Texas Pages

Catch mega-selling author Mary Higgins Clark Monday morning on "Good Morning Texas," which airs at 9 a.m. on WFAA-TV (Channel 8.)

Later in the week, GMT has scheduled comedian Chelsea Handler, who will be in town to sign the memorably titled "Are You There Vodka? It's Me Chelsea?" 7 p.m. Friday at Borders, Preston Road at Royal Lane.

Here's a look at the reviews you will find in Sunday's GuideLive:

The Girl With No Shadow, by Joanne Harris, she'll be at Arts & Letters Live on Tuesday -- and we'll have an excerpt from her book as well.

Our second novel this week is The Age of Shiva, by Manil Suri.

For history buffs, we offer Taking on the Trust: The Epic Battle of Ida Tarbell and John D. Rockefeller by Steve Weinberg.

If you prefer your history to be more current, we have Going to War: How Misinformation, Disinformation and Arrogance Led America into the Iraqi Quagmire, by Russ Hoyle.

Finally, for your inner pirate, there's Silver by Edward Chupack.

Plus -- Si Dunn offers a look at Texas and Southwest books.

See you Sunday.

In development that is either a fresh sign of the impending collapse of Western culture, or just another example of how the English language evolves, a new study says that the language of texting is showing up in more writing by teens.

The study also found that teens who keep blogs are more likely to engage in personal writing. They also tend to believe that writing will prove crucial to their eventual success in life.

Which I suppose should make us all :)

If there was any doubt that Texas author Rick Riordan was hitting it big with kids with his Percy Jackson series (which started with The Lightning Thief), the author has just signed a multi-book deal with Disney Publishing Worldwide which includes a new, original fantasy series. In the meantime, a 1 million copy first printing has been announced for the fourth in the projected five book series about a boy who discovers his father is Poseidon (yes, the Greek god of the sea). Percy Jackson & The Olympians, Book 4: The Battle of the Labyrinth comes out Tuesday, May 6. I've got an advance copy in hand and Greek god fan that I am, I'm thoroughly getting into it...And while Mr. Riordan won't be in town for the big release, his cousin Minette Riordan, will be at the Barnes & Noble at 7700 West Northwest Highway Tuesday, May 6 from 4 to 5 p.m. to read from the book and host lots of myth-themed activities. Call 214-739-1124 for information.

Before poetry month slips away, here's a brief tribute to a couple of gifted women.

The first is the author of one of my favorite poems, Ann Darr. She wrote "Before Dawn," wherein she talks of the nasty things she will do to a bird that has awakened her. The last lines are:

I shall debird him. Hold.
On what do I sharpen my cry?

Ms. Darr, it turns out, trained in Sweetwater, Texas during WWII, as one of the pioneering WASP pilots. She died late last year.

His father lifted him, tucking his arms under the shoulders and knees of a son lighter than origami, pieta flowering as he carried the boy.