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National Book Award Whatnot
Congratulations to all of the National Book Award winners announced last night. Below are some of my favorite tweets from a couple of the winners as well as an audio clip from fiction winner Jesmyn...
View ArticleVideo: Steads in Studio
You know I’m a sucker for a good studio tour. Most of your customers are, too. This video features a studio that Caldecott Medal-winners Erin and Philip Stead created from a 100-year-old barn in...
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It’s December. Time for those lists.
Do you compile an end-of-year “Best of” or “Top 10” list from your staff? Instead of prompting booksellers for lists during the last week of December, you might establish a timeline now so there are...
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300 Seconds: Cash Back
The past weekend I walked to my neighborhood wine shop to pick up a hostess gift. I was able to pay with a $20, but I walked out with a nice bottle of wine and $12 cash. I was only supposed to receive...
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The 2017 Book Concierge
NPR’s 2017 Book Concierge comes out today! Here’s the link! The Book Concierge is a web-based app that features more than 300 titles NPR staff and critics loved throughout year. This list has been...
View ArticleSharing Without Selling
It can sometimes be difficult to determine how much and what to share socially during the holidays. You don’t want every post to seem like a hard-sell or call-to-action. And when you get this close to...
View ArticleFor those final holiday missives…
Because proper grammar and style never take a holiday. Santa is just fine on second reference to Santa Claus. — AP Stylebook (@APStylebook) December 22, 2017
View Article300 Seconds: Tis the Season?
If you still have holiday decor up in your store, hey, I’m not one to judge. One year I threw a party on February 25 just so my friends could help remove ornaments from my tree. If you have decided...
View ArticleQuick & Dirty: Complimentary Bookmarks?
With the Quick & Dirty Survey, I ask just one question. To answer, simply hit reply, type in your response, and press send. I’ll compile the results and report back to you next Thursday. It’s a...
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Marginalia: Woody Skinner
For the latest Marginalia podcast, I interviewed Woody Skinner about his debut book of stories, A Thousand Distant Radios. Skinner grew up in Batesville, Arkansas, and now lives in Chicago. He holds a...
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Say As I Do: Chloe Benjamin
I interviewed Chloe Benjamin last Friday for an upcoming Marginalia episode. The podcast is still in production, but you can be prepared for The Immortalists publication day armed with the knowledge of...
View ArticleDo you have enough business cards for Memphis?
Are you heading to Memphis in a couple of weeks? You should probably check your stock of business cards right now. Even though it probably will not take 2 weeks to produce more, it’s not a bad idea to...
View ArticleAnd more whatnot.
Looking for sharable whatnot? Last week PBS NewsHour and the New York Times announced their joint bookclub, “Now Read This.” Today they published a list of discussion questions for bookclub...
View Article300 Seconds: Website Check
When it comes to these 300-second tasks, I often focus on the store website because it is often the public face of your store, especially after business hours. If you have an eCommerce site, it’s more...
View ArticleSpotlighting Staff Favorites… and Staff
Yesterday @vromansupstairs, the kids and YA department at Vroman’s in Pasadena, CA, tweeted this display featuring staff picks of one specific bookseller, #BooksellerLeticia. I love the way they...
View ArticleCameras at the ready…
A few weeks ago, I was asked to produce a video highlighting all of the 2017 events hosted through my public radio station. The development department wanted to include it in an email encouraging...
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Q&D Results: Complimentary Bookmarks
Last Friday I asked a Quick & Dirty survey question: Do you give away complimentary bookmarks to customers? 97% responded YES 3% responded NO Here are some of the comments: We do give away...
View Article2018 Binc Foundation Scholarship Program
The Binc Foundation announced today that it will be accepting applications from January 14, 2018 until March 5, 2018 for the 2018 Binc Foundation Scholarship Program. The program will offer up to 27...
View ArticleNominations for IndieNext Spring 2018 Kids’ List Due
Don’t forget that nominations for the IndieNext Spring 2018 Kids’ List are due today. According to the ABA website, titles nominated for the Spring Kids’ List should be published between February 1 and...
View ArticlePostage Rates to Increase
Last year, the Postal Regulatory Commission approved a proposal by the United States Postal Service to increase rates. On Sunday, January 21, 2018, be prepared for these changes: First Class Mail...
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