Sure we're okay with that, anyone and everyone from PA,DE,NJ and MD are invited.

Chester County Book & Music Company
975 Paoli Pike – West Goshen Center – West Chester, PA 19380 – 610-696-1661
UPCOMING EVENTS – MAY, JUNE, JULY 2008

FRIDAY, MAY 23 – ROBERT K. TANENBAUM, a master of the legal thriller, visits to sign and discuss his latest novel, ESCAPE, at 7:30 PM. Tanenbaum is one of the country's most successful trial lawyers – he has never lost a felony case. He has been homicide bureau chief for the New York District Attorney's Office and deputy chief counsel to the congressional committee investigations into the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Most recently, he has taught Advanced Criminal Procedure at the University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law. His previous works include the novels FURY, HOAX, RESOLVED, ENEMY WITHIN, and ABSOLUTE RAGE and two true-crime books, THE PIANO TEACHER; THE TRUE STORY OF A PSYCHOTIC KILLER and BADGE OF THE ASSASSIN.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 28 – Local author MAUREEN BARRY will be our guest at the children’s STORYTIME today at 10:30 AM. She will read from her books, THE FAIRFIELDS FARM BEAUTY PAGEANT and FREDDIE FROG’S ADVENTURE.

MONDAY, JUNE 2 – JEFF SHAARA, America’s premier author of military historical fiction, visits to sign and discuss his new volume, THE STEEL WAVE, at 7:00 PM. Shaara is the New York Times bestselling author of TO THE LAST MAN, THE GLORIOUS CAUSE, RISE TO REBELLION, and GONE FOR SOLDIERS, as well as GODS AND GENERALS and THE LAST FULL MEASURE – two novels that complete the Civil War trilogy that began with his father’s Pulitzer Prize- winning classic THE KILLER ANGELS. Jeff’s volumes have captivated readers with vivid and compelling tales covering the American Revolution, the Civil War, the U.S. Mexican War, World War I, and World War II. His latest, THE STEEL WAVE, a fictional account of D-Day and the Allied invasion of Europe, chronicles the events of the World War II campaign and the personalities who took part, from the ordinary soldiers on the land and in the air, to such leaders as Dwight Eisenhower, George Patton, and Omar Bradley, as their efforts changed the course of the war. …I plan on attending this signing, as I enjoyed his Gettysburg based books!

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4 – Acclaimed historian and bestselling novelist ALLISON WEIR visits to sign and discuss her new fiction work, THE LADY ELIZABETH, at 7:00 PM. Following the tremendous success of her debut novel, INNOCENT TRAITOR, Weir turns her masterly storytelling skills to the early life of young Elizabeth Tudor, who would grow up to become England’s most intriguing and powerful queen. Before she is three, Elizabeth learns of the tragic fate that has befallen her mother, the enigmatic and seductive Anne Boleyn, and that she herself has been declared illegitimate, an injustice that will haunt her all her life. What comes next is a succession of stepmothers, bringing with them glimpses of love, fleeting security, tempestuous conflict, and tragedy. The death of her father puts the teenage Elizabeth in greater peril, leaving her at the mercy of ambitious and unscrupulous men. Like her mother two decades earlier, she is imprisoned in the Tower of London – and fears she will also meet her mother’s grisly end. Power-driven politics, private scandal and public gossip, a disputed succession, and the grievous example of her sister, “Bloody” Queen Mary, all cement Elizabeth’s resolve in matters of statecraft and love, and set the stage for her transformation into the iconic Virgin Queen. Sweeping in scope, this volume is a fascinating portrayal of a woman far ahead of her time – whose dangerous and dramatic path to the throne shapes her future greatness. An accomplished researcher, Weir is also the author of the notable historical biographies HENRY VIII, ELEANOR OF AQUITAINE, THE LIFE OF ELIZABETH I, and THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII.

THURSDAY, JUNE 5 – PATRICK CREED visits to sign and discuss his compelling, non-fiction narrative, FIREFIGHT: INSIDE THE BATTLE TO SAVE THE PENTAGON ON 9/11, at 7:30 PM. Amid all the stories of tragedy and heroism on September 11, there is one tale that has yet to be told – the gripping account of ordinary men and women braving the inferno at the Pentagon to rescue friends and co-workers, save the nation’s military headquarters, and defend their country. Pentagon firefighters Alan Wallace and Mark Skipper had just learned the shocking news that planes had struck the World Trade Center when they saw something equally inconceivable: a twin-engine jetliner flying straight at them. It was American Airlines Flight 77, rushing toward its target. In his Pentagon office, Army major David King was planning a precautionary evacuation when the room suddenly erupted in flames. Arlington firefighters Derek Spector, Brian Roache, and Ron Christman, among the first responders at the scene, were stunned by the sight that met them: a huge flaming hole gouged into the Pentagon’s side, a lawn strewn with smoking debris, and thousands of people, some badly injured, stumbling away from what would become one of the most daunting fires in American history. For more than twenty-four hours, Arlington firefighters and other crews faced some of the most dangerous and unusual circumstances imaginable. The size and structure of the Pentagon itself presented unique challenges, compelling firefighters to devise ingenious tactics and make bold decisions – until they finally extinguished the fire that threatened to cripple America’s military infrastructure just when it was needed most. Granted unprecedented access to the major players in the valiant response efforts, Patrick Creed take us step-by-step through the harrowing minutes, hours, and days following the crash of American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon’s western façade. Providing fascinating personal stories of the firefighters and rescuers, a broader view of how the U.S. national security command structure was held intact, and a sixteen-page insert of dramatic photographs, FIREFIGHT is a unique testament to the fortitude and resilience of America.

MONDAY, JUNE 9 – SANDRA GULLAND, the author of the internationally acclaimed Josephine Bonaparte trilogy, returns with another irresistible historical novel, this one based on the life of Louise de la Vallière, who, against all odds, became one of the most mysterious consorts of France's Louis XIV, the charismatic Sun King. Set against the magnificent decadence of the seventeenth-century French court, MISTRESS OF THE SUN begins when an eccentric young Louise falls in love with a wild white stallion and uses ancient magic to tame him. This one desperate action of her youth shadows her throughout her life, changing it in ways she could never imagine. Unmarriageable, and too poor to join a convent, Louise enters the court of the Sun King, where the king is captivated by her. As their love unfolds, Louise bears Louis four children, is made a duchess, and reigns unrivaled as his official mistress until dangerous intrigue threatens her position at court and in Louis's heart. A riveting love story with a captivating mystery at its heart, MISTRESS OF THE SUN illuminates both the power of true and perfect love and the rash actions we take to capture and tame it. This author visit and signing event will begin at 7:30 PM.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11 –LINDA HANNA visits to sign and discuss her book, BARBARO, SMARTY JONES & RUFFIAN: THE PEOPLE’S HORSES, at 7:30 PM. Most people appreciate Smarty Jones for his dynamic pursuit of the 2004 Triple Crown. They admire Barbaro for his dramatic fight for survival after breaking his leg during the 2006 Preakness Stakes. They recall the legendary filly Ruffian’s fatal injury during the Great Match Race against 1975 Kentucky Derby winner, Foolish Pleasure. Everyone remembers these equine stars, but Hanna’s research provides new and previously unpublished information. Through exclusive interviews with owners, trainers, jockeys, equine veterinarians, pedigree specialists and racing officials, she carries fans to another level of knowledge and appreciation. In BARBARO, SMARTY JONES & RUFFIAN, Hanna brings a new perspective to the private and public lives of these three horses. ..okay, I hope to also make this one!

THURSDAY, JUNE 12 – JOHN DEDAKIS, an editor and staff writer at CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, visits to sign and discuss his fiction volume, FAST TRACK, at 7:30 PM. This work is a suspense novel about a young, strong-minded woman’s quest to find purpose in life as she unravels the mystery of her parents’ deaths 25 years earlier when she was an infant. The backdrop is journalism and the compelling tale deals with several issues including suicide, journalistic integrity, anonymous sources, and mentoring relationships. It’s also a great book club read!

SUNDAY, JUNE 15 – Acclaimed mystery author and staff favorite,CRAIG JOHNSON, visits from the West to sign and discuss his books, including the newly released ANOTHER MAN’S MOCCASINS, at 1:00 PM. Johnson is a recipient of a Wyoming Council for the Arts Award, which places the judgment of the Equality State in grave danger. Johnson's background in education and law enforcement gives a unique perspective to his writing and keeps him off the streets, which is good, because their dogs, Ivan and Lucy, follow him wherever he goes. His wife Judy says that it would be okay if Craig got run over because his books might sell better posthumously but she would miss Ivan and Lucy. Johnson's first novel, THE COLD DISH, was a DILYS Award Finalist, and a BOOKSENSE pick by the Independent Booksellers Association and KILLER PICK by the Independent Mystery Booksellers of America. Craig is fortunate enough to call Tony Hillerman, Margaret Coel, James Crumley, James Lee Burke, Neil McMahon, Christopher Moore, Bill Fitzhugh, Susan Slater and Mark Spragg friends, and they call him Craig. Some of Johnson's abilities are to fall asleep at any time in any position, memorization of the titles of movies he's never seen, and he can guess the weight of any woman in viewing distance, the later being the least popular of his talents. Craig's second novel, DEATH WITHOUT COMPANY was made one of the five finalists for the Mountains and Plains Bookseller's Association's Fiction Book of the Year, and was the Wyoming Historical Society's Fiction Book of the Year. He is still not sure if the Historical Society knows he made it all up. Johnson’s third offering, KINDNESS GOES UNPUNISHED, finds his main character, Sheriff Walt Longmire, up to his eyeballs in mayhem during a visit to Philadelphia. Johnson runs and lifts weights in a desperate attempt to overcome his crippling addiction to Rainier beer but hopes to be a useful member of society as soon as he gets this ‘writing thing' out of his system. With a wonderful collection of manly books, Craig is a writer to watch and it would be a fine thought to treat your dad to brunch at our Magnolia Grill and stop by this signing on this Father’s Day!

TUESDAY, JUNE 17 – Cycling’s most successful team director JOHAN BRUYNEEL, the strategist behind the United States Postal Service Pro Cycling Team and Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, the coach who guided Lance Armstrong to a record seven Tour de France victories, the mastermind who realized an incredible eight Tour de France victories in nine years, visits to sign and discuss his book, WE MIGHT AS WELL WIN, at 7:30 PM. It’s no wonder Armstrong calls Bruyneel “the poster child for winning”; Bruyneel truly knows what it takes to prevail. In 1998, this calculating Belgian and former pro cyclist looked a struggling rider and cancer survivor in the eye and said, “Look, if we’re going to ride the Tour, we might as well win.” In that powerful phrase a dynasty was born. With Bruyneel as his team director – a position most often compared to that of a baseball manager, basketball coach, or company CEO – Lance Armstrong seized a record seven straight Tour de France victories. Bruyneel innovated the sport of cycling and went on to prove he could win without his superstar. In 2007 he took the Tour de France with a young new team and a lot of nerve, and came out on top again with Alberto Contador, sealing his place in sports history forever. In WE MIGHT AS WELL WIN, Bruyneel reveals a radical recipe for winning that readers can adapt from the bike to the boardroom to their own lives.

And as an added treat for all two-wheel enthusiasts, Mr. Bruyneel’s co-author, BILL STRICKLAND, the executive editor of BICYCLING magazine, and the editor of the classic volumes, THE QUOTABLE CYCLIST and DANCING ON THE PEDALS: THE FOUND POETRY OF PHIL LIGGETT, will also be on hand to sign and discuss his cycling–related memoir, TEN POINTS, at 6:30 PM.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18 – JOAN CLOUTMAN, director of KINDERMUSIK OF WEST CHESTER AND LIONVILLE visits to conduct a musical activities hour geared to children from 16 months to 5-years-of-age accompanied by a parent of caregiver at 10:30 AM. Come sing, play instruments, move and listen as we tell stories and spend time with our children. Today’s program: Get ready to take a musical trip to the seashore! Come sailing with us as we pretend to rock quietly in a boat to “The Water is Wide”, or shake our shakers to “Mary Ann”. We will read about the adventures of a little rabbit as he discovers the wonders of the seashore, even though he lives far away in a meadow.

MONDAY, JULY 7 – That amazing, action-thriller author, JAMES ROLLINS, visits to sign and discuss his new volume, THE LAST ORACLE, at 7:30 PM. What if you could bioengineer the next great world prophet: scientifically produce the next Buddha, the next Muhammad, or the next Jesus? Would it mark the Second Coming or initiate a chain reaction with disastrous consequences? A master at combining historical and religious intrigue with edge-of-your-seat adventure, New York Times bestselling author James Rollins brings back SIGMA Force to battle a group of rogue scientists who've unleashed a bioengineering project that could bring about the extinction of humankind. Rollins is extremely popular among our suspense readers and is the author of the fan favorites SUBTERRANEAN, EXCAVATION, DEEP FATHOM, AMAZONIA, ICE HUNT, SANDSTORM, MAP OF BONES, BLACK ORDER, and THE JUDAS STRAIN. Rollins has also penned the novelization of the highly anticipated summer blockbuster movie, INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. This event represents a rare visit to the East by the author so you do not want to miss this signing. We will be serving up some free hot dogs and refreshments so do join us for some literary fireworks with this accomplished author.

And if that’s not enough, thriller author D. L. WILSON will be on hand to sign and discuss his book, UNHOLY GRAIL. This is a nifty, little tale with loads of appeal to fans of Steve Berry and Dan Brown. When the guardians of the secret gospel begin dying, and a series of French articles reveal that descendants of Christ exist today, a man named Gabriel embarks on a deadly mission to protect Christianity's innocence by eliminating anyone connected to the Holy Grail.

TUESDAY, JULY – More post-holiday fireworks! BRAD THOR visits to sign and discuss his new political thriller, THE LAST PATRIOT, AT 7:30 PM. A master of suspense and the bestselling author of THE FIRST COMMANDMENT, Thor returns with his highest-voltage thriller to date. In a pulse-pounding, adrenaline-charged tour de force, Navy SEAL turned covert Homeland Security operative Scot Harvath must race to locate an ancient secret that has the power to stop militant Islam dead in its tracks.

THURSDAY, JULY 17 – Historical novelist SUSAN HOLLOWAY SCOTT, the highly acclaimed author of DUCHESS and ROYAL HARLOT, visits to sign and discuss her new volume, THE KING’S FAVORITE: A NOVEL OF NELL GWYN AND KING CHARLES II, at 7:30 PM. Nell Gwyn has never been a lady, nor does she pretend to be. Blessed with impudent wit and saucy beauty, she swiftly rises from the poverty of Covent Garden to become a sensation in the London theater. Still in her teens, she catches the eye of King Charles II, and trades the stage for Whitehall Palace and the role of royal mistress. Even though she delights the king, she must learn to negotiate the cutthroat royal court, where ambition and lust for power rule the hearts of all around her. For beneath her charm and light-heartedness, Nell has her own ambition – to become no less than the king’s favorite.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23 – JOAN CLOUTMAN, director of KINDERMUSIK OF WEST CHESTER AND LIONVILLE visits to conduct a musical activities hour geared to children from 16 months to 5-years-of-age accompanied by a parent of caregiver at 10:30 AM. Come sing, play instruments, move and listen as we tell stories and spend time with our children. Today’s program: Let’s get our bodies moving – up or down, around and over, run and walk! Young children love to move! Come and join us as we listen to the drum as it tells us to walk and stop, jump, tiptoe or march! We will also have a reading from the book, HEAD TO TOE, by Eric Carle, wherein the animals dare the children to try different motions. We’ll explore fast and slow movements as we move with scarves, tap our sticks, or crawl our fingers like the bugs on the ground.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23 – Multiple award-winning mystery writer ROBERT CRAIS visits to sign and discuss his novel, CHASING DARKNESS, at 7:30 PM. After the fabulous success of THE WATCHMAN, Crais comes roaring back with his Elvis Cole series. Elvis was a hero when he cleared an innocent man of a murder charge. But when that innocent man is found dead three years later holding photos of the victim, Elvis is the one on trial. Crais delighted an audience of fans here in 2007 with his funny and highly informative talk on the craft of writing for print, television, and the big screen. This event represents a grand opportunity to meet one of the great masters in the pantheon of mystery fiction. Don’t miss it!

STORYTIME! We offer a children’s STORYTIME every Wednesday at 10:30 AM. Each STORYTIME will consist of several tales and activities for youngsters 3 to 6 years of age. We ask that children be accompanied by a parent or guardian for this half-hour of fun! No advanced registration is necessary.

JOIN OUR SUMMER READING CLUB! This program is open to all children entering Grades 1 to 6 in September. Here’s how it works: Read at least six books between June 21 and August 16, 2008. Come is and fill out our form each time you finish a book. On Saturday, August 23, we will have a party for all participants. Everyone who reads at least six books will win a prize, and the child in each grade who reads the MOST books will win a gift certificate! There is no purchase necessary to join our Summer Reading Club, but please browse through our inventory here at the Chester County Book & Music Company – the area’s largest selection of children’s books. Let’s get reading and have some fun!

Please check our website at ccbmc.com or call us at 610-696-1661 to confirm the date and time for these events. Our events are free-of-charge and open to all. Courtesy dictates, however, that books to be signed must be purchased at the Chester County Book & Music Company, the sponsoring organization of these events. This schedule of events was updated on MAY 22, 2008.