Ingrid Law Returns to Seward. . . And Some Book Fair News

Booksellers, like teachers, probably aren't supposed to have favorites, but I have to confess, we do. I am very excited that one of my favorite authors will be returning to Chapters on Tuesday, October 20.

Ingrid Law is the Newbery Honor-winning author of Savvy, one of the all-time best middle grade novels. It's a wonderful story about the unique talents each person has, whether they've discovered their abilities yet or not. The book has magic, humor, warmth, and a perfect ending. It's also set in our own part of the country, with action taking place in Bee, Nebraska, and other parts of southeast Nebraska and Kansas. Scumble and the newly-released Switch, companions to Savvy, are charming stories, too.

And, if that's not enough, Ingrid herself is a fabulously nice person. The last time she came to Seward, back before Savvy even won its Newbery Honor, back when my kids were the perfect age to read Savvy, we took her to Bee for fish--because how can you write a book set in Bee and not eat fish there? (If I find the photo of all the kids with Ingrid on the Bee sign, I'll post it.) This time we're taking her to visit area schools instead of to Bee, and at 4:00 that afternoon she'll be at Chapters to sign copies of her books and talk to readers of all ages.

Ingrid's visit coincides with two book fairs we're hosting for area schools, and any of Ingrid's books that you buy will benefit St. Vincent's and St. John's school libraries. St. John's book fair is an in-store event, so a portion of all purchases at Chapters (except Ingrid's books purchased by St. Vincent families) on October 20 and 21 will go to the St. John school library. St. Vincent's book store is at the school/church October 18-25. Your area schools appreciate your support of their book fairs, and autographed books make great gifts!

October 6 Releases

Today, October 6, is a big day for book releases. Many favorite authors and well-known politicians have books coming out today--for both kids and adults. Here are a few of the most anticipated.

This new edition of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcer's Stone (Scholastic, $39.99), illustrated by Kate Greenaway-award winning artist Jim Kay, features over 100 full-color illustrations. Dedicated Harry Potter fans will be delighted to receive this--and you'll have holiday gifts for the next seven years, as they plan to continue with illustrated editions of the rest of the series! I can think of several people who'd appreciate it.

Rick Riordan has a new series, eagerly anticipated by fans of his Percy Jackson books. This one features Magnus Chase, a homeless Boston boy who is the son of a Norse god. In The Sword of Summer, the first book in the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series, Magnus is tracked down by an uncle his mother warned him was dangerous, who tells him that the Viking myths are true, and the Gods of Asgard are preparing for war, a war in which Magnus will soon be involved. (Disney Hyperion, $19.99). 

Pete the Cat and the Bedtime Blues by Kimberly and James Dean (HarperCollins, $17.99) is a fun addition to the series. Pete needs his sleep. His friends aren't ready to settle down--until Pete thinks to read them a bedtime story! I love the messages of the Pete books, and I love the fact that they're conveyed in ways that aren't at all preachy. This is as fun as the others.

Carry On, new from Omaha author Rainbow Rowell (St. Martin's Griffin, $19.99), is the story of Simon and Baz, who were introduced in Fangirl. Baz is a vampire, Simon the worst "chosen one" ever, and they're roommates at a magical school. Sounds vaguely familiar, but with Rainbow's unique twist--plenty of romance, mystery, and monsters for an entertaining read.

Hard as it is to believe, this is the tenth anniversary of Stephanie Meyer's sensation, Twilight. To commemorate the anniversary, Little Brown has released a special edition of Twilight ($21.99) that features the original novel as well as bonus content, which includes a new re-imagining of the story that's upside down and back-to-back with the first novel. It's called Life and Death and is a reworking of the Twilight story in which, "Beaufort Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edythe Cullen." Sound intriguing? It's available today!

We enjoyed a Skype visit with Sheila Turnage when her first book, Three Times Lucky was brand new, even before she won her Newbery Honor. Today, The Odds of Getting Even (Kathy Dawson Books, $16.99), her newest book about Mo and Dale, releases to great reviews. Middle grade fans of mystery and quirky characters and books with a good dose of humor and heart will enjoy all three books in the series. Plus, Sheila's just a nice person, so we should all read her books!

For adults, there's a good variety in today's new releases. One of my all-time favorite authors, Geraldine Brooks, has a new book. The Secret Chord (Viking, $27.95), the story of King David (yes, that King David), in all his glory and remorse, told through the eyes of the people who knew him. The Survivor by Kyle Mills (Atria, $28.00) continues Vince Flynn's thrilling Mitch Rapp series. And finally, Ben Carson has a new book, A More Perfect Union (Sentinel, $26.95), in which he explains the principles of the American Constitution and the freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights and how they relate to our daily lives.

These titles--and nearly a million more--are available through our online store, www.sewardchapters.com
Regular shipping is always FREE. Or, stop in and pick them up in store and let us know what you think of them!

 

Jan Brett is coming to Seward!

Meet Jan Brett!

 

We are very excited to announce that the beloved children's book creator Jan Brett is coming to Seward as part of her 2015 tour. Her visit is sponsored by the Plum Creek Children's Literacy Festival and Chapters Books & Gifts and will be Tuesday, December 8 at 6:00 p.m. in Weller Hall on the Concordia University Campus.

Chapters will have Jan's books for sale at the event, including her forthcoming book The Turnip, which will be available November 3, 2015. If you purchase a book before the event, please bring it in a bag with your receipt. The number of books Jan will sign per person depends on the number of people attending the event. For those books that she's not able to sign, she will provide free signed bookplates featuring her artwork.

The presentation and signing are open to all ages. Since her books are for kids, we hope to see many children at the event--but we know adults love her, too!

Before the signing, Jan will do a fifteen minute illustration presentation, which will begin at 6:00 p.m. in Weller Hall. In addition, her tour bus, which will be wrapped in scenes from The Turnip, will be parked in front of Weller at 5:00 p.m. and families are welcome to take pictures in front of the bus. Hedgie, the beloved character from The Mitten and The Hat, will also be available for photos and hugs.

Tickets are FREE but required. Participants will go through the signing line based on ticket number, and your ticket will provide for a seat in Weller. Tickets are anticipated to "sell out," and nearly one third are already gone. Tickets are available first come, first serve at Chapters and through Dylan Teut at Concordia. For more information, email chapters@windstream.net or dylan.teut@cune.edu.

Wine and Words

What could be better than books and wine and the chance to enjoy both at the same time, in a beautiful setting, with other people who also enjoy books and wine?

All that AND two authors!

New York Times Bestselling author Alex Kava will be in Seward on Friday, August 21, to promote her new book Silent Creed with a book discussion and signing. At the same event, Omaha author Brock Car will be signing copies of her debut thriller, Dead Behind the Eyes.

We'll have two opportunities for you to meet Alex and Brock. The first will be the "Wine and Words" discussion group at Junto Winery from 5:00-6:00 p.m. There, you'll meet Alex and Brock, share your thoughts on the Ryder Creed series, and have them sign books. And, you'll get wine, really good wine (purchase by the glass), at a beautiful venue! Because Alex loves dogs as much as we do, we will also be accepting donations to benefit Blue River Pet Rescue.

Pre-registration is requested for the "Wine and Words." Please call Junto at 402-803-0587 or Chapters at 402-643-2282 to let us know you're coming.

Following the discussion at Junto, we'll be hosting the authors at Chapters for an informal signing from 6:15-7:00 p.m., also on August 21. We'll have all of Alex's books, as well as Brock's debut, available for purchase and signing. No registration is required.

Alex Kava, originally of Silver Creek, Nebraska, now lives in Omaha and Pensacola, Florida. Her Maggie O'Dell books and other thrillers have been published in over thirty countries and have been on bestseller lists in the UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, Italy and Poland as well as the US. Stranded was a Nebraska Book Award recipient. Silent Creed is the second book in her new series featuring Ryder Creed. 

 Brock Car grew up in Omaha. After a long career in corporate communications, she established her own advertising/public relations firm and wrote for magazines and literary journals. Dead Behind the Eyes is her first novel.

To pre-purchase books, register, or if you have questions, contact us at Chapters.