The Lost Art Of Reading Books...From An Acutal Bookstore

My local Borders is closing here in Philly. And when I say local I mean across the street from my job and when I say Philly it's the only Borders left in this great metropolis.

The only Borders in a major city is closing.  What the what?

I feel like Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail but the crappy closing is happening to Tom Hanks. The big box store is closing. Not a mom & pop shop.

Does this mean Mom & Pop book stores can make a comeback? That would be nice. But if the Big Boys can't hang how can the little guy?

I am sooo bummed. Yes, part of it is proximity. It is literally across the street from my job. But B&N has  never been a fave of mine. I thought the peeps in there weren't as friendly and even the customers seemed uptight.

In my Borders everyone says hi. The chipper cashier who makes sure you have the latest coupon, the stock person who gets off their ladder and asks if you need help even when you didn't, the super high maintenance executive who is secretly reading a romance novel in the corner, the dirty hipster next to me in the Lit section chosing between a Pulitzer and a comic book, the mom with the frazzled hair checking out couples only vacation books, and the cute guy buying a cook book to whip up a feast for his love. I mean we were all there together, seeking... BOOKS.

This store is  always busy. It's in Center City and all kinds of peeps chillax in this wonderful building filled with ACTUAL BOOKS.

I do not own an e-reader. Do not want to, in the least.

I have bought three books from Amazon. But they were reads not available at Borders.

There have been so many great stories I've found just by perusing the bookshelves. Titles, covers, and displays have caught my eye. I have found reads that were maybe the last copy there, not so popular to be on a display, but they were truly beautifully written pieces of prose.

You cannot get that at Amazon.com.

You can't get that from some App or Kindle site.

The written word is losing its biggest cheerleader, advocate, sponsor, and guardian.

The BOOK STORE.

Didn't you get the feeling when aimlessly wandering the aisles that they were calling to you, whispering for you to ... "Read me..."

Maybe it's just me. But I have the feeling I am not alone.

Liz Lemon's latest adventure had her fighting for the written word. This, BTW, had to be one of the funniest 30 Rock episodes ever. EVER! Anywho, as a writer her show was sent on Hiatus. Even for TV Show Writers the business is grim. Liz's greatest competition is a reality show. No writing there, no scripts or thought to the words used to inspire people to watch. Just a camera following an idiot around. (I do love me some Real Housewives of Atlanta and Jerseylicious, though.)

Liz's agent sets her up to interview For Nick Lachey's Sing Off and Aaron Sorkin is there too. Not a good sign at all...

Liz: Do I know you?

Aaron Sorkin: I'm Aaron Sorkin. The West Wing, A Few Good Men, The Social Network...

Liz: Studio 60.

Aaron Sorkin: Shut up.

Liz: You're not really applying for this job are you?

Aaron Sorkin: Of course I am, you gotta take work where you can find it, especially now. Our craft is dying while people are playing Angry Birds and poking each other on Facebook. What is poking anyway? Why won't anybody do it to me? Hey, I'm cool.

Liz: So it's really that bad out there? I mean, you're Aaron Sorkin...

Aaron Sorkin: ...This is serious. We make horse buggies; the first Model T just rolled into town.

Liz: We're dinosaurs

Aaron Sorkin: We don't need two metaphors. That's bad writing, not that it matters.

SNORT!

Liz doesn't get the job and is desperate not only to work but to save writing as an industry. Walking home she overhears a child ask her mother what the metal box is on the sidewalk is. A homeless man says it's a toilet, a woman, whatever you want it to be. It's a newspaper stand. Liz will not let the little girl be led astray.

Liz: People of the sidewalk we can't give up on the written word. We need stories. Because I don't have a plan B. I have a degree the Theater Tech with a minor in movement. Why did my parents let me do that?

SNORT!

She stumbles upon some "peoples whose professions are no longer a thing"; an American automotive worker, a travel agent, and a jazz saxophone player. Liz has had enough. She will not join them living in the tunnels of NY.  Through the genius detective work of Kenny, Liz saves the show.

But I don't have a Liz Lemon or a Kenny. No one can save my bookstore.

Who will save bookstores? Who?

You, that's who. Stop your amazoning kindle fondling and get back into an ACTUAL BOOK STORE.

You may be reminded why the hell you started reading in the first place.

Don't you want to inhale that new book smell, feel the paper across your fingertips?

If you don't this will be me years from now. A ghost in a  museum where those things with pages and letters are held. The place where books went to die....

Go, shoo, and buy a damn book.... FROM A BOOK STORE.

The Power of Plaid

What up my people! AJ aka JAWS had her debut post over at Heroes and Heartbreakers the other day. What did she write about you ask?

The power of plaid. What 'tis that ye ask? Are yer wits addled? Aye? Highlanders ye dolt! What else would she babble on 'bout? Go on over and give the wee lassie a holler. Ye wouldnae want to miss her blatherings.

Shoo. Go. Here is some powerful plaid to entice ye. I got me knickers twisted just thinking 'bout these lads.

Vampire Fiction 101

Where did all these pasty peeps come from?

Ever wonder how we went from the Ghoulish Nosferatu to Sparkly Edward Cullen?

Click here to check out my research on the topic.

 It involves opium, alcohol, and a vivid imagination.

Hiatus Time

Charli is going on a hiatus from this lovely blog. Not to worry. This is not a ledge moment or a Sheen like break from reality. I just need a break, have lots to do, and wanted to let you all know I will be back soon.

Lately I've been participating in Blog fests and hops. It helps you meet other writerly friends and exchange information.

It's nice but it's not why AJ and I started this blog. Over the past few months our wee lil' blog has received those blog awards. We don't post them, it's not our thing. It's nice to have people feel that way about you blog and acknowledge it. But when you go to their blogs to accept the square image you find out you're 1 of 7 to 10 recipients. In order for the giver of your award to accept one that they got they have to give them out. What the what? Are these awards really all that sincere?

Hmmm. Some yes but since it's sort of forced prolly not all.

The Blog Fest thing I actually like. I get to read other people's writing and such but it gets overwhelming. You can spend hours and hours just looking at other people's entries, commenting, and bam, your day is gone. And you've yet to open your WIP and actually write.

Hmmm. I start a blog to share about the writing experience and blog more than write.

I used to look forward to jumping on here and venting about the process, the craft, the joys, the lows, and the ledge moments of becoming an aspiring writer. What happened to me?

The blogosphere. The interwebz. The twitterverse. The Facespaces.

I have a lot going on outside my writing life. I will be super busy until May. It's all very top secret, the kind of thing where if I tell you I have to kill you. So we'll leave it at I'm busy.

Maybe AJ will be by soon. Maybe I will find something of writing value to speak of. But for now I need to get back back to actually writing.

Smell ya later interwebbing blogospheres!

Lemon Out.

Feature & Follow Friday

Over at Parajunkee they are having a Feature & Follow Friday. Here we get to know other peeps in the world of books and share some things about ourselves.





There you can find other great blogs, check them out, follow, and comment.

This Friday's question is:

Q. Share your current fav television show! Tell us a bit about it...

Well, I have a few favorite shows, I am sort of a TV junkie. If you follow this blog you can already guess what my fave of all faves is.

30 ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!

 
Here are some clips. My words cannot do it justice!
 

 
How can you not love a show that coins phrases like...
 
"I want to go to there."

"I love this cornbread so much I wanna take it behind a middle school and get it pregnant."

"What the what!"

"I can't eat this, I'm a foodie."

"I'm wearing a tux 'cause its after six. What am I, a farmer?"

"Oh my god, where are my manners? Do you wanna try meth?"

"I never sleep on planes. I don't wanna get 'incepted.'"

"Goodnight cheese."

"First of all, I look weird there because I'm snarting."

Ok. You have to be a fan after "snarting". That's a sneeze fart.

The BETA

BETTA is a fish whose face blooms while preparing to attack.

BETA lost the videotape wars in the 80's to VHS.

BETA is the second letter of the Greek alphabet.

BETA is a measure of the volatility, or systematic risk, blah blah blah some Wall Street thingy. 

BETA is a motorcycle.

BETA is the last round of testing before software gets released.

BETA blockers help fight heart disease.

BETA is a night club in Denver.

(You now you just head bopped to this pic. Hee hee.)

If you are blessed enough to have a Critique Partner you will one day get to BETA read their entire MS.

It's a celebration of sorts. The end of a journey.

And it's refreshing to read something you love so much all over again.

But 'tis a bit of work. You must read with keen eyes, dotting all the i's and crossing the t's. You read it as you would a novel, in a flow. Not chapter by chapter over the long months of critiquing.

Here, you may find some plot holes, timeline mistakes, and things you flat out missed before.

The whole time you are remembering why you love your CP so much. Why, out of all the other aspiring authors, you chose this one person to share your writing journey with.

This week I had the immense pleasure and honor to read  AJ Wilson's A Princess For York.

Holy HOT Highlanders batman!

I was completely blown away!

I'd never read a historical romance before reading for AJ.

Never wanted to and I have to admit I was skeptical when I opened the first chapter over a year and a half ago.

This is not your typical historical romance. Not like this douche-nozzle to the right.

It's Historical Fiction with one hell of a love story at it's heart.

I never wanted to see a man in a skirt so bad in my life. Ha-cha-cha.

This tale is smart, action packed, sexy as hell, endearing, and has you tearing up at the end, begging to read the next adventure!

Go to her website and be blown away! I mean really, it will leave you wanting more.

'Tis truly The Tudors meets Braveheart!

This BETA read was a labor of love. There were a few things that needed ironing out, not much. But I was left breathless, willing back tears at the end.

This experience has me talking in brogue on occasion, typing it. Aye, 'tis truth! I cannae lie. The story is verra, verra moving. Never read the like!

For all you aspiring authors, the BETA read for a fellow writer in an honor. I relish the next tale I get to devour for my CP.

*This was a totally blatant arse kissing post for when JAWS tears me MS a new one!*

Heroes and Heartbreakers

Yesterday was a day of kisses, love, and ha-cha-chas.

 It was also the big launch day of Heroes and Heartbreakers, the latest website dedicated to Romance and hosted by Macmillan Publishing.

I have the honor of being a contributor for the blog. My first post discusses Romance Couple Royalty, Jamie and Claire from Diana Gabaldon's The Outlander. Love this couple.

The site chats about Romance as a whole. Not just in books but in movies, music, television, and our daily lives. There are great recommendations for news reads,  tantalizing excerpts, and short stories.

Giveaways, sneak peeks, and witty banter should be enough to make you run over to sign up and be a member. Besides the fact that I have a post there, of course.

Go, shoo. Get going and get in on all the fun. No comments here, save them for over there.