Independent Bookstore Reader's Challenge

If you are like me, you love a good challenge and I found the perfect one. This challenge came to us from the brilliant minds of Kim and Claire at The Bookstore People. Their Independent Bookstore Reader’s Challenge involves a very few simple guidelines:

Go to independent bookstores that are new to you between January 1 and December 31, 2009 and have some sort of interaction. Here are the different levels you can sign up for:

· Scout - Visit 2 independent bookstores (easy!)
· Specialist - Visit 2 subject matter specialty bookstores (i.e., travel, children, cooking)
· Nationalist - Visit 2 independent bookstores and 1 additional bookstore in a state you do not live in
· Continental - Visit 2 independent bookstores and 1 additional bookstore in another N. American country (that would be the USA, Canada or Mexico)
· Globetrotter - Visit 2 independent bookstores and 1 additional bookstore on a different continent (if you’re going to Europe, check out Bookstore Guide)
· Type A Personality to the Max - Satisfy any two categories

To find other great independent bookstores in your area, check out the IndieBound Store Finder.. While there, join the IndieBound Community where you can add indie retailers in your area, become a fan of your favorites and add reviews.

Visit The Bookstore People blog whose primary purpose is “to highlight independent bookstores wherever we find them to encourage people to visit them and buy their books from them. We believe that bookstores are an essential part of a community, a place where ideas and thoughts are shared and explored.” They’ll list everyone who is participating and provide updates and information. They will also be posting reviews of the stores you’ve found and liked, so if BayShore Books is one of them, please let Kim or Claire know. At the end of the year they’ll have a random drawing among everyone who satisfied their challenge for a gift certificate from IndieBound.

Good Bye 2008!

This will be the last post of 2008. Talk about pressure! I must have done something right during 2008. You are, after all, still reading this blog. Of course, some of you may be thinking there is much that can be improved on.

Well, now is your chance to share, vent, brag, whatever!

What do you love about BayShore Books?

What improvements would you like to see in the new year?

Are you a cyber buddy who has never actually been to the store?

Don’t feel left out! What is your favorite independent bookstore and why?

Help all of us make your experience even better in 2009.

Books Every Man and Woman Should Read

Good news – it looks like all of us lucky people in Wisconsin are going to have a white Christmas! Was there really any doubt? Especially considering our fourth snowstorm of the season struck today and winter doesn’t even begin until Sunday.

The holiday season has been busy, which is why this blog is posting so late today. I didn’t want to disappoint all of you faithful readers, so here I am to wish you all a happy holiday season for those of you who are politically correct and a very Merry Christmas for those that aren’t.

In the meantime, checkout these lists:

75 Books Every Man Should Read

and

75 Books Every Woman Should Read

How many have you read?

What to Give

By now I’m sure you have all realized that books make great gifts. Did you ever wonder what your favorite authors read? Penguin Group asked their authors which books they will be giving this season and which books they would most like to receive. If Stuart Woods or Geraldine Brooks is on your shopping list this year or if you are a huge Nick Hornby or Jan Brett fan, check out Penguin’s site on What to Give & What to Get .

Need more ideas? The 2008 Indie Bestsellers were announced this week. The list includes the year’s top-selling titles at independent bookstores across the country in the categories of Hardcover Fiction, Hardcover Nonfiction, Trade Paperback Fiction, Trade Paperback Nonfiction, and Children’s and Young Adult.

Did you find any surprises?

Which books would you consider the best of 2008?

Perfect Gift

Last week I gave some not so subtle hints as to what would be the perfect holiday gift for everyone on your list , but you don’t have to take my word for it.

Okay, now you have made up your mind to give everyone on your list a book this year. Now the only question is, which book should you get each family member? There is a book perfect for each of them, but how do you find it? Buy Books for the Holidays is a great site for finding out about different genres and you can even ask for suggestions for that hard to buy for reader on your list. An even better option would be to visit your local independent bookstore and ask the knowledgeable staff there for help.

Here at BayShore Books the greatest pleasure is to find the perfect book for each customer. Many books are ordered with a certain customer in mind since we get to know the regulars and what they enjoy. Living in a small town has it’s advantages. If one of our regular customers is on your list, we can not only recommend something they would enjoy, you can also be assured that they didn’t already purchase that title from us.

So, what are you waiting for?

It will be at least a couple of hours until the snow starts again.

There is still plenty of time for us to order that off the wall title that your brother mentioned five years ago.

I'm a Winner!

I’m a winner! Break out the champagne and help me celebrate! I just completed my NaWriMo novel! 50,000 words in 30 days! Yippee!! For those participants who haven’t finished yet, you have until Sunday, so don’t give up.

Now to other big news: the holiday shopping season officially kicks off today. Not only have I finished my novel, I have also come up with the perfect gift idea. Is this a great day or what? Wondering what the perfect holiday gift is this year?

I’ll give you a few hints:

Follow the links to get great gift ideas from our friends at Buy Books for the Holidays, Indiebound, and Random House!

Local Challenge

Have you been reading the news? Depressing, isn’t it? Everyday we hear about families struggling, massive lay-offs, and businesses closing. It’s time for us to ban together and support the independent businesses in our community by shopping locally. That is the message of the American Business Alliance through America Unchained which takes place this Saturday. Indiebound is also about raising awareness and taking pride in our communities.

I recently read an article about how people are cutting back this holiday season. The reporter asked one shopper what she was doing differently this year and her response was that she was doing all of her shopping at a single big discount store. You know the one. This got me thinking, what would happen if everyone made the same change in their shopping habits? What would happen if every shopper in America shopped exclusively at this one store this holiday season?

Think about that for a minute. Now fast forward one year, five years, ten years. Eventually this particular store would be the only one still in business. How would that change your shopping experience? What I envision is a retailer that has very poor customer service and extremely high prices. Why not – they have no competition. They don’t have to impress their customers since their customers have no other options. Imagine how this would affect local farmers, artists, authors, manufacturers, distributors, I could go on and on.

Scary isn’t it?

Sure, you could say that I encourage friends, family, and customers to shop locally because I am a local business owner and I want your business. You would be right. But think about this – I live in this community, too. I want the businesses in my community to do well because that helps all of us. You shop at BayShore Books for the used books purchased from your friends and neighbors or the gifts made by local artists or the new books written by local authors. The profits are then spent at other local businesses or donated to local organizations. That’s what keeps our community economically strong. That’s what helps every one of us survive.

I challenge you to do as much of your shopping as possible tomorrow during America Unchained and every day at locally owned businesses. And if you aren't sure what gifts to buy, remember: