Funding a Bookmobile

I love this child-sized Bookmobile!   It registers where we are in our fund raising efforts for the bookmobile and stands right in front of my local library.  Looks like we’re almost there!

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Daily Prompt – Writing Room

A genie has granted your wish to build your perfect space for reading and writing.  What’s it like?

From Business Week
Super Libraries

Dear Genie,

Thank You for granting my third wish for a reading and writing space – a Perfectly Private Sanctuary.  I know I didn’t tell you to surround me with real books in bookcase lined walls, but there they are.  They remind me of all the books I loved before and want to read again, and all the ones just waiting.  I have an e-reader, so how did you know I still love real books?   And at one end of the room there’s a comfy couch to snuggle up in with one of those real books.  I may lock the door and stay in here all day!

And thanks too, for providing me with that Grand Desk in the middle of the room, with my computer all set up and at the ready for whenever a blog idea strikes,  and there’s all that natural window lighting to guide me along.  The storage space and file cabinets (that match the desk) are wonderful too.  What a charming genie you are!

Oh, and just look at that reserved wall full of photos!  It’s a special Place for Favorite Awesome Photographs.  There are my own accidental beauties, and I am smiling at the grand and awesome treasures I saved from favorite photo blogsters too.  No, I promise not to reprint others works without permission.  They are simply inspirational.

Oh to have a room of my own – a Perfectly Private Sanctuary all set up just for reading, writing, photographs, storage, and quiet contemplation.  That was my third wish Dear Genie, and Thank You now for making all three of them come true.

What were my first and second wishes?

An empty room to create a private sanctuary.

A Daily Prompt to help me decide what should go inside

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How to Super Charge a Book Club

Not My Book Club
Not Enough Excitement
I just think this photo is adorable – From Richard Hertzler/Lancaster New Era

Before we moved to the country and learned how to adjust to gravel roads, fallen trees, wandering cows and even strolling bears, my husband, Bill, and I both worked in the big city.  There was little time to join a book group as we led our humdrum lives working and raising a rambunctious son.   But, soon after retiring and moving to a little country paradise in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia I became a member of The Blue Ridge Readers!  Talk about excitement! Wow!

O.k. – Borrrring right?  I mean all you young whippersnappers out there in the blogusfear may not even read books anymore. But don’t stop reading please.  If you are craving adventure and excitement, joining a book club may be just the ticket – and not just from devouring Whodunnits.  “There’s more to a book club than a book”, and that’s my own direct quote.  And if you want to inject new life into your own group, here are some secrets.

How to Super Charge or Re-charge Your Book Group

1)      Add A Holiday Bash!  Whoooohooooo!

The Blue Ridge Readers share more than good reading!  Guess what?  We have refreshments once a year for one whole hour and no book discussion!  It’s our Holiday Get-Together –  a grand  somewhat understated December bash  party at a local restaurant!  We order our individual beverages of choice plus a varied selection of appetizers and then everybody splits the bill and splits the snacks too.  There’s a whole  lot of  wild goin’s on and camaraderie in one little afternoon hour.   Now that’s living dangerously don’t you agree?  Well, it’s more exciting than a tea partyanyway.

No! No!  don’t leave this blog post yet!  You will miss the real thrills!

2)      Create Your Own Website  Be still my heart!

If you want REAL excitement, your blood to boil faster and your hair to stand on end, be sure to check out The Blue Ridge Readers website.  Even if you aren’t a member of our club, you may want to create a website of your own.  There are so many book suggestions on the Blue Ridge Readers’ site, we often think we have won the lottery!

3)     Have a Private Book Sale  And just try to stay calm!

Yes, sometimes we have private book sales!  Whoa! Sit down for this one.  Occasional sales are how we clear our at-home shelves of extra books to make room for more extras.  On Buck-A-Book Day we sell books to each other  for $1 each.    Proceeds are donated to our local library.  Unsold books are also donated to the library.  Accolades please! Benevolence may not sound particularly exciting, but believe me, you will get a real rush!

4)      Work with “Friends”  We simply can’t wait!

Our club is now forming an alliance with Friends of the Library – a group of dedicated volunteers with an exciting program of author speakers and sponsored library book sales.   The merger promises to be heart stopping.  Do I hear laughter?  Come on now, don’t you get a charge  from increasing your reading options?  We are really excited about working with this group and making them our friends too.  Do you have a similar volunteer organization working for your library?  Think about how they can  supercharge your own book club or how you can work with them too to enhance the services of your local library and encourage more happy reading.

I do love my book club.  And even though I joke about how exciting it is, well, it actually is.  And since the group’s motto is to share good reading, if you are local and would like to join us, please do.  It’s free and we have room for a few more real live members.  If you are not local and would like to join our ONLINE BOOK CLUB just let me know by sending your email address.    Online membership is also free and the expectation is that you too will find excitement and camaraderie even if you live clear across the world.   Well, at least you will be privy to a few ideas for good reading.

Do you belong to a book club of your own?  Let’s share our lists!  How exciting can you get?

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