Armchair BEA Day 3: Networking in Real Life - How to Get Your Book Fix

Welcome back to Armchair BEA! If you're not sure what it's all about be sure to visit the Armchair BEA headquarters.

Today we're discussing networking. I find this to be just a fancy word for interacting within your chosen community. In this case, we're talking about meeting & working with people in your bookish community. As it was part of my job, I am pretty good at working with groups & individuals to fulfill their bookish needs. Rather than bore you with some of my successful events, I'm going to tell you a few things I have learned along the way.

1. Befriend your bookseller, especially the indie stores. They can tell you what books are coming out when & even host some great events! I spent a great deal of time at Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, NC for several events. They seemed to be in touch with a variety of authors & genres that appealed to all ages. Even better though was my book relationship with Sarah at Borders. She was a regular employ who was almost always the one ringing me out, so she kind of got to know my reading habits. We'd make small talk on slow nights & one day I came in to find books being held for me in case I was interested. I also got lots of promo/display items that were being tossed out & dozens of book recommendations. Find that person or that store in your area (I know it can be harder when you live in a small town, but making the drive for some great events is totally worth it!) & just start talking. You'll be amazed at how much you can learn!
2. Use your library! I know that sounds dumb, but they are so much more than a place to pick up and drop off books. Many libraries now have bookclub resources that vary from library-hosted bookclubs, kits with books & discussion guides for outside-the-library bookclubs & sometimes even meeting spaces. Does your library not own the book you want? Do you know about InterLibrary Loan (ILL)? Most (if not all) libraries have the ability to request certain items from other institutions. It's a way for book collections to be shared at a mutual benefit to both groups involved. Ask about this option the next time you want a slightly less popular title. Don't forget about the library's events too! While a lot of programs are aimed at getting the younger folks into reading, there are still some teen programs with prizes & even some adult programs with incentives.
3. Join Twitter! While many people have been tooting this for a long while, I was very skeptical & very resistant to getting on Twitter. I would see people tweeting & wonder what all the fuss was about. Finally I thought, "I'll give this a week. If after that I don't get it, then it's just not my cup of tea." It was such a relief to find it so simple & interesting. I am able to follow several of my favorite authors, businesses, & other bloggers. There are contests with authors & publishers, snippets from daily writings, & get some all around fun! A lot of my daily news comes from this source because it's just so easy to get the information out there. At times I do get frustrated because I can't keep up & I miss out on some things because I'm not attached to it, but that's part of the fun. It's constant & never dull.
4. Don't be afraid of interacting with strangers, in real life or online. I'm sure "Stranger Danger" is running through your mind right now, but I'm sure you all understand my meaning. A smile & comment in a waiting line can make all the difference. I've met other book bloggers (like the ever so lovely Vania, queen of the book trailers!), new friends & several lovely authors by simply being nice. You never know who you're going to meet or how awesome they can be if you don't at least try. A lot of time other people are just as nervous as you, but as social creatures we usually find something in common to bond over.
5. Finally, think outside the box. Can't get anything good at your library? What about a bookswap (wither locally or via one of the many online versions like Swap.com or PaperbackSwap.com)? Want to do a giveaway, but don't have a book? Why not team up with a seller on Etsy.com to giveaway something related to something bookish? Got a lot to say & think it'll take more than one post? Create a special week long event! There are no real rules, so have fun with it! I have done all of these things & the ideas came to me when I was running out of options. I LOVE partnering with other bloggers, artisans, & websites. My motto has always been, if you don't ask then the answer is always no. You never know what you might get in return either. Some of the Etsy artisans were even kind enough to give me a discount & work with me on designing something special for my giveaway.

There you have it folks! I've tried all these methods over time (as my confidence grew & I became more comfortable in my blogging role) when nothing but success. This list is by no means all encompassing, but it's a great start. Feel free to leave a comment talking about an experience that you've tried. I'm always on the lookout for ways to improve my book community experience!

My Take on the Wall Street Journal Article craziness

I usually reserve my opinion until things cool down, but I must admit that I kept an eye on the Wall Street Journal article situation. In case you've missed out on all the fun, Meghan Cox Gurdon wrote an inflammatory opinion piece about YA book content in the Wall Street Journal. This launched a reaction from the YA community (including the #YAsaves on Twitter) & several authors writing in to voice their opinions on their works' importance & validity. Well Ms. Gurdon is at it again writing in response to the reaction her piece drew. You can read that response here. And now it's my turn.

While I do understand Ms. Gurdon’s opinion, I can’t believe that she was so naive to think that the YA community would not be upset by her generalizations of a very diverse genre. It is very true that right now the more popular books do include sensitive subject material. Ms Gurdon maintains that, "It is true that so-called problem novels may be helpful to children in anguished circumstances. The larger question is whether books about rape, incest, eating disorders and 'cutting' (self-mutilation) help to normalize such behaviors for the vast majority of children who are merely living through the routine ordeals of adolescence.”

I would have to state that (in my opinion) these books are not normalizing these experiences, but rather validating the experiences that young adults are facing today. An easier way to say that is that the books are NOT causing these issues, the issues are giving rise to the books.Young adults are narcissistic & they want to read about people like themselves. That being said, with the age of the first sexual encounter getting younger & younger & with teens experimenting with a variety of “activities” (for lack of a better word), these books shed some realism on these taboo subjects. There are not always happy endings in these books & sometimes the reality that everything won’t be okay is enough to get through to these young adults.

Another thing to note here is that Young Adult DOES NOT only include teens. Young Adult books are meant for high school through probably mid-twenties. Granted, the majority of the readership is about 14, but I honestly can’t think of a better age to approach these subjects because I think they also serve as cautionary tales. They provide a glimpse into what could be, not what should be. Also, I don’t think there is anything worse in these books than a young adult could read in the newspaper or see on the evening news.

My main complaint would be, where does it end? If these subjects are too touchy for teen books, where do they belong? What are you going to take out of video games & music? When do I need to line up for the chip implantation? Seriously, just because the books are not as “innocent” & “pure” as some would like them to be does not mean they are not valid & worthwhile. They have an audience & a place & that place is on the shelf. There are still a plethora of books for more sensitive readers & I’ll be the first to show them to you in my library, but don’t generalize YA books in such a negative light.

And now I will leave you with a favorite quote of mine. It's from the movie American President with Michael Douglas:
“You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.”

Sound off below. What do you think of Ms. Gurdon's opinion? What do you think of my opinion? What are your thoughts on the situation?

Cover Alert ~ Hunger Games 3!!

Isn't it gorgeous?!!? It's official folks, I am now absolutely in love with this series's covers! Hope you enjoy it!

P.S. I had been skeptical of the worthiness of Twitter, until I found this on there just now. It really is a great instant network. Please follow me to find out up-to-date info as I find it!!