Welcome to Biting-Edge, a blog shared by authors and vampire experts, Mario Acevedo and Jeanne Stein. We’ll cover urban fantasy, vampires, pop culture, and all things Joss Whedon. Unlike other fantasy blogs, we don’t insist on body cavity searches (unless you ask politely). Snarkiness is most welcome...though we won't promise not to bite back!
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Pride, Prejudice and Book Store Closings
From Parade.com: To celebrate the publication of Pride and Prejudice 200 years ago this week, Paula Byrne, author of the biography The Real Jane Austen, offers these facts about the novelist:
1. Her original draft of Pride and Prejudice was titled First Impressions and was rejected by a top publisher.
2. She accepted a proposal from her best friend's brother, but changed her mind the next morning.
3. Her deep dislike of the French was fueled by her cousin's husband's death by guillotine during the Revolution.
4. The publisher of Pride and Prejudice was Egerton’s Military Library, which specialized in military history—not romances.
5. A character in Sanditon, one of Austen's two incomplete novels, is homeopathic health nut who wants to swim in the sea in a bathing machine with a mixed race girl.
6. Austen's other unfinished novel is called The Watsons. The heroine's name was Emma Watson.
You can download a free digital copy of Pride and Prejudice from iTunes or Amazon.
More interesting facts can be found on the Jane Austen Society of North America website, including a bit that caught my attention. In World War I, soldiers read "Pride and Prejudice" for comfort and distraction. Rudyard Kipling later published "The Janeites," a short story about a group of soldiers who shared a passion for Jane Austen.
From Shelf Awareness and the Wall Street Journal (Jan 28):
Over the next decade, Barnes & Noble will likely close a third of its 689 general retail stores, or about 20 a year, Mitchell Klipper, CEO of B&N's retail group, told the Wall Street Journal. Slimmed down to 450 to 500 stores, the retail stores represent "a good business model," he said, emphasizing that today only about 20 B&N trade stores--3% of the total--lose money...
I hate reading about any bookstore closing--but it's not just because of the obvious. As an author, fewer stores mean fewer advance sales--already down because we lost Borders last year. It also means less shelf space and with their new policy, Barnes and Noble no longer carries the extended back list it used to. I'd like to think as more and more big box stores close, readers would turn to their independents but many smaller stores cannot match the price points of the big box stores. And like it or not, price does matter. It's a problem that affects us all and it's only going to get worse.
Image: Stock Montage/ Getty Images
From Parade.com: To celebrate the publication of Pride and Prejudice 200 years ago this week, Paula Byrne, author of the biography The Real Jane Austen, offers these facts about the novelist:
1. Her original draft of Pride and Prejudice was titled First Impressions and was rejected by a top publisher.
2. She accepted a proposal from her best friend's brother, but changed her mind the next morning.
3. Her deep dislike of the French was fueled by her cousin's husband's death by guillotine during the Revolution.
4. The publisher of Pride and Prejudice was Egerton’s Military Library, which specialized in military history—not romances.
5. A character in Sanditon, one of Austen's two incomplete novels, is homeopathic health nut who wants to swim in the sea in a bathing machine with a mixed race girl.
6. Austen's other unfinished novel is called The Watsons. The heroine's name was Emma Watson.
You can download a free digital copy of Pride and Prejudice from iTunes or Amazon.
More interesting facts can be found on the Jane Austen Society of North America website, including a bit that caught my attention. In World War I, soldiers read "Pride and Prejudice" for comfort and distraction. Rudyard Kipling later published "The Janeites," a short story about a group of soldiers who shared a passion for Jane Austen.
# # # #
From Shelf Awareness and the Wall Street Journal (Jan 28):
Over the next decade, Barnes & Noble will likely close a third of its 689 general retail stores, or about 20 a year, Mitchell Klipper, CEO of B&N's retail group, told the Wall Street Journal. Slimmed down to 450 to 500 stores, the retail stores represent "a good business model," he said, emphasizing that today only about 20 B&N trade stores--3% of the total--lose money...
# # # #
Let's end with something more pleasant than bookstores closing. I'm not impressed by most book trailers but this is a good one! Enjoy!
Labels: Barnes and Noble, Pride and Prejudice, Truth in Advertising
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 4:59 PM 6 comments
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
Longmont Theater Fundraiser
On Friday the 24th, (Cripes-- it's the 14th of course) Mario and I will be at the Boulder Barnes & Noble taking part in a fundraiser for the Longmont Theater Company. From the theater website:
Book Fair Fund Raiser - December 14 - 19, 2012
Help support live theater, by shopping for books! (And games, and CDs, and DVDs, and cheesecake, and Nooks, and...) In Store, Dec 14: Join us at the Barnes &. Noble bookstore in Boulder (or ANYWHERE in the U.S.) on December 14, 2012.
At the Boulder story, while you shop, you can enjoy caroling from our singing group, SRO, story reading, writing letters to Santa, and appearances by many local and national authors. When you check out, use code 10866499, and Longmont Theatre will earn a share of the proceeds.
On line, Dec 15 - 19: You can also shop on-line, at barnesandnoble.com, December 15 through 19, 2012, and use the "Book Fair" code 10866499 when you check-out.
Book Fair Fund Raiser - December 14 - 19, 2012
Help support live theater, by shopping for books! (And games, and CDs, and DVDs, and cheesecake, and Nooks, and...) In Store, Dec 14: Join us at the Barnes &. Noble bookstore in Boulder (or ANYWHERE in the U.S.) on December 14, 2012.
At the Boulder story, while you shop, you can enjoy caroling from our singing group, SRO, story reading, writing letters to Santa, and appearances by many local and national authors. When you check out, use code 10866499, and Longmont Theatre will earn a share of the proceeds.
On line, Dec 15 - 19: You can also shop on-line, at barnesandnoble.com, December 15 through 19, 2012, and use the "Book Fair" code 10866499 when you check-out.
You'll find the Boulder B&N at 2999 Pearl Street
Boulder, CO 80301
303-444-0349
Boulder, CO 80301
303-444-0349
And you'll find Mario and I there between about noon and 4 PM. Check out the Facebook page for a complete listing of authors and hours.
This is actually the first time I'm signing in Boulder. Hope to see some of you there.
# # # #
In other bookstore news, Mystery Writers of America announced the winners of the 2013 Raven Awards, which recognizes "outstanding achievement in the mystery field outside the realm of creative writing." There are two this year, the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstores in San Diego and Redondo Beach, Calif., and Oline Cogdill, who has been a journalist for more than 25 years and is the mystery columnist for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Now most of you know, Mysterious Galaxy is one of my favorite bookstores. They have always been supportive of the writing community and hosted me in signings from the release of the very first Anna Strong Chronicle. I'm happy to see them recognized.
Other MWA Edgar nominees can be found here.
Now most of you know, Mysterious Galaxy is one of my favorite bookstores. They have always been supportive of the writing community and hosted me in signings from the release of the very first Anna Strong Chronicle. I'm happy to see them recognized.
Other MWA Edgar nominees can be found here.
# # # #
I posted this on my Facebook page this week, but I think it's worth reposting. From the Denver Post:
ZAROZJE, Serbia—Get your garlic, crosses and stakes ready: a bloodsucking vampire is on the loose.
Or so say villagers in the tiny western Serbian hamlet of Zarozje, nestled between lush green mountain slopes and spooky thick forests. They say rumors that a legendary vampire ghost has awakened are spreading fear—and a potential tourist opportunity—through the remote village.
Read more: Vampire on the loose in Serbia?
Seems the locals think if the Romanians can profit from Dracula, why shouldn't they?
Why indeed!!! It's what I've been trying to do since 2004!
ZAROZJE, Serbia—Get your garlic, crosses and stakes ready: a bloodsucking vampire is on the loose.
Or so say villagers in the tiny western Serbian hamlet of Zarozje, nestled between lush green mountain slopes and spooky thick forests. They say rumors that a legendary vampire ghost has awakened are spreading fear—and a potential tourist opportunity—through the remote village.
Read more: Vampire on the loose in Serbia?
Seems the locals think if the Romanians can profit from Dracula, why shouldn't they?
Why indeed!!! It's what I've been trying to do since 2004!
Labels: Barnes and Noble, Dracula, Longmont Theater company, Mysterious Galaxy
¶ posted by Jeanne Stein @ 4:49 PM 0 comments
