Touchstone/Simon & Schuster on March 5, 2013.
I am looking into self-pubbing some upcoming works that I think would have trouble finding a more traditional home. I love the increasing number of options that working writers have today.
7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
Oy, that question is almost impossible to answer. I often have several projects at different stages of completion at any one time. I might be reviewing copy edited pages of a completed book while I’m doing initial research for a new book and writing a first draft of my whatever project is in what I call “first position”. That, for me, is one of the hardest things about the writing life: managing several projects at once. This particular book has been in my life for nearly seven years, and I have done countless drafts. I also spent a lot of time outlining and revising that outline before I started writing. So, time to complete the first draft? Maybe 6 months? But that doesn’t reflect all the organizing and planning and interviews and outlining that preceded that, the most intense period of writing.
8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Also a tough question. I’ve heard publishing people who read the proposal and early drafts compare Girls of Atomic City to Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan, which I took as a huge compliment. I can see why they would say that, though. Both are a look at significant moments in history through the eyes of the everyday folk who lived through them.
9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
My curiosity is often the jumping off point for anything I write about and this story is no different. However, had I not found the surviving workers from Oak Ridge to be as inspiring as I did, I may not have kept with this project and seen it through. I loved doing those interviews, and found the women—and men—who lived through this experience to be remarkably fascinating.
10) What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
The book is divided both visually (thanks to typesetting) and thematically according to the two “worlds” of the Manhattan Project: those who knew a good bit about what was going on, and those who knew next to nothing. In this way, the reader “knows” more than the main characters, the women, as the book progresses.
And there you have it. Now, it is my pleasure to introduce and “tag” Kim Ruehl. Please check out her blog and see what she’s been working on. I hope you’ll be moved to support her work along the way!
—Denise
The Next Big Thing—my turn in the hot seat
Recently, my husband, author Joseph D’Agnese, “tagged” me in his “The Next Big Thing” blog post. “Next Big Thing” works like this: one writer answers some questions about her next book and then passes that blog post along to other writers she knows, “tagging” them. (See end of this post for my author picks.) Those writers then answer the same questions a week from now and so it continues, kind of like a chain letter, but without the threats of doom and dread.
So now, tag—I’m it.
1) What is the title of your next book?
The Girls of Atomic City. Here’s a look at the cover:
2) Where did the idea come from for the book?
Years ago, while researching another project, I came across a fantastic black-and-white photograph by Ed Westcott. In the photo, two rows of young women sat on stools in front of large panels covered in knobs and dials. The caption next to the photo explained that these young women, many right out of high school in rural Tennessee, were working to help enrich uranium for the first atomic bomb…only they didn’t know that at the time. I was instantly hooked and began researching the town—Oak Ridge, TN—and tracking down people who had worked there during the war.
3) What genre does your book fall under?
Narrative non-fiction, narrative history.
4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
I would love to see Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone portray young women in an adaptation of this story. I was really mesmerized by Lawrence’s layered performance in Winter’s Bone.
5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Young women travel to a secret city in East Tennessee to work, unbeknownst to them, on the world’s first atomic bomb.
6) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I took the traditional route, start to finish. The book was represented by my agent, Yfat Reiss Gendell, of Foundry Literary + Media, and will be published by Touchstone/Simon & Schuster on March 5, 2013.
I am looking into self-pubbing some upcoming works that I think would have trouble finding a more traditional home. I love the increasing number of options that working writers have today.
7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
Oy, that question is almost impossible to answer. I often have several projects at different stages of completion at any one time. I might be reviewing copy edited pages of a completed book while I’m doing initial research for a new book and writing a first draft of my whatever project is in what I call “first position”. That, for me, is one of the hardest things about the writing life: managing several projects at once. This particular book has been in my life for nearly seven years, and I have done countless drafts. I also spent a lot of time outlining and revising that outline before I started writing. So, time to complete the first draft? Maybe 6 months? But that doesn’t reflect all the organizing and planning and interviews and outlining that preceded that, the most intense period of writing.
8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Also a tough question. I’ve heard publishing people who read the proposal and early drafts compare Girls of Atomic City to Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan, which I took as a huge compliment. I can see why they would say that, though. Both are a look at significant moments in history through the eyes of the everyday folk who lived through them.
9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
My curiosity is often the jumping off point for anything I write about and this story is no different. However, had I not found the surviving workers from Oak Ridge to be as inspiring as I did, I may not have kept with this project and seen it through. I loved doing those interviews, and found the women—and men—who lived through this experience to be remarkably fascinating.
10) What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
The book is divided both visually (thanks to typesetting) and thematically according to the two “worlds” of the Manhattan Project: those who knew a good bit about what was going on, and those who knew next to nothing. In this way, the reader “knows” more than the main characters, the women, as the book progresses.
And there you have it. Now, it is my pleasure to introduce and “tag” Kim Ruehl. Please check out her blog and see what she’s been working on. I hope you’ll be moved to support her work along the way!
—Denise
