Connect with Garth on:
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NYT Bestseller Update
Week 56: ARR at #8
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Featured Furry Friend
Meet Hollie, the dog who loves to cuddle up with Enzo.
Hollie is an Australian shepherd Siberian husky who has a LOT to say!
She's incredibly smart and knows how to use her gestures to get her point
across. She was reading ARR in hopes of finding some tips for Jill, her
human, to get her message. You can see they've worn the book ragged.
Do you have a favorite furry friend? Share a picture on Garth's Facebook fan page for the chance to be featured here.
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Readers' Two Cents
Facebook Fans Speak Out
"Your
book "The Art of Racing in the Rain" is the best book I have ever
read! I never read books more than once, and I have read it 3 times now. It is
beautiful and really touched my soul, thank you so much for writing this book!"
"During
the first couple weeks after the loss of my oldest golden, Tag, about 4 people
came up to me to tell me I HAD to read this book... something about racing, and
dogs... I usually interrupted long enough to tell them the REAL title and that it
is probably one of my favorite books ever."
"ARR
should come with a warning label: beware when reading in public--this book will
cause you to laugh hysterically and cry uncontrollably, sometimes even
simultaneously!"Share your thoughts with Garth on Facebook.
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Garth Talks Raven
with Author Magazine
Last time we gave you a little riddle:
Q. What do you get when you cross a green-eyed gent, a
thieving bird, and shape-shifting Otter people with an insightful Q&A?
Still wondering what we were talking about?
Now you can see for yourself. It's a new series of Garth
Stein interviews with Bill Kenower of Author Magazine. In this fantastically
interesting conversation, Garth delves into the story and inspiration behind
Raven Stole the Moon, his first novel that was recently re-released by Harper
Collins.
Check it out on YouTube!
If you'd like to learn more about Bill
Kenower, visit Author, a free
online magazine for writers and readers.
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Drive and Dine with Dempsey
Mike Rich (ARR screenwriter), Patrick Dempsey and Garth at Pacific Raceway.  | A rainy day at Pacific Raceway didn't stop Garth from
joining Team Seattle and The Dempsey Foundation for a special fundraiser, Drive and Dine with Dempsey. For $1,000 each, donors were taken for a few
thrilling laps in the seat of a Ferrari. Over $60,000 was raised, and the money
will be split between Seattle Children's Hospital and The Dempsey Center for Cancer, Hope & Healing.
 Garth brought his mom along, and she got the ride of a
lifetime from soon-to-be ARR screen star Patrick Dempsey. Garth as a son and
Dempsey as a driver? How lucky can one girl be?
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Garth explores Billy Collins poem in Shambhala Sun
In the July issue of Shambhala Sun, Garth is a guest writer
for "About a Poem." He explores Billy Collins's poem, "I Chop Some Parsley..."
which is at its heart a search for momentary delight.
From Garth: "Billy Collins has cautioned his readers to
gently "walk inside [a] poem's room and feel the walls for a light switch,"
rather than "beat it with a hose to find out what it really means." Because
sometimes a poem is just a poem. Sometimes it exists for a moment - a sigh, a
laugh, a stirring of emotion - and then, having served its purpose, is gone."
Read the full poem and commentary here.
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In the Rangers Radio Booth
 The Seattle Mariners hosted the Texas Rangers on Saturday,
May 1, and Garth was lucky enough to join Eric Nadel in the Rangers radio booth
during the game. As he noted on Twitter,
"Okay, I'm short. Or Eric is tall. Or both. Still.
Eric Nadel is the man and it was cool to hang with him today."
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Join Garth on Facebook
Looking for Garth on Facebook? Find him on his Facebook fan
page. Join him here
for posts, events, YouTube videos and more. Best of all, meet, greet and
converse with an ever-growing community of Enzo lovers. If you're not a fan already, visit Garth's Facebook fan page and click "like." Share a picture of your favorite furry
friend! |
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Neil Peart of Rush reviews ARR
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Could ARR be the next great American novel?
 Brittney, an 11th grade AP English student, sure
thinks so.
She recently wrote a paper for her English class outlining
her argument, and shared it with Garth. He was both impressed and flattered by
her thoughtful assessment. So much so, that we decided to share it with you. Great job, Brittney! Here's an excerpt:
That Which We Manifest is Before Us, by Brittney In
years to come, students across the United States will be assigned books to read,
analyze, and discuss. What makes a novel worthy of researching? What
truly are the markings of a great American novel? These books
are works of prose fiction that gather the ideals, customs, and
traditions of American society and synthesizes them together to
form a work that reflects the attitudes and actions of modern culture.
These books must convey something of this time period to the
generations of the future. A great American novel must take that which is
today and explain it for tomorrow. A book of these classifications
has been discovered, and is already being praised as "sweet
without bathos, profoundly moving throughout, and with a perfect
ending coda." (qtd. in Nichols). The Art of Racing in the Rain
combines a heart-tugging storyline, a fantastic author, modern
American culture, stunningly brilliant literary techniques, and the
lesson of a lifetime.
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The Art of Cooking in the Rain
 Enjoy Garth's savory addition to the King County Library System's Literary Feast: The Famous Author's Cookbook.In the book, Garth writes that this recipe "evolved from a simple cannellini bean and garlic side dish I
used to make for my wife when we were first married. Later, I added more stock, Parmesan and some escarole, and it became a
soup. And finally, I got to this form after I saw someone cook clams and
sausages together on TV - I didn't know that was possible!" Clams with Sausage, Beans and Pasta
1/2 lb. Italian sausage, sweet or hot to taste
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 lbs. Manila clams
1/2 cup white wine
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups cooked pasta (orcchiette, shells, fusilli, but not spaghetti)
1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained
olive oil
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
a small handful of chopped, fresh Italian parsley
1. Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a deep sauce pan. Cook sausage until well browned.
2. Add sliced garlic. Stir.
3. Add clams and wine. Cover. Cook three minutes until the clams have opened.
4. Add 2-1/2 cups chicken stock. Add beans. Add cooked pasta. Simmer two minutes. Add more stock if necessary.
5. Add Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer.
6. Stir in chopped parsley. Remove from heat.
7. Serve in individual bowls with a crunchy baguette on the side
and a salad of romaine, sweet onions, and tomatoes, tossed in red wine
vinegar and olive oil. Literary Feast benefits literacy and lifelong learning programs and features recipes from several notable Northwest authors. Order one and get cooking with your favorite authors. |
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On the Road
Garth poses with Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit  |
The Writer's Center, Bethesda, MD: Garth received a stellar outpouring of support in
Bethesda at the reading and signing event at the Writer's Center. At least
three bloggers attended the event, and they all dished about it the next day: Bookwormz2010, Planet Books, and Savvy Verse and Wit.
Garth also visited Borders in Fairfax, VA, Books & Crannies in Middleburg, VA and the Brickell Avenue Literary Society
in Miami. |
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The Skype Story
 West Sound Academy:
Barrie Hillman's eighth-grade English class in Poulsbo, WA enjoyed a
fascinating Skype on May 4 as a special follow-up to their class reading of
ARR. They even caught a glimpse of Comet!
"I
have one very serious aspiring author in my class who is determined to be
published before she turns 16 so even if Garth and I have just inspired that
one student, it was an incredible success," said Barrie.
Sunnyslope High School:
More than 150 students and teachers, and one dog named Lily, crammed into the
library on May 11 for a much-anticipated Skype visit with Garth. A
15-year teacher said it was "the most exciting thing that has ever happened at
Sunnyslope." And that's saying a lot for a school that's filled with famous
parents and located just down the road from the McCain household.
Cathy
Droz, the event organizer, acknowledged Garth's impact on Sunnyslope's
underprivileged students who have limited access to books at home. "These
children, that read Garth's book, sat there in total amazement. I was watching
their faces. They were excited and empowered," she said.
Streets of Madison Book Club for the
Homeless: 
Garth had a very
memorable chat with the Streets of Madison Book Club. The group brings together homeless men and women around a common reader. ARR was an inspirational pick and Garth's visit was
marked
with great excitement! "When it ended you would have thought
our team just won the
Super Bowl," said Suzanne Alexander, program director. "There was a real
sense
of joy and accomplishment. These folks are used to being ignored or
treated lightly, so having someone like Garth Stein take the time to
chat with
them... Wow! What a boost!"
Manhattan Moms Book Club: By recommendation of her father-in-law, Alan Rinzler, Beth Ann Day
suggested that her book club read ARR. The well-known book
editor's advice led to a Skype chat
with Garth on May 10. Beth Ann said her favorite moments included catching a glimpse
of Garth's real life - a peek from his son, a hello from Comet, a call from his
wife, and hints about Garth's grill-fired dinner. The group has had several
authors speak to them over the years, but Beth Ann said, "I can speak for all
of us by saying our talk with Garth was a real high point."
Sound fun? If your book club is interested in hosting Garth via Skype, contact Sarah Daily at sarahd@terracommunications.biz.
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A Horse Named Enzo's Show
 The Enzo-naming trend has officially crossed species!
Introducing Enzo's Show, a competitive equestrian horse belonging to
13-year-old Christian of Iowa City. Christian is a huge auto racing fan and an
instant lover of ARR. Enzo's Show competes under the name Dances in the Rain,
an appropriate tribute for this graceful equine.
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Enzo's Challenge
We've heard some chatter about using Enzo as a motivational
speaker for athletes. This month, we're wondering, have you ever sourced an
Enzoism to help get you through an athletic event or training session? Send us
your stories by Aug. 1, 2010! We'll choose a winner based on creativity and passion. The winner
will receive an Enzo swag bag and signed copy of The Art of Racing in the Rain.
And the winners were...
 The Cloven! Sara J. Henry was the first one to respond
correctly to our last challenge. She lives in southern Vermont, where on sunny
days her dogs insist on a daily swim in the river. Sara is pictured here with
dogs Lucy and Monty.
 Patrick Jones won the riddle about Raven Stole the Moon. He says he wasn't much of a reader until his fiancé gave
him a copy of ARR. He read it in four days and has since rediscovered how
words, especially Garth's words, can mingle with his imagination.
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Happy Manifesting,
Garth Stein |
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