LAKEVILLE - One doesn't normally think of a radio station as a good place to learn about interesting new books. And one doesn't normally think of a small-town radio station as a place to hear bestselling nationally (and internationally) famous authors being interviewed.
But that's the Northwest Corner for you - full of surprises. Actually, "hearing" about good books isn't such a strange concept. After all, between Amazon's Kindle and the abundance of books (new and old) on tape and CD, readers are as likely to listen to a book as they are to read it.
And it's logical, when you think about it, for authors to promote their new titles on the radio: They can do it, with ease, from anyplace on the planet that has telephone or cell phone service.
This is also a fertile market for authors. The libraries do a brisk business, book clubs are well-subscribed and there is the always-busy Oblong Books and Music in Millerton. People in this part of the world like to read.
Of course, many promising plans wither for lack of someone to execute them. But Joe Loverro and Thia Tarrab, the morning voices of radio station WQQQ-103.3 FM, have turned this promising plan into a successful regular feature.
On any given morning, between 8:10 and 8:30 on weekdays, listeners can hear Loverro and Tarrab bantering with the likes of Janet Evanovich, Dean Koontz and Nelson DeMille.
"One of our most recent guests was Douglas Preston and his book, 'Blasphemy,'" Loverro said. "It's a thriller that centers on the conflict between religion and science, it's fascinating. I got really wrapped up in it."
Other readers must be enjoying it as well: It was number 10 on the Hartford Courant bestseller's list.
One of the most popular interviews in the series so far was with local author and famed astrologer Barbara Hand Clow, who talked about her book, "Catastrophobia: The Truth Behind Earth Changes in the Coming Age of Light."
Evanovich is a favorite
The interviewers, of course, have their own favorite authors. Both agree that Evanovich, author of the massively popular Stephanie Plum stories (she's a tough-talking Jersey bail bondsman who can't quite seem to get anything right, especially when it comes to her love life) is particularly fun.
"Janet is my favorite," Tarrab said. "She's like a character in her books, very funny, very girlfriend-y."
"She's feisty," Loverro added.
When her new title, "Plum Lucky," came out a few weeks ago (it shot up to number three on the New York Times bestsellers list), Evanovich phoned in from her home in New Hampshire to chat with the Lakeville radio hosts. Loverro, who hails from Philadelphi, particularly enjoys the setting for the Stephanie Plum novels: the backstreets of Trenton and Newark, N.J.
"I know Hamilton Township and all the places she writes about," he said. "They're all real places, real things."
Except much funnier than in real life.
Though his books don't hover in the sales-list stratosphere, George Minkoff of Alfred, Mass., is another favorite at the radio station. He is the author of a series of historical novels about John Smith and the founding of the Virginia colonies.
The authors seems to enjoy their time with the hosts as well.
"We try to make them comfortable, inject some humor into the conversation and make them feel as though they're having a chat across the kitchen table."
In the book-tour world, authors don't always get to talk to people who have actually read the book, as is always the case with the WQQQ crew. Of course,sometimes some genres appeal more to one interviewer than another. Thrillers seem to be popular with both Loverro and Tarrab. He leans more toward science fiction.
Don't give away the ending!
"I like espionage, murder, mystery and romances," Tarrab said. She also is a fitness buff and enjoys books about health and exercise.
One of her favorite titles was "Blood Lies," by Daniel Kalla.
"It's a wonderful book," she said enthusiastically. "You wanted to keep turning the pages. And the ending! I usually guess the end, but this time I had no clue. I gasped when I figured it out. I still stay in touch with the author. He has a couple other titles, mostly psychological thrillers. He was an ER doctor in Vancouver. His books are all really good.
"Another one I really liked was 'The Husband' by Dean Koontz. We've been lucky enough to have him on several times."
Koontz was, in fact, one of the first authors to appear on the show, when it began four years ago. It all started when public relations firms began to send notes to the radio station suggesting they do some on-air interviews. Some were famous, most were less famous.
At first the author appearances were sporadic. Then as the interviewers - and the authors - began to enjoy the program, they became more frequent.
"Now they [the publicists] offer us almost everyone," Loverro said.
Tarrab produces the 20-minute morning segment (which is sponsored by Salisbury Bank and Trust Company) and tries to put together a mix of subjects and personalities. When it comes to books, she seeks out writers from the Northwest Corner as well as national names.
The most recent interview, on Feb. 13, featured Maria Snyder, author of "Fire Study" and "Magic Study" ("You know your life is bad when you miss your days as a poison taster," reads the book's teaser).
Coming up on Feb. 27 is Susan Schaab, who will talk about "Wearing the Spider."
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