Category Archives: 1

Out With the Old, In With the New (Books)

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I just came across the most amazing gallery of repurposed books! Books as sculptures, books as lighting fixtures, books as jewelry…well, you get the picture. If you want to see the pictures for yourself, take a look here (Courtesy of the Sydney Morning Herald) to see these stylish creations.

I had to check out the featured This Into That Gallery‘s funniest works because I loved that artist’s sense of humor. And I even found something in my price range (okay, technically, the Beneficent Mr. Hall’s price range), as well as so very practical (always a plus when hitting up the Beneficent Mr. Hall for “artsy stuff”):

As much as I love repurposed book art, I can’t help feeling a little sad, seeing an orphaned Great Expectations or Complete Works of Shakespeare gutted or shredded or otherwise torn apart, especially when I consider the digital book takeover. I worry that someday, these works of book art may be the only honest-to-goodness books we have left. And I wonder if years from now, my grandchildren may consider books as antiques. Sort of the way we now look on typewriters. Even the electric ones.

Time and technology march on. And though I said I would never read books from an e-reader, that I loved the feel of a good, old-fashioned book in my hands, that nothing can beat the smell of a well-loved book, or that crackling sound when you open a hardcover book for the first time–I bought a Nook Tablet.

So far, I haven’t done any serious reading on it. We’re still getting to know each other. And I’m still sort of reconciling myself to the digital book explosion.  

I’m sure there’s still plenty of room in the world for e-books and hardback books. And really, I know that as long as there are books, in any way, shape or form, we’re going to curl up and read ’em.

Isn’t it wonderful that the written word, no matter how you read it, will never go out of style?

Follow, Follow Your Dreams

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Do you know the song, “Try to Remember” from the musical The Fantastiks? Jerry Orbach sang it when the show premiered in 1960…

I so love that song (and I kinda love Jerry Orbach, too, may he rest in peace). But I’m sharing “Try to Remember” today because we’re starting a new year.

“Deep in December, it’s nice to remember, although you know the snow will follow…”

(And yes, it’s January, but who can rhyme lyrics with January? Just follow me here, okay?)

“Try to remember when life was so tender, that dreams were kept beside your pillow.”

Did you want to grow up and write wonderful stories? Did you dream that people would read your novels and love ’em the way you loved a favorite book? When I was young and tender, I had those dreams…but I put them away for grown-up life and responsibilities. It was a very long time before I dug under my pillow and pulled those dreams out again.

And now I set goals to achieve those long-ago dreams. But unlike my dreams, my goals are concrete and very specific. For example, I write down “Read 5 books per month,” rather than “Read.” Or “Query highlighted agents in Guide to Literary Agents” rather than “Query.”

Of course, I don’t always accomplish my goals. But then I remember…

“Deep in December, it’s nice to remember, without a hurt, the heart is hollow.”

I pick myself up and start again. Because whatever your dream, it’s worth it.

“Deep in December, our hearts should remember, and follow. Follow, follow.”