2010 Bestsellers!

In case you wondered (or even if you didn't), here are the best selling books of 2010. Is your favorite on the list? If not, what was your favorite book of 2010, and what made it special?

Best Selling Books 2010: Fiction

• Alex Cross's Trial by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo
• Cross Fire by James Patterson
• Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
• Dead or Alive by Tom Clancy with Grant Blackwood
• House Rules by Jodi Picoult
• Port Mortuary by Patricia Cornwell
• The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
• The Confession by John Grisham
• The Girl who kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
• The Girl who played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
• The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
• U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton

Best Selling Books 2010: Non Fiction

• Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume I by Mark Twain
  
• Barefoot Contessa: How Easy is That? by Ina Garten
• Crazy Love by Francis Chan with Danae Yankoski
• Decision Points by George W. Bush
• Double Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld
• Earth (The Book) by Jon Stewart and others
• Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Guinness World Records 2011 edited by Craig Glenday
• Harry Potter Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley
• Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent
• Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz
• Just Kids by Patti Smith
• Justin Bieber, First Step 2 Forever by Justin Bieber
• Kardashian Konfidential by Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian and Khloé Kardashian
• Life by Keith Richards with James Fox
• Rachel Ray's Love and Cook by Rachael Ray
• Radical by David Platt
• Straight Talk, No Chaser by Steve Harvey with Denene Millner
• The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
• The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook by Dinah Bucholz
• Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
• Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
• What to Expect When you are Expecting by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel

Best Selling Books 2010: Children

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney
• Fallen by Lauren Kate
• Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
• Lego Star Wars by Simon Beecroft
• Llama Llama Holiday Drama written and illustrated by Anna Dewdney
• Of Thee I Sing by Barack Obama. Illustrated by Loren Long
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
• Pinkalicious and the Pink Drink written and illustrated by Victoria Kann
• Splediferous Christmas by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• The Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling
  
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
• The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore. Various illustrators
• The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
• Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
• Witch and Wizard by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

Best Selling Books 2010: Comics and Graphic Novels

• Brightest Day, Volume I by Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi
• Fables, Volume 14 by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham
• Naruto, Volume 49 by Masashi Kishimoto
• Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 15 by Bisco Hatori
• Rosario + Vampire: Season II, Volume 3 by Akihisa Ikeda
• Scott Pilgrim, Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O’Malley
• Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale by Joss Whedon, Zack Whedon and Chris Samnee
• Superman: Earth One by J. Michael Straczynski and Shane Davis
• The Adventures of Ook and Gluk by George Beard and Harold Hutchins
• The Bleach; Volume 33 by Tite Kubo
• The Walking Dead Compendium by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard
• Vampire Knight, Volume 11 by Matsuri Hino

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Conference Planning...otherwise known as Risk

Remember that old, world domination game, Risk? My husband used to love that game. I never could beat him, and it wasn't until we'd been married several years that I realized it was because he ALWAYS cheated! LOL!

Writers can learn a lot from game that's all about taking over the world—sketching out a plan of attack, for example, or utilizing your forces in a way that maximizes impact. And let’s not forget targeting your enemy and striking while they’re weak.

Armed with these tools, I attended my first writer’s conference in Houston, Texas, in 2003. You may remember me. I was the one skulking around like a CIA agent on a covert op trying to land all the best appointments.

I'm not kidding.

First day of the conference, I sat next to the door like a chameleon, one eye on the appointment sign up sheet, the other on the editor I had targeted. When the conference hostess announced the sign-ups were open, I bolted out of my chair like a bat...out of my chair...and made a mad dash to the wall. I think I ran over someone. Not positive of that. It just seems I vaguely remember hearing, "Please get off my face."

Sigh.

Oh, what I’ve learned since then. No longer do I skulk in hallways or lurk around elevator doors, waiting to ambush some poor, unsuspecting editor. Instead, I looked for ways to make others feel comfortable. I seek out those whose earnest faces show their anxiety and pain. In other words, I make friends instead of contacts. I schedule prayer times instead of appointments. I visit over dinner, instead of strategizing.

I’m going to my seventh writer’s conference later this year. Time and necessity (who wants to pay the extra baggage charge for suitcase full of stuff you won't use??) have helped me streamline the things I need to take with me into a few key articles:

1. Up-to-date, professional looking business cards. An author photo on the front is nice. Remember you'll be meeting LOTS of people. Chances are you won't be able to remember everyone, so having a picture to put with the name is a big help. Other things to include on your business card: phone number, email address, website or blog.

2. Pitch Sheet. A pitch sheet is a document with a one sentence summary of your story, a paragraph blurb, and a short author bio. This is NOT for you to hand out (trust me...nobody else wants to pay an extra baggage charge, either). This page is simply to help you remember everything you want to say in your editor/agent appointment. Now, if someone asks (and they probably won't ask), but if they do, you might want to keep two or three copies of your pitch sheet on hand to give out. But the probably won't ask.

3. Marketing goodies. If you are published, bring plenty of freebies to give away. Good items to bring are bookmarks, postcards, pens with your book title printed on them, post-it notes with your book title printed on them, or maybe even candy with specially made wrappers.

4. ONE hard copy of your proposal...and if you're really optimistic, your manuscript. Okay, I know we all want to think that once an editor or agent gets wind of our idea, they are going to want the complete manuscript right then and there. (That's right, just slide me a contract across the table cuz this book is GOOD...) Would you like to know how many times that has actually happened? To me--never. To JK Rowling--once. Maybe twice.

Apart from these things, you can pretty much figure out what you'll need. Think youth camp: toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo...

And the world domination plan? Yeah...leave that at home.

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2010 in Review

2010 was filled with news both confounding and compelling. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and record flooding topped the news around the world. On the human front, manmade disasters in mining and oil drilling made us doubt our nation’s technological prowess. Despite this, an outpouring of goodwill from around the world kept hope alive. It seemed fitting then, that we pause this New Year’s Day to reflect on the events of 2010, and how they impacted our nation. (Click on the picture to view the video from Yahoo! News)

What about you? Did something happen in 2010 that changed the way you think? Looking back, what is the one thing that stands out in your mind as the most compelling, controversial, or confounding thing that happened in 2010?

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Winners!!

It's always so much fun to give away great books!! Congratulations to this week's lucky winners:

Christina Banks - Mistletoe Prayers by Marta Perry and Betsy St. Amant

Maureen - One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson

Winners of this week's books, please use the button in the upper right side of this page to email me with your mailing address so I can forward your information to the authors. Then, sit back and wait for your book to arrive.

Thank you all so much for stopping by The Borrowed Book and thank you, Marta Perry, Betsy St. Amant, and Myra Johnson, for your generosity in providing books!

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Weekly Drawing

Entering our weekly drawing is easy:

1. Leave a comment on Fridays or...

2. Sign up to follow The Borrowed Book. Followers will automatically be entered for a chance to win that week's drawing!

This week, The Borrowed Book is giving away:

Mistletoe Prayers by Marta Perry and Betsy St. Amant ~

THE BODINE FAMILY CHRISTMAS By Marta Perry

Left at the altar on Christmas Eve, Annabel Bodine has lost her holiday spirit. When her big brother brings home handsome Coast Guard buddy Travis McCall, can she summon the courage to open her heart to love for the holidays—and maybe for a lifetime?

THE GINGERBREAD SEASON By Betsy St. Amant

Allie James returns to her hometown in need of a holiday job. Never did she expect old boyfriend Jordan Walker to hire her as his secretary! Years ago Jordan shredded her heart like wrapping paper. Now he must convince Allie that all he wants for Christmas is her love.


One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson ~ Graphic designer Natalie Pearce faces the most difficult Christmas of her life. For almost a year, her mother has lain in a nursing home, the victim of a massive stroke, and Natalie blames herself for not being there when it happened. Worse, she’s allowed the monstrous load of guilt to drive a wedge between her and everyone she loves—most of all her husband Daniel. Her marriage is on the verge of dissolving, her prayer life is suffering, and she’s one Christmas away from hitting rock bottom.

Junior-high basketball coach Daniel Pearce is at his wit’s end. Nothing he’s done has been able to break through the wall Natalie has erected between them. And their daughter Lissa’s adolescent rebellion isn’t helping matters. As Daniel’s hope reaches its lowest ebb, he wonders if this Christmas will spell the end of his marriage and the loss of everything he holds dear.

Winners will be announced on Saturday, 01/01/11.

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Christmas Interview ~ Myra Johnson

Award-winning author Myra Johnson writes what she likes to call “romantic women’s fiction”—emotionally gripping stories about love, life, and faith. Her first novel, One Imperfect Christmas, debuted from Abingdon Press in September 2009. She also writes for Barbour’s Heartsong Presents line. Her romance Autumn Rains (November 2009) was named a 2010 finalist in the Short Contemporary Romance category of the prestigious ACFW Carol Awards. Married since 1972, Myra and her husband are the proud parents of two beautiful daughters who, along with their godly husbands, have huge hearts for ministry. Four rambunctious grandsons and one precious granddaughter take up another big chunk of Myra’s heart. She and her husband now share their home with two lovable dogs and a snobby parakeet. Myra writes full-time and is active in her church as well as local and national writers groups.

We’re focusing on Christmas all this month! What do you most associate with Christmas where you live?

A special part of Christmas in our city is a large church and Bible college that every year puts up thousands and thousands of Christmas lights and displays all across their campus. You can drive through, or (weather permitting) park and walk through. It’s like a fairyland of color, music, and light—wonderful for getting into the Christmas spirit!

Do you have any special family traditions you do at Christmas time?

We usually attend Christmas Eve worship at our church, and then afterward drive through the neighborhoods to enjoy the Christmas lights. On Christmas morning, the rule is that we eat breakfast first (I usually make cranberry-orange scones), and then open gifts. And the doggies always open theirs first!

Do you have a favorite Christmas Carol and if so do you know why?

My favorite carol isn’t one of the more familiar ones. It’s called “Of the Father’s Love Begotten,” a gentle, melodious song that speaks of God’s love for us in Christ even before the world was created.

If you could spend Christmas any way you could how would you celebrate?

I’d always have my children and grandchildren with me. One of our daughters loves winter and would much prefer a white Christmas, but personally, I wouldn’t mind having Christmas in Hawaii or some other warm, pleasant tropical locale!

Do you have any special memories of Christmas?

When our kids were young, every year after opening gifts we’d write, stage, and videotape our very own homemade Christmas movie. The first one we did was a comedic takeoff of “A Christmas Carol.” Another year we did a parody of “The Nutcracker Suite.” Twenty years later I still have all the videos. Such fun to watch and reminisce!

What does a typical Christmas Eve and or Christmas Day look like for you?

My husband and I both sing in the church choir, so we usually participate in a Christmas Eve service, then, as I mentioned earlier, drive around town and look at lights. On Christmas morning after breakfast, we open gifts and then relax with coffee and the morning paper. I try to keep the meal planning simple—who wants to slave away in the kitchen on Christmas Day??? We spend the day “playing” with our new “toys,” just hanging out with family, napping, taking a walk with the dogs, or whatever we feel like. It’s a very laid-back, special time with loved ones.

Do you have any Christmas movies or Christmas books you like to see or read each year?

We try to watch White Christmas every year. It’s a family favorite. Our little granddaughter has seen it so many times now that she can perform just about every song and even some dance moves by memory!

Tell us a little about your book:

Graphic designer Natalie Pearce faces the most difficult Christmas of her life. For almost a year, her mother has lain in a nursing home, the victim of a massive stroke, and Natalie blames herself for not being there when it happened. Worse, she’s allowed the monstrous load of guilt to drive a wedge between her and everyone she loves—most of all her husband, Daniel. Her marriage is on the verge of dissolving, her prayer life is suffering, and she’s one Christmas away from hitting rock bottom.

Junior-high basketball coach Daniel Pearce is at his wit’s end. Nothing he’s done has been able to break through the wall Natalie has erected between them. And their daughter Lissa’s adolescent rebellion isn’t helping matters. As Daniel’s hope reaches its lowest ebb, he wonders if this Christmas will spell the end of his marriage and the loss of everything he holds dear.

Where did you get the idea for ONE IMPERFECT CHRISTMAS?

The idea started percolating after watching several sentimental made-for-TV Christmas movies one year. I decided I wanted to write a Christmas story of my own and started playing the “what if” game. I imagined a woman who was dreading Christmas because of a family tragedy and how it might alienate her from the people she loved most.

Do you have a Christmas message for my readers?

Through all the hustle and bustle, all the shopping, parties, and family squabbles, through every joy and disappointment, never forget the “reason for the season”—Jesus Christ came to earth so that we might know the immeasurable love of God!

Website: http://www.myrajohnson.com/
Blog: http://www.myra.typepad.com/
Group blog: http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com/
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MyraJohnsonAuthor

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Christmas Interview ~ Betsy St. Amant

Betsy St. Amant lives in Louisiana and is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers group. Betsy is multi-published through Steeple Hill and has been published in Christian Communicator magazine and Praise Reports: Inspiring Real Life Stories of How God Answers Prayer. One of her short stories, “Kickboxing or Chocolate‚” appears in a Tyndale compilation book, and she is also multi-published through The Wild Rose Press. Betsy has a BA in Christian Communications and regularly contributes articles to Crosswalk.com. She is a wife, mother, author, and an avid reader who enjoys sharing the wonders of God’s grace through her stories.

Learn more about Betsy by visiting her at http://www.betsystamant.com/ and http://www.betsy-ann.blogspot.com/

We’re focusing on Christmas all this month! What do you most associate with Christmas where you live?

I love how the city decorates! Every November, my city puts a bunch of wreaths on the light poles downtown, and they light up at night like fluffy green halos. That always serves as my first reminder that Christmas is coming! :-)

Do you have any special family traditions you do at Christmas time?

Even now that I’m married with a child of my own, we still all pile up in one or two cars with blankets and Starbucks coffee or hot chocolate and go “Christmas-light-lookin’”as we so dearly call it here in the South. :-) We drive around town and look at everyone’s houses lit up for Christmas. It’s a fun time of family togetherness and festive fun! Another tradition is sausage balls on Christmas morning at my mom’s house.

Do you have a favorite Christmas Carol and if so do you know why?

I absolutely love O Holy Night. It puts me in the Christmas spirit and reminds me what Christmas is truly about – Jesus Christ’s birth!

If you could spend Christmas any way you could how would you celebrate?

I honestly don’t think I’d change anything from the way it is now – lots of family togetherness and food, fun, gifts, and stories. It’s just perfect. :-)

Do you have any special memories of Christmas?

One of my most memorable gifts was the year I was in junior high school and got a horse a month before Christmas – a real Paint horse I had begged for and begged for, for years. That Christmas, I woke up to a ton of new (and hand me down but new to me) tack for my beloved horse. Saddle, bridle, halter, blanket, brushes, buckets, etc. It was a horse-crazy girl’s dream come true!

What does a typical Christmas Eve and or Christmas Day look like for you?

Christmas Eve is as special to my family as Christmas Day. We always go to my grandparent’s house, just my immediate family, and do gifts with each other on that side. Then Christmas morning I do gifts with my husband and daughter at our house, then go to my parent’s for the rest of the day for lunch and those yummy sausage balls. :-) We usually grab a nap and head to my other grandparent’s house that night for a huge “Dirty Santa” game gift exchange with my extended family there. It’s always a fun and crazy time!

Do you have any Christmas movies or Christmas books you like to see or read each year?

I always end up watching The Christmas Story on TBS when they run their yearly marathon on Christmas Eve. I also have to watch Elf starring Will Ferrell. Hilarious movie!

Tell us a little about your book:

Mistletoe Prayers is a two-in-one Christmas novella compilation. Marta Perry and myself each contributed a Christmas novella for the compilation. My story is titled "The Gingerbread Season." Here’s the back cover blurb!

Allie James returns to her hometown in need of a holiday job. Never did she expect old boyfriend Jordan Walker to hire her as his secretary! Years ago Jordan shredded her heart like wrapping paper. Now he must convince Allie that all he wants for Christmas is her love.

Where did you get the idea for THE GINGERBREAD SEASON?

My publisher actually contacted me and asked me to write a Christmas novella for the compilation. Of course I said yes, and I brainstormed with my best friend. I knew I wanted the hero and heroine to have been high school sweethearts, and I needed a way to bring them back together after years apart. We came up with the idea for a story of community renewal and well, the rest is history. :-)

Do you have a Christmas message for my readers?

I think each holiday season, it’s easy to get caught up in the stress of shopping and lists and budgets, and forget the true meaning of Christmas—the birth of Jesus Christ which led to His offer of salvation. That’s what it all boils down to! Gifts are fun and family time is important, but if we go through the season without spending time with Jesus, we’ve missed the entire point.
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Betsy is giving away a copy of her book, Mistletoe Prayers. Be sure to stop by The Borrowed Book on Friday for your chance to win!

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