Happy 20th Birthday, Mystery Lovers Bookshop!
Happy 20th Birthday, Mystery Lovers Bookshop!
Today, we salute our dear friends at Mystery Lovers Bookshop - they are beating the odds by celebrating their 20th birthday this weekend!
Here are the three things you really need to know about MLB - followed by 17 more.
Help all of us celebrate our friends-and-family supported business by ordering all of your tart books, holiday gifts, and all your reading needs from: Mystery Lovers Bookshop!!
1. MLB supports authors and readers by not only providing great books, but bringing real live authors to the store's events! That's right - no cheesy holograms. Real live people who write books - perhaps an endangered species. So really, it's saving the earth, which is so hot right now.
2. MLB won the Raven Award - which is a big-ass thing for everyone who loves books, so they have that goin' for them, which is nice.
3. MLB's Festival of Mystery is like a big family/class reunion where 50 authors gather to meet hundreds of fans every spring - so mark you calendars for MAY 2, 2011 and BE THERE! It's worth a trip just to see people lined up to buy books, rather than crack or knock-off t-shirts celebrating some cretin. Seriously.
4. Richard and Mary Alice are the very cool owners of MLB - they have helped hundreds of authors and thousands of readers meet in person or on the page - kind of like Book Yentas.
5. MLB's staff rocks! Margot, Buff, Kathy, Vicki, Judy, Martha, and the rest of the gang are the best in the biz. They are also nice people and not the kind of jagoffs you'd like to punch in the face. Plus, they do Staff Picks every month and they let me put in my picks too because I bring wine.
6. When authors visit, they sign the bathroom wall. No kidding. You need to see it to believe it!
7. MLB can order ANY book in print for you!
8. Free shipping for books - ya can't beat that!
9. MLB's birthday is on HALLOWEEN - I mean it doesn't get any more fabulous than that. Unless you show up in a costume. which makes it double-fab. And you bring candy, which is like, totally over the rainbow.
10. MLB's window displays have won actual awards with real prizes and everything. Plus, the store decorates for holidays - wait for it- but not until the actual holiday! Can you believe the chutzpah?!
11. MLB's Newsletter is the best guide around for new books - and the reviews are actually written by literate humans who read actual books!
12. MLB is right across the rail road tracks from the Oakmont Bakery, which is a destination in and of itself. They have gobs. Just saying.
13. Like you need another reason to visit Pittsburgh?!
14. All of the Book Tarts have been there - which means the joint totally has class, right? No velvet ropes there, obviously. heh.
15. Legend has it that on Harry Potter nights, the actual characters apparate right in the store (for real, I've been there.)
16. All these great photos were taken by a guy named Steve. And no, we don't think he is one of Her, Margie's Steves, but we are actually afraid to ask, because we are running out of room in the margins for more Steves. Margie, it would seem, is a very friendly sort.
17. MLB's logo has a cat in it. I don't have cats, but a lot of you do, so unless you hate cats and dogs, you have to shop there. Now who can hate a little kitten or a puppy? Why would you even think about that? That's just mean.
18. Free parking. And not the Monopoly kind, which can bite you in the ass if you are there because of jail.
19. MLB donates thousands of books to local projects and libraries through the Angel Fund, funded by customer donations and store contributions too. That means they walk the walk as well as talk the talk, and when is the last time you met anyone who did that during election season?
20. Do I really need to spell it out? Come to the Festival, and you can see ME, their biggest fan!
I don't know why I thought MLB was in NC. Next time I go visit my sister, who lives in Harmony (about 35 miles north of the 'burgh) I'll see if I can't get her to take some time off to make a run there. (Even though she HATES driving in Pittsburgh)
Posted by: Judith Bandsma | October 30, 2010 at 06:55 AM
My goal is to one day sign the bathroom wall...:)
Posted by: William | October 30, 2010 at 07:48 AM
The annual birthday party is Big Fun. See you there!
PS to William---After you've attended one festival, you get to put a hash mark after your bathroom signature.
Posted by: nancy martin | October 30, 2010 at 08:12 AM
I so wanted to go to the B-Day bash tomorrow, but unfortunately we're over committed as usual and can't make it. Hopefully next year we'll be able to attend. We were able to attend two years ago and it was a spectacular evening. Of course we'd never miss a Festival of Mystery unless it was a life or death situation.
Happy Birthday MLB!
Posted by: peach | October 30, 2010 at 08:49 AM
Consider this a big frosted cupcake with 20 candy hearts on it. Can't believe it's "only" 20 years. Seems as if Mary Alice and Richard have been there for us forever. Happy Birthday, MLB!
Posted by: Margaret Maron | October 30, 2010 at 09:26 AM
I love MLB! Many happy returns of the day, Richard and Mary Alice!
Posted by: Harley | October 30, 2010 at 10:03 AM
Jumping in to wish MLB a very Happy Birthday !
Posted by: Kaye Barley | October 30, 2010 at 10:14 AM
I smoosh them! Big fat smooshy hugs and kisses.
p.s. This may be my favorite tribute anybody has ever written to anything ever.
Posted by: Nancy Pickard | October 30, 2010 at 10:24 AM
Happy Birthday, MLB!!
I received my signed copies by Hank and Nancy M. from MLB and it was like Christmas day for me.
Everything came so beautifully packaged.
me, marie in Rainy California.
Posted by: marie | October 30, 2010 at 10:50 AM
Happy Birthday from me, as well, MLB. And many happy returns of the spooky day for you!
Wish I could join you tomorrow, but I have already put the Festival date on my calendar. Like William, it would be a huge honor to be able to add my signature to those on the bathroom walls!
Posted by: Karen in Ohio | October 30, 2010 at 11:22 AM
If I were a published novelist, that is!
Posted by: Karen in Ohio | October 30, 2010 at 12:20 PM
Karen, it all begins with a dream.
I predict that someday we will see your published novel!!
All the Best!!
Posted by: marie | October 30, 2010 at 12:27 PM
Learning about the MLB is yet one more thing to thank TLC for. Happy Birthday! If I can learn to apparate soon I'll be there for the party. If it turns out I'm just a muggle I'll be with you in spirit.
Posted by: Al_S | October 30, 2010 at 02:41 PM
I love indie bookstores. <3 xxxxx
And I apparate. There's a portkey in an fallen saguaro out back.
Posted by: Reine (Marie-Reine) | October 30, 2010 at 05:07 PM
I would also love to have a job in an indie. And if it had a coffee bar, so much the better.
Posted by: Reine (Marie-Reine) | October 30, 2010 at 05:35 PM
Happy Birthday to you, you live in a zoo ...oh, sorry, wrong party! I am used to singing for 4 boys and this is the clean version! :) I am very happy for you...let me know if you want to open a franchise in FL. :)
Posted by: Lora in Florida | October 30, 2010 at 06:00 PM
Happy birthday!!! I wish I could apparate...
Posted by: Cornelia Read | October 30, 2010 at 06:11 PM
Happy Birthday!! We'll all be there in whooooooo--spirit! And see you at the festival, of course.
Love love love to you all..and thank you for everything. You are quite amazing.
Posted by: Hank Phillippi Ryan | October 30, 2010 at 07:00 PM
Kathy S.
Are you from Pittsburgh? Just asking 'cause only Pittsburghers say "jagoff"! I am from Monroeville, about 20 miles from Mystery Lovers and I have visited a couple of times. Place is packed with books! I can't go too often--too much temptation!
Happy Birthday Mystery Lovers Bookshop!
Posted by: Sandi Lewis | October 30, 2010 at 08:58 PM
Karen, you HAVE published a book. Doesn't non-fiction count?
Posted by: storyteller Mary | October 30, 2010 at 10:05 PM
I order from MLB fairly frequently (love the little mints that come in the box), but I have yet to get there. I'm gonna put the date of the next festival on my calendar, and see if I can make it happen.
I'll be sending in an order tomorrow. Happy 20th!
Posted by: Laura (in PA) | October 30, 2010 at 10:10 PM
Thanks to Kathy and all of you......we are so happy to be celebrating this new milestone.......zip over to the website on Halloween and get a special....
As a special treat, we invite you to take 20% off any one hardcover book purchased any time during the day of October 31.
The 20% offer applies to any currently available book. Future publications are not eligible for this offer. British import hardcovers, similarly, do not qualify. You can get your 20% by purchasing your book in the store or on the phone on Sunday, Oct. 31 or by placing a web order on Sunday. If you place a web order, put Halloween in the special instructions when you check out. If you place your order by phone or in person, just ask for the Halloween special.
Many thanks, maryalice and all
Posted by: mary alice at mystery lovers bookshop | October 30, 2010 at 11:02 PM
Nice collection. I love these.
Posted by: burberry scarves | November 12, 2010 at 01:46 AM
This is all very new to me and this article really opened my eyes.Thanks for sharing with us your wisdom.
Posted by: burberry scarf | December 05, 2010 at 06:04 AM
Very nice.
Thanks for this great Information.
I like it most.Keep it up give more latest post.
Posted by: burberry scarf | December 05, 2010 at 06:05 AM
Happy Birthday !! this is a nice and exciting book,i love it. here are some nice burberry scarves.
Posted by: burberry scarf | December 08, 2010 at 03:16 AM
I will be sure to come back. thanks for sharing. Must admit that you are one of the best blogger I ever saw. I think it may be help all of you. This article truly impressed me. It help me very much to solve some problems.
Posted by: cheap oakley sunglasses | July 21, 2011 at 11:00 PM
Thanks for your post, I like this post very much, thank you. more and more please. I am do the r4 products, please contact with us if you are interesting.
Posted by: burberry scarf | August 04, 2011 at 08:01 AM
http://www.scarfmart.org/
Posted by: burberry scarf | December 24, 2011 at 07:52 AM