Talking Books!

In USA Today's Fall Books Preview they described some books as "talkers" when they said, "Certain books are 'talkers.' They make you think, react and want to chat up your friends about what you've just read."

Here at LJW Publishing we love the description USA Today gave of the books that leave you discovering new things to think about and discuss. We thought you'd appreciate it, too!

Still Buying Books in Phoenix

LJW Publishing's hometown paper, the East Valley Tribune, recently published a piece stating that during a slumping economy (like the present), people "don't have to buy books." But according to their own local research, area residents were still buying. The paper stated that "small business owners seem[ed] to be faring better than the 'big box' stores. Personalized service that provides more value to cash-strapped customers, knowing community likes and dislikes and having the flexibility to make and execute decisions on the spot give the small shops big clout in an increasingly difficult economy."

Two stores noted in the article were: Changing Hands Bookstore out of Tempe, AZ and the Poison Pen out of Scottsdale, AZ. Gayle Shanks, co-owner of Changing Hands Bookstore, mentioned that their used books sales were better than ever and paperback and gift item sales continue to increase.

At The Poisoned Pen bookshop in Scottsdale Barbara Peters described it as the "best summer in years." She attributes the steady growth during the sluggish economy to personal touch.

Books Continue to Thrive Regardless of Apocalyptic Predictions

"People have been painting apocalyptic scenarios for the last 10 years, but in the midst of a horrible environment, we sold more books than last year."--Barnes & Noble CEO Steve Riggio in a conference call with stock analysts yesterday, quoted by the Wall Street Journal.

Long term predictions of apocalyptic failure are often enough to impede the success of any industry or endeavor, but to make such predictions about books, something that has had a respected and sought after place in most societies since before the dawn of enlightened times, is obviously reaching a little too far.

This short post is an understated effort to applaud the place that books fill in the hearts, minds, and lives of all of us-whether we realize it or not.

I, for one, am more than relieved that books are apparently around to stay.

All Work and No Play...Makes Employees Angry All Day!

After reading this article titled "All Work and No Play is a Bad Idea Says Phone Giant" that was published by The Liverpool Daily Post and is available online for your reading pleasure HERE... I decided that it was absolutely related to Publishing because it's related to ALL work places.

We should all be so lucky to work in an environment that understands and encourages creativity and "play" so fully. I absolutely agree that the best ideas come when you're engaged in some sort of non-related activity! While I don't think we're ready to add on a "play room" as the company mentioned in the original article did, I think we just might be ready to encourage more bright ideas and clear thinking by encouraging our employees to enjoy a little bit of "play time" at work each day.

Bouncy balls and board games aside...we've already got books laying around on every surface. So that's the first step. But then that just might not count since that's definitely a part of the job! We'll have to conduct a survey to find out if reading "on the job" is as fun as reading "off the job!" Should be interesting to see the results of that one...

Reading Marathons Across the Nation:

The popularity of marathons are on the rise. You hear of more and more "regular" people who are training to run in the next marathon. So the fact that there's talk of a nationwide "Reading Marathon" this October (2008) is very interesting. Maybe it will be the start of a new trend that will sweep the nation.

According to "Shelf Awareness", a great daily newsletter that frequents my inbox, a 24 hour reading marathon was organized in February of 2008 by RiverRun Bookstore out of Portsmouth, N.H. The successful run of the event led to a recent invitation for booksellers across the country to organize their own reading marathons this October!

Here's how it works: readers ask friends/family to sponsor to them. Participants read for a full 24 hours. Prizes are given out to participants that raise the highest dollar amounts to donate to local non-profits. The purpose of the reading marathons would be to aid local non-profit agencies in need as well as raising awareness of books and reading!

For more information on the upcoming event you can get in touch with one of the original collaborators, Michele Filgate, at riverrunevents@gmail.com. Should be fun to see how it all turns out! Get in touch with your local independent bookstores to encourage them to participate in the event!

Newest Book Release: 21st Century Advertising for New Home Builders

Watch for LJW Publishing's next release: 21st Century Advertising for New Home Builders. This book by Preston John is the only "handy dandy notebook" new home builders need to get their sales and marketing strategies brought up to date. Concise instructions aid new home builders to take advantage of the unique aspects of the current market.

One Early Reader said, "Builders currently are feeling as though they are victims of the current market. With the press exclaiming so much negativity regarding the current housing market, [it's] a breath of fresh air to read a text focused on creative, positive and effective ways to create one's own results!"

The book is available for order at Barnes & Noble.com as well as Amazon.com. LJW titles are distributed by Atlas Books, a.k.a. Bookmasters.

A writer from New Zealand named Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923) once said, "The pleasure of all reading is doubled when one lives with another who shares the same books."

"Each time we re-read a book we get more out of it because we put more into it; a different person is reading it, and therefore it is a different book."

"Show me the books he loves and I shall know the man far better than through mortal friends."

"The oldest books are only just out to those who have not read them."

"What we become depends on what we read after all the professors have finished with us. The greatest university of all is the collection of books." -Thomas Carlyle