New Media Benefits Authors With Their Debut Novels...

It is absolutely amazing the impact new media has had on the book world. The ease, and availability of self publishing and on-line promotion platforms, have opened huge doors for passionate, self-promoting, first-time authors to enter a previously, well-guarded, gated arena.

Some say an author's best book is their first; although Alison Morris, in her Shelftalker Blog states, "Maybe it's time we scrapped the stereotype altogether." Morris argues that it might be true for authors of adult literature that their first book is the best, but children's and young adult literature authors improve over time. Nevertheless, I think it's safe to assume that all first time authors, regardless of genre, have more opportunity to get a shot at success in today's new, high tech, world than they had previously.

New media makes it possible for authors to create elaborate websites, blogs, facebook pages,and the list goes on, to promote their books, and themselves directly to their audience. Live interviews can be heard over the web, or on podcasts. All of this innovation enables a wealth of first-time, often young, authors to make it into bookstores, and even skyrocket onto bestseller lists with their debut novels.

These valuable, often primary, resources created by, and about, novelists are treasure troves for reading groups. Research is incredibly easy to do compared to, even 20 years ago, when you used to have to go to the library to dig through microfiche to gather any news to share with your fellow book club members.

To illustrate, here's a list of books, by first time authors, along with their official website addresses, that make a great reading list for a new book club:

• The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry - http://www.lacereader.com/;


• The Help by Kathryn Stockett - http://www.kathrynstockett.com/;


• Still Alice by Lisa Genova - http://www.stillalice.com/;


• A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick - http://www.robertgoolrick.com/;


• The Piano Teacher by Janice Y. K. Lee - http://www.janiceyklee.com/;


• City of Thieves by David Benioff - http://www.cityofthievesbook.com/.

Future posts will contain more information about each of these books, and the authors, so let's start reading! We want to get the discussion going ....

Special thanks to my fellow book club members who helped compile this list of books, by contemporary authors, guaranteed to lead to wonderful conversations.