News of More Closings from Barnes & Noble

Basically Barnes & Noble is planning to shutter twenty stores a year for the next ten years. Read the Huffington Post article.

Ever Dreamed of Living in a Library?

Eclectic Kitchen design by San Francisco Design-build The Last Inch,Inc.

Houzz, my favorite home design site, has shared a kitchen in what was formerly a Carnegie library! It is just beautiful. Wouldn't you love to see the rest of the residence?

The Top Ten - Writers Pick Their Favorite Books

Author Elizabeth Flock posted about this wonderful site that asked her to list her top ten books. Here's what she wrote on Facebook:

"I am often asked about my favorite books, a frustrating question I LOVE because it challenges me and, depending on where my thoughts have been wandering, my answer always changes a little bit. But there are a few "absolutes" and J. Peder Zane has provided a safe place for them to reside. When you check out this fabulous site, you'll know why I was thrilled to be included."

What caught my attention was her reference to the few "absolutes".

So check out The Top Ten website, which is actually an expansion on the book of the same name, and then share your thoughts. You'll find lists by author names, lists submitted by readers, and a tally of repeated titles. What are your absolutes?

Another Bookstore Closing - Downtown Grand Rapids

". . .Grand Rapids now joins Lansing, Detroit, Saginaw, Bay City, Flint and Birmingham without a bookstore in the downtown while bookstores seem to thrive in Petoskey, Ann Arbor and Traverse City."

(editorial note: and Jackson, of course)

You can read the entire article at MittenLit.com, which is 'all about books and authors with ties to Michigan'.

2013 Edgar Awards Nominees

January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849

Mystery Writers of America has announced its Nominees for the 2013 Edgar Allan Poe Awards, honoring the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television, published or produced in 2012. The Edgar® Awards will be presented to the winners on May 2, 2013 in New York City.

You can find the whole list on my friend Marlyn Beebe's blog Stuff & Nonsense.

Book Bingo Challenge!

I stumbled across Lindsey Reeder when she posted Retreat's Reading Bingo Challenge on Twitter recently. She is one of the contributors to a fabulous page called Retreat (Read. Relax. Retreat.) from Random House Canada. You really need to visit and check out their site!

Courtesy: Retreat: Random House Canada

Jungle Red Writers Celebrating Bookstores

Aunt Agatha's in Ann Arbor, MI

Do you recognize any of these mystery writers? Julia Spencer Fleming, Jan Brogan, Lucy Burdette, Hallie Ephron, Rhys Bowen, Deborah Crombie, Hank Phillippi Ryan, or Rosemary Harris?

The tagline on the Jungle Red Writers website clarifies its mission. "8 smart and sassy crime fiction writers dish on writing and life. It's The View. With bodies."

And for today, January 12, 2013, there is an interview with Jenny Milchman, who has a new mystery, Cover of Snow, celebrating the appreciation of bookstores. Jenny has actually done what I am talking about. She has visited an amazing number of bookstores all over the country.

Book I Should Be Reading

I won a copy of Where'd You Go Bernadette a while back and carefully placed on the shelf with every intent of reading it in a timely fashion. There it has languished while lesser (and greater) books have consumed my attention.

Then I see today that it has been optioned for a movie! Read the details HERE at Huffington Post.

If You Prefer Real Books, Read This

 The Wall Street Journal just posted an article refuting the claims that ebooks were going to take over the world. Nicholas Carr suggests that might not be the case. You can read his comments HERE.

The Top Ten Cities for Book Lovers

 
Liveability.com, a site which talks about "Amercia's Best Places to Live and Visit", has just put together a list of cities for book lovers. I share this link because Traverse City, Michigan made the list at # 6 with Horizon Books.

Now for the Good News!

Courtesy Photo:  Literati Bookstore Blog

A new bookstore is opening in Ann Arbor, Michigan just a mere 45 minutes down I-94. There had been speculation but now there is confirmation! Read about it HERE in the annarbor.com news.

If, like me, you plan to visit in 2013, here's the link to the Literati Bookstore Blog.

Is the Bookstore a Dying Business?

Another bookstore (Zephyr Books), this time in Reno, Nevada, is going out of business as reported by Channel 2. Watch a video and read about why by clicking HERE

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Another Comment on the Future of Independents

Slate has posted an interesting comment on whether or not the independent bookstores will outlast Barnes & Noble, which is apparently in deep trouble. You can read it HERE.

America's Best Bookstores!

Courtesy of Boulder Bookstore

Sarah L. Stewart just wrote a wonderful article for Travel & Leisure naming more than a dozen fantastic independent bookstores! You can read it HERE. She provides links to the individual bookstores websites too.

A Couple of Independent Bookstores Close

Archivia Bookstore in New York City

This isn't the best way to start off a New Year where I pledged to visit independent bookstores and see what I could discover.

Go check out the Shelf Awareness page and read about Archivia (NYC) and Pudd'nhead Books (Webster Groves, MO) closing.

Welcome 2013!