Killer Stories

Kate put a galley of this into my mail box the other day. I was definitely talking to someone about it earlier, they said they were reading it and I emphatically mentioned I would like to borrow it after they were done, but apparently it wasn't Kate, because the blank stare she gave me when I asked her if I had had a conversation with her about it let me know she was not the one. Anyway, I was psyched to have it; I would not go so far as to say that I am obsessed with serial killers, or even have a penchant for their biographies, however, I must say, I find them fascinating. In no other particular way do these maudlin tones manifest themselves in my everyday life. I am ambivalent about horror movies, gore, any kind of viral what-have-you that might be running around on the internet at the time. Sure, I went through a goth phase in high school, but that was mostly just for laughs. There is something so interesting, however, about the character investigation of a real-life serial killer, and I find I can't ignore a good intrigue.

In 2010, for example, the night of our Booksmith holiday party, I was closing up the store for the night and felt terribly feverish. Tragically, I had to forgo the holiday party, in order to go home and sweat out the monsters for approximately two and a half days. I live on the fourth floor of a walk up, and my roommate was out of town at the time, so I was essentially isolated in what felt like a damp, sticky nest of decay until I begged my Dad to bring me Advil gel caps about 14 bottles of fruit punch flavoured Vitamin Water. During this time, I also happened to be reading "Helter Skelter", the true account of the Manson family murder investigations. This led to hours and hours of sitting up in bed, reading about atrocities and the general Manson family history, and then equal time spent tossing and turning, having surreal, almost comically gory fever-dreams of murders, screaming, and viscera. Eventually I was basically only leaving my room to streak (as fast as a very sick person can) to the bathroom, to stare, bleary-eyed and otherwise askew, at my gaunt reflection sweating back at me in the bathroom mirror. "Why are you doing this?" I asked myself. "Stop reading the book, you have hundreds of books, read another book." Then I would turn back, go back into my room, and watch clips of Charles Manson interviews on youtube until I fell asleep again and re-entered the malevolent dream circus of my own mind.

It's a car crash, is what it is. You know it's crass, you know you ought to look away while others suffer, but you can't. Your own morbid curiosity is so powerful that even though you don't want to know, you really want to know. Maybe not all the grimy, gritty details (or maybe, who knows) but the general impression of terror is enough to spark your terrible interest. "My Friend Dahmer" (which will be available in March) is a good, quick read. I do wish the narrative went deeper into detail about Dahmer's life, although it is written (and illustrated) by an actual friend of Jeffrey Dahmer and so is somewhat an autobiographical account. I recommend you pick it up when it becomes available, even though it will probably barely wet the whistle of your thirst for the gruesome.

That's all for this week, friends and lover. Don't forget our bi-annual coven and bake-off meeting this Monday. Satan and Sugar Frosting go together like horse and carriage down this way. All are welcome. Long live Beelzebub. 

Stay Creative

Stuck inside with nothing to do? Or, perhaps you would like something different for a time outdoors when the weather is deceptively springish? Art kits are wonderful. And, I love that most kids aren't afraid of art. If the sky is purple or the cat looks like a six-legged blue monkey, who cares! The joy is in the creation and finished product.

It is depressing, though, when somewhere along the line you “can” only create art if you are a professional artist. Seriously? Art is okay for kids but not adults? You don't have to be refined or professional to create great art. (Okay, maybe you need to be exceptional if you are a graphic artist or illustrator, but that's different). I'm talking about good old fashioned art time – a fun and creative outlet for thoughts, emotions, and energy.

I am happy to announce that we now carry the kits from Creativity for Kids. Allow me to sketch a a few highlights for the artist hiding within you:

Flower Press and Nature Cards

A perfect blend for a nature and art lover. All of the supplies are included to make greeting cards, gift tags, and bookmarks. Through use of some watercolor paints, a little flower press kit, and more, anyone would be glad to receive these creations. ($15.95, ages 6+)

Do Art Travel Easel

Welcome to the easel that houses many materials – Faber-Castell pastels, markers, chalk, a white board marker, colored pencils, a pencil sharpener, a sponge, and a drawing pad. This two-sided easel can easily be set up on the floor or table and can be stored in small spaces or be tucked away in a suitcase for a trip. So whether your child loves chalkboarding, whiteboarding, or drawing, this easel just might be the right fit! ($34.95, ages 5+)

Finger Prints Finger Painting Set

This fingerprinting set is probably different from what you are used to. The finger printing – or, maybe smearing – takes place on a plastic board. When complete, a sheet of paper is placed over it and, using a roller, is transferred onto the paper. This way multiple copies can be made.

Don't worry, the 6 paints included are washable and there is an apron, so everything is ready to go. ($24.95, ages 3+)

2 Glass Bowls 4U2 Paint

Love to create, but need something useful to create it on? Me too. How about these glass bowls? Learn the technique of reverse glass painting and you will have a personal fruit, popcorn, candy, and/or chip bowl. ($24.95, ages 8+)

I love their motto: Childhood creativity lasts a lifetime!

Dream Destinations

The other day, my coworker Ric dreamed he was in Haiti. He was walking on top of the water there, looking down at the fish swimming below. "Why Haiti?" I asked. He wasn't sure, but apparently the night before that, Ric's subconcious took him to Chile.

"Hey," Ric said, "it's cheaper than flying."

For the rest of us who can't afford the airfare, for those of us with a less inventive subconscious who can't depend on the thrift of dreamworld travel, there's Destination Literature.

If you haven't visited this relatively new section at Booksmith, and if the fresh springlike air of our uncommonly warm first of February had you restless to go somewhere new, check out the literature there, shelved geographically, and if not cheaper than a good dream-filled night's sleep, at least you won't have to pay for the hotel.

The battle is on!

Superbowl, schmuperbowl.

:Duck the angrily lobbed cheese curls of a region full of angry Patriots fans:

Sorry. Let's start again. I hear there's an exciting game on tonight. However, personally, I'm more interested in following another competition: School Library Journal's Battle of the Books.

The concept is simple: take a bunch of kids' books from the past year that had some form of "buzz." Assign brackets to some of the best authors in the business (judge list TBA). Let the games begin.

Come on, Inside Out and Back Again. Keep it going.

Pre- Super Bowl Flash Contest ($, poetry, FAME)

Ok, take a receipt (from us)

• write a short poem/ flash fiction on the back of it



• send it to me

Kate Robinson
279 Harvard Street
Brookline, MA 02135

The winner will get:

• a gift certificate



• a book of poetry



• their poem on our FB and blog.

You have till February 10th (postmarked) or just hand deliver it.

Go Pats!!!!!!

Mexican Constitution Day!

February 5 marks Mexican Constitution Day, and what better way to celebrate than to (re)discover a fascinating Mexican artist?

Until a customer brought in a Dover clip art book of Posada's illustrations, I'd never seen his work before! How drab my life had been until now! Jose Posada was a printmaker and engraver who worked mostly during the 19th century. He created a lot of illustrations for Mexican tabloids, so while there are really great illustrations of goings-on in late 19th - early 20th century Mexico, there are also a grip of illustrations of folk stories (like a lady rumored to give birth to three children and four animals!), pop-art skeletons, advertisements and scenes from the Mexican revolution that are fascinating and detailed.

Here are some examples:

The UBC got in a Dover clip art book that can be yours for just $3.50, it's a larger format so you can see all the engraving details. We also got in a little box that has a tiny hardcover book of illustrations in addition to several postcards and full-size reproduction posters, all in mint condition. That one's $13. Great gifts, great coffee table items, a great way to celebrate Mexico's sovereignty!

A Better Class of Garbage.

When I was a kid, there were a few movies that were non-negotiable in my house. My parents are both major cinephiles, so collectively we owned a lot of VHS tapes, and spent a lot of time watching movies and reading, respectively. One of the best things about my mom is that she has no criteria for what constitutes a "worthy" piece of media. She loves sappy romance movies, horror movies, old movies, she has shown me some of the best and worst films I have ever seen. I remember one year, for mothers day, I invited her over to my apartment and we got barbecue take out and she picked two DVDs for us to watch, and as my gift to her, I would watch whatever she picked without complaint. That Mothers Day I watched "Cloverfield", a sci fi thriller type about a monster that destroys New York City, and  "The Holiday", a droopy romantic movie in the romcom style starring Jack Black, Kate Winslet, and other adorable starlets. Was my Mom the only 50 something woman seeing "Cloverfield" in the theater by herself when it debuted? I'd wager she was. 

She showed me "A Thousand Clowns" when I was probably about 12, and ever since, this has been my favourite movie. It's purely character driven, based off of a play by the same name written by Herb Gardner. It's a story about Nick (played by Barry Gordon) and his uncle Murray (played by Jason Robards) whom he lives with and who is currently unemployed. The story is basically about how eccentric Murray must find ground between captaining his own alternative lifestyle (also known as unemployment) and being a good father and provider for Nick. It's basically a movie about having to grow up, just a little bit, and about negotiating how much of your personality and personal goals you should auction off for the sake of assimilating into a larger, but safer, culture.

The movie appeals to me because I don't really care about a plot; I'm a total character person. The movie probably has 4 or 5 different locations, I would say about 75% of it takes place in Nick and Murray's apartment. It's a flurry of quick dialogue, little quiet jokes, and meaningful looks. So of course, I love it. A Very Popular Website Whose Name We Dare Not Speak but Could Be Related To Certain Rainforests in South America just released the film on DVD, so I bought it immediately as a birthday present to myself. I'd like to recommend this play or movie to anybody that has ever had values that did not fit in with everybody else, to anyone that is creative or successful in a way that is not necessarily fiscally lucrative, or to people that bummed around a lot with their Dads and/or older, male role models when they were kids. The idling at the park and complicated inside jokes will strike those of us that spent a lot of time goofing off as charmingly familiar. I just want us all to think a little bit more critically about what constitutes "a waste of time", and why. Can you explain it? Is it about money or activities to hone potential money making skills? How much time do you have to 'waste' before you have 'wasted' time? As a fairly nonplussed and apathetic student and super passionate and creative doer-of-art and thinker-of-things, I'm curious about these questions, and "A Thousand Clowns" definitely got me thinking about them at a young, ripe age.