The university library stacks are wall to wall
floor to ceiling
so much knowledge between the covers
so much learning hard won
no time
to ever try to read it all.
poem-stacks October 30, 2014
Row on row
books rest, wise and eager
waiting for a hopeful reader
Someone seeking information
or an escape into fiction.
In racks and stacks
new worlds await
and the library is the gate.
reading-5 ways to help an author August 12, 2014
Most of a publishing house’s marketing budget goes to its most popular, A-list authors. You know: the ones least in need of the promotion. If you have found a mid-list or new author whose work you enjoy, you can become a crucial, and very appreciated, part of his/her success. What’s more, your enthusiasm may encourage him/her to keep writing! Here’s how.
1. Leave honestly positive reviews everywhere you can: Goodreads, Amazon, Kobo, your library, iBooks. Tell people what you really liked about the book’s characters, themes, setting, style, and the genre on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, and anywhere else you can think of. Reviews are key for a new reader to take a risk on an unknown author.
2. Tell your friends! If you have a friend who likes the genre, recommend the book. But, do the author a favour. If your friends read romance, don’t recommend a horror book, because it will probably lead to a one star review somewhere. Some people shouldn’t read the book. The more often someone sees a name, the more likely they are to eventually pick it up, so talk about the book on social media, and link to the author’s profile.
3. Submit a book acquisition request at your local library. This can often be done on your library’s website. When the book is in, take it out, and encourage your friends to take it out. Personally recommend the book to strangers in the library. If you see it hiding on the shelf, turn it facing out, or set it on a table where it will catch the eye of someone who might otherwise not notice it.
4. Offer to be part of the author’s street team or to be a beta reader for future projects. You may get early release copy of future books in exchange for your review. There may be other perks, like a mention in the acknowledgements of the author’s next book. If you’re doing the 5 things on this list, the author would love to know who you are, so be sure to introduce yourself on social media.
5. Give the book as a gift! Buy several copies of the book to share with people you think would love it like you do. If you know the author, get the book signed for your friends or relatives. Author signed books are cool birthday or Christmas gifts. If you are far away, some authors (like me!) will mail you signed book plates to put into your copy or are on Authorgraph so you can download a pdf.
It’s all about sharing the book love!
new library locks April 22, 2013
In the four hours
I spent
trying fruitlessly
to load a library book
on my new e-reader,
I could have driven
to the library
taken out the book,
read it,
and returned it.
.
.
I have a new e-reader, since my Sony died this weekend. The Kobo Glo is quite sleek and light weight and the screen is fantastic. However, it does not seem to want to transfer library books. I’m feeling a trifle grumpy with Kobo today, despite the fact that they show all my books in their catalogue and on preview. (Though some as Shawn Bird and others as Shawn L. Bird- what’s with that?). Anyone have a secret method of getting library books to transfer? I”m using Adobe Digital Editions, and I’ve tried dropping and clicking files from my download location to the Kobo, which worked with all my existing e-library, but didn’t with the new library book. Suggestions?
cheap thrills November 25, 2012
I am still new enough to this whole writing/publishing thing, to be thrilled and amazed by the every day aspects of it.
There are three copies of Grace Awakening Dreams & Power presently in circulation in our library system. I check periodically to see whether they’re signed out. It makes me ridiculously happy that so far, whenever I’ve checked, all three copies have been signed out, and there is a waiting list. 🙂
According to the Okanagan Regional Library website: “Established in 1936, the ORL serves over 360,000 people across an area covering 59,600 square kilometres through 29 branches. We also offer various services online through our website. Membership is FREE to people within our library regions, giving you access to the 16th largest library in Canada.”
One copy is at the Mission branch. I attended Okanagan Mission Secondary. It makes me happy to know that kids who attend my high school are reading my book! Another copy is at the Armstrong branch. At the moment, I teach at Pleasant Valley Secondary in Armstrong. It’s a really lovely place. The third copy is in Westbank aka West Kelowna. I have never been in a high school in West Kelowna, but if anyone wants to invite me, I’d be happy to come! 🙂
If you would like to read Grace Awakening Dreams and Power but don’t have the 99c for the ebook or $20 for the paperback, why not request it from your local library? If they don’t have it, they might put out an inter-library loan request for it, or they might buy it for their collection. Share the love!
Just for fun, here’s a presentation made by the OKM Media class for your entertainment: OKM Gangnam Style
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(It being a small world, while I don’t personally know the camera man/editor, Harrison Mendel, my parents were best friends with his grandparents back in the day, and I knew his dad, uncle and aunt. This tenuous link between the past and present also makes me happy. 😉 )
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NaNoWriMo Day 25: 1819 (November total 35,351)
(par is 41,650 so I’m 6299 behind. I have 5 days to get 14,650 words. Wish me luck!)
Shawn L. Bird 