Moving announcements: Custom orders, calling or stopping in, and the like

Hi, bookstore friends!! Regarding custom orders over the next week, during the BIG MOVE, let us reassure you that continuing to do custom orders for you is the EASIEST thing to do. :)

If you have already ordered books with us, and you need to pick them up, stop in at 25 Main Street until Thursday, March 5th, and you can get your books there. (If not, we'll just direct you over to the Plaza, at 7 East Avenue!) Custom orders will, of course, be well taken care of, set off on their own, even in the busy-ness of the move.

You can also continue to call, email, or facebook us with your custom orders. We can still get books in super-quickly, and you can pick them up, or we can deliver them to you! If you live or work in the 'Boro, we can deliver. We also deliver to the jail, the hospital, the schools, the Shared Home, the Laurels, and many offices in town.

(570) 724-5793
www.wellsborobookstore.com
www.facebook.com/wellsborobooks

from_my_shelf@yahoo.com

Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook

Make Your Novel Stand Out from the Crowd

Noted literary agent and author Donald Maass has done it again His previous book, "Writing the Breakout Novel," offered novelists of all skill levels and genres insider advice on how to make their books rise above the competition and succeed in a crowded marketplace.
Now, building on the success of its predecessor, "Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook" calls that advice into action This powerful book presents the patented techniques and writing exercises from Maass's popular writing workshops to offer novelists first-class instruction and practical guidance. You'll learn to develop and strengthen aspects of your prose with sections on:

Building plot layers
Creating inner conflict
Strengthening voice and point of view
Discovering and heightening larger-than-life character qualities
Strengthening theme
And much more

Maass also carefully dissects examples from real-life breakout novels so you'll lean how to read and analyze fiction like a writer. With authoritative instruction and hands-on workbook exercises, "Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook" is one of the most accessible novel-writing guides available.

Set your work-in progress apart from the competition and write your own breakout novel today

Fundraiser Event for Brian Nestor

I've know Brian for a long time. I was saddened when I heard he was diagnosed with cancer, but I wanted to share a story about him that hopefully make you smile and say, "Yep, that's Brian."

If you know Brian, you know he's stubborn. He doesn't give up. You want that in a man and in a marine. Brian always has been competitive and a strong guy. I remember Brian challenging me to arm wrestle one night in a local bar.

I didn't really want to, but he did say he'd buy me a beer if I won. Hey, nothing wrong with a free beer. It's my favorite kind, and I don't lose often at arm wrestling, especially at that time when I was powerlifting several days a week.

I wrestled Brian with my right arm and beat him, and then he wanted to do another round with our lefts, which is fine as I am left-handed. Brian wanted to go again, and we did. Three times was enough as I could only drink so much beer.

So, I beat Brian arm wrestling what does that story show? Brian is a fighter. He's stubborn and he didn't want to give up. Sure it was just two guys in a bar arm wrestling, but sometimes it's a little more...

Come out and support Brian this Saturday at the Fireman's Annex in Wellsboro. There's a vendor show starting at 2PM and spaghetti dinner from 4 to 6PM. There will be door prizes and good food. Come check it out.

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

For readers of Unbroken, out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant.

It was an unlikely quest from the start. With a team composed of the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew team was never expected to defeat the elite teams of the East Coast and Great Britain, yet they did, going on to shock the world by defeating the German team rowing for Adolf Hitler. The emotional heart of the tale lies with Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not only to regain his shattered self-regard but also to find a real place for himself in the world. Drawing on the boys’ own journals and vivid memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, Brown has created an unforgettable portrait of an era, a celebration of a remarkable achievement, and a chronicle of one extraordinary young man’s personal quest.

Dark Places

Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.” She survived—and famously testified that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, the Kill Club—a secret society obsessed with notorious crimes—locates Libby and pumps her for details. They hope to discover proof that may free Ben. Libby hopes to turn a profit off her tragic history: She’ll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club—for a fee. As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started—on the run from a killer.

Our Biggest Sale Ever!

Our biggest sale ever! 50% off all hard covers and used books. Starting Thursday Feb 26 at 9AM to Sunday March 1st at 4PM. All in stock hard covers and used books are 50% off for members.

We’ve never had a sale this big. We lose money at these prices, but our loss is your gain. If we sell it we don’t have to move it.
This includes new hardcovers like Killing Patton by Bill O’Reilly , Pistol smithing by George Nonte JR, Game & Fish Record Book, also hardcover cookbooks like Betty Goes Vegan and the The Irish Pantry, and cherished children’s classics—such as the giant, hardcover edition of The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.

The books must be in stock to get the 50% discount, but we are still custom ordering and if we don’t have your favorite book in stock, you still get your membership discount.

Not a member? It’s easy to join. It’s just $25 for a full year, and just $20 to rejoin. Members get special sales like this, plus great discounts the year round.

25% off new hardcover, 20% off new softcovers, 20% off board games, plush and novelty mugs. Membership is good for 12 full months from the time you join…

The Martian

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.
Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.
Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first.

But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

At the Mountains of Madness: And Other Tales of Terror

A complete short novel, AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS is a tale of terror unilke any other. The Barren, windswept interior of the Antarctic plateau was lifeless--or so the expedition from Miskatonic University thought. Then they found the strange fossils of unheard-of creatures...and the carved stones tens of millions of years old...and, finally, the mind-blasting terror of the City of the Old Ones. Three additional strange tales, written as only H.P. Lovecraft can write, are also included in this macabre collection of the strange and the weird.

The Big Move: Battle Plans!

Hi, bookstore friends!

So many of you have offered to help with our upcoming move. We are extremely appreciative of your help, your encouragement, and your well-wishes on this transition.

If you have a few free hours any time from Sunday afternoon, March 1 to Saturday, March 7, we welcome you and can find you some ways to help! We are more aware than ever that we are your community bookstore and you are our community. Come meet some more fellow book friends, and pack some boxes, put boxes or bags in cars or trucks, take some shelves apart, transfer books and shelves to our new space, help clean, or drive around the corner a bunch of times. We'll have it fairly well-orchestrated (gulp! I hope!), so show up and we'll insert you into a job that you can comfortably do.

Here's the tentative schedule:
Sunday, March 1, we will still be open for business until 4pm, at 25 Main St. This will be the tail-end of our 50% off sale, hoping to sell a few more hardcovers and used books to save us from packing them to move.
At 4pm, we will begin moving the "overstock" boxes from the basement space. These boxes are organized and labeled -- for example, "YA, 'D'", meaning young adult books whose author's last name starts with "D". Our basement has been organized this way for a while, but we've been working extra hard to corral all these books into their proper boxes for the move.
*We'll need somewhere between 3 and 10 people to haul these boxes up the stairs from the basement. None of these boxes is super-heavy, but it is work on your back and knees to bring them up the stairs. Volunteers for this are much needed. Let me know if you can do this.
*We'll also need 4-8 vehicles to transport these boxes. You can park out front, have boxes loaded in your car, and then drive around the corner to the new space where boxes will be unloaded. So, just driving is helpful, too.
*These boxes need to be taken into our new basement storage, so, once again, STAIRS. Bad knees should not help.
*We'll go until dark, probably, and pizza will be provided at the end!

Monday, March 2: starting at 9am, we will take books off the shelves on our walls at 25 Main St. These books will go in boxes that need to be very clearly labeled. We will have a specific order to which shelves will be emptied, because these shelves will be taken down, taken to our new store, and secured to the walls there, but there is a specific map for where each shelf goes. Think of a jigsaw puzzle, or Tetris, with shelves.
*We'll need one or two people with some level of comfort with tools, who will follow directions from the foreman who will be helping us secure the shelves to the walls at 7 East Avenue.
*It would be VERY helpful to have 3-5 people with pick-up trucks, with open beds, for moving the shelves, since they are 8 feet high. We could just walk them over, if need be. As it is, someone may have to ride -- carefully -- in the back of a pick-up, with the shelves we're moving, so they don't crash out of the truck bed.
*We'll need people to pack and label book boxes.
*Snacks & beverages provided

Tuesday, March 3: I'd like this to be the day we move the two display cases that serve as our check-out counter area. We need a couple of pick-up trucks and some strong folks to help lift and move. Also, we have a couple of dollies/skids/hand trucks, but more would be very welcome. If you have one, come on down!!!! THANKS!!!

more specifics to come, as we see what needs to be done each day.

Thanks again to all of you! Cheers!!!

Straw Bale Gardens

"Are you ready to learn about a transformative garden technology that could change your life - for less than $100?" - New York Times

Take your straw bale gardening to the next level - in more places, with new products, and even, sometimes, skipping the straw!

The reception and enthusiasm for straw bale gardening, introduced in 2013, has proved revolutionary in vegetable growing. Why? Because the bold promises in the book are kept: grow vegetables anywhere, earlier in the year, with no weeding. Gardeners everywhere are excited. Straw bale gardening works! In just the short amount of time that has passed, the gardening world and Joel Karsten himself have learned even more about how to apply this method in just about any environment: on a city balcony, in a rocky outpost, in a desert, and even in the tundra of Alaska.

Straw Bale Gardens Complete contains all of the original information that has set the gardening world on fire. But it also goes much deeper, with nearly 50 pages of all-new advice and photos on subjects such as growing in a tight urban setting, making your straw bale garden completely organic, and using new fertilizers and conditioning products. There is even information on using straw bale techniques to grow veggies in other organic media for anyone who has a hard time finding straw.

Fans of Straw Bale Gardens will not want to miss adding Straw Bale Gardens Complete to their gardening library. There is, literally, nothing else like it!

Cookin' Up a Storm: Stories and Recipes from Sea Shepherd's Anti-Whaling Campaigns

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is an international non-profit marine conservation organization that takes an aggressive direct-action approach to protect wildlife in the world's oceans.

Sea Shepherd recognizes that a vegan diet is a critical aspect of sea

animal preservation, so the galleys of their fleet maintain a round-the-clock menu of vegan cuisine. Led by the legendary Captain Paul Watson, their mission is carried out by four anti-poaching vessels and their crews. Laura Dakin, chief cook on Sea Shepherd's flagship, the Steve Irwin, shares her adventures of feeding a hungry crew of 50 morning to night.

Included are 80 of the crew's favorite vegan recipes deliciously eclectic modified for the family kitchen, as well as insight on the logistics of keeping a staff of hard-working, seafaring vegans well nourished and satisfied. Interspersed throughout are crew members'
stories, laced with the excitement and danger of stalking whaling vessels on the high seas.

The Best of Robert E. Howard Volume 1: Crimson Shadows

Robert E. Howard is one of the most famous and influential pulp authors of the twentieth century. Though largely known as the man who invented the sword-and-sorcery genre–and for his iconic hero Conan the Cimmerian–Howard also wrote horror tales, desert adventures, detective yarns, epic poetry, and more. This spectacular volume, gorgeously illustrated by Jim and Ruth Keegan, includes some of his best and most popular works.
Inside, readers will discover (or rediscover) such gems as “The Shadow Kingdom,” featuring Kull of Atlantis and considered by many to be the first sword-and-sorcery story; “The Fightin’est Pair,” part of one of Howard’s most successful series, chronicling the travails of Steve Costigan, a merchant seaman with fists of steel and a head of wood; “The Grey God Passes,” a haunting tale about the passing of an age, told against the backdrop of Irish history and legend; “Worms of the Earth,” a brooding narrative featuring Bran Mak Morn, about which H. P. Lovecraft said, “Few readers will ever forget the hideous and compelling power of [this] macabre masterpiece”; a historical poem relating a momentous battle between Cimbri and the legions of Rome; and “Sharp’s Gun Serenade,” one of the last and funniest of the Breckinridge Elkins tales.
These thrilling, eerie, compelling, swashbuckling stories and poems have been restored to their original form, presented just as the author intended. There is little doubt that after more than seven decades the voice of Robert E. Howard continues to resonate with readers around the world.

Ultimate Sticker Book: Frozen

From the studio behind 2010's Tangled and this year's Wreck-It Ralph, Walt Disney Animation Studios presents Frozen, the coolest comedy-adventure ever to hit the big screen. When a prophecy traps a kingdom in eternal winter, Anna, a fearless optimist, teams up with extreme mountain man Kristoff and his sidekick reindeer, Sven, on an epic journey to find Anna's sister, the Snow Queen Elsa, and put an end to her icy spell. Encountering mystical trolls, a funny snowman named Olaf, Everest-like extremes, and magic at every turn, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom from destruction.

Aspiring princesses everywhere are sure to love the new Ultimate Sticker Book: Frozen from DK. Packed with more than 60 exciting reusable stickers featuring beloved characters and icons from Frozen, kids will be able re-create their favorite scenes from the movie while learning fun and interesting movie facts along the way.

Curious George Goes to a Bookstore

George's favorite author is signing at the new bookstore in town. Waiting in line is hard when you're as curious as our little monkey, especially when surrounded by so many great books George has fun browsing but then takes organizing some open boxes of books into his own hands, with surprising results. At the end of the day, lucky George finally gets some time with his favorite author. Children will love his silly antics as George explores the wonderful world that is the local bookstore. This latest monkey tale is for book lovers, lovers of George, and especially lovers of curiosity

Save on a membership; refer friends to get credit!

From My Shelf Membership Savings!

Dear Bookstore Friends --

If the BIG special sales of the last few weekends haven't convinced you yet, maybe this special offer will! There's no better time to become a member at From My Shelf! This weekend, Friday Feb. 20th through Sunday Feb. 22nd, you can join the membership program for $20 instead of $25! Have you let your membership lapse? This weekend, renew for ONLY $15!!!! Get 12 months' worth of benefits for you and your entire household!

Stop in to ask us more about it, or read about membership benefits here:

Take advantage of this offer now!

When you join as a member at From My Shelf, you and your family get 20 - 25% off new items ALL THE TIME!

There are also regular bigger sales, where members get special discounts off used books, deeper discounts on games or hardcovers, buy one get one, and more!

In preparation for our move to 7 East Avenue, we've been running AMAZING sales for our members, including the DOUBLE-PUNCH sale (twice the number of punches on your punch card!); and 30 - 40% off storewide.

If you missed those sales, don't worry! There's a couple more to come, before we make the big move to the Brooks Plaza, on East Avenue, just behind the Diner, near "Under the Sea Pets" and "Huffman's Office Products."


THIS WEEKEND:
Join as a member, $20 instead of $25
(covers you & your whole family!!)
Renew your lapsed membership, ONLY $15!
Bring in, refer, or gift a membership to a friend: you get $5 credit!

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

"The Art of War" meets "The Artist's Way" in this no-nonsense, profoundly inspiring guide to overcoming creative blocks of every kind.

Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes

Enter an enchanted land of mythical creatures where manticores reign and ogres roar-a land of mystery and fright. A unique twist on traditional rhymes of everyone's youth, "Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes" presents a more sinister approach to these childhood classics, and yet the sing-song nature of the poems renders them playful and jovial at the same time. Little Witch Muffet is not frightened by a silly, little spider; she simply adds him to her stew

Rotten zombies, giants, dwarves, and goblins mingle with werewolves, centaurs, and fauns. Follow along the skeleton stepping stones, scale up a palisade, claw at the window of a tasty child and bake him into a pumpkin shell. Monsters cook up delicious elvish pie, too Every kid who has an eensy weensy bit of sense wants a pet with feathers white as snow, who flies like an eagle and bleats like a goat-a hippogriff, of course.

Six forest sprites with four times as many pixies escape from a loaf of bread atop the elaborate table of the fey queen; her feast has flown away If you enjoy mischief and have a penchant for the morbidly hilarious, the Herzs' rhymes will satisfy your mythological curiosities.

Larson's illustrations give new life to these ancient figures, and her artistic style employs the bold lines and colorful movement of an action-packed comic book. The author also includes a "bestiary" with information about the book's legendary creatures, which hail from Scotland, Germany, Italy, Persia, Haiti, and Scandinavia.

The Flea Market Book For Vendors & Shoppers Pennsylvania & New Jersey edition

Flea Markets exist and thrive in many a state. This book will tell readers everything they need to know to have an enjoyable experience as a buyer and/or as a seller. We will tell them what to wear and how to Bargain and where to go to get stock if they want to become a vendor/seller. We will discuss what is legal and what is not legal. The author has done quite well as a vendor while selling his various books through Amazon.com and a variety of bookstores as well as at several flea markets and expects to write more books after this one about other states. This is his 25th book and it will focus on markets in two states, Pennsylvania and New Jersey (15 in Pa. and 10 in N. J.)

Gone Fishin' the 50 Best Waters in Pennsylvania

It's all here! From Lake Erie to the northwest, around the top to "The Big D" (Delaware River) over to the east. And in between, we talk at length about Wallenpaupack, The Susky, Pymatuning, Nockamixon, Yellow Breeches, etc.! This is an easy-to-read 128 page book that tells the where to and how to at the best lakes, streams and rivers in the Keystone State. An excellent guide, especially to anyone trying her waters for the first time.

Monster Hunter Nemesis

Book 5 in the "New York Times" Best Selling Monster Hunter Series by Larry Correia.

Agent Franks of the U.S. Monster Control Bureau is a man of many parts--parts from other people, that is. Franks is nearly seven feet tall and all muscle. He's nearly indestructible. Plus he's animated by a powerful alchemical substance and inhabited by a super-intelligent spirit more ancient than humanity itself. Good thing he's on our side. More or less.

Sworn to serve and protect the United States of America from all monsters by one of the country's founding fathers, Franks has only one condition to the agreement: no matter what the government learns of him, no matter what is discovered concerning his odd physiology or the alchemy behind the elixir that made him, the government is never, "ever" allowed to try and make more like him. Such is absolutely forbidden and should the powers-that-be do so, then the agreement is null and void.

Project Nemesis: in a secret location, using sophisticated technology and advanced genetic engineering, the director of the very agency Franks works for is making more like him. And the director is not content with making one. Nope, he's making thirteen.

Now all bets are off, and Hell hath no fury like a monster betrayed. Particularly if that monster happens to be an undying killing machine capable of taking out vampires and werewolves with one hand tied behind his back.

About Larry Correia's Monster Hunter series

" A no-holds-barred all-out page turner that is part science fiction, part horror, and an absolute blast to read."--"Bookreporter.com"
"If you love monsters and action, you'll love this book. If you love guns, you'll love this book. If you love fantasy, and especially horror fantasy, you'll love this book."--"Knotclan.com"

"A gun person who likes science fiction--or, heck, anyone who likes science fiction--will enjoy these books]...The plotting is excellent, and Correia makes you care about the characters...I read both books without putting them down except for work...so whaddaya waitin' for? Go and buy some...for yourself and for stocking stuffers."--Massad Ayoob

About Larry Correia's "Monster Hunter Vendetta: "
"This lighthearted, testosterone-soaked sequel to 2009's "Monster Hunter International" will delight fans of action horror with elaborate weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, disgusting monsters, and an endless stream of blood and body parts."--"Publishers Weekly

"The Monster Hunter Series

Monster Hunter International
Monster Hunter Vendetta
Monster Hunter Alpha
Monster Hunter Legion
Monster Hunter Nemesis

The Monster Hunters
(Omnibus contains "Monster Hunter International, Monster Hunter Vendetta, and Monster Hunter Alpha)"

Monster on the Hill

In a fantastical 1860s England, every quiet little township is terrorized by a ferocious monster - much to the townsfolk's delight Each town's unique monster is a source of local pride, not to mention tourism. Each town, that is... except for one. Unfortunately, for the people of Stoker-on-Avon, their monster isn't quite as impressive. In fact, he's a little down in the dumps. Can the morose Rayburn get a monstrous makeover and become a proper horror? It's up to the eccentric Dr. Charles Wilkie and plucky street urchin Timothy to get him up to snuff, before a greater threat turns the whole town to kindling Monsters of all ages are sure to enjoy this tale about life's challenges, the power of friendship, and creative redemption, packed with epic battles and plenty of wild beasts "Really fun, goofy, extremely silly fantasy for readers of all ages, crying out for reviewers and critics to make appalling puns of the 'monstrously good' variety." -- Neil Gaiman

The Job Pirate

From the porn magazine to the moving truck to the dark sewers of California, Brandon Christopher's journey in the American job market is not only absurd, but also full of wit and profound observations. He steps out from behind the driver's wheel, the cash register, and the office desk to record the lighter and darker sides of humanity in the workplace. Christopher's tale makes even the most mundane job seem fascinating and the most exciting career appear hum-drum and hollow. The Job Pirate strips off the facade of the average employee to see what is hidden underneath:

"That new employee that you see hanging his vintage blazer onto the backrest of his swivel chair is me. My cubicle is right next to yours. I don't say much, I dine alone, I drink a lot of coffee, and I know my legal right to two cigarettes in an 8-hour workday. And yes, you were right, I'm not really the Marketing Strategist that I told the boss I was. But I'm sitting here in this cubicle, and the resume that got me this job is in my attache case right beside me. It clearly states that I have more than enough experience to run this company's entire advertising department and I'll be here between three weeks and a year, so you better get used to the idea."

Often hilarious and sometimes profound, Christopher's stories take us through the offices, department stores and kiosks of the West Coast. We ride along with him as he chauffeurs the famous, the dead and sometimes just their furniture. Christopher gives us an irreverent inside glimpse into the work life of the people we see everyday.

Even though at times he exhibits moral ambiguity, we find ourselves rooting for him against all the odds because we can see our own struggles in his attempts to acclimate. We can all relate to this story of selling our soul to the company store and then buying it back for pennies on the dollar, just to have that one more day of freedom.

50 Shades of Orange

The major story in the Wellsboro Gazette this past week? The Wellsboro borough council denied a sign for a new business, a vape shop. The sign, it seems, is too orange. Too orange? Some suggested a nice burnt orange, but anything other than apricot is just crass. Councilman Mike Wood feels the sign could be better coordinated, but has no problem with a vape shop, or what my generation calls a head shop.

Some members did want to know where business owners Shaun and Kathy Zavetsky got the name “Naked Duck”. I want to know why they are using a cartoon character to promote drugs. Remember when Joe Camel was the advertising mascot for Camel cigarettes? I remember R.J. Reynolds stopped using Old Joe under pressure of Congress and public-interest groups.

So what is a vape shop? It’s where you vape. What’s vaping? You mix some nicotine, food grade flavoring, and vegetable glycerin, then vaporize it in a small battery-powered atomizer. You inhale and exhale this vapor that is created, much like cigarette smoke, hence the term “vaping.” It’s like smoking, except cooler because the nicotine is called e-juice.

Vaping is not proven safe. Nicotine is still nicotine, and nicotine is addictive. It’s a poison that increases blood pressure and heart rate. Vaping and electronic cigarettes are not designed to be completely safe, and the industry is currently unregulated.

It’s promoted as tobacco reduction. It’s a pleasant way for adults to enjoy nicotine with reduced harm but with such flavors as cherry, grape and unicorn blood (some say it tastes like Skittles, others more like Hawaiian Punch). To me, vaping sounds more like a “fun way” to introduce children to the pleasures of smoking.

Council must approve any revision before the sign goes up, but there seems to be a consensus that the duck’s legs and beak can remain the brighter orange—truly a relief. I say if that cartoon duck’s bill is anything except a pleasant tangerine, its poor taste. Perhaps they should consider a unicorn?

Cthulhu's Reign

All original stories about the return of Cthulhu and the Old Ones to Earth.

Some of the darkest hints in all of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos relate to what will happen after the Old Ones return and take over the earth. What happens when Cthulhu is unleashed upon the world? What happens when the other Old Ones, long since banished from our universe, break through and descend from the stars? What would the reign of Cthulhu be like on a totally transformed planet where mankind is no longer the master? Find out in these exciting, brand-new stories.

Dare... to Have Sex Everywhere But in Bed

For those ready to escape the four same walls of the bedroom, this is the guide. With a lighthearted yet practical approach, whether spur of the moment or meticulously planned out, this guide will help you and your lover come together in some truly remarkable settings that will intensify and enhance your lovemaking experience. A great introduction for beginners, this is also a wonderful reference for those who are looking for ideas, tips and techniques for the entire exhilarating experience.

A Viking We Will Go

I don't watch much TV. I'm busy working, reading, and writing, I do enjoy storytelling in all its forms, and thus I do follow some TV shows. The History Channel gets a lot of grief, most of it earned. It seems like everything is ancient aliens. So, when a friend told me that he was watching a show called Vikings, and that it was on the History Channel, I wasn't very excited.

I loved reading about vikings when I was younger. Oh, who am I kidding? I still do. There's some good fantasy fiction out there. I grew up reading some great Viking books written by Poul Anderson and Harry Harrison, both known mostly for their science fiction. These were fiction, but very well researched. So, I knew quite about about the culture from weregild* to wyrd** to the gathering known as a Thing.

I figured I'd check out a couple episodes to see how bad it was, or how long it took for aliens to show up(There is a movie called Outlander that revolves around an alien spaceship crashing into Viking Age Norway. It is entertaining if you are into action/horror films) I love the show Vikings. It's a solid, dramatic history drama that is both entertaining, and educational.

The third season is set to begin soon. The series follows the exploits of legendary Viking chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok and his family and followers. It's tales of raiding, trading and exploring is taken from Norse sagas, that are part fiction and part oral tradition with some historical sources of the period. It's fun stuff.

If you can't wait for season 3, I suggest checking out Blood Eye by Giles Kristian. It's a thrilling adventure of brotherhood, warfare, and treachery, Giles Kristian takes us into ninth-century England, a world of darkness, epic conflict, and an unforgiving God served by powerful priests.

On ships shaped like dragons, bristling with oars and armor, Jarl Sigurd and his fierce Norsemen have come in search of riches. And riches they are promised, by an English ruler who sends Sigurd and his wolves to steal a holy manuscript from another kingdom.

Osric, an orphan boy, sees beyond the terror of these warriors, and somehow knows the heathens’ tongue. Renamed Raven, rechristened in blood, he will join them. They are his people. And they will be his fate.

I started the first book in this trilogy and immediately bought the next two so I could start them as soon as I finished the first. It reminded me of some of my favorite books as a teenager. Well, I'm going to sharpen my ax, practice my shield wall techniques and read Sons of Thunder, and Odin's Wolves.


*the value set in Anglo-Saxon and Germanic law upon human life in accordance with rank and paid as compensation to the kindred or lord of a slain person


** concept roughly corresponding to fate or personal destiny. Their concept of fate, wyrd, was stronger than that of the Classical Pagans as there was no resisting it

Diary of a Submissive: A Modern True Tale of Sexual Awakening

The “real” Fifty Shades of Grey…A true life erotic story of female submission to rival The Story of O.

In Diary of a Submissive, Sophie Morgan candidly explains what exactly an independent, 21st century woman gets out of relinquishing her power and personal freedom in a submissive relationship with a dominant man for their mutual sexual pleasure.

In the wake of Fifty Shades of Grey, here is a memoir that offers the real story of what is means to be a submissive and follows Sophie’s story as she progresses from her early erotic experiences through to experimenting with her newfound awakened sexuality. From the endorphin rush of her first spanking right through to being collared, she explains in frank and explicit fashion her sexual explorations. But it isn’t until she meets James, a real life ‘Christian Grey,’ that her boundaries and sexual fetishism are really pushed. As her relationship with James travels into darker and darker places, the question becomes: Where will it end? Can Sophie reconcile her sexuality with the rest of her life, and is it possible for the perfect man to be perfectly cruel?

Daring, controversial, and sensual, Diary of a Submissive is filled with a captivating warmth and astounding honesty such that no one— man or woman—will be able to put Sophie's story down. Once you read the book you will understand why Sophie Morgan is a pseudonym.

Dare... to Try Bondage

Whether a complete newcomer or a seasoned bondage expert, sexual adventurers can use this guide for simple, necessary instructions, scenarios, techniques, and advice. Including chapters on Shibari (the Japanese art of knot-tying), appropriate equipment, conducting a satisfying session, and what sensations to expect, this guide is a comprehensive resource for both men and women who are seeking sexual liberation and pleasure through restraint.

Fifty Shades of Grey

When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

Screenplay Workbook: The Writing Before the Writing

This instructional manual, combined with proprietary worksheets, charts and fill-in lists, is designed to give screenwriters a better way to focus on the task of writing a screenplay.

Two Knotty Boys Back on the Ropes

Tying down a load of lumber is one thing; tying up your partner is another thing altogether. In this book, famed bondage riggers the Two Knotty Boys show readers how to tie basic knots and use them in sensual bondage techniques. With the help of renowned photographer Ken Marcus, the Boys use more than 750 full-color photos to illustrate the techniques for turning rope into rope bondage. Easy-to-follow captions and clear, step-by-step images allow readers to learn at their own pace, review entire techniques at a glance, or lay the book flat on a bed or table and follow along as they subdue their partner. Written in a playful style that makes rope bondage safe and approachable, and covering a wide range of techniques from basic ties to decorative ropework pieces, Two Knotty Boys Back on the Ropes is the perfect bedside companion for curious newcomers and serious players alike.

Who Wants 25 Main St?

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Two Knotty Boys Showing You the Ropes: A Step-by-Step, Illustrated Guide for Tying Sensual and Decorative Rope Bondage

When Two Knotty Boys, Dan and J. D., began teaching rope bondage together in 1999, they discovered that most people learn best when they're shown — close up, step by step, and repeatedly — how to tie basic knots and combine them into bondage techniques. It is this learning process that they duplicate in this book. With the help of world-renowned photographer Larry Utley, they use over 750 photos and captions to explicate the soup-to-nuts techniques for turning great knots into great bondage that is safe, sensual, attractive, and effective. Readers can learn at their own pace, review whole techniques at a single glance, or even lay it flat on the table (beside their blindfolded partner) and follow along as they tie. Two Knotty Boys Showing You the Ropes appeals to those interested in improving the quality of their sex lives, not to mention aficionados of bondage and discipline/sadomasochism (BDSM), both curious newcomers and serious players alike.

Deconstructing Penguins: Parents, Kids, and the Bond of Reading

“Books are like puzzles,” write Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone. “The author’s ideas are hidden, and it is up to all of us to figure them out.” In this indispensable reading companion, the Goldstones–noted parent-child book club experts–encourage grownups and young readers alike to adopt an approach that will unlock the magic and power of reading.
With the Goldstones help, parents can inspire kids’ lifelong love of reading by teaching them how to unlock a book’s hidden meaning. Featuring fun and incisive discussions of numerous children’s classics, this dynamic guide highlights key elements–theme, setting, character, point of view, climax, and conflict–and paves the way for meaningful conversations between parents and children.
“Best of all,” the Goldstones note, “you don’t need an advanced degree in English literature or forty hours a week of free time to effectively discuss a book with your child. This isn’t Crime and Punishment, it’s Charlotte’s Web.”

Huge Membership Sale on President's Day Weekend!!!

You might have heard that we are moving the bookstore. It’s not something I’m looking forward to. You know it’s going to be hard, when the easy part is moving 60,000 books. Getting the shelves moved and those books in the right spot is another story.

So, we are having a huge sale, the more books we sell, the less we have to move. This President’s day weekend most of our stock is 40% off for our members. That includes new & used books, audio books, plush, board games, craft kits, greeting cards, mugs and more.

This special sale is for our members. It’s our regular customers that have kept us in business almost nine years, and it’s both a way to show appreciation and to avoid a hernia. Don’t worry. If you aren’t a member, there’s still time to become one.

Usually, if you spend around 80 dollars a year with us, the membership pays for itself, but it will pay for itself easily this weekend. Members get 20% off new softcover books, 25% off hardcover books, 20% off board games and most card games, 20% off plush and you can turn used books into store credit.

Membership is just twenty five dollars for a full year, that’s 12 months from the day you join. If you are renewing your membership, it’s only twenty dollars to renew. It’s a great deal, and it also comes with our punch card.

Some people don’t want to trade in their books and we understand that. Our punch card works much like a coffee card, but its better. For every ten dollars you spend, you get a punch. Once you get ten punches, the card is good for ten dollars in the store.

You can use it for something we have, something we order for you, or turn it into a gift certificate and give it to somebody else. Become a member at From My Shelf Books and keep Tioga County’s only bookstore in Wellsboro.



We won’t be accepting books for trade-in until we get moved and settled into the new location.

10 True Tales: FBI Heroes

Ten true stories of real-life FBI heroes
Someone is mailing poisoned letters to members of the U.S. Supreme Court. A terrorist hatches a plot to plant a bomb. A Florida mother and her two young sons are ruthlessly kidnapped. Who will help?
Join FBI special agents as they work together to solve the world's toughest crimes. You will never forget their incredible true stories.

Recommended Reading Level
Minimum Age: 8
Maximum Age: 12
Minimum Grade Level: 3rd Grade
Maximum Grade Level: 7th Grade

Venus in Furs

The daring successor to the writings of the Marquis de Sade, this 1870 novel offers a tale of submission, slavery, and redemption. Author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch -- whose name provided the basis for the term "masochism" -- drew upon his own experiences to chronicle the slavish obsession of a European nobleman, Severin von Kusiemski, with Wanda von Dunajew, a voluptuous, whip-wielding beauty.

More than a sordid tale of perversion, this timeless psychodrama depicts von Kusiemski's surrender to the cruelties of a harsh mistress as his path to the realization of his own worth. A classic exploration of sexual dominance and submission, "Venus in Furs "constitutes an intelligent and thought-provoking portrayal of desire, emotion, and self-discovery.

Vostok

This is the book that I am in. I don't know if I get eaten or not, but my character is a lawyer. So, there's a good chance I get spit out...

The Berenstain Bears' Valentine Blessings

The Country Cousins hockey team has been practicing every day for the big game against their rivals, the Beartown Bullies. But when Brother receives a Valentine in the mail from a secret Sweetie Bear he doesn't know what do. Will the Valentine keep him from playing his best at the hockey game or will he learn an important lesson about love?

The Tantra Experience: Evolution through Love

This life is a gift from existence, to be lived and enjoyed. But with the seemingly impossible and conflicting demands of society, morality and culture, people struggle with feelings of unfulfilled potential, frustration and guilt, rather than living full lives.
The world of Tantra has no division between higher and lower. The simple, ordinary, things of life are transformed into great things when we enter into them totally – be it car fixing, floor cleaning or lovemaking. Osho shows how, living this vision, new heights of consciousness and freedom are realized.

"The days of tantra are coming. Sooner or later tantra will explode for the first time in the masses, because for the first time the time is ripe -- ripe to take sex naturally. One thing to be remembered always: if you are not very alert you may go on believing that you are moving into tantra, and you may be simply rationalizing your sexuality -- it may be nothing but sex, rationalized in the terminology of tantra. If you move into sex with awareness, it can turn into tantra. If you move into tantra with unawareness, it can fall and become ordinary sex.´

Erotic Poems

Many years ago the prodigious and famously prolific E. E. Cummings sat in his study writing and thinking about sex. His private brooding gave way to poems and drawings of sexual and romantic love that delight and provoke. Here, collected for this first time in a single volume, are those erotic poems and sketches, culled from Cummings s original manuscripts by the distinguished editor George James Firmage. from 16 may i feel said he (i ll squeal said she just once said he) it s fun said she (may i touch said he how much said she a lot said he) why not said she"

Erotic Stories

Erotic Stories is a treasury of amorous tales from around the world, ranging from ancient Greek myths to modern stories of longing and lust.

From the innocent yearning of Daphnis and Chloe evoked by Longus to the sadomasochism of Pauline Réage’s Story of O, this anthology explores human desire across the ages in all its dark complexity. Whether intensely raw or subtly insinuating, the short stories gathered here—by writers as different as Boccaccio and Chekhov, Anaïs Nin and Allan Gurganus—are calculated to unsettle and arouse. Here too are scenes from such classic novels as Choderlos de Laclos’s Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Nicholson Baker’s The Fermata, from Junichiro Tanizaki’s The Key and Sarah Waters’s Tipping the Velvet. Accounts of ardor and transgression also flow from unexpected pens: an astonishingly explicit scene from Edith Wharton’s unfinished “Beatrice Palmato,” for example, and Guy de Maupassant’s heated “Idyll,” which describes a young peasant woman offering her breast to a starving stranger on a train.

Hunger is the fierce undercurrent to these tales: the gnawing lust of one lover for another, or the greedy pursuit of a particular inclination. The elegant depravity of an eighteenth-century French aristocrat, the dreamlike seductions of an Egyptian jinni in the form of a snake, the brutal anonymity of a highway truck-stop encounter—the stories in this richly varied collection reveal that the urge to articulate sexual desire is as inventive as it is timeless.

The Evil League of Evil

Written by Dr. Faustus


The Evil League of Evil is an elite group of super villains in Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog written by Joss Whedon. The plot revolves around Doctor Horrible’s desperate attempts to get accepted into the League.

When Dr. Horrible’s not busy breaking the law or trying to get close to his secret crush, Penny, he’s boasting about his exploits via his Internet video blog and dreaming of defeating his nemesis, Captain Hammer.

It’s an innovative twist on the super-hero genre. I couldn’t help but root for the evil Dr. Horrible, played by Neil Patrick Harris, and wait for the self-absorbed Captain Hammer, played by Nathan Fillion, to get clobbered.

I’m not much into musicals, but the singing worked better than I expected. It was great. I so enjoyed it that when my wife and I were called evil, I felt there was nothing else to do but embrace it, and form our very own Evil League of Evil.

Evil—it’s a word that comes with a lot of baggage—profound immorality, wickedness, depravity, especially in regard to supernatural force. Yeah, that sounds like a lot of commitment. It’s not that I don’t have goals. It’s just that I’m not really sure how to be evil.

It’s a word that’s overused, but one really doesn’t expect to be called evil. You sometimes hear ideologies called evil, but those are based on philosophies. Ideas are peaceful; it’s history that’s violent.

You hear the Nazis referred to as evil, and with the extermination of over six million people, and with new evidence surfacing of the atrocities of the Nazi’s crimes against humanity, I believe it’s an appropriate usage.

Still, in my forty-five years, I haven’t really seen evil, at least not personally. So, when I was called evil, I really didn’t know what to do, except laugh at it. I simply am not ambitious enough to be evil, nor self-righteous enough to consider myself a saint. I thought I’d choose the more humanizing, comedic path. It’s not as steep and you get to take naps.

I decided to share the impetus for forming our very own Evil League of Evil … I originally planned to make fun of the author of this letter, but I’ve considered that she may, in fact, be a very troubled woman.

Our friend , a volunteer at the store, received a letter from this disturbed woman. I don’t feel mental illness should be trivialized. Too often, our society throws around the term ‘crazy’ for comedic effect. My own wife is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She really has more of a chemical imbalance and with proper medication, she does quite well.

The compelling letter was sent by the wife of the owner of Pop’s Culture Shoppe here in Wellsboro. They are currently our co-tenant at 25 Main St. Julian Stam, the owner, used to rent space from us when we had the store at 87 Main St. He needed retail space to display certain products, or the wholesaler wouldn’t sell to him.

When we moved to 25 Main St, we offered to share space with Julian. We had a good business relationship with Julian, but didn’t know his wife well at all. She didn’t come into the basement store, even to game night. She told us she had problems with enclosed spaces and anxiety, and it appears those problems go a little further. Here is the letter she sent our friend.

"I've been hoping to be able to talk with you sometime, but there always seem to be customers in the store when you walk through. I suspect you feel that Kevin and Kasey's actions are justified because I took a picture of you in our store the other day. It was nothing against you personally, but you need to understand that because of months of evil harrassment [sic] on the part of your employers and friends, we have become very defensive and must document every trespass and breach of lease and contract. I have never seen you as naive or stupid, so I must believe that you know exactly what your employers are doing to us. It makes me very sad that they have created such animosity and division in the community, but we simply need to protect ourselves, and despite your desire to remain neutral, you are caught in the middle. As you said to Julian, they are also your friends, so it is very possible that they are using you to find out what products we carry. They are interested not only in running a bookstore, but in undermining our business, and even other businesses in town. I have never been a paranoid person, but in this situation we have come to understand how incredibly unstable, unreasonable and unprofessional your employers are, and we are constantly under stress and in defensive mode when dealing with them. If they were truly your friends, and you theirs, you would not have to be afraid to tell them the truth about their inappropriate actions. I can see how stressful this situation has been for you, but PLEASE look in your heart and recognize the true source of this evil. It takes courage to do the right thing."

--email from Anja Stam to Jen Colson

Our relationship with Julian soured once his wife became directly involved. As this letter shows, Anja has several deep-rooted problems. I’m not a mental health professional, so I won’t attempt to diagnose. In this letter, she freely admits to harassment of our friend Jen. We share a bathroom with Pop’s Culture Shoppe, and have right of way.

Jen has every right to use the bathroom when she is volunteering or visiting the store, and yet Anja took a photo of Jen standing in line to use the bathroom.

Anja also regularly makes claims of ‘harassment and breaches of lease and contract.’ There is no legal proof of these false accusations. It is Anja who is often doing the harassing of our friends, our customers, our business, and it is her husband who breached the lease by trespassing into space leased by From My Shelf Books & Gifts.

I’m not going to throw around the word evil. As I’ve said, it’s overused. I do feel that the Stams need to re-examine their code of ethics. It is the Stams that chose to compete against the bookstore. It is the Stams that chose to fabricate stories to attempt to eliminate a business that had helped them.

Our lease is expiring March 31st, and as many of you know, we will be moving. It’s for the better. Although 25 Main Street was a great location for a bookstore, the owners of Pop’s Culture Shoppe did not make the time here a pleasant one.

The owners of Pop’s Culture Shoppe refused to do anything about the noise level, as did the landlord David G. Zavetsky. In fact, the landlord and the owners of Pop’s Culture Shoppe even conspired to evict the bookstore, but failed. There was no breach of the lease and none of their false allegations of harassment came to anything. This was even decided and verified in Pennsylvania Superior Court.

Pop’s Culture wanted the retail space that the bookstore currently occupies at 25 Main Street, but the owners spent so much time spreading false rumors and trying to destroy the only bookstore in three counties, that their own business suffered.

What is done for love always transcends good and evil. The bookstore will continue on, even though Anja, her husband, and their staff have done their best to hurt the business, and it has cost us thousands of dollars in court costs and stress.

We’ll be moving to 7 East Avenue and have an environment more suited to a bookstore. We’ll have parking for customers of the plaza, be handicap accessible, continue to serve the community we love, and of course keep being evil…


You, too, can join the Wellsboro branch of the Evil League of Evil. Just stop by our new location in March to get your photo taken and your secret decoder ring (supplies limited) and new code name! We don’t require you to kill anyone. In fact, we discourage that kind of behavior. Though we do prefer that you aren’t self-absorbed or sanctimonious…

A New Recruit for the Evil League of Evil

Evil is for Every Age

MU Students Getting their degree in Evil