Oscar Night! Time for... Blank?!

Plus my brother's movie "Nyad" is nominated!!

Tonight is the big night! The red carpet! The paparazzi! Daring dresses. Dashing dudes. Diamonds and divas and more. Everyone will be watching! It’s one of the only things all year that we’ll all watch at the same time. Remember how that used to be a thing!?

So why bring up books? This is about the screen, Zibby. Enough with your literary fanaticism already.

Well, yes, but so many movies are adaptations or inspired by literature this year. Even my brother’s movie, “Nyad,” starring tonight’s nominees Annette Bening and Jodie Foster, is based on Diana Nyad’s life which she chronicled in her memoir. (Signed copies available now at Zibby’s Bookshop. Just saying.)

Listen to Diana Nyad’s conversation with my brother Teddy Schwarzman, Black Bear Pictures, on my podcast today here.

But let’s think about this for two seconds. Not only are books and authors responsible for a lot of the content that morphs into our favorite films particularly this year, but authors are required to provide hours of ancillary entertainment on top of their great work.

Authors can’t just write a book and simply hand it in. They have to “dance” like Cuba Gooding, Jr. in “Jerry Maguire.” (Just rewatched with my son this week. So good.) FYI, Cuba Gooding, Jr. won Best Supporting Actor for this performance.

Let’s take my novel Blank, for example.

For the price of one book, here’s what you get, Johnny!

• 6-8 hours of completely immersive, uninterrupted, brain-to-brain entertainment from reading the book itself — with a lot of laughs.

• Countless (but let’s say 100) additional hours of content through my Instagram feed filled with reels (mini movies!), insider access to the author community, and links to more great books and articles!

• A daily podcast which has provided 54,000 hours of author conversations for your listening pleasure and more to come!

• Weekly essays delivered right to your inbox!

• In-person events around the country!

• All yours for the price of… (hopefully) one book! A steal at $28.99!

By the way, if you liked “American Fiction,” you’ll love Blank!

So as you watch the Oscars and celebrate celebrities tonight, keep your favorite authors in mind. Think about all the value they provide and how buying their books gives you more than just the book! Isn’t that worth the price of, say, an entree?

To encourage you to support my novel — all proceeds of which go right back to supporting the literary community — here’s a challenge for you.

Join Zibby’s Hardcover Hall of Fame!

The Weekly Challenge

The hardcover edition of Blank is so pretty — and if you remove the jacket, you’ll get a delightful surprise. Plus buying a hardcover from a local bookstore helps so much. And it makes both a fabulous gift and a Spring Break indulgence!

Shop from the store links below. Then send me your receipt!

If 50 or more of you purchase a hardcover this week, I’ll add you to the Hall of Fame on my website! Plus I’ll send you Hall-of-Famers something special! And you’ll get the satisfaction of knowing that all proceeds benefit the literary community. So you’ve helped, too!

Finally, think of all those hours of entertainment that you’re getting from me — for free! (Have I guilted you into it yet? Haha.)

Blank is a USA Today bestseller! Let’s keep it going!! Buy a hardcover for $28.99 and SUPPORT A LOCAL BOOKSTORE.

• Zibby’s Bookshop (Santa Monica, CA). Buy signed copies here or signed copies are available in the store.

  • Email info@zibbysbookshop.com with special requests, like 10 hardcovers for your book group. Just a thought.

• Strand Bookstore (New York, NY). Buy here online. Signed copies available at both NYC locations.

• Books Are Magic (Brooklyn, NY): Buy here or signed paperback copies in their Montague location.

• Elm Street Books (New Canaan, CT): Buy here or signed copies available in store.

• Saltwater Bookstore (Marblehead, MA): Buy here or signed copies available in store.

• Barrett Bookstore (Darien, CT): Buy here or signed paperbacks in store.

• Katonah Reading Room (Katonah, NY). Email here or signed copies in store.

• Newtonville Books (Newton, MA): Buy here (a staff pick!!) or signed copies in store.

• The Corner Bookstore (New York, NY): Signed copies in store! Call 212-831-3554.

• Shakespeare & Co (New York, NY): Signed copies in both NYC locations! Buy here or visit the stores.

• The University of Arizona bookstore (Tucson): At the festival today? Pick one up!

• Books & Books (Miami): Buy here online or in store. Event on March 27th (details here)!

• The Book Shop of Beverly Farms (Beverly, MA): Buy here or signed paperbacks in store!

• Beacon Hill Books (Boston, MA): Signed paperbacks in store or email here.

• Belmont Books (Belmont, MA): Signed paperbacks in store or buy here.

• P&T Knitwear (New York, NY): Signed hardcovers in store or buy here.

• Athena Books (Old Greenwich, CT): Signed hardcovers in store or email here.

• Warwick’s (La Jolla, CA): Order here. Event June 24th (here) and 25th (here!).

• BookHampton (East Hampton, NY): Order here. Event July 9th.

• Barnes & Noble (Bridgehampton Commons, NY): Buy here online or paperback copies available in store. Event March 30th at noon (here).

• Finley’s Fiction (Shelter Island, NY): Email here. Event August 9th!

• The Palm Beach Bookstore (Palm Beach, FL): Event March 24th here. Call 561-659-6700.

• Monarch Books & Gifts (Kansas City, MO): Order here and event in June here.

• Brazos Bookstore (Houston, TX): Order here. Event March 19th here.

• Interabang Bookstore (Dallas, TX): Event May 15th. Buy here.

• Diesel Bookstore (Los Angeles, CA): Buy here! Will provide books for Happy Women’s Dinner brunch event in Los Altos here.

• Parnassus Books (Nashville, TN): Order here. Event April 5th here.

• Valley Bookseller (Minneapolis, MN): Order here. Providing books for offsite event on April 11th here.

• Buxton Books (Charleston, SC): Order here. Providing books for Charleston Library Society event on April 26th here.

• Booked (Philadelphia, PA): Order here. Event May 6th.

• Virginia Highland Books (Atlanta, GA): Buy here. Event April 26th here.

• Tattered Cover (Denver, CO): Order here. Event on May 19th here.

• Madison Street Books (Chicago, IL): Order here. Event on May 20th here.

• The Bookshelf Irvington (Irvington, VA): Buy here. Event on June 27th here.

• Book People (Richmond, VA): Order here. Providing books to private event.

• Morgenstern Books (Bloomington, IN): Order here. Event June 28th.

• Bank Square Books (Mystic, CT): Order here. Providing books to Ocean House, Watch Hill event July 15th here.

• Mitchell’s Book Corner (Nantucket, MA): Order here. Events August 19th and 20th.

  (If you’re a bookseller and sell my book, let me know so I can promote you!!)

Now, really. Who do we think will win Best Picture?!!? Enjoy the show — and good luck to “Nyad.”