If you went into a bookshop and they offered you a free book from a selection of 150 assorted titles you’d take one right? Who wouldn’t? I simply can’t conceive of not being pleased to get a free book. Every single day at work someone will come to the counter and I will kindly inform them that as 2 of the books they are purchasing are part of our 3 for 2 offer they are entitled to select a free book. Sometimes they will be happy, they will thank me for telling them, we will smile, I will patiently put their other book choices to one side as they take the time to enjoy choosing a book FOR FREE. Sometimes they will be a bit startled, they feel forced into making an on the spot decision. In that case I reassure them that they can take their time and it’s not any problem at all. Sometimes they say they don’t know what to pick, I will happily advise them, find out what they like and suggest one. But sometimes they say
“I don’t want one.”
And I just don’t get it. Surely, even if they are the kind of person who only buys 2 books a year and doesn’t even read them, they must have a friend or family member or someone who they could give a book to as a gift. It would cost them nothing. Grr. I am very broke at the moment, and there are several books in the current offer that I really want to read, what if I scanned them through as the third book and kept them. That would be cool. I assume however that it is WRONG to do such a thing, so of course won’t. I like my job, I aim to keep it so will continue to silently curse at the people who don’t want a FREE BOOK.
Author: Sara Crowley
Dear people who like books…
I have been reminded that the British Book Awards (the Galaxy British Book Awards to be exact) are taking place very soon. The shortlists were announced yesterday, and a right mixed bunch they are too.
The fun part is that you can vote for your own particular faves, and it will only take a few moments of your time. Not only do you get to have your say, but you might win some book tokens too. Hurrah.
http://surveys.bookmarketing.co.uk/awardsvote.htm
I think that the inclusion of popular lit chicky stuff etc may well put some off. It’s not your usual literary list after all. I am soooo guilty of incredible snobbishness when it comes to the books and writers I love, but I AM WRONG TO BE THAT WAY. I read Nick Hornby’s “Complete Polysyllabic spree”
http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayProductDetails.do?sku=3892754
and he cured me of my stinky attitude. Reading is good, it should be fun, my fun is not necessarily your fun, your favourite writer not mine and so on. If a person derives pleasure from a book that’s a great thing. Lately I have been listening to Elvis, and I have been astounded by his range, depth and power. I am currently reading Raymond Carver, and his stories are wonderful. Both of these men are hugely popular, neither anywhere near being crap. Popular is defined in the dictionary as meaning “regarded with great favour, approval, or affection especially by the general public”, not such a bad thing eh? Dan Brown is still shit though, not that he’s anywhere in this years lists, I just felt like saying!
Veronica Mars.
Just about the only thing bringing me joy right now is Veronica Mars. Living have been repeating series 1 and 2 daily for the last few weeks, and it is ultra delicious. The writing is uber snappy and funny, but there are also those quiet vulnerable moments too. I think the actors are doing a really good job, and yeah, I want to be Veronica and snog Logan, sigh. The great thing about the show is the way it has an amazingly complex story arc, and it doesn’t fuck up with it ever. I am a huge Buffy and Angel fan, Joss is my man, I came to VM with a huge amount of scepticism. I thought it would be Buffy lite and I’d hate it. But no, I LOVE it. I read today that Joss Whedon said it was the ” Best. Show. Ever. Seriously, I’ve never gotten more wrapped up in a show I wasn’t making, and maybe even more than those. Crazy crisp dialogue. Incredibly tight plotting. Big emotion, I mean BIG, and charismatic actors and I was just DYING from the mystery and the relationships and PAIN” (caps all his.)
So now I feel vindicated in my adoration. In fact JW guest starred in the episode I watched last night, and I didn’t realise until afterwards.
Anyhoo, I have been finding books fairly disappointing recently, I haven’t reviewed what I have read because I don’t want to just slag off somebody’s hard work. I’m working to the adage if you have nothing nice to say then say nothing so I’m keeping schtum about my feelings towards several current hot novels. They were all dull. If only one could transfer some of that VM magic onto paper, whoo, that’d be ace. But how hard is it to write characters as complicated as Logan? I honestly don’t know if it is possible. All I can say is that amidst my pile of notes for my novel is a line saying “VM and the year long story arc.”
Favourite short story writer?
Who is your favourite? You are only allowed one.
I have been thinking about this a lot recently. I write short stories, I read short stories, I love well written short stories, I detest lazy, obvious twist in the tale short stories. I like to be made to think, but I don’t like overly clever writing, I want the words to be simple, just right. I want to feel the story. It’s wonderful to be moved…to tears, laughter, just a smile. I like that feeling of universality when a story makes you go, ahh, yes, I know that. I have several faves, but if I had to pick one it would always be Lorrie Moore. She’s punny and clever and deep and frothy and her stories just slide along easily but every single word is the exact right one. Amazing.
Who is yours?
Rambles.
I have been away to my parents for half term. Had a horrid time. I came home Friday arvo, and worked yesterday. It’s odd having a Costa suddenly appear in the shop. It takes up half of the third floor and smells good. However even with their offer of 10 percent off for us book folk it is still more expensive to buy from them than to nip next door to the Pret. Plus Pret has nicer mocha and almond croissants. But, yeah, there’s the whole ethics thang, and Costa = good and Pret = big bad McDonald’s apparently. Hmmm, my book store employee’s wage just doesn’t stretch so…
I wasn’t the only one either, we guiltily tried to hide our tell tale take out bags as we walked by the coffee guys.
(We could always make our own in the staff room, but hey, it’s my Saturday morning treat, I take lunch from home dammit, I will not be deprived.)
The other problem with it is that it’s so darn noisy. Well of course, people chat over coffee, and they laugh too and yell and it’s all good. Except that it sounded like a big party was going on every time I picked up the phone which didn’t seem too customer friendly. Whatever, really I am all for coffee and book shop marriages.
I saw a new book of short stories yesterday that looked ultra enticing;
Magic for beginners by Kelly Link.
I am a little weary of some short stories, I have read so many that they often blend and become just more of the same, from what I could see this looked intriguing and fresh. Of course I haven’t actually read them yet! But anyhoo, worth checking out I would say.
http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/displayProductDetails.do?sku=5567773
She also has an amazingly gorgeous site at http://www.kellylink.net/index.html
Book tokens competition.
I read about this over at Danuta Kean’s blog (link on right).
National Book Tokens launch Not Yet Published, a literary prize exclusively for booksellers. The Not Yet Published prize celebrates National Book Tokens 75th anniversary and long association with the book trade. Inspired by Man Booker nominees Sarah Waters and David Mitchell, who were both booksellers before becoming bestselling authors, National Book Tokens is offering others in the book trade the opportunity to be published. First time authors are requested to submit an extract from the work, a proposal, an outline or a synopsis of no more than 10,000 words of either fiction or non-fiction. The winning bookseller author will receive a book publishing contract with Faber & Faber.Stuart Mathews, Managing Director of National Book Tokens comments:“National Book Tokens has been hugely supported by thousands of individual booksellers over the years, this prize acknowledges their expertise and commitment.”The prize is open to all booksellers from the UK and Republic of Ireland employed as of 1st February 2007, whether they work for a chain or an independent. The shortlist of authors will be announced in September and the winner announcement will be made on 14th November, to coincide to the day with National Book Tokens’ 75th anniversary.The judges are, Lee Brackstone, Editorial Director for Fiction at Faber, Julian Loose, Editorial Director for Non-fiction at Faber, Alex Clark, Deputy Literary Editor of the Observer, independent bookseller Patrick Neale, and authors Adele Parks and Francis Spufford.National Book Tokens continue to be a highly successful part of the books industry, with sales in excess of £30 million p.a. With the launch of an electronic book token scheduled for later this year, plans are underway for delivering sales well into the future.More information on the Not Yet Published prize, including the rules and conditions, can be found in the bookseller zone at www.nationalbooktokens.co.uk
Seems like a good thing. The only thing I don’t understand is that you can send an extract or synopsis, wouldn’t one want to submit both so that the extract makes sense. Sigh. I am so out of the loop when it comes to knowing such things.
Oh for fucks sake…
There was an article in yesterday’s Independent by Frances Wilson entitled “True romance – private lives of the lady novelists.” It begins with the line “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a woman in pursuit of a literary career will never find happiness with a husband, particularly if she writes about love.”
Per-lease.
The next sentence is “Consider the list: Sylvia Plath, left by Ted Hughes for another woman, penning her last desperate poems before putting her head in the oven…” She continues by mentioning Mary Wollstonecraft, Jean Rhys, Collette, Mrs Gaskell, The Bronte sisters and Jane Austen, and states “It is a subject that is increasingly fascinating us, the readers.”
Hmmm. Is that true? Is any of it true?
It smacks to me of page filling, essay making bollocks.
Switch the title to “Private lives of the male poets” and state that it is a universal truth that male poets never find happiness with their spouses. let’s site Ted Hughes as an example shall we, after all he married Sylvia but was unable to remain faithful and content, he left her for Assia Weevil and both of those unfortunate women gassed themselves. To lose one wife in that way is sad, to lose two is surely suspect. Let’s discuss Dylan Thomas’s alcoholism and abuse of the ladies, Charles Bukowski too. There we go, proof that it is not possible to be male, poetic and lucky in lurve. What utter piffle.
It makes me so cross to see misinformation set out as fact. What about the many happily married female authors? It is possible, of course. The first line is the one that bothers me so much “It is a truth universally acknowledged” by whom?
Grrr, and yeah, argh too.
Barenaked ladies are men.
I have added a little Ace Music doo dah over there on the right. Click it, go on… I did have the option of setting it to play automatically but I thought that could quickly get tiresome. However, I like it, and as it is promoting my favourite band I am happy to have it there, for now.
It is a beautiful live version of “Maybe you’re right” from their latest album “Barenaked Ladies are Me.”
They are an amazingly talented band, much misunderstood. It pisses me off that many view them as a kind of novelty act, remembered for their biggest hit “One week”. In truth they are a cynical and depressive bunch of guys, but they wrap their caustic wit in layers of sparkling pop/rock and gorgeous harmonies. Smart and bitterly funny, able to free style and dance, elequont, sincere, political, caring, Eco friendly and just darn hawt! Plus they have set up their own “Desperation records”. So indie! How can you resist?
What is the point?
I have several short story ideas bubbling around. Plus of course, my novel is always in my head (never on the page, such fear!) The two email fiction things I did have broken my inertia a little. I sat down yesterday to write, and instead of one of the story ideas I have been brewing something entirely different came out. Or at least, half of a story came out. I have no clue what to do with it, the whole thing seems rather pointless, not in a woe is me what is the point way, more a what the fuck is the story then way? Hmmm. I have a character, who has a flirtation with a work colleague that we follow over the course of a few work do’s. My title is so far “Six work do’s” although that’s a guess. So far we have had 3 of the do’s. I know that there has to be at least a fourth and fifth. And I can’t think of any climax at all. Ho hum, I suppose it’s a writing exercise and at least I am pulling words out of somewhere and sticking them down.
A bit of what you fancy.
Reading. It’s ace right? Never a chore to sit with a book. (Except, hmmm, when it is a chore. Which would be, say, when reading up for work or a course or something.) I adore reading. Of course. However right now, I just can’t find anything that I want to read at all.
This is ultra bizarre. Unheard of in my life. I don’t even want to read the paper. Sheez.
A few weeks ago I wandered around work and saw a few books I thought looked intriguing, I ordered them from the library and was delighted to be the first person to get one of them. Lovely, pristine book. On opening it though I just slid right off the page. I tried several times, but nothing stuck. No interest.
Same with the second book.
I turned to the pile beside my bed. Nope. Don’t care.
I was given a damaged copy of Charlie Brooker’s “Screen burn”, surely those bite size witty, vicious telly reviews would suit my scattered mind. Hmmm. No.
Actually, the only thing I fancy reading right now (as in this very moment) is an Elvis biography. The definitive bio, whichever that may be. ( Possibly, it is the trilogy by Peter Guralnick, but I don’t think I care to wade through so many words. Give me the juice, the dirt, the sorrow, and make it snappy please.)
Sara Crowley 