Warming it up with Authors!

Authors big and small come to our town of Harleysville.  This April is no exception.  With programs for kids of all ages, we are excited to announce our programs for this month.

Saying goodbye and change can be hard for any kid (or adult for that matter!) to handle.  Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie is perfect, funny story for younger readers.When Eleanor has to say so long to her favorite babysitter, she has to find her way and adjust.  Julie Sternberg does a great job of opening the discussion of change for kids.  When she visits us on Thursday, April 7 @ 4:30pm kids will be treated to a writing workshop to talk about ideas and how to start writing.   Kids in grades 1-3 are inviting to attend for a fun afternoon with Julie!

On April 13th, we are excited to present the 39 Clues Author Tour with Peter Lerangis and Jude Watson!  The 39 Clues Series was started by Rick Riordan's Maze of Bones.  He enlisted his author friends to help him write the books to follow.  Jude Watson and Peter Lerangis will be here on April 13th at 5pm to introduce the newest in the 39 Clues Series.  Vespers Rising will be here on sale April 6th. 

4th and 5th graders across Montgomery County are getting hooked on the 39 Clues Series because The Maze of Bones is on the 2011 Reading Olympics List for Elementary Levels. 

For both events, the book is required for purchase.  Contact http://www.harleysvillebooks.com/ for details.

Bringing Schools and Authors Together

We love meeting authors!  Authors and illustrators are like rock stars in the publishing industry.  We are a local bookstore, but local isn't the same as small.  We've hosted events large and small for authors near and far. From NY Times Bestsellers and local authors, we've hosted them all. 

Not only do we host authors in the store but we take them around town and introduce them to students at local schools.  Authors and illustrators talk to students about the writing process and illustrating.  Students can learn how to draw a 4 panel comic strip or brainstorm ideas for new stories.  When Jeff Stone author of the Five Ancestors Series came from the midwest, he taught 3rd-5th graders various tae-kwon-do poses!

Students have heard Mike Lupica sharing the story behind his novel, Travel Team, or Kathy Van Cleve telling about her childhood growing up on a farm in NJ as inspiration for her novel, Drizzle.  These programs are more than a book signing.  Connecting authors with students is about bringing real life experiences into the classroom.  

Authors visiting local schools this spring:
Amy Ignatow, author of the Popularity Papers
Kathy Van Cleve, author of Drizzle
Peter Lerangis and Jude Watson, authors of Vespers Rising, 39 Clues #11
Julie Sternberg, Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie

The Scoop on eBooks

Everything You Wanted to Know About e-Books, But...

What is an e-book? A Conventional e-book is a digital copy of a printed book-or original content in digital form-that can be read on a variety of devices.  Conventional e-books are downloaded to a computer or device.  A conventional e-book cannot be shared.

What are Google eBooks? Google eBooks are part of an open platform that allows someone to explore, buy, read books on any device.

How are Google e-books different from a conventional e-book? Google eBooks are store on a Google server and you access the book from that server, or "cloud".  Google eBooks can be viewed from any Web browser, through Google reading apps for multi-function devices, and most dedicated e-book devices, such as the Sony Reader and the Nook (but not the Kindle).

Can I read a Google eBooks on my iPhone?  Google has made reading apps available for multi-function devices such as the iPad, iPhone, Android, and other smart phones.  If you have Gmail, or any Google account, you're ready to access Google eBooks.

I love print books, but am curious about e-books.  What are the benefits of e-books?  E-books give you the instant availability of a very large selection of titles; dedicated reader devices or cloud-based storage means portability and accessibility; e-books are read on devices that are designed for readability - be it with the e-ink technology of one of the dedicated e-book devices or the LED screen of the iPad - and they allow for changing font size.  You can store, carry, and access dozens of books at all times, and since you are buying them from our online bookstore at http://www.harleysvillebooks.com/, you can explore and purchase e-books anywhere, anytime.

What are different e-books priced differently?  Prices can vary depending on the publisher, the e-book provider, and different sales agreements.  E-booksfrom most publishersare sold in exactly the same was as printed books: the publisher sets a list price and sells the book to a bookseller, and the bookseller sets the list price to the customer.  A few publishers operate according to an "agency model".  In this case, the publisher sets the price to a consumer and ALL retailers (indies, chains, Amazon) agree to sell that e-book at the to the consumer.

Why can't I find a certain e-book for my device while my friend can find it for device? For every book market, from Kindle to Google eBooks, the provider (Amazon or Google, for example) negotiates separate, individual digital rights agreements with the publishers.  That explains why title lists may vary between providers and formats.

There are so many ways to read e-book.  Help!  E-books can be read on dedicated, single-function readers, such as the Nook, the Kindle, and the Sony Reader, or on multi-function devices, such as the iPad, iPhone, Android, and other mobile devices and smart phones.  You can read e-books from Google, Palm/iPhone format, and Amazon/Kindle format on these multi-function devices. (A quick factoid: According to the Boston Consulting Group, 66% of consumers prefer a multi-function devices vs. 24% who prefer a single use device.)

Why doesn't Harleysville Books sell reading devices?  We're experts in books and content not consumer electronics.  But we can help guide you to the right source.  The iPad, iPhone, Android, and other smart mobile devices are the preferred multi-function reading devices that we recommend. 

Why not the Kindle?  Kindle is a proprietary device made by Amazon.  The only e-books that can read on a Kindle on a Kindle and Kindle format books.  Only Amazon sells Kindle format books, and you will be restricted to buying all your e-books from Amazon in the future.  As your local, independent bookstore, we would love to help you find the reading selections you'll enjoy most in any format - including e-books!

For more information on how to buy a Google eBook from http://www.harleysvillebooks.com/, you can get started today!

Book Clubs - Love or Hate?

Book Clubs are a great way to bring people together.  A book club can be made up of friends and the monthly discussion is a great night to get together and have fun.  But, some book clubs, like those that meet through Harleysville Books, meet faithfully each month but started with a group of strangers.  After years of monthly meetings friendships were developed.

Book clubs are always looking for recommendations that will provide good discussions.  Often the best books for discussion are ones that not everyone in the group loved to read.  Books that offer differing viewpoints can create a heated discussion.  When characters are unlovable and totally irredeemable, members can become passionate about their opinions.

Some of the best discussions we've had at our book clubs through Harleysville Books have been around books that we didn't particularly enjoy, but after developed an appreciation for the novel.

Here are some of our recommendations...

The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas (Read a little with Google Preview)  Written by an award winning novelist, The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas provided our book club with a heated discussion.  I don't think anyone liked the characters,  but the great the conversation was great!  Based around a single incident where a child was slapped, this Australian novel got under every one's skin. 

The Bird House by Kelly Simmons - Kelly Simmons is a local author and a good friend to us.  Her second novel, The Bird House, is the subject of our book club dinner on March 22, 2011.  Kelly has taken what seems to be an ordinary widow and has created conflict with her daughter-in-law, developed a relationship with her granddaughter and provided a twisted history that unravels a family secret. 

A Bookstore in Harleysville?

Often a new customer will come into our store and say, "I never knew there was a bookstore in Harleysville!"  Well, we're happy to say Harleysville Books has been open since June, 2006! 

To start our blog off right, let me introduce your neighborhood bookstore.  Harleysville Books is an family owned, independent bookstore located in on Rte 63 in Harleysville.  We sell new books,  gently used books and Google eBooks through our website at http://harleysvillebooks.com/.  We offer not only the most popular books for grown-ups and children, you can be sure to fine some hidden gems on our shelves.

Stay tuned for more information on the events in our store, books that you will want to read and authors that you will want to meet.