The Best Gift Books

All through December, we were recommending and selling (and buying) books that people would be receiving as gifts. The gift givers were all pleased with their choices, and we had fun wrapping many gifts while imagining the delight with which they would be opened and read.

Now, the question is: What books were you given that you are excited to read (or have already read and loved)?

Here's my answer: All of them! I was given two Mark Bittman cookbooks--How to Cook Everything and Kitchen Express--which I've dipped into already and look forward to using often, and two wished-for books for the baby's growing library--The Christmas Magic and Waiting for Winter.

However, the best book, simply because it was just the novel I needed to immerse myself in the day after Christmas, was Hunting and Gathering, by Anna Gavalda. This book has been recommended to me several times by a bookseller friend of mine and also by a customer. I'd been thinking of giving to myself for Christmas but before I could do so, a wonderful friend gave me a copy, without even knowing that I'd wanted it! It's absolutely wonderful writing, an engaging story about four outsiders living in Paris who find each other and form a family. I actually haven't finished the book yet, but only because I don't really want to--I want to keep reading about these people and their lives.

I hope you're all enjoying some good books, and would love to hear about them!

Happy Reading, and Happy New Year ~

Sandy

A list to end all lists

(via Powell's)

Wow. You know how, come December, there are all of those lists of "Best of the Year"? Well, blogger Largehearted Boy is compiling a list of links to all of the Best Books of 2010 lists available on line. And it is a looooong list. However, if you have some time to kill and are wondering which books you might have missed over the past 11-12 months, or find out if you agree with the critics, do take a look.

I'm pretty sure these are on that list, but I had to point it out, because it's a pretty fun idea: the literary mix tape. GalleyCat has assembled "mixes" of books that you can read excerpts from--Best YA Books of 2010, Best Novels of 2010, and Best eBooks of 2010.

And, although it is not technically a "best of" list, I would also recommend a browse through our own Staff Gift Picks list! (Scroll past our everyday Staff Favorites for the special Holiday list.)

Happy Reading!

22nd Anniversary Celebration and Sirius Reader Sale

We're celebrating our 22nd anniversary this year, and will be hosting our annual Sirius Reader Party & Sale to celebrate and thank our wonderful customers for supporting this locally owned and independent bookstore. 

Saturday, December 4
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

• 20 - 50% off select books


• 10% off pre-paid special orders


• Planet Shari Sample Sale


• Refreshments and door prizes!


• Cookbook signing and recipe tasting (read more below)

Vermont cookbook authors Andrea Chesman (Recipes from the Root Cellar) and Tracey Madeiros (Dishing Up Vermont) will be at The Galaxy Bookshop during our Sirius Reader Party on Saturday, December 4, from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. to sign copies of their cookbooks. There will also be samples of recipes from each book, cooked up by your very own Galaxy Bookshop staff, to taste.
Recipes from the Root Cellar will be a boon to anyone using up their stores of winter vegetables through the long season--Chesman offers 250 menu-saving recipes that feature everything from kale to rutabagas.
Dishing Up Vermont brings a wealth of recipes--many from the kitchens of chefs and farmers around Vermont--that put a spotlight on our state's produce, meats, and artisanal foods.
Autographed copies of these books will make wonderful gifts for any home cook on your holiday list!

Read-a-Thon Wrap-up, 2010

I believe this year's Read-a-Thon fundraiser for Hardwick Head Start and Early Head Start can be declared a success! We had 19 students--from junior high through college--sign up, collect pledges, and spend all (or at least most) of the night reading. We also had a great showing of support from other community members, including parents, librarians, Head Start faculty, and other friends who helped publicize the event, donated food and beverages, and came to spend the night, helping to keep the whole thing running smoothly. I also need to mention my gratitude to the Grand Union and Hardwick House of Pizza for their donations--the support of our fellow businesses in town means a great deal, and allows us to continue to host this special fundraiser.

While most of the night was spent reading, along with some sleeping (there's no shame in taking a nap!), there were also chances to rest the eyes to eat pizza, play Literary Jeopardy, join children's librarian Susan O'Connell on a midnight run to the Jeudevine Library, and play a spirited game or two of Bananagrams. Even with such distractions, a lot of reading took place, with books from The BFG to Twilight to Sometimes a Great Notion keeping readers engrossed in literature through the wee hours of the morning. It's always a joy for a bookseller and a book lover to see others excited about reading, especially young readers, who are often cited as losing interest in books by various polls and studies. If I could share one moment with you: imagine between 35 and 40 people of all ages,  sitting or lying in various spots around the bookstore, completely silent except for the soft shuffle of turning pages.

Those people were here because they share a love of books, and they are passing that on through the donations they raised for the Head Start students. The money raised by every Read-a-Thon goes in some way to support literacy, whether it's comfortable seating in the Head Start reading area, books for the program's library, a listening center to allow children to listen to audio books, or gift certificates for the Head Start families to buy books to keep and read at home. Thank you to everyone who participated and everyone who made a donation to share the gift of reading with a new generation of readers.

There's Going to Be a Baby--and a picture book giveaway!

John Burningham and Helen Oxenbury are beloved British children's book authors and illustrators who happen to be married. Over the course of their marriage, however, they have never collaborated on a book--until now. There's Going to Be a Baby, which Burningham wrote and Oxenbury illustrated, is a narrative of the wait for a new baby to be born. A mother and son carry on a conversation over the months before his new brother or sister arrives, as both wonder what the baby might be like. Will it be a chef? A banker? Will it make messes on the rug? Imagining all sorts of scenarios, the little boy wonders if he might not want a new baby after all. When the time comes to see the baby for the first time, though, he is full of excitement and curiosity. The old-fashioned color palette and funny illustrations of the baby performing in various imagined careers make this a special book to share with all expectant families.

Now, it just so happens that there IS going to be a baby at The Galaxy Bookshop! For those of you who haven't heard yet, Sandy is expecting a baby in March. After taking some time off to spend at home, she plans to be back with baby in tow.

In honor of this announcement (and thanks to Candlewick Publishers--one of our favorite children's publishers) we have a copy  of There's Going to Be a Baby to give away! To enter to win, leave a comment on this post--we'll choose a winner at random next Friday, November 5.

Read a Q&A with Burningham and Oxenbury.

2010 Read-a-Thon!

A night of reading, among readers--it's time again for Read-a-Thon!
In its first year, The Galaxy Bookshop's Read-a-Thon raised over $800 for Hardwick Head Start and Early Head Start. Last year, we doubled that figure and brought in $1,660--money that went towards supplying books to students in the early education programs.

[caption id="attachment_993" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Readers get comfortable and settle in with some good books for the night."][/caption]

This year's Read-a-Thon is an overnight event, running from 5 p.m. on Friday, November 5 through 8 a.m. on Saturday, November 6. Participants spend the night at The Galaxy Bookshop, where they will have hours to read, plus have the option to participate in a variety of book related activities.

Not sure what Read-a-Thon is all about? Just like any fundraising marathon, Read-a-Thon participants sign up in advance to receive a form for collecting pledges that will go to Hardwick Head Start and Early Head Start. Donors can choose to sponsor a reader by the hour, by the page, or with a set donation.

We are looking for participants and for volunteers to assist with setup, food donation, overnight supervision, activities, and cleanup.
Click on the links below to download forms to register as a participant or to be a volunteer.

Forms are due back at The Galaxy Bookshop Friday, October 29.

2010 Registration Packet


2010 Volunteer form

Books, books everywhere, and not a minute to read--the NEIBA trade show (part 2)

(Sorry for the delay on this post. I was held up by the fact that I kept forgetting to upload the remainder of my photos from my camera. ~S)

So, there were lots of great learning opportunities at NEIBA, but there was also plenty of social time, which is often just as important. You might think that all of these bookstores would be in competition with one another, but we often think of one another as collaborators. Trade shows and conferences allow us to put our heads together to share ideas--what's worked, what hasn't--and work out solutions to problems that face all of us, whether it's staffing, inventory management, or understanding new technologies. For example, one idea that I brought back from this show was to host a reception for some of the local authors we haven't been able to schedule for readings during the summer. (That will be happening November 16--stay tuned for details!)

 

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="213" caption="Our friend Hiata, from Bridgeside Books in Waterbury, shows off some of her swag."][/caption]

 

Of course, one of the big draws of any trade show are the freebies, right? There are two types of booksellers at these shows: the ones who admit up front that they're going to pick up too many books, and the ones who claim they're going to show some restraint, then take home a lot more books than they were planning, even knowing that there are stacks of ARCs already waiting back at the store. (I'm in the latter category.)

It starts at the lunches, dinners, and breakfasts, where the featured author's books are given away to attendees. It continues at the author reception, which this year featured 16 New England authors, including our own Rowan Jacobsen. Long lines formed as booksellers awaited a chance to talk to some of their favorite authors and get autographed books. The reception took place on the trade show floor, so booksellers were able to take a peek at publisher displays before the official opening of the show.

After the reception, Linda headed off for a bicycling adventure, and I made plans for dinner with Claire and Jane from Bear Pond Books, Barb from White Birch Books, and Hiata from Bridgeside Books. We had an absolutely delicious meal at Red Stripe, then walked next door to Books on the Square, where the staff was hosting a reception for all of the NEIBA booksellers. For most booksellers, a visit to another bookstore is irresistible, even on vacation. It's a treat to see familiar books in a new setting, discover new books, and geekily "ooh and ahh" over things like signage and display racks.

The next day was Trade Show day, which meant dropping off orders with various sales reps, more socializing, and the inevitable gathering of many pounds of books--I can tell you that trade shows are a real work out. I would guess I walked out of there with at least fifteen pounds of books hanging from each shoulder, and that's a relatively modest amount.

 

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="384" caption="One bookseller organizes her book collection before going to pick up more."][/caption]

 

 

The NEIBA show is pretty manageable and, in my opinion, more enjoyable than BEA (Book Expo America, the national show), which can be a sensory overload. Still, even at the smaller show, there is a lot to take in. Publishers know this and try to lure tired booksellers in with everything from lollipops to homemade cookies. Of course, they also have plenty of bookish bait, as well. Racks and stacks of books of all kinds are on every side. One of my favorite tables was Random House, where they had a "staff picks" section, just like you might find at the bookstore. Each book had a handwritten recommendation from one of the reps or publicists to let you know why you would love it. It's a nice personal touch that helped showcase their books. I received plenty of great recommendations from reps at other publishers, too. I'm currently enjoying Cecil Castellucci's new YA novel, Rose Sees Red, which Nikki at Scholastic raved about (Cecil was at the show to sign bookplates--it would have been books, but the shipment was waylaid--and I got to meet her and tell her how much I've loved her books); and I'm looking forward to reading Tom Franklin's Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter (an IndieBound pick this month), and Scarlett Thomas's Our Tragic Universe among many other intriguing titles stacked next to my night stand.

Finally, it was time to head back to Vermont with Hiata, who had generously offered to drive to and from Providence. The valets at our hotel were fairly kind in not giving us a hard time over the 15 bags (mostly books) they helped us load into the car.

For some other perspectives on NEIBA, check out Publisher's Weekly, Shelf Talker, Shelf Awareness, and Boston Bibliophile.

Where Were Linda and Sandy? A look at the NEIBA trade show (Part 1)

Last week, Linda and I traveled to Providence, RI, to attend the New England Independent Booksellers Association (NEIBA) trade show. I've been to a few of these shows, while Linda has seen about 20 or so during her life as a bookseller. This is the regional trade show--as opposed to Book Expo America (BEA), which is the national trade show that takes place in late May--tailored to bookstores across New England. Though there are certainly larger urban bookstores among us, many of us share similar experiences as small stores in rural areas. At the trade show, we get together to discuss challenges and successes; exchange ideas for merchandising, marketing, and events; and most of all, to talk about books.

Like many conferences, NEIBA is a place where you find yourself among your People, the ones who get excited about the same things that you do, who really get you, and give you permission to embrace your inner nerd. Our favorite authors and illustrators get to feel like rock stars as we gush over their work and ask for autographs. (My favorite souvenir of the weekend: City Dog, Country Frog, personally signed by Jon Muth!)

The three day event started out with the New England Booksellers Awards Luncheon, to honor the winners of said awards. These authors and their books were chosen democratically, with NEIBA members sending in nominations, then voting on the top choices in each category.

Gail Caldwell, whose memoir Let's Take the Long Way Home has received national attention, was awarded the prize for non-fiction. She spoke movingly about the opportunity that writing this book gave her to spend two years with the friend she'd lost.



The children's award winner was the aforementioned City Dog, Country Frog, written by Mo Willems and illustrated by Jon Muth. Since Willems wasn't able to attend, Muth accepted for both of them, as well as for Willems' dog Nelson, who had prepared a very funny acceptance speech for the occasion.

Finally, Lily King accepted the award for fiction, given to her novel Father of the Rain. She spoke of her passion for writing--spurred at an early age by a Judy Blume book her mother bought for her--and gave encouragement to any aspiring writer, saying that she wrote her novel at an average of two pages a day, and that is something that anyone can accomplish. She also shared some funny stories from her days as a bookseller, which were greatly appreciated by this crowd. (Example: "Do you have War and Peace by Tolstoy?" "No, I'm sorry, we're out." "Oh. Do you have it by anyone else?")

Our trade organizations, NEIBA and the American Bookseller's Association (ABA) both work year round to put together great educational sessions for trade shows and other events. This year, I attended panel discussions on Large Scale Events (though I may never organize an event that draws over 500 people, there were still great tips on communicating with publicists and putting together event proposals), We Love Our Reps! (more tips on effective communication, this time with your sales reps, and on how to use the online catalogs that more publishers are beginning to use), More Than a Bookstore (how to branch out your business, whether through digital media or by adding new products and services), and a presentation on Google Editions (the e-book format that we hope will be available to our customers through galaxybookshop.com before Christmas!) As always, I got more information out of some sessions than others, but the discussions generated during and after each were valuable.

To Be Continued...

Next post: More awards, more authors, more booksellers, and the Actual Trade Show.

"A Sense of Place": Second Annual Wallace Stegner Weekend at Highland Lodge

[EVENT CANCELLED]

The Galaxy Bookshop is pleased to be a part of the Highland Lodge's Second Annual Wallace Stegner Weekend, coming up September 24-26.

[EVENT CANCELLED]

Please Note: Registration deadline for this event is SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19. The Highland Lodge needs a minimum of 20 registrants for "all meals and events" in order to cover the costs of hosting this special weekend event. Currently, registration has not reached that number, but we hope to receive enough of a response over the next few days that we will be able to carry on with the event as planned.

Please call Anne Hanson at 802-533-2647 to register!

With speakers, discussions and events, the Highland Lodge in Greensboro, Vermont will host its second annual literary weekend inspired by the life and writings of former Greensboro resident, Wallace Stegner, from Friday, September 24 through Sunday, September 26. Distinguished guest speakers include Natalie Kinsey Warnock, author  of multiple children’s and young adult books including the Vermont Humanities Council 2006 “Vermont Reads” selection  As Long As There Are Mountains; Leland Kinsey, Northeast Kingdom poet  whose poems have been featured on Garrison Keillor’s  The Writer’s Almanac; Charlie Morrissey, author, editor,  oral history expert and former director of the Vermont Historical Society; and Jay Craven, acclaimed filmmaker, film professor, screen writer and founder of Catamount Arts and co-founder of Kingdom County Productions. Though the durable power of his writing won Stegner the Pulitzer Prize in 1972, his genius in crafting compelling characters and stories of place won him a dedicated audience. “Sense of Place” is a theme that links this great American Artist with the artists invited to present at the Highland Lodge weekend. All are rooted in and inspired by the place of the Northeast Kingdom.

For information on the weekend visit www.highlandlodge.com, or contact Anne at the Highland Lodge at 802-533-2647.

Full Schedule

Speaker Bios

Farewell, Summer Visitors

Now that school is back in session in Vermont and kids in many other states will be going back next week, it's really the end of the summer season here at the bookstore. This is not to say that we're throwing in the towel on summer--there's still a lot of nice weather ahead, plus the calendar says we've got until September 23 to revel in the last few weeks of the season!

Still, it's the end of one of the busiest times of the year for us. Each year, it's a treat to welcome back the summer "regulars." Some of them are here all summer, and we see them several times before they head south again. Others are here for a shorter time but make sure to stop at the bookstore at least once while they're in town. It's fun to catch up with all of them, exchange book recommendations, and send them off with a good vacation read.

[caption id="attachment_933" align="aligncenter" width="460" caption="This photo was taken and sent by a lovely gentleman from Canada who stops at the bookstore each summer when he and his family go to New Brunswick for vacation. Just one of our many wonderful summer visitors!"][/caption]

Of course, we also love welcoming new visitors, and this year we've had quite a few--some were checking us out for the first time after seeing the profile of the bookstore on WCAX, others were visiting Hardwick to find out more about this little town they'd been reading about in magazine articles and in Ben Hewitt's book on our local agricultural economy. Still others were simply traveling through and happy to find a bookstore to browse. It was a lot of fun to talk to these travelers about our community and the positive steps that people are taking to give Hardwick a brighter future.

Now, when I reach the end of a season, I'm always curious to find out what our bestsellers have been. You get a general idea, selling books day after day, but there can still be some surprises. For example, this summer, my personal pick Little Bee actually came out ahead of Steig Larsen's "Girl Who..." books! Here's The Galaxy Bookshop's Top Ten Summer Bestseller List:

1. The Town That Food Saved: No surprise here--the book about Hardwick is the number one bestseller here in Hardwick!

2. Eaarth: Bill McKibben's visit to the bookstore, along with his many supporters in the area, helped push his latest book to the top of the list.

3. Mockingjay (Book 3 of The Hunger Games): The eagerly anticipated conclusion to Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy needed only a week to become one of the summer's hottest books.

4. Little Bee: As mentioned above, this was my favorite book of the summer, and I'm excited to see it here on the list!

5. If the Church Were Christian: This provocative title was read and discussed by a book group at the Greensboro United Church.

6. The Girl Who Played with Fire: Fans of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo were excited to dive into the sequel, out in paperback.

7. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: There are still a lot of readers discovering Steig Larsen's books for the first time; I expect this will be on bestseller lists for a while, yet.

8. From Dawn Till Dusk: One of our all-time favorite Vermont picture books, from Natalie Kinsey-Warnock. The story of a year on a Vermont farm, accompanied by Mary Azarian's beautiful illustrations, is a perfect gift to take home to grandkids, nieces, and nephews as a souvenir of a trip to the Northeast Kingdom.

9. Imperfect Endings: Another book supported by an author visit, Zoe Fitzgerald Carter's memoir of her mother's decision to die and of her own struggle for acceptance is an intimate and honest look at the end of life choices we all, eventually, must face.

10. Cutting for Stone: A bestseller in hardcover, Abraham Verghese's epic novel of two brothers, spanning decades and continents, received an extra boost in paperback.

Literary Funnies

I'll admit I've always been the type to go first for the comics section of the Sunday paper. When those strips start getting a little stale, though, there is a vast universe of webcomics to explore. With the ease and affordability of publishing anything online, many artists have gained cult followings for their serialized comics online, whether they are three or four panel "funny page" style, illustrated blog-like chronicles of day to day life, or superhero adventure stories. Some have found their way into print, thanks to their large online fanbases.

My current favorites are the webcomics with a literary bent. Probably the best one out there is Hark! A Vagrant, by Kate Beaton. This Canadian artist takes historical and literary figures and infuses them with her own wry brand of humor. I love her Holmes and Watson stories, which poke fun at the ways in which those characters have been retooled for pop culture over the years. She's also done some great strips on the Brontes and Canadian literature, among many others. Check out her archives to catch up--it's all good.

Among the librarian and bookseller set, Unshelved is probably the most widely read webcomic (and it also has a great line of merchandise! I happen to be quite fond of my own "Will Work for Books" tee...) In addition to their funny observations about library patrons and administrators, the Unshelved crew offers great reviews of all sorts of books, from graphic novels to political biographies.

A fairly recent addition to the literary webcomic genre is Lit Brick, which is an interesting exercise in getting creator John Troutman through the Norton Anthology of English Literature. As it turns out, there are a lot of naughty bits in Old English lit--or, at least, Troutman is good at highlighting those points. This comic is often NSFW, but also fairly entertaining. If your curiosity is piqued, I suggest you start at the beginning.

Comically Vintage does not feature original work, but instead is a collection of panels, taken out of context from vintage comic books. From gender politics to Yankee pride, every day brings a slew of unintentionally hilarious comic excerpts that probably won't make you long for the "good old days."

For just a bit more silliness, enjoy Winnie the Pooh goes Hulk (via Fuse #8) and the search engine you've been waiting for--find any Calvin and Hobbes strip ever published (via Bookshelves of Doom).

Book review round-up

As I mentioned last post, I have been reading some excellent books recently, and today I've got a blurb for each.



I'll start with Little Bee, by Chris Cleave, which is likely to be my favorite book of the summer, if not the year. Little Bee isn't brand new--it was first published in the States last year--but it took me a while to get to it. I am so glad I finally did. Cleave's writing is simply brilliant, and Little Bee is a heartbreaking and beautiful character. Little Bee is a 16 year old Nigerian refugee whose escape to the UK awarded her a two year stay in a detention center. She speaks to the reader as if over a cup of tea, with candor and with patience for all that you do not understand about the world. Her story is one that you will not soon forget.

Having struggled through The City & the City last year, only to realize as I closed the book that I really liked it, I was excited to read China Mieville's new novel, Kraken. This is a novel for fantasy readers, certainly. Reminiscent of books like Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, our Everyman in this story is Billy Harrow, a curator at the London Museum of Natural History. The museum has recently acquired an enormous giant squid specimen that has been getting a great deal of attention from the public. When the squid mysteriously vanishes--tank and all--Billy is sucked into a strange layer of London life that encompasses cults of all descriptions (including, naturally, a group of squid worshipers), gods, monsters, angels, an evil tattoo, and two especially horrifying assassins. It's a chaotic ride, but a fun one, full of literary references and Mieville's playful use of language.

I found The Tale of Halcyon Crane, by Wendy Webb, to be a perfectly delicious ghost story with a splash of romance. Halcyon lost her mother in a fire when she was young but had a perfectly happy childhood with her loving father. It comes as a shock to receive a letter informing her that her estranged mother died a few weeks ago. Hallie's grief and confusion are compounded when her father passes away soon after. Determined to unearth the mystery of her own past, Hallie travels to the island where her mother had been living and where--though she has no memory of it--she spent her earliest years. Just creepy enough for a few shivers without being the stuff of nightmares, The Tale of Halcyon Crane is  a light, cool breeze of a book, perfect for summer reading.

Currently, I'm in the middle of two books by authors on our summer schedule: Imperfect Endings, by Zoe Carter, and The Unwanted Sound of Everything We Want, by Garret Keizer. Carter's book is an honest and intimate memoir of her mother's decision to end her life after a long struggle with Parkinson's Disease. Keizer writes about the history of noise and its often overlooked consequences. While very different in style and subject, both books are excellently written and captivating.

To wrap up, a teaser for three books that will be published in the coming months. Dennis Lehane fans will be thrilled to learn that he is bringing back Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro for his new mystery, Moonlight Mile (November). Revisiting the case that tore them apart twelve years before, Kenzie and Gennaro's investigations put their lives and the life of the girl they're searching for in grave danger. Though I felt this was missing some of the grittiness of previous books in the series, it's good to be back on the case with these two Boston detectives.

I was privileged to have dinner with Joyce Hinnefeld a couple of years ago, when her novel In Hovering Flight was published. She is a lovely woman, and I was delighted to receive an advance copy of her new book, Stranger Here Below (October). In it, Hinnefeld introduces three generations of women, their individual strengths and fragility, and explores the sometimes tenuous bonds of friendship. This is an excellent book to share among sisters, mothers, daughters, and friends.

Finally, one for the YA crowd (though I highly recommend these books for adults, as well.) The Chaos Walking trilogy is the series I most expect and hope will get a big boost from the end of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy (the final installment, Mockingjay, arrives August 24). It shares some similar elements--a corrupted world, far removed from our own, in which two teenagers may be the last hope for humanity's redemption--but is completely original in its characters and style. Beginning with The Knife of Never Letting Go, the reader journeys with Todd and Viola in search of hope. Todd was born on the planet called "New World," and has grown up in a village where men's (and animals') thoughts are always "heard" by everyone around them and all of the women died long ago. Viola is a newcomer to the planet, ejected from a scout ship that preceded a larger ship bringing a new group of colonists to New World. Together, they are pitted against the cruel Mayor, who has plans to conquer New World and reshape society to his own wishes. You will quickly find yourself caring deeply about the characters that Patrick Ness has created and his pacing will put you on the edge of your seat as they battle against the Mayor as well as with their changing understanding of themselves and their world. The final installment, Monsters of Men, will be on shelves at the end of September, which means that if you haven't had a chance to check out this series yet, you'll be able to race through the books back to back, all the way to the thrilling conclusion.

Served with a twist of lemon

After a couple of long, hot weeks, my brain feels something like butterscotch pudding, so even though I've read a number of wonderful books I'd like to review, I don't see that happening today. Instead, here are some tidbits from the wonderful world of books.

NPR invites you to vote for the most thrilling books of all time. The Top 100 list will be announced August 2.

Also from Shelf Awareness, my friend Michele Filgate received high praise from Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Harding, who called her "one of the patron saints of  the book world." I would wholeheartedly agree with him, and am renewing my vow to visit RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth, where (St.) Michele organizes a fantastic roster of events year-round.

One way some publishers are competing with growing e-book sales is to create books that can't possibly be replicated in a digital format. These "luxury editions" might come with, say, a piece of moon rock or a bit of the blood of your favorite cricket start. (Um, ew?!) Most of us may never have the kind of money that would allow us to own a $15,000 biography of Muhammad Ali (comes with four autographed photos and a Jeff Koons sculpture), but it's a fun bit of "book porn" to ogle.

Booksellers reminisce about their first "summer book" memories.

And while you're reading that nice, fat novel--whether you're on the beach or in a lawn chair--wouldn't a tall, cool glass of lemonade be nice to have at hand? I found a great, simple, recipe at Our Best Bites that I've been making a lot this summer. Of course, I can't ever follow recipes to the letter, so I use about half of the sugar, and instead of simmering it in water to dissolve, I pour a cup or so of warm-to-hot tap water in my container, stir in the sugar till dissolved, then add the rest of the ingredients; prepare a glass with ice, and enjoy!

Look! We're on TV!

It's Thursday morning, and as I type, Kristin Carlson of WCAX News is interviewing Linda for a three-part series about independently owned businesses in Vermont. Linda's talking about how she opened the store, the store's role in our community, and the impact of the economic recession on our business.

They've asked me to stand at the counter, in the background, so that there's "something going on," which means that even though I'm not in the camera's focus, I'm feeling a lot of pressure here to provide adequate and appropriate background action. Typing a blog seemed like it would keep me busy without looking like I'm trying to hard. Oh, the pressure!

Whew - interview's over, so now it's just a matter of Joe, the camera man, walking around the store to get some B-roll footage. It sounds, so far, like it's going to be a great segment!

The piece they just filmed, along with two others on locally owned businesses--Capitol Stationers and Franklin Telephone Company--will air next week, one per night, beginning Tuesday on the six o'clock news.

ONE noisy book, ONE spotted book, TWO counting books

My 7 month old niece is visiting from Virginia this weekend, and of course I have to bring her a book when I see her. Also of course, I left the shopping till last minute, so I've been doing a bit of my own browsing in between helping customers. There are so many wonderful books, but today, I'm leaning toward counting books.

A few days ago, we got in a fantastic little board book called Ten Black Dots. In the context of counting dots, the book explores the multitude of things you might create or imagine from those simple black circles.  One black dot could be a sun or it could be a moon. Four dots could become seeds or radio dials. With seven dots, you could have a spotted snake or some stones. The illustrations are simple but colorful and I love the playfulness of the dots being rearranged into different scenarios.

The Noisy Counting Book is just as playful and a lot more raucous--this is a great read-aloud. One boy, fishing in a pond, finds his nice quiet day becoming less so as a frog and some ducks and fish and, finally, six buzzing mosquitoes each add their noises to the chorus. I think that readers and listeners will have a lot of fun repeating the animal sounds, ending each time with the big frog's "GA-DUNK!"

There are...well, I was going to say "countless," but that seems inappropriate to the subject, so instead I'll say...numerous books about counting, some better than others. These two absolutely fall on the "better" side and are worthy additions to any beginning counter's library.

Elementary reading

The Onion's AV Club is one of my favorite pop culture blogs, for it's well-balanced mix of high- and low-brow pursuits and snark and sincerity. One of their many entertaining columns is "Gateways to Geekery," which presents a subject with high geek cult status that may seem intimidating to outsiders (for example, noir films), then offers suggestions on the best way for a beginner to test the waters. This week's Gateway to Geekery introduces Sherlock Holmes, an old favorite of mine. Not having read much beyond the original stories, I enjoyed the discussion of Holmesian "fan-fic" and was reminded that I still have to read A Study in Emerald, by another favorite author, Neil Gaiman.

As with any mention of Sherlock Holmes,  this column made me think of my grandmother. I owe a lot of my literary tastes to her--it was her gift of a collection of O. Henry's short stories and another of Oscar Wilde's that introduced me to both of those wonderful writers. We shared a love of the Bronte sisters' writing; she even gave me a copy of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by the oft-forgotten Anne. And one Christmas, I received a thick hardcover copy of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. While I'll never share her fondness for whodunits, I am so very glad that Grandma shared Sir Conan Doyle with me. I devoured the stories, from "The Adventure of the Red-Headed League" to "The Hound of the Baskervilles." I was astounded and thrilled and terrified and amazed along with Dr. Watson as Sherlock Holmes investigated and cracked each case.

Unlike some unworn sweaters and outgrown toys that are long gone, I have kept every one of the books my grandmother gave me over the years. I treasure them for the stories written inside and for the memories they hold for me of my Grandma.

Are there books that you associate with people or events in your life? If you have a story you'd like to share, please do in the comments.

Bill McKibben Wrap-up

First of all, many thanks to everyone (somewhere around 100 of you!) who turned out for Bill McKibben's talk last Thursday night. Also, a very special thanks to Bill for taking the time to visit us here in Hardwick. His message in person as well as in his book Eaarth, though full of hard--even difficult to face--truths, also offered a great deal of inspiration. Much of this inspiration comes from Bill's own passion and energy for the cause of saving our planet and ourselves from our own excesses. It is too late, he says, to imagine that we might stop global warming, as it's already well begun. What we can do is work, very hard, as hard as we can, to keep the trend from going beyond a point "any worse than it has to." Bill's realistic optimism gives an additional strength to his words, and in his realistic view of the situation, the most important work to be done is political. To that end, he encouraged all of us to talk to our politicians about the importance of making large, lasting changes to our environmental policies.

One way to do this is by getting involved with Bill's own brainchild, 350.org. Last year, the group organized what CNN called "the most widespread day of political action in the planet's history," which included more than 5200 gatherings in 181 countries. This year, the non-profit group is planning a Global Work Party on October 10 (10-10-10, easy to remember!), with an open invitation for any and every community to join them by pledging to engage in  a clean energy project that day.  It's a small thing to ask, and an event that will have far-reaching consequences. Let's hope that world leaders will take notice and then take action to pass the legislation needed to curb our carbon emissions and begin healing our planet.

One further note on this event: Linda and I, as we often do, got too caught up in setting up for the event to remember to take out a camera and take pictures. If there is anyone who would be interested in volunteering to be a photographer for our events, even a few of them, please let us know! You don't need to be a professional, and you don't even have to bring your own camera--all we're looking for is someone willing to take a few snapshots to record the memories.

This Just In: New Kids' Items!

Summer's coming, and with that in mind, we're getting in lots of new items for the store. Just this week, we've gotten in some shipments from Rich Frog (a Vermont-based toy company) and Peaceable Kingdom. I've had so much fun setting up new displays that I wanted to show you a little of what to look for next time you're here.

From stickers to flashlights (and books, of course, always books) there are lots of great little items here to keep kids busy over summer vacation. We have sticker sets that glitter and glow in the dark and kits that include entire scenes where the reusable stickers can be placed and repositioned to create as many stories as your imagination allows.

I love the Rich Frog wind-up toys. Rich Frog excels at simple and cute designs for their creatures--we've got dinosaurs, bees, frogs, sea turtles, and inchworms, each with their own special "personality": the dinosaurs walk, the frogs do somersaults, and the bees hop. It might not be scientifically accurate, but it's quite entertaining.

At left, see evidence of the inchworm's powers of entertainment.

Rich Frog also has some great little flashlights, which could be just as muchfun for adults as kids, decorated with designs like penguins, aliens, butterflies, and turtles. Each package includes some information about the pictured creature, so it's educational as well as fun! I particularly like the "anti-monster" flashlight, because who doesn't need one of those?

Not pictured, but we've also gotten a variety of eye-popping 3-D bookmarks, good for all ages, and a great selection of birthday cards for kids. AND, due to popular demand, we've finally gotten some cards to celebrate new babies.

One more thing, before the end: we know that summer isn't officially here until graduation season is over, and if you're looking for a special gift, we have some great suggestions for you--take a look at the table by the door for a quick browse or ask us for a more personalized recommendation!

Get Lost in a good book

As a fan of the tv drama Lost, I'd like to pay my small homage to the show that has entertained, mystified, frustrated, and amazed me and millions of other viewers over the past six years. In my mind, one of the best things that Lost brought to television was its writers' love of literature.  References to books popped up in nearly every episode, whether in a character's name, like Henry Gale (not to mention the plethora of philosopher's names that were used in the series); or the use of a book title as an episode title, such as 'A Tale of Two Cities;'  or a shot of a book cover, whether being read by a character or sitting on a shelf. It was a great way for the writers to both work in some of their own favorite stories and give fans a little extracurricular work to do--many 'Losties' read the books referenced in the show to try to develop theories about what was happening and why and where the show was headed.

So, in honor of perhaps the most literary-minded show on network television, here are a few links to suggested Lost reading.

The LA Times talks to the show's creators about some of the most influential books of the series.

Squidoo offers a fun selection of reading lists, from Sawyer's wide array of titles to the Others' book club picks.

TV Guide's choices for the 13 books that most influenced the series.

Dark UFO is a Lost blog with a whole section dedicated to chronicling books on the show.

Of course, for a full bibliography (and more information about a tv show than you thought could exist outside of the world of Star Trek) visit Lostpedia.

And just for fun--because it really doesn't have anything to do with books--Lost, as depicted in cakes.

This Summer's Big Read: The Passage (and a give-away!)

Now, when I say "big read," I'm not just using that term metaphorically. This is a BIG book--784 pages. And it's a big story--the end of the world as we know it, and what happens next. It's been getting buzz since the ARCs (advance reader copies) began to circulate among booksellers sometime last fall. If those of us who've had a chance to read it already have our way, Justin Cronin's The Passage is going to be the bestseller of the summer.

I'd read Cronin's novel The Summer Guest a few years ago -- a quiet story about the complicated love of family, set at a summer camp on a lake in the woods. Though many of the details escape me at the moment, I still remember the enjoyment of reading the book, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a well-written novel with a good story and good characters. When I heard about this new vampire novel coming out in the summer, I didn't even connect the Justin Cronin of The Summer Guest with this Justin Cronin.

Until I realized that they were one in the same person, I hadn't actually planned on reading The Passage, despite the reviews, because I didn't feel compelled to read a book about a vampire apocalypse. No doubt, some of you reading this may feel the same, and I'm not going to say it's for everyone. But. The same novelist who wrote a lovely story about a family at a camp has taken his writing talent and skillfully applied it to a new genre--and what a book he's written.

Cronin has been quoted as saying that he wrote The Passage in response to his daughter's request that he write a story about a girl who saves the world. That girl is Amy, an orphaned child kidnapped by FBI agents as the final test subject for a virus that is being studied in a top-secret bunker--a virus that has the potential to cure disease and lengthen life indefinitely. I'm sure you can guess how that will turn out.  The virus turns people into monsters with a bottomless hunger for blood. These are not your sparkly vampires, or your hypnotic-eyed caped counts; these are creatures that embody fear and violent, horrible death. The virus spreads through blood, which means that those victims who are not killed join the ranks of the "virals," as they are called. Their strength, speed, and numbers quickly overrun the country, leaving a veritable wasteland in its place.

The one chance of salvation lies in Amy, who is rescued by one of the same agents who kidnapped her, from the facility where she is being held. Her response to the virus is not the same as that of the infected adults--though she develops an aversion to sunlight and seems to sense the thoughts and movements of the virals, she is not one of them. In that fact lies a glimmer of hope that the human race may still be saved.

This book is bound to be compared to The Stand, and Stephen King's high praise, printed large on the back cover, will enforce that comparison: "Every so often a novel-reader’s novel comes along: an enthralling, entertaining story wedded to simple, supple prose, both informed by tremendous imagination."

While The Passage has all of the elements of your typical apocalyptic story (our government makes a hubristic attempt to harness an unknown element that ends up destroying life as we know it, etc.) I promise you that the care with which this story and its characters have been crafted elevate it from the ranks of run-of-the-mill, direct-to-mass-market* territory.

Just one more note (some might view it as a MILD SPOILER, but I was glad to have the information in advance) - there is a cliffhanger ending. I'm anticipating the sequel already!

Intrigued? Here's your chance to win my dog-eared ARC, before the book is available in stores:

Leave a comment here, between today and Tuesday, May 18 . We'll choose a winner at random from the comments.

Or, if you don't want to take a chance with luck, Pre-order your copy today! (Available June 8)

For more about The Passage:

Justin Cronin's website

Find Subject Zero

*In case you're not familiar with the term, mass market is the small, fat type of paperback often associated with romances and thrillers found in the supermarket. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Great moments in bookselling

There are a lot of reasons to love working in a bookstore--a bookseller is liable to wax poetic, and might even get misty-eyed, enumerating the reasons she loves her job.  "Making a lot of money" is never one of them, but a love of books and writing is usually at the top of the list. Some of the other reasons can be harder to quantify. For me, it's often small moments with customers that make it worth coming to work each day.

Sometimes, it's a turn of phrase that strikes me in a particular way. One customer, while perusing our shelves, told me that she waits for a book to call to here, that she was "dowsing for words." I love that image, and the idea of books calling out in special ways to certain people.

A young teen made my day once when she came in with her sister and began gushing about how she loved books and loved how they smelled. "When I'm old and crippled, I'm going to come in here and just sit and breathe," she said. It might sound like an odd thing to say, but this girl, with all her joy and bright energy, said it as if it were the most wonderful thing in the world to imagine. I hope this store is still here when she is old and crippled and that there is a chair waiting to welcome her.

I love observing the ways that books bring people together. Complete strangers, overhearing a mention of a title, might walk over to share their excitement about that book. A few weeks ago a customer asked about a book her book group was reading, and another woman held up that very book in her hand, saying, "I'm looking at it right now!" The two struck up a conversation and exchanged contact information, should the second woman be interested in joining the book group. It was one of those reminders as to why it's important for people to get off of the computer and shop locally--making connections with people, sometimes connections that you weren't expecting but that will enrich your life.

Seeing the excitement of young readers over books is always a treat. Just yesterday, a young boy came in with a gift card in his hand, searching for a book about horses. He'd just seen the movie The Black Stallion and decided that he wants to be a jockey when he grows up. After handing him a book of horse photos to look at, I did a little more searching and discovered that we had several of the Black Stallion series of novels in the store. When I brought those out to show him, his eyes lit up like birthday candles. He even had enough money on his gift card to get TWO books! That was one happy kid walking out the door, planning to start reading as soon as he got home. My smile, watching him leave, was almost as big as the one stretching from ear to ear on his face.

Working in customer service can be tough some days, but when moments like these make you say, "I love this job," then the other stuff doesn't even matter. Well, except as far as you can get a good story out of it...but that might be a post for another day.

Indie Booksellers With Clout

Some tidbits from around the interwebs for your enjoyment and edification:

Major kudos to Michele Filgate (a friend and an awe-inspiring person) of River Run Bookstore, whose praise of Paul Harding's Tinkers helped push the novel toward his Pulitzer Prize win!

Fellow Neil Gaiman fans, feast your eyes (and ears) upon this video featuring Charles Vess's artwork and Neil himself reading from the upcoming picture book Instructions. Like Blueberry Girl, Instructions is a previously published poem by Gaiman; I can't wait to see the final book!

Book reviews, by the kids the books are written for. I think this is a fantastic idea, and if any local teachers are reading this and would like to do a similar program with us, please get in touch!

Any crafty readers out there might want to try their hands at making one of these gorgeous bird houses. I know it's hard for some people to cut up books (a sacrilege!) but if you can find an extra used copy or two at a yard sale or library sale, you might consider it a way of saving the books from the dump and giving them a whole new life.

Do you want to know how long I can save a story? This one, about the longest outdoor bookcase ever built (so far) is from February 1. But if you haven't seen it yet, it's pretty cool.

At the AV Club, Zack Handlen's answer to the question, "has there been a book, film, album, etc., that actually effected a real change in some aspect of your life?" is a wonderful affirmation of the power of books:

"I don’t know how far I was into the story before I got the idea that I’d like to try my own kind of writing, but I do remember that it felt like the most natural thing in the world, like waking up. I was a smart kid, not a super-genius or anything, but I never had a sense of purpose before. Reading The Stand, and all the King books I read after, gave me a reason to be alive, because they gave me a language to speak in."

NPR's Monkey See blogger did a series of posts about reading and discussing Twilight, for the first time, with a colleague. I liked their discussion in this post about whether or not there should be a different standard for critiquing literature for teens. (I also have to note that, as someone who has never read Twilight, I found this installment really frightening as regards the romanticizing of an abusive relationship.)

Shareable profiles Chicago's Gabriel Levinson and The Book Bike, which he rides to various public areas, distributing free books to anyone who wants them. We've often joked about taking the bookstore outside on especially nice days--maybe this is our answer!

And, finally, I want to mention a brand new literary blog, authored by a friend of mine from way back in high school. The Picaresque Blog promises book reviews, original writing, and more. Good luck, D!

Things to do

Despite the snow falling outside, spring is really here--you can tell just by looking at the community bulletin boards, full to bursting with flyers advertising events over the next few weeks.

The Galaxy Bookshop has already had some great readings this season--Howard Frank Mosher, Ben Hewitt, and Peggy Sapphire--and we're looking forward to many more in the upcoming months. Mark your calendars now, before they fill up!

NEXT TUESDAY: April 20, 7 p.m. Open Mic Night! Tonight, the audience falls under the spotlight; writers of all styles and ages are welcome.

Thursday, April 29, 7 p.m. Myra Lewin. Learn how to deal with food in a healthy way, with the author of  Freedom in Your Relationship with Food.

Tuesday, May 18, 7 p.m. William Alexander. A man with a mission to bake the perfect loaf of bread documented his quest in 52 Loaves: One Man's Relentless Pursuit of Truth, Meaning, and a Perfect Crust.

Tuesday, June 3, 7 p.m. Bill McKibben. Having marked 20 years from the publication of his now classic The End of Nature, McKibben moves on from warnings of global climate change to a plan for dealing with the aftermath of change that has already come. His new book is called Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet and is available on shelves now.

Look for more scheduled events at our website, with more to be added through the summer.

This post canceled, due to sunshine

On a day like today, I hope you've all had a chance (or are on your way) to get out of doors! Go ahead--give your skin some fresh air, maybe even run around barefoot for a little while.

Have a great weekend!

Three reviews

March, and often into April, seem to me especially good months for reading. It's a transitional time when winter's fading but the really lovely, warm spring weather hasn't arrived (except in a teasing "soon, but not yet" sort of way). I like to hunker down with a stack of books until green things start poking through last year's dead grass and the last of the snowbanks have finally disappeared from the yard--total escapism.

This week, we're each going to share one book that has kept us occupied (and sane) this season.

Linda:

I Thought You Were Dead by Pete Nelson (Find it on our Staff Picks table now!)


Talking dog? I had my doubts. But in the same way that I want a reader to take a risk--say when I am trying to sell them a book about sheep farmers in Iceland--I figured I owed it to this book to give it a try. In short, the relationship between Paul and his dog Stella is the best relationship between any characters--human, canine, feline, bovine--anything or anyone in fiction, and probably in life. I'd welcome Paul and Stella on my doorstep any day, and in the meantime I'll be so happy I met them while I was reading.

Sandy:

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan (available April 6)


I love this collaboration between David Levithan and John Green.  It's the story of two boys named Will Grayson who live in different suburbs of Chicago. One Will Grayson lives by rules that will keep him out of the spotlight, number one of which is "Shut up." Unfortunately for him, it's hard to avoid the spotlight when your best friend is Tiny Cooper, "world's largest person who is really, really gay."  The other Will Grayson faces a daily battle with depression and finds his only solace in online meetings with a guy named Isaac. One night, the Will Graysons' paths cross, and each boy finds his life changed in ways he wouldn't have imagined. Engaging from the first page, the story is funny, heartbreaking, redemptive, and completely captures the frustration of those teenage years when you're trying so hard to understand who you are and how to deal with life's highs and lows. (Not to say that ends as soon as the teen years are over.)


Stella:

My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira (available May 13)

Robin Oliveira's debut novel is a Civil War story full of wonderful historical detail and strong writing. Mary Sutter is a woman who wants to become a surgeon, succeeds, and discovers her strengths and limitations along the way.  The book is loosely based on the life of Mary Edwards Walker, the first American female surgeon and the first woman to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. [edited 3/29: Though some aspects of the character's life might be similar to that of Mary Edwards Walker and other female surgeons of the Civil War, the author would like to note that Mary Sutter is a completely fictional character.]

(I really enjoyed this book, but if you have a weak stomach there are some graphic descriptions of battlefield wounds and amputations that you might want to skip past.)

Guest Blogger: Ben Hewitt

This week, thanks to Cabot author Ben Hewitt for contributing. Ben will be launching his new book, The Town That Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food, at The Galaxy Bookshop on Tuesday, March 16, at 7 p.m.

When Linda and Sandy asked me to write a post on the upcoming launch
of my book, The Town That Food Saved, I almost said no. After all, I’d just written 70-something thousand words on the Hardwick area; I figured I’d stuck foot (pen?) firmly in mouth plenty of times, already. And then, ever the glutton, I decided what the hell: A time or two more can’t hurt.

I spent about a year writing this book. The process was by turns
exciting, dispiriting, confusing, and affirming. I’d naively sold the
book on a simple premise: That Hardwick needed saving, and that a
localized food system was just the thing to make it so. It didn’t take
long to determine that it would be vastly more complicated than that,
and the book began to turn on my struggle to understand these
unanticipated complexities. I’d say more, but of course then you
wouldn’t need to buy the book.

In the weeks following this launch, I’ll be spending a lot of time
talking about the book (and by extension, Hardwick) in communities
throughout the northeast. The degree of interest has far exceeded my
wildest expectations, and it feels incredibly important that I carry
with me the news of Hardwick, particularly as it relates to the
region’s evolving food system. I want to know how you feel about the
goings-on about town, the boom in food-based enterprises, and the
ensuing media coverage. Are you inspired? Disheartened? Or merely
indifferent? Is Hardwick really the town that food saved, or does it
need another agricultural enterprise like it needs a snowstorm in
September? (To be sure, both will probably happen)

So I invite you to come to the Galaxy Bookshop on the evening of March
16. I’ll read a little; I’ll probably talk a little too. But mostly, I’ll be there to listen.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Town That Food Saved is already receiving praise from reviewers around the country:

Times Argus

Publisher's Weekly (seventh title down)

School Library Journal (about two-thirds of the way down the page)

Los Angeles Times

Walking to Gatlinburg: A Recap

What a great way to start off our 2010 Reading Series! Howard Frank Mosher launched his nationwide book tour (which will include stops in somewhere between 60 and 100 cities across the country) at The Galaxy Bookshop last night. While we had some of the typical pre-event jitters (Will the books show up? They did--at 2:00 yesterday afternoon. Will anyone come? Most certainly--a standing-room-only crowd!) any fears we had were laid to rest as we welcomed Howard and his audience to the store.

Our friend Will--who, among other things is a Civil War reenactor--loaned Linda and I the fabulous period coats we're wearing in the photo above. We received a huge round of applause and laughter when we made our entrance. I think Howard got a huge kick out of this, too, since we decided to surprise him and not put on our costumes till the last minute.

Howard used to be known as a fairly quiet author, and one who never read from his books, but last night he spent an hour entertaining us with stories about his writing career and the work that went into writing Walking to Gatlinburg and read not one but two sections from the novel. One of our customers, hugging her new book to her chest, told me that she thought that no one would get much sleep that night, because they'd all be up, racing through their books!

After he'd signed several dozen books (including extra stock, which is available now), Howard, his lovely wife, the booksellers, and a few guests including contest winner Charlie, went to Claire's Restaurant to celebrate a very successful and enjoyable evening.

Thank you so much to everyone who joined us for this memorable event!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Local and national praise for Walking to Gatlinburg.

Why I Always Launch My Book Tours at The Galaxy Bookshop

Special thanks to this week's guest blogger, Howard Frank Mosher!

On Tuesday, March 2, at 7:00, the Galaxy Bookshop will be hosting the WORLD PREMIER of my new Civil War novel. Walking to Gatlinburg tells the story of 17-year-old Morgan Kinneson, who walks from Kingdom County, Vermont, to Gatlinburg, in the Great Smoky Mountains, in search of his brother Pilgrim, a non-combatant Union surgeon missing in action.

For years, I’ve started my book tours at the Galaxy. Independent bookstores are the best booksellers, and the Galaxy represents everything that’s wonderful about them. Chain bookstores tend to all look alike, but indies are all different. The Galaxy, for instance, was once a bank. It still has a vault, not to mention the only drive-by window of any bookshop in the – well, galaxy.

When I walk into a great independent bookstore like the Galaxy, I immediately sense that I’m surrounded by all my best old (and new) friends: Robert Frost, Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway, Charles Dickens, Richard Russo, the Northeast Kingdom’s Leland Kinsey and David Budbill.

At my Galaxy events, most of the people are my friends. They’re from the Kingdom. When I show my signature slide of myself shooting a bad review with my shotgun, they nod gravely as if to say, “What else would you do with an unfriendly review in the Times?”

Most important of all, I launch my books at the Galaxy for the same reason I buy all my books there. Like independent booksellers from coast to coast, Linda and Sandy and their staff know and love books the way this clueless storyteller knows and loves the outlaws, living and deceased, of the Northeast Kingdom. Why would I ever buy a book any place else?

Please come to the Galaxy and meet Morgan Kinneson and some of his fellow outlaws from Walking to Gatlinburg on March 2 at 7:00 when I’ll be talking about the new novel and my psychopathic, murderous great, great grandpa, who, I’m sorry to report, inspired the mad villain Ludi Too in my latest! Sad but true. See you at the World Premier.

Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day gets a bad rap. It's overhyped by card companies and can feel like a kick it the teeth when you're single. Even when you're in a happy relationship, it can feel like there's a lot of pressure to make the perfect romantic gesture for your loved one (see "overhyped by card companies" above).
I say, let's celebrate all kinds of love on Valentine's Day. Let's celebrate our  love of our community; our wonderful pets, best friends, and dear family members; our favorite books and authors.

Happy Valentine's Day, with love from all of us at The Galaxy Bookshop!

Macmillan: Hero or Villain?

The title of this post is, for me, a rhetorical question. Despite Amazon and many of its customers crying foul over Macmillan's refusal to meet Amazon's terms on lowering the prices of its e-books, as both a bookseller and a member of a democratic and capitalist society, I am thrilled that Macmillan has stood firm on its pricing policy. Macmillan's stand paves the way for other publishers to do the same, and to assert control over their products and services--something Amazon has been trying to take for themselves in subtle and overt ways.

I've discussed the issue in the past, and during this week, with people outside the bookselling world, and their thinking is often along the lines of, "Well, publishers make plenty of money--they're just being greedy;" and on the subject of Amazon ceasing to sell all Macmillan titles since Friday, "That's Amazon's perogative." The second comment is certainly true--Amazon can choose to sell or not sell any products it wishes. Despite this particular move coming off as a bit of a temper tantrum to some, that fact remains. As for the first comment, the concrete numbers of publishing profits continue to elude me. I am not going to argue one way or the other on that issue--or on the issue of the value of good literature.

For what it's worth, here is my take on the matter.  This conflict with Macmillan (and any other publishers that come to their senses) is all about the online retailer trying to bully publishers into doing business Amazon's way. Amazon is a huge company that, for many publishers, is their biggest account, and this gives the company a huge amount of leverage in any negotiations. At least, that's how it's been up to this point. After all, this isn't the first time Amazon has tried strong-arming a publisher by ceasing to sell its books (perhaps one of Hachette's motivations in joining Macmillan's side in the e-book price war).

However, as The Amazon Kindle Team so misleadingly put it in their "poor us, trying to stick up for the little guy" * letter to customers, publishers do, indeed, have a "monopoly" over their books. That is, if you define "monopoly" as one company owning the rights to the products that it produces and sells. I think most of us would agree that, while the vocabulary might be correct in a literal sense, it in no way corresponds to the typical use of the word.

Macmillan and other publishers need to finally realize that, yes, they do own the books that they sell, and that means that they get to have the final say in how they price and distribute those books. I'm not suggesting that all of the publishers join together in setting prices for their books--that would be getting into monopoly territory, and very illegal--but they each need to determine the appropriate value of their books, in physical or digital format, that will sustain both the publishing house and the larger industry long into the future. If the publishers don't assert themselves now, it will only get harder down the road, and they may find themselves out of business after allowing Amazon to drive them down to unsustainable prices while driving the publisher's other customers (i.e. your friendly neighborhood booksellers) out of business.

More links:

Macmillan's jab at Amazon, in a New York Times ad

Macmillan's latest comment

It's important to remember the other injured party here: the authors whose works are being made unavailable by Amazon. Of course, this works to the advantage of other booksellers (Indiebound!) when authors choose to link to Amazon's competitors.

Author John Scalzi (a Macmillan author) has had a lot to say on the subject

• More here and here

A really wonderful post by a fellow New England bookseller

I'd love to hear from you on this--thoughts, questions, debate. What's your take? Do you feel this affects you one way or another...or not at all?

*Sorry, I don't buy it. It was Amazon's choice to take a loss on e-book sales by pricing them below wholesale. By demanding that publishers make $9.99 (or less) the standard retail price, Amazon is trying to save face with their customers and start making a profit on sales again.