Showing posts with label bookstores. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bookstores. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

The July New Moon Is Out--Check Your Inbox!

For those of you who currently subscribe to our email newsletter for booksellers, The Moon, you may have noticed a few changes.

We've streamlined the look, included new features, and christened it with a new moniker: The New Moon. As with this blog, our goal is to really connect with you, our selling partners, each month and offer support, guidance, and resources with the aim of helping you grow and thrive in this ever-changing market.

Our July 2013 issue of the New Moon was mailed yesterday morning. This issue includes:
-Llewellyn's 2014 Calendars, Almanacs, and Datebooks
-Shelftalkers (The Yoga Birth Method; Seasons of the Sacred Earth; Have You Been Hexed?; and Angelic Pathways)
-August New Releases
-Llewellyn's 2013 Tarot Catalog
-Indie Stores' Top Five Picks
-And Much More!

If you did not receive a copy in your email inbox, you can also view it here: The New Moon, July 2013 Issue.

You can also visit our website to subscribe to The New Moon, ensuring that it reaches you each month (please note that you will need to log in/register to be able to join our mailing list).

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Small Business Owners: 6 Strategies to Optimize Your Social Media Marketing

I stumbled upon a great article this morning from eM+C (eMarketing and Commerce) discussing ways that small businesses can capitalize on the marketing they do through social media and online. The article, titled "6 Strategies to Optimize Social Media Marketing for Small Business Owners," presents 6 different ways that small business owners can beef up their online presence and increase their followers.

The article focuses on several aspects, including:
  • Creating and sharing content
  • Listening and engaging with your online followers (even when negative)
  • Adding photos and videos to your feeds
  • And more!

You can read the full article here.

Looking for some quick ideas for content to share with your store visitors and your online fans? Check out our full page of shelf talkers, stuffers, and other downloads, or sign up for our New Moon Newsletter (shelf talkers and stuffers are included in each issue).

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

The June New Moon Is Out--Check Your Inbox!

For those of you who currently subscribe to our email newsletter for booksellers, The Moon, you may have noticed a few changes.

We've streamlined the look, included new features, and christened it with a new moniker: The New Moon. As with this blog, our goal is to really connect with you, our selling partners, each month and offer support, guidance, and resources with the aim of helping you grow and thrive in this ever-changing market.

Our June 2013 issue of the New Moon was mailed yesterday morning. This issue includes:
-Craft: Celebrate the Summer Solstice by Creating a Solar Talisman
-Shelftalkers (Llewellyn's 2014 Witches' Calendar; Cartomancy with the Lenormand and the Tarot; Your Essential Self; and Rituals of Celebration)
-July New Releases
-Llewellyn's Fall 2013 Catalog
-Indie Stores' Top Five Picks
-And Much More!

If you did not receive a copy in your email inbox, you can also view it here: The New Moon, June 2013 Issue.

You can also visit our website to subscribe to The New Moon, ensuring that it reaches you each month (please note that you will need to log in/register to be able to join our mailing list).

Friday, May 17, 2013

Llewellyn's 2014 Calendars, Almanacs, and Datebooks

It's almost that time again--time for Llewellyn's 2014 calendars and almanacs to appear in our warehouse! Each and every June, it is always so wonderful to see the product that results after another year of hard work on our calendars, datebooks, and almanacs.

A look at Llewellyn's 2014 calendars and almanacs:


Llewellyn's 2014 Astrological Calendar: Llewellyn's Astrological Calendar is the best-known, most trusted astrological calendar sold today. Everyone, even beginners, can use this beautiful and practical calendar to plan the year wisely. There are monthly horoscopes, best days for planting and fishing, rewarding and challenging days, travel forecasts, and an astrology primer. Advanced astrologers will find major daily aspects and a wealth of other essential astrological information. This edition features Julie Dillon's gorgeous and inspiring artwork.

—A guide to the planets, signs, houses, aspects, and transits
—Travel forecasts by Bruce Scofield
—Best days for planting and fishing
—The Moon's sign, phase, and void-of-course dates
—Graphic planetary retrograde table
—Major daily aspects, monthly ephemerides, and 2013 eclipses



Llewellyn's 2014 Astrological Pocket Planner:
Plan your future according to the stars. Essential astrological information is at your fingertips with Llewellyn’s Astrological Pocket Planner. Both beginners and advanced astrologers can use this award-winning datebook—the only one to offer three years of ephemeris and aspectarian data. Set the best dates for job interviews, weddings, business meetings, and other important occasions. Choose the ideal times to plant a garden, begin new projects, conduct self-reflection, go fishing, and more. Avoid planetary pitfalls by following the easy-to-read retrograde and Moon void-of-course tables. Comprehensive and compact, Llewellyn's 2013 Astrological Pocket Planner also contains a world map of time zones, a time zone conversion chart, and space to jot down your daily appointments.

—Daily signs, Moon phases, and aspects
—2014 week-at-a-glance
—Planetary stations chart
—Moon void-of-course table
—Word time-zone map and conversion table
—Best days for planting and fishing



Llewellyn's 2014 Daily Planetary Guide: Empower your life with the most trusted and detailed astrological guide available. Take advantage of cosmic forces on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis with Llewellyn’s Daily Planetary Guide. With exact times down to the minute, this astrological planner lists ideal times to do anything. Before setting up a job interview, signing a contract, or scheduling anything important, consult the weekly forecasts and Opportunity Periods—times when the positive flow of energy is at its peak. Plan your year wisely according to aspects, ephemeris, retrograde planets, eclipses for 2014, and more astrological information. Even beginners can use this powerful planner, which explains the planets, signs, houses, and how to use this guide.

—Planet and Moon aspects and ingress times
—Moon sign, phase, and void-of-course periods
—Planet retrograde and direct station times
—Ephemeris tables that include Chiron and four asteroids
—Sunrise and sunset timetables
—Planetary hours with complete instructions
—A stargazer's guide to planetary sightings and eclipses in 2014
—Weekly forecasts by Pam Ciampi
-Bonus: Find out the best times to undertake any activity with "Opportunity Periods"



Llewellyn's 2014 Herbal Almanac: Treat yourself to a rejuvenating spa night. Throw a nontraditional tea party with zesty flair. Add a spicy twist to your beer, wine, and liquor. There are hundreds of ways to benefit from nature's versatile plants inside Llewellyn’s Herbal Almanac. This treasury of innovative herbal ideas spans gardening, cooking, crafts, health, beauty, and myth/lore. Learn how to improve indoor air quality, create a "golden years" herb garden for seniors, keep invasive herbs in check, and soak up vibrational healing from roses, daisies, and other flowers. Discover how to use herbs as preservatives, and make your own homemade vinaigrettes and low-carb vegetarian dishes. Create herbal dyes and beautiful handcrafted paper speckled with seeds or flowers. From enchanting primroses to the many faces of avocado, this practical almanac is your gateway to the herbal kingdom.




Llewellyn's 2014 Magical Almanac: Llewellyn's Magical Almanac has been inspiring all levels of magical practitioners for over twenty years. Filled with practical spells, rituals, and fresh ideas, you’ll find new ways to deepen your craft and enhance everyday life.

This edition features compelling articles, grouped by element, on solar power and the home, carnival magic, recycling and refurbishing, enlightened eats, emergency healing, faery offerings and shrines, folk clothing, alcohol and the gods, soap magic, animism, transforming negativity, and other magical topics. Also included is a handy calendar section—shaded for easy "flip to" reference—featuring world festivals, holidays, and 2014 Sabbats. You'll also find astrological info, plus incense and color correspondences, to empower your magical work.

Published annually for over twenty years.



Llewellyn's 2014 Moon Sign Book: Since 1905, Llewellyn's Moon Sign Book has helped millions take advantage of the Moon's dynamic energies. This essential planning tool can help you choose the best time to do almost anything: buy stock, get married, buy or sell your home, start a new job, travel, have surgery, and much more. With lunar timing tips on planting and harvesting and a guide to companion plants, this book is a gardener's best friend. In addition to New and Full Moon forecasts for the year, you'll find insightful articles on growing a tea garden, cultivating roses, organic and natural food labeling, the Moon and earthquakes, outer planets in water signs, and Greek lunar folklore.

—A monthly lunar aspectarian with Moon tables
—Detailed weather predictions for each region by renowned astrometeorologist Kris Brandt Riske
—New and Full Moon forecasts for 2014 by Sally Cragin
—A companion planting guide that features over one hundred plants
—Electional rules and dates for ventures in love, relationships, business, finances, and other areas


The number one lunar guide to natural living since 1905.



Llewellyn's 2014 Sun Sign Book: Prepare for what's coming in the near future. Take advantage of huge opportunities and dodge potential pitfalls with Llewellyn's Sun Sign Book.

Filled with practical planetary wisdom, this easy-to-use guide will answer your questions about money, success,career, relationships, and more—for the whole year. In addition to horoscopes for every sign by popular astrologer Kim Rogers-Gallagher, you'll discover which areas in your life have potential for great success, and which require extra attention. Included are rewarding/challenging days for each month and a guide to the best dates to find a job, begin a romance, take a vacation, move, and plan other important endeavors.

Published annually since 1984.




Llewellyn's 2014 Witches' Calendar: Captivating, original artwork and a rich array of content have made Llewellyn's Witches' Calendar the top-selling calendar of its kind. New for this edition are enchanting scratchboard illustrations by award-winning artist Kathleen Edwards. Each month also offers an inspiring article, plus a spell or ritual. Connect with nature in May, work hummingbird magic in August, and treat yourself to healing balms in September. Astrological data and magical correspondences are also included.




Llewellyn's 2014 Witches' Companion: Live your craft every day with Llewellyn's Witches' Companion. This indispensable guide will keep you one step ahead of the latest Witchy trends, Craft practices, Pagan issues, and ideas in green living.

This year's edition is filled with wry and thought provoking essays—the madness of "Witch Wars," Gaia and the permaculture movement, magical de-stressing, finding community, magical vessels, essential stones for Witches, the art of dedication, bringing ancestors into magical practice, working with healing deities, and much more. Also featured is a sixteen-month calendar and lunar information to fuel your spellwork and rituals.



Llewellyn's 2014 Witches' Datebook: Today’s busy Witches can stay on top of it all—the magical and the mundane—with Llewellyn's Witches' Datebook, now featuring enchanting illustrations from award-winning artist Kathleen Edwards. Add a little magic to each day and keep pace with the ever-turning Wheel of the Year with this indispensable, on-the-go tool.

You'll find fun, fresh ways to celebrate the sacred seasons and enhance your practice—inspiring Sabbat musings (Elizabeth Barrette), tasty Sabbat recipes (Magenta Griffith), Moon rituals (James Kambos), and animal magic (Lupa). For spellwork, there's astrological information and daily colors. Also included are in-depth articles on charming jewelry (Ellen Dugan), a Witch's mini herb garden (Deborah Blake), spontaneous divining (Autumn Damiana), spellcraft on the fly (Marion Sipe), and more.




Llewellyn's 2014 Witches' Spell-A-Day Almanac: Make every day magical with a spell from Llewellyn's Witches' Spell-A-Day Almanac. Spellcasters of all levels can enhance their daily life with these easy bewitchments, recipes, rituals, and meditations.

Deborah Lipp, Elizabeth Barrette, Thuri Calafia, and other experienced magic practitioners offer simple spells for every occasion that require minimal supplies. For convenience, the 365 spells are cross-referenced by purpose, including love, health, money, protection, home and garden, travel, and communication. Beginners will find advice on the best time, place, and tools for performing each spell. With space to jot down notes, this unique spellbook can be used as a Book of Shadows. There are also daily color and incense recommendations and astrological data to enhance each day's magic.




Llewellyn's 2014 Woodland Faeries Calendar: A year of faerie magic and beauty awaits you. Vividly illustrated by renowned fantasy artist Linda Ravenscroft, this gorgeous faerie calendar captures the whimsy and grace of achingly beautiful nature spirits. Evocative portraits and scenes—alive in sensuous detail—bring us oh so close to alluring nymphs, charming pixies, rapturous sprites, and other secretive, ethereal beings. Llewellyn's 2014 Woodland Faeries Calendar also includes holidays and moon phase information.







Llewellyn's 2014 Sabbats Almanac: From Samhain 2013 - Mabon 2014: Make the most of each season of the Witches' year with Llewellyn's Sabbats Almanac. Packed with rituals, rites, recipes, and crafts, this essential guide offers fun and fresh ways to celebrate the eight sacred Wiccan holidays—and enrich your spiritual life throughout the year.

Get a unique perspective on honoring the Wheel of the Year from your favorite Wiccan and Pagan authors. Plan spiritually uplifting celebrations and family activities. Perform Sabbat-specific rituals and world folk rites. Whip up tasty treats and crafts as reminders of the season's gifts and lessons. Also featured are astrological influences to help you plan rituals according to cosmic energies.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The March New Moon Is Out--Check Your Inbox

For those of you who currently subscribe to our email newsletter for booksellers, The Moon, you may have noticed a few changes.

We've streamlined the look, included new features, and christened it with a new moniker: The New Moon. As with this blog, our goal is to really connect with you, our selling partners, each month and offer support, guidance, and resources with the aim of helping you grow and thrive in this ever-changing market.

Our March 2013 issue of the New Moon was mailed this morning. This issue includes:
-How to Combat Workplace Stress Using Crystals
-Shelftalkers (The Essential Guide to Crystals, Minerals and Stones; The Ultimate Guide to the Rider-Waite Tarot; Intuition for Beginners; and The Horned Altar)
-April New Releases and Notable Titles
-Llewellyn's Spring/Summer 2013 Catalog
-Indie Stores' Top Five Picks
-And Much More!

If you did not receive a copy in your email inbox, you can also view it here: The New Moon, March 2013 Issue.

You can also visit our website to subscribe to The New Moon, ensuring that it reaches you each month (please note that you will need to log in/register to be able to join our mailing list).

Thursday, December 27, 2012

The January New Moon Is Out--Check Your Inbox



For those of you who currently subscribe to our email newsletter for booksellers, The Moon, you may have noticed a few changes.

We've streamlined the look, included new features, and christened it with a new moniker: The New Moon. As with this blog, our goal is to really connect with you, our selling partners, each month and offer support, guidance, and resources with the aim of helping you grow and thrive in this ever-changing market.

Our January issue of the New Moon was mailed yesterday. This issue includes:
-Booksellers as Love Counselors
-Shelftalkers (Witchy Crafts, Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences, Your Psychic Self, and Haunted Route 66)
-February New Releases
-Llewellyn's Spring/Summer 2013 Catalog
-Indie Stores' Top Five Picks
-And Much More!

If you did not receive a copy in your email inbox, you can also view it here: The New Moon, January 2013 Issue.

You can also visit our website to subscribe to The New Moon, ensuring that it reaches you each month (please note that you will need to log in/register to be able to join our mailing list).

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

The December New Moon Is Out--Check Your Inbox


For those of you who currently subscribe to our email newsletter for booksellers, The Moon, you may have noticed a few changes.

We've streamlined the look, included new features, and christened it with a new moniker: The New Moon. As with this blog, our goal is to really connect with you, our selling partners, each month and offer support, guidance, and resources with the aim of helping you grow and thrive in this ever-changing market.

Our December issue of the New Moon was mailed this morning. This issue includes:
-Invoking the Holiday Spirit on a Budget
-Shelftalkers (Beyond Soul Mates, As Above Tarot Deck, I Saw Your Future And He's Not It, and Magical Qabalah for Beginners)
-January New Releases
-Llewellyn's Winter 2013 Catalog
-Indie Stores' Top Five Picks
-And Much More!

If you did not receive a copy in your email inbox, you can also view it here: The New Moon, December 2012 Issue.

You can also visit our website to subscribe to The New Moon, ensuring that it reaches you each month (please note that you will need to log in/register to be able to join our mailing list).

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

The November New Moon Is Out--Check Your Inbox!

For those of you who currently subscribe to our email newsletter for booksellers, The Moon, you may have noticed a few changes.

We've streamlined the look, included new features, and christened it with a new moniker: The New Moon. As with this blog, our goal is to really connect with you, our selling partners, each month and offer support, guidance, and resources with the aim of helping you grow and thrive in this ever-changing market.

Our November issue of the New Moon was mailed this morning. This issue includes:
-Yule Ideas for Everyone
-Shelftalkers (From the Cauldron Born, Great Sex Made Simple, New Paths to Animal Totems, and Our Children Live On)
-December New Releases
-Llewellyn's Winter 2013 Catalog
-Indie Stores' Top Five Picks
-And Much More!

If you did not receive a copy in your email inbox, you can also view it here: The New Moon, November 2012 Issue.

You can also visit our website to subscribe to The New Moon, ensuring that it reaches you each month (please note that you will need to log in/register to be able to join our mailing list).

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

The August New Moon Is Out--Check Your Inbox!


For those of you who currently subscribe to our email newsletter for booksellers, The Moon, you may have noticed a few changes.

We've streamlined the look, included new features, and christened it with a new moniker: The New Moon. As with this blog, our goal is to really connect with you, our selling partners, each month and offer support, guidance, and resources with the aim of helping you grow and thrive in this ever-changing market.

Our August issue of the New Moon was mailed this morning. This issue includes:
-The Art of Blissful Storekeeping, from author Tess Whitehurst
-Shelftalkers (The Art of Bliss, Witches Tarot, Meditation for Your Life, and Restless in Peace)
-September New Releases
-Llewellyn's 2012 Tarot Catalog
-Indie Stores' Top Five Picks
-And Much More!

If you did not receive a copy in your email inbox, you can also view it here: The New Moon, August 2012 Issue.

You can also visit our website to subscribe to The New Moon, ensuring that it reaches you each month (please note that you will need to log in/register to be able to join our mailing list).

Friday, July 13, 2012

The 20 Most Beautiful Bookstores in the World

Flavorwire has posted a list of the 20 Most Beautiful Bookstores in the World--and are they ever spectacular!

While a visit to some of these bookstores requires a trip out of town--or out of the country--the pictures are definitely a sight to see.


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Bookworm Bookstore, Beijing, China. Image from Flavorwire.
Their list of the 20 most beautiful bookstores in the world includes:
  1. Selexyz Bookstore, Maastricht, Holland
  2. The Bookàbar Bookshop, Rome, Italy
  3. Plural Bookshop, Bratislava, Slovakia
  4. Livraria Lello, Porto, Portugal
  5. Cook & Book, Brussels, Belgium
  6. Bookworm, Beijing, China
  7. Librería El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires, Argentina
  8. Poplar Kid’s Republic, Beijing, China
  9. Livraria da Vila, Sao Paulo, Brazil
  10. Cafebreria El Pendulo, Mexico City, Mexico
  11. Shakespeare & Company, Paris, France
  12. The Last Bookstore, Los Angeles, CA
  13. Atlantis Books, Santorini, Greece
  14. Bart’s Books, Ojai, California
  15. Corso Como Bookshop, Milan, Italy
  16. Barter Books, Alnwick, UK
  17. The American Book Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
  18. VVG Something, Taipei, Taiwan
  19. Ler Devagar, Lisbon, Portugal
  20. Daikanyama T-Site, Tokyo, Japan
Head on over to Flavorwire to peruse the fabulous photos and read why each bookstore was chosen.

Have you been to any of these bookstores? What do you think is the most beautiful bookstore in the world?

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

The May Issue of The New Moon Is Out--Check Your Inbox!



For those of you who currently subscribe to our email newsletter for booksellers, The Moon, you may have noticed a few changes.

We've streamlined the look, included new features, and christened it with a new moniker: The New Moon. As with this blog, our goal is to really connect with you, our selling partners, each month and offer support, guidance, and resources with the aim of helping you grow and thrive in this ever-changing market.

Our May issue of the New Moon was mailed this morning. This issue includes:
-A peek inside our Fall 2012 Catalog
-Shelftalkers (Seasons of Witchery, Jesus Through Pagan Eyes, The Magickal Retreat, and The Long-Lost Friend)
-June New Releases
-And Much More!

If you did not receive a copy in your email inbox, you can also view it here: The New Moon, May 2012 Issue.

You can also visit our website to subscribe to The New Moon, ensuring that it reaches you each month (please note that you will need to log in/register to be able to join our mailing list).

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

March Issue of the New Moon Is Out--Check Your Mailbox!



For those of you who currently subscribe to our email newsletter for booksellers, The Moon, you may have noticed a few changes.

We've streamlined the look, included new features, and christened it with a new moniker: The New Moon. As with this blog, our goal is to really connect with you, our selling partners, each month and offer support, guidance, and resources with the aim of helping you grow and thrive in this ever-changing market.

Our March issue of the New Moon was mailed this morning. This issue includes:
-Celebrating Earth Day At Your Store -Shelftalkers (The Essential Guide to Natural Skin Care, Navigating the Out-Of-Body Experience, Tarot Spreads, and Table Tipping for Beginners)
-April New Releases
-And Much More!

If you did not receive a copy in your email inbox, you can also view it here: The New Moon, March 2012 Issue.

You can also visit our website to subscribe to The New Moon, ensuring that it reaches you each month (please note that you will need to log in/register to be able to join our mailing list).

Monday, September 19, 2011

Now Is the Time to Begin Your Halloween Planning

Sigh. It seems as though summer has flown by us for another year; wasn’t it just Midsummer yesterday, and Memorial Day the week before that? Though many of us will be loathe to see these long, sweltering days end, there is something magical about the palpable change in the air, the feeling of renewal that comes with that change, even if we are entering the dying portion of the seasonal cycle.

The crisp autumn air, the crunching of leaves underfoot, the smell of wood-burning fireplaces…to me, these things bring such happiness. And Samhain! That most magical of holidays, when the veil between the worlds is thinnest, when we celebrate the turning of a new year, when “kids” of all ages have reason to celebrate. And it's never too early to begin your Halloween holiday preparations!


As we near this magical time, it can be hard to reconcile plans (both personal and business) between the sacred and the secular, as well as between the spendy and the thrifty. That said, there are many ways to make Samhain more than just pointed hats and candy –without breaking the bank—at both your home and your store.

Décor
For me, decorations are always a great way to set the mood for any holiday season, Samhain included.
  • Pumpkins. A great way to spend time with family, friends, and associates is always at the pumpkin patch, finding that perfect gourd to display, carve, or both. While pumpkins can be found in many places (grocery stores and supermarkets included), I always favor the pumpkin patch because it is generally cheaper, the selection is wider, and it makes for a great activity for everyone.
  • Incense. Smell is one of the first things we notice when we enter a building or home; why not use some that celebrates the season? For a magical, uplifting, and thrifty option, try making your own incense or potpourri.
  • Colors. Colors are a huge part of décor, and I like to use those that are not only traditionally seasonal but also magically appropriate. Silver is great for making connections and bridging the gap (such as with Samhain spirit communications); yellow and gold symbolize the Sun and a fruitful harvest (whether literally or metaphorically).
  • An Altar. Perfect for store or home, a Wheel of the Year altar can be suited to any Sabbat, including Samhain.
Rituals
Another strong way to connect to the season, to our friends and family, and to our ancestors is through rituals. These make great activities to do alone, to do with friends or family members, or to host as a store activity.

Activities and Parties
There is something about Samhain that just seems to warrant having a party or other event. Looking for ideas? Look no further!
Still looking for more ideas? Check out "Samhain Party Hosting Made Easy" (http://www.llewellyn.com/journal/article/1396).

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?

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

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!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

A Bookseller's Insightful Tips for Author Events

Hey Booksellers,

I’m sure many of you plan events throughout the year. Today, I came across a fabulous blog post on Publishers Weekly’s ShelfTalker called “Author Event Tips.” It’s written by Josie Leavitt, co-owner of The Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelburne, Vermont. She says, “Events are fun. Yes, they are a lot of work, but when I look at my bestsellers for the year, the lion’s share of them are event books.”

Leavitt offers a great checklist of what to do once your event is confirmed. There’s advice for working with the author's publicist, getting the word out to local media, and notifying your customers through social media and e-mail blasts. If you’ve built up a nice following on Facebook and Twitter, and have a hefty collection of customer e-mail addresses, perhaps you can consider forgoing those pricey print ads. She also suggests stockpiling extra books signed by the author that can be displayed in a special section in your store devoted to autographed titles.

Have any other tips on hosting and publicizing events? Care to share some your own successful, heartwarming, funny, or bizarre event experiences? We’d love to hear them.

By the way, if there’s a Llewellyn author in your area and you’d like to inquire about the possibility of an event, please write to authorevents@llewellyn.com.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Go Green, Save Money, and Impress Eco-Conscious Consumers

Hello again, Booksellers!

As Earth Day approaches, the issue of green takes center stage. How eco-friendly is your store?

I confess that I don’t have the greenest lifestyle. While I use a rain barrel, make an effort to buy local organic foods, recycle (including the plastics that the city won’t take), and keep a chemical-free lawn, there’s a lot more I could do. On my list this summer? Composting!

Taking steps toward a greener business can save a few dollars and win over environmentally conscious customers. Here are some green business practices to ponder.

Reusable Bags
Reusable bags are catching on. Some shops offer a small ten cents discount to customers who use them. Custom tote bags printed with your business name and logo is a great way to advertise your store and encourage customers to bring their own bag. Another option is to simply ask customers (buying only one or two small items) if they need a bag before automatically providing one. Those who are concerned about reducing waste will feel good about supporting an eco-friendly business.

Make the Leap from Print to Digital
Do you have a store newsletter? Think of how much paper and money you can save by switching from print to electronic. There are plenty of free resources for designing e-newsletters. One example is MailChimp.com, which offers easy design templates and other services.

Rejuvenate or Update?
Consider ways to fix what you have, instead of replacing it. If buying new is the only answer, research energy-efficient options that will save you money in the long run. Here’s some information on rebates and funding for energy efficient updates from Energy Star.

Starve the Landfills
It’s amazing how many people have a use for what we consider trash. Before sending your junk to the landfill, check with Freecycle.org to see if someone wants to take it off your hands.

More Easy Ways to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle:
• Seal air leaks in windows and doors.
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent.
• Bring in plants to clean the air.
• Opt for paperless billing.
• Reduce junk mail by having your name removed from unwanted mailings.
• Coordinate a staff carpool or encourage employees to commute by bike or mass transit.
• Launch an in-store recycling program.

Have more ideas for reducing your carbon footprint? Please share!

I'll sign off now and leave you with some thought-provoking candidates for a book display.

Voices of the Earth: The Path of Green Spirituality


Sacred Land: Intuitive Gardening for Personal, Political and Environmental Change


Pagan Visions for a Sustainable Future

Ecoshamanism: Sacred Practices of Unity, Power and Earth Healing