For those of you who have been eagerly awaiting the Australian release of the sequel to Stephanie Meyer's Twilight, your wait is over!
New Moon has just arrived in store. We also have copies of the newly reprinted and rejacketed Twilight. Both covers are black with a striking use of white and red. They definitely stand out on the shelf!
I hope you all enjoy it. I've already got mine on hold.
Tuesday 29 May 2007
Tuesday 22 May 2007
Wintry Weather
It's beginning to get pretty chilly around here, which usually means most of us just want to spend our spare time curled up by the heater. We've got plenty of great reads for you to curl up with, if that's your plan, so come in and have a browse before you hibernate.
We've also got some great winter cookbooks, like the winter edition of The Age's Epicure, Complete Comfort Food edited by Bridget Jones, Marie Clare's Comfort and plenty of others.
For those of you who are feeling motivated, you'll find a variety of craft books, along with plenty of household maintenence and renovation books.
If you feel like getting out in the garden - when it's not too wet, of course (hasn't the rain been great?) -we're currently stocking a range of sustainsable gardening books along with some very useful books with hints and tips for waterwise gardening which is such an important issue to us here.
Remember, if you pop in, don't hesitate to ask us questions or have a chat. That's what we're here for, and we love it.
We've also got some great winter cookbooks, like the winter edition of The Age's Epicure, Complete Comfort Food edited by Bridget Jones, Marie Clare's Comfort and plenty of others.
For those of you who are feeling motivated, you'll find a variety of craft books, along with plenty of household maintenence and renovation books.
If you feel like getting out in the garden - when it's not too wet, of course (hasn't the rain been great?) -we're currently stocking a range of sustainsable gardening books along with some very useful books with hints and tips for waterwise gardening which is such an important issue to us here.
Remember, if you pop in, don't hesitate to ask us questions or have a chat. That's what we're here for, and we love it.
Tuesday 8 May 2007
Don't judge a book by it's cover?
I was having a discussion with a customer earlier today about some books that have just come out with new covers, (The Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody) and the conversation turned to how important a cover is to the book.
We all know the old maxim that we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but how far can it really be applied to actual books? The cover is the first thing any reader sees - it's the first impression of the book. I know very well that a cover doesn't tell you the quality of the content, but I'll still scan the shelves for one that jumps out at me. A good cover can make the difference between a book being picked up for closer inspection, or passed straight over.
That's why old books are reissued with new covers quite frequently, and why books that are turned into movies come out with a movie cover. A new cover can open up the book to a whole new audience, as is evidenced with David Eddings' Belgariad series, which is currently available in a Teenage/Junior Fiction cover as well as it's standard adult fantasy covers. The text inside is the same, but the new cover marks it as appropirate for a younger age group, as well as making it more palatable to that age group.
We ended up discussing how a cover can make or break a new author. If you're unknown, it doesn't matter how brilliant your book is if you can't get anyone to pick it up in the first place. New authors have to rely so heavily on marketing, and the cover is a huge part of this. The cover does become less of a factor once an author has established their reputation, but it's still improtant, because there will always be a reader, who either hasn't heard of, or hasn't been interested in the author yet. A good cover could be the extra push they need.
In this current market, with so much choice available, covers really need to show you what sort of book to expect. However, this can end up in boring covers that all look the same, especially in the general fiction markets. It's a fine line to tread, but it's one that publishers really must tread if they wish their authors to be successful.
And what's on the back of the cover is just as important, because once the book has been picked up, it's the blurb at the back that tells a prospective reader what they can expect. Most people don't have an in depth look through the book before they buy or borrow it. They read the back cover and have a quick flick through. And the criteria is the same. A good or intriguing blurb catches the reader and a bad or boring blurb usually means the book will be put back down.
So whilst we all know that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover and that both covers and blurbs can be wildly misleading, I think it's true that we all do use the cover as a gauge of what the book will be like. Whether this is a good or a bad thing is a completely different topic.
What does everyone else think?
~Janelle~
We all know the old maxim that we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but how far can it really be applied to actual books? The cover is the first thing any reader sees - it's the first impression of the book. I know very well that a cover doesn't tell you the quality of the content, but I'll still scan the shelves for one that jumps out at me. A good cover can make the difference between a book being picked up for closer inspection, or passed straight over.
That's why old books are reissued with new covers quite frequently, and why books that are turned into movies come out with a movie cover. A new cover can open up the book to a whole new audience, as is evidenced with David Eddings' Belgariad series, which is currently available in a Teenage/Junior Fiction cover as well as it's standard adult fantasy covers. The text inside is the same, but the new cover marks it as appropirate for a younger age group, as well as making it more palatable to that age group.
We ended up discussing how a cover can make or break a new author. If you're unknown, it doesn't matter how brilliant your book is if you can't get anyone to pick it up in the first place. New authors have to rely so heavily on marketing, and the cover is a huge part of this. The cover does become less of a factor once an author has established their reputation, but it's still improtant, because there will always be a reader, who either hasn't heard of, or hasn't been interested in the author yet. A good cover could be the extra push they need.
In this current market, with so much choice available, covers really need to show you what sort of book to expect. However, this can end up in boring covers that all look the same, especially in the general fiction markets. It's a fine line to tread, but it's one that publishers really must tread if they wish their authors to be successful.
And what's on the back of the cover is just as important, because once the book has been picked up, it's the blurb at the back that tells a prospective reader what they can expect. Most people don't have an in depth look through the book before they buy or borrow it. They read the back cover and have a quick flick through. And the criteria is the same. A good or intriguing blurb catches the reader and a bad or boring blurb usually means the book will be put back down.
So whilst we all know that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover and that both covers and blurbs can be wildly misleading, I think it's true that we all do use the cover as a gauge of what the book will be like. Whether this is a good or a bad thing is a completely different topic.
What does everyone else think?
~Janelle~
Tuesday 1 May 2007
Children's Promotion!
We've just started a new children's promotion for Usborne Farmyard Tales in store.
When you buy any title from the Farmyard Tales series, all you need to do to win a prize is find the little yellow duck who hides on every page.
Get in before stocks run out!
When you buy any title from the Farmyard Tales series, all you need to do to win a prize is find the little yellow duck who hides on every page.
Get in before stocks run out!
Local Authors
We've had a stack of local authors bring out books recently.
A popular choice at the moment is Snake's Bum On A Biscuit by Mallee Green (aka Melva Graham) from the Harcourt area.
This is a fun Aussie cookbook filled with standard country recipes and tips with some not-so-standard names. This is a great reference book for anybody who wants good, wholesome food without the fuss.
FairyBread: Practical Pointers for Baby & Beyond is written by two Lockwood ladies: Josie Eastwood and Roxanne Tonzing. It's a practical collection of tips for babies and toddlers that came together whilst raising their own children. This little book covers most of the situations you're likely to encounter and throws a dash of fun in too. Oh, and yes, it does include the recipe for fairybread!
Visit their website at www.fairybread.com.au
If you're after an inspiring read, So Beautiful: Our Journey compiled by Jeff Hulls is one for you. So Beautiful is the story of Lauris Hulls' life and the journey her family took with her. It details how Lauris was determined to live a life of value, even when she was physically capable of doing little. So Beautiful is definitely worth a read, but be aware that you may end it with tears in your eyes. You wouldn't be the first.
If you'd like to get in contact with Jeff Hulls, visit his website: www.sobeautiful.net.au
Of course, there's also the ever popular Sheepshit on the Brain by Ken Prato. This little gem has been reviewed in various publications across country Victoria. The book's subtitle basically tells you all about the book: the trials and tribulations of a would-be gun shearer. This is basically a very entertaining collection of anecdotes, short stories and poems from Ken's life as a shearer in Victoria. It's a great book for anyone who's had anything to do with the shearing and farming industry in Vic, because it's full of places and people they can recognise.
There are plenty of other books by local authors hiding in our shelves, so come in and have a browse and a chat with us. You're bound to find a gem.
~Janelle~
A popular choice at the moment is Snake's Bum On A Biscuit by Mallee Green (aka Melva Graham) from the Harcourt area.
This is a fun Aussie cookbook filled with standard country recipes and tips with some not-so-standard names. This is a great reference book for anybody who wants good, wholesome food without the fuss.
FairyBread: Practical Pointers for Baby & Beyond is written by two Lockwood ladies: Josie Eastwood and Roxanne Tonzing. It's a practical collection of tips for babies and toddlers that came together whilst raising their own children. This little book covers most of the situations you're likely to encounter and throws a dash of fun in too. Oh, and yes, it does include the recipe for fairybread!
Visit their website at www.fairybread.com.au
If you're after an inspiring read, So Beautiful: Our Journey compiled by Jeff Hulls is one for you. So Beautiful is the story of Lauris Hulls' life and the journey her family took with her. It details how Lauris was determined to live a life of value, even when she was physically capable of doing little. So Beautiful is definitely worth a read, but be aware that you may end it with tears in your eyes. You wouldn't be the first.
If you'd like to get in contact with Jeff Hulls, visit his website: www.sobeautiful.net.au
Of course, there's also the ever popular Sheepshit on the Brain by Ken Prato. This little gem has been reviewed in various publications across country Victoria. The book's subtitle basically tells you all about the book: the trials and tribulations of a would-be gun shearer. This is basically a very entertaining collection of anecdotes, short stories and poems from Ken's life as a shearer in Victoria. It's a great book for anyone who's had anything to do with the shearing and farming industry in Vic, because it's full of places and people they can recognise.
There are plenty of other books by local authors hiding in our shelves, so come in and have a browse and a chat with us. You're bound to find a gem.
~Janelle~
Welcome to Book City!
Hi, and welcome to our inaugural post. We hope to entertain and inform you about upcoming events- in our store and in the book world, new releases, specials and some of our old favorites.
We want this to be your blog too, so if there's anything you'd like to hear about, let us know and we'll try to help you out.
Talk to you all soon
~Janelle~
We want this to be your blog too, so if there's anything you'd like to hear about, let us know and we'll try to help you out.
Talk to you all soon
~Janelle~
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