I am writing this week from poolside at the Four Seasons Hotel in Miami where the ever-so-helpful staff here has ensured I have electrical power next to my lounge chair so I can write on my laptop, as well as an endless supply of iced tea and lemon-flavored water. For the record, it's cloudy with small peeks from the sun, the kind of day where I would not be sitting poolside at home, but hey, I am in Florida and when I am in Florida I do not want to be inside. As the pool boy said, "It's all part of the fantasy."

Bring on the holidays! All of us at Teenreads.com love the holidays. To share the spirit of the season, we're featuring our first ever annual Teenreads.com Holiday Basket of Cheer Contest as well as our What to Give/What to Get Gift Guide exclusively for Teens. This time of year my house becomes a veritable holiday workshop as I'm surrounded by cookies, candles, hot chocolate and other holiday goodies including a gingerbread house kit that looks like real fun. We'll be packing up baskets to ship to five lucky winners that include 10 --- count 'em, 10! --- fantastic books, as well as the holiday-themed items. Ready to enter? See the complete contest details below.

Monday night I attended Nelson DeMille's book party for WILD FIRE, which was ---- as any event that Nelson is involved with --- a lot of fun. People in attendance who had read the book were quoting Corey-isms as they walked around chatting. Let's just say that I feel I learn a lot about how men think about women by reading Nelson's books. He also pens one of the wittiest newsletters that I read. You can read and sign up for it here. We have a review of WILD FIRE this week as well, but don't worry --- Kate Ayers, our reviewer, does not divulge the good jokes. Or give away too much of the plot.

In November 1968 the Beatles released the White Album (your trivia for the week) and this week we have "The Blue Issue" at Bookreporter.com. First I am giving an award for Most Fashionable Cover. Okay, 17 years at a fashion magazine is coming through here, but truly, take a look at the cover of Adriana Trigiani's new book, HOME TO BIG STONE GAP, below and let me know if you do not agree that it looks like a magazine fashion shoot. Yes, turquoise IS my favorite color so I had to love the jacket, but that skirt is just over-the-top amazing and just looking at it makes me want to know the story behind that girl.

One of my favorite things is hearing authors talk about their books and their inspiration for them. Whether it be with readings or media interviews, hearing the story behind the book always sheds a new light on an author's work for me. This week I got a real treat when I received a copy of a DVD that Adriana Trigiani has done for her book clubs, which has Adriana talking about not just one book, but all of her books. She also offers readers a tour of Greenwich Village, where she lives and whose Commerce Street formed the backdrop to one of my favorite books of hers, Lucia, Lucia.