Douglas Preston, best known for his collaborations with Lincoln Child, has penned his 10^th solo novel, IMPACT.  Preston has been called “the new and improved Michael Crichton” by International bestseller Tess Gerrritsen.  In IMPACT, Preston brings his popular character Wyman Ford, last seen in 2008’s Blasphemy, back for another round of adventure. The fast-paced tale weaves together three separate plot points, uniting them in one explosive conclusion.  Lee Child, author of the bestselling Jack Reacher novels, calls IMPACT “full of huge ideas, but intensely human, too, and intensely suspenseful.”

Wyman Ford is tapped for a secret expedition to Cambodia to locate the source of strangely beautiful gemstones that do not appear to be of this world.  While he searches for the origin of these dangerous jewels, a young woman in Maine borrows her father’s boat to search the outer islands for the meteorite that lit up the sky in her small town. Meanwhile, a scientist at the National Propulsion Facility discovers an inexplicable source of gamma rays in the outer Solar System. The scientist is found decapitated, the data missing. Ford soon realizes the jewel mine he seeks is much more than it seem and is strangely connected to the events happening on the other side of the world.

“Both Doug and Lincoln had been good friends to VJ Books over the years,” said VJ Books co-founder, John Hutchinson, “and we are always excited when one of them writes a new novel.” IMPACT will be no exception, with autographed copies shipping in late January/early February. VJ Books’ long-standing relationship with Mr. Preston has resulted in an ample backlist inventory of many of his independently written novels, as well as those co-penned with Lincoln Child, which are available at www.vjbooks.com.

DOUGLAS PRESTON is the co-author, with Lincoln Child, of the famed Pendergast series of novels, including such bestselling titles as The Book of the Dead and The Wheel of Darkness, as well as The Relic. His solo novels include Jennie, and the New York Times bestsellers Tyrannosaur Canyon and Blasphemy.

Preston is a Research Associate at the Laboratory of Anthropology in Santa Fe, a member of PEN New Mexico, and a board member of the School of American Research in Santa Fe. He counts in his ancestry the poet Emily Dickinson, the newspaperman Horace Greeley, and the infamous murderer and opium addict Amasa Greenough. Preston and his wife, Christine, have three children, Selene, Aletheia, and Isaac. They live on the coast of Maine.

About VJ Books:  For nearly 13 years VJ Books has catered to the interests of discriminating collectors.  Each month as many as 30 authors are featured from the bestselling authors such as James Patterson, Dan Brown, Clive Cussler, James Rollins and Janet Evanovich.

VJ Books has just received:  Dave Barry / Ridley Pearson – Walt Disney’s Peter Pan,  Michael Crichton – Pirate Latitudes,  Sherrilyn Kenyon – Night Pleasures,  Sue Grafton – U is for Undertow.

A review by Nikki from Texas!

Timeline is exhilarating and fast-paced.  As in Jurassic Park, Crichton writes of technology and scientific advances in a way that makes such theories and abilities seem possible. He also changes the impression of the Medieval period that many of us have. The reality that it was a bloodthirsty and uncivilized period of history is magnificently described by Crichton. The brutal nature of those who lived during that time is well-detailed. Timeline, for me, was one of those books that I couldn’t stop reading. The cross between science and history in this book was well-balanced. This was not one of those books where you skim parts of the storylines.  Readers will appreciate the historical aspect and descriptions of the lifestyles, customs and demeanor of the era. The quantum physics theories in the book were so intriguing, I found myself re-reading those passages, not because I didn’t “get it”, but because I DID “get it” and it was utterly fascinating.  See Nikki’s other reviews here

See other signed and collectible books by Michael Crichton here

VJ Books has bookplated editiosn of Pirate Latitudes here

A Commentary On Price Wars On Bestselling Books

We love books, we promote books, and yes, we sell books.  Our mission statement is to deliver to our customer an innovative approach to bookselling that recognizes the love of books that resides in all collectors.

Now this may seem like a trivial point, but we sell books because we love books . . . not the other way around.  From this vantage point we do not discriminate between blockbuster titles by bestselling authors and the new author delivering his or her first novel.  In fact we rely on the new author to fuel the excitement that brings our customer back to see what’s new.

This year we have brought you Abandon by Blake Crouch, Crush by Alan Jacobson, A Quiet Belief in Angels by R. J. Ellory, and The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny, just to mention a few.  These are all noteworthy books that would normally get lost in the big market stores who use their clout and buying power to push more James Patterson, John Grisham, Michael Crichton, and other mainstream titles at us in attempt to gain or secure market share.

Similarly, NY publisher editorial staffs select for publication those authors and titles that fit this limited view of “what will sell,” driving market trends rather that listening to what the reader really wants to read.  The result is a “dumbing down” of literature, and we end up with what I refer to as “airplane reads,” books that get read and thrown away.

For the record, we also rely on big selling books to provide us with the capital we need to offer a broader selection to our customers.  Sales of those big books allow us to comb through the hundreds of new titles each year and bring understated, infrequently advertised quality writing to your attention.  Michael Connelly was unknown when Little, Brown introduced us to Harry Bosch in The Black Echo, and John Grisham sold A Time To Kill from the trunk of his car to independent bookstores across the south.  We believe that tomorrow’s hottest authors are now residing in the new release flyers we send to you twice a week.

A lot of talk is spreading throughout the industry, outrage over the predatory pricing being used by Wal-mart, Amazon, and Target to gain a larger share of the market.  Unfair practices by these behemoths threaten the future of bookselling.  They can sell books either below their costs, or through backroom agreements with publishers, to bring customers to their stores to buy other products that they offer.  “Loss leaders” are not new, but this goes beyond such practices.  They are robbing the small independent bookstore of profits necessary to enable them to bring the full range of titles worthy our consideration to their shelves.

So we are asking you to refrain from buying these two or three books from the superstores.  Please buy these titles from your local independent bookseller.  Reward them with your business and they, like us, will guarantee you more to choose from in the years ahead.

All best wishes and good reading,

John

HarperCollins will publish new Michael Crichton novels, The New York Times announced yesterday. Crichton, famously known as the creator of the television series ER and the author of Jurassic Park died last November of cancer. This has not stopped HarperCollins from scheduling a publication date — November 24 — for his new novel, called Pirate Latitudes. Crichton’s assistant found the adventure tale among the author’s computer files. Crichton (more…)

Good reading!

(expressindia.com, Jan. 7)

January releases will have detective-fiction lovers jump for joy

How many times in the Conan Doyle mysteries does Sherlock Holmes say, “Elementary, my dear Watson”? If you’re a true-blue, detective-fiction lover, you’ll know that Holmes never ever uttered this line, which over the years, has been built up by popular imagination. And if you don’t believe us, feast on the mystery titles, including Doyle’s, that are being re-released into the market this month.

January will see the start of Chills and Thrills, a month-long promotion of detective fiction by HarperCollins India. Other publishing houses are not (more…)

(TimesOnline, Nov. 5, Patrick Foster, Media Correspondent)

Michael Crichton, the bestselling author behind the fictional world of Jurassic Park, died today at the age of 66 after a battle with cancer that he hid from the public eye.

Crichton, author of more than a dozen best-selling novels and creator of the medical drama series, ER, died in Los Angeles, a statement from his family, posted on the writer’s website, said.

Describing his fight with cancer as “courageous and private”, the statement said: “While the world knew him as a great storyteller that challenged our preconceived notions about the world around us – and entertained us all while doing so – his family and friends knew Michael Crichton as a devoted husband, loving father and generous friend who inspired each of us to strive to see the wonders of our world through new eyes.

“He did this with a wry sense of humour that those who were privileged to know him (more…)