The Written Nerd

Yeah, I know it's Wednesday and I usually write something more substantial, but there are a bunch of links I missed and lots to do at home. So check it out: *Shelf Awareness on Tuesday noted that it seemed to be indie bookstore weeked for the Associated Press, with not only the story I linked about niche bookstores hitting national papers, but this article (here in USA Today) about indie store struggles and successes. More optimistic facts from Oren Teicher; more head-shaking pity from the reporters about those poor indie bookstores. But this does give some good attention to the good stuff that's going on in good stores. The AP really likes that photo of the guy next to the "Invasion from Mars" poster, huh? *You've probably already heard that everyone's favorite radio voice Garrison Keillor is opening a bookstore in St. Paul, but here's the whole story from Bookselling This Week. This is only one of many stories of bookstore openings, anniversaries, and o...

Just a couple of light links today -- it's a beautiful fall holiday morning, and I can't confine myself to the computer screen for long. * The ever-restless mind of the ALP has launched a new project: And Now The Screaming Starts , a blog devoted to the horror genre so dear to my man's heart. (CRwM is another acronym adopted by the ALP - long story.) His book and movie reviews are actually pretty darned insightful, and mixed in with appreciations of the new Halloween marshmallow Peeps. How can you resist? * Speaking of Halloween-ishness, a sharp-eyed friend (thanks, Lauren!) sent along this article about a couple of fantasy & horror niche bookstores that are making good. I'm not sure they took the ABA's quotes entirely in context -- studies indicate that indie bookstore shares are actually increasing in market share, though times are still tough -- but it's a cool piece about another kind of community of booklovers. * And another kind of haunting: I just thi...

Wow! I've just discovered an amazing new community at Brooklynian.com . It's a linked series of blogs and message boards for discussion on issues related to different Brooklyn neighborhoods. Wednesday evening I logged on to the Prospect Heights forum and posted the topic "Who Needs a Bookstore?", asking users where they thought might be the best potential spots for a literary bookstore/cafe in Brooklyn. Since then there have been nearly 40 replies and over 400 readers! Most are excited, though some are discouraging -- it's an interesting cross-section of New York public opinion. Check out the conversation if you're interested. Interestingly, this comes on the heels of the announcement that major New York indie bookstore Coliseum Books is closing , for the second time. Their first location on Columbus Circle closed due to massive rent hikes several years ago, and though they were able to open up in a new location on Bryant Park, their sales never really ...

I've just received word that the members of the Litblog Co-Op have spoken, and the Fall Read This! selection has been chosen! But... it's a secret, and I can't tell ya whether Firmin: Adventures of a Metropolitan Lowlife by Sam Savage from Coffee House Press Sideshow: Stories by Sidney Thompson from River City Publishing or Manbug by George Ilsley from Arsenal Pulp Press is the big winner. That announcement will come on October 16, followed by lots of chats with the authors (of the winner and the two runners up) and blog posts by the clever literary folks who read the books and made the call. Pick up one or more of these books if you have a chance in the meantime - these links will send you to the Powell's website, or you can pick them up at your local indie bookstore. * * * And now I have a serious question for you, the readership. I've been approached by another blogger about a new service called Brainiads, which will allow bloggers to work with individually ...

One of these days Mondays will again be about Link Madness, but I always seem to have some catching up to do. Here's a rundown of my reading over the last month or so – at least the ones I finished. We're in Week 40 of the calendar year, so I've still got a chance to make my 52 book goal by December 31. Book Review #35 KOCKROACH by Tyler Knox (William Morrow, January 2007) I picked this one up with giddy enthusiasm – it is, as the ALP observed, my kind of thing. Here's the first paragraph: As Kockroach, an arthropod of the genus Blatella and of the species germanica , awakens one morning from a typically dreamless sleep, he finds himself transformed into some large, vile creature. Obviously, Knox is channeling and reversing Kafka's most famous short story, "The Metamorphosis", in which hapless Gregor Samsa finds himself transformed into a cockroach. Such an allusive and fantastic premise piqued my curiosity, and I was definitely not disappointed. Like Kaf...

Coupla links -- 'cause it's been a long time. Larry Portzline at the Bookstore Tourism blog has a thoughtful review of the documentary film about independent bookstores that's been causing a lot of buzz (in our little world). Jacob Bricca's "Indies Under Fire: The Battle for the American Bookstore" tells the story of the pitched battle between Borders and independents in the Bay Area. Hopefully we can bring a screening of the documentary to a New York book industry audience sometime soon, perhaps through Emerging Leaders; Larry's review makes it sound like a fascinating conversation starter. Bookseller Chick (who is SO good with the posts and links; how, how do you find the time?) had a little guest blog series recently, including former bookseller David De Beer on "The (Gradually Changing) Bookstore Environment". His insights into indie bookstore customers' resistance to change (at least shocking, overnight change) were eye-opening and yet e...

On September 17, 2006, at the Breakfast of Champions at the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association trade show in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, author Libba Bray received NAIBA's award for Best Young Adult Book of the publishing year for her novel REBEL ANGELS. Her acceptance speech, titled "Ode to Independent Booksellers," brought waves of applause and dozens of requests for copies. Bray, who worked at an independent bookstore as a teenager in Texas, has given me permission to reprint her speech here. Please forgive me for running two guest posts in a row; I wanted to share this wonderful speech while it is still fresh. Ode to Independent Booksellers Independent booksellers rock. They are a cup of black coffee, straight up no chaser, in a half-caf-vanilla-hazelnut-with-whipped cream kind of world. When you walk up to independent booksellers and say, with deepest apologies, “I’m looking for this new book about the Victorian era and I can’t remember the author’s na...