Summary: It's a short episode this week, but it's jam-packed with a ton of ways for to you satisfy your book recommendation needs. Ann and I are in the final crush of Booktopia Santa Cruz preparation, so I'm flying solo on the podcast this week, but I've got several new book recommendation sources for you to check out, all courtesy of independent booksellers around the country. (http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/books.jpg) Podcast The Book Pod - produced by McLean and Eakin Bookstore (http://www.mcleanandeakin.com/) in Petoskey, MI, this podcast is in the form of a conversation between a man and a woman, (a format you should find familiar and comforting), and also features author interviews and sample tracks from audiobooks. Radio Shows Thacker Mountain Radio - Recorded on the stage at Off Square Books (http://www.squarebooks.com/square-books) in Oxford, MS (a stage that recently hosted Booktopia!), this music and author reading show airs on Thursdays in the Spring and Fall. Information on how to listen can be found here (http://thackermountain.com/the-show/). The Chuckanut Radio Hour, hosted by Chuck Robinson, owner of Village Books (http://villagebooks.com/) in Bellingham, WA, is a variety show with author readings, comedy skits and more. The show is aired on a local radio station (http://www.sparkmuseum.org//listen) Saturdays at 6pm and Sundays at 9pm (pacific time). Video Reviews Market Block Books - Every week, Stanley, the store manager records a video where he passionately and engagingly talks about some of the new books in the store that week. Harvard Book Store - Video reviews from various staff members, plus recordings of a few of the store's author events. First Edition Clubs Many stores now have these clubs where members will receive a book on average every month. The books are autographed first editions that the store has chosen for both literary and collectible merit. Lemuria Books (http://www.lemuriabooks.com/index.php?show=fec), in Jackson, MS, was the first store I personally heard of that did this. Since then, many of the stores I work with have started FEC programs, including The Odyssey Bookshop (http://www.odysseybks.com/first-editions-club), Harvard Book Store (http://www.harvard.com/clubs_services/first_edition_club/) and R.J. Julia Booksellers (http://www.rjjulia.com/rj-julia-signed-first-edition-form). For a First Edition Club on steroids, you need look no further the Powell's Books Indiespensible (http://www.powells.com/indiespensable/) program. Every six weeks Powell's chooses a new book which they offer in an exclusive signed edition. Sometimes it's a copy of the book in a specially-designed slipcase, sometimes it's a unique printing of the book available only to Indiespensible members. Plus they throw in extras like a Q&A with the author, along with various other gifts (sometimes it's food, a mug, a tote bag or a harmonica!) Next week, we'll be bringing you the live podcast we're recording in Santa Cruz this coming Sunday. In that episode, we will be announcing the cities and dates for our 2013 Booktopia events. If you can't wait until next Wednesday to find out, be sure you're signed up for our Booktopia email list (http://eepurl.com/ee_AH). Folks on that list will get an email on Sunday with all of the details! Stacks of Books photo by Andrei.D40 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/antekno/5687330321/in/photostream/), via flickr
