Tuesday, June 5, 2007

So Speaking Of Stuff.....


I went to Borders today! Why Borders instead of Barnes and Noble you might ask? Well I went to Barnes and Noble first and I'm just about fed up with the one here. I'm sure you all know that the reason I went to the bookstore today is because Colleen Gleason's new book Rises the Night is out in stores today!! Well, once again, Barnes and Noble didn't have it shelved! Our Barnes and Noble is horrible about this. Every time I want a book that is recently released, it's never on the shelves. I have to go to customer service and ask them for it and they have to go in the back and someone always comes back with this idiot grin on their face and says "oh, we didn't unpack those yet...here you go." So this time, I just left instead of asking and brought my business to Borders. I'm sick of it.

Borders was quite a nice experience today! I found all kinds of stuff as you can see by the picture. First and foremost is the reason I went. Colleen's new book, Rises the Night...second in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles. It is the sequel to The Rest Falls Away which was one of my favorite books of the year so far. If you haven't read it yet, I highly suggest it. It will appeal to just about anyone. You can read my review here. If you have read it, go out and buy Rises the Night!! Help Colleen make the best sellers lists. I read somewhere that first week sales matter the most and the book is only $6.99, so even if you think you may read it down the road, go out and buy it this week. And if you do buy it this week, take a picture of yourself with the book and send it to Carl at Stainless Steel Dropping for his contest and you may win an advanced reader copy of The Bleeding Dusk, the third installment in the series! I'll be jumping into Rises the Night as soon as this post is finished!

Another purchase was Marilyn Manson's new CD. I've been a fan of Marilyn Manson's for over 10 years now. It goes back to my goth days. It started out of shock value. He was, and still is to an extent all about the shock value, and so was I back then. And I guess my enjoyment of his music is still related to memories of teenage days. But I must say that his new album is really good! I was really surprised. I imagined that it would be horrible and almost laughable, but it's not at all. I'm really enjoying it. The title of the album is no less offensive than anything else he's done: Eat me, Drink me...I don't think he'll ever change in that way, and his voice is still bad as ever, but it works for him...and it works for me. I've seen him in concert a bazillion times, and the man is an amazing entertainer. He puts on a show like no other. His new video is very well done, but once again, a tad bit on the risque side. You can find it on his website. It's for the song Heart Shaped Glasses. It was shot by James Cameron believe it or not. I don't recommend watching it if your at work or around children. The opening 30 seconds had me thinking I was watching some kind of gothic, high budget soft-core porn....there's no nudity, but there might as well be. Aside from that, it's a really great video :p Maybe Quix will like it...there may be books involved :p

Next purchase - The new Realms of Fantasy! Amazing issue! The cover article is on the new Harry Potter movie and has a behind the scenes exclusive. There is also an article by Terri Windling of Endicott Studio on the themes in stories about Rapunzel. And there's a whole feature on Charles Vess and his art for Stardust!! yay!! And of course there are all the wonderful short stories including one by Tim Pratt.

I also finally got my hands on a copy of Geek Monthly! Another yay! This is one that I've been looking out for for awhile and that my Barnes and Noble apparently refuses to carry...but Borders had it :) This one came recommended by Carl, and I'm glad I finally found it!

Also picked up Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis and The Giver by Lois Lowry as both are books I'm reading for the Newbery Challenge. I'm guessing I'll officially start that challenge in July seeing as I still have to finish both the Once Upon a Time Challenge AND Banned Books Challenge this month. Phew!

I always tell the people at Borders "no" when they ask me if I want to sign up for their rewards card. I say no because I mostly shop at Barnes and Noble and always assumed that you had to pay for their rewards program like you do at Barnes and Noble. Well no one ever mentioned THAT IT'S FREE! So when I asked the lady today how much the program was for future reference and she said "it's free", I said "well sign me up then." So I'm now a Border's member too. Yay for Border's Bucks!

11 comments:

DesLily said...

oh wow.. Harry is sure growing up!..

no one can ever say that you don't feed your addiction!

chrisa511 said...

hehehe...always feeding it :p

Carl V. Anderson said...

I had the same experience at B&N today. So, like you, I just popped on over to Borders for mine.

Sorry you didn't know about the free-ness of the Borders plan before. Being on it is really nice. About every 2 weeks they send out an email with coupons for 20-30% off any item in the store. Also, everything you purchase during a calendar year is tracked and a percentage (5%, I believe) is accrued in an account for you. Between Thanksgiving and the end of January you can use this accrual, your holiday savings, to buy stuff. BUT, they won't generally tell you in the store that you have this money saved up, you have to ask about it during that time. I got several books during that time for gifts and for myself with my holiday savings (a fact which means that I spent alot of money on books over the year).

My Borders didn't have te new magazines shelved, but I will be picking up that copy of RofF for the Vess and Windling articles. Thanks for the heads up.

Haven't really ever listened to Marilyn Manson. He has great taste in women (Rose McGowan, Dita Von Teese) but obviously isn't good at holding on to them!

chrisa511 said...

Carl, That Borders card is a great deal! Good to know about the 5% too. I'm always lacking money around that time of year, so that will definitely come in handy. I've never been much of a Borders fan, but today was a good experience over there.

Yeah, I must say that Manson has excellent taste in women :D The major theme of this album is his lack of ability to hold on to them. Kinda sad, but hey, he knows how to at least turn a bad situation into a few bucks.

jenclair said...

I recently finished a book in which women writers wrote essays about their favorite fairy tales, and of course, Terry Windling and Midora Snyder each had an essay. I have to find time to review it!

Also, I had 3 of Windling's prints framed and gave two of them to Mila (granddaughter) for her birthday and kept one for myself! Lovely...

Stephanie said...

I have a Borders rewards card. The one thing I really love about Border's are the 3 for 2 tables. And I know right now, they have Jim Butcher books, Buy one get one 50% off! Not a bad deal. I have a $5 Borders Buck coupon too. That's why I going to get Colleen's book there tomorrow!!

I actually think the holiday savings plan at Border's has been trashed. Now you get a $5 coupon for ever $150 you spend. Something like that.

Let me know what you think about the Manson CD. I've been a BIG fan for years!! I've seen him in concert, let's see....4 times, I think! Always an event, that's for sure. I heard he did a cover of Bauhaus' Bela Legosi's Dead. That's one of my favorite songs...ever!!

chrisa511 said...

I love their writing Jenclair! I'm waiting on a Terri Windling print right now actually! I won one from a contest of Carl's...pretty neat, eh?

I've got you beat big time! Lol, I've seen him way more than 4 time. It's a really good CD. It reminds me alot of Mechanical Animals and I LOVED that CD. Thought it was one of his best. I've never heard him do Bela Lugosi's Dead, but that would be a riot! I'd love to hear that! I haven't finished the CD yet...maybe it's a secret song...we'll see.

Carl V. Anderson said...

Guess what!!! I just got the t-shirts and prints in. Both are great. I'll get them out in the mail in the next few days.

chrisa511 said...

YAY!!!

CJ said...

So, just a question about the lack of service at B&N - did you let the manager know why you're now shopping elsewhere? It may be a case of him/her not being able to fix what they don't know is broken.

And from where I sit, you're lucky to have both - I have neither anywhere near me!

Glad you had a good experience instead of an aggravating one.

cjh

chrisa511 said...

Hey CJ, No, I didn't let the manager know, because I've done so many times before. I finally just gave up on that. Every time I go through that I let them know that there are none on the shelf. I'll probably write to corporate to let them know though.