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Books
Monday November 2, 2009
Posted by: Stephanie De Pasquale at 3:02PM CST on November 2, 2009
 I wrote last week that I finally succumbed to peer pressure and downloaded the "Twilight" and "New Moon" audio books on iTunes. But I waited to start listening until I had a good chunk of time to devote to the stories, as I've heard they have the power to completely consume readers, turning otherwise normal people with busy lives into hermits. Hence downloading the audio book so my life wouldn't come to a complete halt while taking in the series. A long car ride to the Chicago suburbs last weekend seemed like the perfect time to start. But the six - hour round trip only got me halfway through "Twilight," and I spent all night listening until I couldn't stay awake any longer. I'm about two-thirds of the way through and, spoiler alert, I can't believe how taken in I've been by the romance in which the love interests have only kissed briefly three times so far. There's no steamy love-making scenes that aren't fit for the young adults the series was intended for, but yet I'm completely enthralled by the innocent romance and constantly find myself smiling as I'm reminded of my own adolescence, such as what it was like trying to figure out the best way to introduce boys to my father in high school. I haven't quite reached hermit status yet, but am pulling out my iPod every chance I get. I also added "Twilight" to my Netflix queue and became the 128,715th follower of @Twilight on Twitter. What were your experiences like when you read "Twilight." Wednesday October 28, 2009
Posted by: Stephanie De Pasquale at 2:27PM CST on October 28, 2009
"Walking with Angels" is Hendrickson's second full-length solo album. Cover for the album release show is $4. For more information, visit www.ribco.com or www.erniehendrickson.com. For teens - The "Twilight" events have already begun as fans gear up for next month's release of "New Moon," the second movie based on the popular series of vampire romance books. The Moline Public Library, 3210 41st St., will have a showing of "Twilight" at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. The event is free and open to all ages. For more information, visit www.molinelibrary.com. For the family - Families can take advantage of pleasant fall weather and work off the calories from their Halloween candy during a bicycle tour of Arsenal Island at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. The tour will include the Colonel Davenport Home, the old Moline Lock, Arsenal Quarters One and the Confederate Cemetery. Helmets are mandatory, and adults must accompany children younger than 12 years. Register for the free ride by calling (309) 794-5338. He said what? - Kyle Peters, the owner of the Daiquiri Factory in The District of Rock Island, on Michael Jackson's "Thriller": "I don't think you can have Halloween without 'Thriller.' It's one of those things. I grew up with it. At Halloween, you always heard the 'Thriller' song. You just naturally associated it with Halloween." Tuesday October 27, 2009
Posted by: Stephanie De Pasquale at 11:35AM CST on October 27, 2009
I've officially caught the "Twilight" fever. Knowing that I'll likely be interviewing teenagers at movie theaters for the midnight showing of "New Moon" on Nov. 20, I finally downloaded the audiobooks for "Twilight" and "New Moon" so I can get caught up on the series that has captured the hearts of teenagers and adults alike. I'm also attending a "New Moon" release party that a friend of mine from our book club is hosting at her house before we all head over to the movie theater on opening night. (Note: This is not your average book club. We're a group of 20-something ladies who discuss novels once a month over beer at area bars.) The hostess is very craft-y and creative, so she made the invitations herself and wrote on the seal, "You are never too old, mature or responsible for a little Edward Cullen," referring to the vampire heartthrob of the series. I think that phrase appropriately captures the fascination people of all ages have with the love story between a vampire and a teenage girl. We're supposed to bring a "Twilight"-inspired dish to the pre-movie party. I'm thinking cupcakes made with red velvet cake mix would be appropriate. Libraries across the Quad-Cities also are gearing up for the next month's release of "New Moon." Click here for a link to some of the upcoming "Twilight"-related events. Is anyone else out there planning a "New Moon" or "Twilight" party? Thursday September 24, 2009
Posted by: Stephanie De Pasquale at 9:47AM CST on September 24, 2009
The band will take the stage for the free show at 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/supernuatband or www.uptownbargrill.com. For teens - The Davenport Public Library will celebrate Banned Books Week with an open mic night. Teens are invited to recite original poetry, rap, monologue or perform a song. The event is at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, Fairmount Branch Library, 3000 N. Fairmount St., Davenport. For more information, visit www.davenportlibrary.com or call Christie Vogt at (563) 326-7832. For the family - Families can listen to three scary stories on the lawn of the Colonel Davenport House on Arsenal Island and take a tour of the historic building. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for children or $10 per family. Lawn chairs and blankets are encouraged. The tours begin at 5:45 p.m. with the story time at 7 p.m. For more information, call (309) 786-7336 or visit www.davenporthouse.org. He said what? -Singer/songwriter Gary Jules on how his failures dwarf his successes: "A lot of the songs you write you think, 'Wow, that's the best song I ever wrote.' And it's not all the time that everybody else things that, too. I sort of got used to clipping the wings of my expectations a little bit so as not to set myself up to be disappointed." Wednesday April 1, 2009
Posted by: Stephanie De Pasquale at 3:31PM CST on April 1, 2009
It’s time to start gearing up for the fourth annual Teen Battle of the Bands. The Davenport Public Library will begin accepting applications May 1, giving teens time to get their bands and set lists together before the contest. Show to see The Tallest Man on Earth, a Swedish songwriter whose Dylanesque sounds have captured the attention of Pitchfork, is coming to the Quad-Cities for a Daytrotter Presents show. Kristian Matsson, the lanky fellow behind the name, toured with Bon Iver late last year and will perform at Huckleberry’s Pizza Parlor, 223 18th St., Rock Island, at 7 p.m. Friday, April 3. Cover is $6. She said what? Actress-comedian Aisha Tyler, a former host of “Talk Soup” on the cable channel E!, says fans of that program — where talk-show clips were played for laughs — should be familiar with her style of stand-up comedy. “It’s exactly who I was on ‘Talk Soup.’ We called it stinky-smart. It’s the intellectual joke and the (passing gas) joke all rolled into one.” For more information on Tyler and her upcoming performances at Penguin’s, click here to read the story in this week's Go&Do. For the family The Davenport Public Library will host its weekly Preschool Story Time for children and their caregivers at the Fairmount Street branch. The free event is held at 10 a.m. every Monday. For more information, you can contact Samantha Wikstrom either by calling (563) 326-7900 or through e-mail at swikstrom@davenportlibrary.com. The Fairmount branch is at 300 N. Fairmount St. Wednesday February 4, 2009
Posted by: Stephanie De Pasquale at 2:42PM CST on February 4, 2009
Brooklyn-based KaiserCartel will perform in a Daytrotter Presents show at 5 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 5 at RIBCO, 1815 2nd Ave., Rock Island. The all-ages show also features Omaha, Neb., band Thunder Power. The show begins at 5 p.m. and admission is $5. For those who are 21 years and older with an extra $4 to spend, Peoria, Ill., band Mindset Evolution takes the stage at 10 p.m. tonight. For the family Children in kindergarten through third grade can write and illustrate stories at the Reading Rainbow writing workshop, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Rock Island Public Library, 401 19th St. The children will learn about the concepts of character, plot, setting and brainstorming. Pre-registration is required and can be made by calling (309) 732-7323. For teens The Davenport Public Library's Teen Volunteer Council gives area teens the opportunity to get involved in their community. The council helps provide programming and materials for teens. The next meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, at the Davenport Public Library-Fairmount Street, 3000 N. Fairmount. The event is free. He said what? Benjamin Taylor, the only son of music megastars James Taylor and Carly Simon, had been billed simply as Ben Taylor for his first four albums, but he went to the long version of his name for the fifth, “The Legend of Kung Folk, Part One (The Killing Bite).” “I feel like I’m growing up quick and I might as well use all the syllables I’ve been given,” Taylor, 32, said. To read a story on Taylor published in the Quad-City Times, click here. Friday November 21, 2008
Posted by: Stephanie De Pasquale at 10:08AM CST on November 21, 2008
 The 16-year-old at North Scott High School did her chemistry homework while she waited in line.
“I’m not tired yet,” VanPelt said at 11:30 p.m., just half an hour before the start of the two-hour movie, followed by an estimated three hours of sleep before she needs to get up for school today.
VanPelt was one of more than 700 movie-goers who came to Showcase Cinemas and nearly filled two theaters for the midnight showing of “Twilight” which opened today. Most of the people in attendance were teens that were breaking curfew just to see the first of their favorite book series come to life.
Karmen Rocker, 17, came to the midnight showing even though it means she’ll only get about four hours of sleep before going to school today, then heading straight to work and then babysitting.
“I love reading,” said Rocker, who has read the four-book series twice since August. “I don’t think the characters are exactly what I pictured, but they never are.”
Rocker went to the film with Riverdale High School classmate Sarah Hebel, 17. Both girls wore T-shirts that read “Twilight” and “Team Edward” to support the main character and love interest in the film. Hebel is almost done with the fourth book in the series and only started reading them after a friend convinced her she needed to read them before seeing the film.
“I am super excited,” Hebel said. “I have been waiting for this since I heard about (the movie).”
Jan LaRocag, librarian at the Moline Public Library, said the “Twilight” series has turned many teens like Hebel onto reading, especially older teens. Thirty-six teens and adults attended a “Twilight” Vampire Party, held last week at the library to celebrate the opening of the movie. LaRocag said the majority were teens between 14 and 17 years old, an age group that doesn’t usually attend library functions.
“I’m not really sure if I could think of a book in recent history that has really fired up specifically this age group like ‘Twilight’ has,” LaRocag said. “I think it’s because the story is just so universal. At its heart it is a love story, but it still has a lot of adventure, action and a bit of mystery to it.”
LaRocag said there currently are more than 300 holds placed on the first book in the “Twilight” series in the PrairieCat interlibrary loan system, which includes libraries in the Quad-Cities as well as areas to the north and east of here.
However, when teens come in to check out “Twilight” and find it is not available, LaRocag said they usually check out another book.
“I think it’s just great that so many teens are getting inspired by reading,” LaRocag said.
Stephanie De Pasquale can be contacted at (563) 333-2639 or sdepasquale@qctimes.com.
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