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Another American Library Association (ALA) annual conference has come and gone. This year the librarians of America got to live it up in the nation's capital. While the librarians were sipping free champagne, schmoozing, learning how to keep their libraries current, and getting books signed, many Penguin authors were hard at work in the Penguin booth trying to get their books out to the masses and we've got video evidence to prove it!

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I've wanted to be a Penguin intern since high school, when I saw the program featured as one of the best internships in America in a Seventeen Magazine feature article. With so many departments and imprints, the Penguin Group offers a rare find—a workplace that's never boring with a multiplicity of tasks and steady stream of assignments.

As a college graduate with an English degree, the weeks after graduation were a particularly ripe time to try my hand at publishing, an industry that treads the line between the business of selling and the pleasure of reading. It was during senior week that I received a call from the Penguin Group. "We'd like to bring you in for an interview tomorrow," said the Human Resources assistant, and I was immediately jolted out of vacation mode at a friend's beach house into preparation mode for the big day. Stepping into my supervisor's cozy office the next morning after a three-hour drive, I knew I had found the right fit. The initial adrenaline rush of being offered the position was followed by slight panic. Where would I live? Did I have the appropriate clothing to fit the dress code of a corporate atmosphere? What kinds of skills would I need to start developing as an audio intern, the position I'd been hired for? Was I well-equipped to develop these skills?

 

 

 

 

 

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When I announce to people June is Audio Book Month, the responses have been along the lines of: "What? Does everything have a month now?" and "Are you serious??" (The latter is not usually said in excitement.) One person even confused audio books with the whole eBook vs. "real" books debate. By and large, most people seem to think audio books are fusty, technologically obsolete entities. But they are wrong.

Think about it: Can you read a book while doing the dishes or going grocery shopping? Can you run while reading a book? Can you read a book on your morning commute while driving or, and I only recommend this when someone else is driving, with your eyes closed? The answer is "No, that would be ridiculous." But you can listen to a book while doing all of the above.

Listening to audio books is sometimes a time commitment but it's up to you how closely you chose to listen. I purchased noise cancelling ear buds for my mp3 audio books so I can hear better on the subway but I have co-workers who swear by listening to CD audio books while working. This means that they may tune out parts but they get most of it. (Same as when you skim a book, yea?) Either way audio books are a great way to get even more reading into your life with the helpful addition of a talented voice actor giving a new spin to the text.

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Wouldn't it be awesome to get inside your favorite book and hang out with your favorite characters? Well, Vision in White, based on the book by Nora Roberts of the same name, offers fans of the "Bride Quartet" series that chance.

The game Vision in White (and the three others that will come out to match the other books in the series) is based around finding hidden objects and is sure to appeal to fans of Zynga games on Facebook (like Farmville and Sorority Life) and The Sims. It's definitely designed with women as the primary users in mind.

The artwork is pretty cool, cute and very detailed, which makes finding some of the hidden objects a bit of a challenge. It follows along with the book, each segment is divided into chapters and includes some narration to tell gamers where they are in the story. The "Bride Quartet" follows the love lives of four best friends who run a bridal planning business. The heroine of the first book, Mac, bears an interesting resemblance to Nora Roberts and Miranda from "Sex in the City". Fans will get a kick out of seeing Roberts introduce the game and seeing her characters come to life.

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10. The world of Vampire Academy can sometimes be super confusing to explain to other people. This is potentially a good thing because it means Richelle Mead has created a complex world based on Romanian mythology. Basically, you have your Moroi (good, mortal vampires) and your Strigoi (evil, dead vampires). And then you have your dhampirs (half human, half vampire) who train to defend the Moroi, which is what our heroine Rose Hathaway is.

9. Last time we saw Rose, she had dropped out of school to go to Siberia to both save and kill the love of her life, talk about intense plotlines that keep you on the edge of your seat.

8. Rose narrowly escapes being turned into Strigoi just in time to save her best friend Lissa, a Moroi princess...remotely with the help of another Moroi. It's all kinda crazy, but mostly awesome as Lissa and Rose explore a new form of Moroi magic, Spirit.

7. Rose is good at kicking ass and she knows it, as does everyone else. While she still hasn't taken her final exams at St. Vladimir's (the Vampire Academy the series refers to) she has killed more then her fair share of the evil, undead Strigoi and lived to stake more another day. Buffy, meet your new competiton.

It's Creative Week in New York! But you don't have to live in New York to get creative.

Get Creative with Penguin is the newest show on Penguin's Video and Radio Network and features projects and advice from Penguin authors and staff for introducing creativity into all aspects of life.

In the current episode you'll learn how to sew an adorable stuffed owl from More Softies Only a Mother Could Love, create a cute and delicious meal from Cute Yummy Time, and cultivate your garden by building a worm bin from Talking Dirt.

To get creative next month, be sure to tune in to learn how to make a charming doll from Sock and Glove, for ideas to bring out your artistic side at work with The Artist in the Office, and tips for how to make the most out of an unpleasant travel experience with The Titanic Awards. Check it out at penguin.com/getcreative.

Here are some previous blog posts with knitting patterns to give you even more ideas:

Classic Baby Beret 

Elvis Hat and Monster Boots for Babies

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The Dalai Lama arrives in the United States this week to teach and give talks about Tibetan Buddhism.

"Dalai Lama" is a title held by both the spiritual leader and the political leader of the Tibetan people. All Dalai Lamas are believed to be the reincarnation of the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Bodhisattvas are those who have found enlightenment but choose to return to help others.

The current Dalai Lama is the 14^th and is widely known as a symbol of his country, Tibet, which was occupied by China in 1959. While the Tibetan government in exile works to regain control of their country, the Dalai Lama spends most of his time spreading the teachings of Buddhism and sharing its tenets.

His current schedule for US appearances is:

Teachings in Bloomington, IN, USA on May 12 & 13: His Holiness will give two-day teachings on The Heart Sutra (sherab nyingpo) organized by The Tibetan & Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center. Contact Website: www.tmbcc.net

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Mom. She's the world's best hug, owner of some of the greatest advice (it's hard to admit, but she's is always right) and, heck, she's the woman who put you on this planet. 

It almost seems like one day a year to honor our mothers just isn't enough, but we are oh-so-glad there's a holiday to say, "Hey, mom, you're pretty cool."

But, let's be frank: Buying a gift for Mother's Day can be difficult. What do you get the woman who knows every little scar, every childhood story, the perfect thing to say to put a smile on your face?

It's a tough one. But if your momma is anything like ours, then time to kick back is scarce. Even for women who have children long grown into their own lives, — or they just finally managed to hoist them out of the basement — taking a bit of time to relax often seems like a distant luxury.

So, give her a reason to curl up with a cup of tea or take a moment to herself with one of our picks for Mother's Day.

Not only do these titles pack in the essence of motherhood, but they are sure to let the gal in your life know just how thankful you are to call her — mom.

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It's hard to believe that our beloved teenage sleuth has been around for 80 years.

Remember reading her when you were in grade school? You're not the only one. Two current Supreme Court judges and one previous judge have all cited Nancy as an influence when they were girls growing up.

Ever since Nancy Drew first got into her roadster in 1930, fresh off the presses of Grosset & Dunlap, she's had numerous adventures and successfully beat all odds to solve her mystery du jour every time.

Yet despite being 80, Nancy isn't exactly long in tooth. Her image has constantly been reinvented, the first Nancy books were even revised starting in 1959 to make the books more fast paced for the new TV generation and to get rid of ethnic stereotypes. Today, Nancy Drew's escapades are available for different reading levels, with new books for tweens and teens from Simon & Schuster.

Nancy's original publisher, Grosset & Dunlap, now a part of Penguin, still publishes Nancy's early adventures. To find out more about the history of Nancy, including the tangled story behind the many people who were "Carolyn Keene", check out this website.

To see a full list of books in the Nancy Drew series, visit our Young Reader's page, where you can also get Nancy Drew wallpaper and read an interview about the 80th anniversary edition of The Secret of the Old Clock.

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The availability of a greener life is nothing new these days. Walk into your local grocery store, pharmacy or school event, and you are bound to spot a few earth-friendly goods or hear someone talking about a push for cleaning up our planet's health.

So, it's perfectly fitting that on this Earth Day's 40th birthday everyone can take a good look around and do a little cheer. Websites devoted to living green, eco-campaigns and earth-healthy projects are in full motion, and people everywhere are becoming increasingly aware of the urgency involved in preserving this lovely planet. (Read more here.)

But that doesn't mean you can dust off your green thumbs and call it a day just yet. Sure, the efforts are there and the information is aplenty, but the enthusiasm behind the movement is an everyday matter. That's why a day like today — Earth Day! — is important for helping each and every person across this gorgeously luscious planet remember to take care of what lies beneath his or her toes. 

Need some inspiration? Check out these Penguin books for an Earth Day boost and carry on with their tips and tools for a lifetime: