Extended Sunday hours!

We will now be open 12pm - 8pm on Sundays. That gives you two more hours of shopping. Woohoo!

I can’t wait for this book to come out

A Publisher’s Weekly story revealed a hot new You Tube video, and because it’s unlike most things you’ll see there, I had to share it.

Here’s the story, here’s the video:

Congratulations to Kate Christensen

Friend and Greenpointer Kate Christensen told us today that she is the recipient of the 2008 Pen/Faulkner award for Fiction for her novel The Great Man. We’re so happy for her!

Brooklyn Based supports Brooklyn indies!

Thanks to Brooklyn Based (a must-read email for all Brooklynites, I think) for doing a “What We’re Reading” update from Brooklyn independent bookstores. WORD got top billing, check it out!

Catching up with a few great events

Two successful WORD events have come and gone in the last few weeks, as well as a great bookseller meeting in Hartford, CT.

Our Brooklyn Noir and Queens Noir event was a ton of fun, and included readings by amazing authors such as Arthur Nersesian, Maggie Estep, Bill McLoughlin, Robert Knightly and Jillian Abbott. There are more pictures on the Flickr site, but here’s one of me with most of the participants.

Then last week Kevin Walsh, author of Forgotten New York, gave an intriguing presentation on some of the city’s forgotten locales, focusing on our own Greenpoint. Our friend Heather of newyorkshitty fame was on hand to add some of her expertise on the area. The turnout was amazing, thanks to all of you who came out, and sorry to those of you who couldn’t fit downstairs. Here’s a pic of Kevin signing books after the event.

And finally, I went to a bookseller meeting and learned about all the best new books for spring and summer, but was also lucky enough to meet Richard Price and hear him read a deleted scene from his new book Lush Life. Here’s a not-so-great picture of the author (sorry, Richard) signing books.

Another author who appeared at this meeting and read from his debut novel, A Fraction of the Whole, was Australian Steve Toltz. He silenced the room with his gorgeous writing and I’m reading his book right now and loving it. Check it out!

Acupuncture for pets and humans

I’m a huge fan of acupuncture for people (see below), but I had to show this photo of my adorable dog Trudy getting acupuncture last week at Northside Veterinary Clinic in Williamsburg. She’s a 10-year old mini-dachshund and because of her breed, the discs in her back often cause her pain. She’s good as new this week, but this picture was too cute not to share.

And for those of you interested in trying acupuncture, go to WorkSong Chinese Medicine (347.742.3834) on Franklin Street and talk to Isobeau. She’s amazing, and her community acupuncture practice will allow you to get treatment in an affordable way.

Thanks L Magazine! We love Scrabble too.

We had a great listing in the L Magazine for our first monthly game night which happened last night.

Check it out here.

And from the turnout, obviously other Greenpointers like games too. Here are some pics from our packed Scrabble night. Each third Tuesday of the month at 7:30pm we will have some fun game thing going on, as always with free booze. We’re thinking Taboo for next month, what do you all think?

Greenpoint’s literati

I just finished the new novel by Greenpoints’ own Kate Christensen called The Great Man. I realized half-way through that I was pretty wrapped up in it when I actually thought a customer in the store could have been Teddy, a character in the book. The book takes place in Greenpoint and the writing is so good, it’s hard not to picture these characters roaming the streets around WORD. I definitely recommend reading this one, especially if you’re a Greenpointer.

Yesterday I read an article about another Greenpoint writer, Anna Godberson, whose young adult book The Luxe is getting great reviews. I was happy to recognize her name as a customer here at WORD. I just ordered her book in and will check it out soon.

Watch your back Park Slope! Greenpoint’s writers are ready for a fight.

Post-holiday wrap-up

Whew. What a great holiday season. You needed gifts? We sold them. You wanted boozy hot chocolate? We served it. You supported us in our first holiday season here at WORD and we thank you for it. We’re trying to get back into the swing of things, after several days sitting on the couch playing Guitar Hero. But we couldn’t let the holidays wither away without sharing our holiday card with you, it was sent to all our nearest and dearest and proclaimed the two things we were most thankful for in 2007: WORD and Wii. Enjoy!

I just can’t help myself!

Remember a few days ago when I posted about the National Book Critics Circle blog, and the WOMAN (yes, she’s a woman, as am I, and there’s no reason I can’t call her that, it’s not sexist, just a fact) who called my store not independent because I carried books published by big publishers?

Well, our war of words has continued, and I just can’t stop myself from reading her posts and getting involved. Now another blogger has witnessed our war and taken my side. I will repost it here for effect:

“This post about the NBCC’s Best Recommended list debuting at bookstores is interesting, but the comments on the post really caught my attention. I’m sure to call down the wrath of the internet for even commenting on it, but I have to defend the independents from the first commenter Fran. I get that you’re upset to not have been published, but if this is how you talk to the local indies in your neighborhood, no wonder they won’t carry your book! I’d love to see her open her idea of an “independent” bookstore and see how long it lasts. Besides, is it really a crime to carry the books of Michael Chabon and Denis Johnson? Isn’t that throwing out the baby with the bath to suggest that all books from larger publishers are inherently bad? Maybe your books aren’t picked up because they’re no good! And I’ve got another statement that’s going to piss folks off: Far too many people think that they’re great writers these days. Anyone who’s stubbed their toe thinks they should write a memoir about it. It’s fine to write, go for it, but everyone shouldn’t expect to get published. There’s just no way. Rant over.”

Thanks Book Dwarf! I don’t know you but I can tell you are sane and reasonable, and not a literary asshole in the least bit.

Oh, and to make this story even better (if it can possibly get better) an adorable couple I met playing Bingo at Black Rabbit this past Sunday night have also become obsessed with my nemesis and have added their own comments the fray.

Here they are sharing a copy of George Saunder’s Braindead Megaphone in between Bingo games:

It’s all too good. And boy, it’s wasting WAY too much of my time.