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Our News: Archives
Take a look back in time and browse through our news archives...

2009     2o08      2007      2006      2005      2004       2003      2002

                                                           2010

Lincoln: Husker Read Sidewalk Sale!

Books on tables: $2 hardcovers, $1 trade paperbacks, $.50 mass market paperbacks. We had tons of books come in over the summer and this year's Sidewalk Sale was great - thanks for shopping!


8/21/2010: We will not be doing in-store buys 8/22-8/29. We're having a big sale & it's the first week of UNL classes. Please do not bring books during that time. However, if you have books to sell, please give us a call & we'll set up an appointment for the following week! Thanks!

8/19/2010: We have Philosophy books on our New Arrivals. Bigger news, though, is that we have greatly expanded our Children's Literature section to include two additional cases! Come browse - we've organized picture books & have new space for non-fiction!

8/10/2010: Our pricing backlog is full of wonders! Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889), a first edition of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, beautiful Children's books, SIGNED first edition mysteries... come harvest & put up some books for winter!

8/7/2010: (Lincoln) Art of Rock Festival 

Saturday, August 7th saw downtown Lincoln transformed with family festivities in support of Lincoln's "Academy of Rock"!  Our block became a giant canvas that showcased the work of numerous Sidewalk Chalk Artists. The festival also feautured toddler fashion shows, air guitar contests and music!

All entertainment was absolutely FREE! We look forward to next year!

For more information, click: Lincoln's Academy of Rock!

7/29/2010: (Lincoln) Barbara Cramer BOOK SIGNING

Barbara Cramer is the author of A Pinch of Dry Mustard. This intriguing mystery takes place over a 3-day period in a quaint fishing village off the coast of Maine.

Ms. Cramer is a featured speaker at the Toast to Ms. Wheelchair Nebraska event held that evening at the Downtown Holiday Inn. For more information about that event, click: Ms. Wheelchair Nebraska/Lincoln Journal Star 

7/27/2010: This week, we have new Chess books, Manga, Poetry (yes, more!), Fiction, lots of new Science Fiction & Fantasy and a whole bunch of Agatha Christie. Books have been coming in like crazy - looks like a couple of late nights at work this week...

7/23/2010: (Brownville) Friday, Brownville Merchants Summer Street Party
A Summer evening of laid-back fun! The shops and galleries of Outfitters' Row on Main Street offered treats and drinks...and books, jewelry, art, letterpress cards, antiques & more.

We had strawberries, chocolate eclairs and white wine at A Novel Idea Bookstore, Chapter Two! Porridge Papers, newly located just up the street celebrated their Grand Opening.

Sum Guise, a band that gets bigger and better every year,  entertained us with a combination of bluegrass, honky tonk and folk music.  There's no better fun then summertime dancing in the streets!

7/20/2010: Although we posted New Arrivals photos on the 16th, we just put up all new New Arrivals yesterday. Check out the current photos! Lots of Poetry, Fiction, History (British, Crusades, Custer's Last Stand, etc...) & much more!

7/14/2010: So many books, so much happiness... We purchased some great Children's Books - Curious George, Little Critter, Richard Scarry, Madeleine, Winnie the Pooh. The staff is now nostalgic about our childhoods and having to tear ourselves away to do real work...

7/6/2010: We'll be working on a collection of Signed First Edition Mysteries today. Janet Evanovich, Sue Grafton, John Sandford, Jeffery Deaver, Robert B. Parker... They will most likely live on the display shelf by the counter while we find room in the case!

6/30/2010: (Lincoln Store) One Book, One Lincoln Top Five Discussion

The top 5 books for the One Book, One Lincoln community reading program have been announced. Read our reviews here!

This year, the community is voting for the book to read as a community. We had three of the selection committee members on hand to talk about the selection process they went through and the merits of this year's top five books!

Thanks to everyone who joined us for Italian sodas, cookies & book talk. There are some great books on the list this year - it's really fun to discover new titles/authors!

6/28/2010: We have lots of new Science Fiction & Fantasy, Literature and Poetry this week - as well as lots of interesting odds & ends. Be sure to check our Events page for info on Wednesday's discussion in Lincoln & Saturday's festivities in Brownville. Summer fun for all!

6/22/2010: Welcome, Thespians! We're happy to see you mixing in nicely with all our regular book-lovers. In celebration of The Theater, we've loaded our displays with scripts, books on filmmaking, monologues, stage & film biographies. Come join the fun!

6/15/2010: New Arrivals have been pouring in - you'll find new Poetry, Psychology, Philosophy, Gaming, Fiction/Literature & Children's books. Also, some beautifully bound Dickens books & the Silver & Gold "Arabian Nights" (16 volumes).

6/8/2010: We're pricing our way through some neat books this week. On our New Arrivals shelf, you'll find many issues of McSweeney's. You'll also find some good Eastern Philosophy. Lots of American History books just made their way downstairs & will be shelved soon!

6/3/2010: We'll be pricing through Nebraska History, Children's Books, & Miscellaneous other goodies this week. Stop in and visit us in Lincoln this Friday - we'll be open late for the Gallery Walk until 7:30pm!

6/1/10: Lincoln: Musical Kickoff for Clawfoot House
11:30-12:30
Das Hoboerotica, a cello/accordian duo heading off on tour this week kicked off our Thank You Tuesday Summer sponsorship season for Clawfoot House! (See our Philanthropy Page for more information about this wonderful community arts venue!)

Thank You Tuesday March-May
Spring Recipient: Lincoln Community Concert Band
The Lincoln Community Concert Band provides opportunities for audiences to experience free, live performances by volunteer musicians who love making music with friends of all ages. In its twenty-seventh season, it was organized in the fall of 1981 by Jack R. Snider, Director of Bands and Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Members of the band are adult volunteers from many walks of life who enjoy playing their instruments and wish to continue making music. The LCCB rehearses on a "school-year" schedule and presents four concerts each year, all of which are free and open to the public. LCCB meets in Westbrook Music Building on the UNL City Campus from 7-9 PM on Monday evenings. The band is open to adults of all experience levels as long as sections are not full. For information on becoming a member of LCCB, contact us at contact@lincolncommunityconcertband.org

Saturday, May 29 - Monday, May 31: Spring Flea Market in Brownville

Over 300 dealers offered kettle corn, quilts, root beer, antiques, oddities, plants, garden furniture, jewelry...and BOOKS. Continuing for over 50 years, this is one of Brownville's signature events. It was great to see so
many familiar faces this year - thanks for stopping in! Check out our Brownville Blog to see Flea Market photos!

5/27/2010: Our Lincoln store is full of great New Arrivals - Children's Books, History, Philosophy, etc. Our Brownville shop is getting ready for this weekend's Flea Market - lots of collectable Children's Books, sale Cookbooks, History & Fiction. Enjoy Memorial Day Weekend!

5/18/2010: New Poetry, Fiction, Mystery & Ancient History this week! We continue to  work through the treasures we found while Katherine & I were on our trip. The kids will be out of school soon - come browse for books to keep them occupied this Summer!

5/11/2010: New Graphic Novels, Children's books & lots of new Literature & Fiction this week. May is the last month of sponsorship for Lincoln Community Concert Band for our Thank You Tuesdays. Shop for books and make some music today!

5/6/2010: We're home from the trip with oodles of great books! The New Arrivals shelf doesn't begin to hold all the loot. Be sure to check the display shelves in the windows, by the front door, by the counter...welcome to our Treasure Hunt!

4/30/2010: Katherine & I are on a buying trip. You should SEE our hotel room. There are 60 boxes of books in here! We hope to condense them into a number of boxes that might actually fit in the truck...

Friday, April 23 - Sunday, April 25 in Brownville
Come celebrate literature, food, music, & wine in historic Brownville!
We are offering a Children's program, Pairing Food & Wine program, Poetry, Fiction, Nature Writing, History, Songwriting...something for everyone!
Join Paul Johnsgard, Twyla Hansen, Greg Kosmicki, Matt Mason & the Omaha Healing Arts Slam Poetry Team, Jeff Barnes, The Dueling Chefs, Mike Mennard, Beef Torrey & Kevin Simonson, Amy Knox Brown, Roy Scheele, Kelly Madigan Erlandson, Ember Schrag, Linda Garcia, NL Sharp & all of us!

Visit this link to the complete schedule: Brownville's Wine, Writers & Song Festival. Visit Brownville, relax and enjoy!

4/15/2010: We have been working like crazy lately. So many books... We have just uploaded a new set of New Arrivals photos! Find History, Fiction, Poetry, Archaeology...an eclectic mix!

4/5/2010: We just priced new Theology, Judaica & Philosophy books - with a few Art odds & ends in the mix. We also have new displays throughout the store - Gardening, Grilling, Decks/Patios, Poetry (April is National Poetry Month), Children's Books. Stop in for a browse!

3/29/2010: This week, you'll find lots of new Science Fiction & Fantasy Books, new Graphic Novels - and all sorts of new Non-Fiction. While I was away last week, Katherine made two housecalls and bought LOTS of interesting books. She has such a good eye!

3/23/2010: Spring has sprung & we have been purchasing all kinds of great books. Gardening, Cooking, Quilting & Crafts, Children's, Gaming, Biography...check out our recently updated "New Arrivals" photos!

3/15/2010: This week, we have new Graphic Novels, Children's Books, History, and Literature. Keep your eyes on our New Arrivals shelf for more - we'll be uploading a new photo soon!

3/13/2010: Joel Williamsen Book Signing (Lincoln Store)
We were pleased to host Joel Williamsen for a book signing - and look forward to his next visit to our store in August!
In his book, Barrelhouse Boys, it is 1894, and Nebraska's glittering state capital draws Bud Gardner away from drought and poverty towards his uncle's saloon, extended family and eccentric circle of bootleggers. But amidst the whores, oddballs, and shady characters of Lincoln's Haymarket district, Bud discovers a fiery Czech girl - and the deadly forces that connect Chicago's railroad strikes, Omaha's slaughterhouse riots, a grisly Lincoln train wreck, and a local black man that has "conveniently" been accused of causing it. Weaving together an intriguing storyline with the real historical events and luminaries of turn-of-the-century Lincoln, including John J. Pershing, Willa Cather, and Charles Dawes, Barrelhouse Boys is a fictional romp through the gaslight era that shouldn't be missed!
$17.95 each. Call us for a copy!

3/8/2010: This week, we have new Philosophy, Photography, Field Guides & Foreign Language books...and a new staff member! Liz Sexton will take the Sunday shift later this Spring. She will also be working in our online book business. Stop in & meet her!

3/2/2010: This week, we have new Music, Military History, Photography & Literature. We have also been shelving lots of Foreign Language, Needlework and Cookbooks. Spring is coming - be sure to check out our Gardening & Home Improvement selections!

2/22/2010: Come in for a look at the new Science Fiction & Fantasy books. Katherine just rearranged the section...and then we bought another few boxes full of SFF. (Currently stacked in the section.) We also just finished filling the New Arrivals shelf - check out the photos!

Our Winter Thank You Tuesday Recipient: Husker Cats.
Husker Cats is a volunteer group of students, faculty, staff and friends of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln working to ensure a high quality life for cats living in feral colonies on campus. Since its founding in November 2008, the group has humanely trapped, neutered or spayed and vaccinated 60 of the 75-100 feral cats at UNL before returning the cats to campus. The group also has a feeding program and works to educate people about the importance of spaying/neutering cats and to dissuade people from abandoning or dumping cats. The group is funded entirely by donations. It costs approximately $75 to $100 to provide care for each trapped cat and there are ongoing costs of feeding and trapping. Husker Cats is loosely allied with The Cat House, Lincoln's no-kill cat shelter. For more information, www.huskercats.org or contact Kim Hachiya, 472-8844 or kim.hachiya@gmail.com

2/19/2010: C's "annual" 29th Birthday Sale is on! 29% off everything through the weekend! Also, we've been working through recent acquisitions - some nice History, Poetry and some beautiful Folio Society books in slipcases. They're on New Arrivals in the shop.

2/15/2010: Happy Presidents' Day! Check out our Presidents' section for books on all your favorite Founders. This week, we also have new Science Fiction/Fantasy - 5 boxes came in late last week & Matthew also brought a couple hundred new titles out of storage.

2/9/2010: Avoid the boring old "flowers & candy" routine! Think about what your sweetheart is truly interested in...or, buy one of your favorite books & tuck one of our gift certificates inside. You can come shopping together. Think outside the heart-shaped box!

1/31/2010: We'll be working through more mass market paperbacks early this week - lots of new Science Fiction & Fantasy, Mystery, Classic Literature and General Fiction.  We have new displays of Children's Books & Theater Books, too!

Friday January 29th, 10am-7:30pm: Lincoln Store
"Theater is NOT Dead"
Fundraiser for Lincoln High School Drama Club!
10% of all sales today went to help fund Lincoln High School Drama Club projects. We had a display of LHS Drama memorabilia, LHS Drama T-shirts - and, in the afternoon, characters from some of your favorite books & plays. Julius Caesar, The Mad Hatter, a Pirate and a Gipsy made an appearance & took photos with our customers for donations of $1 each. Many thanks to the LHS students & faculty - and all the "Drama Mamas & Papas" for a theatrical evening!

1/29/2010: Today, we are all THESPIANS! See our Events page... New books this week include lots of vintage Science Fiction & Fantasy, Children's Books, American History & lots of great Classic Literature and general Fiction. Check out New Arrivals!

1/21/2010: This week, we're offering new Chess Books, American History & hardcover editions of volumes of the Journals of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Also, through Sunday 1/24, our Role-playing Game Books are on Sale - buy one, get one (equal/lesser value) for 50% off!

1/11/2010: Our New Arrivals shelf is full of  great books - Literature, Graphic Novels, Mystery First Editions, History, Biography, Children's Books and much more! Stock up for Winter - and prepare for the next snow days. Buy a stack of books for the kids...and some for yourself!

1/8/2010 - 1/10/2010: CABIN FEVER BOOK SALE!
Since the space south of our shop was going to be empty for a couple of months until the new tenant moved in, we took it over for a weekend to host a HUGE SALE! Tables of Paperbacks, Hardcovers...Fiction, Non-fiction...it was a mix. On Fri & Sat, books were priced as marked. On Sun, everything left was $1 each.  We've never done anything like this...and it was really fun! Thanks to Matthew & Chris for playing guitars in the sale room. Someday, you'll be stars...

1/4/2010: Happy New Year! We are getting a good start to 2010 by refreshing our stock with new inventory - and having a HUGE sale! (See Events.) Once again, we are glad to see another year beginning & look forward to spending it with interesting, sincere people like you.

2009                                 

12/28/2009: We're getting ready to ring in the New Year with some good reads...yes, we truly are party animals around here... Come visit us for a comfortable browse!

12/19/2009: If the weather outside is frightful this season, remember that we can process GIFT CERTIFICATE orders over the phone or by email. We'll send the gift certificates wherever you need them to go and we'll send you a receipt! (We can do this in fine weather, too!)

12/15/2009: Okay, so the "lovely snow" on the 7th turned into "Snow-maggedon" the next day. Whew! Nothing like weather to bring out camaraderie. We will be pricing books later this week. There's lots of History, Theology & Literature in the backlog. Stay tuned!

12/7/2009: What a lovely snow!  Come see us in our cozy bookshop - and bring your holiday shopping list. We'll help you find great gifts for everyone...and you'll be happy with the money you save. Browse our "Staff Reads" page for ideas! Cookbooks, History, Fiction, Kids' Books...

Saturday, 12/5 & Sunday, 12/6: Holiday Open Houses at Both Stores!
Our Lincoln & Brownville stores spent the first weekend in December with refreshments & merriment! We offered 10% off all Books during the Open Houses and saw lots of friends - old & new.
Shoppers picked up  Signed First Editions, Leather-bound Collectables, Paperback Stocking Stuffers, Children's Books, "Husker Read" T's, Gift Certificates & more during the celebration. In Lincoln, we had crowds before and after the Star City Parade. Thanks for making a visit to us a part of your holiday tradition. We feel the love - and look forward to the rest of the holiday season!

12/4/2009: Our Holiday Open House is THIS WEEKEND! You'll find great New Arrivals...we've been unpacking History & Biography. We have new Children's Books, Poetry & Literature this week. We also came across a good assortment of books on Poker Playing...ante up!

11/30/2009: We are thankful for our customers & community! We learn & laugh daily. 'Tis the season for those things...and celebrating wonder. Come see us this weekend for our Holiday Open House. Shop for gifts for all on your list - remember, they love our gift certificates!

11/22/2009: This is our cats' first holiday season with us and the ribbons and tinsel are SO exciting! They've been very...helpful...while we've been decking the halls. Books this week include lots of new Gaming, Holiday Children's Books & Literature. Comfort & Joy!

Our Fall Thank You Tuesday Recipient was the Ms. Wheelchair Nebraska Program. The Ms. Wheelchair Nebraska Program offers women who use wheelchairs an opportunity to receive recognition for personal and professional accomplishments and to serve as a spokesperson for all people with disabilities. The program's emphasis is on the capability, productivity and creativity of individuals with disabilities. It serves as a means by which to educate the public regarding the basic value and abilities of people with disabilities, as well as the importance and need for eliminating architectural barriers.
For more information, please visit:  Ms. Wheelchair Nebraska

11/16/2009: We have new Civil War books, classic Literature, Philosophy...and some peculiar odds & ends this week. My favorite title on the New Arrivals shelf is Catapult Design, Construction and Competition. (Now that's a great gift for the right person!)

Throughout November: "Book Arts" by Harry W. Andersen
"Book Arts" is a series of book-inspired pendants on display at our Lincoln store. Each is a unique mini-sculpture, signed by the artist. Andersen started his art career in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1974 after receiving his MS in Design from Drexel University and MFA from Philadelphia College of Art. His work has been shown in Philadelphia, Palm Beach, Boston, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. He is the owner of Gallery 119 in Brownville, NE.
All pieces are available for purchase. Beautiful gifts for your bookish friends! Prices range from $15 - $35 each.

11/14/2009 Sat: Nebraska Book Festival! Held at the Nebraska History Museum right around the corner from our store. Great authors, readings & events and book fair! Hats off to Mary Jo Ryan for putting on such a great event. The book fair was buzzing with authors, readers & publishers. We met some wonderful people. (I bought a copy of Greg Kosmicki's new book of poetry, Marigolds, published by Black Star Press. I'm really enjoying it.)

11/2/2009: 105 boxes of books came in on Thursday! (Wow!) Happy to say, today it looks less like a warehouse & more like the well organized bookshop you know & love. New Spanish Books, Art, Children's Books & Theology are on New Arrivals...LOTS of vintage SFF in the section!

10/26/2009: Seems like the holidays are far off...but now's when I start thinking about which books my family members might enjoy. (It's just more fun to relax and shop without pressure.) Start browsing for stocking stuffers...we have lots of new paperbacks!

10/18/2009: We had a great time at the Black Star Press & Friends Reading! The shop looked great...thanks to the staff for shelving all the new Children's books, Literature and the hundreds of mass market Science Fiction & Mystery titles that came in just before the reading!

10/15/2009: Black Star Press & Friends Poetry Reading featuring:
Amil Quayle, who hails from Idaho, near the Snake River. He ranched in Nebraska for seven years and then received an MA and a PhD in English from UNL.  Grand Canyon and Other Selected Poems is his latest work.
Greg Kosmicki, who is the founder and publisher of The Backwaters Press. He is the author of three books of poems and 6 chapbooks of poems. Garrison Keillor has read his poems on Writers' Almanac.
Greg Kuzma, who is a professor of English at UNL. He is the founder & publisher of Best Cellar Press. His poems have appeared in The New Yorker and The Paris Review. He has authored several books of poetry.
  
10/5/2009: Lots of new SFF came in yesterday & we're working on some Art, etc that Katherine purchased at a house call last week. The backlog right now is full of interesting miscellany...Literary Theory, Military History, Medieval History, Theology...stop in soon!

10/2/2009 "Noodles & Novel Idea Night" Benefit for Prescott Elementary
We donated 10% of our sales all day to Prescott Elementary School. The money will go to help pay field trip costs. In this economy, we feel it's even more important to band together as a community to support the things we value. Thanks to our customers for supporting us so that we can extend this kind of support for Lincoln's kids & other charities!

9/30/2009: One Book, One Lincoln Discussion of People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
The One Book, One Lincoln selection has been made! We gathered in our Lincoln store to talk about People of the Book. It's a fantastic read...and I find that I like a book even more after discussing it with other interesting people. Talking about this novel...and how people can survive & triumph over the darker parts of humanity...and the power in human relationships...and the causes of xenophobia & war...was great. The discussion was free-flowing & interesting. Everyone had something to contribute. What I especially liked was that the talk was thought-provoking but not at all pretentious. We had a group of really nice, intelligent people. I'm already looking forward to doing this again!

9/29/2009: We have new Medieval & Ancient History, Philosophy, Theology and Literature this week. Check the Events page...we're hosting discussions, readings & benefits in the next few weeks!

9/22/2009: This week, look for new Poetry & Drama. We're also putting lots of new Bargain Books on the cart outside. Saturday is UNL's Homecoming: Welcome Back, Alumni! Meet the new cats on the way to the stadium & put some books on hold. Pick them up Sunday!

9/2/2009: Fall is here! We LOVE this season in the bookstore. It's time to put on a sweater in the mornings, and enjoy coffee & books. Come in, gather stacks of books and squirrel them away for Winter. We have great Fiction, History, Children's Books & Graphic Novels this week!

Our Summer Recipient was the Community Open Studio/Writers' Wordshop. The project began ten years ago and continues to honor and support the artists and writers served by The Community Mental Health Center, CenterPointe and Cornhusker Place. Over 200 artists, writers, photographers and film makers participate. "F" Street Community Center hosts sessions Wednesday evenings from 5-7pm. Lincoln Parks and Rec is a partner and their foundation is the fiscal agent. The 5th Annual Artists on the Edge Show was held August 4-8. Open Studio has five local exhibits each year, plus two national touring exhibits. For more information, please visit: Artists on the Edge or call 441-6603. Poetry Reading: Friday, Aug 14th @ 6pm at Grand Manse, 129 N. 10th Street, Lincoln. Browse & buy outsider art throughout August at the following galleries: Gallery at Grand Manse, Gallery 9, Noyes Gallery, Tugboat Gallery (above A Novel Idea Bookstore), Modern Arts Midwest, Burkholder Project.

8/27/2009: Students, we have books for you. Stop in and flash your list to a staff member. Also this week, we're seeing lots of Military History. Katherine has re-arranged downstairs again! The Presidents section and the History of Warfare section are in new, better locations

Monday, August 24th - Saturday, August 29th (Lincoln store)
"Husker Read" Sidewalk Sale!
Yes, it has been a busy summer and we've stockpiled boxes of books destined for our annual Fall Sidewalk Sale. You'll find lots of bargains - books outside will be priced at $2...$1...$.50 each.
Inside the shop, you'll find our Back-to-School displays & lots of New Arrivals we'll have priced for the season. You'll also find our new "Husker Read" (past-tense...get it?!) T-shirts on sale for $9 each. Wear yours to the Lincoln store or the Brownville store on Husker Game Days and receive 10% off your book purchases! (We think they're really fun shirts. The discount is just an added bonus!)

8/20/2009: Harry Potter, Military History, Drama, Home Repair, Graphic Novels & more this week. Check out New Arrivals! Also, many thanks to Jason Gilmore, who designed our new database system. We LOVE it. (And thanks for your patience while we learn how to use it!)

8/14/2009: Great Fiction & Literature came in last week, along with some fun Children's Books. We also bought a cache of Robert Heinlein paperbacks and some signed books by Tanith Lee. We have a pricing backlog of around 30 boxes! We'll make some headwaythis week!

8/7/2009: We're staying open until 7:30 tonight for the Gallery Walk. Check out the New Arrivals & displays. The store is an exciting place these days. Thanks to all who attended last night's One Book, One Lincoln discussion...we had a great time!

8/2/2009: We are pricing our way through a collection purchased last week. Look for good Economics, History & Political Science this week. We also have a good assortment of new Fiction & Children's Books. And "Husker Read" shirts are in...come check them out!

Thursday, August 6th 7:00pm (Lincoln Store)
One Book, One Lincoln Discussion of Top Five
Recently, this year's committee announced the 2009 Top Five finalists for our community reading program. (Check out the 5 here, on our One Book, One Lincoln page.) We had cookies & coffee and talked about these books...and the process of narrowing down the big list of nominations to these few. Thanks to all who attended. It was great to sit amid our bookshelves and chat. We're already looking forward to our September discussion about the chosen book!

7/24/2009: Our color is "Husker Read"! We just got our new "Husker Read" T-shirts, now on sale in the Lincoln shop for $9 each. Wear yours to either store on Husker Game Days & get 10% off all books. Want us to save one for you or send you one? Call (402) 475-8663 or email!

Friday, July 17th 6:30 - 8:30 (Brownville) 
Outfitters' Row Summer Street Party

Join us in Brownville for Sales, Treats and the music of Sum Guise on Main Street, Brownville. This free event is great for families...perhaps combine it with a camping trip to Indian Cave State Park or book a room at the new River Inn Floating Hotel (call 402-825-6441 for reservations!)

Sunday, July 19 1:00pm-4:00pm (Lincoln), Book Signing
Come meet Anthea Carson, author of several books, including How to Play Chess Like an Animal, a children's chess book. She will be signing copies of her new novel, Ainsworth, a summertime mystery set in 1970's Nebraska.

7/13/2009: We'll be pricing lots of new inventory this week. Look for great new trade paperback fiction, along with mass market paperback classics & genre fiction...as well as some gems with archival dust jacket covers that Matthew just finished working on!

7/8/2009: Come down for The Zoo Bar Street Festival Fri 7/10, 7pm - Sat 7/11, latelatelate! We'll be open our regular hours and enjoying the music from our doorstep. Swing in and see us. (Tell the folks at the gate that you'd like to shop for books and they'll let you through!)

6/30/2009: This week, we have new Art, Field Guides and American History & Cookbooks...just in time for your 4th of July festivities! We also have LOTS of new Children's Books, both fiction and non-fiction. Time for a little R&R (Reading & Relaxation) this weekend!

6/24/2009: New this week is a collection of Nick Bantock books. In addition to the popular Griffin & Sabine books, we also have several pop-ups, The Egyptian Jukebox, and a signed copy of The Artful Dodger. Check out the display by the front counter. Wondrous!

6/15/2009: We just bought a great collection of Vintage Black Lizard pulp fiction books...Jim Thompson, Ross Macdonald, Michael Dibdin, Andrew Vachss, plus some great looking Philip K. Dick trade paperbacks. Swing in, browse, escape...

6/5/2009: Welcome UNL Summer Conferences!
Every year, we welcome crowds of people we refer to as our "irregulars"...those friendly faces we see once a year when they come to town as AP Graders, participants & faculty of the Nebraska Summer Writers' Conference or participants & faculty of the Thespian Festival.
Check our Lincoln Calendar for our extended hours...we welcome you regulars, too!

6/3/2009: New Art, Military History, Children's Books, Literary Criticism, Philosophy, Science Fiction & Fantasy...so much we've decided to have an impromptu Sidewalk Sale this Thursday - Saturday! See the Events page for more information!

5/28/2009: We just purchased 4 boxes of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror paperbacks. The shelves are bursting with Terry Pratchet, Robert Heinlein, Spider Robinson, Laurel K. Hamilton and the like. We've also been buying lots of Military History...stop in!

5/28/2009: Our Spring Thank You Tuesday Recipient was Community CROPS. Combining Resources, Opportunities and People for Sustainability helps families grow food for themselves and their community. Community gardens across Lincoln provide garden plots to families who need them, where they grow and harvest a variety of fresh vegetables. The farm training program works with those who want to grow and sell larger amounts of produce or small livestock products. A Thursday evening Farmers' Market at Pentzer Park ties it all together. Find out how you can get involved with CROPS at www.communitycrops.org 

Spring Flea Market in Brownville!
Memorial Day Weekend: 5/23 Saturday - 5/25 Monday
It's that time of year again! Come down to Brownville and spend the day (or the weekend) hunting for treasures. We'll have the streets lined with vendors...over 260...who will be selling all kinds of things: books, ironwork, needlework, antiques, pottery, glassware, Children's toys, homemade root beer and much, much more!

5/18/2009: We made a great house call last week. We also bought some wonderful books in the shop.  We have new Fiction, Gardening, Cooking, History, Science Fiction, Mystery & Children's Books!
Eddy & Padric have a new scratching post. Everybody's happy.

5/13/2009: We're welcoming Eddy (spotted) & Padric (white/tabby) to the shop! Yesterday, Eddy explored the place thoroughly while Padric hid out in the bathroom. Now, as you can see, they're both quite comfortable on the floor in front of the counter. Come visit!

5/1/2009: We're back from Missouri with 53 boxes of books...great Fiction, Science & History - particularly British History and Ancient History. We found a cache of Philosophy books, which I'll be working on early next week. (We're also going to The Cat House on Thursday...)

4/27/2009: Wine, Writers & Song went really well this year. Thanks to all the presenters, performers, participants and sponsors. We have some great ideas that will make it an even better festival next year!
As a special treat this year, we had poets Jinmei Yuan & Mani Rao, who appeared courtesy of Creighton University's Asian Writers Conference. They preceded the No Coast National Slam Poetry Team, which presented the Friday evening program. As a follow-up to the festival, the slam poetry is being translated into Chinese and sent across the world! We're planning to do more with the AWC in 2010!

Wine, Writers & Song Festival in Brownville!
4/24 Friday- 4/26 Sunday
This year's festival has a GREAT lineup of authors, musicians, Children's performers, poets, chefs, vintners, & artists. All events are FREE except for "Pairing Food & Wine" ($5), Riverboat Rides ($9.95, 5 & under free) and the Weekend Writers Workshop with award-winning poet, Barbara Schmitz.

For more information about this great festival, please click here:  Wine, Writers & Song Festival

4/17/2009: Cat Fundraising Winner! Thanks to all of the donors who contributing an amazing $4,628.90 to The Cat House & Capital Humane Society. We'll be getting our new cat from The Cat House in early May after we get back from our Missouri buying trip!

4/14/2009: We have turned over the New Arrivals shelf a couple of times. You'll find the Lincoln store chockfull of new Theology, Graphic Novels, Gaming, Children's Books & Fiction. Brownville is getting ready for the Wine, Writers & Song Festival...fun, busy times!

4/6/2009: This is the final week of the friendly fundraising competition between The Cat House & Capital Humane Society. Make your donation count! We'll announce a winner on the 17th. For books, we have new displays of Quilting...and Poetry for Nat'l Poetry Month!

4/5/2009: Springback to Outfitters' Row
We are re-opening our Brownville shop for the season!  Join us & the other shops on Main Street for sales & treats. Julie Felzien, of Skylark, will provide us with piano music outside from 1pm-3pm.

We'll be offering 10% off all books that day and we'll have cookies and Italian sodas for your refreshment. Come for a relaxing stroll and shop for books, antiques, art, jewelry, pottery, home decor & more! Be sure to stop for lunch at The Lyceum Bookstore & Cafe and make sure to visit Whiskey Run Creek Winery for some wine tasting.

You deserve a (Spring) break. Come visit Historic Brownville!

3/30/2009: Our Brownville shop re-opens this Thurs & we're having a party on Sunday! Also, Matthew put archival dj covers on lots of books that are now ready for me to price...watch for some gems this week. Come shopping for the quirky & unusual. Go on a book hunt!

3/22/2009: We have lots of brand new Quilting Books & some great Cookbooks this week. Also, watch for a Journal Star article about our plan to adopt a new shop cat. The Cat House & Capital Humane Society are neck-and-neck in the friendly competition we're hosting!

3/18/2009: Sidewalk Sale this Thurs - Sun...check out our events block on this page! This week, we purchased Graphic Novels, Gaming, Literature, Children's Books & History...come see.  Also, the jars for The Cat House & Capital Humane Society are now on the counter! 

Friendly Fund Raising Competition to Choose Our New Shop Cat!
We are ready for new feline companionship. It's time to start thinking about adopting a rescue cat - or cats, as the case may turn out to be. There are so many in this world that need homes. (Thanks to all of you who spay/neuter!)

From March 15th - April 15th, you'll find 2 jars on our shop counter: one for The Cat House and one for Capital Humane Society. Make your generous donation into the jar for the organization from which you think we should adopt our new shop cat! (You may also contribute directly to that organization with "A Novel Idea Bookstore" as a memo and it will count in the competition.) The money goes to the organizations and we'll get our new shop cat from the one with the most donations.  Everyone wins!

3/10/2009: This week, watch for new Quilting Books and Wicca Books. Katherine bought a good cache of each over the weekend & they'll hit the shelves soon. Also, we welcome Chris Rowe to our staff! He'll be training this week. Stop in and meet our new bookseller!

3/5/2009: History, Children's Books & Cool Miscellany are coming out this week. We just turned over the New Arrivals shelf this afternoon. Expect more new inventory tomorrow...and don't forget your "Buy a book, get another of equal/lesser value for 50% off" coupon, good 3/6!

2/27/2009: This week, we've priced Manga, Graphic Novels, Signed First Editions, Philosophy and Children's Books. And, just in time for St. Patrick's Day, we have a display of Irish authors. Grab a James Joyce book and head to O'Rourke's for a Guinness!

Winter 2008/2009 Thank You Tuesday Recipient

Our winter recipient was the Lincoln Arts Council. Building the community through the arts...it's how the Lincoln Arts Council is making Lincoln a better place to live. The Arts Council supports the arts organizations and working artists in Lincoln through a variety of programs and services. It also serves as Lincoln's central arts information and service agency, not only for artists and arts organizations, but also for government, business, educational institutions, neighborhood and community organizations, visitors and residents. Learn more about the Lincoln Arts Council online.

2/21/2009: Thanks to all of you for your kind condolences for the recent loss of our shop cat. We've received mail & email from Texas, North Carolina, Minneapolis, California, Missouri, Korea, Florida & Japan...and the local support has been incredible. We are fortunate to be surrounded by sincere people and are glad to know that you enjoyed Silas as much as we did.

Silas
(April 1995 - February 16, 2009)
Silas graced our presence for 14 years...bringing us joy, warmth,
hilarity & comfort. He will be dearly missed. He belonged not only to us but to you as well. We will celebrate his memory over the next several weeks with a photo-memorial on our bulletin board. Please feel free to share photos and swap stories.

Sometime, after winter has receded, it's likely that we'll look into
finding another cat (or two). Cats & Books are part of our natural habitat. However, we're not rushing anything. It's our experience that feline companions find their way to us. One of our customers says that the story of Silas's arrival could be a Lifetime Movie of the Week. (It involves medical drama, a hysterical woman and the Lincoln Police Department. Ask us.)

2/16/2009: Silas, our 14 year-old cat, has departed. We will have a photo-memorial up in a couple of days. If you have photos of our feline friend that you would like to share, feel free to bring them. We'll be happy to see you, either way.

2/14/2009: Happy Valentine's Day! Books about flowers last longer...and we also have books of poetry, cookbooks, massage books, books on wine, books on jewlery...time to think outside the heart-shaped box!

2/12-2/15 2009: Cinnamon's "Annual" 29th Birthday Sale! All Books will be 29% Off! (Leather-bound & Collectibles included!)
Yes, once again, we're celebrating my 29th birthday. It's fun for everybody! Shop for books, enjoy birthday candy, see if you can keep a straight face while telling me that I don't look a day over 29...Come to the party!

2/9/2009: This week, we're getting ready for Cinnamon's Birthday Sale which is Thurs-Sun. More new inventory is being priced & shelved. We're also a destination on the Sheldon Gallery's Photo Scavenger Hunt...check out the display in the front window!

1/28/2009: We are still working on the Science & History books we bought last week. Katherine is re-arranging downstairs and making great changes to Political Science, Military History, Reference, The History & Philosophy of Science, Economics, Field Guides and more!

1/21/2009: Okay...60 boxes of new inventory in 5 days puts us in a swing between euphoria and near-panic. Mostly, we're euphoric. I worked late last night on a great batch of Science & History books. The New Arrivals shelf is turning over almost daily this week!

1/20/2009: Inauguration Day. We are excited about a new era of thoughtful government in which intellect is valued and communities are engaged and ready to work together toward the challenges that face us.

In the spirit of rising to challenge and finding satisfaction in good honest work, we are spending the next week or so pricing through the enormous number of boxes of books surrounding us. We just purchased a fascinating collection of Science & History that contains lots of books on Evolution as well as some great books of Ancient History and Military History. As usual, we are also offering a good assortment of fiction this week. Matthew worked late shelving Mystery and Literature and there's lots more to come!

1/16/2009: We are continuing our work on the New York books...check the glass case for new collectables, including Martin Luther King Jr.'s Nobel Address. Also, we just got 30 boxes of new inventory this week. You'll find lots of great fiction, mysteries, etc!

1/8/2009: We are unpacking and pricing first editions & signed books we bought from New York, which we'll put in the glass case. Included are some fun odds & ends like The Poetry of Richard Milhous Nixon, taken straight from the Watergate Tapes!

Happy New Year!
Here's wishing everyone a New Year full of lively discussion, insight, beauty and love...all of which cost nothing and yield much. 2009 looks full of promise and challenge and we are grateful for the good company we have in our customers. We couldn't ask for better people with whom to spend our days.

We'll open 2009 with some great new books. We just purchased several boxes of collectables from New York and we're looking forward to putting them on the shelves. We'll also be doing some housecleaning around here...pricing the inventory in backlog and sending some stock to the bargain shelf to make way for it. Watch for our coupons in your email bulletins, too!
 

2008

12/31/2008: Happy New Year! Thank you for your patronage in 2008. We greatly appreciate all of you who make a special point to support your local businesses. We look forward to serving your literary needs...and your sense of humor... in 2009!

12/22/2008: Happy Holidays! We recently acquired a First American Edition of James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake and a First Edition of Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon. Opening boxes of books is like opening presents...come see what we're opening now!

Holiday Shopping for Books! 
Books are presents they'll open again & again.  Leather-bound Classics make distinguished gifts & Paperbacks are perfect for stocking stuffers. 

Remember to pick up a Gift Certificate (or two, or three). They're great for friends (especially Book Club friends!), co-workers & family. Buy one of your favorite books and tuck one of our gift certificates inside...a novel idea! Thanks for including our store on your list of holiday stops. We enjoy seeing you and wish you all a warm & happy holiday season!

12/8/2008: We have new Art, Signed books, Cookbooks & lots of new fiction. Buy one of your favorite books and tuck one of our Gift Certificates inside. They can be made for any amount & they never expire. This year, give them a relaxing browse in a cozy bookshop!

Our Lincoln Store's Holiday Open House is This Weekend!
Saturday 12/6, 10am-6pm & Sunday 12/7, 1pm-5pm 

Come downtown this Saturday for the Star City Holiday Parade and shop for books afterward! We'll have a new selection of Signed Books and Art Books on display as well as Leather-bound Classics & Paperbacks perfect for stocking stuffers.  ALL BOOKS WILL BE 10% OFF during the weekend celebration!

12/1/2008: Be sure to join us in Lincoln THIS WEEKEND for our Holiday Open House! We have new Graphic Novels, Signed Books, Children's Books, History & More. Buy one of our books and tuck one of our gift certificates inside. They'll love it!

Fall 2008 Thank You Tuesday Recipient
Our fall recipient was Lincoln's Flatwater Shakespeare Company.  Established in 2004, Flatwater Shakespeare presents high-caliber productions of classic theater and offers innovative educational programs.  Artistic Director Bob Hall's production of Richard III, featuring Brad Boesen in the title role, ran September 11-14, 18-21 and 25-28 at the Swan Theatre at Wyuka.  Learn more about the Flatwater Shakespeare Company online.

Saturday11/22 & Sunday 11/23 in Brownville
Outfitters' Row Holiday Open House
Enjoy sales and treats at Main Street Shops like Mary's Emporium, Chaney Gallery, Country Handmades, Gallery 119, A Novel Idea Bookstore - Chapter Two & Brownville Mills. Plan to have lunch or dinner at The Lyceum and be sure to visit Whiskey Run Creek Winery. On Main Street, across from The Lyceum, you'll find the Historic 1860 Carson House, which will be decorated for Christmas. Tours are $5, children 9 & under enter free.

We'll be serving hot cider and snickerdoodles at the book shop.  Join us for some old-fashioned holiday cheer! Come spend a day (or two) in Brownville this holiday season!

11/21/2008: Our Brownville shop's Holiday Open House is this weekend. Join us for the celebration! Next week, our cache of Signed Books will come back to Lincoln. Browse for unique holiday gifts. Pick up one of your favorite books & tuck one of our gift certificates inside!

11/13/2008: Katherine, Matthew & Julie have been a triumvirate to reckon with in the shop-- come see what they've been working on! New displays, new beautiful books, reorganized shelves...good stuff!

11/05/2008: Last week saw an influx of Science Fiction, Literature, Children's Books & all kinds of History. Stock up for Winter and get some holiday gift ideas!

10/22/2008: Thanks to all of our devoted patrons for shopping with us. This economy has been hard for many businesses, but due to your support, we are doing fine. We'll continue to provide you with friendly service & great books at affordable prices. We just re-stocked!

10/18/2008: Scott Stewart, author of Odd Comics, Book Signing at our Lincoln store
Lincoln native Scott Stewart has been a little-known cartoonist for 40 years. His work has appeared in local magazines and newspapers and in several small press comic books. He's drawn dozens of posters and t-shirts, and for several years co-created the summer reading programs for children at the public library. He taught a class on comics as part of the Bright Lights Summer Enrichment Program, and has spoken on comic art at the Nebraska Book Festival and many other venues. His work has appeared in anthologies produced by Kansas City's Comic Creators Network and the Comicbook Artists Guild.

10/17/2008: Nebraska Book Festival is this weekend! Tonight, Kent Haruf will speak at the Capitol. Tomorrow's events will center in the Ne History Museum, just 1 block from our store. Also, join us Saturday for Scott Stewart's book signing. More info on our Events Page!

10/15/2008: One Book, One Lincoln Discussion Lincoln Store
In The Thirteenth Tale, Margaret (our narrator) is the daughter of a bookshop owner, so it was especially fun to discuss the book at our shop. Thanks to Mandy, a member of this year's selection committee who was on hand to  help get us started. We got cups of coffee and settled in among the bookshelves for a great talk about the characters, themes and mysteries of the book.

10/12/2008: Brownville's Fall Festival!
 On Friday, painters gathered on the banks of the Missouri to create autumn scenes.  Friday evening, Whiskey Run Creek Winery offered bluegrass music by Sum Guise. On Saturday, there was a Quilt Show, Civil War Re-enactment, River Boat Rides, Joe Smith's Book Signing (our shop!) and a Street Dance.  Sunday saw the continuation of the Quilt Show, Civil War Re-enactment, River Boat Rides and the "Paint Brownville Autumn" Art Show & Sale.  It was pretty neat. Check out my Brownville Blog!

10/9/2008: Halloween is just around the corner. It's a perfect time to pick up some Edgar Allan Poe. Also, keep close watch on our Events page.  October is full of literary happenings in Lincoln and Brownville. Festivals, Book Signings, Discussions...Join us!

9/25/2008: We bought a good assortment this week, everything from Modern Library hardcover literature to Soup Cookbooks to Bob Dylan's Lyrics. I'm reading The Thirteenth Tale and looking forward to our Oct. 15th One Book, One Lincoln discussion at the Lincoln store!

9/19/2008: This week, we donated books to Lincoln High School for their fundraising Book Walk (like a Cake Walk, but with books) and to the Family Service elementary after school program. We also bought lots of Philosophy, Religion & Poetry books. Come check our shelves!

9/14/08: Our books from Maryland and Texas are in! Come browse the new selection of art, cooking, quilting/crafts, science, philosophy, history and more. The display shelf by the front door is full of books we just priced!

8/29/08: This week, we have hundreds of new Science Fiction & Fantasy titles. (These books came in after I sent the email about the recently acquired collection.  It's unbelievable.) SFF fans, you're going to have a good time!

Summer 2008 Thank You Tuesday Recipient
Our summer recipient was Lincoln's own No Coast Writers Collective, formerly known as Star City Slam. The No Coast Writers Collective provides an innovative outlet for Lincoln's rabid slam poets, keeping them off the streets, entertaining crowds across town, and competing on a national level. They also maintain an educational outreach program which brings the excitement of poetry & performance into Lincoln Public Schools. Youngsters+art+expression=awesome! Check out The No Coast Writers Collective online at NoCoastWriters.org or at their  MySpace site.

7/11/08: Party downtown this weekend! Our dear friends at the Zoo Bar are celebrating their 35th anniversary with a Street Festival. Our block of 14th Street is now party central. But don't worry - we're still here! Admission to the festival is not required to come on in to the bookstore - though we do suggest you check it out!

As the street is closed to traffic directly in front of us, don't forget that we validate parking in the garage across the street (or any city-owned garage) with a purchase of $10 or more. Just use the P Street entrance to the garage, and you'll be right across the street from our front door! And we're offering free validation for our email list subscribers this Friday & Saturday, just because they're so very special. ∆

7/7/08: We bought 10 boxes of books before noon today! It was great. 

More beautiful trade paperback general fiction, political science, economics, kids' cookbooks, and an assortment of oddballs best described in few words. Like these: Bat Boy. Plus great condition Fantastic 4 & Shazam(!) paperbacks, clothbound hardcover Letters of Thomas Huxley, and lots of other fun stuff! New photos of the New Stuff Shelf just went up! ∆

7/3/08: WE'RE BURIED IN BOOKS!!! It's just crazy in here,with new inventory walking through the door about every five minutes. Looks like we'll be turning over the New Stuff Shelf over the weekend - keep an eye out for more graphic novels, another big round of literature titles, nonfiction and humor.   ∆

6/30/08: We're gearing up for another exciting week of books galore in here! We have tons of great new trade paperback and hardcover literature titles just hitting the section this afternoon, plus more coming out all week long. New hardcover and paperback mysteries, new military history and philosophy of science, and yet more graphic novels. It's a great time to browse for books!

 Celebrate this Friday down in Brownville with the annual 4th of July extravaganza! Though our Lincoln store will be closed for the holiday, Chapter Two will be open in Brownville from 11-4. So come on down, grab some books, enjoy some barbecue, and stay for the fireworks! A good time shall be had by all. ∆ 

6/25/08: EVEN MORE NEW GRAPHIC NOVELS!!! Didn't get the memo? Well then, you need to subscribe to our email list! You can sign up to get updates whenever we get a large collection of any your favorite subjects. Really - it'll be fun... ∆ 

6/24/08: The books just keep on comin'! We have a fantastic new collection of graphic novels, tons of scifi & fantasy titles just waiting to find a good home, and even more drama rolling through. Masses of nonfiction, as well: theology, philosophy, photography, fantastic!  ∆

6/20/08: A big thanks to all UNL visitors who stopped by to see us during this year's Nebraska Summer Writers' Conference and AP grading sessions! We always look forward to seeing you folks this time of year, and can't wait to catch up with you next summer. And now... ∆

WELCOME THESPIANS!
Yet another thing we look forward to every summer! We've restocked our  drama section and put in all new displays in anticipation of your arrival. So come on in, grab something funky, and say hello to Silas the cat, kids!  ∆

2007

 10/22/07: Our Lincoln store is having a SIDEWALK SALE this week: Wed 10/24 - Sun 10/28!

We're cleaning house in preparation for winter which means that all kinds of books are slated for the sale - including lots of regional cookbooks, fiction, history, gardening, children's books, etc.

Books will be priced individually, most ranging from $.69 - $4.99. On Sunday, all sale books will go at 1/2 price!

Remember that the Nebraska Book Festival is this Friday and Saturday in downtown Lincoln. It should be a vibrant literary environment! Check out the web site for a schedule of readings and events. Hope to see you this week!∆

09/17/07: Every UNL HOME GAME SATURDAY, you can get 10% OFF STORE WIDE - books, T-shirts, book bags... the works!

Here are the sale dates, if they aren't already on your calendar:
Sat, Sept 22 (Ball State)
Sat, Sept 29 (Iowa State)
Sat, Oct 13 (Oklahoma State - homecoming!)
Sat, Oct 20 (Texas A&M)
Sat, Nov 10 (Kansas State)

We've decided to go ahead and join the weekly theme party. So, dig through your closets for those old "Bugeater" sweatshirts and corn cob hats. We'll be ready to applaud you in your most ridiculous Husker gear!

Balance the Big Red and Buy some Books! (How's that for alliteration? Do you think it *works*?)∆

08/24/07: We bid farewell to James, who has graduated and is leaving the nest. We welcome Julie, who will be starting this Tuesday. We also welcome Corey Anne, a summer intern we decided to keep, who will help us out on Saturdays. Regulars: go easy on the new kids. No requests for the Gutenberg Bible. (Everyone likes smart, no one likes smarty-pants.)

Last week we bought great poetry, philosophy, leather-bound art books, books on Japanese cooking, lots of fiction, science fiction and Children's books. We also added some history titles. We made several house calls and handled many in-store buys. We have about 20 boxes of books we can't wait to unpack.

Given the influx, we've decided it's time to have a SPONTANEOUS SIDEWALK SALE. It'll be this Tuesday through Sunday. Books on tables will be individually priced. Great bargains abound.

And...WELCOME BACK, STUDENTS! We're happy to see you. Our window displays next week will feature some vintage photos from the 50's at UNL. They're keen. Come visit us!∆

07/25/07: Kudos to Kirsten and Katherine for some great buying this week. Today's work was pricing and shelving an almost overwhelming backlog. Still, we live for days like today. There's a constant background of exclamations from the staff and customers. "Cool!" "Wow!" Even the occasional low whistle can be heard periodically.

The good stuff is flying across the counter, making a brief stop at the new arrivals shelf and heading for the sections. Children's Books, Photography, William Morris, Art Deco, Japanese Cooking, Vegetarian Cooking (lots), C.S. Lewis (hardcovers, the occasional first edition), Graphic Novels, Poetry, History. The books in this week's pic have already been moved off to make room for the "just priced" books. Stop in soon!

In Brownville - we're getting ready to host the STAR CITY SLAM TEAM on Thursday, August 2nd @ 6pm. The performance and wine/cheese reception afterward is free and open to the public. We are donating 20% of A Novel Idea Bookstore: Chapter Two's sales that day to the slam team, who will be traveling to Austin for national competition this month. (Also, the Street Party last week was a blast! We'll let you know when we have another one.)∆

07/16/07: The shop has been bustling! We brought in 12 boxes from an out-of-town buy over the weekend. You'll find an interesting mix on the new arrivals shelf. We also continue to buy great fiction - lots of science fiction, mystery and literature this week. We have quite a backlog again, so you can expect great books to roll out steadily over the next week or so.

In Brownville this week: STREET PARTY! If you haven't been to B-town yet, now's the time. On Friday, July 20th, the main street shops are hosting a shindig from 7pm-9pm. We'll have a bluegrass/honky-tonk band playin' on the street and there will be a great selection of food, wine and beer available. It's a free event, open to the public. Come shop, eat, drink and dance! If you're interested in a weekend getaway, you'll find great info on this site. (However, you won't find party info on the site. It's a spontaneous event but we're expecting a couple hundred people!)∆

06/27/07: The New Arrivals shelf has been getting a lot of play this week. We've been turning it over rapidly. Today, I see hardcover volumes of The Journals of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, a scarce slip-cased edition of The History of Violin Playing: From its Origins to 1761, books on Dog Training, Gardening, and Humor a la Calvin & Hobbes. We also have an 8 volume, slip-cased, Folio Society edition of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

Fiction has been going straight into the appropriate sections. I mentioned last week that we added hundreds of Science Fiction and Mystery titles and, although it's hard to believe, they just keep coming.

Thanks to all the Thespians for keeping us positively entertained this week! It's a kind, energetic, extremely polite group this year. We've been having lots of fun!∆

06/21/07: Great books this week! Leather-bound Darwin, Folio Society Shakespeare...new Manga, Graphic Novels...hundreds of new Science Fiction and Mystery titles. The genre fiction sections have just exploded with books we don't see nearly often enough. Come for a browse and find classic favorites!

Thanks to all of you who attended Tim Skeen's reading at our Lincoln store last week. He was FANTASTIC. His poetry can satisfy both the academics and the slam poets - a remarkable feat. We have copies of his book, Kentucky Swami. If you haven't read it already, you should check it out.

And, it's that time of year again:
WELCOME, NEBRASKA WRITERS' CONFERENCE FACULTY AND PARTICIPANTS! & WELCOME, THESPIANS! It's great to have you with us. We are well-stocked with poetry, literature and drama!∆

06/05/07: WE'RE STAYING OPEN LATE IN LINCOLN!
Tuesday, June 5th, 10am - 8:30pm
Wednesday, June 6th, 10am - 8:30pm
Thursday June 7th, 10am - 8:30pm
Wednesday, June 13th, 10am - 8:30pm
Thursday, June 14th, 10am - 8:30pm

The rest of the time, we'll run with our regular schedule of Mon - Sat, 10am - 6pm & Sun, 1pm - 5pm. We have lots of new philosophy, occult, martial arts, history and children's books. We also have a zillion new fiction titles.

Our Brownville shop is open Thurs - Sun, 11am-4pm - although I may stay open a little later sometimes. The Brownville Village Theater kicks off its 41st season on Friday, June 8th. For a theater schedule and other cool Brownville info, follow this link. Our shop has a new display of Early American history and biography on the library table. Come see us! ∆

05/09/2007: Last night's reading, given by Twyla Hansen and Paul Johnsgard, was one of the most enjoyable evenings in recent memory. Their book, Prairie Suite: A Celebration, is a wonderful collection of poems and drawings. We have several on hand for $13.95 each. All proceeds from sales go directly to benefit Spring Creek Prairie. Give us a call if you'd like us to reserve one for you - they make great Mother's Day gifts.

Like many Lincoln residents, we had a little water in our lower level after Saturday's rain. (There were several areas of town that experienced flooding over the weekend.) Luckily for us, it wasn't so bad in the store. We re-caulked the outside of the building, which should do the trick. We also removed the books from the lower shelves on the south side as a precaution - but don't worry, they'll be back next week.

We have lots of new inventory, so check out the new arrivals page. We'll also load photos of the brand new arrivals within a few days. Stay tuned!∆

04/27/2007: Holy Moly! We're back from St. Louis with 58 boxes of books, and the shelves are fillin' up fast. Tons of literature, great mystery, poetry, drama, history...stop on in and check it out! ∆

03/21/2007: We have new books of all kinds. We just bought lots of history books - Civil War, WWII and more Stephen Ambrose titles than you can shake a stick at. Most of those are available for browsing now. We also bought a good little collection of gardening books, which will be coming out soon. We have new philosophy, poetry, literature, and science fiction. Kerouac, William S. Burroughs and Nabokov's Lolita all hit the shelves today - and Katherine has created a display of current bestsellers. Take advantage of the spring weather and come downtown to our shop. We've added LOTS of new books since your last visit!∆

03/05/07: We have more occult! More Aleister Crowley, Israel Regardie's The Golden Dawn, Richard Cavendish's The Black Arts, Tamsyn Barton's Ancient Astrology and Osho Zen Tarot. Plus, lots more. Magic and mystery - come and get it!∆

02/20/07: Thanks to all of you for joining us during the birthday party. We had a GREAT time seeing you and we enjoyed a flurry of activity at the counter!

This week, we are catching up and pricing a backlog of miscellany. You can find Richard P. Feynman and Hunter S. Thompson on our new stuff shelf - along with books on the Civil War, first editions of Maurice Sendak's children's books, and The Art of Flamenco (worth purchasing for the cover alone).

The wild assortment of cookbooks is starting to take on some order. We have sorted most of them into categories, which includes four shelves of spiral-bound cookbooks from Nebraska groups and churches. If you didn't have the chance to look them over during the sale, come on in. It's a little easier to browse now!∆

02/02/2007: Cookbook Craziness! We purchased over 1,000 cookbooks last week. It's hard to imagine what that's really like. In addition to the regular new stuff photos, we've included photos of the shelf we've designated to hold some of the new cookbooks. (Bear in mind that this shelf represents less than a third of the new cookbooks. It's a huge influx!)

Be sure to come shopping Thursday, Feb. 8th - Sunday, Feb. 11th when all books will be ON SALE at 29% OFF in celebration of my "annual" 29th birthday. Yep. Once again, I'm turning 29. Those of you in search of flattery points should not pass up the opportunity. ("Wow...how can this be your ANNUAL 29th birthday?! You don't look a DAY over 25...") I grow more susceptible to these compliments with each passing year.∆

01/11/07: Happy New Year! 2007 has already shown itself to be a bustling year. Last week, we bought books on Quilting, Beading, Sewing, and Arts and Crafts Style. A few days ago we purchased a collection from a retired English professor and his wife, truly a couple of the most delightful people we've met. We're working with those books now. Come browse the works of Faulkner, Emerson, Hemingway, Eliot, Frost - and many, many others. There's a lot of literary criticism in this batch as well.

We also came across a cache of manga - D N Angel, Rozen Maiden, The Dreaming, etc. Lots of manga in Japanese, too. Show your faces, true fans! ;)

The new stuff shelf is too full to hold the "hyper-new" stuff. We have high stacks on the counter. Check the New Arrivals photo for a look at the plain, ol' "new" stuff. Stop in soon if you really want to be up to date!∆

2006

12/29/06: The week after Christmas is my favorite time to be in the bookstore. We see lots friends who are home in Lincoln for the holidays. Yesterday, a family from Florida came in and said they started coming to our store over Christmas break three years ago - and visiting us was something they look forward to all year. Hearing that sort of thing just makes us feel great. (We thrill to the compliments, ya know!)

Our world of books this week offers several photography books centering around Nebraska, Lincoln and The American West. We also recently added a small collection of fishing books and golf books. Children's books continue to come in - there are lots of books by Eric Carle (my daughter's hero) and new board books.

And, it's a great time to watch our store for brand new bestsellers. Some of you bibliophiles just couldn't wait and bought the books on your own Christmas lists, which means that you ended up with an extra copy (or two) as gifts from your well-meaning friends and family members. Luckily, you can benefit from the alchemy performed by our book buyers. You bring in your unneeded gift. We'll send you out with something new to read. Shoppers will delight to find new books on our shelves. Ah, cycling and recycling...new life, renewed life...just makes you feel good, doesn't it?!

Thanks to all of you for your support. Best wishes for a happy and bright New Year!∆

12/20/06: Happy holidays! The shop has been bustling. Lots of new books coming in and lots heading off to find homes under Christmas trees. The gift certificates are particularly snazzy this year - they're printed on a silvery paper. (You can blind an attacker or signal aircraft with these. We're always trying to exceed your expectations...)

We'll be closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Otherwise, it'll be the usual literary extravaganza. Come see us!∆

11/27/06: In Lincoln this weekend, it's our Holiday open house! We'll be serving coffee, cookies, chocolate and big helpings of good cheer to go with your selections for winter reading. C'mon down to the Star City Parade on Saturday morning and spend your afternoon browsing. We'll help you find gifts for all the folks on your list.

In Brownville this weekend, it's the Holiday Home Tour. Our little shop will be open for business as usual.

GIFT CERTIFICATES are available for purchase at both locations - and can be used at both locations. Woo-hoo! More shopping choices for your friends and family. ∆

11/08/06: We've been busy getting Chapter Two ready to go. Thanks to all of you who mentioned liking the ad in the Sunday Journal-Star. We are planning the Grand Opening for Sunday, November 19th, 11am-4pm. 117 Main Street in historic Brownville. Check out our new Brownville page for more info!

In Lincoln, we've been buying lots of new books. We have new Art, Cooking, Children's Books, and Science.Arthur Rackham's Book of Pictures, Mark Bowden's Guests of the Ayatollah, Seymour M. Hersh's Chain of Command: The Road from 9/11 to Abu Ghraib, Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Meals 2...come in and browse the new arrivals!

Also, thanks to all of you who voted in yesterday's election. It's an important privilege. ∆

10/24/06: This week, we are offering lots of titles from the University of Nebraska Press - history, nature writing, and your favorite Nebraska authors. We also have a couple hundred new science fiction and mystery titles. I've been spending lots of time on the Brownville project while Katherine and Kirsten have been pricing their way through boxes and boxes of new inventory. Stop in and offer kudos to those ladies - they've worked through at least 65 boxes in the past month. (Sometimes, when I stop to think about it, the sheer volume of books we handle amazes me.) ∆

10/11/06: Wow. We've taken in 40 boxes in the last week or so. We're scrambling to create open floor space for tomorrow night's reading. Staff meeting tonight will be devoted to shelving--and celebrating our dear Molly's birthday. Congratulations, Mols! Cupcakes all around!

Stop in for an autumnal browse. It's "curl up on the couch with a great book" weather. We can set you up with a fine selection! ∆

09/25/06: We just purchased a large collection of academic books - lots of literary criticism, anthropology, western americana and history. 25 boxes in all. Also, we've been taking in miscellaneous books like crazy. We're offering a surprising amount of magic and occult books in fantastic condition.

Check the Brownville Blog for our progress on "Chapter Two". It's shaping up! ∆

09/05/2006: Lots of great books came in this week. Graphic novels, film, science, poetry - and stacks and stacks of your favorite mass market paperback fiction books. Like new but half the cost of new books. Amazing.

The big news around here this week is that we've decided to open a small bookshop in Brownville, Nebraska. We're calling it "A Novel Idea Bookstore, Chapter Two". Check the "Our Store" folder on this site for photos and Cinnamon's "Brownville Blog"! ∆

08/29/2006: WOW! Thanks to all of you who attended our 15th Anniversary Celebration last weekend. We estimate that we had about 500 people in the shop on Saturday and Sunday--and despite the crowd, everything went smoothly. There were lots of happy people eating cookies, shopping for books and laughing with us.

Also, congratulations to the winners of our drawings! We gave away a 2-volume leather-bound Hans Christian Andersen set, a signed Thomas Friedman book and a bunch of T-shirts and canvas bags. We'll soon have a page devoted to the 15th, with lots of pics taken over the weekend. We'll also keep the photo displays up in the shop for another week or two. If you missed us last weekend, stop in soon! ∆

08/22/2006: Welcome back, college kids! Downtown Lincoln is surging with scholars. Check with us for books for your classes--you can go see "Snakes on a Plane" over and over with the money you save by shopping at our store!

This weekend, we're celebrating 15 years in business. Saturday and Sunday, ALL BOOKS will be 15% OFF! We'll also be selling the Silas Fan Club T-shirts and baby onesies. (They're so cute!) And we'll have coffee, cookies & old photo albums. Come to our party!

Thanks to all of our loyal customers for helping us along the way. Your friendship and support means the world to us.∆

08/15/2006: THANKS to all of you for your great feedback about our new web site. We appreciate the encouragement. The site will get better and better!

This week, we have new art, science and history books. Kirsten continues to list physics books online. Katherine will work through the general pricing backlog, which is immense as usual. The shop looks great. Come see us!∆

08/08/2006: Welcome to our NEW WEB SITE! Many thanks to web genius Matthew Eggert, who coded his little heart out to create these gorgeous pages. You can now browse our new stuff shelf from your living room -- just click on the photo and then click the icon in its lower right corner to make it large enough to read titles.

We have new physics books, history, graphic novels and fiction. Be sure to check the page next week. We'll provide a new virtual browse! ∆

07/18/2006:  Last week, we made 4 off-site book buys!  We acquired a good collection of physics books, a smaller collection of literary criticism and loads of great miscellaneous books.  Our main display shelf has been changed and we're planning new window displays this week.

 BIG NEWS: We are putting our improved web site into production in August.  The new site will feature refreshed content, photo tours and an emailing list that will notify you when we buy a collection that fits your area of interest.  Ain't technology great?! ∆

07/11/2006:  Last week, we had 6 boxes of books in our pricing stack.  This week, the backlog is suddenly up to 35 boxes!  Stacks of new fiction are already in the sections.

 Other current offerings include a mix of science, politics and history such as: Sam Treiman's The Odd Quantum, Claude Manceron's Blood of the Bastille, William Hurrell Mallock's A Critical Examination of Socialism, and William Reid's Arms Through the Ages. 

Also, 4 boxes from Maryland just arrived.  We're surrounded.  Come help!∆

07/02/2006:  WOW - the sidewalk sale was great.  12 1/2 cent paperbacks go fast.  Thanks to our staff for doing a super job!

 Our CENTRAL AIR has been installed!  O Frabjous Day! Callooh!  Callay!  We are beside ourselves with joy. It's lovely in here.  Come see us.  We're cool.  We're happy! 

About books - we're expecting an influx this week, which means we'll be pricing our backlog to make room.   Three boxes of choice miscellany with newly applied archival covers await, along with scads of fiction, art and political science.

 We will be CLOSED on the 4th for Independence Day.  We honor the patriots who fought and died to gain our freedom and we celebrate the patriots who continue to struggle so that we remain free.∆

06/25/2006:
KA-POW!  Silas has authorized a SIDEWALK SALE!
Thursday, June 28th - Sunday, July 2nd

Hardcover, Trade Paperback, Paperback books - all priced to sell faster than a speeding bullet!

 It's time for us to clean house and rid ourselves of double copies and odds n' ends.  We're refreshing our stock this weekend - giving YOU the chance to pick up some great reading at LOW PRICES! ∆

06/20/2006:
WELCOME, NEBRASKA WRITERS' CONFERENCE
and THESPIANS!
We're opening early all week:
Monday - Saturday, 9am - 6pm
Sunday, 1pm - 5pm

We just purchased a big collection of plays and graphic novels.  Stop in, browse and discover new writers.

 Also, we offer sincere thanks to the second round of AP Graders.  You folks kept us thinking, entertained and busy at the register.  It was great to hear so many compliments about the bookstore.  We really appreciate knowing that our efforts are valued!

 We're now in the countdown to the installation of CENTRAL AIR.  Catch our SIDEWALK SALE at the end of this month and bask in the brand new COOL! ∆

06/09/2006: A huge THANK YOU to our beloved AP Graders.  It was great to see the return of so many friends.  We will certainly miss the European & World History folks next year.  (We all got a little misty, actually.)  We hope that Colorado appreciates you!

 We're getting set to welcome the 2nd session AP Graders.  C'mon in, Biology/Physics/Statistics fans! We'll be open late:
Wednesday, June 14: 10am - 8:30pm
Thursday, June 15: 10am - 8:30pm
Friday, June 16: 10am - 8:30pm  

This week, we're offering books in Russian - we recently purchased a small collection.  We've also hit upon a couple caches of philosophy and history - as well as a juicy bit of cultural criticism.

Come see us during extended hours and browse to your heart's content! ∆

05/25/06: We have been changing displays this week.  Look for Silas's "Superman" window - he has little Clark Kent and Superman outfits, as well as a framed picture of Margo Kidder.  :)

 The rest of the shop is taking on a patriotic theme. We feel that - no matter what the Extreme Right tries to tell us - intelligence, curiosity, and the spirit of inquiry are patriotic qualities. We embrace these qualities and continue to do our part to urge them back to the forefront of American ideals.

 New books include a selection of Biblical Commentary, featuring books on the Gospels and their authorship. We also have a new selection of World War II and European History books. Our current prize is a 17-volume set of Richard F. Burton's The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night (popularly known as "The Arabian Nights").  It is bound in genuine leather with 22-carat gilt and silk endpapers.  It is priced at $600.

 Come in for a look.  We offer a wide spectrum - from Margo Kidder to Richard F. Burton! ∆

05/16/06: Thanks much to Erik Campbell, who gave a splendid reading from his new book of poetry, Arguments for Stillness, last Thursday night.  We had a house full of Lincoln's literati.  Thanks to all of you who attended and became part of the "big literary bus"! 

This week, we have purchased lots of field guides and miscellaneous weird-but-cool books. So, when you're in to pick up that mushroom hunting guide, don't forget to buy Genera of Hyphomycetes by Carmichael, Kendrick, Conners and Sigler.  C'mon - FOUR people contributed their efforts to this volume.  You know you want it.∆

05/03/06: Well, stranger things have happened - maybe.  We Ladies of A Novel Idea Bookstore were happily working on new inventory when our reverie was disrupted by our frantic cat - chasing a squirrel who mistakenly came inside the shop.  Wild-eyed cat, squirrel scampering inward through the lit section, and four booksellers flapping about trying to get it to run back outside. What a commotion!  Katherine was the hero and managed to shoo the critter out the doorway.

 Never a dull moment.

05/02/06: 50 BOXES OF BOOKS FROM ST. LOUIS!  The buying trip was great.  We came back with 29 boxes of priced inventory, which can be viewed on the "new stuff" shelf, the display case by the counter and the bookcase right inside the front door.  Overflow is being piled in sections and will be shelved this week. Books that require research and archival mylar dust covers will be coming out as soon as we can get that work done.

 Don't miss out!∆

04/24/06:  Thanks to all of you who visited us during our SIDEWALK SALE!  We had a banner weekend, which puts us in good stead for our buying trip this week.  We are headed to Missouri on a book-gathering venture and plan to return home Sunday night with a full truck.

 If past years are any indication, we plan to have a good portion of the new stock priced and ready to go onto the "New Stuff" shelf immediately.  You can also expect to see new arrivals from the trip throughout the first week of May.  Swing in on May 1, for sure! ∆

04/18/2006: Silas has authorized a SIDEWALK SALE!
Hardcover, Trade Paperback, Paperback Books put out daily!
Thursday, April 20th through Sunday April 23rd.
Plus all sale books 1/2 price Sunday April 23rd! ∆

2/21/06:  We are clicking along in the shop this week. Kirsten has been pricing physics and lit crit as well as listing books online. We recently purchased a huge number of mass market paperbacks- all in like new condition. James is pricing those and they'll hit the shelves tomorrow.

I've been working in my office, making plans for world domination. Or at least a spring sidewalk sale. Keep watching, book fans!∆

 01/31/06:  Our Texas books have arrived and they're beautiful.  Gift editions of Kama Sutra, Kesey's Jail Journal, science, cookbooks, history - 10 boxes of delight!

 We've also been doing some exciting in-house buying lately.  Several boxes of occult philosophy, astrology, kabbalah and books on ancient Egypt came in.  After a brief stay on the "new stuff" shelf, most of it is already in appropriate sections.  We had to make way for the BRAND new stuff! ∆

01/19/06: We are riding the wave of renovations!  We now have brand new, beautiful carpet on our main level. We like it so much, it's all we can do not to spend all day lying on the floor. Fortunately, we have lots of books to shelve, which keeps us up and moving.

 New arrivals include a signed copy of Out of My Life and Thoughts by Nobel Peace Prize winner Albert Schweitzer as well as signed books by Kent Haruf, Norman Mailer, Mari Sandoz, Paul Auster, Laura Esquivel and Jody Shields.  We've had a huge influx of general stock - a good mix of fiction and non-fiction. We're also expecting a shipment of books from Texas this week. ∆

2005

12/13/05: HOLIDAY SHOPPING!  Ask our staff for book recommendations - or pick up your favorite book and put one of our GIFT CERTIFICATES inside.  Friends and family members can enjoy a treasure hunt through your beloved used book store!

 Last week's Open House was a great party!  Thanks to all of you for coming.  We saw lots of old friends - and lots of new friends, too.  (Special thanks to Lettie for the cake, Rex for the fruit bread and Carole for the homemade candy.  Mmmmm!) 

This week, we're offering many new art books - Chagall, Picasso, etc.  We also have new literature - Palahniuk, Vonnegut, Burroughs, Cormac McCarthy etc. etc. etc.  New Gardening books and Cookbooks are being shelved downstairs.  Books on the French Revolution are on the "new stuff" shelf.  Silas is sleeping in the window bedroom of his kitty suite.  All is well. See you soon! ∆

11/30/05:
COME TO OUR OPEN HOUSE
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4TH
1pm-5pm  

Stop in for coffee, cookies, a cat, holiday cheer - and 10% OFF ALL BOOKS! (That's 60% off the list price!  Woo hoo!) 

Tuck A Novel Idea Bookstore gift certificate into one of your favorite books for a present they'll love! ∆

11/15/05: OUR LOWER FLOOR IS NOW OPEN!  Come see our beautiful remodeling!  New paint, new rugs, a new chair and shelves of books await you.  Our thanks to everyone who came to help us over the weekend.  We had a great team of volunteers.  Also, thanks to those of you who brought gifts.  We enjoyed the cookies, breads and candies.  (That stuff is always welcome - don't feel you have to wait for our next disaster to bring us food!)

 Now that things are getting back to normal, we're starting to work through the backlog of new arrivals. We BOUGHT new books last week, we just didn't have time to PRICE them!

 We're also getting ready for our OPEN HOUSE.  Be sure to come see us on SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4TH.  We're having a party!  This year, we're especially ready to celebrate! ∆

11/09/05:  Okay, things are rolling now!  The nasty carpet is gone.  Shelving has been disassembled and disinfected.  Katherine was our resident "Bleach Bunny"!  She and Kirsten did a great job.  I'm considering buying stock in Clorox...

 Friends and I will re-set the shelving tonight.  The painters plan to start tomorrow at 7:30am for the first coat, returning at 7:30am Friday to finish. Thanks to Rod Magnuson for taking the job and working with our schedule.

 Silas remains with Justin.  Can you imagine a cat around while we're trying to paint?! Good lord.  He's adjusting to apartment living and seems to like the top of the refrigerator when he's not on Justin's lap.

 And on another note: Veterans' Day is this Friday. Our thoughts are with the brave men and women who have served or are currently serving our country.  We appreciate your sacrifices. ∆

11/06/05:  Well, into every bookstore's life a little rain must fall - or water from a broken pipe, as the case may be.  Yesterday, we had a disaster.  Our lower level flooded.  Water was ankle deep in some places. Needless to say, many books were destroyed.

 However, we discovered a silver lining.  The response from our friends and neighbors was heart-warming.  Our deepest thanks go to all those who waded in to save many books and dispose of water-logged tomes.  We had a cracker-jack response team and the damage was minimized. 

Today is looking a little brighter.  The clean-up effort is picking up speed - again, thanks to the help of many generous people.

 WE ARE OPEN!  

Our main floor is open for business as usual.  Silas is well and living with our friend, Justin, while downstairs repair is underway.  This morning, Silas spilled a bottle of shampoo into the bathtub and jumped in after it, making a big mess.  It's good to know that some things remain constant.  (Sorry, Justin!)

 Stop in and see us.  It's especially good to see friends at this time! ∆

10/28/05: Kudos to Katherine for completing the upstairs project!  We now have a full shelf of displays, both fiction and non-fiction titles, just inside the front door.  Be sure to take a look when you stop in.

 Today, we're pricing cookbooks.  (We can't resist them.)  You'll find: Deborah Madison's The Savory Way, Didi Emmons's Vegetarian Planet, Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home and many others.

 We also have a new collection of Manga (Japanese Graphic Novels - in English), a current craze.  And our staff recommendations shelf has turned over.  Look for The Other Boleyn Girl, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress and The Fortress of Solitude. ∆

10/18/05:  LOTS of new books have come in lately.  The shop is crowded with great stock - so much so that we've bargained many cookbooks.  Be sure to check the cart outside for great deals!

 Inside, we're continuing to feature graphic novels. Thanks to all our customers who mentioned hearing our ads on NPR - we're glad you're listening. 

We also have new children's books, history and fiction.  Katherine is getting set to begin

rearranging sections upstairs.  Get ready for your new, improved bookstore! ∆

10/06/05:  This week, we are offering a new collection from the late 1800's and early 1900's.  The case is now full of books with pictorial covers, gilt titles and beautiful frontispieces.  Come in and step back in time! ∆

09/21/05:  Welcome, Autumn!  We are ready for crisp weather, coffee, flannel shirts, the romance of academia - and piles of great books to read while curled up on the couch.∆

 We are changing window displays today - going with a fall theme, props and everything. Come on in, see the new books and appreciate the mallard.  That's right, "mallard".  We've gone all out!

09/02/05: If you haven't been in the shop for a few weeks,now is the time! We have books that look brand new - in all areas. History, philosophy, fiction, science,cooking, gardening... Be sure to check out the window displays and new arrivals shelf. ∆

08/31/05:Our thoughts are with the residents of the gulfcoast. We will be contributing proceeds from our fall Thank You Tuesday program (3% of all Tuesdays' sales)to the Katrina Disaster Relief Fund.∆

08/23/05: WELCOME BACK, COLLEGE CROWD!  It was a busy summer.  Our recent Chicago trip netted 32 boxes of books that we are still unpacking, so the shop is a bit of an obstacle course.  But we're looking forward to seeing you, so stop in and shimmy around the piles of books.  Tell us the stories of what you did last summer!∆

7/19/05:
PINEAPPLE DAYS SIDEWALK SALE!
Thursday, 7/21 - Saturday, 7/23
10am-6pm

We'll have tables of books outside for three days. Great mass market fiction - cheap, cheap, cheap. (When we buy like crazy, we sell like crazy. We've gone WILD, WILD, WILD...yeah, okay.)

Basically, we've been stockpiling books for months for this thing. Good ones. If this sale was being run by someone else, we'd most likely buy these books for our shop. Make sense? Not really.

We're feverish. Come down and take advantage of it! ∆

07/14/05: I'm surrounded by boxes of new inventory, one of which I'm sure, contains my wit. All I can tell you people is that it is summer and we are buying books at full force.

We've recently purchased MORE physics books, literature (Nabokov, Bukowski, Faulkner, Hemingway), children's books (Harry Potter, Isobel Bird, Tamora Pierce, Bill Wallace), history (Ambrose, Thomas Jefferson, Halberstam), Taylor's Gardening Guides and much, MUCH more.

Mach 4 book buying. (Yeah, go easy on me. I'll start looking for that wit...)∆

06/29/05: Jeez-o-Pete. We've been too busy in here to update. Thanks again to the AP Graders - and now to the Thespians!

We have all kinds of new books. Lots of science fiction, eastern philosophy, literature - and we're still pricing physics books. Will the insanity ever stop? I hope not.

Thanks to KZUM for inspiring the purchase of our new Pat Benatar Greatest Hits CD. Stop in for a listen. Stop in for some books. Stop in for some laughs. Go on - hit us with your best shot!∆

06/10/05: WELCOME AP GRADERS! (AGAIN!) Thanks to our first round AP Graders for brisk business AND entertainment. We love you guys!

Our 2nd session late nights are:
Wednesday, June 15th: 10am - 8:30pm
Friday, June 17th: 10am - 8:30pm
Saturday, June 18th: 10am - 8:30pm

New arrivals include a recently purchased collection of science fiction books (18 boxes) as well as new science and history books. And we're once again turning our attention to the boxes of math & physics books. Look for new titles in both sections!∆

06/01/05: WELCOME AP GRADERS!

In addition to our regular hours (10am-6pm M-Sat, Sun.1pm-5pm), our first session late nights are:
Sunday, June 5th: 1pm-8:30pm
Tuesday, June 7th: 10am-8:30pm
Wednesday, June 8th: 10am-8:30pm
Our stock is better than ever. We have new everything. (If you think I'm kidding, you haven't been in lately. Boxes and boxes of new books arrive daily.)

Stop in for a treasure hunt. Find those books you wanted to buy years ago and mistakenly passed up. Hardhats and flashlights are available at the counter...∆

05/19/05:  Well, we were just starting to dig our way out.  And then...we bought 40 boxes of math and physics books.  We're well aware of the irony of trying to find space for physics books!  Don't make jokes.

 So, I've been working late into every night.  Coffee, my computer, public radio & piles of books - all my favorite things!  O happy lunacy! ∆

05/09/05:  We're faster than a rolling "O", able to leap capital "T" in a single bound...actually, we're just looped.  The St. Louis books are rolling out and new books are coming in every day.  I'm barricaded behind the counter as I write this, surrounded on all sides by high stacks of books.

On my right is Cattus Petasatus, or The Cat in the Hat in Latin.  On my left, are a few books by Richard Dawkins, including The Selfish Gene.  Next to my bulletin board are piles of mass market fiction - Irving, McCaffrey, King, Asimov.  Hundreds of great trade paperback titles are to be found in both windows and stacked in literature.  

If there is no web update next week, send in a search party! ∆

05/03/05:  We have returned from our Missouri buying trip - with 50 BOXES of books.  Some of them are already priced.  You'll find new arrivals crowding both sets

of shelves in the windows, the display shelf by the counter and the new stuff shelf.  Still, most of them remain in the backlog - which we'll be working on steadily.  You'll want to stop in regularly this month!  

My reading recommendation this week: Life of Pi by Yann Martel.  It's a novel that handles big themes - religion, social order, truth/fiction - wrapped in a fantastic story of high adventure and survival.  We now have several copies.  Give us a call if you'd like us to hold one for you! ∆

04/25/05:  New stuff this week: Cars, Dinosaurs, The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean, The Occult Philosophy in the Elizabethan Age, and new Eastern

Philosophy published by Shambhala.  Lots of new fiction, too!  

We are trying to work through our pricing backlog this week to make room for new inventory.  Katherine and I are going on a book hunt in St. Louis this week.

Check in with us next week for first look at the St. L. new arrivals - much of it will be priced and ready to hit the shelves on Sunday night!  

And if you haven't already - check out our staff retreat photos (last update).  As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words!  ;) ∆

04/14/05:  We bought several boxes of graphic novels last week and they are now on the shelves.  We also have new sets - Churchill, Durant and "A History of Private Life".  

Last weekend, we had staff retreat at a Mahoney Park cabin.  We had training sessions all day on Saturday, then relaxed over dinner and played some killer games of Scrabble.  (Keep practicing, James. You have potential!)

 Take a look at the retreat photos! ∆

04/04/05: We have many new Children's books this week - board books, chapter books and picture books. We had to re-arrange the section to fit them all in! We've also re-organized a little on our main floor due to influxes of science fiction, mystery and general fiction/literature.

So, swing in, call, email, send a carrier pigeon... Get in touch with your favorite used book store for the latest buzz. There's a lot going on around here!∆

03/30/05: This week, we have new books in all sections. Upstairs you'll find new fiction, gaming & manga. Downstairs you'll find LOTS of new cookbooks and, as Katherine says, gardening galore! We're also offering some new historical biography and theology.

It's a shop full of magic and miracles. We look forward to seeing you!∆

03/24/05: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAMES! We surprised our 20-year-old with a cake and a song at staff meeting on Tuesday. Well, the cake was good... :)

This week, we've been groovin' to Cinnamon's "Power Woman" CD, courtesy of our friend, Becki. And we've been shelving some books. Hundreds of new titles upstairs, lots of new Quilting and Gardening books downstairs. Who has more fun than we do?! ∆

03/15/05: O.K., our gray tabby, has gone to his greater reward. When we were in the process of moving the shop to this location, we found O.K. as a tiny kitten with burned paws. We were fortunate to have him for so many years.

Katherine has put together a memorial bulletin board with some of our favorite "O.K." pictures. We invite our customers to add to it by jotting down a memory or two of our sweet prince. Special thanks to Gary Kearney for putting together a brochure celebrating O.K.'s life - we particularly like the "very rare cat head shark" photo!∆

03/01/05: We have just added hundreds of new science fiction and mystery titles. (Special thanks to all the staff - and non-staff volunteers - who helped with shelving!)

Also, Katherine has created a beautiful display of gardening books - and there's a lovely bouquet of flowers on the counter to provide further inspiration. Come in and help us welcome the Spring!∆

02/07/05: The big news (here we go again!):
CINNAMON'S BIRTHDAY SALE!
THURSDAY, FEB. 10TH - SUNDAY, FEB. 13TH29% OFF ALL BOOKS
In honor of my annual 29th birthday!

(Leather-bound and glass case items not included.)

Yes, "annual" 29th birthday. Yes, I've done this for a few years now. We don't have to count. Just come in, eat some chocolate, shop for books & tell me what a spring chicken I am! And... We bought 13 boxes of like-new science fiction and mystery titles over the weekend. A great batch spiked with some Arts and Crafts Architecture, some graphic novels and some equestrian books. There's lots of new stuff all the way around. We're putting out new books every day - getting ready for this sale!∆

01/31/05: We are nearly finished with an overhaul of one of our storage rooms. Thanks to Katherine and James for working late many nights last week. Thanks also to Paul & Jon for lending their time and expertise!

What this means to you, O gentle reader, is a wider selection. We now have access to inventory that had been unavailable. (Read: all of us were scared to enter the room piled high with books...)∆

01/24/05: Books Galore! That's right, folks. We've been working late, pricing new inventory. As usual, fiction is hitting the shelves first - at least 300 new titles in our literature section. Science fiction remains a daunting task to shelve - almost 300 new books for that section, too. And please stop in tomorrow afternoon to wish our own KIRSTEN CONIGLIO a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Tell her she gets smarter and more beautiful with each passing year. (Don't snicker!)∆

2004

12/09/04: Thanks to everyone who helped make our Open House a success - especially Gwen Cook, who made incredible desserts for us!This week, we have lots of new cookbooks. We also have great new titles in our science sections and some new offerings in the martial arts section.If you're looking for recommendations, please ask our staff people - they are some of the most well-read people on the planet. And they're nice. And patient. You'll be in good hands!∆

11/30/04:
OUR HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE IS THIS SUNDAY!
1-5pm
10% OFF ALL REGULAR STOCK!

We have lots of things to fill out your Holiday Gift Lists. Gift certificates are always popular - people like the opportunity to browse. We also have T-shirts and Canvas Book Bags.

 We'll be welcoming the holiday season this weekend with the Star City Parade on Saturday and the Downtown Home Tours/Business Open Houses on Sunday. Park in the garage across the street and stop in for a cup of coffee and some good cheer. We look forward to seeing you!∆

11/18/04: We've decorated for the holiday season and the shop has a festive feel to it these days. Katherine has re-arranged downstairs, expanding our Civil War and Western Americana sections. We have new offerings in foreign languages: Greek,Latin, Javanese (yep!) and French. We have also re-organized our Children's Literature section.

The Nebraska author/history display is in the case. Stop in for a look at signed books from Mari Sandoz, John D. Neihardt, Roger Welsch and Everett Dick. And don't miss the 1888 history of Lancaster County!∆

11/09/04: Lots of new Western Americana titles are hitting the shelves this week. Stop in later in the week for a look at the display of Nebraska authors and local history. You'll find signed first editions and some rare county histories in the mix. We also have boxes of regional and locally-made cookbooks - a bounty for collectors.

Come in, browse around, make your holiday shopping lists. You'll find something for everyone - and we have GIFT CERTIFICATES available for any amount!∆

10/26/04: This store is just crazy. When I first opened, we struggled to find inventory. Today, we have a backlog of 50 boxes or so. Watch for new cookbooks next week. And stock up on horror and ghost stories this week!

(And VOTE on Tuesday, November 2nd.)∆

10/07/04: Many thanks to the crew for running a well-organized shop while I was away. Our inventory has grown in all areas! Katherine and I are working through 45 boxes of hand-picked books. Look for new leather-bound books, history, native americana & western americana.

Kirsten will be doing research on some scholarly titles this weekend. James will be applying archival dust jacket covers. Gunter will list more of our inventory online. Molly will be shelving and shelving and...shelving. Stop in soon for first pick of the treasures!∆

09/02/04: In effort to make some headway before I head to Colorado, I've been working steadily through our backlog of books. You'll see a lot of Civil War History hitting the shelves this week - much of it from university presses.

Also, we have recently acquired around 750 mass market paperbacks for our science fiction section. They're all in new condition. It's a fabulous addition to that section - stop in for a look!∆

08/19/04: A Note from Matthew: Well, after 3 years, 4 months, and 1 week of employment at A Novel Idea Bookstore it is time for me to take my leave. I'm headed west to Seattle, WA because Nebraska is just too sunny *grin*.

(for those of you allergic to cheesy sentiment, skip the rest)

I have to say that over the last three years A Novel Idea has not only provided a wonderful work environment, money for rent, and a good meal every now and again - but customers that became friends, a store that became a home, and coworkers that became family. Like any good family, we've had our ups and our down; most of us seeing each other at our worst and at our best. I thank all of them for always being there.

I will miss A Novel Idea terribly, but I will be checking in every now and again to make sure that our NEW employees James, Molly, and Günter are holding down the fort in a way that I'd approve of.

Stop in this last week to meet our new crew and to see what kind of antics I pull off before I leave!

Thanks again to all of our customers who I have come to know and love over the years, to Kirsten for inspiration, to Kat for laughing, crying, and complaining either because of me or with me, and to Cinnamon for giving me a place to call home in Lincoln, Nebraska.∆

08/12/04: CONGRATULATIONS TO TED KOOSER! Ted is the new U.S. Poet Laureate. Richly deserved recognition for his work - bestowed upon one of the nicest people we know.

In the bookshop...we have just hired 3 new staff members. Gunter, James and Molly. They're friendly and smart. And they're looking forward to getting to know all you regulars - so take it easy on 'em, guys!

The books keep rolling in. Katherine and I are zooming this morning, highly caffeinated, pricing & pricing & pricing. Stop in with kind words of appreciation and we'll give you a hard hat and set you looking through the stacks!∆

08/03/04: We've hit the dog days of summer this week with temperatures in the 90's. A perfect time to laze on the couch with a good book, enjoying the AC.

Late last week, I priced a wide range of books. Everything from Gnosticism, Church History, Springer-Verlag math texts and books on the Talmud to a collection of Graphic Novels. (I've been getting into Gaiman's Sandman, myself.) Stop in, pick out your own range and head for your couch!∆

07/28/04: A week and a half ago, we bought 20 bags of books on a house call - mostly history and baseball with a few interesting odds and ends thrown in. Since then, we also bought a small collection of cookbooks.

Basically, we're looking at a backlog of over 50 boxes in here! (EGAD!) I'll be workin' late this week. Stay tuned, sports fans!∆

07/12/04: HOLY CANNOLI! While Katherine and I were on a book hunt out of town, Kirsten was a buying dervish. She actually bought more in the shop than we did on our trip. But really, we don't keep score or anything.

Matthew is working on book TLC, applying archival dust covers to out-of-print gems. If you stop in today, you'll get to see him wearing his homemade nurse's cap. Don't be alarmed. He passed his last psychological exam with flying colors. ∆

06/29/04: Books abound! We recently acquired many good titles from The Classics of Liberty Library - nicely bound books featuring marbeled endpapers and gilt edges.

We are also well-stocked on airplane and "by the lake" reading - lots of new mass market paperbacks to vacation with. Swing by our shop before you head out of town!∆

06/21/04: WELCOME Thespians and Nebraska Summer Writers' Conference participants! Our drama and poetry sections have just been re-stocked.

We'll be putting out a good selection of classics today as well as some out-of-print gems. This week promises to be lively in the bookstore - lots of people, lots of new books, plenty of witty repartee... :)∆

06/15/04: Again, we have extended hours this week. Look below! WELCOME, 2ND ROUND AP GRADERS!

We're back from a Missouri buying trip with several boxes of good books. Lots of new age and wicca in this batch. We've also been buying quite a bit in the store. I'll be pricing the new inventory this week. Upcoming attractions include Will James, Willa Cather and Bess Streeter Aldrich hardcovers - some first editions!∆

06/02/04: WELCOME AP GRADERS! It's good to have you back. We'll be extending our hours during the next two weeks. Come see us:
Thurs. June 3rd: 10am - 8pm
Fri. June 4th: 10am - 8pm
Mon. June 7th: 10am - 8pm
Tues. June 8th: 10am - 8pm
Mon. June 14th: 10am - 8pm
Wed. June 16th: 10am - 8pm
Thurs. June 17th: 10am - 8pm
Fri. June 18th: 10am - 8pm

We've added more to the case this week, including a signed Tracy Chevalier and Stevenson's David Balfour with full-color illustrations by N. C. Wyeth. Books du Jour also feature some tasty Moosewood Cookbooks and Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton (still on the bestseller list).

Also check out our new Thank You Tuesday recipient.∆

05/24/04: Crazy, crazy book world. It's buying season, indeed. Matthew will be working late, shelving the new science fiction.

I'll be adding some new things to the case this morning including a charming copy of Kate Greenaway's Birthday Book for Children (1883) and a leather-bound copy of The Night Before Christmas, also published in 1883.

05/18/04: We are hitting buying season with a good stride. The shop is piled high - and yet remains a friendly, browsable place...how DO we do it?! ;)

Katherine is working on a science fiction buy this morning. Some fantastic vintage books. 20 bags in all. I hear her chortling - it must be good! ∆

05/13/04: We bought a small collection of fly fishing books. Expect to see them on the new stuff shelf today. I have also priced a few boxes of miscellaneous scholarly books - everything from theology to math.

We're playing Judy Collins on the stereo, the candle is lit, the dish of candy is on the counter...stop in for a break in your busy day! ∆

05/04/04: Katherine and I have returned from our buying trip with over 40 boxes of new inventory. HOLY COW! Fiction (and some non-fiction) is hitting the shelves today. Non-fiction and collectibles will be out later in the week or early next week.

Watch for signed Allende and Russo, good Civil War history, C. S. Lewis - and lots of oddball miscellany. Matthew will be applying archival Brodart covers to many unique titles.∆

04/27/04: Katherine and I are heading on a book hunt this week, leaving the store in the capable hands of Kirsten and Matthew. Stop in and see them this week - and stop in and see us (and oodles of new inventory) next week!

Also, the Brownville Book Festival was fantastic. Great readings and programs. We had a little rain on Saturday but Sunday was gorgeous. Plan to join us next year! ∆

04/20/04: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MATTHEW! Our "alpha-male" turns 22 today. Stop in, congratulate him, bask in his beauty. If you'd like to further bask in his beauty, you can catch him modeling hip spring fashions at the Ozone-Rialto show at the Culture Center on Friday. Ooh la la! ;)

The Brownville Book Festival is this weekend. I'll be giving a program on Book Collecting - all that you've ever wanted to know about our book world and more. There will be lots of readings, author signings and various programs going on. Be sure to visit the winery and don't miss the dinner cruise on the river! For more information, email Jane Smith: spiritofbrownville@alltel.net∆

04/08/04: Holy Buying Batman! Katherine just bought a bunch of graphic novels and can't find space for them - come in before some one else finds a place on their bookshelf! ∆

04/06/04: NEW STUFF! Katherine and Matthew have returned from the Kansas trip and we are now surrounded with new inventory. Watch for new history titles in particular.

Cinnamon flew to Raleigh for the North Carolina Book Fair and came back with a few special items. Stop in and see us. The weather's beautiful - the bells are jingling on the screen door!

And don't forget to take a look at our pictures from the Weldon Kees reading.∆

03/23/04: Kirsten is on vacation in the Big Apple and Matthew tells me that we'll have a great week in the store because he will be "in charge." Hmmm. Despite the proven fact that this young man can't make a fire to save his life (see retreat photos further down), I'm sure he'll do a good job steering the shop. (At A Novel Idea Bookstore, we focus on the STRENGTHS of our staff members.)

We just got some hardcover C.S. Lewis titles, including a great copy of The Screwtape Letters illustrated by Bill Papas. Also in the case is a first edition of Jim Harrison's Dalva. And there is a Bibliography of the works of Charles Russell in the case downstairs.∆

03/15/04: A rainy day here in Lincoln - not a bad time to be in the book shop. Boxes and boxes of new books arrived late last week and throughout the weekend so today will be spent working with the new inventory.

Matthew has just done new window displays. Be sure to spend a moment browsing under the awning before you come in!∆

03/02/04: Katherine has been a pricing MACHINE this morning. She also brought up lots of books from overstock. Matthew shifted the entire literature section last week to make way for new inventory. So, between the two of them, the shop is looking good!∆

02/23/04: Katherine just turned over our bargain racks. Both carts are full of new offerings at fantastic prices.

Inside the shop, we have just added a new lighted glass case on our lower level. You'll find it in the room with the flagstone floor. Take a look next time you're in!∆

02/10/04: Now that the Birthday Sale is over, things are getting back to normal in the shop. I'm moving the leather-bound Eastons around, making room in the glass case for other goodies.

We currently have a first edition of Alice Walker's first novel, a first edition of Pulitzer Prize winning poet Lisel Mueller's first book, a copy of "Hurricane" signed by Ruben Hurricane Carter and a first American edition of "The Wings of the Dove" in two volumes by Henry James. Stop in for a browse!∆

02/02/04: The bookstore crew all went to Mahoney Park last weekend for staff retreat. We made our plan for world domination, ate good food and enjoyed the winter in front of a nice fire. See the pictures for a look at our fine, holiday fun. Special thanks to my sister, Lacey, for holding down the fort while we were gone!

The shop is an absolute zoo. 50 boxes of books waiting to be priced. Our work is cut out for us. What this means to YOU, dear customer, is a fantastic selection during the BIRTHDAY SALE! ∆

01/27/04: Science Fiction/Fantasy is packed with great books. We recently acquired several batches - both hardcover and paperback. Many first editions.

Also, Katherine has been working on the mystery section. We've had an influx there as well and she is taking the opportunity to bring up some overstock while she's shelving. By my conservative estimate, we're adding around 200 titles tomorrow.∆

01/12/04: HAPPY NEW YEAR! Many thanks to my staff for a great wrap-up to 2003 - next time, I'll try not to set the lamb on fire. (Good thing we had wine...)

2004 is off to a busy start. I'm heading to Norfolk tomorrow to give a program on book collecting at the public library. In the meantime, we're re-stocking the store. In the words of customer Gordon Zimmerle, "Geemeneez! Had a few things come in lately?!" Uh-huh. Just a few∆

2003

12/29/03: Again, it's a book-o-rama in the shop this week. "The Mongol Warlords", 50's decorating and design, "Diplomacy in Ancient Greece", "Sacred and Secular: Ancient Egyptian Ships and Boats", graphic novels by Frank Miller, cookbooks and MUCH MORE!

We have boxes yet to unpack - things that we let pile up while we were zooming with holiday business. Stop in for a look at "new stuff" - and if you want a more athletic book shopping experience, you can check the stacks on the floor!∆

12/22/03: Welcome back, old friends! It's good to see so many folks home for the holidays. One of the best things about being in the bookstore is meeting great people.

We'll be closed on CHRISTMAS DAY and NEW YEAR'S DAY but open regular hours the rest of the time. It tends to be a bustling couple of weeks - people have time to catch up on their reading! So, we'll see you soon for your dose of downtown culture, eh?∆

12/17/03: Swing in for GIFT CERTIFICATES to round out your holiday shopping list and while you're here, check out the new children's books in Spanish. We also have lots of new art books: Van Gogh, Klimt, Dali. And new cookbooks: Indian, Cuban, Thai, Vegetarian.

Come downtown this holiday season and shop for books, records, vintage clothing - and then head to The Coffee House for a latte before taking in a movie at the new Ross Film Theater. Sounds great, doesn't it?!∆

12/08/03: We had a great time at the Open House yesterday. Coffee, cookies, holiday cheer - the store was a warm and vibrant place. Thanks to Mark at the Coffee House, Monica at ABloom, Cris at Infusionmedia - and my wonderful staff. We'll have more of these celebratory gatherings!

Expect a good flow of books this week. We're working with a large backlog, attempting to put plenty into stock for the holidays.

DON'T FORGET - We sell GIFT CERTIFICATES for any amount. An easy way to finish up your holiday shopping!∆

12/01/03: Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! The shop is buzzing along as usual - we've done some holiday decorating and we're feeling festive. (Crystalline fruit - who knew such wondrous stuff existed?!)

New books are hitting the shelves EVERY DAY. See you soon! ∆

11/24/03: We just put some new items in our glass case. Signed Anne Rice and Ellis Peters, a First American Edition of Lord Dunsany's "The King of Elfland's Daughter", a scarce copy of Kevin Martin's "The Complete Booke of White Magic" and a few other things.

Kirsten is unpacking boxes as I write. She says, "Wow - there's all kinds of cool stuff in here!" Stop in and see for yourself... ;)∆

11/18/03: It's CRAZY BOOK WORLD in here this week. We have priced all the leather-bound Eastons and have started on books from Chicago. Great photography, history, philosophy - and more on the way. Our For Sale page has been updated. Check out the new t-shirts!

Stop in and see us. Our stock has never been better!∆

11/11/03: We just bought around 300 Easton Press titles. Many signed, all leather bound. Our Chicago books are continuing to pour in. In short, we are as well stocked as we ever have been. Stop in for a long browse.∆

10/21/03: We are heading to Chicago this weekend in pursuit of scholarly titles and other goodies that we may happen to find. In the meantime, I'm pricing through the 20 boxes of backlog we've managed to accumulate this fall.

Watch for the odd and unusual this week. Kirsten and Sam have done some good research work and those books will be hitting the shelves over the next few days. ∆

10/14/03: Our new counter is in place and we think it's beautiful. Many thanks to Ty and everyone at Contemporary Woods (for building and installing a spectacular piece of furniture), Paul Fox (for being our generous and lovable stereo guy), Katherine Bergstrom/Kirsten Coniglio/Matthew Eggert/Sam Anderson (for "swiffer madness" and being the coolest kids downtown).

This week, I'll be working on the Kansas-Missouri-Iowa books in backlog. Stop in to see what's new!∆

10/07/03: We brought in 20 boxes of new inventory last week - lots of science fiction, some good medieval history and some quality gardening books. We also acquired some nice out-of-print scholarly titles. It's a good time to browse. You're likely to come across something unexpected.

WE'RE GETTING A NEW COUNTER! We'll be CLOSED on SUNDAY (Oct. 12th) and MONDAY (Oct. 13th) to install the new counter and do a good job of cleaning and organizing throughout the shop. We'll RE-OPEN on TUESDAY (Oct. 14th) with a new look.

NEW T-SHIRTS ARE IN! They're beautiful. All feature the shop logo (cats on bookshelves) on the back and a small cat/book design on the front left. Ivory ink on black, ivory ink on deep purple, black ink on ivory. $15.00 each. (Small price to pay to look cool...) M,L,XL,XXL,XXXL∆

09/29/03: Fall is my favorite time of year in the bookstore. A chill in the air, the creak of the screen door and jingle of the bells, a lit candle on the counter - and lots of books.

I'll be book-hunting in the Lawrence/Kansas City area this weekend. In the meantime, I'm pricing books we brought back from Iowa. Matthew has been applying archival dust jacket protectors to many of the hardcovers. Stop in for a look - Matt responds well to praise and flattery!∆

09/22/03: We're back from our buying trip to Iowa. Stop by for new poetry, religion and history books. We'll be working steadily over the next few days.

We are always buying good, quality books from our customers. We are particularly looking for History and Western Americana titles. If you are clearing some shelf space, give us a call!∆

09/16/03: It's a BOOK BONANZA 'round here these days. We are pricing our way through the summer backlog in preparation for some out-of-state buying trips we have on our calendar. So many books, so little time...

Stop in for a look at the new cookbooks. We just acquired several stacks. Katherine will have to re-arrange downstairs again!∆

08/25/03: WELCOME BACK, STUDENTS! A happy return to college motion. Stop in for books for your classes. Just ask a staff member to help you find titles on your list.

Katherine and I are back from 4 days on the road. We unloaded the van last night. Some of the new inventory is priced and will be up on the "new stuff" shelf today. We'll be working through the rest this week. You'll find good spanish books as well as judaica, history and classics in this batch along with the usual miscellany!∆

08/18/03: We just got our Texas books - more scholarly tidbits for you history buffs. We also just bought a good amount of Nebraska poetry and eastern philosophy.

Katherine and I will be traveling this weekend on an out of state buying trip. We're doing our best to work through our backlog over the next few days in preparation for the new inventory we plan to haul back.

By the middle of next week, we should be surrounded by piles of new books. Stop in and give us a shout. Rescue us if we don't answer you - we may be buried.∆

08/11/03: Our books from Chicago are in. Look for University Press titles in the history and philosophy sections. Check in regularly this week - we are pricing daily in preparation for our buying trip at the end of this month. ∆

08/03/03: This week, we have lots of new photography books. We've also purchased a good deal of military history, mainly World War II. Our books from Maryland have arrived as well - so check out our window displays and the "new stuff" shelf for highlights.∆

07/28/03: We've had a great month for books! Lots of new history and military history - and a huge influx of fiction. We've re-done our "We Buy Books" page and now have brochures about our buying process. These efforts are resulting in better inventory.

We are currently looking to acquire Children's Books: board books, chapter books and some picture books. If you're looking for some extra summer cash and have good books in great shape, give us a call!

07/21/03: Katherine and Matthew just returned from a book buying excursion to Kansas City. Stop in for a look at the new arrivals.

And before you head off on your vacation - come in for some books to take with you. The shop is full of good summer selections from mystery to science fiction to audio books. Plus, lots of good books from the literature section. "White Oleander" and "The Hours" are my current favorites!∆

07/14/03: Welcome to faculty and participants of the Nebraska Writers' Conference! We were pleased to see Robert Olen Butler in the shop on Monday morning - O.K. took quite a liking to him. If you've been out of the NWC loop, call the shop for a schedule of readings. Rita Mae Brown, Mark Doty, Debra Magpie Earling, Mary Pipher, Ted Kooser, Hilda Raz…Lincoln's a literary hotspot this week!

We have just returned from a quick book-buying venture and have LOTS of new stuff including many books on Indian beadwork. Also, check our genre fiction sections for a multitude of new arrivals!∆

07/09/03: Take a look at our new "We Buy Books" page. It now answers several of your frequently asked questions about the book buying process!∆

07/07/03: Look for the new batch of science fiction titles coming out this week - we just bought several boxes. All of it is in excellent shape. I'm hoping to have it priced and on the shelves in a couple of days.

Many thanks to Wayne Duncan of Carpetech, who did a great job cleaning our carpets last week. We shuffled things around, clearing floor space. You'll notice when you stop in!∆

06/16/03: The downtown "Pineapple Days" sidewalk sale went really well, even though it rained on Thursday. We put lots of good stuff on sale - everything from mass market paperbacks to children's books to art books. If you missed the sale, don't fret. We're doing another downtown "Pineapple Days" July 24-26 in conjunction with July Jamm.

As usual, the book backlog is huge. 'Tis summer! We just bought a lot of new mysteries and science fiction. We also just acquired a collection of equestrian books along with some good books on interior design.∆

06/07/03: Our beloved AP Graders are back in town! It's great to be swarmed with book people from all over the country. Thanks to the lady from Portland, who gave us a particularly nice compliment about the shop. And many thanks to my staff - everybody has put in extra hours this week to keep the store looking nice amid such happy chaos.

We have hit our summer stride. New books are coming in daily. We have new offerings in the art section - Cassat, Degas, Monet, Van Gogh, The Impressionists. We have nice hardcover Camus and Colette, and have just acquired some good books in Spanish - Borges, Garcia Lorca, Garcia Marquez.∆

05/19/02: We have SO MUCH new stuff! The St. Louis books are still coming out of boxes and more new stuff is arriving daily. Some highlights: Shelby Foote's Civil War set, "Repent, Harlequin" Said the Ticketockman by Harlan Ellison in hardcover (illustrated by Rick Berry), The Journal of Eugene Delacroix, Angier's Field Guide to Medicinal Wild Plants...etc., etc., etc.

Plus, more fiction than you can imagine. Kurt Vonnegut, Zadie Smith, Larry Watson, Jonathan Franzen, Terry Pratchet, Alice Munro...

Come in, get lost, forget your troubles and find treasures!∆

05/06/03: We are back from St. Louis with 45 boxes of books. (Holy cow!) All in all, a very successful buying trip. Literature, science, history, art, religion, philosophy, poetry, graphic novels - we have new stuff in all areas.

We still have many boxes to go through and several boxfuls of hardcovers are being dust-jacketed with archival protective covers. Stop in regularly and check our new stuff shelf.

This marks a strong start to our buying season. If the book gods smile upon us, it'll be like this all summer!∆

04/28/03: Thanks to everyone who attended my book collecting program at the Brownville Book Festival. It was a beautiful day spent on the deck of the winery, talking about books. And the supper cruise on the river was the perfect way to wrap up a weekend of events. If you didn't get a chance to attend, watch for next year's book weekend - and book your overnight in one of the area bed and breakfasts early!

This week, we are gearing up for a buying trip - which means that we're pushing through our backlog of inventory to make room for the new haul. Stop in over the next couple of days for first crack at the new stuff! ∆

04/22/03: It has been a busy couple of weeks. We arrived home from Lawrence with a van load of good books - many of them are on the shelves but some of the more interesting items are just coming out now. Stop in, browse, ask questions, be happy!

Katherine tackled our cooking section! She has given it more space and divided it into sub-sections like Baking & Desserts, Vegetarian, International, Grilling...and many more. It's really fun to browse now!

And we have hired a new staff member. (Joan will be graduating with her Master's Degree and taking a job with a Children's Theater.) Sam Anderson will come on board in early May. Our thanks go to everyone who applied for the job. We were overwhelmed by the interest generated by our fliers and truly enjoyed interviewing some amazing people. ∆

04/02/03: Katherine and I are book hunting in the Lawrence area tomorrow. Check in with us next week to see the new inventory.

We have a great selection on the new stuff shelf this week. Lots of new books for our Native American section as well as new Philosophy and History.

We also just purchased a sizable amount of audio books. Stop in for one or two before your next road trip!∆

03/24/03: Join us this Thursday for Lisa Verigan's reading. We'll have coffee, cookies and some darned good poetry. I had the opportunity to hear Lisa at the Prairie Schooner's 75th anniversary events and could have listened to her all day. Her poems are strong and her sense of humor is irrepressible. ∆

03/18/03: The staff and I went out for our celebratory dinner at DISH last week. This week, we're all getting massages at Bella - so we're bound to be relaxed and happy next time you see us!

The backlog of inventory is huge. I'm hoping to wade through much of it tomorrow. Stop in and peruse the new arrivals!∆

03/10/03: We are still unpacking from our recent buying trip. Many of the more unusual titles are just coming out now. Check the new stuff shelf for out of print non-fiction! ∆

02/25/03: We are back from our buying trip to Oklahoma with 33 boxes of goodies. Stop in and browse. We have new stuff in almost all sections!∆

02/10/03: The birthday sale was a huge success. We had fun in the shop, ate lots of chocolate and sold lots of books. Thanks to all of you who stopped in - and special thanks to the bookstore staff. We'll have a celebratory dinner at DISH! :)

We have just added a bargain cart downstairs. Check it regularly for great deals on non fiction titles that will rotate frequently. Discounts up to 30% off!∆

02/03/03: The bookstore staff went on retreat last weekend! We had a cabin at Mahoney State Park where we learned and lounged and ate (and ate and ate...). Thanks and accolades go to my sister, Lacey, who held down the fort while we were away.

The BIRTHDAY SALE starts on Thursday so c'mon in and help me celebrate my "annual" 29th with some books and birthday candy. If you can say "Wrinkles? What wrinkles?" with a straight face, you may be rewarded! :)∆

01/28/03: We have TONS of new inventory - things like "Montana's Righteous Hangmen: The Vigilantes in Action", "The Technique of Gregorian Chironomy" (2 points if you know what THAT is), "Indelible Miro" (hard to find - three lithographs) and "A Delusion of Satan: The Full Story of the Salem Witch Trials". Take a look at our new stuff shelf - and don't miss the stacks downstairs!∆

01/13/02: Books from Texas are in. Lots of military history, cookbooks, & science fiction/fantasy reference volumes. Browse our new stuff shelf to get a look at some beautiful new arrivals!∆

01/06/03: Some good natural history/science came in last week: Gould, Sagan, Cousteau. Also lots of great children's books: Leo Lionni, Eric Carle...Clifford the Dog, Curious George, The Magic Schoolbus. Stop in with the kids after going to the Children's Museum!∆

2002

12/30/02: HAPPY NEW YEAR! I've been doing my share of reflecting this week and have come to the conclusion that life is pretty good. 2002 has been a solid year in the shop. Thanks to all of you for your continued support.

This week, we have new chess books on the shelves and some good new arrivals in the art section: Klimt, Dali, Picasso. Check out our display table of literary fiction for some good reading over the holidays. Time to curl up with a cup of cocoa and a good book! ∆

12/11/02: We just bought a collection of Literary Criticism. Great stuff from University presses, lots of it is out of print. You academics will be in heaven.

We have also just purchased a few boxes of Science Fiction hardcovers. They are all in excellent shape and many are first editions. You SFF nuts will be appreciative. (You know who you are!)∆

11/25/02: Ten boxes from Chicago just arrived! Woo-hoo! Also, don't forget that we offer gift certificates - an easy way to complete your Holiday Shopping!∆

11/18/02: We are getting into the holiday spirit! Joan has decorated our windows, the vanilla candle has been lit and the store is full of great new books.

We recently acquired a small collection of quilting books from the local area and expect more boxes of books from Chicago soon. Take a break from your workday and come see us for a pleasant browse around the shop!∆

11/11/02: The books from Chicago keep rolling in. UPS just brought us another 8 boxes! Expect to see them on the shelves later in the week.

Also, our building is getting a face-lift. New paint, new awning, and new lights are dressing the place up. Be sure to check out our new look when you come downtown.

And today we extend our gratitude to those men and women who have served our country in our armed forces. Many thanks.∆

11/04/02: Katherine and Kirsten have just come back from a trade show in Chicago. Expect to see some fantastic books in great condition. Art, photography, philosophy, etc... The books are being shipped and have begun to arrive already!

I'm back in the shop after a few weeks of maternity leave. Thanks to everybody for your good wishes. The little doobler (Isabel) is doing well - she's starting to smile and laugh a lot. :)∆

 9/16/2002: Our pricing duo, Katherine and Kirsten have been pricing inventory like mad things, so new titles are appearing on our shelves everyday. Such titles include books on doll collecting, architecture and furniture design, wicca, and cooking. Joan has created a beautiful window display and Matthew continues to work his magic on making books vanish from piles to reappear in the shelves.

On the homefront, Cinnamon and Isabel are doing well, gradually settling into their new lives together. Isabel is growing like a weed and Cinnamon tries her best to rest in two-hour increments.

This just in: Kirsten has purchased a large amount of sci-fi and fantasy hard back book club editions... so expect to see those great books on the shelf at even better prices!

Also, in recent weeks the mystery section has exploded... so don't be afraid to ask around if you can't find something, we've been trying to accommodate for this new inventory!∆

8/27/02: We have been buying a lot of books recently and this week Katherine priced out 12 boxes of them! Swing by to see a nice bunch of literature in trade paperback and hardcover, biblical studies, and books about police cars!

We've also have a new "Thank You Tuesday" recipient for this coming fall. You can read all about them here.∆

8/20/02: Our new 'A Novel Idea Bookstore' baby has arrived. Cinnamon gave birth to 8lb 1oz Isabel Rey at 1:05 this morning and they are both doing fine.

Cinnamon will be taking 10 weeks off maternity leave as she welcomes Isabel into the world. Katherine, Kirsten, Matthew, and Joan continue to hold down the fort.∆

8/05/02: I am just about ready to have this baby and take off on maternity leave - woo hoo! Katherine will be leading the crew at the shop and updating the web site while I'm gone.

Last week we bought a zillion graphic novels. And gaming books! They are overflowing the section at the moment. We are ever-grateful for our patient customers... :)∆

 7/28/02: Books having been pouring in these days. Lots of art and photography and zillions of mass market paperback: science fiction, mystery, and literature. When you stop in, beware - we have stuff ALL OVER THE FLOOR! ∆

7/22/02: Books have been coming in like crazy. You'll see lots of new stuff hitting the shelves in the next couple of weeks - literature, science, & history.

Also, my husband and I are expecting a baby! Isabel is due August 12th and Katherine & Kirsten have set up a "baby contest". Stop in the shop and enter your guesses about the time and date of her arrival and her weight and length. We are giving away many store T-shirts to those who exhibit the most clairvoyance.∆

 7/16/02: We've been in a book-buying frenzy over the past few days. Great trade paperback fiction and cool eastern philosophy. I'm sequestering myself in the back of the shop to price, price, price.

We're going to try to put as much of the new stuff on the shelves before our carpet gets cleaned later in the week. A good goal!

 7/05/02: I'm back from a week away and things were hoppin' in the shop while I was gone. Many thanks to the crew for a great end to June - we'll enjoy ourselves at The Grotto for a celebratory dinner! :)

Books came in steadily while I was gone. Kat made a house call or two. Check out our drama section for a new collection of plays and take a peek at the eclectic mix on "new stuff"!∆

 6/24/02: If you haven't been in the shop during the past two weeks, stop in. We have the most interesting collection of books at the moment. Our books from Texas, Chicago and Maryland have arrived! Everything from film studies to history to philosophy to art.

There's a book on the phonetics of African languages, one on Victorian shoplifting, another on public office in Early Rome... Weird, wacky, COOL books. The browser's dream!∆

 6/17/02: The shop has been busy and we've hired a new staff member. Stop in and introduce yourselves to Joan! We really like her and think you will, too.

Again, thanks to the AP Graders. We've had a second wave of those groovy intellectuals and it's been a fun time in the bookstore. It's been good to see you regulars during our extended hours, too! :-)∆

 6/10/02: We are continuing to enjoy the summer and will be open late several nights this week. (See last update.) Many thanks to the AP Graders who swarmed the shop last week. It's really nice to hear compliments from folks who live all over the U.S. - great ego boosts!

Check our shelves for lots of new gaming books. Everything from Dungeons & Dragons to Hunter to Clanbooks to White Wolf. We've recently acquired a bunch. Also, we've put out some interesting titles that have been in backlog awaiting archival dust jacket covers. Matthew has worked through boxes of those books and they look spectacular. ∆

06/04/02: We have extended our hours during the next couple of weeks. June 5,7,12,14, & 17 we'll be open until 8pm. Stop in and see the new arrivals - we'll have books in from Kansas City. Spend $75 and we'll give you a free canvas book bag or T-shirt! (As if you needed incentive to stock up on summer reading... :-) ∆

05/31/02: Some sections of the website have just been updated. Check the "Thank You Tuesday" page for our summer recipient and "Collecting Tips" for Cinnamon's books collecting program.∆

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