Take Part: Seattle Bloggers Unite Event

Jul23

The idea started out as an avenue to connect with other bloggers in Seattle, and start trying to network. I mean, with a beautiful event such as printing your own notecards and chatting with out bloggers, who wouldn’t want to join in the fun?

Seattle Bloggers Unite is an amazing group of people that hosts meet-ups and events such as the Letterpress one above for bloggers around the city. I’d heard really nice things about them, and I was excited to go to my first event!

It was held by the brilliant friend duo at Farewell Paperie, based in the Georgetown neighbourhood of Seattle. For me it was only a 20 minute bus ride. On a Friday too! Ok, so this is some seriously cool stationary. Check them out and buy to your heart’s desire because their color palate is spot on and their content knows no bounds. They also have a hundred year old printing press name Bill:

They also have a pretty lady press named Helga, but my photo turned out too blurry. Anyway, after having super fancy sponsored food and drink – it was time to get pressing! I volunteered to go first and boy it was a work out! They had already printed out our phrases in stencils and ready to go. I pumped the pedal as one of the owners, Jen, managed the wheel, making sure I didn’t pump too fast. I then filtered the paper into the press and ta-da! My pretty little cards were stamped and gorgeous!

Everyone there got to print their own set of 25 cards, and this was not an easy feat! In the meantime we cut paper and glued it into the inside of envelopes (they let us pick whatever colors we wanted!). Crafting, printing and pretty colors all over the place!

All the other ladies there were intelligent, kind and so knowledgeable about what they wrote about! I was really impressed with the range of subjects. Sadly, I had to leave early. A friend’s birthday celebration was also that night and I had two bus journeys to get back to my car. Then I received the best part about these Seattle Bloggers Unite events: The Goodie Bag!

*Drools* Did I really get a free copy of Molly Moon’s ice cream recipe book? Yes, I think I did! I also got a fancy bracelet, beautiful cards, an art pad, Francs chocolates (!), a stunning tea towel, a temporary tattoo of a camera, a can of Dry Soda (this stuff is so good!), some pens and a container folder too! After such a lovely evening, I’m sold on Seattle Bloggers Unite and I hope to go more events in the future. I’m pretty bummed I can’t go to the next one – a visit to the headquarters of Allrecipes.com!

I miss my life in London everyday, but on a day like this, I’m extremely proud to live in a city that has brilliant opportunities available for a blogger like me. If you’re also in Seattle – give Seattle Bloggers Unite a chance! It’s a great way to meet new people who blog too!

BooksILove: A Beautiful Book Recommendation App for iPhone

Jan30

HELLO lovelies!

Where, where, where have I been?

I have much content to bring you! Book signing events, more WA bookstores and reviews of books themselves! So much to discover and share with my dear followers!

However, I must admit that most of my attention has been on work, but as it’s related I can finally share with you what it’s all about, as it’s now available for iPhone iOS7!

I’m apart of the amazing team behind the BooksILove app!

We’ve all had those conversations – Over drinks, when leaving the office, on the bus, out shopping: A friend shares the amazing things about why they love the latest book they’re reading. But then, how do you remember afterwards? A scrap of paper? In a digital note? Was it just the author? Or maybe a bit of the book title? When you finally get the chance to head to the library or bookstore, are you able to remember what the book was? Although the discussion was productive, this spark of life for the book is essentially lost most of the time – BUT NO LONGER!

The BooksILove app is all about capturing and sharing recommendations about favorite books on the go! Here’s the press release from one of the founders, Elizabeth Dimarco, her wording is way better than mine:

“Our app allows you to send personal recommendations to friends and remember their favorites, too. Capture why you love a book by simply tapping icons that represent the best elements of the book. Do you love the hero? The plot? With over 75 beautiful icons available, you can pick exactly why you love the book and generate a thoughtful recommendation. Share your opinion with others via email and Facebook. Store your books, personal thoughts, and books recommended by friends, all in one mobile device.”

There is even a video on how the app works! Check it out!

This is only the beginning!

Important bits:

The app is available NOW for iPhone –IT’S FREE! You must have iOS7

Currently it’s only available for the US and Canada (we’re working on the next steps for other English-speaking countries)

We want your feedback! Please email us at realpeople@booksilove.com

Want the social? Follow us on –

Twitter

Facebook

Web

Want to send me a recommendation? Email me at ashley@booksilove.com!

All photos are courtesy of BooksILove, BFF BIZ, LLC and Ratio.

October Purchases – Gold Found at Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair

Oct19

Hi all!

Last weekend I was lucky enough to do some browsing at the annual Seattle Antiquarian Book Fair! Over 100 vendors where there, mostly from Washington but there were at least over 20 from others states and even one from the UK!

This of course meant that I couldn’t many of the books. $2,000 for a first edition of Stephen King’s The Shining? Or how about the 1st edition The Great Gatsby with the original dust jacket? (over $13,000).

Lots and lots of pretties!

There were books that were affordable, there was a lovely little booth of vintage cookbooks, but I choose to spend my money of this little gem of a first edition children’s book!

LOVE IT! There was also a very nice military book booth and he had some vintage mysteries for sale. How could I resist?

I picked Carrie up at Half Price Books. It is October after all! I’m still on the hunt for an affordable The Shining! Any leads, let me know!

Book Signing Adventures: Kat Richardson

Aug8

There is a writer that I have admired since Uni. I’ll never forget how I saw her first book being cradled in the hands of a sorority sister. ‘She’s a great writer.’ She stated. ‘I think you’d really like her, and she’s local.’

The year was 2006 and like clockwork every August, each book in Kat Richardson’s fantastic Greywalker series is published. It’s my favorite time of year.

Since the beginning of her series I have always gotten her books from the Seattle Public Library. I couldn’t purchase them because I knew I’d be moving to England in the future. ‘One day,’ I thought, ‘I will have a lovely collection of her books.’

One of the best things about moving back is that the one day has begun.

This week the University Bookstore (hurray for being an alumni!) did a release party for her eighth book in the Greywalker series, Possession. I got there early and noticed a bit of humor from the staff.

Well done mates.

I snatched my copy of Possession and strolled through the bookstore waiting for the event to start. I had bought the first book in the series elsewhere, due to being unemployed I wasn’t able to snap up all of her books. I felt that by slowly taking advantage of Richardson’s frequent appearances around Seattle, that I would built up my library of signed books in time. Hopefully she won’t think I’m a crazy stalker. I wasn’t going to make her sign all eight books with different things, that’s asking way too much. She had others to sign for and I wanted to respect her time.

Book 8 (Left) Book 1 (Right)

I went alone. When she arrived I became giddy and overwhelmed with how long I had waited for this moment. Richardson was so exceptionally kind, sweet and real. She spoke to crowd as if we were all old friends, with lots of laughter and the feeling of fun in the air.

She read a couple of passages from the new book.

She gave us some spoilers for the ninth book (seriously can’t wait!).

Richardson knows so much about Seattle and it’s one of the best things about her writing. She really gets out there and knows her stuff! Her books were the biggest comfort I could turn too whenever I was having a hard time in London. I am grateful to my friends that posted me her books as she was dropped from her UK publisher. (TRAGIC MISTAKE) Her writing is home and I’m so lucky to have discovered her work early on.

Then came the best part of the evening. The book signing!

Unlike my two previous book signing adventures, of Neil Gaiman and E. L. James, for Richardson I had the chance to speak to her for more than a few seconds! I had an actual conversation and it was difficult to not cry during the joyous moment.

Me trying to not act/look/sound stupid.

I was a complete and utter fan girl.

The best part was that she remembered one of my tweets from last year:

As if the night couldn’t get any better.

It was inspiring to be around such a talented writer from home, who writes extremely well about monsters and creatures and Seattle things that go bump in the night. Full of mystery, spookiness and adventure. I’ve always highly encouraged anyone and everyone I know to read her series.

I couldn’t be happier to have the chance to meet her in person.

She signed my books with grace and words that made me weep and smile. I kicked myself because I had another one of her books but forgot it at home!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you Kat Richardson for making such a silly fan like me so happy! I can’t wait to start reading!

Ashleyisee

Take Part: Seattle Book Summit, Timberland Library Tour and Kat Richardson book signing

Jul25

A couple of events happening around Washington State this week and the next coming weeks!

This week:

Marissa Meyer, author the Lunar Chronicles series, is doing a six library book signing tour around Western Washington.

*Covers are from Goodreads

Her schedule is as follows:

July 25, 12:00 p.m.: Ocean Park Timberland Library
July 25, 6:00 p.m.: Aberdeen Timberland Library

July 26, 2:00 p.m.: Winlock Timberland Library
July 26, 7:00 p.m.: Olympia Timberland Library

July 27, 11:00 a.m.: Centralia Timberland Library
July 27, 3:00 p.m.: Shelton Timberland Library

I wish I could go but I’m unable to travel the distance at the moment. I’m hoping to catch Meyer in a couple of months when her third book, Cress, is published.

August 1st:

PR for People is fronting the 3rd annual Seattle Book Summit event at Seattle’s downtown Central Library branch.

*Photo is courtesy of PR for People.

Tickets range from $35-$75 and yours truly will be volunteering at the event!

Lastly, one of my absolutely favorite authors, Kat Richardson will be doing two book signings whilst promoting her latest published work, Possession, the eighth book from her outstanding Greywalker series. Richardson is a local Seattle writer and I personally can’t wait to meet her in person!

*Photo is courtesy of katrichardson.com, cover is from Goodreads

The info:

1st signing:

August 6th at the Seattle location University Bookstore from 7pm. No tickets required, just have a copy of the freshly published Possession, or buy it before the signing.

2nd signing:

Richardson is being an absolute star and popping over to the Seattle Mystery Bookstore for an hour ONLY on August 10th at 12pm to 1pm SHARP. She’ll be at another event beforehand but has graciously offered to sign books during her lunch hour. No tickets required, just have the latest book and she’s happy to sign it for you!

That’s all for now! If there are any events you know of and want me to write about, I’m happy to promote all things literary!

Until next time,

Ashleyisee

Book Signing Adventures: Neil Gaiman

Jul4

Oh how fortune throws a good hand every so often.

Neil Gaiman is on his very last book signing tour. Why? Because it’s now getting to the point that there are so many people that all he ends up doing is signing for hours and hours and hours. He stated that in San Fran (I believe) He was signing until 3am! (I’m sorry, but authors shouldn’t have sign for that long!)

When I first saw the tour dates, it stated that Seattle was sold out – BOOO! BUT, by a lucky rare chance I caught a last minute wave of final tickets! I was seriously considering driving four hours away to Vancouver, BC because they still had tickets available.

Anyways! I was super excited, I mean this was an evening with Neil Gaiman! Hosted through the University Bookstore as a part of the 2013 Clarion West Writers Workshop readings at Seattle Town Hall. I was one lucky girl to be a part of a huge crowd entertained by Gaiman.

First he did a reading from his latest book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

He then did a short Q & A with some questions such as, “Christian Bale or Adam West? Which is your favourite batman?”, “What’s one thing you’d like your readers to know?” Gaiman’s answer: “I’d like my readers to know how to read.”

The favourite question of the evening was, “Will Neil ever do a spread for Playgirl?” Gaiman’s answer, “I’m 52!”.

Another good one, “If you were a God, what kind of God would you be?”

Gaiman stated he’d be the God of extended deadlines. Very well said!

After the Q & A Gaiman did another reading of a short story inspired from one of his earlier works, and it was just delightful!

Then, the signing began.

Sigh. Gaiman is SUCH a trooper. I had gotten to the event just as it was scheduled to start, meaning I missed out on snagging a prime seat. Instead I was in the group of last 50 people to get items signed.

There was a long queue.

Once you made it to the lobby though, there was a last chance to buy any of Gaiman’s books from the beautiful display.

There was also the Seattle Town Hall poem to read too:

I believe he started signing just before 9pm, by the time I got to meet him it was 12:20pm.

He is lovely. So kind, sweet and engaging. I was very nervous and tried not to say much because I was tired, which mean he must surely be more tired and he still had a load of more people to sign things for.

I shook his hand, thanked him for a lovely evening and then went on my way.

I had him sign just his name on his new book and personalise my second attempt at buying and reading Neverwhere. He wrote, ‘Ashley, Mind the Gap!’

Oh Neil, if only you know how well I can mind that gap.

I will treasure them forever.

If you have the chance to meet Neil, DO IT, opportunities like this are rare and take advantage! Gaiman knows how to put on a show and he’s delightful to listen to and learn from.

THANK YOU Neil for coming to Seattle! Thank you so much for doing a last signing tour and giving every fan your time! It’s greatly appreciated and YOU’RE AWESOME! @neilhimself

For those in Seattle, there are four more evenings of science fiction and fantasy from Clarion. Please check out their site and go. They’re on Tuesdays at 7pm.

Ashleyisee