Week Five: Hey, an excerpt!
Just in case one or two of you might have been waiting to read The Language of Bees, I should mention that we’ve posted a two-chapter excerpt on the webpage—
BUT, before I get trampled in the rush to get over there, can I remind you of two things?
One, there are still ten Weeks of Bees left in the Russell celebration, which means ten (actually more than ten) giveaways and contests, which you can peruse here. Fanfiction, Russellisms, crossword puzzles, and just plain drawings. And some of the prizes are pretty great.
And two, if you wish to order The Language of Bees now, you can do so two ways: at the LRK Amazon shop, which puts a percentage not only of the book but of everything you buy from Amazon that time into our fund donating beehives to Heifer International.
OR, if you want a signed copy, you can get one from Crossroads Books, Poisoned Pen Books, Capitola Bookcafe, or any of the stores I’m stopping at during my tour (events tour will be posted here tomorrow!)
So now, with no further ado, chapters one and two of The Language of Bees. Enjoy.
ARGH! Ten more weeks!
Thank you! That’s like Christmas in early spring …
Ohhhh … You had me melting away like butter in the sun when you quoted from the Georgics. And to think that I actually refer to that passage in the story I’ve posted for the fan fiction contest!
No. No no. I daren’t. I WILL wait for the book!
May one inquire (before publication) as to the source of the quotations at the beginning of each chapter? What is “Testimony”?
I’m with Chris (and, actually, if Chris is still in Edinburgh I’d *really* like to be with Chris!!!) and I’m going to JUST SAY NO. I’ve ordered the book (yes, through an independent bookstore), I have a pile of other things to read, and I’m going to possess my soul in patience. Really.
There was a short interview with Ms King on NPR this weekend (2/28,3/1) as part of a piece on authors who write about Sherlock Holmes. Do you know of the NPR piece? I am trying to see if it has been podcasted. Thank you for your help.
*spoiler alert in post so read no further if you don’t like mentions of things in the chapters*
Looks good! I love the scenic descriptions of the Sussex and I’ve really got my eye on that burial ground…perhaps in the future. I’d love to analyze the skeletons in there!
I find the use of the name Damien and omen (in the “Testimony” quotes) in these two chapters quite interesting, as if its almost foreshadowing for something climatic, dark (based on my definition), evil and possibly horrific. Amazing how deep the skein of popular culture can run in one’s interpretation. Yet, given the synopsis, I wonder…Damien, the omen *looks for baboons outside, only sees lemurs, breathes easily.*
I shall definitely be pre-ordering my copy. To echo Lenore’s question, what precisely are the sources of the quotes prior to the chapter.
Thanks for sharing and my best to you and your family!
On re-reading, I had a sudden urge to Google Glen Miranker, the bee expert. Turns out he is real, but not a real bee expert. He is retired Chief Technology Officer of Apple and a noted collector of Sherlock Holmes books and memorabilia. See, e.g., http://www.finebooksmagazine.com/issue/0301/miranker.phtml .
Oboy, oboy, oboy, oboy. This looks sooooo Great. The suspense, argh! So hard to wait until May. Have a great time at LCC. best regards, Meredith (still a ? respectable lady flipping out, although now doing so with 4 nifty Picador books for company).
What a wonderful treat – a sneak peek at Language of Bees months before its publication. I’m in the process of rereading all of the Russell Books prior to Language of the Bees coming out. I’m up to The Game. Love the different nuances I pick up experiencing these lovely stories and characters again. Thanks so much for the peek. I can hardly wait until May!
Speaking about allusions … there’s not only Glen Miranker, but also Adam Kehrle: http://www.buckfast.org.uk/site.php?use=bees
In reply to Nancy’s question — I believe the radio piece you’re looking for is here: http://publicbroadcasting.net/kuar/arts.artsmain?action=viewArticle&id=1473030&sid=11. The link is also now posted on the Radio/Podcast section of this website, under the Etcetera menu. Thank you for alerting us!