In late November of 2008, when Kathryn Stockett came to Lemuria to discuss a signing for her first book, no one had any idea that The Help would become the phenomenal success that it has, least of all Kathryn herself.

My first inkling of what was to come arrived in the form of a galley proof of The Help from Kathryn’s editor Amy Einhorn.  Accompanying it was a glowing cover letter explaining that as a 20-year veteran of the publishing business Ms. Einhorn had just been given her own imprint and from many options had chosen The Help as her first title.  After reading the manuscript it was obvious to me, as well, that Kathryn was a gifted storyteller with a book whose message would have universal appeal.

With the signing and reading set for mid-February, our next job was to get the word out.  By the time the event itself took place, the word was indeed out and consequently it was a huge success with a great turnout.  Meanwhile Joe and Maggie, after some debate, decided to make The Help a First Edition Club choice.

And—as they say—the rest is history.  Since its release in February of 2009, The Help has spent 73 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List–with many weeks at the number one slot. It has sold over 2 million copies world-wide and has been translated into 40 languages.

Through it all Kathryn has remained the charming, unaffected young woman she was when she was absolutely sure that her book would be read only by her family and a few close friends. -Billie

Click here to see all of “Lemuria Reads Mississippians.”

Editor Neil White will be signing at Lemuria on  Thursday, October 28th.

Reserve your copy online or call the bookstore 601/800.366.7619.

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The Fall of the House of Zeus by Curtis Wilkie (Crown, October 19, 2010)

“Zach was meeting with his own attorneys in a conference room at the law firm when Mike Moore took him aside. ‘We need to talk,’ Moore said. They were joined by Scruggs in Zach’s small office.

“Scruggs took a seat in an armchair by the window, looked at his son, and said, ‘This is the latest government offering: They’re willing to give me five years, Sid three, and one for you.’ He paused. ‘I’m going to take it. I wish you would, too.’

“Zach was stunned. He had never expected the case to come to this. ‘Hell no,’ he said. ‘I’m not going to do it.’ He rose from behind his own desk, repeated his vow and walked out . . .” (298-299)

“‘Look,’ Keker said, ‘we’ve been overruled on every motion. I can destroy Tim Balducci and I can destroy Henry Lackey on  cross examination, but at the end of the day we’re still looking at this November the first tape.’ He reminded Zach of the negative results of the mock trial in Shreveport where the ‘jurors’ had little sympathy for the lawyer defendants. A real jury in Oxford would likely come down hard, too, Keker said. ‘Zach, they’ll look at you like a rich, white boy.’

“‘I’m not going to do it,’ Zach said.

“‘You don’t want to blow up the deal, put your Dad in trouble.’

“‘All right,’ Keker said. He did not press Zach further.

“Zach walked back into his own office. His father was still there, sitting quietly, staring out the window. His son was overwhelmed by the poignancy of the moment. He thought the scene would stay with him the rest of his life: the sight of his father, as if he were a monarch, looking out at his kingdom and watching it disintegrate–Zeus, the King of the gods, falling.

“Father and son sat together saying nothing.” (299)

The Fall of the House of Zeus by Curtis Wilkie goes on sale October 19th.

We hope to see you at the signing/reading event with Curtis Wilkie on Thursday, October 21st, but if you cannot attend, you can reserve a signed copy online.

Click here to open an account on our website and we can save your information for future visits to LemuriaBooks.com.

You can also call the bookstore at 601/800.366.7619 and we can put your name on our reserve list.

Read other excerpts from The Fall of the House of Zeus.

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“‘There’s one other thing that I’ve heard about over the years, that when a substantial amount of cash is withdrawn, you have to sign . . .'”

“‘This money didn’t come from a bank,’ Balducci said. ‘Judge, I’ve been around long enough to know–and I’ve been involved in enough to know over time–that you always gotta have a slush fund.'”

“‘You can’t have gotten where I’ve gotten in my life at this point and not know that sooner or later things come up that you gotta take care of, and you need a slush fund.'”

“Lackey asked to see a copy of the order that would send the Jones case to arbitration. Balducci produced the document, which he described as ‘pretty straight.’ Then he laid an envelope containing $20,000 in cash on Lackey’s desk.” (187-188)

“Lackey had another entry for the journal prosecutors wanted him to keep.”

“‘As Tim walked out of the office,’ he wrote, ‘I felt so forlorn and sad that our profession had come to this, that a young man of Tim’s ability would be this cowardly and stoop this low at the behest of scum he is trying to help just so he can add another dollar to his pile.'” (189)

The Fall of the House of Zeus by Curtis Wilkie goes on sale October 19th.

We hope to see you at the signing/reading event with Curtis Wilkie on Thursday, October 21st, but if you cannot attend, you can reserve a signed copy online.

Click here to open an account on our website and we can save your information for future visits to LemuriaBooks.com.

You can also call the bookstore at 601/800.366.7619 and we can put your name on our reserve list.

Read other excerpts from The Fall of the House of Zeus.

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