Posts Tagged ‘books’
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Laissez les bons temps rouler. Let the good times roll. Those of you who actually speak French are cringing and I know. I know. But that’s Cajun French and for today, that’s appropriate.
Mardi Gras has been celebrated in the US since 1699 although it only began to evolve into the festivities we know today in mid-1800s when the first Krewes were formed and parades organized. It’s always the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, always 46 days before Easter, always the last day of indulgence & extravagance before Lent.
Mark Twain had quite a bit to say about Mardi Gras in his book “Life on the Mississippi” (chapter 46). He describes his memory of a parade as such:
“I saw the procession of the Mystic Crew of Comus there, twenty-four years ago–with knights and nobles and so on, clothed in silken and golden Paris-made gorgeousnesses, planned and bought for that single night’s use; and in their train all manner of giants, dwarfs, monstrosities, and other diverting grotesquerie–a startling and wonderful sort of show, as it filed solemnly and silently down the street in the light of its smoking and flickering torches; but it is said that in these latter days the spectacle is mightily augmented, as to cost, splendor, and variety.”
Have you ever been to Mardi Gras? What was your experience?
Thursday, February 11th, 2010
Recently CKYbooks was able to move into a new space with more room for inventory.
Considering these are the packages that came in on February 3rd alone, it seems to be a very necessary move!
And here is the other side of CKYbooks – the side that interests their customers. Here are the checks sent out that same day (February 3rd).
Not too shabby. We’re excited about the new space and the opportunities it will give us to continue to provide excellent customer service.
Wednesday, February 10th, 2010
I know I usually do a book review on Fridays but this week, let’s do a life review instead!
I have often heard people to refer to the soundtrack of their life. Songs bring to mind specific moments or times in their past and soon they’re skipping down memory lane. However I’ve found my life is much better defined as a library.
Hand me a Dragonlance Chronicles book (Weis/Hickman) and suddenly I’m back in my freshman science class, my friend sitting behind me whispering “You’ve got to read these…” “Three Musketeers” (Alexandre Dumas) returns me to a hot south Arkansas summer. I can still remember walking home from the library in the sweltering humidity, anticipating my parents’ cool living room and the escape I carried in my bag. The Narnia Chronicles (C.S. Lewis), “Man’s Search for Meaning” (Viktor Frankl), “The Handmaiden’s Tale” (Margaret Atwood) – these all result in similar flashbacks. I could go on but I’d love to hear if any books have a similar effect on you? I can’t be alone in this!
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010
Since I publicly admitted to the boxes of books in my garage, I decided I HAVE to do something about them. Part of the reason they’re still sitting there is the job seemed overwhelming. I knew I wanted to sell them but how? I don’t want to spend hours upon hours on this little endeavor. So I did a little research and found out, this is pretty easy!
To successfully sell used books, a bit of research is required if you want to bring in top dollar. If you have boxes of old books, take the time to go through them. If the bindings are damaged, pages are missing or if the cover is ripped, set them aside. While you may be able to sell them, the price you receive will be negligible. One of the best ways to begin your search is online. If the books have an ISBN, you will be able to enter it into many sites to find the one that will pay the most.
The same book may bring five dollars on one site, and less than a dollar on another. Hard cover books usually carry more value than paperbacks. Many sites that sell used books specialize in certain types of books or genres, so take your time to look around. The Frequently Asked Questions pages are filled with detailed information. These types of sites are a fast, easy way to get cash for unwanted books. If you are unhappy with the quotes you are given, there is another option. Instead of using a third party vendor, as described above, there is the direct sale method.
It may take more time to sell used books using this method, but it will be more profitable in the long run. These sites will allow you to post your book’s title, ISBN and price you want with a description. When you decide on this route, the importance is in the presentation. The more accurate the description, the more appealing it sounds, the more likely you are to get the asking price. If the book, hard cover or paperback, is in good condition it might be described as “vintage”. This will bring a better price than “old”.
Generally speaking, there is no exact, consistent price that used books are worth. If you want to sell used books, the selling price is what the market will bear, based on supply and demand of that book. Researching sites and selling online is usually an easy way to get the most for the books. There are used book sites that search a database of sites that sell books, showing you which site will pay the most for any given book, based on ISBN. This will reduce the research required. To learn more about selling used books, visit our web site at www.ckybooks.com
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010
We’re all bound by books – paperbacks, hardbacks, textbooks – books have impacted everyone’s life at some point, even if it was the dreaded classic in high school English! Here at CKY, books are (obviously) a prominent part of life and one we would like to share more with you. The desire to connect more with you guys prompted this site. This page was created for us to gather & talk. (You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook!) You’ll find reviews, book/literary related articles and CKY updates we think you’ll find of interest. There’s even talk of starting a book club. Personally I’m really excited about that idea.
Oh, but I’m being rude! This blog doesn’t write itself! My name is Rhoni. I’ll be the voice here as well as on Twitter and Facebook. I’ve been a reading addict ever since I realized that letters form words and words form narratives and those narratives open new worlds and lives and ideas for exploration. Books are stacked throughout my house. There are boxes in my garage full of books that, truth be told, I really need to sell. Not only would it free up space in our garage but, more importantly, I could use the cash to buy new books!
I’m really looking forward to talking with you. Please feel free to leave a comment below or email me at rhoni@ckybooks.com
