Book Cove

Halloween Event

2010-10-08T14:29:00.006-04:00

We welcomed Joe Desantis and Roxie Zwicker as our guest authors for our Halloween event! More than 20 people turned out to meet the writers, and the event was a blast for everyone!

Joe spoke about his novel, Blue Dawn Over Gettysburg. Joe was incredibly witty and charming and the audience loved him!

Roxie then did a powerpoint presentation and we learned about local legends as well as the folkart of tombstones. (And footstones, and wolfstones!) Roxie was very well-spoken and personable, and eventgoers shared their own stories with her at the end of the evening.

If you happen to be in the New Hampshire area, and don't know what a footstone is but would like to find out, you can take a walking tour with Roxie!

Visit her website to learn more, www.newenglandcuriosities.com

We absolutely loved our guest speakers, and give a big thank you to Roxie, her husband Kenny, and Joe for visiting!
Also, thank you to Bakla Java for our delicious Halloween-themed cupcakes!
We have signed copies of Joe's and Roxie's books in stock, feel free to come look at one.
See you at our next signing!

The Book Cove is in the News!!

2010-09-29T17:28:00.005-04:00

The Book Cove is in the news. Visit these sites to see what people are saying about us!

The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/09/realestate/09havens.html?pagewanted=2
The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/1998/03/15/realestate/if-you-re-thinking-of-living-in-pawling-ny-growing-town-rich-past.html

Hudson Valley Magazine: http://www.hvmag.com/Hudson-Valley-Magazine/April-2010/10-Top-Towns/index.php?cparticle=3&siarticle=2

Chronogram Magazine: http://www.chronogram.com/issue/2009/6/Community+Pages/Positively-Pawling?page=1

Everywhere Magazine: http://www.everywheremag.com/articles/1707

American Booksellers Association: http://news.bookweb.org/news/independent-bookstores-make-good-copy

Mid Hudson Central: http://www.midhudsoncentral.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15707185&BRD=1707&PAG=461&dept_id=72297&rfi=6

Aging/Retirement Author Panel

2010-09-25T12:49:00.002-04:00

The Cove was pleased to host four writers for our author panel on retirement and aging!

This well-attended event was a very interesting listen for the friends, fans, and family members that came.

Howard Massey and Marvin Tolkin spoke about their co-authored book, When I'm 64: Planning for the Best of Your Life.

Emily Upham and Linda Gravenstone read from their co-edited title, In the Fullness of Time.

Thank you to our authors and to our eventgoers for a wonderful morning! We hope to see you all again soon.

The Best Time with Joanne Bellontine!

2010-08-21T12:20:00.005-04:00

When we first met Joanne Bellontine, we knew we were going to have a great time hosting an event here for her. And we were right!

Today Joanne came to speak and sign her memoir, Resilience Matters. This phenomenal memoir is about Joanne's "journey through the foster care system, an abusive first marriage, and the ordeal of breast cancer," and learning to hold tight to your dreams. This is a story that inspired the staff here and many other people as well!

Joanne was joined by her husband, children, and grandchildren. Many friends and family members stopped by, and Joanne made and met new fans!

A passerby said it best when she stopped, looked into the events room, and said, "That sounds like success." It definitely is, and we are so appreciative to everyone who made it so wonderful!

The Cove's 2nd Annual Blog Giveaway!

2010-08-13T00:07:00.001-04:00

We are holding our 2nd annual blog giveaway!

The prize? A $15 gift card to the Cove!*

Interested in entering? Just leave a comment on this blog post by August 31st, 2010 telling us what your favorite book is. A step by step guide to posting is written (as a comment) on this post. You may submit as many favorite books as you would like, as we definitely understand having lots of favorites!

One winner will be chosen at random on September 1st, 2010. The winner will be announced right here, so check back to see if you won!

*Giveaway gift card regulations: valid on in-stock items only, expires 10/31/2010, excludes out of print books & special orders. In store regulations apply. Participants agree to comply with these rules.

The Red Thread of Destiny

2010-07-30T15:07:00.000-04:00

We were lucky enough to have Ann Hood come to the Cove not once, but twice!

Ann's new novel is called The Red Thread, and she read this section from the book to her audience:

"There exists a silken red thread of destiny. It is said that this magical cord may tangle or stretch but never break. When a child is born, that invisible red thread connects the child's soul to all the people-past, present, and future-who will play a part in that child's life. Over time, that thread shortens and tightens, bringing closer and closer those people that are fated to be together."

This reading served as a great introduction to the conversation that followed. A few highlights, in no particular order: Ann said her own adoption process was so smooth, that it would not have made an interesting book, which is why The Red Thread is fictional instead of based on her experiences. When Ann adopted in the early 2000s, the wait for a baby from China was about a year; today, the wait is about 5 years.

Did you miss Ann's visit? We have signed copies of Comfort, The Knitting Circle, An Ornithologist's Guide to Life, Somewhere off the Coast of Maine, and The Red Thread on hand for you.

Plus, Ann is now on Twitter! Follow her @annhood56

Thank you to Ann and her friend Tracey for making the trek up to see us again, and thank you to our audience members!

Jim Benn and the Birth of Billy Boyle

2010-06-12T16:01:00.000-04:00

Jim Benn, author of the "Billy Boyle" World War II mystery series, visited the Cove last weekend...and turned the Covies into instant fans! Jim was a wonderful speaker, who greeted a number of eagerly waiting readers, and also attracted passing shoppers with the passion and wit of his talk.

Of particular interest? Jim has traveled to almost all of the countries he writes about, including Ireland and England.

We have autographed stock on hand of Jim's books, in case you missed the signing, and we hope to see Jim again in the fall with the release of his fifth book, Rag and Bone!

To learn more about the author, visit http://www.jamesrbenn.com/

An Afternoon with Aimee!

2010-06-05T14:16:00.001-04:00

Bestselling young adult author Aimee Friedman visited us today! Aimee's enchanting Sea Change just came out in paperback, and she has also written a new book in the Poison Apple Series called This Totally Bites. Aimee had a great conversation with the audience about writing for YA and pre-teens, the trends emerging in current literature, and some of the influences in her writing. Everyone really enjoyed meeting and chatting with Aimee, and we have autographed copies of her books on hand if you missed the signing and would like one. Many thanks to Aimee and to our eventgoers!

To learn more about the author, visit http://www.aimeefriedmanbooks.com/

"Saddled" Signing with Susan Richards!

2010-06-03T19:46:00.000-04:00

Several years ago, the Covie crew flipped for a book called Chosen by a Horse. The book made its way from one staff person to another, winning rave reviews from all of us. Throughout the country, Chosen by a Horse was having the same effect on countless other people. Little did we know that the author, Susan Richards, would one day come to the Cove. Even less did we know that Susan would come not once, but twice!

Today marks Susan's second visit to Pawling. Her new memoir, Saddled, serves as a sort of prequel to the "Chosen" books. Horse lovers from as far away as Ridgefield Connecticut turned out to meet the New York Times-bestselling author, with one person confessing that she had not read a book in years until she stumbled across Chosen by a Horse. The audience members traded stories with our author, ranging from their love of horses to balancing family and work obligations with that aforementioned passion.

As Susan explained in her talk, Saddled tells the story of two very important figures in her life: Georgia, her beloved mare, and alcoholism, the unwanted specter in her past. Susan said that she did not delve into her battle with addiction in her other two books, but felt ready to do so with Saddled. The reading Susan gave from the beginning of the book was profoundly moving, and showed how her positive relationship with Georgia enabled her to confront the less positive relationships she had with her husband and alcohol. Beautifully written, as all her books are, it was amazing to hear the words in Susan's voice. Susan was a very inspiring speaker, and we were so happy to see her again. Many thanks to our author and our audience!

A Winner with Spinner!

2010-05-29T13:35:00.000-04:00

Popular children's author Stephanie Spinner came to the Cove today!

Stephanie's newest book, Paddywack, tells the story of a young girl and her pony. Stephanie was visited by a steady stream of children, horse lovers, and friends alike, including a group of kids from a local school.

We have signed copies on hand of Stephanie's books, including her previous titles such as Aliens for Breakfast and Uno: Blue Ribbon Beagle. In case you missed her event and would like one, do stop in!

Many thanks to our author and our audience. We look forward to doing many more enjoyable signings over the summer months. Visit our website, www.pawlingbookcove.com, to see a list of everyone who is coming!

Feiffer Mania at the Cove!

2010-05-22T15:38:00.000-04:00

Today we were joined by first Kate Feiffer, and then Jules Feiffer!

Kate read President Pennybaker to the assembled group of excited children, many of whom had already met her through school visits. Kate had such a warm way of interacting with her little fans, and she impressed them by guessing which book of hers they already had! After the reading, Kate's books began selling out! We do have signed copies in stock of The Wild Wild Inside: A View from Mommy's Tummy and But I Wanted a Baby Brother, in case you missed the event and would like one.

After Kate's event finished, Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist Jules sat down to discuss his memoir, Backing Into Forward. Jules' memoir was featured in Oprah's "O" Magazine and the New York Times. The audience members asked great questions, ranging from where he got his inspiration to what advice he would give to budding artists. Joining us was a gentleman all the way from Finland, who was in the area for a cartooning conference.
Every seat in the house was taken for both authors, and the day was such a treat for eventgoers, the authors, and the Cove staff. Many thanks to Kate and Jules for coming, and many thanks also to Katie B., without whom this day would not have been possible. And as always - thanks to our eventgoers!

The photo of Jules and Kate at the top of this post is courtesy of www.roycecarlton.com

April Authors, Pt. II

2010-04-22T19:43:00.000-04:00

Rosemary Harris is back! Rosemary visited us in March of 2009 and won so many new fans that our readers were special requesting her as a guest author for 2010.

Rosemary's new book, the third in her popular Dirty Business series, is called Dead Head.

On a sunny Thursday evening, Rosemary and the Covies held a party to celebrate the release of her new mystery. We were joined by over half a dozen of her loyal followers, some of whom met her last year, and some of whom have met her protagonist Paula Holliday and wanted to meet Paula's creator in person.

Equipped with doughnuts from the actual restaurant that inspired her fictional Paradise Diner, as well as other delicious snacks and drinks, we were ready for an enjoyable evening. Rosemary made the night completely spectacular, by talking about her writing process (she often draws inspiration from unusual headlines in newspapers) and her next book, Slug Fest. If you missed her this time, we hope to see Ro again when Slug Fest comes out!

A sincere thank you to Rosemary and our eventgoers! It was a blast as always.

Visit the author's website, http://www.rosemaryharris.com/ to learn more!

April Authors, Pt. I

2010-04-10T12:22:00.000-04:00

Our first author of April is Dani Shapiro!
Dani's new memoir, Devotion, was chosen by the New York Times as an Editor's Choice book.
People Magazine raves about Devotion, "Brave, compelling, unexpectedly witty...the journey is indeed the reward."
Devotion was also featured in Elle Magazine.

We were very excited that Dani was able to join us for an event - especially because she scheduled us on her birthday! Bakla Java custom designed a cake based on the cover of Dani's book, in honor of the big day.

Our audience really bonded with Dani, who read several excerpts from Devotion and discussed a variety of topics. The conversation was so intriguing that the signing ran almost 2 hours, with eventgoers eventually sharing their own stories with the author. Many thanks to Dani for coming, and to our loyal readers!

To learn more about Dani's memoirs and novels, visit http://danishapiro.com/

To visit Bakla Java's website, http://www.baklajava.com/

Love To Our February Authors

2010-02-18T16:22:00.000-05:00

Katharine Weber, Joanne Dobson, and Hans Wilhelm all came Coveside this month!

Katharine was our first guest author. Her newest novel, True Confections, received a glowing write-up in the New York Times in January, and Katharine was met with a warm reception by our eventgoers. Plus, check out the custom-designed cake that Bakla Java created to cater the True Confections event. Many readers stopped by for a chocolate and a chat!

Joanne's latest mystery is called Death Without Tenure. With many friends in the area, Joanne drew a crowd of admirers and well-wishers, and she was even interviewed by Hudson Valley Magazine!

Hans arrived, to the delight of over two dozen children, parents, and grandparents. In addition to the families, our favorite newswoman Susan Macura of Pawling Public Radio was on the scene. After reading I'll Always Love You and Noodles: I Love Snow, Hans signed and drew a picture for each enraptured listener who wanted one.

Author Awards, 2009 Edition

2010-01-22T13:10:00.001-05:00

We were so pleased to host events for more than 50 authors in 2009! This was an amazing year for us, with more writers than ever before and a record number of attendees.
Many thanks to each and every person who came to our little shop for a signing.
Every single author who came was amazing, and a complete delight.
We would like to acknowledge a few people who went above and beyond and were truly phenomenal presences in the Cove.

♥MOST THOUGHT-PROVOKING: Dr. Julie Holland, author of Weekends at Bellevue.

♥MOST INSPIRING: Deanie Humphrys-Dunne, author of Tails of Sweetbrier.

♥MOST CHARMING: Frank Delaney, author of Shannon.

♥BEST READER: Isabel Gillies, author of Happens Every Day.

♥MOST DYNAMIC GROUP DISCUSSION: Our young adult panel with Daniel and Dina Nayeri (Another Faust), Michael Northrop (Gentlemen), and Sarah Maclean (The Season).

♥MOST UPLIFTING: Tie between Susan Richards, author of Chosen by a Horse, and Ann Hood, author of The Knitting Circle.

♥MOST KIND: Rosemary Harris, author of "The Big Dirt Nap" series.

♥BEST PARTNERSHIP: Joel Rose, author of The Blackest Bird, and his wife/editor, Karen.

♥BIGGEST DRAW: Every author that visited us attracted an audience!

♥STAFF FAVE: Everybody who came to do a signing with us was our favorite. Thank you all so much for coming, and we hope to see you again with your new books in the upcoming years!

Did you enjoy a visit to the Cove? Leave us a comment and tell us about it!

The Book Cove's Annual Halloween Party, 2009 Edition

2009-11-01T21:55:00.001-05:00

Pumpkin decorating, costume contests, pin-the-wand-on-the-wizard, and so much more.... Not to mention our four guest authors, Michael Garland, Taeuun Yoo, Iza Trapani, and Peter McCarty! Our 30+ partygoers had a blast!

Signing Series Builds Steam in September

2009-08-07T16:40:00.000-04:00

We adjourned for the month of August; the Cove will start our signings again in September. Four authors are scheduled: Gayle Forman, Lucinda Franks, Marta Szabo, and Susan Richards.

Gayle will be coming on Thursday September 10th at 7 pm, to read and talk about If I Stay. Before Gayle's book was even published, its movie rights were purchased by Summit Entertainment, the studio behind the Twilight franchise. If I Stay quickly became a New York Times-bestselling book (debuting in the Top 10), and Eric Feig of Summit raves, "Not since Twilight have we seen as emotionally moving a book for a youth audience with this kind of crossover appeal." Gayle's book has been flying off the shelves, and has been quite a hit with the young adult crowd!

Friday September 18th at 7 pm, Pulitzer-prize winning reporter Lucinda Franks will be coming to Pawling. Lucinda's event for her memoir, My Father's Secret War, will be hosted at Trinity Pawling School in their brand new theater. My Father's Secret War is being made into a movie, with Keifer and Donald Sutherland as the leads. The Chicago Tribune raves about the book, calling it "a harrowing chapter of military history is told as a suspenseful spy story." The LA Times agrees: "An illuminating, gripping narrative." This is a great event to come to if you like WWII history, geneology, spy stories, or journalism.

Saturday September 26th at 1 pm, Marta Szabo will come to the Cove for her memoir, The Guru Looked Good. A life-long writer, Marta is a founding member of the Woodstock Memoir Festival and co-directs the Authentic Writing Workshops. If you enjoy memoirs, yoga, or "group think", this is the signing for you!

Thursday September 24th, at 7 pm, New York Times-bestselling memoirist Susan Richards will join us. Susan's first memoir, Chosen By a Horse, was a huge hit with the Cove staff; we all loved it. Susan writes beautifully, and her candor is what binds the reader to her story. The Boston Globe concurs: "This is an inspirational story of what family means, and what the loss of one can do to us, and for us."

Visit Gayle's website: http://www.ifistay.com/book.php
Visit Lucinda's website: http://www.lucindafranks.com/
Visit Marta's website: http://the-guru-looked-good.blogspot.com/
Visit Susan's website: http://www.susan-richards.com/

Ann Hood Draws a Crowd

2009-07-31T09:24:00.001-04:00

All the seats were filled. Bestselling author Ann Hood began her talk, and then read an excerpt from The Knitting Circle. As Ann read, more and more people filed through the door. By the time Q&A started, more than 2 dozen people filled the room. A fair number of knitters had come, as well as some Ann Hood fans, and those just in the mood for a good read. Everyone listened avidly as Ann shared anecdotes from her life, drawing laughs and empathy from her listeners.

Ann and her friend Tracy came all the way from Providence, RI to join us! A sincere thank you to both ladies for making the trip, as well as to our audience members for being so great.

Visit the author's website: http://www.annhood.us/
Visit the Yarn and Craft Box's website, our local knitting haven: http://www.yarnandcraftbox.com/

Children's Celebration

2009-07-18T15:02:00.000-04:00

We were very pleased to host five children's authors at the Cove! Helen Lester, Ed Young, Patricia Hubbell, Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, and James Warhola joined us to sign their books.
Each author is very distinguished in their field, and they were all pleased to meet each other and "talk shop." A big thank you to each author for coming!

Sephora Succeeds Scribner's

2009-07-07T13:34:00.000-04:00

One of the oldest bookstores in the world, Charles Scribner's Sons, has gone out of business. Established in 1846, Scribner's was a fixture on New York City's upper east side for more than 150 years. In its place now stands a Sephora - which, let's be honest, we adore - but we'll miss Scribner's!

Another Signing Success!

2009-06-18T13:06:00.000-04:00

Almost every member of our staff read it, and everyone loved it! We were especially excited to meet Joel Rose and ask him all our questions about his phenomenal novel, The Blackest Bird. Joel arrived with his lovely wife Karen and two vivacious boys, and people filed in off the streets to listen to Joel speak. Our most burning question was answered; it has to do with the end of the novel though, so we will post it below the jump. The Blackest Bird took an unbelievable 17 years to be completed, with Joel working on it even when he was very ill. Karen also worked on it as the editor. The finished product shows the amount of research and imagination that was poured into it. Definitely a labor of love, The Blackest Bird has become a bestseller at The Book Cove.

After Joel's autographing, sports writer Howard Megdal joined us with Rachel. The beautiful young couple had several avid baseball fans waiting for them. Howard discussed his first book, The Baseball Talmud, as well as Judaism and anti-Semitism.

Visit Joel's website: http://www.joelrosebooks.com/
Read an interview with Howard: http://www.metsgeek.com/articles/2008/05/02/interview-howard-megdal/

Hudson River Celebration

2009-06-13T16:38:00.000-04:00

The Henry Hudson Celebration went off without a hitch! Five authors joined us to speak and sign their books. Hudson Talbott, Joanne Michels, Sheila Buff, Kevin Woyce, and Lucey Bowen formed our panelist of experts. The event drew quite a nice crowd, with lots of questions and animated discussion. Two of the authors had written travel books, one had written for children, and the other two were histories of the Hudson. All in all, it was a great event!

Home Run

2009-06-07T20:17:00.000-04:00

Allen Barra joined us today! Allen just published a bestselling biography of Yogi Berra. A number of avid baseball fans turned out to listen to Allen share Yogi anecdotes and trivia. Allen has met Yogi numerous times over the years, and has written a very intimate, glowing tribute to the famous Yankees catcher. Allen is sharing "Yogisms," identifying the real ones and discrediting the invented ones.

Audience members were leaning forward in their seats, entranced by Allen's stories.

And the signing!

Signing in the Summer

2009-06-06T14:42:00.001-04:00

On a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon, the Book Cove was fortunate enough to host two lovely ladies. Our first author, Jayanti Tamm, entered the store with such a graceful presence, we knew it was her right away! Jayanti journeyed from NJ with her friend Jose, who doubled as a camera man. Jayanti was incredibly beautiful and poised; she was arguably one of the most well-spoken authors we have ever had the privilege to listen to. Jayanti talked with the audience and read from her book, Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult. Jayanti was very candid about the confusing and harrowing experiences that characterize cult life, including the futile desire to blend in socially, despite the associations with the (somewhat notorious) Sri Chinmoy sect. Listening to Jayanti speak about "Guru" was very thought-provoking. The stories of the guru's ploys for power, desire for fame, and manipulations of his followers were as fascinating as they were chilling, and Jayanti's audience listened spellbound as she read from Cartwheels and shared anecdotes. Selected as the "chosen one" by the guru for the cult, Jayanti grew up as the cult grew more powerful. The guru attracted followers such as Carlos Santana and Roberta Flack, among others.

Upon the guru's death in 2007, the New York Times wrote a warm obituary of the cult leader. Jayanti paints a different, yet fair, picture of this man. That was something the audience responded to, how honest and open Jayanti was, and how tranquil she seemed. Many people would have become embittered by such a turbulent childhood and traumatic young adulthood, but this woman has learned from it and gone on to build a life of her own. In attendence were Jayanti's mother, who also lived in and then left from the cult, and Jayanti's 19-month-old daughter, who was super cute in her yellow outfit and matching patterned shoes. Jayanti was so popular with the people in attendence that her signing ran for over an hour, with everyone asking questions and sharing personal stories and feedback.

As Jayanti's signing wrapped up, Gail Graham and Beaux, her faithful dog, took the stage. Gail is a very distinguished novelist, who has received numerous international accolades for her superb writing. Sea Changes is Gail's newest offering, and quite a few fans turned out to have a copy signed. Gail amiably chatted every one of them up, and random passerby grew intrigued and approached to learn more. Gail had a great deal of passion about her writing, and that came through and charmed our clientele. Gail joined us all the way from California, and we very much appreciate that she was able to stop by.

Thanks again, as always, to our audience members for coming and asking such great questions.

June Begins

2009-06-02T12:16:00.000-04:00

This weekend, 3 authors will be joining us at the Cove! Jayanti Tamm will be here Saturday June 6th at 1 pm. Jayanti wrote Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult.

"In her fascinating new memoir, Cartwheels in a Sari, Jayanti Tamm describes growing up in a cult within mainstream America--and how she eventually managed to break free. With a succinct and earnest writing style, Tamm delivers a coming-of-age story overflowing with heartbreaking and hilarious moments." -Forbes Magazine, in their controversial article praising Tamm's book and attacking the New York Times.

"[T]he now happily married mother lands on her feet--and her effort is worthy of applause." -People Magazine, 4 out of 4 Stars

Also on Saturday June 6th, Gail Graham is appearing at 2 pm. Sea Changes is Gail's brand new book. She has written six previous novels, three of which went on to become New York Times Book of the Year recommendations. Gail's novels have been translated into half a dozen different languages; one of them, Crossfire, won Germany’s most prestigious literary award, the Buxtehude Bulle. Gail is on a book tour, and is coming all the way from California to meet you.

And then, on Sunday June 7th at 2 pm, we have Allen Barra. Allen just published the first comprehensive biography of the one, the only Yogi Berra. Yogi Berra: Eternal Yankee has become a bestselling and beloved book in record time. This also makes a great gift for Father's Day!

Come for a reading and/or discussion with the author, a lively Q&A, and an autographing for those wishing to purchase a book.

Visit our website, www.pawlingbookcove.com, for more information.

Indie Bookstore Tour: Connecticut Chapter

2009-05-31T19:08:00.000-04:00

We headed to the Mecca of indie bookstores: RJ Julia's!

RJ Julia is legendary for their author events and staff picks. The store is huge, with 2 floors and numerous rooms. Housed in the same building is a small coffee shop, where you can nourish your body while nourishing your mind! The stock was simply amazing; neatly organized book upon book fill the shelves, which climb to the ceiling.

Staff picks are scattered throughout each genre. Hand-written and signed by each person, these selections lend a personal touch to the shop. Lining the wall, there are autographed pictures of the authors that have visited. The lineup, in keeping with the store's reputation, was quite impressive!

Professionally printed flyers advertise book clubs and upcoming author events. The store was crammed with customers, and the atmosphere was one of pleasant comraderie between the workers and visitors.

Here is a sample of the staff picks.

We had a delicious lunch in Guilford. Here's the view from our table. You can pick up a book at RJ Julia's, grab lunch at Guilford Mooring where the fresh seafood selection is to die for, and then head to the beach!

Visit RJ Julia's website: http://www.rjjulia.com/

Visit Guilford Mooring's website: http://www.guilfordmooring.com/

Indie Bookstore Tour: NYC Chapter, Pt. II

2009-05-30T13:59:00.000-04:00

While we were in the city for the BEA, we happened to stumble across an indie book nook! 192 Books was a lovely little shop. 192 is a one-room establishment, with a glass front to the store, so that the lighting is beautiful!

This is a relatively young shop which was opened in 2003. We were very pleased to have happened upon it, en route to the Empire Diner, which if you happen to be in Chelsea is definitely worth stopping by! Their avocado chili and turkey club are particularly delicious, as are the milkshakes.

Visit 192 Books' website: http://www.192books.com/
Visit here for info on Empire Diner: http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/empire-diner/

BEA Pt. II

2009-05-30T13:31:00.000-04:00

BookExpo of America ... how to describe it?? On Thursday, we went and attended classes that were offered to booksellers. People from all across the country and international visitors congregated in Manhattan for the conference. We dropped in on 4 different sessions. The two we found most helpful were the one on social media, and the one for creating a community center in your store.
We have a slew of great ideas for ways to make The Book Cove even better.... keep reading our blog, we will keep posting!

BEA Pt. I

2009-05-30T13:26:00.000-04:00

Day One: Here we go! There is our destination, the Jacob Javits Center.

Journey to Javits

2009-05-27T16:35:00.000-04:00

The BookExpo of America is tomorrow!! We are eagerly anticipating the chance to meet authors, fellow booksellers, publicists, and sales reps. We'll be posting pictures, stay tuned!

Gift Card Giveaway: Part II

2009-05-20T16:38:00.000-04:00

We are updating the guidelines for the gift card giveaway: All you have to do is leave a comment, indicating your desire to win a $10 gift card to the Book Cove. You can comment on any of our posts. We are also extending the deadline through the month of May. A winner will be selected at random on June 1st, 2009. You can comment as many times as you would like; be sure to include some way for us to identify you as the recipient. We will announce who the winner is on the blog, so check back again soon!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Lizzie, who is the winner of our $10 gift card giveaway. Many thanks to everyone who participated. Check back soon for our next giveaway!

Finale for the Month of May

2009-05-20T15:26:00.000-04:00

Actress and New York Times-bestselling author Isabel Gillies came to the Cove this past weekend. We all loved her! Plus, we got to ask her several questions, including the most pressing one: Will there be a sequel? We had our fingers crossed... and the answer is yes! Isabel joked that she will go on writing books until people get sick of them, and she is already writing another memoir, due to be completed this summer.

Isabel was our final author for the month of May. We have already blogged about how packed June will be; look for more information to be posted soon!

Stationery Show

2009-05-20T15:23:00.000-04:00

The Covies paid a visit yesterday to the Jacob Javits Center! The Stationery Show was in town. We found many wonderful vendors, and purchased some great sidelines for the Cove. Journals, puzzles, cards, bookmarks, and more are all soon to be here!

Gift shows give us the opportunity to generate new ideas, speak with other retailers, and find ways to improve our shop. In a couple weeks, we will be heading down to NYC for the BEA. The BookExpo of America is a huge event, with vendors, classes, and famous guest speakers. Kicking off the event will be Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, who will play no doubt to a full house!

Image via http://www.visitingdc.com/new-york/jacob-javits-center-address.asp

Up and Coming

2009-05-12T12:00:00.000-04:00

Our schedule is crammed to capacity over the next couple of weeks, with a slew of authors coming to visit! On Sunday May 17th (less than a week away!) Isabel Gillies will be here at 1 pm. What can we say about her book that has not already been said? Happens Every Day debuted on the NYT-bestseller list in the Top 10, and has been on the list for more than 4 weeks. It has been featured, well, everywhere! This moving memoir tells the story of how Isabel's husband abruptly left her and their two young children, and has been reviewed in Oprah's "O" Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Parenting Magazine, Elle, Glamour, Entertainment Weekly, and People, among many other outlets. Isabel was interviewed on
the Today Show about her book, and Starbucks chose it as their Read of the Month. Several of our staff members have read and loved this book, as have quite a few customers.
Isabel has led a fascinating life, appearing on the cover of Seventeen Magazine as a teenager, briefy dating Mick Jagger, having a recurring role on Law & Order: SVU, and having (both) her marriages written up in the New York Times. Happens Every Day is a very real, vivid chapter of Isabel's life, which she tells to the reader with spunk and courage. Isabel's signing will wrap up our authors for the month of May.
In June, we have almost a dozen writers coming. Saturday June 6th, we have Jayanti Tamm coming, whose memoir, Cartwheels in a Sari: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult, was written up in Forbes magazine and given a 4 out of 4 star review in People. The same day, we have Gail Graham coming, who has had no less than 4 of her novels chosen to be featured as New York Times Book Recommendations. Then on Sunday, June 7th, at 2 pm, Allen Barra will appear to discuss his biography of Yogi Berra, Eternal Yankee. On Saturday June 13th, there will be a huge Hudson Celebration taking place, with 5 authors participating. To see more about the other authors coming next month, visit our website. http://www.pawlingbookcove.com/

Signing Success Streak Continues!

2009-05-09T15:12:00.000-04:00

Olivia reads from Life List.
Evelyn speaks about Murder Takes the Cake.
Questions & Answers.

And the signing!

We were very pleased to host Olivia Gentile and Evelyn David today. Both ladies were wonderful speakers, and the audience was captivated by their talks and readings. A lively discussion concluded the event, with lots of people asking questions and sharing feedback!
The Book Cove has been very fortunate with all of our authors; they are gracious, entertaining, warm, and personable. Many thanks to Evelyn and Olivia for coming, and thank you to the audience members as well.

Indie Bookstore Tour: NYC Chapter

2009-05-06T10:54:00.000-04:00

Coming to a city near you...We're on tour!

We are visiting our fellow independent bookstores. We began this week in New York City with three very renowned shops.

We started out at Rizzoli. Located on the westside of Manhattan, Rizzoli was unquestionably one of the most beautiful bookstore we've been to. Three stories high, Rizzoli offers a wide array of coffee table books, with a concentration in art, as well as an impressive assortment of foreign books, music, and magazines. In business for over 40 years, Rizzoli clearly has a loyal clientele-and with such an exquisite store and stock, how could they not?

Our second stop: Shakespeare & Co. Their stock was incredible, with books upon books, and ladders reaching up to even more books. If one were looking for a bestselling title that is out of stock seemingly everywhere, Shakespeare & Co. would be the place to look. With shelves stretching to the ceiling, chances are they will have it!

Next up: The Strand. The legendary "18 mile" bookstore did not disappoint! It was a mob scene, with people milling around outside and an even bigger crowd indoors. The classics section was astounding, with delicately bound copies at very reasonable prices. The Strand has a range of prices and subjects. A hardback, bound copy of Hardy's Tess, for example, was a mere $6.95. Outside, there are stacks of $1 books. Inside, you can sell your used books or peruse each section. All of the subjects are incredibly in-depth, filled with new books as well as rare and out of print titles. Quite rare books are available upon request; flyers throughout the space advetise unique and costly tomes.

Every shop we visited was characterized by knowledgeable and friendly salespeople. There was only one bookstore we passed and didn't go into: Barnes & Noble. All the same, a bookstore is a bookstore, and everybody is struggling in this challenging economy.

Independent bookstores are an endangered species. We appreciate your support...and we hope you will follow us on our tour!

Visit Rizzoli's website: http://www.rizzoliusa.com/

Visit Shakespeare & Co.'s website: http://www.shakeandco.com/

Visit The Strand's website: http://www.strandbooks.com/

Gift Card Giveaway

2009-05-02T15:38:00.000-04:00

Here's the deal! We would like to give someone a $10 gift card to our store. That someone could be you! It's pretty simple: leave a comment on this post, telling us why you enjoy coming to The Book Cove.

The guidelines: You may post as many comments as you would like. A winner will be chosen at random. Include your name in the comment; the name you post will be called for the prize.

To leave a comment, click on this link: http://bookcovebulletin.blogspot.com/2009/05/post-comment-collect-prize.html#comments
You can post under "Anonymous" (no need to have an account on the site). The lucky recipient will be announced on May 25th. We will post it on here. Comment now and check back again soon!

A Signing Success

2009-05-02T14:37:00.001-04:00

Today was the big day! Louise Shaffer and Jo Maeder came Coveside. Both ladies were incredibly lovely, warm, and witty. Louise spoke first; she talked about her life, including her acting career, which was cut short just a few months after her win at the Emmys. Louise was advised to take some time off for what the industry calls "knee surgery." Replace the word "knee" with the word "plastic," and you know where that was going! When Louise declined, she was let go from Ryan's Hope.
Looking at her today, seeing how comfortable she is in her own skin, was so inspirational!

Jo also gave a great talk, and did a laugh-out-loud funny reading from her memoir. One particularly memorable line was, "Family-the other F word!" Jo moved the audience by speaking about how she reacquainted herself with "Mama Jo," and how she discovered a whole other side to her "hoarding," "doll-collecting," "hours late" mother!

Jo and Louise were our first May authors. May 9th, Oliva Gentile and Evelyn David will be coming at 1 pm. One a mystery writer and the other a biographer, they promise to be a great pair. We hope to see you!

Many thanks to Jo and Louise for joining us.

We hope to see both of them again!

Also, thank you to the great audience-we hope you will come back for future events.

Lady Louise

2009-05-01T13:35:00.000-04:00

I'm a Bronx girl, until I was married, and then moved to Mt. Vernon. I slowly migrated to Pawling. My husband and I have been married for 52 years, and have 5 wonderful children, and 8 grandchildren. I have enjoyed working for the last 10 years at The Book Cove, greeting our very friendly customers.

Best line: Bubba-la!

Most scandalous line: So, you live alone?

My motto for the store: Laugh heartily every day. Of course not all day long, they'll put you away!

Nickname: Lefty (It's the handwriting...and the filing)

The Crew

2009-04-30T14:43:00.000-04:00

Meet our Staff!

We affectionately refer to each other as "The Covies." Our motto is, First Pawling, then the World!

In all seriousness, The Covies are a close-knit group of co-workers and friends.

From our 19-year-old college student to our glamorous 72-year-old grandmother, we have everybody in between! We all have our special niches and love to read. In the picture above, we are at one of our favorite haunts where we go every time we have a chance to celebrate...well, anything! In this particular case, we are out for a birthday dinner. Each of us will post a brief bio as the blog goes along. We look forward to getting to know you!

The Blog

2009-04-30T14:05:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone! This is Teresa from The Book Cove. We are an indie book store in Pawling New York, and we are celebrating our 35th year in business!

2009 is a big year for us in more ways than one. In addition to a milestone anniversary, we also have launched our first Signing Series! With more than 40 authors scheduled, we hope to see you at one of our exciting events.

From February up until the present, we have hosted more than a dozen writers. NYT-bestseller Frank Delaney, Agatha Award-nominee Rosemary Harris, Oprah Book Club-featured Rachel Cohn, former editor of Time Out New York Daphne Uviller, and Today Show lifestyle expert Elizabeth Mayhew are just some of the amazing people we have met!

I will be posting videos and pictures as we go along. Every speaker we have had here has been amazing, as has all of our audiences!

On Saturday May 2nd we have 2 authors coming that I would like to mention to you. Jo Maeder and Louise Shaffer are joining us for a Mother's Day event. Jo has just published "When I Married My Mother: A Daughter's Search for What Really Matters," which is her moving memoir about leaving a successful deejaying career in New York City to care for her mother. Louise has a new novel out called "Serendipity." Set in NYC, this book is about the relationship between an adult daughter and her mysterious mother.

We have a lot of different ways you can keep up with us. We are brand new to this blog, and we just signed up for Twitter! Our address is http://twitter.com/BookCove

Visit our website: http://www.pawlingbookcove.com/
We are always updating it!

We will have lots more coming soon, so check back!

xO's,
Teresa