What’s going on around the blogisphere and other parts of the web? Good question.
Did you know hear about Laredo, TX? On January 16th it became the largest US city (250,000) without a bookstore. When I heard that, I shook my head in utter disbelief. I mean, is that even possible. I, personally, would expire without a bookstore near my house. Darn it all, I NEED MY BOOKS! So now how far do you think the closest bookstore is? Try 150 miles. Eeeek, I love my authors, but I’m not driving 150 miles to buy their books. The Wall Street Journal did this article on their plight if you’d like to read more.
So we have a problem with no immediate solution in sight. What can we do? Well, I’ll tell you what New York Times Bestselling author Julia Quinn is doing to give back, from now until Valentine’s Day (February 14th) she’s giving readers with valid Laredo, TX addresses her books for FREE!!! Click on the thumbnail to find out all about it.
Of course Julia’s generosity got me thinking of what The Season could do. I mean we’re (who is this we I’m referring to I wonder) all about books here right? I can’t do it on Julia Quinn’s scale but, to anyone with a valid Laredo, TX address, I will send a book from my stash here. One book per mailing address with a maximum of 10 books.
Seriously, what we do without our books? Speaking of books, tell your favourites–authors, titles, series, genres. What’s on your ‘keeper shelf’? And who is flying under the radar–authors or books we’re missing out on?
You know Amazon is great and all but I love a bookstore. It calms me and comforts me to walk through the aisles of a bookstore. It’s like a sea of solace against my stressful life.
I’ll like to help out also.
If anyone from Laredo TX is interested in a copy of Secrets of Sin follow the link on my name to my website & contact info and I’ll send a copy of Secrets of Sin to the first two readers to get in touch.
Chloe and Bev, that’s very kind of you to give Laredo, TX readers books. I hadn’t heard that about JQ and that is a great gesture on her part as well.
I agree with you, Bev, how can a city that size NOT have a bookstore? Are people buying at Walmart or what? The closest city to me has a population of 125,000 and they and one suburb have 4 or 5 bookstores. Unreal and sad.
I read that story, and I remember being totally shocked. I buy a ton of books online, and I read a ton of ebooks as well, but I can’t imagine not being able to touch and feel, to pick up a book and read the OBC blurb, to feel the paper through my fingers. There’s something different about being in a bookstore.
I admit my city only has 1 commercial bookstore (if you don’t count the 2 Christian bookstores) and we’re half the size of Laredo.
I think it’s wonderful that you will be giving away some books. Kudos to you!
Hi.
I love historical romances.
Writers I find very appealing include : Mary Balogh, Jo Beverley, Liz Carlyle, Eloisa James, Elizabeth Hoyt, Loretta Chase, Laura Lee Guhrke, Lorraine Heath, Candice Hern, Madeline Hunter, and Julie Anne Long. I buy their book as soon as they come out. I’ve kept all their books, too.
This past year I discovered Sherry Thomas and Meredith Duran and their wonderful books.
I buy a lot of books. The books of the above writers I buy new. It was an expensive year because many writers published series of books. Mary Balogh wrote four (including one hardcover) in five months! For several of these writers I also bought the audio books or downloads which I listen to after I’ve read the books.
There are other writers that I buy if I like the excerpt and what I read about the book on the websites. Probably, I purchase 60-80 new books a year.
Then there are the used books to buy online and Friends of the Library sales’ books. There’s probably another 60 to 100 I buy that way. When one reads a book every two to three days, you need a lot of books. The best thing about retirement is that I can read for hours every day! It’s my main entertainment.
As to bookstores, there aren’t many where I live. B&N is fifty miles round trip for me. Walmart is twenty-four, but they only have the most popular writers’ books. I never shopped at a Walmart until I moved to Florida. I was spoiled when I lived in a Detroit suburb where there were five major bookstores within a half hour drive and many smaller ones. I wonder with the dreadful economy in Michigan if they’ve all survived.
Bev, I enjoyed “Sinful Surrender” very much and look forward to your second.
Wonderful gesture ladies! It is sad our bookstores are closing! Hopefully someday we will see them return!
I kind of have the same proble here! I live about 50 miles from a good book store. I think there is a very small one in a town near me but it closed last year and now I think it has reopened with new owners but every time I have been in there they never have what you want and you have to order it so I just go to Amazon and order. Walmart seems to have more books then the book store does.
Books on my keeper shelf would have to be all of Constance O’Banyons, been reading her for years. Then there is a new author that has me hooked is Elaine Levine her debut book Rachel and the Hired Gun was my favorite book this past year and I am now waiting on her second book from Amazon to come in.
It doesn’t say much for Laredo or Texas to have a town of that size without even one B&N or Books-A-Million. I went to the Laredo site. They have only two libraries and a bookmobile. They have started a petition at http://www.laredoreads.com to get a bookstore to come to town. The nearest town to us has 61,000 people and has a B&N, Books-A-Million, and several independent stores. There are three stores that sell used and new books and a variety of thrift stores with books, plus the chain stores. However, they will never have the variety and selection of a real book store, nor will you be able to special order.
It is very nice for you and Julia to help.
I have way too many books on my keeper shelves. Julie Garwood is first and foremost, she was the first romance writer I ever read. THE WOLF AND THE DOVE by K. Woodiwiss. I love anthologies and have one bookcase just for them. Janet Chapman’s Highlanders are all there. I have series by various authors that I liked and kept and of course, any book I have signed by an author stays. I have 36 bookcases and boxes not yet unpacked. I collect old books and have reference books on some topics, but many cases are just books waiting for me to read. I really do have a problem, but I love my books.