Ready for the FoB: Favorite Books of L.A.

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When I think of the month of April, besides the annual bloodletting involved with state and federal income tax preparation, this time of year has a decidedly literary bent for those of us who love reading. I'm referring to the upcoming and annual L.A. Times Festival of Books. It really is a large, one of kind event where books and authors take center stage big time on the campus of U.C.L.A. The collegial setting seems to bring out a huge number of local readers and draws others from across the country. Last year, I got to meet book blogger Jen in her first foray out here to cover this event (and that was a real treat). And because of her, and the nature of the web, last year's event led to further connections with writer/blogger Naomi, who just so happened to recommend a book panel post by the blogger known as Pop Culture Nerd (who was also there and lives in the southland).

Following all these folks on the internet then led to friendships and further connections to a host of others I now read on a regular basis. This now includes the spirited reader and social butterfly, Christine. All of this makes for lively conversations flying through the ether. Jen is soon to be heading to SoCal from Ohio once more to attend this year's FoB, and Christine will be making her first visit (leaving a day later from Nashville) to be present at the book event, as well (though, she's already familiar with L.A.). So, it promises to be a much bigger happening this time around in 2010. The coordination of the when and where's for this group is already in full swing. I'm sure we'll have a brainstorming session during Friday's annual Pre-FoB party at The Mystery Bookstore. We'll be primarily plotting to see how we can 1) covertly abscond Naomi, Novel Whore, and Lesa temporarily away from Ohio, New York, and Arizona (respectively) and into LaLa Land orbit for next year's book occasion, 2) find our missing and dear friend Corey Wilde, and 3) figure out why the publisher continues to hold back Don Winslow's great sequel to The Dawn Patrol, The Gentlemen's Hour, from U.S. readers. In the meantime, Pop Culture Nerd already started the Festival of Books sneaks by linking us to the recent Jacket Copy blog interview of author T. Jefferson Parker and his annual attendance at the festival. I thought JC's last question for the local  author fit well into this week's forthcoming festivities. So, I'll use his response for a couple of posts this week to stay in that celebratory spirit:

"Do you have a favorite book or movie about Los Angeles?"

TJP's favorite L.A. book: True Confessions. And a good choice it is -- one I'd expect from the SoCal native…

This post has been updated and moved to my current blog, which can be found here.