I Found a Dime

Life turns on a dime. Indeed it does.

Tonight will be my last shift at the bookstore.

I find myself a little sad and on edge as I get ready for my shift today.

Deciding to leave the bookstore was not an easy decision for me to make. I have worked on and off in bookstores since I was a teenager, putting up with low-ish pay and sometimes challenging working situations to be able to stay in close proximity to books and the people who love them.

But bookstores have been doing a lot of changing in recent years. The advent of digital reading devices and the explosion of online shopping have dramatically changed book shopping habits. People who use digital reading devices purchase less paper books. They may come into the store to browse, but then purchase them on their device, which does nothing for the individual store's bottom line. People also come in and browse at the store, but when they find out that the online price is so much cheaper, they often go home and buy the books online.

In addition, Borders is gone. The company I've worked for has closed two stores in our metro area, and opened one new one. People - customers and staff alike - wonder if bookstores can remain viable. It is unsettling.

Bookstores, at least the one I work for, seem to be in the middle of an identity crisis. They need to figure out what they want and need to be.

I love books. I LOVE books. I love being around them, I love talking and writing about them.

And I have loved working in a bookstore. But recently, working in a bookstore (for me, all I can say is how it's been for me), has become less about the joy of books and reading and more about trying to struggle through a shift.

I have felt as though I've been on the front lines, spending less time talking about actual books with people, and more time explaining changes and policies - why our stores closed (leases were up, we opened a new store), whether the store I'm currently in is going to close (not that we know), why are books cheaper online (less overhead, buying them here means you get to come in and have customer service and carpets and lights and bathrooms and chairs), and how do you use a Nook anyway?

Changes in the bookstore industry, as well as the climate of my individual store brought me to my decision to leave. Even though I've been with this company for almost ten years and worked in four different stores, it is time for me to move on.

This decision to leave is more about me choosing which dime on which to turn my life, rather than leaving the dime turning to fate.

Even though I chose this dime, I am having a lot of feelings today...sadness to say good-bye to some great co-workers, sadness not to be around the books on a daily basis, sadness maybe even that I want to leave, as well as being a little on edge about all the changes for me personally (I start a brand new job tomorrow!).

Part of the decision about leaving the bookstore has been wondering what that means for me and this blog. I've really enjoyed it, but wondered if me not being at the bookstore makes the blog less appealing, or that I would have less of a draw. That has been scary and sad for me as well.

However, leaving employment at the bookstore doesn't mean I won't still read or write about books (or maybe even write another book!). I'm just not sure what it will all look like yet!

I invite you to stay tuned and see what happens!

Thanks for stopping by the blog. You can send email to: 2of3Rs(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Or check out the blog's facebook page, NOT The New York Times Book Review. Happy reading!

Customers 38

A woman, maybe 60's, short greying brown hair, wearing a short sleeved beige sweater with gold yarn in it, asked for help with her Nook account. I was able to answer her question. She then asked for the Nook covers, as her Nook cover was getting pretty beat up.

"They are right over here," I said, "and all of them for your device are on sale for $15, which is great. Some of them were pretty spendy."

"Oh, that is great!", she said, "I'll have to look at them and see which one I want!"

I left her looking at the covers.

About fifteen minutes later she came up to the counter with a Nook cover in a case.

"Looks like you found one," I said.

"I did. I have breast cancer and look at the one I found!" She showed me the cover, a pink leather cover with a breast cancer ribbon design on the front. "It's perfect!", she said. "I just came from a chemo appointment and this is just the thing! And you helped me with my account!" She was smiling. "This just makes my day!"

"I'm so glad," I said, ringing up her purchase. "Take care."

"I will! Thank you so much!"

************************************

A man, 30's, dark hair and a moustache, wearing a cammo baseball cap and a light brown t-shirt, brought TRIDENT K9 WARRIORS to the counter to purchase...

     

"Oh, I've been looking at that, it really looks interesting," I said.

"I used to work with dogs in the Army," he said, "I was in bomb disposal for, let's see, ten years. I read a little bit of this," he said, pointing to the book, "and he seems to have gotten it right. I'm looking forward to reading it."

"That's good to know," I said.

"How many dogs did you get to work with?", I asked.

"Luckily, just one. Lots of other guys worked with a lot of dogs. You know, a lot of them don't make it in that kind of work." He looked sad.

"Ah. Right," I said, thinking how hard that must have been.

I wish I'd asked him the name of the dog.

Clicking on the book cover will take you to Amazon's web page for the book. Clicking on the underlined book cover may take you to Barnes and Noble's page for the book. Purchasing through these links helps support the blog. You can also send email to us: 2of3Rs(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Thanks for stopping by!

Notes on Some Books

These are some of the books I've been reading this year...

            
            

THY NEIGHBOR is Norah Vincent's first foray into fiction. Nick narrates. He is living his parents' house; his parents, who were killed. Nick spies on his neighbors and learns much about them...and himself. Dark and twisted. A good read.

THE TWELVE TRIBES OF HATTIE by Ayana Mathis
Chosen as an Oprah pick, Mathis skilfully tells Hattie's story through her children. Not always an easy book to read, it is well done.

THE DEATH OF BEES by Lisa O'Donnell
Two girls live on their own and their parents are nowhere to be found. Where are they? How are the girls going to manage? Is their neighbor someone to be trusted? This, while also a little dark, is a very good read.

CALLING DR. LAURA by Nicole J. Georges
In this graphic memoir, Nicole Georges illustrates some of her life - developing relationships, coming to a (sort of) understanding with her mother about her sexual orientation, and...calling Dr. Laura. Really well done, and I love that she lives in Portland!

11/22/63 by Stephen King
Life turns on a dime. Indeed it does. Jake, a teacher in a small Maine town, is shown a time travel portal to the past by his friend, Al. Can he go back and change history? Should he? I really liked how King spun the idea of time travel and the ramifications of changing the past.

UNSAID by Neil Abramson
"If you have ever loved an animal, this book is for you." This is the blurb I wrote for this book at the bookstore where I work. Yes, it's a novel, and it, more than I think any other book I've read, beautifully expresses the love and connection we have with animals. Really wonderful. Look for a longer review for this book on the blog.

READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline
Set in the future, video games have evolved. OASIS is the name of the game, and Wade, a high school student, has immersed himself in the game. More than just a simulation, the creator of the game has set up a contest. Whoever finds the easter egg in the game by following his clues, wins his entire fortune. This book was really fun, while also recognizing the inherent dangers of immersion in an artificial reality. Lots of great pop culture references!

LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson
I'm in the middle of reading this one. Ursula Todd is born...and dies. And is born, and dies. In Life After Life, we see Ursula's many different lives. I am interested to see how it all plays out!

Clicking on the book cover will take you to Amazon's web page for the book. Clicking on the underlined book title may take you to Barnes and Noble's page for the book. Purchasing through these links helps support the blog. Note: You can use one of these (newly mentioned!) books to enter April's free book giveaway! Thanks for stopping by!

April (Free!) Book Giveaway!

It's time for the April Book Giveaway contest!

First I need to tell you what's going on. There was only one entry for March's Book Giveaway. Just one! With only one entry, I decided not to have the contest for March.

So here's what's happening this month. April's book giveaway will happen as long as there are at least 5 (five) new entries for this month's contest. By "new entries", I mean entries of people who have not won before. (If you have won before, you can still enter and potentially win, there just needs to be - at least! - five new entries for the contest to take place!)

Like in previous months, you get to choose which book you'd like to receive! The only requirement is that the book you choose has to have been mentioned at some point on this blog.

To enter the giveaway:
1. Look through the blog and find a book that you'd like to receive.
(Hint: the blog started in January 2010. At the end of each year, or beginning of a year, I list all the books I read that year. Scanning one of the annual lists to find a book you'd like might be easier than reading through each blog post, as illuminating and fascinating as that might be!)

2. Add a comment here on the blog that includes your name and the title of the book you've chosen. Entries will not be received through the blog's facebook page.

3. Enter by the end of the day, Thursday April 18, 2013.
        That's it!

I will number the comments and randomly pick a number with a random number generator. I will send messages to the winner and that winner will have five days to respond. If that person doesn't respond, I’ll pick another number. Once I have a confirmed winner, I will get their shipping addresses via email or private message and send them the book they've chosen!*

*Note: I don't want you to put your personal contact information in the blog's comment space. This is protect you. However, you will need to enable your preferences so you see additional comments on the blog, or be sure to check back on the blog or the facebook page to see if you've won!

Entries for the giveaway need to be comments to this blog post. If you'd like to send a private message that is not an entry, do so via email: 2of3Rs(AT)gmail(DOT)com, or through a private message through the blog's facebook page, NOT The New York Times Book Review.

Thanks and good luck!