The almost bookstore I wrote about a month or so ago has an update on their financial progress–they have lowered their goal from 45, 000 to 10,000 and with loans etc, they can make the business a go. But only two weeks remain until their deadline, if they don’t make their monetary goal, all the … Read more
A recent article online proclaimed the 10 Worst Book Covers In the History of Literature. Ok, they certainly found some winners–She’s My Sister Sub title, Having a Retarded Sister. The title alone sounds a bit icky, but if you take a gander at the cover, your gag reflex comes into play. The drawing of her … Read more
BSP—short for Better Speaking Program? Badly Spoiled Prom? Butter Squash Pumpkin? Blissfully Stupid Politician? No, as unlikely as it may seem, BSP stands for Blatant Self Promotion. And in the crime fiction field, it seems as though indulging in BSP, is a badge of honor, or rite of passage for an author. Almost every writer … Read more
While reading about Bezos and his acquisition of Avalon books, I came across a story I somehow missed, although how, I can’t imagine, since it involves robots. Amazon bought Kiva Systems, an company who makes giant orange machines that scuttle around warehouses fulfilling the millions of orders you, and I, well, you–make. Wow! Bezos must … Read more
Another ABE e-mail came my way and I was surprised to see it was about the illustrator of children’s books, Kate Greenaway. Her work is everywhere-that’s what public domain can do for a long dead artist. I knew nothing about her life, the article at ABE sheds some light on it, and the fact … Read more
To go directly to Indie GoGO to donate money to help get indie bookstore Monte Crisco up and running: http://www.indiegogo.com/montecristobookshop With major changes to the entire industry leaving the concept of a bookstore, period, on shaky ground, opening an independent bookshop during these uncertain economic times sounds like savings suicide. Yet, this is exactly what a … Read more
Today’s news about Amazon purchasing a 62 year old publishing company with a backlist of 3,000 titles, isn’t a surprise. Nothing Bezos and Amazon does anymore can surprise me, unless they decide to treat employees well and stop using cutthroat tactics to kill competition. Avalon isn’t the first publisher Amazon acquired, and I have no … Read more
I wasn’t looking *at* anything, I was looking *for* a book. A children’s book that I had vague, but warm memories from owning back in my ancient youth. Weird how as you age, memories of childhood pop up randomly. If they pop up a great deal, and your short term memory is gone, man, that … Read more
