Booknerd in a Bookstore
Hey everyone! Many of you will be trailing along from my other blog www.missdreamymarie.wordpress.com and many of you may have just stumbled across my little booknerd world here by accident. To all I say, “Welcome”!
So, I had mentioned getting hired at a local bookstore (remember to read “Disclaimer: About” page -This is a personal blog that is not affiliated with the bookstore) and the idea of working there made me ecstatic…here, let me count the ways:
1. Books! I get to be around books, talk about books, learn about books and discover new books coming into the store!
2. As an aspiring author writing her first young adult novel, the atmosphere, the knowledge, and the possible people you could meet make this opportunity ideal!
3. Coffee…Oh dear, if you read my other blog, you will know that I LOVE, adore, may be slightly addicted, hashtag #sorrynotsorry, Oh yea I just hashtaged, heart beats happily for Coffee! This bookstore is also a Cafe…sold, case closed, lets all go home!
4. Author Events, Community events…Eek! *little girl skipping around room*
and many many more.
Side Note:
There are many people who may be curious about other people who work at bookstores, so my direction for this blog is to give fun accounts (pictures and all) of things that happen on my day to day adventures there. Hey, there’s people who love reading random blogs out there and there are booknerds who love anything Booknerd-y, so my hopes is that there is some sort of audience out there for this. Enjoy
So let us recap my first few days, shall we?
Day One:
You know, one goes into these things; new jobs, slightly nervous and apprehensive of what will be expected of them, the order of how things are run in a place of employment, worries of employee relational dynamics, ect. I had this gnawing desire to want to know how to run everything perfectly on Day One! If I could fast forward time to a month from now, where I am more confident and knowledgeable of how things work there, I would. This is the nerve-wrecking part. You want to honor this place, by performing all the different assets of the business the way they desire it to be done. You want to feel assured of your actions, speech, interactions with customers. Patience. That thing right there is what I need to embrace. In due time I will know these things.
Isn’t it pretty?
That’s from behind the register counter. In the far end of this picture is the Cafe. It’s a beautiful, well stocked cafe full of both coffee, sweet and food goodies. The savory smells linger momentarily in the air as preparation for a waiting customer’s purchase, finally meets their hands, then off to the plush, warmly decorated Cafe seating area they go. My stomach by hour three was screaming to jump over the counter and devour one of those delicious panini’s. Of course, I contained myself, coming off as normal as can be. No one suspected a thing…success. I am also an actress so *huffs a breath of air over curled in palm, over fingernails and buffs them over chest*
The first few hours were not bad. I ventured in ringing up customers and a few other things here and there.
At one point, I paraded around the bookstore, examining all the goodies we carry and found this! Pins! And even better…an “I Love Darcy” pin! (wishlist)
Then, the unthinkable happened. Okay, unthinkable is too dramatic; Unexpected! Here I am, a person who loves the arts! I love Acting, Music, Performance Arts, Visual Arts, Writing, Reading, FIlm, ect…On the hunt to snuggle up against a place of employment where I could enjoy what I do, while also having the time and means to finish writing my first book and pursue publication, I found this place! A bookstore? Yes. A Cafe? Oh yes. Writers outlets? Yes…Performance Art Theatre? Yes?
Oh yes.
Half way through my first training shift I hear off to the side of the cafe, random bizarre voices and phrases. When I tuned my ear to listen closer I could hear someone reading, as though Story Time was in session. Momentarily, there weren’t any customers needing to be rung up, so I went to take a peek. They were rehearsing a skit, a children’s theatre skit. Fast Forward a half hour later, & me mentioning at some point that I was in theatre and am also an actor, it was over. I was recruited by a cute french woman who takes her directing, very seriously. I spent the last two hours rehearsing and being a pair of spooky shoes who go, “CLOMP CLOMP”.
One of my bosses, is the spooky shirt that goes “Shake Shake”
There will be on Saturday, a Pumpkin Patch event where on stage, we will be performing this Children’s book reading while acting out the skit. To say that, this was the best first day I had ever had at a job would be the understatement of the century….yes, an entire century.
Day Two:
Apparently, Wednesdays are known for being…BOOK DAYS! Which seems perfect since I have been use to Wednesdays being *Book shimmy* day for #TeaTime with Team Epic Reads! Anyone else, who strolled across a bookstore and got a job there just to have a part time job, but have no love for books or reading, may see boxes upon boxes of books coming in, needing to be unpacked, and the registered as….excruciatingly boring.
Well…NOT ME! This was one exciting day! I loved seeing what books were ordered, which were new, which have been highly requested, ect.
(this is just from one box…there were more!)
Day two was a “get to know the bookstore and where books go” day. After registering these “precious” into the system, I had to then go and put them away with my boss. Let’s just say, this gal right here will be doing more arm exercises. My arms are sore this morning from carrying 20 books at a time around the store, and putting them away. Who knew, you needed muscles and stamina to work at a bookstore? Oh yea, I’m doing Zumba later, for sure!
Here’s that cute little bookstore mascot whose been hanging out at rehearsals. The baby in the basket, not the girl.
Here’s a couple more things I love about this place.
1. Author signings!
The auther of this MG kids book, “Janitors” by Tyler Whitesides will be coming to the store Tuesday, October 8th at 6:30pm to read and sign books!
This cute kid came in for a book, saw our stack of “Janitors” and got excited. When he was told about the author coming in, his eyes lit up. It was wonderful!
2. Employee Treasure Hunts!
There are these cubbies where my boss puts some ARCS (Advanced Reader’s Copies) from publishers, as freebies for employees and some she gives away to customers. So before leaving work yesterday, I sat Indian style on the floor and rummaged through the books. Not sure if I would find anything interesting but I was determined to look good and lo’ and behold….
and…
The Patrick Ness “More Than This” I believe I remember YABC (Young Adult Books Central) mentioning it. It just came out this September and I got the ARC! Then I saw the Landry Park and the cover was intriguing. Didn’t know what genre it was. Turned it over and it said “Downton Abbey meets The Selection” …”Dystopian love story”…um, YES! SOLD! Then I got home and examined it and saw it hasn’t even been released yet. Comes out February 2014!
So yea….I LOVE MY JOB!
Stayed tuned to this Booknerd at this Bookstore. There will be plenty of pictures and updates along the way.
Booknerd in a Bookstore 