Mary Ann in Autumn

I remember voraciously reading Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City" series when they were first published and I have remained a fan ever since. I especially enjoyed meeting him many years ago at a breakfast when I attended the American Library Association's Conference in San Francisco. Maupin has recently written a new installment in the Tales of the City series, starring Mary Ann Singleton, one of my favorite characters. In Mary Ann in Autumn, Maupin revisits the characters who used to live in the apartments on 28 Barbary Lane, cared for by the stately Anna Madrigal. In this book, Mary Ann has returned to San Francisco to receive a hysterectomy because she has cancer. She is staying with Michael "Mouse" as she recovers and it is wonderful to experience her return as she experiences it. This book is the eighth one in the series and it does a fabulous job of describing the city of San Francisco and its unique neighborhoods and people. The books read like a soap opera,and I always enjoy the twists and turns until Maupin tidies up the story at the end of the story. This is a truly delightful book! If you have never read the series, start with the first volume, Tales of the City---you MUST read them in order because a lot of things occur and build on each other and you'll be disappointed if you skip one!

Bite Me! A Love Story...

Christopher Moore is the master of black comedy and his books are always a treat to read! Bite Me is his latest novel, and is the last installment in a trilogy (Bloodsucking Fiends is the first book, and You Suck is the second). Bite Me stars San Franciscan goth girl Abby Normal and her brainiac boyfriend, Stephen "Foo Dog" Wong. They are chasing a huge vampire cat and his vampire kitty minions, but life becomes more complicated when three ancient vampires intent on revenge arrive in the city. The "old ones" want payback for a few deeds Abby and Foo Dog committed in the earlier books, and Abby and Foo are forced into many different actions in order to save their friends, themselves, and ensure the safety of San Franciso. I really enjoyed the appearance of characters from the first two books, especially the Animals (the night stock crew at the Safeway supermarket) and the self-proclaimed "Emperor of San Franciso" and his "men" (a Boston Terrier and a Labrador Retriever). the book is peppered with contemporary slang and some rough language, but it accurately reflects the life of a twenty-something-year-old today, albeit with a lot of vampirism thrown in! Christopher invites all his readers to visit his website at http://www.chrismoore.com/ and e-mail him at BSFiends@aol.com.