Socks Save Christmas

In storybooks, holidays are a time of peace and joy. Families come together from miles around to celebrate and the children’s excitement can hardly be contained. Reality may be a little different, however. Holidays can be a time of stress and money woes or of loneliness. For whatever reason, I have always struggled with the holiday blues, but I found some sure fire ways to make the season more bearable.

The first is by giving. No matter how bad things seem, there is always someone worse off. By giving of my money, time, or talent during the holiday season it helps me feel better about myself. This weekend is a gift wrap party at the store to wrap all the books generously donated by the community to less fortunate children. Check out what’s going on in your local area. You are sure to find organizations that desperately need your help whether to purchase or wrap gifts, cook food or deliver to the hungry, or to sing carols to the elderly. Be selfish this holiday season by making yourself feel great – GIVE!

Another great way to fight off the holiday blues is to read the satire Skipping Christmas by John Grisham. Sure, Luther and Nora Krank, a typical middle-aged American couple who are fed up with the overblown holiday traditions, are not unlike some of us. However, the problems and solutions are hysterical when they happen to someone else! You do not have to feel guilty about laughing at this fictional couple and the struggles they face. I could not help but laugh out loud and that is an unusual sound to hear from me this time of year.

When all else fails, the answer is socks. I believe the world would be a much happier place if everyone owned a pair of fuzzy purple socks or socks so thick you can barely squeeze them into your shoes. Even the worst of days can be turned around by wiggling into rainbow toe socks.

What about you? Do you have a sure fire way to beat the holiday blues?

Magic or Mayhem

The Teen Book Club selection for November was Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce. The magical powers, which the main characters possess, led to quite a discussion - not only in the book group, but among family and friends as well. Without giving away too much information, I will admit that Tris's magic fascinates me the most. If you haven't read any of the Circle Opens or Circle of Magic quartets yet, I urge you to rush to your local independent bookstore to pick up the entire series for your winter reading enjoyment.

If I were fortunate enough to possess magical powers or super hero abilities, I would choose the ability to fly. Oh, to soar above the earth on velvet soft wings- I envy Max and the gang!

Another group member’s greatest wish is to read minds. I believe that would be very troubling. Would the complete silence drive me mad?

A family member would like to bring back the dead For One More Day. I would think it would be too difficult to have to say good-bye once again.

What about you? If you could possess one magical power,

which would you choose?

Matter of Life or Death

Since I was a little girl I have been reading a book. Not the same book, obviously. Taking this many decades to read a single book would show my lack of reading skills or motivation or both. I need to be reading a book at all times, though - my life depends on it.

Yes, you read that right and no, I am not crazy. Well, maybe I do have a few screws loose, as they say. You see, I have a theory. When the time comes for me to leave this world, I believe God will look down on me with pity and say “She’s in the middle of a book, I will let her finish before I take her Home.” That makes complete sense, does it not?

My nightstand is straining under the pile of books stacked there. If I should happen to turn the last page while reading in bed, it’s imperative that I start a new book immediately. Even if that means struggling to keep my eyes open long enough to read a single page. As long as I am reading a book I will live forever.

According to To Read or Not to Read: A Question of National Consequence, a new analysis of reading patterns in the U.S released by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) as a follow up to NEA's 2004 Reading at Risk, Americans are reading less. The study also revealed that the decline in reading has civic, social, and economic implications. Nearly two-thirds of employers ranked reading comprehension "very important" for high school graduates. Yet 38 percent consider most high school graduates deficient in this basic skill.

Americans are busy people. And yet - on average, Americans ages 15 to 24 spend almost two hours a day watching TV and only seven minutes of their daily leisure time on reading. This leads me to believe that no one has the desire to avoid the end of this life as much as I do. Which reminds me; I finished The Will of the Empress, which I will be discussing next Friday, over my morning coffee. I need to read the first chapter of Astrid & Veronika before I get mauled by a pack of frantic shoppers.

How about you? Do you read on a daily basis and if so, when? An hour every night before bed or ten minutes in the morning before rushing off to work? Do you read over your lunch hour or while waiting to pick the kids up from school?

Now Hiring?

I’m on a mission. That mission is to make people more aware of the impact of shopping locally. That is why I joined America Unchained, a national campaign of the American Business Alliance, which will be taking place tomorrow, Saturday November 17th. The goal is to encourage citizens to do any business they plan to do on that day only at locally owned independent businesses. Many people do not realize the impact this would have on their entire community. Only 13% of dollars spent with chains circulates locally, while 45% of dollars spent with hometown businesses circulates locally* . In a small town, such as the one where we live and work, many people drive to other cities half an hour or more away to do their shopping in the malls and discount stores. Leaving the county to shop or shopping online helps our community even less.

In order to show the impact shopping locally would have on our community, I decided to use the actual dollar amounts instead of just the percentages. To get those numbers, I contacted the executive director of our county’s Economic Development Corporation. This is where the story gets interesting.

He believes part of a shop locally effort should address a few issues, which I will now attempt to do.

1. The hours that the local businesses are open vs. the work location of their customers. “…For example, a mechanic or dry cleaner that closes at noon for lunch will not get customers to come in on their lunch hour. A business that closes at 5:00 won’t see people that work (outside of our community) until 5:00. There are 6,500 people that leave (our community) each day for work in another community. Some (community) businesses recognize that but most don’t…”

Since I always have something to say, I have two comments to make about this statement. First is the most obvious. 6,500 people leaving our community to work in another is exactly why we should be supporting local businesses. If there were more thriving businesses in our community more jobs would be created and less people would have to go elsewhere to find work. The second is the fact that unlike big box stores, independent businesses, for the most part, do not need to guess at their customers needs. They actually listen to what their customers have to say and adjust their business to those needs to the best of their ability. In short, they open when the customers in the past have shopped and close when the customers leave.

2. “The customer won’t shop here if the retail selection doesn’t meet their needs”

Independent businesses are no different than any other business when it comes to this point. The fact is no store can carry every product. Unlike the malls, though, most independent retail stores are willing and able to special order what their customers need. As a bookstore, we can order just about any book in print and have it in the store usually within a week. The orders we place for our customers do affect our future inventory as well. If you, as a customer, stop in our store looking for your favorite author, whom we don’t normally carry since he/she is not a big seller in our area, you can order the book and usually have it within a week. If you stop in to order every time that author comes out with a new book, pretty soon you will no longer have to order. Why? Because we are a small business and we know our customers! Before long we will automatically order that author’s newest book, even if you are the only customer that has ever purchased one, because we know you will be stopping in for it. Do the big box stores do that for only one customer?

3. “ Most customers won’t shop locally just as a matter of community pride”

It will come as no surprise to you that I disagree with this statement as well. Our community recently completed a street scape project to beautify Main Street. What purpose would there be to this type of project other than community pride? Shopping local is about so much more than community pride, though. It is about giving back to the community where we live. It is about helping our police and fire departments, about repairing our roads and keeping our parks beautiful. It is about supporting youth football and little league, giving to the schools and the libraries. Imagine what your community could do with 32% more in their budget!

I believe I addressed all of the issues I was asked to address. Now I have one question of my own which I hope someone out there can answer for me.

If our Executive Director of Economic Development can so easily come up with three reasons why the citizens in our county should NOT support our local businesses, is this really the right person to be in that position?

Open The Blinds

Sunday, November 11th, 2007 is Veterans Day. This week's blog is somewhat of a struggle. There are a lot of great war books out now and what better time to promote them than Veterans Day? We could have a giant Veterans Day sale in the store to bring in lots of customers to spend lots of money! I have seen the ads. With the market the way it is, retailers need to make sales any way they can. That's business and I understand completely.

But.....

That does not mean I agree. Veterans Day is intended to thank veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions are appreciated, and to understand the fact that all those who served - not only those who died - have sacrificed and done their duty. Who am I to try and profit from another's sacrifice?

Instead, this week I would like to share something I received by e-mail, which can be found at this link. I don't know who the author is and only hope I am not breaking any copyright laws by reprinting this. If anyone has any more information about this piece, please share. This touched me deeply and I hope it does the same for you.

Open The Blinds

The other day, my nine year old son wanted to know why we were at war... My husband looked at our son and then looked at me. My husband and I were in the Army during the Gulf War and we would be honored to serve and defend our country again today. I knew that my husband would give him a good explanation. My husband thought for a few minutes and then told my son to go stand in our front living room window.

He said, "Son, stand there and tell me what you see?"

"I see trees and cars and our neighbors' houses," he replied.

"OK, now I want you to pretend that our house and our yard is the United States of America and you are President Bush."

Our son giggled and said, "OK."

"Now, son, I want you to look out the window and pretend that every house and yard on this block is a different country," my husband said.

"OK Dad, I'm pretending."

"Now I want you to stand there and look out the window and pretend you see Saddam come out of his house with his wife, he has her by the hair and is hitting her. You see her bleeding and crying. He hits her in the face, he throws her on the ground, then he starts to kick her to death. Their children run out and are afraid to stop him, they are screaming and crying, they are watching this but do nothing because they are kids and they are afraid of their father. You see all of this, son.... what do you do?"

"Dad?"

"What do you do, son?"

"I'd call the police, Dad."

"OK. Pretend that the police are the United Nations. They take your call. They listen to what you know and saw but they refuse to help. What do you do then, son?"

"Dad....... but the police are supposed to help!" My son starts to whine.

"They don't want to, son, because they say that it is not their place or your place to get involved and that you should stay out of it," my husband says.

"But, Dad... he killed her!!" My son exclaims.

"I know he did... but the police tell you to stay out of it. Now I want you to look out that window and pretend you see our neighbor who you're pretending is Saddam turn around and do the same thing to his children."

"Daddy... he kills them?"

"Yes, son, he does. What do you do?"

"Well, if the police don't want to help, I will go and ask my next door neighbor to help me stop him," our son says.

"Son, our next door neighbor sees what is happening and refuses to get involved as well. He refuses to open the door and help you stop him," my husband says.

"But Dad, I NEED help!!! I can't stop him by myself!!"

"WHAT DO YOU DO, SON?"

Our sons starts to cry.

"OK, no one wants to help you, the man across the street saw you ask for help and saw that no one would help you stop him. He stands taller and puffs out his chest. Guess what he does next, son?"

"What, Daddy?"

"He walks across the street to the old lady's house and breaks down her door and drags her out, steals all her stuff and sets her house on fire and then... he kills her. He turns around and sees you standing in the window and laughs at you. WHAT DO YOU DO?"

"Daddy...."

"WHAT DO YOU DO?"

Our son is crying and he looks down and he whispers, "I'd close the blinds, Daddy."
My husband looks at our son with tears in his eyes and asks him. "Why?"
"Because, Daddy... the police are supposed to help people who need them... and they won't help... You always said neighbors are supposed to HELP neighbors, but they won't help either... they won't help me stop him... I'm afraid.... I can't do it by myself, Daddy ...... I can't look out my window and just watch him do all these terrible things and ... and ... do nothing ... so ..... I'm just going to close the blinds ... so I can't see what he's doing . And I'm going to pretend that it is not happening."

I start to cry. My husband looks at our nine year old son standing in the window, looking pitiful and ashamed at his answers to my husband's questions. He says...."Son....."

"Yes, Daddy?"

"Open the blinds, because that man...... he's at your front door... WHAT DO YOU DO?"

My son looks at his father, anger and defiance in his eyes. He balls up his tiny fists and looks his father square in the eyes, and without hesitation he says, "I DEFEND MY FAMILY DAD!!! I'M NOT GONNA LET HIM HURT MOMMY OR MY SISTER, DAD!!! I'M GONNA FIGHT HIM, DAD, I'M GONNA FIGHT HIIM!!!!!"

I see a tear roll down my husband's cheek and he grabs our son to his chest and hugs him tight, and says.... "It's too late to fight him, he's too strong, and he's already at YOUR front door, son... you should have stopped him BEFORE he killed his wife, and his children, and the old lady across the way. You have to do what's right, even if you have to do it alone, before it's too late," my husband whispers. "THAT scenario I just gave you is WHY we are at war with Iraq. When good men stand by and let evil happen, son, THAT is the greatest mistake, believing that the atrocities in the world won't affect them. YOU MUST NEVER BE AFRAID TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT! EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO DO IT ALONE! BE PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! BE PROUD OF OUR TROOPS!! SUPPORT THEM!!! SUPPORT AMERICA SO THAT IN THE FUTURE OUR CHILDREN WILL NEVER HAVE TO CLOSE THEIR BLINDS..."

Writer's Block

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “those who can’t do, teach”. Well for me it is “those who can’t write, sell”. Like many booksellers, as a child I dreamed of becoming an author. I would imagine stories so clear they couldn’t be ignored. Actually, I still do. The difference is, as an adult, I’ve come to realize a certain amount of talent is required to write an entire novel.

Stories are still my life as a bookseller and I love sharing my favorites with my customers. My desire to write stays hidden, but will always be with me. In the store we have a very creative and talented teen writers group which meets once a month. This allows the teens to not only express themselves, but also to boost their confidence by reading their work out loud. Each month they have a writing assignment, which they select since it is their group. Last month they wrote letters to their favorite author. The goal was to express why they liked the book and how it made them feel, but not to explain what happened in the book since the author obviously knows. It amazes me how fluently these kids write in comparison to the way they speak. I actually understood every word!

For one member’s selection, however, rushing out to purchase a book by her favorite author would be impossible at this time. This member wrote a letter from a fan to herself as the author. Talk about creativity! Was this fair to the other members who actually read a book and wrote about that? Hey, this is purely for enjoyment. No grades here! Creativity is the name of the game when it comes to writing fiction. Isn’t it? I’m just a lowly little bookseller encouraging these kids to follow their dreams. What do all of you authors think? What is your best advice for teen writers?


As a side note: For all of you aspiring writers out there, check out NaNoWriMo which is the largest writing contest in the world and is going on right now!

Horror Close to Home

The haunting season is here. For some that means curling up with a good vampire novel, but others prefer real life horror. For those brave souls who are curious about phantoms closer to home, Haunted Wisconsin by Michael Norman and Beth Scott features more than 70 true tales of terror throughout Wisconsin. With an assortment of ghosts, apparitions and other supernatural occurrences, Wisconsin could easily be called the most haunted state in America.

“….On a crisp, fall night in 1962, Pat Orcutt, of Whiting, Wisconsin, curled up in bed with the novel she was reading. About 10:00 p.m. she happened to glance up from the pages. Her grandmother was standing beside the bed. Nothing odd about that, except that Grandma Mamie had been dead for years and was buried in Elmira, New York.”
From There Goes Mamie in Haunted Wisconsin.

For anyone interested in peering into the edge of mystery, Ghost Stories of Wisconsin by A.S. Mott is sure to provide a chilling and unforgettable treat. If Ghost Ship gave you nightmares, beware of The Griffon!

In 1679 using the fortune he had amassed trading furs, French adventurer, Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, built a 60-foot-long sailing ship that weighed 45 tons and came equipped with five guns. The Griffon was the first of its kind to sail on the upper Great Lakes. The large ship launched from the Niagara River, sailed across lakes Erie, Huron and Michigan before arriving in Green Bay Harbor, where it docked at Washington Island. From there La Salle continued on a canoeing expedition, leaving six men on the Griffon with orders to leave Green Bay Harbor. Neither those men nor the Griffon were ever seen again. Five years later the ship, in a ghostly form, became a frequent sight on the waters of Green Bay.

Have you experienced a real life haunting or do you prefer fiction? What do you recommend this Halloween?