Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Invite Isis Over for a Beer — Easy Egyptian Prosperity Magic for Booksellers

The incredible King Tut exhibit is traveling the country (and here in St. Paul, MN, for the summer). My son has a newfound fascination with mummies, thanks to the Pharaoh’s Quest Lego series. And then there’s the recent Egyptian revolution. Is it me, or is Egypt undergoing a surge in popularity that hasn’t occurred since “Tut Mania” in the 1970s?

Seems like the perfect time to get acquainted with Egyptian magic. With the right incentive, you can encourage Horus, Thoth, and other deities to smile down on your store and bless your business with financial success. I’ve invited Claudia R. Dillaire, author of Egyptian Prosperity Magic, to share some simple techniques for busy booksellers.


Four Quick and Easy Prosperity Tips
by Claudia R. Dillaire

Prosperity from the ancient Egyptian point of view was definitely tied to abundant crops, healthy herds, and the continued longevity of their beloved king and land. And, the average Egyptian had very little control over the whole process. Though he was responsible to pay his taxes on his harvest or goods, it was not up to him to make the offerings.

As a solitary Pagan, the responsibility for your own prosperity is squarely on your shoulders. Egyptian magic is different from traditional Pagan paths: color associations vary, destructive gods are worshiped, and coercion and curses are acceptable for incantations. So what can a busy bookseller do to invite prosperity into one’s business?

Here are a few tips, that take little time and effort, but will definitely please the ancient gods:

1. Burn the appropriate incense. Trees and their resins were prized by the Egyptians, specifically frankincense and myrrh. These two were burned daily in the temples. And, don’t forget the spice which was used heavily in ancient Egypt, cinnamon. The wafting smoke of the burning incense will please the noses of the gods.

2. Offerings can be set out to the gods, and one of the most pleasing for the ancient Egyptians was beer. Bread and beer were staples of the diet, even used as payment for the tomb and temple builders. So, when inviting prosperity, don’t be afraid to hoist a cold one to the gods; your offering will surely be appreciated. Other appropriate offerings would be cinnamon sticks, plants of any kind, grapes, dates, or pomegranates.

3. Money did not exist in ancient Egypt; all goods and services were obtained through bartering. That can cause a problem on payday, but bartering is still a viable alternative. Ask a printer if you can barter for services in exchange for the flyers they are printing up for you. Offer to host a writers or book group in exchange for their unique talents and word of mouth advertising.

4. Burning candles is a great way to invite in prosperity. But, the Egyptians had a different take on color associations; appropriate colors for prosperity would be black, green, blue, or white. Black and green were associated with the fertile earth and vegetation. Blue was associated with the life giving Nile River, and white was associated with the ultimate fertility god, Osiris.

Candles and incense burning in an independent bookstore add ambiance and a memorable book buying experience. Major bookseller chains may have fire regulations against open flames, but there is no reason a cinnamon scent air freshener can’t be used. Prosperity magic can be as simple, or as ritualistic, as you choose to make it. And, even the simple act of thanking a customer can have a powerful effect on your business and the gods watching over you.

Claudia R. Dillaire is the author of Egyptian Prosperity Magic. She is a practicing Pagan and has been researching Egyptian magic and religion for twelve years. Dillaire is also a freelance writer and the author of two additional books on Egyptian spells.

Claudia R. Dillaire's favorite bookstore:
A Magickal Moon in Tempe, Arizona. The owner, Heather, is a friend and neighbor and she makes everyone feel welcome in her store. Whenever in the Valley of the Sun, check her out.”

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

A Little Inspiration

Do you have any rituals that you use to find your muse?

To unblock my creative ch'i, I like to take a few minutes to browse through my favorite "let's get lost" websites, including Boing Boing, Mental Floss, or Neatorama.

Feeling a bit blah and uninspired by grey Minnesota skies, I decided to do a little "site seeing" this morning. I just watched an amazing slide show featuring unique bookstores from around the world on the website Salon.com and wanted to share it with you.

Take a look through "The worlds most inspiring bookstores" and let me know which one is your favorite. (Personally, I can't choose between Daunt Books in London and El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires.)

What is special about your bookstore or its location? How have you created a unique experience for your bookstore customers?

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Google eBooks Hits a New Milestone with Indie Bookstores

It looks like Google eBooks are catching on with indie booksellers. On Monday, May 23, 2011, Google announced via this blog post that there are now 250 independent bookstores selling their digital books. This marks a healthy increase considering the indie store count was just over 100 about six months ago when Google launched their ebook program.

According to the American Booksellers Association, Google eBooks are indie store friendly! This article from IndieBound discusses Google’s “new form of cloud-based digital book that allows readers to access their libraries on almost any device from one single repository, regardless of where the ebook was purchased.” This “open and accessible platform” has spurred a partnership between the American Booksellers Association and Google eBooks.

“Because Google eBooks work with myriad devices — tablets, smartphones, computers, even most e-ink devices — consumers are free to shop from a variety of retailers rather than being bound to one retailer. This opens up a wealth of indie recommendations and bestsellers to avid ebook readers.”

Are you testing the eBook waters? We would love to hear about your experience on the eFrontier!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

New Pendulums from Lo Scarabeo


Check out these six new beautiful pendulums — now available from Italian publisher Lo Scarabeo. Each comes with a black velvet pouch.

Bloodstone Drop Pendulum


Silver Witness Pendulum - Features a witness chamber!

Egyptian Silver Pendulum

Silver Drop Pendulum

Silver Point Pendulum

Pagan Pentacle Gold Pendulum
(pictured left)
A wonderful tool for chakra energy work, this pendulum comes with seven beautiful chakra stones, each sized to fit inside it.

Eye-catching and abundantly useful, pendulums are amazing tools for divination, dowsing, and answering questions relating to love, health, money, and much more.

For tips on using pendulums in the workplace, check out Using Your Intuition to Make the Best Business Decisions, featuring tips from Kathryn Klvana, author of Intuition in an Instant and an expert on dowsing.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Friday Five: Staff Favorites

Anna's Five Faves (they make up a very motley crew indeed):

Wired.com: wired.com is a daily technology news website where you can read about everything that's happening in our wired world.

http://www.mentalfloss.com/: The digital home of Mental_Floss magazine, mentalfloss.com shares a myriad of interesting tidbits, trivia, links, and more. While much of the content is not book-related (though very interesting indeed!), each Wednesday they post "At the Library," a weekly roundup of book-related links.

http://www.toprankblog.com/: The blog of online marketing guru Lee Odden and TopRank Online Marketing, toprankblog.com is a great way to keep up on what's happening in the online marketing world.

http://www.bookweb.org/indiebound/booksellers.html: From the American Booksellers Association (ABA) and IndieBound, this site is a great compendium of IndieBound resources for booksellers.

http://www.midwestbooksellers.org/: The online home of the Midwest Booksellers Association,  a regional not-for-profit trade association formally established in 1981 to promote retail bookselling and support professional independent booksellers throughout the Midwest region.

Bonus link: http://www.publishers.org/: The Association of American Publishers, the trade association for the U.S. book publishers.

Christy's Five Faves:
http://blogs.publishersweekly.com/blogs/shelftalker/

http://bookshopblog.com/

http://pazbookbiz.com/book-biz-blog/

http://news.bookweb.org/omnibus This is the blog on the ABA website

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Quick Tip: Creating a Facebook Page

You know about Facebook. You know you should have a Facebook Page for your bookstore, but perhaps you are a little intimidated and think it will be to technical or difficult to set up.

Have no fear! The folks over at American Express Open Forum have written step-by-step instructions to make it painless and fun to get started on the world's largest social network.

At the bottom of the article you'll find links to other resources for tips on what to do, what not to do, and when to post to get maximum engagement from your Facebook community.

Check out the article then go on over to Facebook.com/pages to create your page.

Once you have it ready to go, share the link with us in the comments below and we will add it to the list of "Likes" displayed on the Llewellyn Facebook Page.

Monday, May 16, 2011

How to Get Local Customers to Promote Your Bookstore

One of my favorite blogs to go to for advice, information, and tips on Social Media is Social Media Examiner. A recent post by Michael Stelzner, "How to Turn Your Local Customers Into Raving Fans," focuses on the local marketing activities of Chicago based Dominos pizza franchise owner, Ramon De Leon. It contains some very valuable advice on how to get your local customers not just talking, but raving about your local business.

A few of the key points covered in the interview include:

  • How to encourage people to come to your local business.

  • How to use photos to create an experience online.

  • How to use Twitter for real-time monitoring and what to look for.

  • The biggest thing businesses forget to do on Foursquare and why it makes the difference.

  • How to create stories for customers to talk about.

  • How to put out a social media fire.

Watch the 5 minute video of Ramon De Leon's interview and read the full post here.

Enjoying a Visit with Author Ellen Dugan

On Friday we had the pleasure of a visit and book signing with author Ellen Dugan. Author of the new Practical Protection Magick (among many, many others), we were excited to share with her some wonderful conversation, ask questions, and learn more about her new book.






Author Ellen Dugan discusses her newest book, Practical Protection Magick, during her 5/13/11 visit.




















Ellen Dugan and Publicity Manager Steven Pomije.















Ellen Dugan signs copies of Practical Protection Magick for Llewellyn employees during the meet and greet portion of her visit.








It was a wonderful experience to meet and greet one of our fabulous authors!

Friday, May 13, 2011

Facebook Posts New Best Practices + Stricter Promotion Guidelines + Changes to Groups

Do you have a Facebook Page for your bookstore?

You'll get the most out of your Page by following this new best practices guide just published by Facebook. Building Your Business with Facebook Pages offers insight on how to grow your business using Facebook Pages.

Do you host contests through your Facebook Page?

If you do, then you'll want to know about the changes Facebook has made to its Promotion Guidelines. As of May 11, 2011, Facebook has enacted some very strict rules for hosting contests via your Facebook Page.

Do you manage a Group on Facebook?

Facebook is also making changes to Groups and transitioning to a new format for this feature. If you have a group be sure to read this post by Social Media expert and author Mari Smith so you are prepared for the transition.

Enjoying a Visit with Author Margaret Ann Lembo

On Monday we had the pleasure of a visit and book signing with author Margaret Ann Lembo. Author of Chakra Awakening, we were excited to share with her some wonderful conversation, ask questions, and learn more about her new book.




Margaret Ann snapped this great picture with the sign outside of our building.











Margaret Ann spent time discussing her new book and her ideas with Llewellyn listeners.









Signing copies of Chakra Awakening













It was a wonderful experience to meet and greet one of our fabulous authors!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Come See Us at BEA!
























Hi Booksellers,

Is everyone gearing up for BookExpo?

We hope you’ll stop by our booth (2525) for a visit. Chat with out sales team, meet authors, and pick up some great books, galleys of forthcoming releases, and more. Here’s the full schedule of autographings and giveaways:

TUESDAY (Supernatural Salute)


In-booth Giveaways:


Blissology: The Art & Science of Happiness by Andy Baggott (Jan 2011)

True UFO Accounts by FATE magazine (Aug 2011)

Traditional Autographing Area/Author Appearances:
TUESDAY, 11:30 AM, Table 5—Shawn MacKenzie signs the ARC of The Dragon Keeper’s Handbook: Including the Myth & Mystery, Care & Feeding, Life & Lore of these Fiercely Splendid Creatures (Sept 2011)










WEDNESDAY (Mind Body Spirit Salute)

In-booth Giveaways:


Never Letting Go: Heal Grief with Help From the Other Side by Mark Anthony (October 2011)

Awake in the World: 108 Practices to Live a Divinely Inspired Life by Debra Moffitt (May 2011)

Bookmarks—Never Letting Go by Mark Anthony

Buttons—True Police Stories of the Strange and Unexplained by Ingrid P. Dean

Traditional Autographing Area/Author Appearances:

WEDNESDAY, 10:30 AM, Table 8—Ingrid P. Dean signs the ARC of True Police Stories of the Strange and Unexplained (Sept 2011)

Friday, May 6, 2011

Does Your Bookstore Have a Cat?




Caspar from Bookworm in Carbondale, Illinois


It seems that felines and literature go together like, well, peanut butter and jelly. Or cookies and milk. Or salt and pepper. (Oh, you get the idea—cats and books are just natural companions.) Many libraries and bookstores have adopted cats who seem to keep an eye on things, greet customers, and generally rule the roost.

Mentalfloss.com
has put together several lists of bookstores that have feline family members, many of which have been submitted by readers and patrons of the bookstores.

The first batch of bookstore cats was posted back in June of 2009: "8 Bookstore Cats."

Due to popular demand, more bookstore cats were featured in "12 Bookstore Cats" in January of this year, followed by reader-submitted bookstore feline favorites:


Does your bookstore have a cat? Would you consider adding a feline friend to your store? Why or why not?

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Booksellers Getting Social

With all the buzz and hoopla around social media these days, its no surprise to see booksellers and bookseller associations using social networks to connect and share information.

We did a little research on LinkedIn and Facebook. Here are just a few of the bookseller groups and pages we found:


LinkedIn

Independent Booksellers Networking Group

American Booksellers Association

BookExpo America (BEA)

New Age Retail

Retail Industry Professionals Group

Small Business Online Community

Facebook

INATS

New Age Retailer

Are you involved in any online groups or communities for booksellers, retailers, or metaphysical stores? Where do you go online to connect with other business professionals?

Please share your favorite groups and pages as well as any positive experiences you've had connecting with other booksellers online.

Using Your Intuition to Make the Best Business Decisions

Hi Booksellers,

Are you ever plagued by indecisiveness? The pressure of making all the right choices for your business must be intense, even stressful. Relying on facts and figures for guidance seems best, but sometimes there’s still no clear answer.

I admit that many of my life decisions, from buying the right house to deciding on the best school for my son, have been somewhat based on what "feels right" to me. Sure, I do the research. But I trust my "gut feelings" too. Then there are times when I don't have a strong feeling to guide me at all. Did my intuition decide to take a hike? Or do I just need to be proactive about accessing it?

I invited Kathryn Klvana, author of Intuition in an Instant and expert on dowsing, to discuss this easy technique for tapping into your intuition any time you need help with business decisions.




Business Intuition – Dowsing for Answers
By Kathryn Klvana

In this tough economy, making the right decisions can mean the difference between a business that thrives and one that falters. You have to employ a variety of skills to run a successful business, from objective analysis to gut instinct. But if you call upon your intuition to help you with everyday business matters, you’ll not only become a more confident decision maker, you’ll also begin to notice your intuition growing stronger.

That’s what happened to me when I discovered dowsing several years ago. Most people think of dowsing as an old fashioned technique for finding water with a forked stick. But when I started using a pendulum for dowsing, I found an easy tool that allowed me to access my intuition in a consistent way whenever I needed guidance. I’d pick up my pendulum, hold a question in my mind, and wait for my answer. I quickly became hooked. Can becoming more intuitive be as easy as that? I think so, and I also believe that everyone can learn this practical technique for accessing inner wisdom.

A pendulum can be anything that can dangle in a balanced way on a chain or string. It doesn’t matter if you use a beautiful crystal pendulum on a sterling chain, or a fishing weight on a piece of dental floss. Hold your pendulum in your dominant hand and tell yourself, “Show me a yes.” What you’re doing is programming yourself to recognize a positive answer. My yes response is a clockwise circle, but yours could be something completely different. Once you’ve established your yes, ask for a no. You may have to practice for a while to get movement from your pendulum, or it may move right away. Keep at it, and you’ll find that your dowsing becomes stronger.

Once you gain confidence with your dowsing, you can use it in a variety of ways in your business. You might want to start your day by prioritizing your to-do list. Hold your pendulum over each item in the list, and ask yourself which items should be done first. Try it for a week, and see if dowsing helps you become more organized and efficient.

If there are new products you are considering selling in your store, you might want to dowse through the list and see which ones get a positive hit. If you need to narrow your choices even further, try the ranking method. Hold your pendulum while counting slowly from one to ten. A book that gets a positive swing on the number 9 (90 percent) will be a stronger pick than one than gets a swing on 3 (or 30 percent).

You can use the same method for setting up special displays. Which books should be out front? What month would be best for this special event? Which idea would be most successful for bringing in new business? Once you learn to dowse, you might find that your pendulum is one of the most useful business tools at your disposal.


Kathryn Klvana is the author of Intuition in an Instant. She teaches dowsing in the Washington, DC area, and has presented dowsing workshops at the American Society of Dowsers annual conventions. She is also an actress and writer. Her voiceover work includes documentaries for National Geographic Explorer, The Learning Channel, and the Discovery Channel. Visit her online at www.klvana.com.

Kathryn Klvana's favorite bookstore:
"I love Sacred Circle in Alexandria, Virginia. This bookstore has great energy. It's right in the heart of Old Town, and it's a very warm, welcoming place. They always have a lot of classes and the staff is great."



Are your customers interested in dowsing? We offer a wide range of pendulums made of brass, rose quartz, amethyst, bloodstone, and other beautiful materials. New this month is the unique Pagan Pentacle Gold Pendulum, which comes with seven chakra stones that can be placed inside for energy work. Check out all twenty-five pendulums from Lo Scarabeo at our trade website.

Have you ever experienced a strong hunch that went against your rational judgment? What happened when you followed this instinct or ignored it? Do you ever pray for a solution, ask angels for guidance, or practice a special technique to access your inner wisdom? Please share!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Hot Off the Press! May New Releases from Llewellyn

Looking for some fabulous new items to stock your store shelves? We've got a bevy of bewitching new products this month including four new books, a new tarot deck, and a mediation CD. We've also added six pendulums, three new rune sets, two tarot bags, and five journals from Lo Scarabeo.

Check out what's new from Llewellyn this month!

Books

Awake in the WorldAwake in the World

Other new books from Llewellyn this month include Fairy Tale Rituals, Tarot Diva, and The Witch's Heart the latest from one of our very favorite authors, Christopher Penczak.

Tarot Kits & Decks

The Wizards TarotThe Wizards Tarot
Shadowscapes Tarot Deck
Fire Tarot
Law of Attraction Tarot
Wheel of the Year Tarot


Audio/Visual

Self Empowerment Through Self Hypnosis Meditation CD Companion

Pendulums

Pagan Pentacle Gold Pendulum
Bloodstone Drop Pendulum
Egyptian Silver Pendulum
Silver Drop Pendulum
Silver Point Pendulum
Silver Witness Pendulum

Journals

Cat's Eyes Journal
Luna Cycle Journal
Stars Journal
Triple Goddess Journal
White Fairy Journal

Runes

Green Aventurine Runes
Red Jasper Runes
White Onyx Runes

Check Out Our New Fall Catalog!

Hi Booksellers,

It seems a shame to even think about fall right now just as tulips are coming up. But hey, our new Fall 2011 catalog is here and I can’t wait for you to see it! Go ahead and browse through our exciting fall titles (September - December) by clicking here. This hefty catalog also includes our complete backlist.

We’re so proud of our upcoming fall releases and of course I’ll be talking about them all in the months to come. One standout is Joanna Powell Colbert's Gaian Tarot, a deeply spiritual, nature inspired deck that offers a connection to Mother Earth. A showcase of its stunning major arcana images, along with lavish praise from the tarot community, can be found at the artist's website GaianTarot.com.

Love the catalog cover? This gorgeous image is from the cover of Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Names. It's the perfect gift for expecting parents. I think the subtitle sums it up well: For Pagans, Witches, Wiccans, Druids, Heathens, Mages, Shamans & Independent Thinkers of All Sorts Who Are Curious About Names from Every Place and Every Time.

While we’re on the subject of catalogs, would anyone care to share how you use ours? Do you only browse the new releases? Do you regularly peruse the backlist sections for titles? Are the announcements of new covers helpful? Or the pages devoted to recent releases? Do the lists of Top Sellers by Category and Over 200,000 Sold come in handy?

We strive to make this catalog user-friendly and informative, so your valuable feedback is much appreciated!