“I didn’t want to lose my street cred with the Twitter riff raff. I imagine verification would be like trying to go back to the local watering hole on winter furlough from Harvard in the miner’s town and everyone sneerily calling you ‘college boy.” — Katie Notopoulos on Twitter Verification? No Thanks | The Awl
#stocktips lemony chicken and orzo soup from Bon Appetit April 2013
Our Geek Love event is in one week! Don’t be left out; get your ticket today!
This is going to be rad. Hang with me and a million other rad literary folk and hit on each other. What more could you ask for on an April Fools?
Making this my desktop background was the best decision I ever made.
“Urbanists … may want Detroit repurposed as ‘the world’s greatest bio-urban hub,’ but lots of people in the UAW simply want their old jobs back” — Detroit City Is the Place to Be: But … What Happened? | Everyday eBook
Books, drinks, trivia, love. The best April Fool’s Day ever!
This is going to be kick ass, get your tickets now!
pith:
Maris, Rachel & Amanda in an impromptu post-taco photo shoot
“You guys! Just pose like you have to pee pee. That’s what models do!”
Maris and Rachel, queens of the Internet, weren’t familiar with Hipsters Who Have to Pee.
There are definitely moments that make your heart heavy and bring tears to your eyes. This is, however, more than that: a story of redemption, of faith, and of finding one’s place in the world. Schaap is a wonderful storyteller, and through the loss and heartache, this is ultimately a joyful book celebrating the people and places that she has called home. (My review via An Ode to Bars: Rosie Schaap’s Drinking with Men | Everyday eBook)
I loved this book so very much, read it.
Amanda Bullock is director of public programming at Housing Works Bookstore Cafe, a nonprofit all-donation and mostly volunteer-staffed social enterprise in downtown Manhattan where all proceeds go to fight homelessness and AIDS. She books, organizes, promotes, and runs over 150 events a year at the bookstore, and she manages the store’s social media accounts and general bookternet presence. She also writes the occasional book review, and she co-founded and co-organizes, with Polly Bresnick, Moby-Dick Marathon NYC.
Amanda took some time out of her busy schedule to tell us how fun collaborations, free booze, and treating your event proposal like a job application can lead to more successful events. See you at the next You’ve Got Mail screening!
Togather: What do you think separates a good book event from an average one?
Amanda: Besides the obvious, or should-be-obvious, like don’t read over the time you’ve been advised, at least act excited to be there. It matters, and it doesn’t always happen. And free booze for attendees always helps, if you and/or your publisher can swing it.
Togather: At Housing Works you host over 150 events a year. What do you think makes for an awesome event?
Amanda: There’s a place for the read a chapter, do a Q&A, sign books style of event, but less and less. The common threads in my favorite events are crossover and collaboration. Try to do something unique, whether it’s audience interaction, adding a musical or visual element to your event, opening up the theme of your book to discussion, anything. The more unorthodox, the more interesting.
Togather: Do you have any tips for new authors who are just starting to do readings?
Amanda: Think of event proposals like job applications: it’s not what my bookstore can do for you, it’s what you can do for my bookstore. I know that you would love to do a book signing here, but if you take one look at our calendar you’ll notice we don’t really do that kind of event. And assuring me all your friends will come is not enough, we all think we have 100 friends. Write a thoughtful, store-specific proposal. Look at other events the store has done to get a feel for their style, know the space and attend an event there if possible. I’ve taken risks on small local authors and publishers because they sent thoughtful pitches that won my heart, but I’ve rejected far, far more for missing the mark completely. Give yourself a chance by knowing your audience.
Togather: My book is coming out in six months. How early should I get in touch with you? When should I start my event planning?Amanda: We usually book two to three months out, up to six, but because we don’t buy books I know we are a little later with that than most bookstores. It doesn’t hurt to start the conversation early, and definitely don’t try for something the same month (“I’ll be in your town in two weeks” will never work unless you are J. K. Rowling or something), and it’s risky asking for the next month. Aim for at least two, ideally at least three months.
Togather: Is there one really offbeat event that you’ve booked that was really great? Like tonight’s Literary Speed Dating, perhaps?
Amanda: We rarely do “normal” readings (if that means one author reading and signing), in fact! Recently we’ve hosted everything from an interactive screening of the bookstore classic You’ve Got Mail to a a marathon reading of Moby-Dick. I think the less normal, the better, although that doesn’t mean you need to create a circus (unless your book is circus-themed, then that would be pretty cool). Take some of the themes of your book and get creative with it; the event can still be centered on your own work, but you’ll have more success if you tie it in to something larger.
Photo credit: Yvonne Brooks.
Here’s my giant face!
You guys Ithat will be going to Winter Institute for the first time and I am worried I won’t know anyone and will have to eat my Kansas City BBQ all alone so no one will be able to tell me I have sauce on my chin and then I go to a meeting with an important client and they’re all, ‘well if you don’t take this seriously then we can’t,’ and it will end in tears.
Please help prevent this from happening by brokering introductions/recommending internet friends for me to hang out with?
(via The ABA Winter Institute | Winter Institute 8 – American Booksellers Association)
Me too! I am also going for the first time and am nervous. Jenn has been an amazing guide so far, but any other advice/brokerage is welcome. Ami and I are both amazing, you totally want to eat BBQ with us.
(via amiwithani)
In 2012 I read 66 books, compared to 2011’s 69 books. And you know what? I don’t give a shit that I didn’t read more books this year. I didn’t set a “reading goal” because I don’t want to read like it’s a race for points. Sometimes you read a good book and you get momentum and you just devour everything. Sometimes you get stuck on or after something and realize you’ve been reading magazines and playing Angry Birds for two days and you need to find something good to get you back into it. No big deal. Still, it was a good year in reading and I feel accomplished.
I’ve been doing this because I hate making ranked lists or declaring favorites, so instead here’s every book I finished in 2012 in the order I read them. Book club picks (I’m in two and a half) are indicated with an asterisk. Series of comics (i.e. Y the Last Man) and are only listed once even if I read multiple volumes. Thank you Goodreads.
Previously:
Every Book I Read in 2011 and Every Book I Read in 2010
pith:
Maris, Amanda, Rachel and Jami at Housing Works’s What the Dickens? on Saturday. Amanda is a troublemaker.
<3
(via Adopt a wild animal and help protect wildlife. - Wildlife Adoption and Gift Center)
This is a great gift for an environmentalist or a Game of Thrones fan.
OMG SOMEONE ADOPT ME A DIREWOLF PRETTY PLEASE.
True story, I adopted a wolf circa fourth grade in this manner, around the time I “wrote” (probably plagiarized, I mean, I was 10) a 40-page (I know wtf) report on wolves. I believe he was named “Lakota”.
Spicy roasted squash, Brussels sprouts with pine nuts & garlic, 3-cheese mac w basil, mustard-cruncy pork chop, kale salad. THANKSGIVING!
pith:
Michelle Legro drops some daguerreotype knowledge on Tumblr Prep.
Beautiful Nerds on Stage at Housing Works dot tumblr dot com.
Legro KILLED it. I have some My Daguerreotype Boyfriend Pin-Up Calendars still here; send a direct message if you want one and can pick it up from the bookstore.