tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40664339525106925072024-03-12T22:13:53.202-04:00I'M AN AVID READER.Avid Bookshop is a community-focused independent bookstore in Athens, Georgia. Visit us at 493 Prince Avenue and 1662 S. Lumpkin Street, or online at avidbookshop.comAvid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-62427301079591453392017-04-07T14:01:00.001-04:002017-04-07T14:20:23.256-04:00A Powerhouse of Creativity: Rachel and Elizabeth Discuss Tin House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Just about anyone who has spoken with Rachel Kaplan, Avid
Bookseller and Events Assistant, has heard her talk about Tin House. I’m not
sure how many copies of Before the Feast she’s hand-sold, but I’d wager it’s
quite a few. In the following interview, Rachel and I discuss her enthusiasm
for this delightfully weird small press, fruit, how Tin House fits into the
literary ecosystem, and desert island Tin House books.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Elizabeth Willis:</b> When did your love affair with Tin House begin?
What was that first book that kick-started it? Did you know about them before
Avid or did you discover them as a bookseller?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>Rachel Kaplan:</b> To be fair I
didn’t really know much about different publishing houses until I started
working at Avid. Just as Avid is different from a Barnes & Noble, each
publishing house has its own personality. Tin House was the first press that
made me realize that. They turn out really eclectic works; that’s how I think
of Tin House: a powerhouse of creativity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">It all started when I met THE Julia Elliott. I was interning for
Avid, and I worked an event at this bar in downtown Athens called The Globe
that The Georgia Review was hosting. When I first spotted the cover of the
book, I thought it was so beautiful, and became intrigued. And then when Julia
Elliott got on stage and started reading in her deliciously creepy reading
voice, I was hooked. I couldn’t take my eyes off her the whole reading and
immediately wanted to go home and read that book, which was <i>The Wilds</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The cover caught my eye, the stories drew me in, but meeting Julia
sealed the deal, and I wanted to know more about what this press published. And
I started to realize that as I read more and got more experienced as a
bookseller, most of the books that were really captivating me were Tin House
books. They were these new, fresh, creative voices. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> What is it about Tin
House’s schtick that has so delighted you?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> I feel like Tin House
definitely takes risks; you can’t confine them to one genre. They don’t just
publish one thing. Tin House is the weird artistic kid in class that’s everyone
loves. It’s got this strange vision and people think it’s quirky, but it’s
still approachable. I feel like the Tin House team must just love taking these
risks. It works out, too; they publish new fiction, essays, short stories—<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> Okay, yes, on the
subject of genre: What do you think Tin House does best as a publisher?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> See, I don’t think you
can pigeonhole Tin House. Maybe I need to read a wider range of genres from
them; I do read mostly their fiction, but I have read an array of genres: short
stories, novels, their essays. Charles D’Ambrosio is great— also another essay
collection coming out is about how Americans relate to movies and media, which
then makes a larger commentary on our culture, [Jim Shepard’s <i>The Tunnel at the
End of the Light</i>]. I’m trying to think if there’s something I would want to see
them do, but I think it’s a mark of how great they are that there’s not much
wanting there. And you know their poetry; they publish good poetry, too. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> Let’s actually chat
further on the subject of Tin House the magazine. I have a couple of author
quotes about it. Karen Russell (I know you love Karen) has said: “Tin House
magazine is a port in the storm for people who love language. It is unfailingly
excellent, and committed to publishing new voices in addition to delivering
freaky-fresh work from established writers.” And Jim Shepard said: “As
everything goes increasingly haywire in our politics and in our world, we stand
in ever-increasing need of the emotional and ethical education that great
literary magazines can provide. With each issue you finish, you’re more awake,
erudite, socially aware, and alert to exciting new writers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What more do you want between two covers,
anyway?” Thoughts?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> I like Karen’s
description of “freaky-fresh.” Because sometimes it is freaky how brilliant
these new writers can be. Like Annie Hartnett’s debut novel <i>Rabbit Cake </i>is in
the same caliber as someone who has been cranking out books for a while. The
same, I feel, with Julia Elliott. Like <i>The Wilds</i>. It’s literally, I think, one
of the most perfect short story collections, and that was her first short story
collection. It’s like they are diviners at Tin House. They know how to source
that water from the ground. They pull that brilliance—and obviously it’s the
artist themselves, it’s not Tin House making them brilliant, but Tin House just
has an eye for talent. And I love that. I think some of the most important work
that any small press does is really placing trust in new artists. They are
seeking out new talent rather than hounding already existing talent. You see
that in big publishing houses; they make a lot of their money from, you know,
the twelfth book from David Sedaris—*<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> Publishing things they
know people will buy—<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> Yeah. Tin House, and other small presses, take risks and it
pays off. With the magazine...we talked about genre earlier; they have it all
here: poetry, snippets of fictions, short stories, essays. And I think the
literary journal is a smorgasbord of everything Tin House is engaging with at
the time. I think you get from it a great sampling of what Tin House has to
offer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> If Tin House (the press
overall, not just magazine) were a type of fruit, what fruit would it be, and
why?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> This is hard because I
love fruit and I love Tin House—<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> I know you do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> —And I love all types
of fruit. I feel like they are un-categorizable. My first gut reaction was to
say, you know this, the dragon-fruit, because it has these brilliant colors and
wild spikes on the outside, and it’s intriguing. Maybe some would be slightly
off-put because you’re just not sure what you’ll get, and then you cut into it
and it’s just— it’s another fruit, you know. It’s delicious and accessible and
nothing too strange but—<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> So still accessible,
not necessarily so out there—<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> At the heart of its
strangeness lies universality. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> Second answer, any
other fruit because I love fruit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> Excellent. Any upcoming
Tin House titles you’re incredibly excited about? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> I am excited for every
upcoming Tin House title and I actually kind of try not to seek out their
titles. Don’t laugh at me, but I let the titles come to me. Like when we were
at SIBA [the bookselling conference], and I just saw <i>Rabbit Cake</i> on a table. It
was calling to me. I feel like most of the Tin House books I’ve read and loved
the most have kind of just fallen into my lap. I'm convinced Tin House books
are magic. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW: </b>Okay, so the universe
will be choosing Rachel Kaplan’s next Tin House favorite. Stay tuned.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> Exactly, yes, exactly. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> Okay, well, can’t wait
to see what the universe selects for you. Keep us in the loop.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> Okay, I know this is
going to be a hard one, but if you could share a meal with three Tin House
authors, which authors would you choose, and why?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> Definitely Julia
Elliott...Annie Hartnett and Morgan Parker. But backups would by Joy Williams,
because she’s wonderful, and Saša Stanišić.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> So this is like if
Julia’s tending to her chickens and can’t make it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> Right. This is like if
Morgan’s hanging out with Beyonce; and Annie’s hanging out with her dog… But my
first string would be Elliott, Hartnett, and Parker.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> Okay, cool. Now for the
tough one, and you’re only allowed to choose one. If you had to pick a favorite
Tin House book, what would it be, and why?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> *gasp noise*<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> You’re on a desert
island and you can only have one Tin House book—<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> NOOOOOOOO, noooo.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> Let the record show
that I hate this question.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> I know.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> I love you, but I hate
this question.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>EW:</b> I know.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b>RK:</b> I’m not a big fan of this question because it really is—
That’s really difficult— They’re all my favorites, but I think if I were
picking a desert island book, it would be <i>Before the Feast</i>. There is so much to
discover within its pages, even if you've read it repeatedly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would also be a very comforting book to
have while stranded on a desert island.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> *No shade to David Sedaris;
we love him.</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029302694197532213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-4592962963182599482017-03-31T09:46:00.003-04:002017-03-31T09:46:39.249-04:009 Small Press Books Avid Thinks You (Specifically) Should Devour Right This Second<div class="MsoNormal">
Small Press Month is drawing to a close, but the time for reading these outstanding books is all year long! Below you'll find nine of Avid's current Small Press obsessions; you should definitely *run* to your favorite local indie bookshop and get all of them.<br />
<br />
1. <i>There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé</i> by Morgan
Parker (Tin House)<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
These poems consider sex, depression, black womanhood, religion, racism, beauty from angle after angle after angle. They also consider Beyoncé. Turning a compassionate, aware, questioning gaze on Beyoncé, Parker finds that place where pop icon flows into human flows into poet.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>“Sometimes I wonder/ Is Beyonc</i><i>é</i><i> who she says she is/ Will I accidentally live forever/ And be sentenced to smile at men/ I wish were dead.”</i><br />
<br />
<i>"There are more beautiful things than Beyonc</i><i>é</i><i>: self-awareness,/ Leftover mascara in clumps, recognizing a pattern...Lavender, education, becoming other people,/ The fucking sky”</i><br />
<br />
2. The Waitress Was New<br />
<br />
This book is April's pick for Small Press Book Club at Avid!! Observational and mundane, this is a novel that inhabits the mind of an ordinary man for three days as his life abruptly changes. For all those who need a dose of Parisian café in their lives.<br />
<br />
<i>"Let the world turn around us, beyond our spotless bars, in the end every day will be carefully wiped away to make room for the next."</i><br />
<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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3. <i>Whereas</i> by Layli Long Soldier (Graywolf)<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
These poems breathe and grow and puncture; they consider grass and atonement for genocide and language and writing. They are a song against silencing, against over-simplification, against misremembering, against nationalism.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i>
<i>"I climb the backs of languages, ride them into exhaustion..."</i></div>
<br />
4. <i>The Crown Ain’t Worth Much</i> by Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib
(Button Poetry)<br />
<br />
These poems are imbued with music and youth, humor and elegy. They're thick with language and honesty and the city, the force of feeling a knife that will twist within your gut as you read.<br />
<br />
<i>"this is what is happening / in our America right now"</i><br />
<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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5. <i>Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary</i> by Justin Green
(McSweeney’s)<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
I was over the moon to discover that McSweeney's has published a beautiful edition of such a rad comic. It's for anyone who wants to read about the bizarre effects of Catholic sexual repression, and for all fans of comic book history. Many penises reside within.<br />
<br />
<i>"Maybe if they read about one neurotic's dilemma in <b>easy-to-understand comic book format</b> these tormented folks will no longer see themselves as mere<b> food-tubes</b> living in <b>isolation</b>."</i><br />
<br /></div>
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6. <i>Memoirs of a Polar Bear</i> by Yoko Tawada (New Directions)</div>
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<br />
Dreamy and philosophical and bittersweet, this book makes me wish I could get my paw-hands on more memoirs written by polar bears.<br />
<br />
<i>"After the death of all living creatures, all our unfulfilled wishes and unspoken words will go on drifting in the stratosphere, they will combine with one another and linger upon the earth like a fog. What will this fog look like in the eyes of the living? Will they fail to remember the dead and instead indulge in banal meteorological conversations like: 'It's foggy today, don't you think?'"</i><br />
<br />
7. <i>An Essay in Forty Questions</i> by Valeria Luiselli (Coffee House Press)<br />
<br />
Luiselli is the brilliant author of a number of books from Coffee House, both fiction and non-fiction. She also volunteers as an interpreter for child migrants in a federal immigration court in NYC. This essay contains details of her experiences, and her thoughts regarding human rights violations in the U.S. It is a 2017 must-read.<br />
<br />
<i>"Why did you come here? I asked one little girl once. </i><br />
<i>Because I wanted to arrive."</i><br />
<br /></div>
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8. <i>Suite for Barbara Loden</i> by Nathalie Léger (Dorothy, A Publishing Project)<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
This slim book is everything: biography, fiction, film criticism, memoir. It originated from an encyclopedia entry, and evolved to pursue a means of knowing Barbara Loden, the creator of cult classic film / underground feminist masterpiece, <i>Wanda</i>. As it grasps at the fragments of a life, this little book will suck you right into its obsession. . .<br />
<br />
<i>“I felt like I was managing a huge building site, from which I was going to excavate a miniature model of modernity, reduced to its simplest, most complex form: a woman telling her own story through that of another woman.”</i><br />
<br />
9. <i>Humanimal</i> by Bhanu Kapil (Kelsey Street Press)<br />
<br />
Dissecting the story of two young girls raised by wolves, this book of poetry considers what it means to be "wild" or "civilized," and what it means to be human. Its language is thick, heavy, like a jungle suffused with red light.<br />
<br />
<i>"Notes for an animal-human mix: 'Reaching and touching were the beginning actions.'"</i></div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029302694197532213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-22221802971656955632017-03-21T14:08:00.001-04:002017-03-21T14:08:39.811-04:00MEET THE PRESS: And Other Stories<div class="MsoNormal">
Avid would like to formally introduce you to And Other Stories, a small press located in England! This team of cool-sounding people publishes mostly works in translation; their mission is to increase access to world-class titles that are not
currently available in English. Founder Stefan Tobler says: “It has been said that the reason to start a publishing house is normally an editorial impulse. There’s the sense that something is missing in the world of books and a company is born. That is true in And Other Stories’ case, and is no doubt true of all the other publishers who publish literature in translation as part of their list.”</div>
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The press is classified as a not-for-private-profit “CIC” (Community Interest
Company), which basically means that they have more freedom to take risks with editorial
decisions rather than catering to “Richard & Judy’s taste,” or to the dictates
of investors. A focus on community is truly at the heart of their operation, as they allow readers a role in their editorial decisions through reading groups, and are partially funded by their subscription program.<br />
<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Personally, I consider the subscription program the most captivating aspect of the press's business model. I'm a little biased, as I'm a member of the team that runs the <a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/book-subscription-program">Avid Book Subscription Program</a>, which is such a wonderful means of connecting Avid to a nationwide literary community. In the case of And Other Stories, subscribers pay up front, and then receive first edition copies of new titles months before their publication dates. They're also thanked by name inside the books they supported! Tobler calls the work of the press “[a] social enterprise,” and shares that subscribers: “trust
us to find new writers for them.” Beautiful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Side note: They have some really compelling cover art.
Feminist Press’s <a href="http://www.feministpress.org/books-a-m/black-wave">U.S. edition</a> of Michelle Tea’s <i>Black Wave</i> is near and dear to my heart,
but check out And Other Stories’ <a href="http://www.andotherstories.org/book/black-wave/">cover</a>. Too good.</div>
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Want to know more? Head over to their website and read their
“<a href="http://www.andotherstories.org/about/11-commandments/">11 Commandments</a>.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Avid Staff Pick: And Other Stories Edition<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Yuri Herrera’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Signs Preceding
the End of the World<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Signs</i> is a slim
novel, a quick fuse. It involves crossing borders, shifting identities, and weaving languages. It follows a badass female protagonist as she travels an allegorical landscape, exposing the un-truths and silences and willful ignorance inherent in the construction of borders and of "American-ness." One image is burned into my memory: A woman, undocumented, detained by border control, writes and recites a poem of protest. For this scene alone, you should read this book.<br />
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What sold <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me</i> on
<i>Signs</i>, though? A blurb from another incredible author, Valeria Luiselli (check out
her <a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/book/9781566894098">novel</a>, her <a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/book/9781566893541">other novel</a>, her <a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/book/9781566893565">essay collection</a>, and this <a href="http://lithub.com/valeria-luiselli-this-is-how-the-world-ends/">article</a> she wrote for Lithub). Here
are her lovely words on Herrera: ‘Yuri Herrera must be a thousand years old.
He must have travelled to hell, and heaven, and back again. He must have once
been a girl, an animal, a rock, a boy, and a woman. Nothing else explains the
vastness of his understanding.’ <o:p></o:p></div>
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Final fun fact: Lisa Dillman, the translator of this book, lives
in Atlanta!</div>
Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029302694197532213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-8220793026670386082017-03-16T15:13:00.001-04:002017-03-16T15:13:49.107-04:00A Conversation with Will Walton: Small Press Edition!Will Walton wears many hats: novelist, Avid bookseller extraordinaire, cat dad, and kind friend to everyone in Athens and beyond. He is also our local small press expert. As curator of Avid on Prince’s small press section and moderator of our small press book club, he possesses a wealth of knowledge about many tiny, amazing publishers. In addition to these concrete responsibilities, Will is also possibly the greatest champion of small press on a daily basis. Stop by Avid on Prince any time he's working, and I guarantee he'll have a new and strange and wonderful small press title to share with you.<br />
<br />
Following is an interview with Will about the nature of small press inspiration, recent discoveries, favorite presses, and the importance of reading small press in these politically charged times.<br />
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<b>EW:</b> So, you <i>love </i>small press. What kick-started this obsession?<br />
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<b>WW:</b> When I went to Winter Institute 2015 [a book selling conference] and sat around with the staff of Diesel in Oakland. Brad, who works at Diesel, just started talking about all these amazing-sounding books, and I was like, "Why haven't I heard of these?" I remember he spoke about <i><a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/book/9780989760713">The Wallcreeper</a></i> in particular, and that book blew my mind.<br />
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<b>EW:</b> Can you talk to me about the ways in which small press inspires you specifically?<br />
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<b>WW:</b> Small press titles force me to look up and look beyond. The term "great American novel" is too BIG for me, and it feels relative to a gaze that's specifically white, cis-male, hetero, and . . . oh yeah, American! I don't need it. I need a story that feels human and personal, and I don't need to feel like the author sweated over it for ten years in order to produce it . . If it's a little rough around the edges, so what? It's liberating! And so is life!<br />
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<b>EW:</b> You brainstormed the idea and carried through the reality of Small Press Book Club. Avid has nine book clubs (!), but, in my opinion, this one is really unique and exceptional. Discussions are so vibrant and thought provoking; it’s perhaps the most provocative of all our book clubs (and I say this as moderator of my own club, which I adore). Would you talk to me about how you conceived of your vision for the club, how you see it now, what has surprised you about it, etc.<br />
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<b>WW: </b>Yes! I'm so happy you love that club, and that it has delighted you! It has delighted and surprised me, too. I think, given the nature of the books we read, our discussions tend to be sprawling! We get a lot of ground covered! And we get to talk about form, which I LOVE doing. Form and style. If we talk about plot and character, too, well . . . that's just gravy.<br />
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<b>EW:</b> Would you tell me about the small press you’ve most recently discovered and fallen for?<br />
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<b>WW:</b> That's hard! I've fallen for so many! Lately, though, it's <a href="http://www.sarabandebooks.org/">Sarabande Books</a>.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>EW:</b> You’ve done so much great work building Avid’s small press section from the ground up. Has the active curation this physical section of the shop taught you anything new about small presses that you’re care to share?<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>WW:</b> Aw, thank you! . . . Well, it has taught me how hard it is to curate a section in a bookstore! Haha. I'm always looking to see what's sold and trying to order it promptly back in again. And I'm getting a sense of what our customers like the most, which is always good!<br />
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<b>EW:</b> Okay, here’s a tough one: If you were absolutely forced to choose a favorite small press title, what would it be? Then, if you would, explain why everyone should RUN to their nearest indie bookstore and buy this book.<br />
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<b>WW:</b> Yes, that is tough! Ooh, ooh, ooh . . . hmm . . . <i>Bluets</i> by Maggie Nelson (Wave Books). You know why, Elizabeth Willis! [EW: Of all of the books, <i><a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/book/9781933517407">Bluets</a> </i>is my favorite. Click that link to read my staff pick on Avid's website, and you'll find out why].<br />
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<b>EW:</b> Do you believe that there is any particular necessity in increasing support of small presses and their authors post-election? Clearly from this question, I do, but maybe you think small press was as vitally important in 2015 as it is in 2017. Please, feel free to disagree with me! I’m eager to fight it out.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>WW:</b> I definitely do. I mean, the arts are going to take a hit in the next four years. And the new regime is corporate. So, yeah, anything small that ferries goodness into this country--whether it's a press, a bookshop, or an art house cinema--we need to make a conscious effort to support. Especially over the next four years. As believers in free speech, we're all in this together.<br />
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Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029302694197532213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-67328970858091138792017-03-06T16:38:00.001-05:002017-03-06T16:38:24.121-05:00Happy Small Press Month!On the first of March, Avid began a month-long celebration of small presses. Each week, we're featuring a different press at our Prince Ave. location. At the end of the week, we'll be raffling off a prize donated by the press itself (the prizes are, therefore, very awesome)!!<br />
<br />
Avid loves small presses because they're run by teams of smart, passionate people dedicated to championing bold, outstanding, diverse literary voices. They're responsible for opening up exciting new possibilities in the publishing world, and putting writers in print who might be passed over by major publishing houses. The Avid family would like to personally thank independent publishers for putting crazy, weird, "out there" books in the hands of grateful readers like us. Small Press Month at Avid on Prince Ave. is our "Thank you."<br />
<br />
Week 1: Catapult Press<br />
<br />
It just so happens that March's Small Press Book Club is reading a Catapult title. Danielle Dutton's <i><a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/book/9781936787357">Margaret the First</a> </i>is a work of beauty. Read it to connect with Margaret Cavendish, 17th century writer, thinker, and all-around strong female; read it to immerse yourself in a shimmering fairy tale.<br />
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Catapult itself is an entire literary ecosystem: they publish books and an online literary magazine, offer writing workshops, and host an online writing community open to the public. Their beautiful mission statement is available online, part of which states: "We publish stories that celebrate life. In its continuously evolving, spontaneously rearranging development of possibilities. Stories that reveal all the layers—the sinews and hairy knuckles, the iron and meat of history and influence...Most of all, we publish stories that land us squarely, concretely, in someone else’s shoes." Oh, yes, they do.<br />
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Week 2: Dorothy, A Publishing Project<br />
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Founded by none other than Danielle Dutton (yes! <i>That </i>Danielle Dutton, author of the mind-bogglingly good <i>Margaret the First</i>), Dorothy has been called one of the small presses "slyly changing the industry for the better" (FlavorWire). Avid wholeheartedly agrees. They publish "works of fiction, or near fiction, or about fiction, mostly by women." Every fall, Dorothy publishes two books simultaneously. The books are paired intentionally as two works coming from differing "aesthetic traditions." Dorothy says: "A large part of our interest in literature lies in its possibilities, its endless stylistic and formal variety." Heart eyes emoji forever.<br />
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<b>What's in a name?</b> Dorothy "is named for head librarian, author, gardener, animal- and art-lover, bookmobile-driver, and great-aunt Dorothy Traver, who on every birthday gave a book with an owl bookplate."<br />
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Week 3: Coffee House Press<br />
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Coffee House is a rad press for all you "adventurous readers, arts enthusiasts, community builders, and risk takers" out there. They're based in Minneapolis, which means that a few lucky members of the Avid family had the privilege of meeting the Coffee House team back in January (during Winter Institute, a bookselling conference that was located in Minneapolis this year). They're truly lovely people. They also have an amazing imprint, Emily Books, a publishing project that publishes "weird books by women." This could not be more my jam if it tried.<br />
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Week 4: Two Dollar Radio, "Indie Book Publisher, Film Producer, Culture Maker"<br />
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Avid truly hearts this rad, family-run small press. They're bold and bright, publishing books in accordance with their motto "too loud to ignore." They also have some of the best cover art in publishing. Here I must quote them at length: "Our books and films aren’t for everyone. The last thing the world needs is an indie press releasing books that could just as easily carry a corporate colophon. Our work is for the disillusioned and disaffected, the adventurous and independent spirits who thirst for more, who push boundaries and like to witness others test their limits. We know we’re not alone. Let’s make some noise."<br />
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Pro tip: Check out their cool daily <a href="https://twodollarradio.com/blogs/radiowaves">blog</a>, "Radio Waves." My personal favorite is the weekly feature "Death Rattle of Culture."<br />
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Avid is abuzz with excitement for their upcoming release <a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/book/9781937512651">They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us</a> by Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib. Don't even try to tell me that's not the best book cover you've ever seen... The pub. date is 11/14; pre-order today!<br />
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Week 4: Tin House<br />
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Tin House is a small press located in Portland, Oregon. It's also a really, really amazing literary magazine. They've published some weird, wonderful books that have captured the hearts of many an Avid bookseller. Rachel K. in particular is completely and irrevocably in love with Tin House.<br />
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I've also loved Tin House for quite some time, but they recently gained even more respect points in my book. The <a href="http://www.tinhouse.com/home">home page</a> of their website currently displays the poem "Evil" by Langston Hughes, along with a heartening message in response to the 2016 election, part of which relates: "Now, more than ever, we believe in the power of story, in empathy, in inclusion, in the belief that all voices have the right to be heard." They have also began frequently posting incredible, timely poems on their <a href="http://www.tinhouse.com/blog/">blog</a>. Check it out!<br />
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<b>What's in a name? </b>Tin House was named for its Portland home, an old Victorian with corrugated zinc siding known in the neighborhood as "the tin house."<br />
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Week 6: Graywolf Press<br />
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Graywolf, also located in Minneapolis, is a small press that particularly excels in the realms of poetry and essay. This is why we've chosen to feature them during the first week of April as an ideal bridge between Small Press Month and Poetry Month. While I don't play favorites... Graywolf is one of my absolute favorites when it comes to small, independent publishers. According to their mission statement, they publish books that "nourish the individual spirit and enrich the broader culture." Sign me up! Stay tuned for more Avid fangirling over Graywolf during the first week of April.<br />
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If you, dear reader, call Athens home, please stop by during the next month and help us celebrate small press at Avid Bookshop on Prince Ave.!<br />
<br />Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029302694197532213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-51438614122120578992011-10-16T11:05:00.001-04:002011-10-16T11:06:49.633-04:00We Are OPEN!!By now you've probably noticed that we're really, really bad at updating our Avid blog. But we're pros at updating Facebook and Twitter, and we are doing pretty well at actually running a brick & mortar bookshop.<br />
<br />
That's right: after four years of planning and education and preparation and money-gathering, Avid Bookshop has opened at 493 Prince Ave. in in-town Athens. Please drop by!<br />
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This week we are open Sunday from 10:30-5:30 and again Tuesday &Wednesday from 10:30-5:30. We will be closed on Monday, Oct. 17 so that we can run lots and lots of errands to prepare for the grand opening weekend.<br />
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On Thursday we have our<a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=274390055919032"> first-ever poetry reading</a>--local poet Ida Stewart will be here to celebrate the release of her new book, <i>Gloss</i>.<br />
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On Friday, 10/21 we'll be open from 10:30 AM until late, because<a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=210716232328302"> Friday the 21st is our Grand Opening Party Part I</a>! And on Saturday the 22nd we're having the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=139350686162341">Grand Opening Part II</a>, which is a kids' party. Come on down!<br />
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We're beyond thrilled to be here at last. Can't wait to see you.Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-91810824208688269192011-08-23T20:43:00.000-04:002011-08-23T20:43:22.225-04:00Bookshop lease now firmly in hand (via the Bookshop Blog)I recently started contributing to a website called <a href="http://bookshopblog.com/">The Bookshop Blog</a>. My first post there is entitled "Lease Now Firmly In Hand" and talks about the odd timing of the last few weeks--I delivered my signed store lease the same day the Borders news was all over the national radio and TV programming. Check it out here: <a href="http://bookshopblog.com/2011/07/26/the-bookshop-lease-now-firmly-in-hand/">http://bookshopblog.com/2011/07/26/the-bookshop-lease-now-firmly-in-hand/</a>Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-36498108905299978032011-07-31T19:57:00.000-04:002011-07-31T19:57:19.885-04:00Storytimes!Janet Geddis, Avid's owner, conducts monthly storytimes at <a href="http://fullbloomparent.com/">Full Bloom Pregnancy & Young Parenting Center</a> as well as at <a href="http://www.ourarrow.blogspot.com/">Arrow Space for Families</a>.<br />
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<u>Full Bloom Storytimes</u>:<br />
Every Wednesday at 4, Full Bloom hosts storytime. Avid Bookshop helps out the second Wednesday of each month. Come see us! This storytime is especially geared toward babies & their caregivers, but kids up to 7 will be entertained.<br />
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Full Bloom<br />
220 N. Milledge Ave<br />
Athens, GA 30601<br />
<a href="http://fullbloomparent.com/">http://fullbloomparent.com/</a><br />
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<u>Arrow Storytimes</u>:<br />
The first Wednesday of each month at 11:00 AM, Janet visits Arrow Space for Families (adjacent to Big City Bread Cafe) to read stories with the little ones. The reading is especially geared toward infants & toddlers, but all kids and their caregivers are welcome.<br />
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Arrow<br />
393 N. Finley St., Studio D<br />
Athens, GA 30601<br />
http://www.ourarrow.blogspot.com<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjRU7TjFlZP_38hc7ECd84sqcrRpgo5KQgAh_1W_C4-SbLtertbg2m8MTbKPObLKpNTUjwHC5oeCY5G2nZDaYQu6CWXc08THBUSc0jpRX_SoU2CLyVM_PHLgkZUGqrbfTI2LmP8MN1JOX/s1600/IMG_0876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjRU7TjFlZP_38hc7ECd84sqcrRpgo5KQgAh_1W_C4-SbLtertbg2m8MTbKPObLKpNTUjwHC5oeCY5G2nZDaYQu6CWXc08THBUSc0jpRX_SoU2CLyVM_PHLgkZUGqrbfTI2LmP8MN1JOX/s320/IMG_0876.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-30493535821903356222011-07-20T10:43:00.000-04:002011-07-20T10:43:30.086-04:00Borders closing ALL its doors after 40 years.Well, it's really happening: Borders Books & Music is shuttering its 399 remaining stores, including the one here in Athens in Beechwood Shopping Center on Alps Rd.<br />
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The <i>Athens Banner-Herald </i>posted <a href="http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/072011/new_859342995.shtml">this article today</a>, and of course I decided to formally respond. Here's what I wrote in the comments section. Let me know what you think:<br />
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<blockquote>Some may be surprised to hear that even though I am a local, independent bookseller, I am saddened by our community's loss. When Borders closes their 399 stores, approximately 10,700 booksellers will be jobless. This is heartbreaking for them and for the industry at large. Many of my friends and acquaintances here list our Alps Rd. Borders as one of their favorite places to hang out, and I feel sympathetic to them--it's hard to lose that "third place."</blockquote><blockquote><br />
</blockquote><blockquote>When Borders' woes were first made very public months ago, I wrote a piece for <em>Beyond the Trestle</em> about what it would mean if Borders were to go under--you can read it here if you're interested: http://beyondthetrestle.com/content/well-be-better-borders</blockquote><blockquote><br />
</blockquote><blockquote>To answer to a few of the commenters above: Athens will now be home to just two independent bookstores. Jackson Street Books downtown sells used books, DVDs, and more. They have a great collection of competitively priced used materials and antiquarian books. Avid Bookshop, my store, is currently online and events-based only, but we are moving into a retail storefront on Prince Avenue in the coming months. We sell both new and used books as well as cards, gifts, and locally-made gift items.</blockquote><blockquote><br />
</blockquote><blockquote>There's a lot of talk out there about the demise of books and reading, but the amount of hours people spend reading has actually remained relatively constant over the last many decades. When the big box stores began to open all over the country in the early- to mid-1990s, many independent shops lost their customer base and went out of business. But, time and time again in recent years, we are seeing that the big box stores are having a hard time getting a handle on the rapidly-changing industry. Some--not all!--independent stores that are willing to alter their business plans and approaches to bookselling are actually thriving, and MANY independent bookstores have been opening in the last couple of years--the number of new indie stores rivals that of the number of new stores per year in the pre-big box days. This is great news for small business, local economies, and, most of all, people who love to read.</blockquote><blockquote><br />
</blockquote><blockquote>All this is to say that I am sad about the closing of Borders and the loss of jobs, but I don't think bookstores are dead. If you value reading, it behooves you to go to a store you know and love, where you trust the booksellers' recommendations and feel comfortable. For some people, that place will be Barnes & Noble. For others, that was Borders. And for many others (like me), I feel most at home in many of the locally-owned bookstores. Not all are fabulous, but the ones worth your time are. </blockquote><blockquote>Thanks for reading this long-winded comment!</blockquote><blockquote>Sincerely,</blockquote><blockquote>Janet Geddis</blockquote><blockquote>Avid Bookshop LLC</blockquote>Athens, GAAvid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-31484073893935864272011-02-16T19:55:00.002-05:002011-02-16T19:56:33.198-05:00Borders bankrupt; Athens location is safe (for now)<div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><p><br /></p><p>A few weeks back I wrote a short piece over at <a href="http://www.beyondthetrestle.com">Beyond the Trestle</a> about <a href="http://beyondthetrestle.com/content/well-be-better-borders" _fcksavedurl="http://beyondthetrestle.com/content/well-be-better-borders">why I didn't want the Borders chain to fail</a>. For many moons now, Borders Group has been facing seemingly insurmountable troubles, and today they <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110216-717315.html" _fcksavedurl="http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110216-717315.html">declared bankruptcy</a>. They have an action plan, though, and hope by shuttering about one-third of their stores (the 200 that are reportedly causing them to lose MILLIONS of dollars) they can save the company at large as they restructure.</p><p>I'm not very hopeful that they'll be able to hold on much longer.</p><p>The Athens store is a busy, bustling one, though it's never easy from the outside to know if even the busiest-looking retail outlets are indeed profitable. For now, I'm grateful that the acquaintances and strangers at our local Borders have not lost their jobs, benefits, and insurance. That's right: the Athens location is NOT on <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/46166-store-closing-list-released-by-borders-2010-losses-at-168-million.html" _fcksavedurl="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/46166-store-closing-list-released-by-borders-2010-losses-at-168-million.html">the list of closing stores.</a> Goodness knows Athens doesn't need any more unemployment.<br /></p><p>What consumers must keep in mind is that the death of some bookstores does not at all predict the death of all. Borders' business model is COMPLETELY different from independent bookstores' business models. The buy local initiatives in our country are increasing rapidly, bringing more dollars to our locally-owned businesses (and therefore funneling more money into the local economy). The sheer number of books out there can be overwhelming; it's comforting and necessary to have a book expert at your local store who can help you find the book YOU want to read, not the book all the chains are pushing that week or the book that Amazon's mystical logarithm thinks you want. And you know nothing beats browsing the aisles of a funky, unique bookstore!</p><p>Today the American Booksellers Association, the trade association for independently-owned bookstores, released a statement that pretty much sums up how I feel about the situation. They also talk about the successes of most indie booksellers as well as the growing number of us out there. <a href="http://news.bookweb.org/news/aba-statement-borders’-bankruptcy-filing?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter" _fcksavedurl="http://news.bookweb.org/news/aba-statement-borders’-bankruptcy-filing?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter"> Please read it here.</a> </p><p><br /></p><p>Note: This piece also appears at <i>Beyond the Trestle</i>.</p></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08262782152556510118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-62320884884279087872011-01-25T13:04:00.000-05:002011-01-25T13:04:04.202-05:00A reflection on the Unchained Tour...and some news!Writer Lila Allen had this to say about getting on board with the <a href="http://theunchainedtour.org/">Unchained Tour </a>this past October. I echo many of her sentiments. I didn't get to tour with the group, but I was able to play a major role in the planning of the tour (and of course helped coordinate the <a href="http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/101910/liv_722375439.shtml">fabulous events in Athens </a>on October 20th!).<br />
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<a href="http://mysite.carbonhouse.com/charlotteviewpoint/default.aspx?viewpoint=93&objid=549">Here is Lila's piece</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNtjxfC5pc3UT_8JSRJlt7ryJHV0oQ2fw2qQr7dpBcjVIBlLf7xBGzHFTgEqVMckfFybOGgRfmeZ-uSK9ksf9R3aL7vdYkLAhTQ6TDBMt0yrASuMyyDEjnyWxKiuq2Csm0rRqaHU7-M2H/s1600/IMG_3062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNtjxfC5pc3UT_8JSRJlt7ryJHV0oQ2fw2qQr7dpBcjVIBlLf7xBGzHFTgEqVMckfFybOGgRfmeZ-uSK9ksf9R3aL7vdYkLAhTQ6TDBMt0yrASuMyyDEjnyWxKiuq2Csm0rRqaHU7-M2H/s320/IMG_3062.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>And here's a little teaser for you, too: the Unchained Tour might be rollin' back through in a few months. I know all those who attended round one will be back along with the hoards of people who weren't able to make it to the first show. I'm very much looking forward to this!Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-7841167902366534172011-01-18T08:04:00.000-05:002011-01-18T08:04:00.155-05:00We Are Athens Discussion Group meets 3/9/11 @ Hendershot's<strong><span style="font-size: 64px;"><img alt="" border="0" height="133" src="http://gallery.mailchimp.com/3bc866e3d40298c386e279ffc/images/Picture_50.png" style="cursor: move; display: block;" width="150" /></span></strong><br />
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<tr><td class="content" colspan="3" id="main_event" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: #444444; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><h1 class="primary-heading" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 22px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><span style="color: #009966;"><strong>Next book selection for March 9 We Are Athens discussion group:</strong></span><span style="color: firebrick;"><strong> </strong></span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/867930.The_Small_Mart_Revolution" style="color: maroon; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: black;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;">The Small-Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition</span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;"> by Michael H. Shuman</span></span></a></span></h1><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: firebrick;">"Defenders of globalization, free markets, and free trade insist there's no alternative to mega-stores like Wal-Mart; Michael Shuman begs to differ. In <em>The Small-Mart Revolution</em>, Shuman makes a compelling case for his alternative business model, one in which communities reap the benefits of 'going local' in four key spending categories: goods, services, energy, and finance. He argues that despite the endless media coverage of multinational conglomerates, local businesses give more to charity, adapt more easily to rising labor and environmental standards, and produce more wealth for a community. They also spend more locally, thereby increasing community income and creating wealth and jobs. <em>The Small-Mart Revolution</em> presents a visionary yet practical roadmap for everyone concerned with mitigating the worst of globalization." -<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/867930.The_Small_Mart_Revolution" style="color: maroon; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Goodreads.com</a><br />
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<em>Search for it on </em></span><em><a href="https://avidbookshop.theretailerplace.com/MLBX/screens/index.jsp" style="color: maroon; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: firebrick;">our full-service website</span></a></em><span style="color: firebrick;"><em>, where you can find <strong>virtually any book in print</strong> (as well as DVDs and music!).</em></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: firebrick;"><em><br />
</em></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: firebrick;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; line-height: 15px;"></span></em></span></div><em><h2 class="secondary-heading" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #00cc99;">Discussion Group Meeting Will Be Wed., March 9 @ 7PM</span></h2><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">All are welcome to attend the We Are Athens discussion group Wednesday, March 9, 2011 from 7-8:30 PM. We will meet at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Hendershots-Coffee/100001234620214" style="color: maroon; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">Hendershot's Coffee & Bar</a>, 1560 Oglethorpe Ave (at the Loop). </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><h2 class="secondary-heading" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 15px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: firebrick;">Reading the book is NOT required!</span></h2><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">While we encourage you to at least be familiar with the concepts presented in this book, reading the book is not a prerequisite. Come ready to discuss the themes and ideas presented in <em>Small-Mart Revolution</em> (& listen to what others have to say). Our meetings are open to any attendees, a space for free speech and healthy exchange. Discussion is always lively. Please join us!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div class="btn" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #2d2d2d; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(235, 235, 235); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 3px; border-left-color: rgb(235, 235, 235); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 3px; border-right-color: rgb(235, 235, 235); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 3px; border-top-color: rgb(235, 235, 235); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 3px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"><a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/" style="color: white; display: block; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 26px; font-weight: normal; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 20px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="color: #00cc99;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span>YES, YOU CAN BUY THIS BOOK CLUB TITLE (& MANY MORE) FROM AVID BOOKSHOP!</span></span></span></a></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Visit <a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/" style="color: maroon; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">http://www.avidbookshop.com</a> for links to our new & used online stores. <br />
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We have lots of copies of <em>Small-Mart Revolution</em> at our webstore (<a href="http://avidbookshop.theretailerplace.com/" style="color: maroon; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">http://avidbookshop.theretailerplace.com</a>), and we'd be most appreciative if you bought from us or checked your book out of the<a href="http://www.clarke.public.lib.ga.us/" style="color: maroon; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">library</a>. </div><br />
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</tbody></table>Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-81416710437575787792011-01-17T10:58:00.000-05:002011-01-17T10:58:24.701-05:00My favorite novels by female writers - 2010A belated happy new year!<br />
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<div style="color: #151613; font-family: ff-tisa-web-pro-1, ff-tisa-web-pro-2, serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: justify;">The <em>Athens Banner-Herald</em> asked me to create an article featuring <a href="http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/010211/liv_764268028.shtml" style="color: #0059b2; font-family: ff-tisa-web-pro-1, ff-tisa-web-pro-2, serif; text-decoration: none;">my Top 10 Reads of 2010</a>. I shared this link via Facebook and Beyond the Trestle already, but a few customers told me they hadn't seen it yet. I thought it best to cover all my bases by posting on the bookstore blog! Here's the link to the <i>ABH</i> article: <a href="http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/010211/liv_764268028.shtml" style="color: #0059b2; font-family: ff-tisa-web-pro-1, ff-tisa-web-pro-2, serif; text-decoration: none;" title="http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/010211/liv_764268028.shtml">http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/010211/liv_764268028.shtml</a></div><div style="color: #151613; font-family: ff-tisa-web-pro-1, ff-tisa-web-pro-2, serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: justify;">What books were your favorites of 2010?</div><div style="color: #151613; font-family: ff-tisa-web-pro-1, ff-tisa-web-pro-2, serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-80381191235246614272011-01-14T08:27:00.002-05:002011-01-14T10:50:09.176-05:00Why I don't want Borders to close...Here's my latest post at Beyond the Trestle. It's a couple days late so sort of a rush-write, but I trust it will make sense.<br />
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<a href="http://www.beyondthetrestle.com/content/well-be-better-borders">http://www.beyondthetrestle.com/content/well-be-better-borders</a>Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-89327567658153147272011-01-11T16:43:00.000-05:002011-01-11T16:43:27.782-05:00The question you might have on your mind: why is there no storefront yet?(<i>File this under FAQs you've yet to utter</i>.)<br />
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If you keep your ear to the ground in Athens and/or in the bookselling world, you know that I've been working towards opening <a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/">Avid Bookshop</a> for years now. Perhaps I'm a touch paranoid, but I think it's not too crazy to assume that some of you are thinking, "WHY IN THE WORLD ISN'T THIS BOOKSTORE OPEN YET?"<br />
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Here, in a nutshell, are a few reasons why we have yet to move into a retail space:<br />
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1. <b>Adieu, business partner.</b> After working together for months, my business partner (and close friend) reevaluated things and decided that starting the bookstore business was not the best move for her just yet. I spent a couple months figuring out a, if I wanted to open the store on my own, b, if I COULD open it on my own, and c, how her absence would change the bookstore plans (it changed a lot).<br />
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2. T<b>he economic crisis/slump/catastrophe/nightmare/problem-period. </b> This affected my own income (which I'm using to float myself during the first few years of business), my spending habits, and more. On a less personal level, the crisis caused banks to completely rework their lending requirements, resulting in my being totally prepared for loans that no longer existed. More on that at the end of this post.<br />
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3. <b>Personal stuff.</b> I could go into more detail here, but suffice it to say that we were dealing with a lot at home in 2010. Things are going well now and everyone is healthy, but for awhile there I had to totally hold off on finding a storefront because of a need to put my family first.<br />
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4. <b>The introduction of new, friendly competition.</b> When a new bookstore moved to Athens in October, I was forced to look at my business plan in a different way, wanting to make sure that my plans & services complemented the city's other bookstores--I want each of our shops to be different enough that you want to spend time in all three indie stores. Non-chain bookstores are as unique as their owners, after all. As someone who rearranges the furniture at least once a month, shifting my plans was a fun experiment, and I think you'll be pleased with the results.<br />
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5. <b>The limited suitable retail space in my target neighborhood. </b> After a veritable drought, there may finally be some options along the Prince Avenue corridor, and I'm looking forward to opening up shop in a space that's accessible to all you Avid readers in Boulevard/Normaltown and the surrounding neighborhoods. I don't want to jinx anything by saying much more. As many retail store owners have told me time and time again, location is of the utmost importance, and waiting for the perfect (or near-perfect) spot is far better than opening in a place that won't suit my business.<br />
<br />
6. <b>I haven't exactly been twiddling my thumbs.</b> Because I am addicted to biting off more than I can chew, and because I'm a sucker for anything related to Athens, books, community building, neighborhoods, and more, I've been keeping myself very busy with other projects as I wait for the perfect time to open the Avid Bookshop storefront. I've been running a successful bookstore business online (<a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/">http://www.avidbookshop.com</a>), organizing events (including <a href="http://theunchainedtour.org/">my favorite one </a>from October 2010!), <a href="http://imanavidreader.blogspot.com/2010/03/buy-local-book-club-is-tomorrow.html">hosting book clubs</a>, and more. I'm also on the board for <a href="http://www.weareathens.org/">We Are Athens</a> (Buy Local), the Athens Regional Library, the Boulevard Neighborhood Association, and my condominium association. I have a few non-bookstore jobs, too: I'm a regular contributor (writing about books and reading) to local publications <i>Beyond the Trestle</i>, the <i><a href="http://www.onlineathens.com/">Athens Banner-Herald</a></i>, and <i>Athens</i> Magazine. I also have two other part-time jobs editing & <a href="http://migraine.com/janet-geddis/">writing</a>, so those keep me occupied in the hours I'm not working on bookstore duties.<br />
<br />
Hope that answers your burning questions!<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I'm so grateful to those of you who've been <a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/">shopping with me online</a> (or at special sales, events, and markets). <a href="mailto:avid.athens@gmail.com">I'm always here</a> to give you book recommendations (it's my job, after all).<br />
<br />
Please know I'm working hard to make sure that I bring to Athens a neighborhood, community-focused bookstore that suits <b>YOUR</b> needs. Your patience and support mean so much to me as I continue on this journey.<br />
<br />
-Janet Geddis<br />
1/11/11<br />
<br />
****<br />
And, as promised above, here are some boring details about the economics of this, just in case you want to read my ramblings:<br />
<br />
Turns out 2008 was one of the worst and best years to decide to launch a brand-new business.<br />
<br />
<b>The Good News about these last few years, economically speaking</b>:<br />
For many of us, the economic crisis led us to reevaluate our spending habits, our homes, and our communities. The buy local movement is growing rapidly (locally, the <a href="http://www.weareathens.org/">We Are Athens</a> initiative, an organization I am on the founding board of, is ramping up for a big year!), and people are spending their precious disposable income more carefully. As megacorporations and <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780807035016">big-box stores</a> continually under-serve shoppers, well-run, independent businesses are taking the reins. <br />
<br />
<b>The Bad News about these last few years, economically speaking</b>:<br />
Starting a business from scratch in the best of economic times is hard enough; small business loans are hard to get, but banks have historically been willing to take a chance on young entrepreneurs. This changed over the last couple of years, however. As you're well aware, many banks have failed. Those that remain have more stringent lending policies, especially as many of the loans they've granted are going unpaid by struggling or unprepared business owners or homeowners. As much as they want to help out local entrepreneurs, local banks cannot usually take the risk. Which means those "surefire" loans I'd planned to get a few years ago all but dried up. No need to cry, though--I'm an inventive entrepreneur with a <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/AvidBookshop">strong support system</a> and a willingness to quickly accommodate to changes in the book industry and our town.Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-10428003631945186332011-01-10T13:13:00.000-05:002011-01-10T13:13:08.688-05:00personalized book club services<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">The new year is here, and with it myriad resolutions about taking better care of ourselves, taking time out for friends, and—for many—vows to read more books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>January is a popular month for starting book clubs, and I (Janet Geddis, Avid Bookshop founder) am here to help.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Lots of people want to start brand new book clubs; others want to revive their groups and find more interesting reads that will encourage better attendance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I work with local book clubs to help moderators find a good selection for their particular clubs. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">For <b>no fee</b>, I will talk with you (in person, via telephone, or via email) to discuss your book club’s tastes, goals, interests, and meeting schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At minimum, I can provide you with a list of books catered to your group so that you can choose book club reads for 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the other end of the spectrum, I can meet with club founders in person, find other members to join, generate discussion questions, help you find meeting space, and more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you’d like to learn more about Avid Bookshop, including personalized book club guidance, please contact me at <a href="mailto:avid.athens@gmail.com">avid.athens@gmail.com</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Avid is a locally-owned bookstore business with a strong community focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>You can find virtually any book in print at </b><a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/"><b>http://www.avidbookshop.com</b></a><b>. </b><o:p></o:p></div><!--EndFragment-->Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-50437100987989186692010-12-13T14:23:00.000-05:002010-12-13T14:23:51.341-05:00SHOP ONLINE! Used books, new books, CDs, and movies!Hey all:<br />
<br />
Looking for information on Avid Bookshop? Visit our website: <a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/">http://www.avidbookshop.com</a><br />
<br />
We sell new and used books; links available at our <a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/">home page</a>.<br />
<br />
Remember that when you buy from our new book <a href="http://avidbookshop.theretailerplace.com/">webstore</a> through Dec. 31, you get FREE SHIPPING on orders of $30 or more when you use the code FREEAVIDSHIP at checkout. (Plus all hardcovers are 10% off.)<br />
<br />
You may have noticed we don't post here very often--that's 'cause we write weekly about books, reading, and community at Athens publication <a href="http://www.beyondthetrestle.com/">Beyond the Trestle</a> (search for entries by Janet Geddis). We also update our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Avid-Bookshop/229402448736">Facebook</a> & <a href="http://www.twitter.com/AvidBookshop">Twitter</a> pages pretty frequently.<br />
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<a href="mailto:avid.athens@gmail.com">Email Avid owner Janet Geddis</a> if you have any questions or comments.<br />
<br />
Thank you!Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-76567583606427352982010-11-11T22:20:00.000-05:002010-11-11T22:20:10.640-05:00It's not too late to get your Unchained Tour books!If you're like me, you're pretty bummed that the <a href="http://theunchainedtour.org/">Unchained Tour of Georgia</a> is over (for now, at least!). Why not curl up with one of the storytellers' books and relive the magic, humor, and poignancy of that <i>Moth</i>-style storytelling tour?<br />
<br />
There's been a lot of good press about this phenomenal tour, but author (and <i><a href="http://www.themoth.org/">Moth</a></i> podcast host) Dan Kennedy probably summed it up most beautifully <a href="http://dankennedy-nyc.tumblr.com/post/1458000973/the-unchained-tour-of-georgia">here</a>. <br />
<br />
We ordered a lot of books to sell at the <a href="http://onlineathens.com/stories/101910/liv_722375439.shtml#comment39938">October 20th Athens event</a>, but there are limited copies of some titles left. Before we return these books to the publisher, we want to give you a chance to buy them from <a href="http://www.avidbookshop.com/">Avid Bookshop</a>, Athens's independent, neighborhood bookstore.<br />
<br />
1. <i>Baby of the Family</i> by Tina McElroy Ansa: <a href="http://www.biblio.com/books/367648683.html">http://www.biblio.com/books/367648683.html</a><br />
2. <i>You Know Better</i> by Tina McElroy Ansa: <a href="http://www.biblio.com/books/367648687.html">http://www.biblio.com/books/367648687.html</a><br />
3. <i>Loser Goes First</i> by Dan Kennedy: <a href="http://www.biblio.com/books/367648686.html">http://www.biblio.com/books/367648686.html</a><br />
4. <i>The Caveman's Valentine</i> by George Dawes Green: <a href="http://www.biblio.com/books/367648685.html">http://www.biblio.com/books/367648685.html</a><br />
5. <i>Ravens</i> by George Dawes Green: <a href="http://www.biblio.com/books/367648688.html">http://www.biblio.com/books/367648688.html</a><br />
6. <i>The Border Will Be Soo</i>n by Chad Faries: <a href="http://www.biblio.com/books/367648684.html">http://www.biblio.com/books/367648684.html</a><br />
<br />
If you're reading this after our quantities have sold out, worry not! You can search for all these titles (and more) at our new books website: <a href="http://avidbookshop.theretailerplace.com/">http://avidbookshop.theretailerplace.com</a><br />
<br />
Thanks!Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-76552884109507180282010-08-13T11:03:00.000-04:002010-08-13T11:03:30.925-04:00I'm still blogging, I promise!Hello there, avid Avid supporters. At least 30 times in the last couple of months, I've thought, "Eek! I have to update the Avid Blogger.com account so people know I've not fallen off the face of the earth."<br />
<br />
And then I promptly forget to update the blog.<br />
<br />
Things are still progressing rather swimmingly, if I do say so myself. I have been updating the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#%21/pages/Athens-GA/Avid-Bookshop/229402448736?ref=ts&__a=12&ajaxpipe=1">Facebook</a> fan page and the store's <a href="http://twitter.com/AvidBookshop">Twitter</a> account frequently, and I've been work-work-working on getting more <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/AvidBookshop">startup capital</a>, doing bookstore internships, having meetings with folks from Athens-area nonprofits, chatting with local bankers, and more.<br />
<br />
I've also been blogging about literature and reading on an Athens website called Beyond the Trestle. So far people have left encouraging and thought-provoking comments. Check out my weekly entries here: <a href="http://beyondthetrestle.com/blogs/janet-geddis">http://beyondthetrestle.com/blogs/janet-geddis</a><br />
<br />
Of course I'll update you with any and all major developments. For now, rest assured that things are still moving along and we're on track toward opening in a few months' time. As always, you can <a href="mailto:avid.athens@gmail.com">email me</a> with any questions or comments. <br />
<br />
Take care, and happy reading!Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-3031631839951378822010-06-16T13:26:00.000-04:002010-06-16T13:26:10.081-04:00summer's sweltering heat is here......and it's not even summer yet! <br />
<br />
Ah, Georgia. I love you and your too-cozy, energy-zapping humidity, languid evenings on the porch, and early mornings walking as the sun burns the last of the cool air away.<br />
<br />
Things have been busy as usual around here. That 2-week turnaround time it takes to get one's sales and use tax certificate isn't exactly...um...accurate. It's been 9 weeks for me, so I'm alternating between pestering the state of Georgia and trying to exercise patience.<br />
<br />
I'm honored to be a regular contributor to the popular Athens website <a href="http://beyondthetrestle.com/">Beyond the Trestle</a>. Today the site published my inaugural post; look for me on Wednesdays to talk about literature and reading. This week's entry is called <a href="http://www.beyondthetrestle.com/blog/literary-love-affair">"A Literary Love Affair." </a> Please use the comments section to let me know what you think!Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-42969239658922098882010-05-21T10:05:00.000-04:002010-05-21T10:05:55.060-04:00What I've been up to (or, Over the Moon Bookstore & Artisan Gallery opens soon in Crozet, VA)Last week I flew to D.C., where my friend Anne DeVault picked me up and drove me back to her hometown of Charlottesville. I'd met Anne and her sister Laura at <a href="http://pazbookbiz.com/">Paz & Associates workshop retreat </a>this past September ("How to Open a Bookstore: The Business Essentials"), and we'd really hit it off. Many emails and bookselling events later, here I was on their doorstep hoping to help them in any way they'd let me. Sure, I sound very kind and good here--but consider what they were giving me. The hands-on experience of preparing to open a bookstore is very different from reading about the same experience. This week was invaluable, and I'm very grateful that these friends took me into their homes and bookstore.<br />
<br />
The proprietors of <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#%21/pages/Over-the-Moon-Bookstore-Artisan-Gallery/228979679674?ref=search&sid=4914431.2471035032..1">Over the Moon Bookstore & Artisan Gallery</a> (opening next month in Crozet, Virginia) are these wonderfully smart, funny, clever women who are really going to do well. They've been kind enough to let me look at their business plan, their bookstore layout plans, and more--I've been impressed with how well they already know their target market and how many connections they're making to the book and art worlds of their region. On my end, I was pretty pleased to become more familiar with a bookstore point of sale (POS) system, the long spreadsheets of recommended opening store inventory, how many choices must be made before bookshelves and fixtures can be built, and more. Living the professional lives of these enterprising sisters for just a week was really enlightening (and lots and lots of fun). <br />
<br />
On the Saturday I arrived, May 15th, Laura & Anne invited some folks over to their freshly-painted-but-bookshelfless space in Crozet, a beautiful and hilly town about twenty miles from Charlottesville. Over and over I heard people expressing their excitement about the store, their happiness that someone had the guts to do this, and their belief that this place is going to be a hit.<br />
<br />
Congratulations to my friends! Can't wait to visit the store once its doors are open. Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-2274631139378055932010-05-04T19:53:00.000-04:002010-05-04T19:53:28.906-04:00Avid earned another shot to win $50K!<span class="GBThreadMessageRow_Date"></span> <span bindpoint="branchLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_BranchLink"></span> <span bindpoint="reportLinkWrapper" class="GBThreadMessageRow_ReportLink"></span> <br />
<div class="GBThreadMessageRow_Body"> <div class="GBThreadMessageRow_Body_Content"> Hi, you wonderful people.<br />
<br />
Thanks to you guys, Avid has another chance to win a $50,000 grant. We made it among the top 100 runners-up for April in Pepsi's Refresh Everything! competition, which means we've earned a place in the May competition! Now if we want to win, we'll have to push push push to get in the top ten and stay there. Please be as obnoxious with this as is comfortable for you. :) Send the Pepsi link to friends and family. Know someone famous who likes to read? Ask them to tweet about it, share it on their website, or create a Facebook post encouraging fans to vote. My tip is to sign in first, THEN vote. When the "vote" button disappears, you know your vote has been counted. (At the end of April I found out that lots of people *thought* they were voting, but it turned out that for most of the month their votes weren't being counted due to the site's confusing nature.)<br />
<a href="http://www.refresheverything.com/AvidforAthens"> www.refresheverything.com/AvidforAthens</a><br />
<br />
Take care, and thank you!<br />
<br />
-Janet G.<br />
<br />
(Donate in any amount here: <a href="http://indiegogo.com/AvidBookshop" onmousedown="UntrustedLink.bootstrap($(this), "8d462", event);" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://indiegogo.com/AvidBookshop</a>)</div></div>Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-8008116830659006262010-04-16T12:32:00.000-04:002010-04-16T12:32:27.728-04:00Nuci's Space Community Read: focus on depression & suicide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGLTZscHEiegSEbrOw82PLuarBfrqG3lJlwq6RNFNtbFjQVAqdpX3TPqjgO6FvdMsplB11FF-LhRtpSr8v4-Rpa5hXwkh65E6CvZYcYvgz3K3RWN731pFXGPqlQawyzEvSYKpTqaNSiMk/s1600/9780679736394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGLTZscHEiegSEbrOw82PLuarBfrqG3lJlwq6RNFNtbFjQVAqdpX3TPqjgO6FvdMsplB11FF-LhRtpSr8v4-Rpa5hXwkh65E6CvZYcYvgz3K3RWN731pFXGPqlQawyzEvSYKpTqaNSiMk/s320/9780679736394.jpg" /></a></div>Last night I attended the book club meeting for the <a href="http://www.nuci.org/">Nuci's Space </a><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#%21/event.php?eid=109305102422256&ref=ts">Community Read</a>. (Not familiar with Nuci's Space? You should be--it's an <a href="http://www.nuci.org/">amazing, amazing place</a>.) Held upstairs at the Globe (where we met for our We Are Athens book club last month!), the meeting was <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#%21/event.php?eid=109305102422256&ref=ts">well-attended</a> and lively. <br />
<br />
Why did I resist book clubs for the first 28 years of my life? Along with some friends I began a book club a couple of years ago, and it's brought me such joy and fulfillment to discuss books with smart people. Since beginning that personal book club, I've taken part in <a href="http://www.boundtobereadbooks.com/">several</a> others (and even <a href="http://imanavidreader.blogspot.com/2010/01/buy-local-book-club.html">organized one</a>). I feel hooked! By now you probably realize I'm quite the reader, and for years I thought that I wouldn't want to hash apart a book with others (especially strangers, and especially after having done so in school for four years). But having begun taking part in book clubs recently, I can't imagine what my old self was thinking!<br />
<br />
I'm exposed to so many different points of view, so many interpretations that hadn't occurred to me. Each reader comes from a background totally separate from everyone else, and that means each reading is unique. When readers get together to share these perspectives, you can watch the faces of the group as they begin to understand the book and one another in unexpected ways.<br />
<br />
The next Avid-hosted book club will meet <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=109284695767414&ref=mf">Thursday, April 29th at 6 PM</a> downtown (specific location TBD). We're reading <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780865715752"><i>The Better World Handbook</i></a>. Hope you can join even if you don't get a chance to read the book.Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-86033273397112578862010-04-13T18:12:00.001-04:002010-04-13T18:12:30.284-04:00SIBA Book Award finalistsToday, the <a href="http://www.sibaweb.com/">Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance</a> announced the finalists in <a href="http://www.sibaweb.com/siba-book-award">this year's SIBA Book Awards</a>. I've read a handful of these and am pleased to see that some of ones I voted for (ahem...<a href="http://imanavidreader.blogspot.com/2009/10/book-recommendation-giveaway-eli-good.html"><i>Eli the Good</i> by Silas House!</a>) made it to the final round.<br />
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Winners will be chosen by a jury of SIBA booksellers and announced at the fall trade show in September.Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066433952510692507.post-88324366979986254552010-04-01T09:24:00.004-04:002010-04-01T09:28:30.629-04:00In Which We Humbly Ask You to Help Avid in less than 5 minutes!<div style="color: black; font-family: Garamond,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: 14pt;" styleclass="style_ArticleHead"><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>4 <span style="font-style: italic;">Quick</span> Things to Help Avid </b></span><br />
<br />
</div>Through free clicks, small donations, and formal investments, you'll help us get this project moving forward!<br />
<br />
I humbly ask you to take a few minutes to explore the following ways to support Avid:<br />
1. <a href="http://www.refresheverything.com/AvidforAthens" linktype="link" style="color: blue ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;" track="on">Vote for us in the Pepsi Refresh Everything Project grant contest</a><br />
...& then SPREAD THE WORD!<br />
<div style="color: black;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Time: 2 minutes/day throughout April; Cost: $0</span></div>Pepsi is giving grants to individuals, businesses, and nonprofits once a month--we're up for a $50,000 grant that would (obviously) help us immensely! Throughout April, you can <a href="http://www.refresheverything.com/AvidforAthens" linktype="link" style="color: blue ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;" track="on">vote once a day</a>. If our Facebook fans voted once a day all month, we'd exceed 16,000 votes! There's strength in numbers, and <span style="font-weight: bold;">every little bit counts</span>.<br />
<br />
Don't feel like signing up through the Pepsi site? No problem. You can log in through your Facebook page by using this application:<a href="http://apps.facebook.com/pepsirefresh/"> http://apps.facebook.com/pepsirefresh/</a><br />
<br />
2.<span style="color: #00cc66;"> <span style="color: black;">Say something nice about Avid Bookshop on </span></span><a href="http://lovealocalbusiness.intuit.com/fan?b_id=17114" linktype="link" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0) ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;" track="on">Intuit's "Love a Local Business Page"</a><br />
...& then SPREAD THE WORD!<br />
<div style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Time: 3 minutes; Cost: $0</span></div>Intuit is choosing 5 small businesses per month to receive grants; the grand-prize winner will win a $30,000 grant! The more folks who nominate Avid by saying a couple of nice things, the more chances we have to win a grant. For details, visit the Intuit site at <a href="http://lovealocalbusiness.intuit.com/fan?b_id=17114" linktype="link" style="color: blue ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;" track="on">http://lovealocalbusiness.intuit.com/fan?b_id=17114</a>. (You can log in via Facebook by exploring the links in the bottom, right-hand corner of the <a href="http://lovealocalbusiness.intuit.com/fan?b_id=17114.">Intuit page</a>.)<br />
<br />
3. <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/AvidBookshop" linktype="link" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0) ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;" track="on">Make a donation to us on IndieGoGo.com</a><br />
...& then SPREAD THE WORD!<br />
<div style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Time: 2 minutes; Cost: $1 - ? (any amount appreciated!)</span></div>IndieGoGo is a site where creators and entrepreneurs make project profiles explaining their vision, set a fundraising goal, and then raise money to help reach that goal. <span style="font-weight: bold;">There is no minimum donation!</span> Visit <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/AvidBookshop" linktype="link" style="color: blue ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;" track="on">http://www.indiegogo.com/AvidBookshop</a> and check out our amazing VIP perks. Thanks to numerous friends and Athens businesses who've contributed great prizes for our donors at every level!<br />
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4.<a href="mailto:avid.athens@gmail.com" style="color: blue ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;"> <span style="color: black;">Let me know</span></a><span style="color: #00cc99;"> if you're interested in making a formal investment rather than (or in addition to) a donation.</span><br />
<div style="color: black;"><b>Time to email: 2 minutes; Cost: TBD </b></div>I'm working with a local bank to create a community lending program whereby individuals can lend money to Avid Bookshop with the bank's help. (Entrepreneurs from <a href="http://abookstoreinbrooklyn.blogspot.com/" linktype="link" style="color: blue ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;" track="on">Greenlight Bookstore </a>in Brooklyn <a href="http://abookstoreinbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2009/04/news-from-greenlight-bookstore.html" linktype="link" style="color: blue ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;" track="on">did this</a> and I'm hoping to emulate them.) If you're interested in learning more, send me an email.<br />
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As always, THANK YOU. It's not the most comfortable thing to ask for assistance and money, but, as my writer friend Laurel Snyder says, "Everyone here wants to see new indies succeed. We understand you gotta work it." Here's hoping you understand.<br />
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Have a lovely month of April--I hope that 30 days from now we'll be able to announce some very good news.Avid Bookshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00281960743157125870noreply@blogger.com0