A little pub

No. Not that kind of pub.

We'll be featured on WHAS-11 during tonight's business segment in the 5:30-6 time slot. It's just a stand-up, sound-bite kind of thing, but any publicity helps. If they use it, some of the thoughts from the post below may get on.

Part of the community

Those of you who have spent a little time with us know that Ann and I are big supporters of independent businesses. In an era of economic dislocation, outsourcing, and amoral financial markets, the independent business is the economic hope for this region.

During the election campaign, Tommy Thompson, the Secretary of HHS, swooped down on SE Indiana to tout the virtues of our presumptive Member of Congress, Mike Sodrel. Thompson lauded Sodrel for "supporting over 500 families" with his trucking business.

I first dipped my toes into the local swamp of opinion journalism when I read of Thompson's comments, although the Tribune did not see fit to publish my brief letter. No matter your partisan leanings, that kind of economic triumphalism has no place in the discussion. In fact, a strong case can be made that "500 families" support Mike Sodrel.

In my view, Thompson, and by inference, Sodrel, just doesn't get it. Supporting independent businesses is not an exercise in altruism. Running one is not a ministry. No one is asking you to support independent businesses to your own detriment. Buying locally is not an act of charity. It is objectively a net benefit to you and to the larger community.

A recent study by Civic Economics of the Andersonville, Illinois business community surveyed the economic impact of locally owned business vs. chain stores. This rigorous examination revealed that independent local businesses returned 70% more in positive economic impacts to the community when compared to chains. A tiny portion of that reflected the salaries of local managers. But the study showed that local merchants' expenditures tended to be in purchases from other local firms. It also showed that local merchants were significantly more likely to support community affairs through charitable donations and support of local projects.

70% is a pretty big number and the results of the study match those of previous studies across the nation. Consider the alternative. A downtown business district plagued by vacancies. A drop in median income toward the poverty level as conglomerates engage in a race to the bottom by dropping benefits and hourly wages.

Which brings me to the supreme hypocrisy of the Courier-Journal's new ShopLocal campaign. What on God's green earth is local about it? The print edition of the paper presents it as journalism, but there's no discussion of WHY one should shop locally. The quote Ann read to me, "It's not as crowded," reflects a dereliction of duty on the part of a free press. And nothing about the campaign seems to acknowledge the significant community benefits that come from patronizing independent businesses.

If the C-J wants to expose the hollowness of what a friend calls monoculture, they have a great opportunity. But then, might not their advertisers be offended?

For another take on this subject, I recommend you take a look at this fellow blogger's musings:

http://cityofnewalbany.blogspot.com

Readers descend on Spring Street

A cold and blustery weekend did little to diminish the warmth this weekend at the store.

While traffic continues to build, the most encouraging aspect of the weekend was the enthusiasm shown by new friends. Many avid readers are still just hearing about us, so the advertising is supplementing your word-of-mouth boosts. Plus, the first round of public notice from the media began this weekend, with adequate coverage in the local calendar of events.

We finally got to see the coverage in Business First, the metro business magazine, and we couldn't have asked for a better placement. The clipping was dropped off by Robyn Sekula, co-author of an upcoming history of New Albany as depicted in vintage postcards. This was Robyn's first visit, and of course we quickly started talking about how YOU can meet her. We're very excited about the book, which she and Floyd County historian David Barksdale are preparing to send to the publisher. Though no dates are set, we'll be inviting David and Robyn to launch the book here and sign autographs for all the local history buffs.

Robyn's husband, Greg, runs the Historic Landmarks Foundation in Southern Indiana, and we spent a fair amount of time tapping his expertise in evaluating our sections on historic preservation and the renovation of historic structures. As many of you already know, we're big boosters of maintaining the architectural treasures in this area and we want to be a primary resource for like-minded people and homeowners who need support in restoring or maintaining their properties without taking shortcuts.

Much more of import occurred this weekend as we met friends old and new, and both Ann and I picked up valuable information that we expect will redound to your benefit over the coming months. And, we lined up 2 more author appearances for January about which we'll tell you more in a subsequent posting.

We're getting ready for a big night Tuesday when Kenneth L. Weber will regale us with a life story and a piece of fiction that will, I'm sure, delight you. Dessert Night begins at 6 and Ken's presentation kicks off promptly at 7 on Tuesday.

In the works on Spring Street

Apologies to all who checked in for daily updates over the last couple of days. Blogging is a solitary pursuit, as some of you know. But this is a great way for you to communicate with us here at the store and to participate in the wider reading community in Southeast Indiana.

On this post in particular, I want your feedback. Ann and I want to share with you first some of the plans and programs in the works. We always planned to be an event-driven bookseller - that's one of the ways we think we can best serve you. If these brief snippets of our plans include something you'd like to see, let us know. Likewise, if you're indifferent to them, speak up by clicking on the comment button below.

1. We're making good progress on our reader discussion group catalog. We want to be supportive in sustaining and creating book discussion groups and we've invested heavily in sufficient quantities of value-priced quality books in order to do that. We'll have a special open house for book groups, probably in January, and will start distributing information sheets soon.

2. We know we always tended to want more books than we could possibly afford, so we thought it would be helpful to provide our patrons with a "wish list" pad on which they can write down those books that interest them. Someday we'll offer PDA's with scanners, but soon we'll have pads at the entrances. You can write down all those books you might want to read someday but can't buy during that visit. We can keep the list here for you or you can carry it home. If you find a hardcover book that you don't want to invest in at that price, we can notify you when it's coming out in paper. We'll even let Patron Passport members know before we mark down our overstock or sell it into the secondary markets. But you can use the list any way you wish.

3. With some exceptions, we'll have events here throughout the week. Our ads mention some of them, but we won't be advertising all the time and we don't really want to inundate your e-mails with an announcement of every event. Once you become familiar with the routine, we hope you will make Destinations Booksellers' events a regular part of your entertainment schedule.

Here are some of the regular events we have in store:

A. Tuesdays will be Dessert Night. Sometimes we'll have a program or an author appearance, but with limited exceptions, you can count on Tuesday nights from 6 to 8 for a little "knosh."

B. Saturday mornings we'll have Children's Story Hour at 10 or 10:30 with at least two readings or dramatic presentations, activities for the family and refreshments for all. In deference to the museum's monthly Saturday programs, we'll probably skip those weekends, but you never know when a Children's Story Hour might break out. We're always poised to entertain the kids on Saturdays, especially those children who've signed up for the "Ticket to Adventure" program. For those weekends when we're skipping the Saturday event, we plan to hold a Friday evening story hour/pajama party early enough to get the little ones to bed.

C. Saturday nights are poetry nights. We'll have readings every other Saturday at 6, complemented by poetry and creative writing "slams" on alternate Saturdays when we become better known in the community. Help us out if you know a writer who wants to perform.

D. Friday nights from 8 to whenever are trivia nights.

4. We want to be THE store for local authors, and we've already lined up authors and other books and writing people for January and February. If you know of a local author or a book with local connections that we don't know about, let us know and we'll try to obtain it. As the weeks pass, we think you'll be able to count on an author appearance about once a week. What's not clear is whether we should have authors in MORE often than that.

5. In the spring, we plan to have a books festival with only local books and authors, where you can move from table to table and tent to tent and speak with the authors, listen to panel discussions, and otherwise be entertained.

6. Each quarter, we plan to sponsor a Public Affairs discussion. While it won't quite be a debate, we'll pick an issue and invite public comment for several weeks before we bring in opposing sides to discuss and issue of public interest. Have any ideas? Let us know.

7. We're kind of excited at some of the authors we've been invited to host later in 2005. These are some names that ALL of you have heard of who will be visiting in the summer. Right now, Ann and I think we have our hands full getting the store off the ground, but the publishers seem to be saying they believe in us and would be willing to give us a shot at some VERY big authors if we can put the events together. We'd have to sell a lot of books to justify it, but we do have it under consideration.

And just to remind you of this week's upcoming events. Tuesday is the Ken Weber presentation of "What the Captain Really Means," at 7 p.m. That's Dessert Night, too, starting at 6. Friday night is trivia night, starting at 8. Saturday is Laura Young's talk, "The Mystery of Publishing: Getting Your Novel in Print Without Actually Killing Someone," starting at 11 a.m. That follows Children's Story Hour at 10 a.m. And Saturday at 6 p.m. we'll have a poetry reading from "A Companion for Owls: Being the Commonplace Book of D. Boone Long Hunter, Back Woodsman, &c."

Gratitude and a milestone

As you all begin your celebrations with friends and family, Ann and I want to extend to you our thanks for the tremendous reception you've given us during this first month in the store. For us, it is truly a Thanksgiving to remember.

This holiday is one which we'll always remember as the nature of our business is transforming from an odd curiosity to a familiar presence for many of you. So many people have dropped in and expressed surprise and delight at what we've done here at 604 E. Spring, and we're heartily gratified by those responses.

As always, we'll try to be responsive to your needs and we invite you to consider this to be your store. We're just here to operate it for you. Be bold in making suggestions and recommendations. Help us tailor the store to your desires. If you have a favorite author or magazine you'd like to see, let us know. If we're falling short somewhere, speak up.

Nothing we've seen or heard in this first month leads us to doubt the wisdom of locating our dream store here in New Albany. Every day, new people are discovering us. Today, yet another new patron told me she wished she had known we were here before she depleted her gift-giving budget at a big-box store.

There are still many things we want to accomplish and many features and benefits we want to offer. We're crafting our reader and book discussion group data sheet right now, and there's apparently a strong demand for a responsive bookseller to assist such book groups in planning their reading. We're hard at work.

We're changing every day. We're creeping closer to our goal of 250 magazine titles, and you owe it to yourself to check these out. We've made a bet that our patrons will respond to periodicals on the cutting edge that you can't find anywhere else. We've got about 8 more weeks before our suppliers deliver a verdict on what kind of magazine town this is, so if you want a source for literate and incisive journalism, cast your vote. It's pretty much the same with the five newspapers we make available - The Tribune, The Evening News, the Courier-Journal, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. If that's not the kind of store you want to have in New Albany, we'll direct our investment elsewhere.

I'm convinced that our patrons are smarter than I am, so I'm counting on all of you to speak up.

Enjoy your day(s) off and stay safe. We'll be here again starting Friday at 9, getting ready for the big events scheduled over the next 13 days, including Tuesday night's presentation and autograph session by combat hero Ken Weber.

Win an autographed copy of "State of Fear"

As mentioned below, Dec. 7 is "State of Fear Day" at DB. In addition to the value pricing on Michael Crichton's newest book, that is a regular Dessert Night and we'll have a special guest, too.

Since the publisher is keeping quiet about the nature of the book and won't even release cover art, we're interested in your best guesses. Crichton has been around for awhile, from "The Andromeda Strain" to "Congo" and his last book, "Prey."

Send me your most imaginative blurb about the book. The most creative guesser (and not necessarily the most accurate) will win an autographed copy of the book from DB. Post your guesses here or e-mail them to webmaster@destinationsbooksellers.com. Snail mail entries are also eligible. Deadline for entries is Dec. 7 and judging will be done by DB staff. There's sure to be a late publicity push for the book, but don't worry about guessing "right" on what the book is about. Our criteria will be for the most entertaining and imaginative.

I have my own theories about it, but I'll keep those to myself for now.

Two weeks to State of Fear Day

The most anticipated thriller of the season is being kept under wraps. No publicity (yet). No cover art or description made available to the media or to the publishing/bookselling world.

What's so special about Michael Crichton's "State of Fear?" Given that most of his more recent stories have involved non-human creatures and that all of his stories, more or less, involve science gone berserk, can we count on more of the same?

In fifteen days, "State of Fear" releases. The on-sale date is Dec. 7 - a Tuesday.

Here at the store, we're going all out to make that day special for our patrons. We've placed a GIANT order for the book so that you can get this book from us at the absolute lowest cost anywhere. Yes, we're trying to lose money on this one.

We'll have a special surprise visitor from the publishing world coming in that evening, but the real excitement revolves around the value pricing we've arranged for what is, I think, the last major release of the pre-Christmas season.

We'll discount the book itself with a fair sale price of $23.95. But for existing and new Patron Passport members who buy the book on "State of Fear Day" or who place paid orders between now and that date, we'll hand you a $10 BookSense Gift Card. You won't find this hot book at a better price anywhere. The Gift Card is good at hundreds of independent bookstores across the country and can be used for any purchase here on your next visit, just like cash.

And for the first nine Patron Passport members who ask, we'll make that a copy personally autographed by Mr. Crichton himself. We're saving the tenth autographed copy to give away in a promotion we'll announce here later tonight.

NEWS: Tony Hillerman's "Skeleton Man" and Jimmy Carter's "Sharing Good Times" are in stock and go on sale tomorrow, Tuesday, Nov. 23. These would make great gifts, but we have only a limited number. Call or write to reserve your copy now.

Put this on your schedule

Vietnam Combat Hero Brings War to Life

A lifetime of service as an Air Force officer and teacher gave Kenneth L. Weber plenty of material for his first novel.

The author, a Louisville native who now lives in Borden, Ind., will discuss his life, his writing process and his novel, “What the Captain Really Means,” during an appearance at the store on Tuesday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m.

The debut novel gathers an eclectic cast of characters to tell a story of devotion and duty played out during the peak year of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Weber’s experience as a teacher of writing comes through in this fast-paced, yet contemplative period fiction that is as topical today as it would have been in the late 60s.

Weber, a graduate of the University of Louisville and a former professor at IUS in New Albany, chose the Air Force for a career and became a professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy. But an inner call to duty motivated him to volunteer for combat service in Vietnam at the height of the war.

The military aviator distinguished himself there, earning a chest full of decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross during 185 combat sorties in AC-47 gunships. The bulk of his 28-year military career found him at the controls of a jet bomber of the Strategic Air Command, one of America’s triad of Cold War strategic defense components.

We take special pride in our author appearances. Weber’s appearance coincides with the store’s regular “Dessert Night” and if you want to reserve a copy of “What the Captain Really Means,” or just reserve one of our sinful Puff chairs for the event, drop us a line at ops@destinationsbooksellers.com or call 944 5116.

The author will autograph copies of his book after the presentation.

We'd really like to get a large turnout for this author appearance and the Saturday event with Laura Young, who will present a seminar on "How to Get Your Book in Print" starting at 11 a.m. A good turnout creates a buzz within the publishing community and will enable us to bring even more authors into New Albany.

If you consider yourself a friend of the store, try to put us on your Tuesday night and Saturday mid-day schedules. This will make a big statement to the wider world that Southeast Indiana is not a backwater that can be ignored when publishers plan their author tours. We're maneuvering to bring Tim Dorsey and other top-flight authors here in the coming months, and your response to these, our second and third author appearances, will go a long way toward persuading them to select Destinations Booksellers for inclusion on the tours.

The reason why

The activities at DB Saturday brought a fitting end to Children's Book Week in Southeast Indiana, and Ann and I shared in the joy of those families who brought their children down for the very first time.

While our adult and young adult patrons can become members of our "Patron Passport®" program, and thus earn rewards and other special benefits, that program just doesn't accomplish much for the kids.

So we created the "Ticket to Adventure®" program. Almost every child at Saturday's events enrolled in the program and carried away a tote bag full of books and their very own personalized Ticket. The excitement was palpable. It reminded me of the first time I got my own library card.

The families who attended took full advantage of the activities, the facilities and the books selection. Parents shared with their kids some of their favorite classic books along with the newest releases. That's the kind of place we want to be, and for several hours Saturday we could begin to see what Destinations Booksellers can mean to the residents of this area.

Great things are happening, so keep checking back here often to keep up on the rapidly changing atmosphere here at DB.

A weird stir among the masses

You've got to check out the phenomenon known as NA Confidential.

There is a community of locals there who have embraced a values campaign that I'm certain you'll want to join. Ann and I have come to anticipate each posting on this fascinating Web log at http://cityofnewalbany.blogspot.com.

Among other things, the community there promotes the preservation of local culture. But perhaps the most revolutionary idea I've seen there is the proposition that the powers-that-be could stand to gain from reading a BOOK!

A lifeline for those thrown overboard

It’s the first almanac ever compiled to help urban dwellers re-establish, maintain and celebrate their connection to nature in the city.

Eric Utne, founder of Utne magazine, has launched Cosmo Doogood's Urban Almanac: Celebrating Nature & Her Rhythms in the City.

After five years away from publishing, Eric is back with an iconoclastic take on the whole almanac game. Is this the new "Foxfire?" Will it be something Southeast Indiana can embrace. Neither book nor magazine, it's going to be an interactive periodical, and Eric is asking for your help.

Here's his plea:

"In the almanac I plan to feature brief profiles of "Living Urban Treasures," people who embody the spirit of the place where they live, like Studs Terkel in Chicago.

"I also plan to feature descriptions of "Urban Sanctuaries," places of peace and contemplation indoors or out where you can go to connect with spirit, nature, or simply yourself.

"Yet another feature will be "Essential Places," locations that embody the personality or character of a city, like 42nd Street at midnight in Manhattan, or San Francisco's Chinatown markets on a Saturday morning.

"Please help me develop these features by nominating your choices."

Eric wants nominations in the following categories:

Living Urban Treasures - People who embody the spirit of the place they live.

Urban Sanctuaries - Places of peace and contemplation indoors or out where you can go to connect with spirit, nature, or simply yourself.

Essential Places in the City - What locations in the metro area's cities embody their most essential characteristics?

Civilizing Ideas - Farmer's Markets, Citizens' Wisdom Councils, rooftop gardens, philosophy cafés, the dark sky movement, local currencies, and more ... Are you involved in a group or activity that is particularly wonderful? Tell us about it.

Urban Survival Strategies - Do you have specific strategies for Urban Survival? Let us in on your secrets!

Phenological Sightings - What's happening in the natural world in your region?

Click here to view more details about these categories.

Please explain your reasons for your selections. Post them here so our readers can discover them first, then send them directly to Eric at nominate@cosmosurbanalmanac.com.

And let us know if you want us to set aside a copy of the inaugural edition of Cosmo Doogood's Urban Almanac. We've committed to bring this to the store, but with what looks to be an irregular publication schedule, I wouldn't want to run out.

Oh, and by the way, we've picked up Food & Dining: Louisville to add to the periodicals mix. That's where, starting Monday, you can read Roger Baylor, their latest columnist, who'll presumably survey the beverage world. I hope he doesn't undertake to review the free coffee at the store.

A real family night

It's great to be around kids. No matter how stressful the day is, time spent around children is like an injection of adrenaline.

Our Polar Express pajama party and reading of the classic Chris Van Allsburg tale was a real treat for Ann and me. At this point, we're years away from being grandparents, and all of our younger nieces and nephews (and great-nieces and great-nephews) live far away, so any opportunity to recapture those early years of watching kids discover the world is relished.

Ann has been a tremendously active volunteer for the Kentuckiana Girl Scout Council for over 20 years, and is winding down a three-year term as the chairperson of the Gold Award program. A number of New Albany girls have topped off their Girl Scout tenures by earning this prestigious community service award, and it's no small thing. U of L offers a scholarship solely for Gold Award recipients, and if you've paid attention to the news, you can see why.

One New Albany girl took on the responsibility to rejuvenate the library program at a local school by gathering new books from across the community and organizing them for a new library at one of the NAFC elementary schools.

As for our family night, Ann's dramatic presentation of "The Polar Express" had the room mesmerized. This is a perfect tale for those children on the cusp of disbelief in the traditions of Christmas.

We followed up with the whimsical "Gaston the Green-Nosed Alligator," a story in rhyme by James Rice, in which Gaston recruits a team of fellow 'gators to pull a skiff out of the Louisiana bayou and to transport Santa on his Christmas Eve excursion (the reindeer were on disability leave).

Hot chocolate, candy canes, and animal crackers made it a real family evening. And those ever-comfortable Puff chairs made it fun for the adults, too.

We expect more fun today with Polar Express crafts for the kids, our first Saturday Children's Story Hour, and our first official Saturday night poetry reading. Drop by the Booksellers' and make and take home a reindeer Christmas ornament, or just come by at 6 for a reading from IU professor Maurice Manning's new release, "A Companion for Owls: Being the Commonplace Book of D. Boone, Long Hunter, Back Woodsman, &c."

Schedule of Events

Saturday, Nov. 20
– Children's Story Hour, 10:30 a.m.

Saturday, Nov. 20
– Polar Express Crafts Day, drop in from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to make and take a Polar Express Christmas ornament.

Tuesday, Nov. 23
– Dessert Night, 6 to 8 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 25
– Destinations Booksellers will close to spend Thanksgiving Day with family, and reopen Friday at 9 a.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 30
– Ken Weber presents his novel, “What the Captain Really Means,” at 7 p.m. as part of a special Dessert Night. The author will sign copies of his book afterward.

Saturday, Dec. 4
– Children’s Story Hour at 10 a.m.Saturday, Dec. 4 – Laura Young presents a seminar on “How to Get Published” at 11 a.m. The author will sign copies of her books afterward.

Tuesday, Dec. 7
– On-sale date for Michael Crichton’s “State of Fear,” with special prices and a free Booksense Gift Card for Patron Passport members.Tuesday, Dec. 7 – Dessert Night

Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 8-9
– After-Work Open House for all, with a special invitation to New Albany's downtown workers, from 4 to 6 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 11
– Children’s Story Hour at 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, Dec. 12
– Store will close at 4 p.m and reopen for a special invitation-only 2-hour reception to thank our friends, old and new.

Saturday, Dec. 18
– Children’s Story Hour at 10:30 a.m.

Christmas Eve
– We're going to open briefly at 9 a.m. on Christmas Eve, but if you can't come by the store that morning, you had better call. We'll find some way to keep you from being embarrassed when the gift-giving starts. How about a Booksense Gift Card?

Vol. 1, Issue 2, November 2004

Kudos to you

Tuesday the 18th of November marked our one-month anniversary as New Albany’s latest retailer. We want to thank all of you who have made this soft pre-opening such a pleasure for us.

The “hunger” for a “real” bookstore that Ann and I perceived as we planned this labor of love has turned out to be deep and sincere.

It is your testimonials that will determine whether we can be the booksellers we think New Albany deserves. If you found the store to be a congenial place to explore and hang out, tell your friends and neighbors. And keep telling us what you want from Destinations Booksellers. It’s our job to make your book- and gift-shopping experience one you’ll find convenient, hassle-free, and entertaining.

So many people have told me it was always their dream to open a bookstore. Well, this is that store. It’s yours. We’re just here to operate it for you.


We’ve got lots of news in this issue, which, for many of you, will be the first you have seen. Take it in small doses. I’ll also be posting most of this on our blog, or Web log, at destinationsbooksellers.blogspot.com and later, at our in-the-works Web site at www.destinationsbooksellers.com


CONTENTS
Progress report
Events


Progress report

Finding this location, renovating it, and restoring it has been a gargantuan task, and you’ll have noticed we still have a few scars from the process. Thanks to all our contractors, who, for the most part, gave us preferential treatment during a busy construction season. If any of our patrons want a recommendation for construction and renovation, we can heartily endorse the team that worked for us.

You’ll notice we opened “soft” without making a major publicity push. Part of that was by design, and part of that was due to a lack of responsiveness from the city. Ultimately, everything worked out just fine, though not without a dash of suspense.

This week, you’ll have noticed our advertising in several of the local newspapers. Traditionally, bookstores don’t run ads. Most don’t find them to be very effective. We’re investing heavily to create awareness now, but that won’t last. Do keep an eye out for our informational postings and advertisements, though. That (and dropping by the store frequently) is the best way to keep up with our events schedule.




Events

Speaking of events, we’re off to a big start with ours. We had our first author visit during the first week and were able to have several copies of “Chasing Lewis & Clark Across America” inscribed by one of the authors. While they last, be sure to read the inspiring message Ron Lowery added to these autographed copies.

Our reception for all the elementary school teachers and staff in Floyd County was lightly attended, but those who did make the shindig were very enthusiastic about the store, especially the special purchase bargain books we put out for Children’s Book Week.

This week also included the first of what we hope will be a number of regular and special meetings held at the store by various groups in the area. The members of the East Spring Street Neighborhood Association accepted our invitation to use our meeting space for their November gathering. As Children’s Book Week continues, we look forward to our special “Polar Express” events for children. Chris Van Allsburg’s classic Christmas story, this year accompanied by…

BULLETIN

This just in! “The Bush Survival Bible” arrived in the middle of this newsletter. We were fortunate enough to be one of the first in line to get these books, which should prove to be some comfort to those who wish the next four years would just fly by. Call or e-mail me right away to reserve your copy. We have only 10 copies, and it looks like getting more may be tough, so get your order in by carrier pigeon if you must. We now resume our regularly scheduled newsletter.

...the Tom Hanks film, “The Polar Express.” Friday night we’ll be hosting a reading of that story and serving refreshments beginning at 7 p.m. Parents are encouraged to bring the kids already dressed for bed and to join “Miss Ann” for this delightful tale for all ages. After the reading and the distribution of tote bags and “Polar Express” activity kits, we’ll finish off the night with a reading from “Gaston the Green-Nosed Alligator,” accompanied by a plush Gaston himself.

Saturday continues the fun with a drop-in Polar Express Crafts Day. Come by between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and children can make a “Polar Express” Christmas ornament to take home and hang on the mantle.

Wondering what to do on Tuesdays? Don’t have time to make a treat for the family? Let’s all go down to Destinations Booksellers and have a sweet snack and look at the new books. Nov. 23 is the occasion for our inaugural Dessert Night. Lock that one into your heads and help us start a new New Albany tradition.

The events schedule is light for the holiday, but we will have Children’s Story Hour on Saturday, Nov. 27, at 10:30 a.m.

The schedule heats up the following week with the presentation of Ken Weber’s debut novel, “What the Captain Really Means.” Ken, from Borden, Ind., is a highly-decorated Air Force veteran and college professor whose teaching career includes stints at the U.S. Air Force Academy and at IUS as a professor of writing. “Captain” is a novel set at the height of the Vietnam War and Ken has crafted a story of fidelity to faith, marriage, and duty. The author will discuss his book and autograph copies beginning at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 30. That, too, is Dessert Night, so it should be a real treat.

We’re very excited about our big event for Saturday, Dec. 4, when veteran mystery writer Laura Young will present a seminar on “How to Get Published.” Laura, who just called to finalize arrangements for this appearance, is the author of the Kate Kelly mysteries and is a star in the Silver Dagger Mysteries publishing lineup. Her latest work, “Otherwise Engaged,” is being featured throughout December along with the earlier “Killer Looks,” and the author will stick around after her presentation to sign copies of each book for those of you who purchase the book between now and that day. Call us to reserve a copy now and beat the rush.

Children’s Story Hour starts at 10 a.m. that Saturday to accommodate the author appearance at 11 a.m.

Our third Dessert Night is going to be very special. That Tuesday is the on-sale date for Michael Crichton’s much-anticipated new novel, “State of Fear.” We’ve made a special purchase of 100 copies of the book and will have it on sale that day only for the special price of $23.95 (regular price is $26.95).

OK, you say, fine, I’ll take the discount, but I can buy that book anywhere. You’re right, and we know it. So we’re adding a little sweetener. Members of our Patron Passport program who buy the book will also receive a $10 Booksense Gift Card, good at hundreds of independent booksellers with Book Sense across the country. We don’t think you’ll find a deal better than that anywhere and we hope it serves to show you just how much we appreciate you. Read how to join and gain the benefits of the Patron Passport program elsewhere in this newsletter.

Schedule of Events

Thursday, Nov. 18
– East Spring Street Neighborhood Association meets at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 19
– Polar Express Pajama Reading, 7 p.m. (refreshments, activities)
Saturday, Nov. 20
– Children's Story Hour, 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, Nov. 20
– Polar Express Crafts Day, drop in from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 23
– Dessert Night, 6 to 8 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 25
– Destinations Booksellers will close to spend Thanksgiving Day with family, and reopen Friday at 9 a.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 30
– Ken Weber presents his novel, “What the Captain Really Means,” at 7 p.m. as part of a special Dessert Night. The author will sign copies of his book afterward.
Saturday, Dec. 4
– Children’s Story Hour at 10 a.m.
Saturday, Dec. 4
– Laura Young presents a seminar on “How to Get Published” at 11 a.m. The author will sign copies of her books afterward.
Tuesday, Dec. 7
– On-sale date for Michael Crichton’s “State of Fear,” with special prices and a free Booksense Gift Card for Patron Passport members.
Tuesday, Dec. 7
– Dessert Night
Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 8-9
– After-Work Open House for all, with a special invitation to New Albany's downtown workers, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 11
– Children’s Story Hour at 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, Dec. 12
– Store will close at 4 p.m and reopen for a special invitation-only 2-hour reception to thank our friends, old and new.
Saturday, Dec. 18
– Children’s Story Hour at 10:30 a.m.
Christmas Eve
– We're going to open briefly at 9 a.m. on Christmas Eve, but if you can't come by the store that morning, you had better call. We'll find some way to keep you from being embarrassed when the gift-giving starts. How about a Booksense Gift Card?

And away we go....

We're going to try to post here rather frequently and we sincerely invite you to post your own comments. It's going to be loaded with information you can use, including previews of upcoming books, author news, and some "inside" dope. Our bricks-and-mortar presence is at 604 East Spring Street in New Albany, Indiana.

Did you know that New Albany was once the largest city west of the Appalachian Mountains? That this side of Silver Creek was often used as a dueling grounds before Indiana became a state? That the county seat of Floyd County boasts some of the finest examples of millwork craftsmanship anywhere, a vestige of what was once a thriving millworking industry in New Albany?

And no matter what neighboring Clark County or Louisville like to think, it remains doubtful that the Lewis & Clark expedition actually started out from anywhere but good ol' N.A.

We'll be posting our newsletter here in small bites and we'll post ongoing news in between issues. So settle in, make destinationsbooksellers.blogspot.com one of your bookmarked Internet Favorites, and let us know what you think.