You hear it all the time: "...the book was better!" Passionate fans of a particular novel tend to feel let down when it is adapted for the silver screen. But how much of that is subjective? Our experience with a novel is one of natural solitude and becomes not only a very intense connection (presuming we've enjoyed the novel) but also a very personal connection. Brendan Kredell, Assc. Prof. of Cinema Studies at Oakland University returns to talk about the heavy lifting all screenwriters/directors/actors have to do when translating a book to film. 

Also, we're teasing the eventual start-up of a new FILM DISCUSSION group, this fall! We hope you'll join us. 

We're chatting with Augusto Mike Flores, Chairperson from the Ferndale Arts & Cultural Commission, discussing the upcoming installment of art around Ferndale, featuring replications of masterpieces from the Detroit Institute of Arts, part of the Inside|Out program. To read more about the FACC, click here. Follow them on Facebook, here. And if you are an artist, or know an artist, you can read about their Art Census, here.

Ferndale Librarian Susan Paley joins us to talk about life stories:

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Christopher Cosmos is a Grand Rapids-based author and screenwriter; 'Once We Were Here' is his debut novel.  As World War II intrudes upon their home, three young friends risk everything for freedom, love, and a chance at a better life.... Cosmos work of historical fiction reveals, in vivid detail, the untold true story of how Greece helped the Allies to win World War II. https://www.christophercosmos.com/ / http://alittletooquiet.podbean.com 

#historicalfiction #wwii #novels #authors 

Joining us on the podcast is Ed Burns, our Head Reference Librarian, in charge of developing our collection of films, as well as a return visit by Brendan Kredell, Assc. Professor of Cinema Studies at Oakland University. We discuss dozens of culturally enriching titles from filmmakers all around the world, including the most recent directors in the spotlight, such as Chloe Zhao, Bong Joo Ho, and Thomas Vinterberg. We briefly cover the century+ history of films made outside of the U.S. and the recent success and accolades attained by directors like Guillermo Del Toro and Alfonso Cuaron. We also talk about how, more than a decade ago, Ed took the initiative to develop Ferndale Library's collection of international films from the ground up, while Brendan shares his thoughts on the important role libraries play in fostering access to international films--many of which can prove to be difficult to find, otherwise. 

Discussed in this episode: 

Jean-Pierre Jeunet - 'Amelie' 

Angeline Boulley, an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, is a storyteller who writes about her Ojibwe community in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She is a former Director of the Office of Indian Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Angeline lives in southwest Michigan, but her home will always be on Sugar Island. Firekeeper's Daughter is her debut novel.

In this riveting novel, a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, Daunis Fontaine, has never quite fit in—both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When her family is struck by tragedy, Daunis puts her dreams on hold to care for her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother’s hockey team.

After Daunis witnesses a shocking murder that thrusts her into a criminal investigation, she agrees to go undercover. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. How far will she go to protect her community if it means tearing apart the only world she’s ever known? https://authorsunbound.com/ 

Sarah Pinsker won the Nebula award for her 2019 novel, 'Song for a New Day,' about a global pandemic that made public gatherings illegal and concerts impossible. Sound familiar? Yet Pinsker actually completed this story long before we were in quarantine.  'Song for a New Day' included musicians in its main cast of characters--it's speculative fiction of a near-future that where bands have no recourse but to break the law for the love of music—and for one chance at human connection. The nebula award is given to authors excelling in the sci-fi genre--and Pinsker's latest book also has a sci-fi atmosphere to it: 'We Are Satellites' is about what happens when an incredible new productivity-enhancing technology is introduced on the market--a neural implant known as a 'pilot,' which augments focus and functionality... What happens when this technology starts to tear apart a family of four?

Jeffery Deaver is an international number-one bestselling author, joining us on our podcast to discuss the third entry in his new Colter Shaw suspense series. Colter Shaw is searching for the answer to his father’s final, posthumous riddle. It will lead him to evidence that will topple the secretive espionage company, BlackBridge.  We discuss the creative process, arranging subterfuge, creating characters, and so much more, including the upcoming TV adaptation of Colter Shaw, inspired by the first entry in this series, 'The Never Game.' https://www.jefferydeaver.com/ 

Linda Nemec Foster is the author of twelve collections of poetry including The Blue Divide, The Lake Michigan Mermaid, Talking Diamonds, Amber Necklace from Gdansk, Listen to the Landscape, and Living in the Fire Nest. Foster was selected to be the first Poet Laureate of Grand Rapids, Michigan from 2003-2005. She is the founder of the Contemporary Writers Series at Aquinas College. The poems in this powerful new collection explore the history of conflict and resilience—whether it occurs during the Nazi occupation of Poland, the Balkan wars in Bosnia and Croatia, or within the intimate tableaux of a family’s dissonance. https://www.lindanemecfoster.com/ https://newissuespress.com/ 

Kelly Fordon's 'I Have the Answer' came out last year on Wayne State University Press: If you thought the suburbs were boring, think again. Kelly Fordon’s I Have the Answer artfully mixes the fabulist with the workaday and illuminates relationships and characters with crisp, elegant prose and dark wit. The stories in Fordon’s latest collection are disquieting, humorous, and thought-provoking. They might catch you off guard, but are always infused with deep humanity and tenderness. Kelly Fordon is the author of an award-winning short story collection, Garden for the Blind (Wayne State University Press, 2015); a poetry chapbook, The Witness, which won the Eric Hoffer Award for the Chapbook; and a poetry collection, Goodbye Toothless House.