It's been a busy summer at Chapters!  In the past two weeks, we've hosted four events--and that's not counting this coming Friday's appearance by Tacky the Penguin at the Seward County Fair or the August 16 event in David City with Shon Hopwood.

After a fun storytime with Nancy Carlson (see previous entries about Nancy's visit), we sold books at a Ted Kooser workshop and had the pleasure of meeting aspiring writers from Nebraska, Kansas City, and even Wisconsin at that event.  

The following day, we hosted Lincoln resident and newly- published mystery writer Joy Castro at the store.  Joy's first mystery-thriller, Hell or High Water, is set in New Orleans and features a spunky, realistically-flawed main character named Nola who is a reporter researching a story on sexual predators who disappeared in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.  It's a compelling story that will keep you hoping Nola doesn't get herself into any dangers she can't get  out of.  Joy made everyone thoroughly comfortable as we spent the afternoon with her.  I'm hoping for future opportunities to get to know her better.  Wesleyan President Fred Ohles, who worked with Joy in Indiana, attended the event, and it was nice to see him, too.

We still have a couple of autographed copies of Hell or High Water at Chapters, so stop in soon before they're all gone.

Then, on July 31, the Where's Waldo in Seward Grand Celebration and Prize Drawing brought excitement and fun to Chapters.  Waldo himself made an appearance to help a group of kids find him in his books, enjoy red and white cookies and kabobs in his honor, play "Pin the Glasses on Waldo"--a poster of him, of course--and make binoculars to help them see him more clearly.  To cap the month-long promotion, Waldo drew the names of 28 lucky winners, including Grand Prize winner Hannah Kolterman, who won $100 in Seward Bucks in our drawing.  See all the winners' names at the Where's Waldo in Seward website.  And thank Cameron Pfeiffer and Kyle Rojewski if you can find them for playing Waldo throughout Seward in July.  See more photos of Waldo on Chapters' facebook page.

One of my favorite fringe benefits of owning a bookstore is spending time with authors.  We had a fabulous visit with author/illustrator Nancy Carlson this morning.  Nancy is the first "real" author I ever heard speak, in about 1988 when I was teaching in Lincoln.  Nancy was in Seward on that trip to Nebraska, too.  I still have an autographed copy of I Like Me!" from that visit, and hearing her read it again today was a treat.  I read it so many times to my classes and my own kids that I could have almost recited it with her.

I had the honor of having lunch with Nancy, too.  She told me about her travels over the years, including a trip to Saudi Arabia to talk about her books.  What an experience!  Hopefully, now she can fondly tell others about her stay at the Liberty House Bed & Breakfast here in Seward.  It's not as exotic as Saudi Arabia, but still a change from her home in Minneapolis.

We're glad that the group from St. John's CDC was able to join us for this fun storytime and drawing lesson with Nancy.  Thanks to everyone else who attended, too.  If you weren't able to make it this morning, stop by the store to see the picture of Harriet that Nancy drew for us.  Harriet is the golden retriever hero of Nancy's books.  Anyone who likes goldens has to be a good person.

I've posted more photos from this morning's storytime on our facebook page, and we do have a few signed books remaining.  

Thanks, Nancy Carlson for a fun morning, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your week in Nebraska.

We had great fun at our summer camp last week.  Our theme for the week was "WE LOVE BOOKS," and we showed that love by reading and writing books, creating and learning things from books, even making things out of books--with a strong warning NOT to do this at home without permission!

Here are a few photos highlighting events and special guests from the week.  If you'd like to see all photos from the week, visit us on facebook.  To print photos, send me an email, and I'll share the picasa web album with you.

Thanks to all who participated.  Camp is one of our favorite weeks of the year, because we get to know so many wonderful kids and their families.  Also thanks to Cheryl and Stephanie for running camp activities and keeping the store open at the same time, and to our volunteer helpers, Hailey and Molly Newburn, Megan Runyan, and Emma Orwen.  You're all wonderful!

 Terese Svoboda, author of Bohemian Girl, kicked off our summer events with a signing and reading in early June.  Bohemian Girl is set in Nebraska in 1861.  It's not a pretty story of life on the prairie, but it's an intriguing one with characters you'll care about and a storyline full of adventure.

 Dr. Jason Summa also visited Chapters, and he read his favorite book to read to his own kids, Good Night, Good Knight, to a rapt audience.  After Dr. Summa read to the group, all the kids made posters advertising their own favorites.  You may have seen them in our windows and aisles last week!

Tim and Grace worked hard on their posters!

 On Tuesday, Seward's own Charlie Volnek, author of Bethany's favorite book, Horse Called Trouble, talked to our group about writing books and how to think of ideas.  Then, the kids wrote their own books, which they shared with the group.

 Tara found a quiet place to write--in the closet.

 Xander worked hard on a book about stormchasers.

Eating "s'more books" was as much fun as reading and writing books!

In the afternoon, Anna Meyer, who creates the blank journals we sell at Chapters, gave a lesson on book binding.  We each made a book and learned how "real" books are assembled.

 Wednesday, we cooked and created, finding inspiration in books!  Like the little red hen who baked a pizza, we baked pizzas, too.  And in the afternoon, we made book bags out of blue jeans.

 Thursday's camp was all about the things we can learn from books, such as how to make balloon animals, Lego creations, paper airplanes, microwave oatmeal bars, and much more.  Isabelle made "finger friends," and Molly helped our campers make balloon animals, while Jordan made a telescope for space exploration.

 And, finally, on Friday, we made things OUT OF books.  It pained us to do it, but we cut off the covers, tore out the pages, and folded, duct taped, and stapled discarded books into amazing new creations.  Doesn't Martin look pleased with his book creation?  Mackenzie and Tessa concentrated very hard on their projects, as did all the campers.  Stephanie's "wordy birds" and "thinking caps" were a big hit, too.

 Where's Waldo?

He was at Chapters last week, and he's right here in Seward in July!
Find him at 21 businesses around town and win great prizes!

Visit http://www.sewardchapters.com/home/where-s-waldo-in-seward

for details.

Forsberg photos

We had a fantastic event with Ted Kooser and Mike Forsberg on March 31.  Thanks to everyone who attended.  I apologize for the delay in posting photos.  The photos posted here were taken by Michael Forsberg during our event at the site that inspired Ted Kooser's House Held Up By Trees.  We appreciate Mike's willingness to share them!  If you missed the event, you can hear Ted Kooser at the house in rural Seward County talking about his new book and the old house by clicking on the video created by SHS students.