So sorry. So so sorry.

It's been a while since I have made a post and I am sorry about that. Life is busy. This past Christmas was the most lucrative holiday season my bookstore has ever seen.

Woot! Go books!

Other big life events have kept my off this blog and in the clouds but now I'm ready to make sure everyone is up to date on the musings of a slightly neurotic bookseller. Something I have noticed recently is a lot of customers paying with Amazon rewards cards :/.

Not sure how I feel about it... on one hand it sucks that they are building up points with the evil empire, but it's also pretty awesome that they aren't using those points to buy books! Win win? win tie? I don't know... Good job people?

The store itself has gone under some major changes. Bigger art section (which I am happy about). A lot of rearranging.  LOTS of deep dusting. (One day I had to wrestle with a dust-rhino. Nearly took off my arm.) But the store is sparkly clean now.

(Also, side note, there is a book coming out called "Eat Bacon. Don't Jog." :) Ha. )


What am I reading? I' glad you asked ;)

Definitely pick up LEVIATHAN WAKES by James Corey if you are into epic space operas. (Star Wars.) It's fast paced and extremely well writing.

Also CHINESE COOKING FOR DIAMOND THIEVES by  Dave Lowry. Hilarious. I was in stitches the whole time... there are ninjas. (Ok... so I know they aren't ninjas. Ninjas are Japanese. This would be kungfu masters. But you know what I mean...)

Lastly: HEAP HOUSE by Edward Carey. If you are an adult who still likes kids books or... are... you know... a kid, this book is great and I seriously suggest getting into the series. (OH! Also a series called SKULLDUGERY PLEASANT. Also Hilarious.)  

Now for art? I've been working on quite a few things. Really if you want to follow my daily doodles find me @ink_galleries on INSTAGRAM. A large majority of my stuff is on there.

Till next time! Stay safe and happy reading.
 

New illustrations

Banned Book Week

It's that time of year again!

I can honestly say I take more pride in being a Bookseller this week than most other weeks. It's Banned Book week. (Yes, that's still a thing.)

So for those of you who don't know what banning a book means, it is when some crazy person decides they don't like a book and thus start a petition to get that book removed from public spaces such as libraries and public school systems. The reasoning can be anything from the use of less than desirable language to the undesirable depiction of women in potions of power (which is why The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was originally banned. No, not joking.)

So of course, as a sane member of society, I absolutely abhor this practice with a fiery burning passion of a thousand super novas. Don't get me wrong, there are some books that frankly should never see the light of day and I will use what ever means necessary to keep from reading those books. And that's the point. It's so I don't have to read it. There is a very simple way in order to make sure a book does not affect your life or bring influence into it:

Don't. Read. It. You. Idiot.

 "I don't like what this book has to say. Of course, the most logical action to take is to make sure no one else reads it either since I have the universal opinion on everything ever."

WRONG

"I don't like what this book has to say. Of course, I will just put it down and find another book which I can read in delight and then share that delight in order to make the world a better place."

RIGHT

No one will ever have the right to tell another functioning human being what they should read based on personal preference. (I use the word functioning here to mean a person who is not wholly dependent on their parents. Looking at you teenagers. Listen to your parents until you move out and can read whatever you like.)

So, here is the link to more information to banned books. I'll be writing every day this week to talk about a different banned book that you should read, just because someone doesn't want you too.

http://www.ala.org/bbooks/

The Next Generation

There are very few things that make me as happy as when kids come into the bookstore. And kids kids, not teenage kids. Teenagers suck the intelligence out of everything they touch like idiotic sponges. (Disclaimer: I'm sure there are smart teenagers out there someplace. Well hidden and biding there time before they blossom into humans and shed their post pubescent shell of ignorance and triviality)

But when KIDS come into the store.
Win.
Because they get so excited! Grown ups, while yes they love getting new books, love getting suggestions, love hunting the shelves for a new life changing tome, and love the society that bookstores bring into communities, I have NEVER seen an adult jump up and down when finding "The biggest dinosaur book ever!"

Not only that, kids go in HOPING to get a new book. Adults go in to get one. Yea they are hoping to find something new, but chances are, they are set on adding something to the stack next to their bed. Kids however are playing a shell game. Do I ask for this book? 20$ isn't a lot of the monies, right?...

"MOM! CAN I GET THIS PLEASE?!?!?!"

And then there's the answer. (The 10% chances the parent will cave in and give their child the gift of intelligence and literacy.)

CONVERSATION OVERHEARD IN BOOKSTORE:

"Mom look! I found the biggest dinosaur book ever!"
"You did?! That's awesome!"
"Can I get it?"
"Yes."
"...................... What?"
"I said you can get it."
".......BEST DAY EVER!!!!"


That is why kids > adults. There is no end to excitement at getting a new book. Doesn't matter what the book is, as long as it is book-ish.

Fantasy Illustrations

This is a anthropometric Smilodon. (Anthropomorphic means humanoid)Here we have an elf

This is a water spirit

How about a cyborg? And a ginger?

This is an albino... Fox... Thingy:

Anyone say action shots? 

And last but not least... Dinosaur:

Hope everyone likes them. I will be making a lot more sometime soon :) (I used pictures of my friends for the base face, and did digital painting to actually make them. Except the dinosaur. He just sorta happened.)

More chalk board/ dry erase board illustrations

Well... That's awkward.

"Have you read this?"

"No but I've heard it's really good."

"What can you tell me about this one?"

"Not a lot. I haven't read it myself but have spoken to a few people who have and they loved it."

"Do you even read?"

"...."

Ok so that last one never really happened. But the other two happen, saddly quite a lot. And it is awkward. When someone asks you to give a recommendation for a specific book and honestly, you've never seen that book in your life :/

Worse case scenario: you lie and give some rushed feed back based on what you can glean from the synopsis on the back. (Also happens more than it should.) 

Even worse case scenario: it's the author of that book trying to be sneaky O_O (has happened once. Lucky I wasn't the one helping them. )

The sad truth is: we can't read everything :/ and that's not from lack of trying. In my store alone we carry 30,000 books. That means that, from the day I was born, I would have needed to read 3.5 books... A day. Every day. Not including the 500 or so new books published a day (that number has gone up dramatically with self publishing.) 

Well... Frankly, that's a lot. 

I do read a lot. I promise. Making my way through 5 books right now, one of which is a non-fiction. Beat that! (Here is a little cartoon of my pain)

If someone were to come in and say "can you recommend a book that's great for _______" I can normally ramble off 10-15 books that I have read. :) be proud. I know I am. 

So yes... Don't think poorly if your bookseller has never heard of a book. Chances are it is just sitting in the pile next to their bed at home.