Week Six Prompt

 Promoting materials from the HORROR genre 

Library collections are made up of more than just books. Movies, music, audiobooks also exist within the wall of the library building, and there are a plethora of resources available online that are part of the library collection. This includes material through apps like Libby and streaming platform's like Hoopla. With all of these different formats available, it is important to include them in reader's advisory interactions with patrons. Promoting material from the horror genre is particularly interesting. Every fall, as we prepare for Halloween, the desire to cuddle up and get spooked with a good book or movie hits us, and we set out to get our hands on our favorite stories and occasionally, we branch out in search of new favorites. 

Since movies are so popular, especially around Halloween, a quick and easy way to promote other material within the horror genre is to include an insert or sticker in the movie case that suggest read-alikes including podcasts, short stories, poetry, music, audiobooks, graphic novels, non-fiction and other movies that are similar to the chosen title found in the collection. For books and other print material, include a bookmark with similar suggestions in other formats from the library's collection. It is also a good idea to have these bookmarks available at the circulation desk so they can be slipped inside other books, along with receipt, during check out. 

In addition to creating inserts and bookmarks, create an interactive display in a high traffic area. Include a variety of material and place in front of a bulletin board display. Create a system for recommendations where patrons can choose their level scary, gore, violence, and monsters. This is easily done by separating the display into mini displays which showcase subgenres like the occult, ghosts, witches, vampires, true crime, dark fantasy, psychological horror, and splatterpunk. Display corresponding bookmarks with each subgenre. And don't forget to include a variety of formats. 

Horror Annotation

Author: Joyce Carol Oates

Title: Zombie

Genre: Horror

Publication Date: 1995

Number of Pages: 181

Geographical Setting: Mt Vernon, Michigan

Time Period: 1980s

🏆  Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel 1995

Summary

This story gives us a glimpse inside the twisted mind of a sexual serial killer as his obsession with creating a submissive zombie lover escalates from fantasy to torturous experimentation to murder. Throughout the novel, the protagonist, Quentin P, attempts to convince his family and doctor that he is indeed a successfully recovering sex offender all the while we are invited in to witness his dark, disturbing thoughts weave together with his uncontrollable sexual urges to formulate a masterplan for the creation of the ultimate sex slave. 

Subject Headings

Serial murders - Fiction

Psychopaths - Fiction

Michigan - Fiction

Appeal

Stories that fit in the horror genre, shock readers and creates feelings of “disgust, revulsion, unease, high suspense, and anxiety” (Wyatt & Saricks, 2019, p. 239). That is exactly what this novel does. 

Three words that describe this novel: disturbing, character-driven, violent

TONE

A hallmark of horror is that it “must evoke an emotional response” (Wyatt & Saricks, 2019, p. 239). This is achieved through explicit scenes of sex and violence (Wyatt & Saricks, 2019, p. 239). There is no lack of either in this novel. As Quentin is pulled deeper into his fantasy, the sexual intensity and violent experimentation fueled by his obsession escalates into unimaginable depictions of evil. 

 

LANGUAGE

Oates uses illustrations throughout the book, mostly handwritten notes and drawings by the protagonist. The entire novel is written from the main character's point of view and alternates between Quentin’s thoughts and interactions with others. Many times, characters in the story are referred only by the first letter of their name, including Quentin, often referring to himself as Q_ P_. 

CHARACTERIZATION

The main character in this novel is evil personified. The main protagonist in a horror novel is usually a “haunted, shattered individual(s)” (Wyatt & Saricks, 2019, p. 243). Wyatt & Saricks (2019) also note, “If readers follow the story from the point of view of the villain, then they experience the story from the heart of the evil” (p. 243). This novel delivers.

PACING

According to Wyatt & Saricks (2019), the pacing of many horror novels is “erratic” (p. 243) and this sense of being out of control “captures the essence of living a nightmare” (p. 244). In Zombie, we are taken on a journey through the mind of a sex offender turned murderer and witness firsthand what a true nightmare is. 

 

Non-Fiction Read-alikes

The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule (1994): an autobiographical true crime novel about the serial killer, Ted Bundy, written by crime writer, Ann Rule, who at one time worked at a crisis center where she spent many years working alongside Ted, answering a suicide hotline.

Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original “Psycho” (1989): The story that inspired the movies Psycho, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs, this book chronicles how Ed Gein turned his mother’s farmhouse into fun house for his ghoulish delights. 

Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit by John E. Douglas & Mark Olshaker (1995): a must read for true crime fans, this novel traces the development of criminal profiling and the FBI’s behavioral science unit.

Fiction Read-alikes

The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum (1989): This novel is a fictionalized account of the murder of Sylvia Likens, a 16-year-old girl tortured and murdered in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1965 at the hands of her caretaker, housemates, and neighbors. 

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1966):  a true crime non-fiction novel which captures the events and investigation surrounding the 1959 murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas.

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis (1991): a first-person account of a charming, psychopathic Wall Street yuppie swept away by a growing obsession with torture and murder.

Wyatt, N., & Saricks, J. (2019). The reader's advisory guide to genre fiction (3rd ed.). ALA Editions.

Kirkus Style Review

THE AWAKENING

BY KATE CHOPIN     RELEASE DATE: FEB. 20, 2021

A journey of self-discovery by a woman experiencing an emotional awakening in Grand Isle, Louisiana at the turn of the 20th century. 

Edna Pontellier is a wife and mother vacationing at a resort in Grand Isle for the summer. She spends her days at the beach socializing with friends, tasked only with watching over her children, which she often neglects to do. She spends an exorbitant amount of time with a young man, Robert LeBrun, who sees after the guests at the resort. Edna’s husband, Léonce Pontellier, worships her and is often praised by Edna’s friends as the “best husband in the world.” Edna is his “sole object of affection,” but she has little interest in him. Instead, she is fixated on Robert, the young man whom she can talk to for hours at ease or sit with in comfortable silence. As she falls in love with him, she is haunted by his voice, and memories of him singing, “Ah! Si tu savais (Oh! if you knew), confirming for her the secret love shared between them. Edna struggles throughout the novel, conflicted by her “outward existence which conforms, an inward life which questions.” As Edna’s love for Robert grows, so does her clarity and self-confidence. She comes to reject herself as the mother-type and often finds her children annoying. This budding confidence propels her into the ocean, where she faces her fears and discovers her ability to swim. Becoming one with the ebb and flow of the tide, she feels the release of “a certain ungovernable dread” that has been hanging about her. This accomplishment melts away her fear and motivates Edna to leave her husband as she “resolves never again to belong to another than herself.”

Thought-provoking and reflective, this novel will stay with you long after you read it. It will leave you wondering, “Do you suppose a woman knows why she loves? Does she select?” 

Week Five Prompt

How do the different types of reviews affect collection development?

It is important for the person in charge of collection development to understand the differences in each of these publications so that they know what to expect out of the review. Knowing that Romance novels are not often reviewed in professional publications should prompt staff to actively seek out other sources of reviews. Knowing that they may come across a negative Kirkus review may prompt them to seek out a Booklist review where only the books strengths will be highlighted.  Having a well-rounded impression of a book will help the purchaser in making the best collection decision for the library. If the collection development librarian is unaware of these differences and is not actively seeking out reviews for unrepresented genres, certain sections in the collection could potential be neglected.

From the reviews on The Billionaire's First Christmas by Holly Rayner - Are they reliable? How likely are you to buy this book for your library?

I tend to gravitate toward reviews by readers versus professional reviews to get a truer sense of a book. Many readers give raw unadulterated opinions and usually I can find a review from all points along the spectrum from "hated it" to "loved it." I think the important thing is that the review mentions aspects of the book that are important to readers like, "clean," "light read," "too Christmassy", etc. Light, clean, Christmas reads are actually very popular at my library, so at first, I entertained the thought of adding it to the collection. I also searched Goodreads for additional reviews, and found many comments about the books many grammatical errors. It is also free through Amazon. Based on these two factors, I would not consider adding this book to my library's collection. 

How do the reviews on Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt make you feel about the possibility of adding this to your collection?

Sold. “Exquisitely written,” “extraordinary work,” “may well become a classic,” expect demand,” and “wonderfully readable” are just some of the praise this work received in these reviews. There is no doubt that this book will circulate and should be included in the collection. These reviews are really well written by so-called book experts who create hype and demand for a book. Collection development librarians should take note and prepare for it.

Do you think it's fair that one type of book is reviewed to death and other types of books get little to no coverage? How does this affect a library's collection?  

I think that this is one of the reasons that readers turn to sites like Goodreads and personal blogs for recommendations. They want to hear whether the book was good or bad by someone who had a genuine interest in reading it. Word of mouth is so important these days because we don’t know who to trust or what is motivating people to give their opinion. Referencing someone's blog or Goodreads not only feels more authentic and honest, but is more accessible. Many bloggers post their content on social media as well, increasing their reach. If readers look to professional sources for reviews and never see the books they are interested in, they simply will stop going there.

And how do you feel about review sources that won't print negative content? Do you think that's appropriate? 

I think it is important to know that a source will not print negative reviews but I do not think there is anything wrong with it. I think it is important to focus collection development plans toward procuring material that patrons will want to check out. As Ranganathan's Five Laws of Library Science states: "Every reader, his/her book. Every book, it's reader." These are important things to remember as librarians – we are not here to judge content but to share it and make it available.

If you buy for your library, how often do you use reviews to make your decisions? If not, how do you feel about reviews for personal reading, and what are some of your favorite review sources?

I do not make purchasing decisions for my library but I do love to read reviews. I look for reviews through Goodreads, bookstagrams and reading blogs. My favorite places to find reviews are: Brain Pickings, Book Riot, authors I admire on Instagram like Patti Smith, and through bookstagrammers like Theguywiththebook – Faroukh (Saudi Arabia), Thelostlibrary – Ula (UK), Afinekettleofbooks – Ismini (Athens, Greece)

Secret Shopper

Librarian: Hi, How can I help you?

Me: I’m looking for something new to read.

Librarian: Okay, what are you in the mood for?

Me: Something with really well-developed character(s) who grow throughout the story. Something that takes you on a journey with them. I find books that are dark and depressing more interesting.

Librarian: (stands up and walks around the desk) Come over here, these are some of our newer books… (pulls Shuggie Bain from the shelf and hands it to me)

Librarian: This one just won the Booker Prize and it’s really dark. A co-worker just read it and said it was really good. 

I read the inside cover and my interest was piqued. This book is one that I would be interested in reading. I told the librarian it sounded really good and thanked her for her help. 

This was a recent readers advisory interaction in a public library. On the surface, it seems that the book the librarian chose was easily identifiable based on my current reading tastes, but the truth is that a lot of research went into her being able to recommend a book on the fly. 

Knowledge of the library collection: To be able to recommend a title, the librarian must first be familiar with the current collection. It is good practice to browse your library’s shelves and flip through unfamiliar books that catch your interest. Flip through and learn about the titles that are in heavy circulation as well, as this can also aid in identifying a requested title when very little information is provided by a patron. 

Talking about books with co-workers: Walk around your library and discuss what you are reading and watching with your co-workers. Find out what they are reading and watching outside of work and encourage them to share their thoughts. This way, when a patron approaches you seeking a book recommendation, there are titles that will come to mind with a personal review from a trusted source associated with it. In the above example, a past discussion with a co-worker made the book, Shuggie Bain, come to the librarian’s mind instantly. 

Knowledge of awarding winning books: The librarian was aware of recent award-winning titles. There are many, and to keep up with current and past winners, the American Library Association and BookBrowse both publish a list awards given each year. 

Tools and techniques that could make this interaction better:

Readers Advisory form: Have a form ready to hand out or the web address handy of your form online. Encourage patrons to provide information on their reading interests to the library so that librarians can do what they do best – find good reads. 

Ask the reader to come back: Always find a way to encourage patrons to come back to the library. An invitation to continue a discussion about what they think about what they read is one way. Offering to find other titles they may like is another. 

Week Three Prompt

1. I am looking for a book by Laurell K. Hamilton. I just read the third book in the Anita Blake series and I can’t figure out which one comes next!

I searched for the fourth book in the Anita Blake series using Novelist and found The Lunatic Café.

2. What have I read recently? Well, I just finished this great book by Barbara Kingsolver, Prodigal Summer. I really liked the way it was written, you know, the way she used language. I wouldn't mind something a bit faster paced though.

I searched for Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver and scanned the read-a-like list in Novelist. I chose Bloodroot by Amy Greene because it is fast-paced, has a similar writing style and an intricate plot.

3. I like reading books set in different countries. I just read one set in China, could you help me find one set in Japan? No, not modern – historical. I like it when the author describes it so much it feels like I was there!

I performed a keyword search in Novelist for “Japan Historical Fiction” and the first result was Gai-Jin: a Novel of Japan by James Clavell. I used the Search For More feature to specify books from the Historical Fiction genre that are based in Japan with a writing style that is compelling, lyrical and richly detailed. The result – Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. 

4. I read this great mystery by Elizabeth George called Well-Schooled in Murder and I loved it. Then my dentist said that if I liked mysteries I would probably like John Sandford, but boy was he creepy I couldn't finish it! Do you have any suggestions?

First, I would suggest reading Elizabeth George’s A Great Deliverance because of its rave reviews by Booklist and Kirkus. For a reading suggestion by another author, I chose the first book in Martha Grimes’ Richard Jury series, The Man with a Load of Mischief, because of Booklist’s comparison of the two authors. 

5. My husband has really gotten into zombies lately. He’s already read The Walking Dead and World War Z, is there anything else you can recommend?

I searched for World War Z and chose a read-a-like that is fast-paced, dramatic, and gruesome – The Living Dead by George A. Romero. It is a new release (June 2020), finished posthumously by Daniel Kraus, after Romero’s death in 2017. Romero is well-known as the creator of the cult classic horror film, Night of the Living Dead. This is a must read for anyone interested in the zombie apocalypse.   

6. I love books that get turned into movies, especially literary ones. Can you recommend some? Nothing too old, maybe just those from the last 5 years or so.

News of the World by Paulette Jiles just became a movie starring Tom Hanks. It is also a National Book Award finalist. The Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt premiered on the big screen in 2019. 

7. I love thrillers but I hate foul language and sex scenes. I want something clean and fast paced.

I chose The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon because it is compelling, intricately plotted and considered appropriate for young adults.  

How do I find books to read?

When I am looking for books to read, the first place I look is Goodreads. I enjoy reading reviews and searching Listopia. I also pick up a lot of recommendations from conversations I have with patrons at the library. I have a pretty extensive TBR list just from talking to people about books. I like to read the BookPage publication and I scan the New York Times Bestseller List weekly and make note of the new releases I find interesting.