My Book Guide

Guide for Buying Professional Books, Reference Books, Law Books, and URLS for College Students by Ellen Tsagaris

Map Quest. www.mapquest.com Welcome to the wonderful world of books and professional libraries. No matter what you do for a living, you need a professional library and lists of resources. People who know these things often describe book collectors and bibliophiles as the victims of "a gentle madness." Yet, as one who has suffered from this malady all her life, I can easily say that of the thousands of books I own, there is not one that I have not used, enjoyed, read, or studied. In this world of multitasking where everything is a text, information is knowledge and knowledge is power. This guide is for all who love books, but especially for college students who need them. There are legal books, professional books, book stores, URLs for books, on line book stores, books about books, and many Internet resources. Use it in good health, and as I say to my paralegal students, use it for good and not for evil!!

Stores: A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books. http://www.bookstore.com/ They list book groups and sell online. I used to frequent the Sunnyvale, CA store. They are just wonderful, and have anything you want. They are open late, and offer many free publications, especially, Poetry Flash. City Lights.http://www.citylights.com/ This store is a legend, and was co-founded by another legend, author and artist Lawrence Ferlinghetti City Lights inspired our own Prairie Lights in Iowa City. Barnes and Noble: Also online.www.barnesandnoble.com. They aren’t my favorite, but they do have a great coffee bar. Their sales are terrific; every two years or so, they have a $1.00 sale! I bought Vera Wang’s book on weddings for just $1.00, when it is usually close to $90.00! The advantage is these are new books, games, and art supplies. At any of the other stores, you would still pay full price. They always have a good selection of sale books and helpful extended hours. • Northpark Mall Borders:[ now BAM or Books a Million; Also online.www.bordersstores.com. They have a newsletter which includes coupons and special sales. There are also special events for students and teachers. If you push them, their service is pretty good. One fine Friday before Halloween, I stood before the art books with my 20% coupon, looking for the expensive Joseph Cornell book I wanted. Nobody seemed to know who Cornell was, but the books about him always disappeared on coupon days. Once again, as I stood in my nifty Halloween sweater, the book was gone. I sighed audibly. Next to me was a very good looking gentleman holding a cup of coffee. “That’s an awfully big sigh,” he said to me somewhat playfully. “Oh, No,” I thought. I’m being hit on, and I don’t want to be!” But, then he said, upon hearing my dilemma, “Take your coupon to that desk over there, tell them to order the book, and tell them to give you the discount.” Then, I had an epiphany; this was no idle Ralph Lauren look alike; this was some Borders Executive, mayhap a District Manager! So, I went to the desk, related what he told me to. They were reluctant to agree, until I pointed to the man and said, “ That gentleman by the art books, the one holding the coffee cup, he told me you would order the book and let me use the coupon.” He saw me gesturing toward him, and toasted me with his paper cup. “Yes miss, of course; we’ll be glad to order it and let you use the coupon!” Moral of the story; ask for service, and complain politely where necessary! • 4000 E. 53d Street Davenport, IA 359-7830 The Book Emporium: • 4129 Kennedy Drive East Moline, IL Crown: http://www.randomhouse.com/publishers/pub_crown.html. They have merged with Random House, and have chains of bookstores across the country. This is a helpful site that allows you to do an author search. Cumberland Bookshelf: Bettendorf, 359-6630. Guzzardo's: Downtown Geneseo. This is a combined Hallmark shop/book store. They have a good selection of best sellers and mysteries, and decent reference books. They have pretty good sales, and are an institution in the area. They are also sort of a pleasant, out of the way place for us to visit.

Putnam Museum: http://www.putnam.org/. They have expanded this museum considerably since the time I was a little girl. They have great books on various cultures, science, art, and anthropology. You can visit the museum and see the unwrapped female mummy, view a film at the IMAX, have a snack, or just wander around. The gift shop also carries jewelry, fossils, you name it. • 1717 W. 12th Street, Davenport Prairie Lights: Downtown Iowa City. http://www.downtowniowacity.com/product_info.php?cPath=2&products_id=275. They have expanded since my humble law school/graduate days, and now have a Java Hut café with amazing magazines. They also have for sale autographed copies of books; when I was living there, I bought an autographed copy of Margaret Atwood’s Lady Oracle. They have great reference books, dictionaries, and law books, and feature author signings and poetry readings. Rizzoli Books: Oakbrook Shopping Center: http://www.buy.com/retail/searchresults.asp?search_store=3&querytype=book_publisher&qutype=5&qu=Rizzoli+Publications&formatid=0&orderby=6&loc=106&dcii=4 [At Buy.com] Iowa Book and Supply, Iowa City: http://www.iowabook.com/info.html • 8 South Clinton, Iowa City, IA University of Iowa, Boyd College of Law Book Store [call ahead to see if they will sell to general public, or if you need a student ID., etc.] Walden: Good selection of books and sales. Their 10% off card was a blessing in graduate school when I used to buy my textbooks there. They are named for Thoreau’s masterwork, and they are still one of my favorites. • Southpark Mall Watermark Corners: They have a wonderful selection of children’s books, jewelry, English antiques, and coffee. There is even a café upstairs. They are located in the heart of John Deere Commons, near the Dead Poets Coffee Shop. 1500 River Drive, Moline, IL Used Book Stores and Antique Shops: Charlotte Bronte The Source Book Store: Over 200,000 books! 232 W. 3d, Davenport. Tim’s Corner: 2963 14th Avenue, RI 794-0333 Banowetz Antiques: 122 McKinsey Drive, Maquoketa. http://www.banowetzantiques.com/ There is always a nice selection of books in at least one or two booths. They also carry a full line of books on antiques. There are special sales, and sometimes, free items. This is a great place to look for records, cards, old Valentines, and all sorts of other goodies, too. They carry new collectibles, and are very friendly. Best Buy: http://www.bestbuy.com/: This is a great place to buy software, computers, and computer books. I’ve also seen best sellers and books on many subjects discounted significantly. • 5153 Elmore/Davenport • 4401 16th/Moline Blue Castle Treasures: Rapatee, IL. The owner lives across the street, and she is always open during Spoon River. She has great books, and as a teacher herself, is glad to help you find what you are looking for. I’ve found some nice collections of Mark Twain and Eugene O’Neill, but she is loaded with old toys, collectibles, some furniture, records, you name it. There is also a nice shop next door you can visit, with more old books and antiques. Juli’s Book Keeper: Rock Island, IL. Former owner Ms. Finch was a huge help when I was writing my dissertation. Current owner Juli is just as helpful. She is an avid reader, and takes any books in trade. She also sells many handmade items and puzzles. This is one of the best kept secrets in the Quad Cities, and many local writers, including the romance writer Kim Cates, go to The Book Keeper to look for sources. • 2698 21st Avenue, Rock Island/788-6410. Usually open M-S 12-5. DAV: Most recent spectacular find: an autographed copy of Gerry Spence’s, The Making of a Country Lawyer. They used to be on River Drive. Takes credit cards, but not checks. Cash is always welcome. They are usually open 8am to 8pm. They also have good novels, paper backs, cookbooks, and craft books. Magazines are about $.10 each. • 1112 W. Kimberly/Davenport The Discovery Shop: 2397 Cumberland Square Drive, Bettendorf – They carry all sizes and all sexes. Everything goes to The American Cancer Society, so your shopping supports a worthy cause. The Discovery Shop has wonderful sales, and often sells new items with the tags. I’ve seen $500.00 women’s suits selling for less than $100.00. They also carry great shoes, designer lines, housewares, cookbooks, antiques, and collectibles. They have a nice selection of books in good shape. They have special holiday open houses, Super Bowl Sunday sales, and Cookbook Event sales. They are located near the Goodwill Store in Cumberland Square. Nearby are Keepsake Corners and Evergreen Artworks, which are wonderful places for office and art supplies. Dollar Bill's and Dollar Tree: They carry nice handbags, school supplies, and toiletries. You can also find jewelry, books, and close out merchandise. Recently, the Southpark store sold Eddie Bauer and other designer sweaters for $1.00 each! • 902 W. Kimberly Rd., Davenport • Dollar Tree, 4500 16th Milan o 3824 44th Ave. Dr., Milan o Southpark Mall, near J.C. Penney Dollar General: As with Family Dollar, there are several stores in the area, including one right across the street from Kaplan College at Spring Village Shopping Center. They, too, have good professional pieces, including shirts, dresses, skirts, and sweaters for $10.00 or less. Fifty percent off sales are common. They also carry reasonable and good looking costume jewelry, handbags, and lingerie. They are also a great place to find hangers, and plastic storage units so you can take care of your clothes from season to season. Different stores carry different merchandise, so it’s worth taking a “tour” of local Dollar Generals. They are also a good place to find wallets and handbags. Their books vary from dictionaries and textbooks to best sellers. Most are $1.00, and are brand new in mint condition. They also carry coloring books for kids. It’s worth checking various stores to see what is available. They also have office supplies and framed prints, check out my Harriet Tubman triptych, and the African prints hanging in the library, both from my private collection. Neither set cost over $5.00. • 2170 E. Kimberly Rd, Davenport • 1037 S. Oakwood Avenue, Geneseo • 201 W. Second Avenue, Coal Valley • 905 W. 4th, Milan • 2010 26th Avenue, Moline, IL • 3830 11th Street, Rock Island • 4012 Black Hawk Road, Rock Island • 4110 Avenue of the Cities, Rock Island • 2201 5th Street, Silvis • 1224 State, Bettendorf • 109 E. 50th Street, Davenport • 2604 W. Locust, Davenport Dyersville Antique Mall: aka, Plaza Antique Mall. http://www.plaza-antique-mall.com/. Located in the hometown of Field of Dreams. 1235 16th Avenue Court SE Dyersville, IA 52040 Family Dollar: The selection of books varies. Most cost about $1.00. There are several stores in the area. They have decent quality clothing for under ten dollars. They also have 75% off sales; it is possible to buy a pair of shoes for $.50 cents. Most of the professional or dressy clothing is for women, teens, and children. They also carry office supplies, paper, coloring books, seasonal decorations, etc. • Cityline Plaza, First Street Moline, IL. • 3126 23d Avenue, Moline, IL • 1617 11th Street, Rock Island, IL • 921 16th Avenue, East Moline, IL • 2255 Rockingham Road, Davenport, IA • 1932 N. Brady Street, Davenport, IA Galesburg Antique Mall: http://www.seminarystreet.com/antique/. 309-342-8571/ 349 East Main Street, Galesburg, IL 61401: As with other antique malls listed, they have a good variety of vintage books and books on different subjects. This mall has three floors, and a candy and coffee shop built-in. Knox College students love to hang out there. Sometimes you can buy signed books by local authors as well. Goodwill: They also have a website where you can bid on items. Shop Good Will. http://www.shopgoodwill.com/. Many people scour their bookshelves, frames, and records. There are a lot of good deals waiting, and most books are under $1.00. • 2302 Spruce Hills Drive, Bettendorf • 4241 23d Avenue, Moline • New Store off West Division and 53d, 5360 Villa Drive in Davenport, not yet in the phone book • 4664 44th, Rock Island • Several Stores in Iowa City; there is one just off the Coralville Exit. Hallmark Stores: Many of the Gold Crown stores carry beautifully bound editions of classics that have been portrayed on the Hallmark Hall of Fame. They also have music and tapes based on their TV specials. Hallmark also carries a nice line of gift books for various occasions. The Haunted Bookshop: http://www.abebooks.com/home/THEHAUNTEDBKSHP/. 520 E. Washington, Iowa City. When I used to go to the old location in Iowa City, it was run and owned by a physician who worked at the VA Hospital. It is still a lovely place to go, and great places to find vintage sheet music, books on every subject, you name it. The atmosphere is terrific, and you may even find the signature novel, The Haunted Bookshop. King's Daughters Thrift Shop: Moline. Murphy Brookfield Books: • Email • murphyb2@inav.net • Address • 219 N. Gilbert St. Iowa City, IA U.S.A. 52245 • Phone • 319-338-3077 • Fax • 319-338-3077 Another of my Iowa City Haunts, located in a charming old home. They have a very good history and literature section. They have a wonderful web site where you can browse their books and inventory. You can also browse by subject. Osco: The store in Moline at City Line Plaza has best sellers priced very low, sometimes at 40% off, more even than Borders or Barnes and Noble. I bought the latest Harry Potter book there when it was still “hot” and flying off the shelves everywhere else, only I bought it for a lot less!! Paperback Exchange Illinois Antique Center: 308 SW Commercial Alley/Peoria, IL 61602-1401/309-673-3354 – This is a huge store, with its own used and antiquarian book shop with books on every subject. It’s a great place to visit and wander around. They also carry magazines about writing and book collecting in the book shop. The Old Book Barn: ( 217) 875-0222/Forsyth , Illinois. Near Decatur. http://faculty.millikin.edu/~czelhart.hum.faculty.mu/AS92.html • Route 51 North P.O. Box 500 Forsyth, IL 62535 Phone: (217) 875-0222 FAX: (217) 877-9211 They literally have everything, and are huge! They have the best room of mystery and true crime books I have ever seen. This is a consignment shop, so you can bring books and run an account for further discounts. They also carry rare books, including real dime novels and pulp fiction. This is the dream of every graduate student everywhere!! Stuff Etc.: This is the granddaddy of all consignment stores. One store even has a coffee bar in it! At sixty days, consignment merchandise is discounted 50%. After ninety days, merchandise is discounted 80%! You could spend all day just in the one store. They carry home furnishings, clothes, books, antiques, toys, furniture, dishes, jewelry, appliances, you name it. They have great ties and shirts, and a lot of sportswear. Located just off the Coralville exit by Wal-Mart. The second store is near K-Mart in Iowa City. They have a large selection of books on all topics, well-organized and nicely displayed. One recent find was an Alfred Hitchcock mystery book from the 70s in mint condition for $.80! The phone number for Stuff Etc., West is 319-545-8408 Now in Davenport, IA on Brady. The Book Lady: She comes to Kaplan College. As at our front desk. We always have a nice selection of children’s books and gift books on display from her inventory. Fred and Ethels, 30th Street, Rock Island, IL. Vintage Rose; 15th ave. and 30th Street Rock Island, IL. Church Sales and Rummage Sales: The Resale Shop: 2218 37th Moline [right off Avenue of the Cities. This is a consignment store which also carries new things. They have a lot of books, and they are all in excellent condition. The Salvation Army : Once known as strictly a thrift store, the Salvation Army carries many new items and advertises them on its marquees. Their clothing is very reasonable, and they change merchandise with the season. They have a lot of books and shoes, and also carry a section for antiques and collectibles. • Store off 7th Street in Moline, 701 19th Avenue, Moline • 2125 11th Street, Rock Island • 420 W. River Drive, Davenport • 415 W. 2d, Davenport • 4303 N. Brady, Davenport Wholesale Books: American Book Display/ 736 Federal Street, Davenport Yard Sales, Garage Sales, Auctions: These are great sources that are often overlooked. It is possible to find antiquarian books, used law books and textbooks, good dictionaries, paper dolls and paper products, art books, children’s books you name it. Most people sell them for $.50 or a quarter, and many are first editions. I recently found pristine copies of Grisham novels for only $.75 each. I’ve also found gorgeous German Bibles written in script, the Time-Life books on Great Civilizations for only $.25 each, and many prints by famous artists that come in their own folders. One worries about the literacy of America if everyone is willing to part with their books, but hey, we may as well profit from it!! • Scotty's Auction/ 5403 Rockingham Road, Davenport • Milan Auction Barn/337 E. 2d Avenue/Milan, IL • Sharpless Auction. Iowa City, Iowa, Just off I-80, Exit 249. Besides special auctions, they hold them every Wed. at 5:30. • Thursday Papers: Check our local papers on Thursdays; all the auctions are listed, and they do mention when they sell books. Book Outlets and Outlet Stores: Tanger Factory Outlets. Williamsburg, IA. Brandeis University Book Sales [across the country]: http://www.brandeisusedbooks.org/. They also have an on line books store, brandeisbooks.com, and links for donating books. This is a wonderful sale, and I used to catch it regularly in San Jose, CA, where they held it at shopping malls. This is a site worth surfing. At their sale, I saw for the first time, the real Wizard of Ox books by L. Frank Baum. They also provide phone numbers and book club information on their site. Named for a Supreme Court Justice, they live up to their namesake. Chicago Book Fair: http://www.chicagotribune.com/extras/printersrow/: June 4-6, 2004. Check their site. See the following quote from their webpage where they write: “The largest free literary event in the Midwest, the Chicago Tribune Printers Row Book Fair features five tented blocks in the historic Printers Row district and showcases the nation's most diverse booksellers displaying new, used and antiquarian books for sale. Annually the Book Fair offers more than 90 free literary programs including readings and book-signings by famous authors, panel discussions of cutting edge issues, non-stop poetry readings, a Writers' Marketplace and two full days of children's programming. All Book Fair events are free and open to the public. The Chicago Tribune Printers Row Book Fair is located on South Dearborn between Congress and Polk, and at the Harold Washington Library Center in downtown Chicago. Stay tuned for more information, and don't miss this fantastic literary event!” Computer Books: Borders Barnes and Noble Babbages: This electronics store features games and books on computers and gaming. I’m giving the URL for my MSN search. http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=babbages&FORM=SMCRT Walden Radio Shack Kaplan University: Yes, that’s right, us!! Never underestimate our book sales, faculty generosity, and occasional free giveaways, [latter usually in the Student Lounge]. We also sell books on other subjects. Check with Student Council. There are also many free publications like The River Cities Reader free for the taking at various locations throughout the College. E-books: UAL Library Quad Linc: Telnet: On line: Alibris.com. www.alibris.com. Credit cards only, secure sight. Has a good newsletter and discounts. They are very reliable, and ship within one or two days. You can also buy music and movies. I give this five stars. Amazon.com. www.amazon.com. You can find book reviews, read excerpts, engage in lists, do searches, buy used books, etc. They sell other merchandise as well, including movies and DVDs. Diversity, Inc., Newsletter.. newsletter@diversity.com. The initial announcements are free; most things require a subscription, but it’s a good way to get an idea of the issues going on in society. Half Dot.com. http://half.ebay.com/index.jsp • Textbook Superstore. http://half.ebay.com/browse/browse.cfm?tag=tb_books. This is the half price division of EBay, with as many categories and possibilities. This is a special link on the Half.com homepage which specializes in textbooks in the following categories. Categories Books at Half.com: Categories – Featured in Books Textbooks Bargain Bins Antiquarian on eBay Textbooks Accounting & Finance Architecture & Design Art & Photography Audiobooks Biography & Autobiography Browse Books by Time Period Business Children & Teens Computers Cooking Family, Parenting & Education Fiction & Literature Games & Humor Gender Studies History Home & Garden Medical Mind & Body Movies, Music & Performing Arts Mystery & Thriller Nature & Animals Reference Religion & Spirituality Romance Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Science, Technology & Transportation Social Sciences & Politics Sports & Recreation Travel eBay Books Book Recommendations Bargain Bins at Half.com: On a recent perusal, I found Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for $.99! http://half.ebay.com/products/bargain_bin.cfm?tag=books&format=paperback. This is a great place to look for special topics and children’s books. You could spend all day just surfing back and forth. Etsy.com Powells Books.com Yahoo Auctions. www.yahoo.com BookCrossing. www.bookcrossing.com: The have a great site for book lovers. This site is full of tips for successful reading and enjoyment of books. Members exchange books and book reviews. They also share book ratings. Book Sense. www.booksense.com Salon Books. www.salon.com/books: They provide reviews of books and also have links for other arts and entertainment subjects. There is always a feature book and a well-written review. EBay. www.ebay.com. They have categories for books, just as they do for anything else. The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. www.lawbookexchange.com. They sell new and used law books, and also rare and antiquarian law books. They will also do appraisals and sell just published books as well. Legal Affairs Magazine. Legal Affairs.com . www.legalaffairs.com. What’s good about this periodical is that the whole thing is on line, not just selected parts, as other magazines are selected for the Web and you don’t get the whole thing. MSNBC.com : www.msnbc.com: They always have featured book excerpts. Look for The Today Show link. Home Improvement Books and Crafts: Dover Books: http://www.doverbooks.com/. They have terrific paper products, many of them retro. They also provide books about different cultures, and the Dover Thrift Classics are famous for only costing $1.00. The have great catalogs, and send them often. If you are looking for children’s books, this is the place to go. Ben Franklin: 2500 52 Avenue, Moline. Ben Franklin has a good selection of pattern books of all kinds. There are also books and magazines on crafts, painting, and jewelry. BF carries unusual pens, gifts, and office supplies as well as hobby and craft supplies. They occasionally have 90% off sales. Hancock Fabrics. Michaels Hobby Lobby. 2121 Kimberly Road, Bettendorf. Also in Iowa City. They give away free patterns, and have lots of books, pattern books, graphics, paper arts, and magazines. Lowe's: They and Menards carry a complete line of Sunset Books, published by the Lane Family in California [they are big contributors to Stanford U]. They also carry books on other art and construction projects. • 3955 Elmore Avenue • 3820 44th Avenue Drive, Moline Menards: • 22 W. 53d, Davenport • 4100 10th Street Drive, Moline North West Office and Art Supplies: 1609 Washington/Davenport Michael's: 53d and Eastern, Davenport. They carry all kinds of hobby and craft magazines, as well as patterns and self-help books. They also hold classes and carry framing supplies. They, too, give away free patterns. Wal-Mart: They have a huge selection of books, art supplies, school supplies, patterns, paper supplies, and magazines. They also have great videos, CDs, and DVDs at reasonable prices, many under $10.00, and some hard to find. Wal-Mart carries classic brands like White Stag at very low prices. They also carry their own brands, and regular prices are usually under $20.00. Their sales can yield phenomenal bargains, so that a dress shirt can sell for $4.00, and a woman’s blouse can go for $.50! Wal-Mart also has a great yard goods and notions department where many fabrics sell for $1.00 per yard. They are a good place for shoes and even carry brands like Dr. Scholl’s. Also, they have reasonable house wares and school supplies. If you are mistakenly charged the regular price on a sales item, you sometimes can get a refund if you draw the cashier’s attention to the mistake. Super Wal-Mart has the added attraction of online shopping, and one-stop shopping. You can buy groceries and work clothes all in one fell swoop! If you live in the Carbondale, IL area, you can go to the Wal-Mart discount store, Bud’s. Check the Web for other locations and for online shopping. • 5811 Elmore Avenue, Davenport • 3930 44th Avenue, Moline • New store in West Davenport Sam’s: If you are willing to pay the yearly membership price, you can find literally anything. They have great deals on designer clothes, office supplies, groceries, and books. Books are always discounted, sometimes near wholesale prices. They have wonderful journals and blank books for keeping school notes or addresses, or even creative writings. Sweaters that cost $75.00 and up elsewhere go for $12.99 at Christmas. They also have great ideas for office gifts. One Christmas, I received as a gift a hand painted Italian ceramic jar full of biscotti. The jar was about 18 inches high and 8 inches in diameter; it cost $19.99. If it had come from Williams Sonoma, it would have cost at least three times that amount. Trust me; I know these things. • 3887 Elmore Avenue, Davenport Somerset Studios and Stampington.com. www.stampington.com: This is a gorgeous magazine that uses visual techniques to tell a story. There are a lot of links for rubber stamps, paint, graphics, patterns, ideas, etc. Most issues revolve around a theme, e.g., Homer’s Odyssey. The collages, boxes, and homemade books incorporate themes from art and literature. It is a gorgeous magazine, and explores truly what a text is, and what art and writing across the curriculum are. • Zines: Zines are self-published periodicals and magazines on a variety of subjects. The best, to me, are those that incorporate collage, painting, and paper arts to illustrate a theme. Anyone can start a zine; I worked on one in College called An Ounce of Civet. In the 19th century, they were often called Chapbooks. Emily Dickinson was on her way to creating them when she sewed her poems into little books. They are a lot of fun to make; review Somerset Studios magazine and look at the hand made art journals that people do, and you will have an idea of what a zine is. o The Book of Zines: http://www.zinebook.com/ o INKPOT’S ZINE SCENE: www.inkpot.com/zines. o Library Journals, Newsletters, and Zines: www.libdex.com/journals.html o Zines. www.etex.org/Zines Martha Stewart Living and www.marthastewart.com: The Distressed Domestic Diva still has a useful website, numerous books on decorating, crafts, recipes, and entertaining, and an award winning magazine. Don’t be a snob; she still has some useful ideas! Mary Englebreit Magazine: This St. Louis artist is famous for her character Anne Estelle and Daisy Kingdom designs. Her magazine has great ideas and features terrific paper dolls. She is also quite a philanthropist for those interested in working with charities of all types. Scrap Album. www.scrapalbum.com: This is a beautiful site with great links on Victorian scraps and ephemera. There is a lot of history as well, but it is so visually beautiful, that it is worth a surf. Victoriana. www.victoriana.com. This, site, too, is rich in links and has gorgeous graphics. There are places to buy actual Victorian antiques, and every aspect of Victorian life is covered. Department Stores and Grocery Stores: Hy-Vee: Northgate Shopping Center. Our own neighbor carries many books and magazines for all ages and for all interests. They also have nice collector’s trading cards and sports card memorabilia. K-Mart: Many of these stores carry books and videos in Spanish as well as English. They have best sellers and children’s books, often discounted. The Big K is a great place to find work clothes, too. They carry several professional lines, including Jacqueline Smith. These are reasonably priced and well made. They have great sales after Christmas through early March, where blouses and sweaters can cost $4.00 or less. K-Mart is a good place to buy basics, like simple shirts and blouses, shoes, handbags, wallets, undergarments and lingerie, and sweaters. Vogue, Seventeen, Glamour, and other style magazines feature stories and elaborate ads on the fashion finds available at K-Mart. They are also a good place to look for office supplies and personal toiletries. • 3661 W. Kimberly, Davenport • 5000 Avenue of the Cities, Moline • 3840 46th Avenue, Rock Island Kohls: You may be familiar with them because Jim Victor reports on their stocks every morning on KWQC. They are a fast growing retailer with great sales and senior discount days. Kohls features nice children’s books that they sell for $5.00 as a charitable project. They have a great selection of children’s books and toys. They have many sales at 80% off, even 90% off. It is possible to buy skirts for $.70, and blouses for $2.00!! Major brands including Sag Harbor, Dockers, and Villager are always discounted from 10-25%. They have nice men’s furnishings and sportswear adaptable to business attire, and a wide variety of reasonably priced shoes. • 800 42nd Avenue Drive, Moline • 3910 Elmore, Davenport, IA Marshall's : The new store is open at Duck Creek. Marshalls has a nice selection of gift books and journals. They are one of the most famous of the national discount retailers. Almost everything in the store is already discounted at around 50%, but there are mark downs on top of that. They carry Perry Ellis, Liz, Ralph Lauren [Polo and Chaps], Koret, and other major brands for men and women. They have a good selection of shoes and accessories, as well as toiletries for men and women. Usually once a month on a Thursday, they take an additional 25% off red-tagged sale items. They also carry calendars and office furnishings. Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, Tuesday Morning, and Gordman’s require frequent visits, since you never really know what you will find there. Sometimes, you can add your name to a mailing list for advance notice of sales. They carry plus sizes. • Duck Creek Plaza, Bettendorf Sam's: If you are willing to pay the yearly membership price, you can find literally anything. They have great deals on designer clothes, office supplies, groceries, and books. Sweaters that cost $75.00 and up elsewhere go for $12.99 at Christmas. They also have great ideas for office gifts. One Christmas, I received as a gift a hand painted Italian ceramic jar full of biscotti. The jar was about 18 inches high and 8 inches in diameter; it cost $19.99. If it had come from Williams Sonoma, it would have cost at least three times that amount. Trust me; I know these things. • 3887 Elmore Avenue, Davenport Target and Super Target: Target is owned by the same folks who own Marshall Fields. Their books selection is very good. Target also sells DVDs, CDs, videos, and magazines. You can also find great clothes and accessories there. They have great sales on professional attire for men and women. You can sometimes buy a dress for $4.00, shells, skirts, and lingerie for even less. They carry all sizes for both sexes, and a professional line of maternity clothes, Liz Lange. Supertarget is open almost all of the time. They have wonderful groceries from all over the world, a sushi bar, Starbucks, a good snack bar, books, great seasonal items, etc. It is not unusual to find 75% off or more off items during their sales. • 900 42nd Avenue Drive, Moline • 1850 E. 54th, Davenport T.J. Maxx: 53d and Elmore, Davenport. They have wonderful paper products, videos, art books, audio books [my weakness], history books, and children’s books. All are discounted, and sometimes, you can buy one for $.75 or less. It’s pretty much hit and miss, so visit often. Tuesday Morning: Village Shopping Center, Davenport. Tuesdays also has wonderful wrapping paper, boxes, cards, and notes. They, too, carry art books and videos. Big Lots: Brady Street, Davenport. Also Galesburg, Il and La Salle-Peru, IL. Libraries and Library Stores: Augustana College Library: Occasional book sales. There is also an annual book sale at Augie to benefit WVIK. Bettendorf Library • Dewey’s' Cafe [formerly, The Novel Cafe]. They sell magazines, current and past, books, and paperbacks, all for $.10. • Library Proper: Ms. Hedy Hustedde, information librarian, puts together wonderful, helpful pamphlets about authors and types of books. So, if you like Anne Rice, that pamphlet, charmingly illustrated, also contains lists of books and authors similar to Rice. They are great reference materials for papers. • Also, the library has book discussions; I plan on leading one on Rice next fall, The library also hosts special events. They have been working on a community-wide Emily Dickinson project which involves planting her garden on library grounds. They also sponsor writing contests. Black Hawk College Learning Resource Center [books sales and book give-aways] Galva Public Library: Galva, IL. They have a great book sale during the Stark County Scenic drive every year during the last Saturday in September. Geneseo Public Library. Geneseo, IL. Annual book sales. Kaplan College Academic Resource Center and Student Council Sales. Occasional Book Give-aways, too. Law Library, Iowa City [gives away discarded books] Main Library, Iowa City [sales] Modern Woodman [private library] Moline Public Library O'Keefe Library, St. Ambrose Rock Island County Courthouse Library Rock Island Library Rock Island Library, 31st Street Branch Southern Illinois University, Morris Library, annual book sale University of Iowa Libraries, various disciplines Western Illinois University Museums: Chicago Art Institute: They have a great book store, and an annex in Oakbrook Shopping Center. Their fantastic books on art are often discounted, and the postcards are plentiful and varied. There are also many booklets around the displays in the museum that cost $.25. Some are free. Museum of Science and Industry: As with most major museums, they have a great gift shop that includes wonderful books on all topics. Oriental Institute: Ditto the Oriental Institute. If you can, catch the PBS special on the origins of the Institute. Strong Museum, Rochester, NY: http://www.strongmuseum.org/. Margaret Woodbury Strong was an eccentric and wealthy millionaire married to the heir of Kodak fortune. She collected folk art and dolls of al kinds, and established a museum. There are over 25,000 dolls, and an extensive library. They allow scholars to write for information and will send photos. Field Museum, Chicago: They have one of the best book selections on art, native American and indigenous cultures, artifacts, jewelry, and other types of related objects. Hoover Presidential Library: They have great selections on Laura Ingalls Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane, including The Little House Books and critical books about the family. Some are by local authors and are often autographed. In fact, the papers of Rose Wilder Lane are housed there. They also have a large historical and biographical section of books about presidents and first ladies, as well as Dover books, sticker books, postcards, photographs, Hoover memorabilia, etc. There are discounts for students, children, and seniors, but the gift shop is free. Metropolitan Museum of Art: They have a great catalog which features art books. Eugene Filed House. St. Louis, MO. National Museum of Play/the Strong Museum. Museum of play.org. The British Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum University Presses: Oxford University Press Cambridge Press University of Wisconsin Press The Hogarth Press The Southern Illinois University Press Black Hawk College Book Store. Scott Community College Bookstore Augustana College Bookstore Church Sales and Private Church Libraries: Assumption Greek Orthodox Church Gift Shop [contact Church]: 792-2912 St. George Greek Orthodox Church Boutique [contact Church]: 786-8163 Tri-City Jewish Center [contact Synagogue]: 788-3426 Christian Book Stores: The Faith Explained: 114 ½ W. 3d, Davenport Family Christian Stores: • 102 E. Kimberly, Davenport • 3930 38th Avenue, Moline In His Steps: Northpark Mall Religious Supply Store: Village of East Davenport Book Repair: • GBC Binding Systems, 933 E. 53d, Davenport, 391-7696 Antiquarian Books: Source Books Store Viewing – Augustana College Special Collections Festivals where books are sold: Spoon River Scenic Drive: http://www.spoonriverdrive.org/ Knox County Scenic Drive : http://home.grics.net/~scenicdrive/ Stark County Scenic Drive. http://www.outfitters.com/illinois/stark/ Kewanee Hog Festival: http://www.ilohwy.com/k/kewanee.htm Left Bank Art League Annual Show: Books by Bill Hannan, and handmade paper objet d'art. http://www.worldlyviews.com/news.htm Artists who make books: William Hannan, artistic book artist. http://www.midcoast.org/artist/whannan/ Paper Dolls: • Borders • Barnes and Noble • Watermark Corners • Marilee’s Paper Doll Page: http://marilee.us/paperdolls3.html • Paperdoll.com • The Paper Soldier [periodical] Lord Byron Miscellaneous Sources: Readers Digest Books: Majesty Books: Time-Life Books: Office Max Staples Majors Art and Hobby: Book Fairs: Check Local Grade Schools and High Schools Keepsake Corners. Cumberland Square, Bettendorf, and Moline, across from Southpark Mall. They have scrapbooks and supplies, and incredible stickers and paper. Near Dick Blick in Moline. Teachers Aide: Moline, across from Southpark Mall. They have great student books for grades K-12. Many are guides for studying literature or work books. They also have stickers and flash cards, and great educational toys. Magazines: • Bibliophile • Writers' Digest • Romantic Times Writers Organizations • Midwestern Writing Center • Mississippi Valley Poets • Romance Writers of the Quad Cities • Midwestern Writing Conference, newsletter and workshop • • Book Clubs [Bettendorf library]. Books On Line: Bibliomania: http://www.bibliomania.com/: Free books and complete texts, as well as study guides on line in various disciplines. Project Guttenberg : Similar to Bibliomania. http://www.promo.net/pg/. Named for the Guttenberg Bible, this is a fantastic site for E-books and other online materials It’s all free, and is absolutely wonderful to surf. Legal Periodicals, Hard Copy and Online: AAfPe Publications ABA Publications The Champaign County Chronicle: Published by my cousin, Chuck Fanakos. This is a nostalgia newspaper that looks at various months in history. It has wonderful graphics and is a lot of fun and informative as well. Legal Affairs.com Illinois Bar Journal Iowa Lawyer The Jurist Newsletter [free] NALA Publications NFPE Publications The Paralegal Reporter Lawschool.westlaw.com. www.lawschool.westlaw.com/faculty/proftools.asp Institute for Law Teaching. http://law.gonzaga.edu/ilst.Newsletters/Spring02.Itonlines02.htm Newspapers: The Washington Post QC Online The Des Moines Register The Chronicle of Higher Education The Chicago Tribune The Chicago Sun Times The New York Times The Argus The Moline Dispatch The San Jose Mercury News USA Today The Wall street Journal Le Monde The Orthodox Observer Pravda The Daily Iowan The Daily Egyptian [Southern Illinois University] Scribes: Journal of Legal Writing. www.scribes.org/journal.htm Journal of Technology Law and Policy. grove.ufl.edu/~techlaw The Haworth Press, Inc. www.haworthpressinc.com • Journal of Whiplash & Related Disorders • Journal of Women and Aging • Latin American Business Review • Legal References Services • American Journal of International Law. www.asil.org/Abtajo.htm • Stanford Journal of International Law. www.stanfrod.edu/group/SJIL • Journal of the Association of Legal Writing Directors. www.alweed.org/alwdResources/alwdErasingLines.Title.pdf • Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law.www.cardozo.yu.edu.cjicl Websites and URLs: Legal Writing in Plain English-University of Chicago Press. http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/garner/documents/section3.html Distance Learning Support and Mentoring: http://maxpages.com.edsupport Study Guides and Strategies: www.lss.stthomas.edu.studyguides Braindancing for Students. http://braindance.com Eggleston's Distance Education Resources. http:www.the-eggman.com Nolo Press Self-help Law Center: http://www.nolo.com Famous Trials.www.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials Law Crawler. www.lawcrawler.com Lawsource, Inc. www.lawsource.com Law Journal Extra!. ww.ljx.com Substantive Law on the World Wide Web. www.mohter.com/~randy/law Law Guru.www.lawguru.com FastSearch. www.fastsearch.com Law School Websites: • Chicago-Kent College of Law. www.kentlaw.edu • Cornell Law School. www.law.cornell.edu/library • Emory Law Library. www.law.emory.edu/law/refdes/reference The Drudge Report: http://www.drudgereport.com/ The Smoking Gun : www.smokinggun.com. This site has the original court papers for many famous celebrity cases. You can see actual pleadings, briefs, motions and other documents. Be very careful; this site is habit forming. Celebrity Justice: http://celebrityjustice.warnerbros.com/ Court Decisions on the Web. www.stanford.edu/group/law/library/how/web.courts The Courthouse. www.ljextra.com Internal Revenue Service Homepage. www.irs.ustreas.gov/prod/cover Legal and Government Forms: • Versuslaw. www.versuslaw.com/versuslaw/forms • Findlaw. www.findalw.com/16forms.index • Lectric Law Library Forms room: www.lectlaw.com • U.S. CourtForms. www.uscourtforms.com Bibliographies: • AALS Workshop for Women in Legal Education Bibliography.www.aals.org/wlepp/biblio.html Court TV. http://www.courttv.com/ State Web Sites: • court opinions New Hampshire: www.state.nh.us/courts New York: www.law.cornell.edu/ny/ctap North Carolina. www.nando.net/insider North Dakota. http://sc3.court.state.nd.us Ohio. www.sconet.ohio.gov Oklahoma. www.ou.edu/okgov Oregon. www.wilamette.edu/~ecrowell/law Pennsylvania. www.cert.net/penna~courts South Carolina. www.law.sc.edu/opinions South Dakota. www.sdbar.org/opinions Tennessee. www.tsc.state.tn.us/opinions Texas. www.winodw.state.tx.us.txgovinf Vermont. http://dol.state.vt.us.WWW_ROOT Virginia. http://legl.state.va.us Washington.www.wa.gov/courts West Virginia. www.scusoco.wynet.edu/www Wisconsin. www.wisvar.org.WIS Wyoming. http://courts.state.wy.us • state statutes Nevada. http://venus.optimis.com New Hampshire. www.state.nh.us/gencourt New Jersey. www.njleg.state.nj.us New York. http://assembly.staeny.us/ALIS North Carolina. www.legislature.state.nc.us Attorney General Opinions: United States Attorney General. www.usdoj.gov/ag/index.html Washington Law. www.washlaw.edu WESTLAW. www.westlaw.com Lexis/Nexis Findlaw.com. www.findlaw.com Hieros Gamos: http://www.hg.org/ Find Articles.com. www.findarticles.com Websites of Individual Authors • Stephen King. http://www.stephenking.com/index_flash.php • Anne Rice. http://www.annerice.com/ • John Grisham. http://www.randomhouse.com/features/grisham/ • Anne Rule . http://www.annrules.com/ Legal Sites, More Courts, and University Websites 'Lectric Law Library. www.lectlaw.com Voice of the Shuttle Legal Studies. http://vos.ucsb.edu/browse.asp?id=2716 The Death Penalty Project: http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/lawlibrary/death/ The Crime Library: http://www.crimelibrary.com/ The Black Dahlia Site. www.bethshort.com United States Supreme Court: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/ 8th Circuit: http://www.ca8.uscourts.gov/index.html 7th Circuit: http://www.ca7.uscourts.gov/ Uniform Commercial Code. http://www2.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/foliocgi.exe/ucc2/query=*doc{tf9l}/pageitems={ref}? Amnesty International.www.amnesty.org NAACP. www.naacp.org United Nations. www.un.org NATO. http://www.nato.int/ Other Federal and State Courts: • http://www.maxwell.syr.edu.plegal/scales/court.html • http://www.judicial.state.iowa.us/students • http://www.courts.net • http://lawyerviews.com/lawsite.courts.html • http://landmarkcases.org/mapp/courtsystem.html • http://www.faculty.ncwc.edu.toconnor/111.111lect08.htm Online Dictionaries of Law: • The Jurist Law Dictionary. www.jurist.law.pitt.edu/dictionary.htm • 'Lectric Law Library Dictionary. www. lectlaw.com/def.htm • Real Life Dictionary of Law. www.dictionary.law.com • www.4lawschool.com • www.lawinfo.com/lawdictionary • www.chesslaw.com • Cornell Law School. www.law.cornell.edu • www.1000dictionaries.com/index.html • Court TV Dictionary.www.courttv.com/glossary.html • Lloyd Duhaime Law Dictionary. www.wwlia.org/diction/htm • Oran's Law Dictionary. www.lawoffice.com/pathfind/orans/orans.asp • Find Law Dictionary. http://findlaw.com Directories: • Martindale-Hubbell. www.martindale.com • West.www.lawoffice.com The Blue Book: A Uniform System of Citation: http://www.legalbluebook.com/ Federal Rules of Evidence: http://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/fre/overview.html The Uniform Commercial Code: http://www.law.cornell.edu/ucc/ucc.table.html Federal Rules of Civil Procedure: http://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcp/overview.htm Model Penal Code: http://www.legal-definitions.com/model-penal-code.htm • MPC: Selected Bibliography. • http://wings.buffalo.edu/law/bclc/bclrarticles/4%281%29/bibpdf.pdf • http://www.fdpress.com/fdpress/crimlaw.htm • http://www.ali.org/ali/stu_mod_pen.htm CFR [Code of Federal Regulations]: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html U.S. Constitution: http://www.house.gov/Constitution/Constitution.html USC: [United States Code] - http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/ • IRS Code. http://www.taxableincome.net/exhibits/uscaindex.html Environmental law Institute: WWW.ELI.ORG West/Thompson: http://west.thomson.com/store/product.asp?product%5Fid=USCA&catalog%5Fname=wgstore Aspen: http://www.aspenpublishers.com/default.asp?readcookie=N Writing and Grammar Sites: • Purdue University Online Writing Lab: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/ Modern Language Association: MLA.org • Citation Examples: http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/education/hcc/library/mlahcc.html • MLA Citation/Online Writing Lab. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/ • Library of Congress Law Researchers: http://www.loc.gov/law/public/law.html PBS.org Search Engines, Browsers, and the Like: • Yahoo.com • Google.com • Looksmart.com • Big Mamma.com • Dogpile.com • Exite.com • Geocities.com • MSN Explorer • AOL.com • About.com • Netscape Software: • Office XP - Pleading Wizard Arbitration and Mediation: INTERNET RESOURCES ADR Resources. • ABA Section of Dispute Resolution • http://www.abanet.org/dispute/ • The Center for Dispute Resolution, Inc. • http://family.knick.net/cadr/ • Centre for Conflict Resolution International • http://conflictatwork.com • CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution • http://www.cpradr.org • Arbitration Resources • American Arbitration Association • http://www.adr.org/ • National Arbitration Forum • http://www.arb-forum.com/ • United States Arbitration and Mediation • http://www.usam.com/ Mediation Resources • Center for On-Line Mediation, University of Maryland, School of Law • http://www.mediate-net.org/ • Mediation and Information Resource Center • http://www.mediate.com • United States Arbitration and Mediation • http:/www.usam.com/ Multicultural Law Enforcement: • Interpol at http://www.interpol.int/. • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 at http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/vii.html The Center for the Book - The University of Iowa: http://www.uiowa.edu/~ctrbook/ Employment in Law: • Monster.com • QC Employ Me • Law Jobs WWW.www.lawlib.wuacc.edue/postlaw.joblists.htm • The Legal Employment Search Site. www.legalemploy.com Bibliography: Basbanes, Nicholas A. A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books. Henry Holt, 1999. ---. Among the Gently Mad: Strategies and Perspectives for the Book-Hunter in the 21st Century. Henry Holt, 2002. Bookwormer.com. www.bookwormer.com. [Buying cheap books]. Carter, John. ABCs for Book Collectors. Oak Knoll Press, 2000. Goudey, Pat. The Collector’s Price Guide to Collecting Books. House of Collectibles, 2002. “The Best for Less: An Insider’s Guide to Great Bargains.” Reader’s Digest. June 2004. 73+. McBride, Bill. Pocket Guide to Identification of First Editions. McBride Publications, 2001. Wright, Fred. “The History and Characteristics of Zines.” http://www.zinebook.com/resource/wright1.html

Dead Poet’s Café: John Deere Commons, Moline. A great place to ponder and write, and to view vintage portraits of Poe, Bronte, Emerson, and all the greats!

- Appendix Some Useful Sites for Students and Book Lovers

What is a blog?

Here are some excerpts from Darren Rowse's site. This is a blog about blogs and is very useful and helpful. I think you will find lots of good information and inspiration here. Enjoy. What is a Blog? Filed Under: Pro Blogging News So what is a Blog anyway? It’s a good question to ask at the beginning of a Blogging for Beginners Series as it is a question I am asked every week. There are a number of ways I could answer this question ranging from the broad to the highly technical. Here are a few definitions from other much wiser people on the ‘what is a blog?’ question to get us started (and once you’ve seen what they have to say on the topic I’ll share my own thoughts): ‘A weblog is a hierarchy of text, images, media objects and data, arranged chronologically, that can be viewed in an HTML browser.’ Source ‘A frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links.’ Source ‘From “Web log.” A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.”‘ Source ‘A weblog is kind of a continual tour, with a human guide who you get to know. There are many guides to choose from, each develops an audience, and there’s also comraderie and politics between the people who run weblogs, they point to each other, in all kinds of structures, graphs, loops, etc.’ Source ‘A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.” Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog. Postings on a blog are almost always arranged in cronological order with the most recent additions featured most prominantly.’ Source ‘A blog is a website in which items are posted on a regular basis and displayed in reverse chronological order. The term blog is a shortened form of weblog or web log. Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called “blogging”. Individual articles on a blog are called “blog posts,” “posts” or “entries”. A person who posts these entries is called a “blogger”. A blog comprises text, hypertext, images, and links (to other web pages and to video, audio and other files). Blogs use a conversational style of documentation. Often blogs focus on a particular “area of interest”, such as Washington, D.C.’s political goings-on. Some blogs discuss personal experiences.’ Source. Read more of this post – where I personally answer the question of ‘what is a blog?’ About Darren Rowse Darren Rowse is the founder and editor of ProBlogger Blog Tips and Digital Photography School. Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter at , Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn.

Remarkable Creatures

Here is a freely shared excerpt from bookbrowse.com. I love this book, for its fossil history, Darwinian lore, and great portrayals of "unsuitable attachments" and the passion/need of "something to love" as Pym would write. Enjoy; book is by Tracy Chevalier. Also,you might like another book about a fossil hunter, Ravished by Amanda Quick, and the Bonesetter's Daughter as well: ________________________________________ Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier ONE Different from all the rocks on the beach Lightning has struck me all my life. Just once was it real. I shouldn’t remember it, for I was little more than a baby. But I do remember. I was in a field, where there were horses and riders performing tricks. Then a storm blew in, and a woman—not Mam—picked me up and brought me under a tree. As she held me tight I looked up and saw the pattern of black leaves against a white sky. Then there was a noise, like all the trees falling down round me, and a bright, bright light, which was like looking at the sun. A buzz run right through me. It was as if I’d touched a hot coal, and I could smell singed flesh and sense there was pain, yet it weren’t painful. I felt like a stocking turned inside out. Others begun pulling at me and calling, but I couldn’t make a sound. I was carried somewhere, then there was warmth all round, not a blanket, but wet. I knew where I was because it was water and I knew water - our house was close to the sea, I could see it from our windows. Then I opened my eyes, and it feels like they haven’t been shut since. The lightning killed the woman holding me and two girls standing next to her, but I survived. They say I was a quiet, sickly child before the storm, but after it I grew up lively and alert. I cannot say if they’re right, but the memory of that lightning still runs through me like a shiver. It marks powerful moments of my life: seeing the first crocodile skull Joe found, and finding its body myself; discovering other monsters on the beach; meeting Colonel Birch. Other times I’ll feel the lightning strike and wonder why it’s come. Sometimes I don’t understand, but accept what the lightning tells me, for the lightning is me. It entered me when I was a baby and never left. I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil, a little jolt that says, “Yes, Mary Anning, you are different from all the rocks on the beach.” That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning, and that difference, every day. TWO An unladylike pursuit, dirty and mysterious Mary Anning leads with her eyes. That was clear even the first time we met, when she was but a girl. Her eyes are button brown and bright, and she has a fossil hunter’s tendency always to be looking for something, even when on the street or in a house where there is no possibility of finding anything of interest. It makes her appear vigorous, even when she is still. I have been told by my sisters that I too glance about rather than hold a steady gaze, yet they do not mean it as a compliment as I do with Mary. I have long noted that people tend to lead with one particular feature, a part of the face or body. My brother, John, for instance, leads with his eyebrows. It is not just that they form prominent tufts above his eyes, but they are the part of his face that moves the most, tracing the course of his thoughts as his brow furrows and clears. He is the second eldest of the five Philpot siblings, and the only son, which made him responsible for four sisters after our parents’ death. Such circumstances will move anyone’s eyebrows, though even as a boy he was serious. My youngest sister, Margaret, leads with her hands. Though small, their fingers are proportionately long and elegant, and she plays the piano better than the rest of us. She is given to waving her hands about as she dances, and when she sleeps she throws her arms above her head, even when the room is cold. Frances has been the only Philpot sister to marry, and leads with her bosom ¬ which I suppose explains that. We Philpots are not known for our beauty. Our frames are bony, our features strong. Moreover, there was really only family money enough for one sister to marry with ease, and Frances won the race, leaving Red Lion Square to become the wife of an Essex merchant. I have always admired most those who lead with their eyes, like Mary Anning, for they seem more aware of the world and its workings. That is why I get on best with my eldest sister, Louise. She has gray eyes, like all the Philpots, and says little, but when her eyes fix on you, you take notice. I have always wanted to lead with my eyes as well, but I have not been so fortunate. I have a prominent jaw, and when I grit my teeth — more often than I ought, for the world frustrates me ¬ it tenses and sharpens like an axe blade. At a ball once I overheard a potential suitor say he did not dare ask me to dance for fear of cutting himself on my face. I have never really recovered from that remark. It explains why I am a spinster, and why I dance so seldom. I have longed to move from jaw to eye, but I have noticed that people do not change which feature they lead with, any more than they change in character. And so I am stuck with my strong jaw that puts people off, set in stone like the fossils I collect. Or so I have thought. I met Mary Anning in Lyme Regis, where she has lived all her life. It was certainly not where I expected to live. London was, of course, specifically Red Lion Square, where we Philpots grew up. Though I had heard of Lyme, as one does of seaside resorts when they become fashionable, we had never visited. We usually went to Sussex towns such as Brighton or Hastings during the summer. When she was alive our mother was keen for us to breathe the fresh air and bathe in the sea, for she subscribed to the views of Dr. Richard Russell, who had written a dissertation about the remarkable creatures benefit of seawater, to bathe in and to drink as well. I refused to drink seawater, but I did swim sometimes. I was at home by the sea, though I never thought that would become a literal truth. Two years after our parents’ death, however, my brother announced at dinner one evening his engagement to the daughter of one of our late father’s solicitor friends. We kissed and congratulated John, and Margaret played a celebratory waltz on the piano. But in bed that night I wept, as I suspected my sisters did as well, for our London lives as we knew them were over. Once our brother married there would be neither the place nor the money for us all to live at Red Lion Square. The new Mrs. Philpot would of course want to be mistress of her own home, and fill the house with children. Three sisters was a surfeit, especially when we were unlikely to marry. For Louise and I both knew we were destined to remain spinsters. Because we had little money, our looks and characters were meant to attract husbands, yet ours were too irregular to help us. Though her eyes lifted and brightened her face, Louise was very tall - far taller than most men could manage ¬ and had large hands and feet. Moreover, she was so quiet that suitors were unnerved by her, thinking she was judging them. She probably was. As for me, I was small and bony and plain, and I could not flirt, but would try to talk about serious things, and that drove the men away too. We were to be moved on, then, like sheep shifted from one cropped field to another. And John must be our shepherd. The next morning he laid on the breakfast table a book he had borrowed from a friend. “I thought for your summer holiday you might like to go somewhere new rather than visit our aunt and uncle in Brighton again,” he suggested. “A little tour, if you like, along the south coast. With the war with France cutting off travel to the Continent, so many more coastal resorts are springing up. There may be places you will like even more than Brighton. Eastbourne, perhaps, or Worthing. Or further afield, to Lymington, or the Dorset coast: Weymouth or Lyme Regis.” John was reciting these places as if going down a list in his head, placing a little tick beside each one as he named it. That was how his tidy solicitor’s mind worked. He had clearly thought through where he wanted us to go, though he would herd us there gently. “Have a look to see what you fancy.” John tapped the book. Although he said nothing, we all knew we were looking not simply for a holiday destination, but for a new home, where we could live in gently diminished circumstances rather than as London paupers. When he had gone out to his chambers, I picked up the book. “ ‘A Guide to All the Watering and Sea¬Bathing Places for 1804,’ ” I read out, for Louise’s and Margaret’s benefit. Flipping through it, I found entries on English towns in alphabetical order. Fashionable Bath had the longest entry, of course ¬ forty¬nine pages, along with a large map and a pull-out panoramic view of the city, with its even, elegant facades cupped by surrounding hills. Our beloved Brighton had twenty-three pages and a glowing report. I looked up the towns our brother had mentioned, some of which were little more than glorified fishing villages, warranting only two pages of indifferent platitudes. John had made a dot in the margin of each. I expect he had read every entry in the book and chosen those that suited best. He had done his research. “What’s wrong with Brighton?” Margaret demanded. I was reading about Lyme Regis then and grimaced. “Here is your answer.” I handed her the guide. “Look at what John has marked.” “ ‘Lyme is frequented principally by persons in the middle class of life,’ ” Margaret read aloud, “ ‘who go there, not always in search of their lost health, but as frequently perhaps to heal their wounded fortunes, or to replenish their exhausted revenues.’ ” She let the book drop in her lap. “Brighton is too expensive for the Philpot sisters, then, is it?” “You could stay here with John and his wife,” I suggested in a burst of generosity. “They could manage one of us, I expect. We may as well not all be banished to the coast.” “Nonsense, Elizabeth, we shan’t be separated,” Margaret declared with a loyalty that made me hug her. That summer we toured the coast as John had suggested, accompanied by our aunt and uncle, our future sister¬in¬law and her mother, and John when he could manage it. Our companions made comments like “What glorious gardens! I envy those who live here all year round and can walk in them anytime they like”; or “This circulating library is so well stocked you would think you were in London”; or “Isn’t the air here so soft and fresh? I wish I could breathe this every day of the year.” It was galling to have others judge our future so casually, especially our sister-in-law, who would be taking over the Philpot house and didn’t seriously have to consider living in Worthing or Hastings. Her comments became so irritating that Louise began excusing herself from group outings, and I made more and more tetchy remarks. Only Margaret enjoyed the novelty of the new places, even if only to laugh at the mud at Lymington or the rustic theater at Eastbourne. She liked Weymouth best, for King George’s love of the town made it more popular than the others, with several coaches a day from London and Bath, and a constant influx of fashionable people. As for myself, I was out of sorts throughout much of the tour. Knowing you may be forced to move somewhere can ruin it as a place for a holiday. It was difficult to view a resort as anything but inferior to London. Even Brighton and Hastings, places that previously I had loved to visit, seemed lacking in spirit and grace. By the time we reached Lyme Regis, only Louise, Margaret, and I were left: John had had to return to his chambers, and had taken his fiancée and her mother back with him, and our uncle’s gout had caught up with him, sending him and our aunt limping back to Brighton. We were escorted to Lyme by a family we’d met in Weymouth, who accompanied us on the coach and helped us to get settled at lodgings in Broad Street, the town’s main thoroughfare. Of all the places we visited that summer, I found Lyme the most appealing. It was September by then, which is a lovely month anywhere. With its mildness and golden light it will soften even the grimmest resort. We were blessed with good weather, and with freedom from the expectations of our family. At last I could form my own opinion of where we might live. Lyme Regis is a town that has submitted to its geography rather than forced the land to submit to it. The hills into town are so steep that coaches cannot travel down them- passengers are left at the Queen’s Arms at Charmouth or the crossroads at Uplyme and brought down in carts. The narrow road leads down to the shore, and then quickly turns its back on the sea and heads uphill again, as if it wants merely to glimpse the waves before fleeing. The bottom, where the tiny River Lym pours into the sea, forms the square in the center of town. The Three Cups - the main inn - is there, across from the Customs House and from the Assembly Rooms that, while modest, boast three glass chandeliers and a fine bay window overlooking the shore. Houses spread out from the center, along the coast and up the river, and shops and the Shambles market stalls march up Broad Street. It is not planned, like Bath or Cheltenham or Brighton, but wriggles this way and that, as if trying to escape the hills and sea, and failing. But that is not all there is to Lyme. It is as if there are two villages side by side, connected by a small sandy beach, where the bathing machines are lined up, awaiting an influx of visitors. The other Lyme, at the west end of the beach, doesn’t shun, but embraces the sea. It is dominated by the Cobb, a long gray stone wall that curves like a finger out into the water and shelters the shore, creating a tranquil harbor for the fishing boats and the trading ships that come from all over. The Cobb is several feet high, and wide enough for three to walk along arm in arm, which many visitors do, for it gives a fine view back to the town and the dramatic shoreline beyond of rolling hills and cliffs in green, gray, and brown. Bath and Brighton are beautiful despite their surroundings, the even buildings with their smooth stone creating an artifice that pleases the eye. Lyme is beautiful because of its surroundings, and despite its indifferent houses. It appealed to me immediately. My sisters were also pleased with Lyme, for different reasons. For Margaret it was simple: She was the belle of Lyme’s balls. At eighteen she was fresh and lively, and as pretty as a Philpot was ever going to be. She had lovely ringlets of dark hair and long arms she liked to hold aloft so that people could admire their graceful lines. If her face was a little long, her mouth a little thin, and the tendons in her neck a little prominent, that did not matter when she was eighteen. It would matter later. At least she didn’t have my hatchet jaw or Louise’s unfortunate height. There were few to match her in Lyme that summer, and the gentlemen gave her more attention than at Weymouth or Brighton, where she had more competitors. Margaret was happy to live from ball to ball, filling the days in between with cards and tea at the Assembly Rooms, bathing in the sea, and strolling up and down the Cobb with the new friends she had made. Louise did not care about balls and cards, but early on she discovered an area near the cliffs to the west of town with surprising flora and wild, secluded paths shaped by fallen rock and covered with ivy and moss. This pleased both her botanical interest and her retiring nature. As for myself, I found my Lyme pursuit on a walk one morning along Monmouth Beach, to the west of the Cobb. We had joined our Weymouth friends the Durhams to search out a peculiar stone ledge along the beach called the Snakes’ Graveyard, which was only uncovered at low tide. It was farther than we’d thought, and the stony beach was difficult to walk on in thin pumps. I had to keep my eyes cast down so as not to trip on the rocks. As I stepped between two stones, I noticed an odd pebble decorated with a striped pattern. I bent over and picked it up - the first of thousands of times I would do so in my life. It was spiral-shaped, with ridges at even intervals around the spine, and it looked like a snake curled in on itself, the tip of the tail in the center. Its regular pattern was so pleasing to the eye that I felt I must keep it, though I had no idea what it was. I only knew that it could not be a pebble.

Borrough's E Publishing Monthly Newsletter; Free to Share

Having trouble viewing this email? View it in a browser. Boroughs Publishing Group News Boroughs Announces the Launch of Lunchbox Romance We are delighted to announce our new short story line, Lunchbox Romance – delicious short Romances consumable during the lunch hour. Each story is a delectable romance spanning the sub-genres in Romance fiction. Our inaugural stories include Regencies, Contemporaries, Paranormals, YA and Fantasy. Among these wonderful morsels of romance is the grand-prize winner of our short story contest @First Sight, The Shop Girl and the Vampire by Ciar Cullen. Starting soon, you’ll be able to purchase the stories individually or you can sign up for our subscription service, which will provide you with a regular ‘fix’ of stories at a special price. Keep watch for more news on our website, in our monthly Romance Blog and, of course, we’ll update you in September’s Newsletter. For authors wishing to submit to the Lunchbox Romance line, please visit the Submission Guidelines page on our website. Generally, a Lunchbox Romance is between 6,000 – 10,000 words. How exciting! Boroughs About Town (& Country) RWA Anaheim To say we had a blast would be an understatement. From the Literacy Signing: Too Many Cooks author Shirley Ann Wilder Kentucky Green & Colorado Silver, Colorado Gold author Terry Irene Blain Pack of Lies authors Staci Weber & Sara Dailey To our Meet & Greet Open House: Racing with the Wind author Regan Walker (left) & friend Upcoming New Year's Eve Club novella series author Jackie Allen (left) & friend Happy Attendees & New Friends And the RITAs and the after-party: Our authors & Editors at the RITA Awards Soon-to-be-released The Auction author Lyn Austin (left) with Contributing Editor, Jill Limber We didn’t let a moment go by that we weren’t connecting with friends and meeting authors that have joined the Boroughs ranks. Thank you to RWA for a fabulous conference! E-Musements A short monthly piece to show what's happening in the editor-in-chief's brain...and in his office. Besides reading. Lots of reading. Life Meets Art There’s a television show called Slings & Arrows that I find immensely enjoyable. I discovered it earlier this year; it’s a Canadian sitcom or dramedy that began in 2003 and ran for three non-contiguous seasons about a Shakespeare festival based loosely on the one in Stratford, Ontario. The show has a number of strengths, including that it presents people dealing with the artistic process, particularly the process as it relates to acting and directing, but it also has a bit about writing. In the show, at one point a character begins a relationship with a playwright. The playwright lifts a great deal of personal data from her and is finally asked, “What are you saying, that a writer just copies conversations that he has in life and makes actors repeat them?” The answer is basically yes. Well, sort of. My career has obviously brought me into contact with numerous writers, as has my life in general; a lot of my friends and friends of my friends are writers. It’s amazing how much biographical material goes into the work of successful authors, how much their lives are on display to people who are paying attention. And yet, it’s not amazing. Our experiences and feelings are a natural starting point. And I say, don’t fight it. Real experiences are more easily reproducible, more likely to be recognizable than emotional journeys pulled entirely out of thin air—though truly masterful writers can change contexts easily. But the good news is, everyone can use their feelings as a starting point. Of course, I’m not saying that writing a believable character journey is quite that easy. Good writing is about conflict, and so to be truly able to write something you experienced, you have to be able to understand both sides of whatever conflict you experienced and present it fairly—or at least relatively fairly. No reader likes to be preached at; they want to make conclusions on their own. And you have to be careful about including the personal information of people close to you, so you should be incredibly cognizant of protecting their feelings, or at least be aware of the dangers of exploiting their part in your life. Another danger: Almost every romance writer I know has been asked the awkward question, “So, are you writing about the sex you’ve had?” Usually it’s posed by someone outside of the industry, though I’m sure one or two veterans have asked (or thought of asking) it themselves. The truth is, probably many writers do write about the sex they’ve had. Or at least they use their experiences to flavor what they’re writing about. Personal experience is always a great place to start—and then you add a healthy dose of imagination. And since you’re going to get asked the question about sex whether or not you’re using your experiences, don’t bother skimping. If it makes you uncomfortable, just deny it later. So, if you’re looking to write a powerful story, look inside. Look at the relationships you’ve had, the ones that failed and the ones that succeed. Look at the relationships of your friends, and see what’s working and what’s not. (Though you should probably be really good at changing context if you want to keep the friends.) This sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people want to steer clear of their own baggage. But the truth is, that baggage is what makes you you, and when you open the closet, that’s when you’re going to find that your skeletons can be allies. We’ve all got them. Why not let them out to find their friends? Every year at the RITA Awards, several winners tearfully thank their husbands for being the light of their life, the rock through their hard times, the brightest star in their firmament. I tend to believe that they’re taking some of that positive relationship energy and experience and channeling it into their writing. But I’m not going to ask them about the sex. Voices Where you get to hear the people who make publishing–and Boroughs especially–what it is. Regan Walker Two years ago, I was standing in my kitchen pouring tea for my best friend Judy, excitedly telling her that I’d just discovered the world of historical romance, when she broke in to ask, “Why don’t you write one?” I paused only briefly before blurting, “Me?” Ten minutes later I was thinking aloud about a story based in London and Paris with spies during a time of unstable politics and a headstrong young woman who thinks she can live life her way, pursuing adventure no matter the danger she might encounter. My heroine, Mary Campbell, is drawn from my own life; her misadventures cloak my own stories. Racing with the Wind is not just the way Mary rides her black stallion, it’s the way she lives her life. Not coincidentally, it’s the way I’ve lived mine. When I was a very young girl living in a boarding school, I led surreptitious tours through the headmistress’s quarters. I climbed trees with the boys and dressed like them, too. The world of books and ideas, like with Mary Campbell, came to me very young and gave me dreams of faraway places—all of which I eventually traveled to. And the uncle that Mary Campbell so admired and learned so much from? He was my Uncle Sam (as in the U.S. government). I think my heroines will always be independent, intelligent—and sometimes rebellious—women; and my heroes will always be noble and strong. It takes a man like Hugh Redgrave, the Marquess of Ormond, to handle a Mary Campbell. And for all my readers who see themselves in the character of Mary Campbell, in this novel you will find the man of your dreams. I did.

Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: A 5 star review! I'm very pleaseantly surprised!

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