Hot Off the Press Spring 2022
Join the new session, launching February 22, 2022! If you love a book conversation that’s lively and engaging, where we talk about the book thoroughly and thoughtfully, then this class is for you. Led by long-time teacher and publishing professional Lynn Rosen, this class tackles brand new literary fiction. Class conversations include analysis of the book as well as background information provided by Lynn about the author and the book’s path to publication. We talk serious book talk, but have a lot of laughs too! The Spring 2022 session of HOTP includes five class meetings in which we will be reading new books by favorite authors, debut authors, and prize winning fiction. CLASS DATES/TIME: Class meets virtually via Zoom on Tuesday evenings from 7pm EST to 8:30pm EST on:February 22March 22April 19May 17June 14 CLASS COST & LOGISTICS: LOCATION: via Zoom; link to be provided to participants. COST: $200Books are not included in the cost. Email lynn@lynnrosen.com to register. Payment can be made by check or Venmo. Special Offer: If you’re new to the program and want to try out a class, contact lynn@lynnrosen.com and we’ll arrange that for you. CLASS READING SCHEDULE: February 22The Promise by Damon Galgut Winner of the 2021 Booker Prize A modern family saga from South Africa. Haunted by an unmet promise, the Swart family loses touch after the death of their matriarch. Adrift, the lives of the three siblings move separately through the uncharted waters of South Africa; Anton, the golden boy who bitterly resents his life’s unfulfilled potential; Astrid, whose beauty is her power; and the youngest, Amor, whose life is shaped by a nebulous feeling of guilt. Reunited by four funerals over three decades, the dwindling family reflects the atmosphere of its country—an atmosphere of resentment, renewal, and, ultimately, hope. The Promise is an epic drama that unfurls against the unrelenting march of national history. March 22Hell of a Book by Jason Mott Winner of the 2021 National Book Award for FictionIn Jason Mott’s Hell of a Book, a Black author sets out on a cross-country publicity tour to promote his bestselling novel. That storyline drives Hell of a Book and is the scaffolding of something much larger and urgent: since Mott’s novel also tells the story of Soot, a young Black boy living in a rural town in the recent past, and The Kid, a possibly imaginary child who appears to the author on his tour. As these characters’ stories build and build and converge, they astonish. For while this heartbreaking and magical book entertains and is at once about family, love of parents and children, art and money, it’s also about the nation’s...
Hot Off the Press Fall 2021
Join the new session, launching September 21, 2021! If you love a book conversation that’s lively and engaging, where we talk about the book thoroughly and thoughtfully, then this class is for you. Led by long-time teacher and publishing professional Lynn Rosen, this class tackles brand new literary fiction. Class conversations include analysis of the book as well as background information provided by Lynn about the author and the book’s path to publication. We talk serious book talk, but have a lot of laughs too! The 2021 session of HOTP includes five class meetings in which we will be reading some new books by authors some of whose past works we’ve enjoyed and which have won great acclaim. CLASS DATES/TIME: Class meets virtually via Zoom on Tuesday evenings from 7pm EST to 8:30pm EST on:September 21October 19November 16December 14January 11 CLASS COST & LOGISTICS: LOCATION: via Zoom; link to be provided to participants. COST: $200Books are not included in the cost. Email lynn@lynnrosen.com to register. Payment can be made by check or Venmo. Special Offer: If you’re new to the program and want to try out a class or two, contact lynn@lynnrosen.com and we’ll arrange that for you. CLASS READING SCHEDULE: September 21Wayward by Dana Spiotta An engrossing, interior mother-daughter story that expands into a sharp social commentary. — Kirkus ReviewsIt’s time for us to discover a new writer, the highly regarded Dana Spiotta. The New York Times calls her work “quietly subversive.” In her newest book, Wayward, she tells the story of a mother and daughter, Sam and Ally, both of whom who are pivotal moments in their lives. As the book opens, Sam decides to buy a house, which she then realizes means that she has decided to leave her husband. The ramifications follow as we watch the characters muddle through midlife and early life crises. In the course of the book, we’ll take deep looks at social media, politics, and the many other things about which Spiotta’s characters are passionate. This book is sure to inspire throughtful discussion about a range of topics, all of which feel close and important to Spiotta’s readers. October 19Matrix by Lauren Groff Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2021 by Time, Entertainment Weekly, Buzzfeed, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Vulture, The Guardian, and more.Cast out of the royal court by Eleanor of Aquitaine, deemed too coarse and rough-hewn for marriage or courtly life, seventeen-year-old Marie de France is sent to England to be the new prioress of an impoverished abbey, its nuns on the brink of starvation and beset by disease.At first taken aback by the severity of her new life, Marie finds...
Hot Off the Press Winter/Spring 2021
Our Hot Off the Press book discussion class is celebrating its tenth year! Join the new 2021 session, launching January 13th! If you love a book conversation that’s lively and engaging, where we talk about the book thoroughly and thoughtfully, then this class is for you. Led by long-time teacher and publishing professional Lynn Rosen, this class tackles brand new literary fiction. Class conversations include analysis of the book as well as background information provided by Lynn about the author and the book’s path to publication. We talk serious book talk, but have a lot of laughs too! The 2021 session of HOTP includes five class meetings in which we will be reading some recent award winning new books. CLASS DATES/TIME: Class meets virtually via Zoom on Wednesday evenings from 7pm EST to 8:30pm EST on:January 13February 10March 10April 7May 5 CLASS COST & LOGISTICS: LOCATION: via Zoom; link to be provided to participants. COST: $165Books are not included in the cost. Email lynn@lynnrosen.com to register. Payment can be made by check or Venmo. Special Offer: If you’re new to the program and want to try out a class or two, contact lynn@lynnrosen.com and we’ll arrange that for you. CLASS READING SCHEDULE: January 13Shugie Bain by Douglas StuartWINNER OF THE 2020 BOOKER PRIZEShuggie Bain is the unforgettable story of young Hugh “Shuggie” Bain, a sweet and lonely boy who spends his 1980s childhood in run-down public housing in Glasgow, Scotland. Thatcher’s policies have put husbands and sons out of work, and the city’s notorious drugs epidemic is waiting in the wings. A heartbreaking story of addiction, sexuality, and love, February 10A Children’s Bible by Lydia MilletFinalist for the 2020 National Book Award for FictionOne of the New York Times‘ Ten Best Books of the YearPulitzer Prize finalist Lydia Millet’s new novel follows a group of twelve eerily mature children on a forced vacation with their families at a sprawling lakeside mansion. When a destructive storm descends on the summer estate, the group’s ringleaders—including Eve, who narrates the story—decide to run away, leading the younger ones on a dangerous foray into the apocalyptic chaos outside. March 10Hamnet by Maggie O’FarrellOne of The New York Times 10 Best Books of the YearA bold feat of imagination and empathy, this novel gives flesh and feeling to a historical mystery: how the death of Shakespeare’s 11-year-old son, Hamnet, in 1596, may have shaped his play “Hamlet,” written a few years later. A luminous portrait of a marriage, a shattering evocation of a family ravaged by grief and loss, and a tender and unforgettable re-imagining of a boy whose life has been all but forgotten, and whose name was...
Get Lit with Lynn
A bi-weekly conversation about books and publishing from @lynnreadsabook Free! Meeting dates (program begins at 7pm): May 10May 24June 7July 21 Location: Barnes & Noble, 4209 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19803 Talking about books makes people happy! Join bookseller and publishing industry professional Lynn Rosen for Get Lit with Lynn for a conversation about literary and publishing news. Tuesday is the day that publishers release new titles, and Lynn will highlight notable new books. She’ll share publishing and bookselling news and trends, and engage attendees in discussions about their recent reading and literary likes and dislikes. Lynn is the store manager at Barnes & Noble in Wilmington, Delaware. Throughout her publishing career, she has been an editor, a literary agent, a professor of publishing, and an author. For a complete bio, click HERE. You can also read Lynn’s book blog on this website, follow her on Instagram and Facebook @lynnreadsabook, and watch Lynn’s video book reviews on her Lynn Reads a Book YouTube channel. Watch and subscribe HERE. How to Join Get Lit with Lynn Attendance is free. Regular attendance is not required – join us when your schedule permits. And bring friends! Want to join via Zoom? Email lynn@lynnrosen.com to sign up and get the Zoom...
Hot Off the Press Summer 2020
Join a special three-class summer session of Hot Off the Press! In this lively monthly book discussion class led by Lynn Rosen, participants read and discuss new literary fiction. Class conversations include a thorough and thoughtful analysis of the book as well as background information provided by Lynn about the author and the book’s path to publication. We talk serious book talk, but have a lot of laughs too! CLASS DATES/TIME:Class meets virtually on Wednesday evenings from 7pm EST to 8:30pm EST on:July 15August 12September 9 LOCATION: via Zoom Sign up HERE. CLASS READING SCHEDULE: July 15Red At The Bone by Jacqueline WoodsonA spectacular novel that only this legend can pull off.” -Ibram X. Kendi, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST, in The Atlantic“An exquisite tale of family legacy….The power and poetry of Woodson’s writing conjures up Toni Morrison.” – People An unexpected teenage pregnancy pulls together two families from different social classes, and exposes the private hopes, disappointments, and longings that can bind or divide us from each other, from the New York Times-bestselling and National Book Award-winning author of Another Brooklyn and Brown Girl Dreaming. Moving forward and backward in time, Jacqueline Woodson’s taut and powerful new novel uncovers the role that history and community have played in the experiences, decisions, and relationships of these families, and in the life of the new child. Note: Hot Off the Press typically features brand new fiction. Our original selection was The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (an author whose earlier work, The Mothers, we read in this class when it first came out). However, the publisher is out of stock of the book, so I made a last minute change. Although Woodson’s book is no longer brand-new, it’s a powerful read from an important writer. August 12Some Go Home by Odie Lindsey Norton“… incandescent debut novel… This is a consummate portrait of human fragility and grim determination.” — Publishers WeeklyAn Iraq war veteran turned small town homemaker, Colleen works hard to keep her deployment behind her—until pregnancy brings her buried trauma to the surface. She hides her mounting anxiety from her husband, Derby, who is in turn preoccupied with the media frenzy surrounding the long-overdue retrial of his father, Hare Hobbs, for a civil rights–era murder. September 9Hieroglyphics by Jill McCorkle“McCorkle weaves a powerful narrative web, with empathy for her characters and keen insight on their motivations. This is a gem. ” — Publishers WeeklyLil and Frank married young, launched into courtship when they bonded over how they both—suddenly, tragically— lost a parent when they were children. Over time, their marriage grew and strengthened, with each still wishing for so much more understanding of the parents they’d...
Author Camp
From Open Book Productions & Children’s Book World A week-long session for middle schoolers where kids read books and meet the authors! Begins August 3rd! Discover great new books! Meet and interact with the authors! Participate in creative writing exercises! Author Camp will introduce your child to five new books and their authors! The week-long session meets daily and features five new middle school books. Classes are led by Lynn Rosen, owner of Open Book Productions and English, writing, and publishing instructor. (For more about Lynn see HERE.) All sessions include virtual visits from the authors! Here’s how Author Camp works: We meet once a day for an hour and a half via Zoom.The cost of the class includes a copy of each of the five books that are part of the camp. (When you sign up, we will be in touch to arrange how you will get the books.)The session begins with some ice breakers and get-to-know-you warm-up activities led by Lynn.Campers then take out the book of the day and Lynn leads them in a reading. The reading is interactive, pausing along the way to point out notable parts of the story and underlining what is happening in the story. (Note: we will read the first chapter together, and participants will be free to read the rest of the book on their own.)Lynn then leads a group discussion about the book: what’s important about the book, the plot, what we liked about it, what it makes us wonder about. Lynn will share background about the book and the author with the campers.We’ll do some activities and writing exercises related to the themes of the book.Then we prepare to meet the author. The children are guided to think of questions they would like to ask the author about the book and to write these questions down in preparation. Next, we meet the author! The author joins us on Zoom to answer the children’s questions and for a reading from their book.Lynn will close the class by summing up what we’ve done and then prepping them for the next day’s book, showing it to them, giving them some clues on what to look for and encouraging them to spend some time with the book before we meet again the next day to read and discuss it. Sign up HERE With any questions, email lynn@lynnrosen.com Author Camp: Middle Grade Books Session 1: Week of August 3rd, meeting daily from 2pm to 3:30pm (Additional sessions for subsequent weeks in July will be added.) This class is for children who are comfortably and independently reading middle grade books. Generally this is grades 3-6...