6 Ways I Try to “Save a Little Change at the Bookstore Retail Chains”

1.  JOIN MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS

Yearly, shell out the $25 for your favorite bookstore chain‘s membership program. You’ll earn it back in savings before long, especially as it concerns saving 10% on purchases. Plus, free shipping! I don’t know about you, but I hate paying for shipping. That’s one reason why I keep up with my memberships, as well as subscribe to Amazon prime. (Off course: I won’t buy anything off Fingerhut unless free shipping pops up as an offering.) No, for real; I love being a member. The added benefit is it cuts the bookseller from giving you his or her pitch to become one.

2. HIT UP THE BARGAIN SECTION FIRST

New releases take something like twelve months at least to hit the bargain/remainder section. So you may find a cheaper deal there. Such as a newly released mass market’s hardback counterpart a full 90% off from its original price. Which, in turn, stomps on the mass market's current price. Plus, that area has better deals on exclusive classics you may be interested in reading. And don't get me started on how you can use that area to racked up on book-ish gifts. Whether it's a book, stationary supplies, diaries, or neat little ole kits; there's always something to be had in the bargain section.

3.  SIGN UP FOR COUPONS & MASSAGE THE SYSTEM 

Member or not, coupons are available by simply signing up to receive emails. While I’ve never received physical coupons in the mail from Books-A-Million, they do offer the use of coupon scans via your cell phone. Super convenient! However, Barnes & Noble periodically send physical coupons in the mail. They usually come around certain holidays and all throughout the summer months. So sign up to receive emails. But also remember to delete those emails quickly if you've placed your book spending on a budget. Because we all know how inciting the situation can get with those blood-red numbers reading a certain percentage off.

The Irresistible 25-Cent Friends of the Library Sale This Weekend

The timing couldn’t be more than perfect. I spent the latter of Saturday morning prowling around the public library’s 25-cent book sale. Who could resist? Who does resist? Plus, earlier that morning, I returned a few new releases and detoxed a shelf. So why not see what one can pick up for 25-cent? :)

Contents Under Pressure is the first book in Edna Buchanan’s Miami-based crime reporter, Britt Montero, mystery series. I had it for years in mass market; spotted this hardcover, and made the exchange.

More male crime writers are on my reading agenda. Having never read a Le Carra British spy novel, this three-book collection seems fitting. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is the third book in Le Carra’s Smiley series. While The Looking Glass War is the 4th. A Small Town in Germany is a stand-alone. These books released in the ’60s. Another edge of interest and joy for something new to taste.

I could have screamed when I spotted this book containing the first three books in Tony Hillerman’s Joe Leaphorn series. I checked out an exact copy from my library back in June, and read each story back-to-back in less than a week. Matter-of-fact, I read the first book, The Blessing Way, in less than five hours. So when I saw this at the sale for 25-cent, I snatched it and held it close for my personal library. Now I need to get the follow-up omnibus collection to continue Leaphorn’s stories. My excitement for finding this particular book is an understatement.

While I looked around at the sale, nothing else really caught my attention.  So I left it at this.  Adding the Hillerman book to my personal library was worth it all! Serendipity at its finest!

When I Buy a New Release That's Not Working...

...THIS HAPPENS...

1. Reputable author (in my eyes) has a new release; a stand-alone from her usual crime fiction series, though still a thriller/mystery

2. About 60 pages in to a vanilla story with a vanilla cast to a vanilla formula to a vanilla (instant) romance

3.  After being burned by another reputable-in-my-eyes author this year

4.  This is WHY I ALWAYS keep my receipt in the back of the book

She's out of here.  I don't care if Tess Gerritsen wrote this book.  I learned my lesson last month reading a stand-alone book from Nevada Barr.  Absolutely NO more stand-alone books from my favorite mystery authors.  From now on, either we're sticking with his or her series or not sticking at all.

What's in a REBOTCO TBR?

CHOP IT UP: A Killing Fire by Faye Snowden

CHOP IT UP: What Rose Forgot by Nevada Barr

A Bit of Cool J. D. Robb News I HAVE to Share...

Soooooo I got this email Friday from St. Martin's Press Marketing.  What did it say?  Well, it confirmed that my photo/selfie was selected for the mosaic image that'll be featured inside the dust jacket flap of J. D. Robb's 50th In Death release, Golden in Death.  I had to kind of stand there for a minute (as I was rushing to an appointment with a Snicker bar in mouth) to let this bit of excitement soak in.  My picture–as a dedicated fan of Robb's Eve Dallas In Death series–will be inside of Golden in Death's dust jacket with a slew of other fans.  And it'll be only a few weeks before my birthday when the book is released.  I could have passed out at the news, but went chattering about it to a lady in the waiting room.  Between excited chews of my Snicker's bar, of course.

Wait.  So they picked mine?  For real?

Seriously, despite losing someone incredibly special (mainly another mother) to me this year, cool things keep happening in 2019.  Back-to-back, dude.  With more on the horizon, so stay tuned.

So, wow.  This is something so neat that it'll take me a minute to soak in.  Eleven years reading this series and a photo of me will be plastered somewhere inside of the 50th (an incredible number for a book series as is) book's dust jacket.  Like... for forever!  That's wilddddddd!

THANKSSSSSSS!

Keep encouraged and keep glowing, people.  You know you're doing pretty good when good things keep coming at you.  

Stay blessed and receive whatever good comes your way!