Happy Almost Summer! (I have book links for you!)

Hello my fellow bookworms!

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Gift of Edward Hodgson Smart, 1907

This has been a crazy time so far, has it not? I have had a hard time falling back into my pattern of reading, which has been compared to Belle from Beauty and the Beast (always a book in my hand). If you find yourself at a lost to dive into a book, you are not alone. An article from Vox "Why it's so hard to read a book right now, explained by a neuroscientist," contains an interview with a neuroscientist that explains why a good portion of us are feeling this way. Journalist Constance Grady interviewed neuroscientist and psychologist Oliver J. Robinson, who is based at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London. The basic conclusion is that while there are many factors that are contributing to our state of mind right now, our higher level of anxiety is changing the way we think, adapting our brain function to a state that promotes harm avoidance. It is harder to concentrate and so, it becomes harder to read, enjoy hobbies, etc. The article is a quick and interesting read, if you are interested in the basic science of why we feel the way we feel right now.

On a lighter note, I have some book-related links to share with you!

• The Comics Relief Festival released the recorded sessions of the last event online and announced that the next Comics Relief Festival will take place on Saturday, June 6, 2020! Can't wait!

• BookExpo has gone online this year. From May 26 - 29, you can join them for free sessions, such as Author Breakfasts and Buzz Books. Find the outline of events here.

• BookCon is hosting a virtual event called BookColine, a virtual book convention on May 30 - 31, that will have author panels, trivia quizzes, ARC giveaways, and more! Check out the official website here. 

• Smithsonian Magazine has a "Books of the Week" post, see their picks here. Speaking of the Smithsonian, they are also offering an option for you to ask them questions! Try your chance to be featured with an inquisitive question about science, life, books, etc. here.

• Taco Bell has a literary magazine available for all to read. I never thought I would write or read those words together, but here we are! Visit Taco Bell's website for a chance to read fan stories and poems about the franchise in their first ever literary magazine, Taco Bell Quarterly, online here. Volume 2 is live as of February 2020!

• Barnes and Noble is hosting a short story contest for children, ages 6 - 12, that is running from April 27 through May 29. The winners will receive a signed book from one of my favorite authors, Gail Carson Levine! Parents and legal guardians can read more about the rules and guidelines here. Have fun!

• With the release of SCOOB!, the animated film, DC is offering the chance for fans to read Scooby Doo comics all summer!

• If you are looking for things to read and cannot check books out from your local library's website(s), OverDrive offers an Instant Digital Card to those who need one! Check out the OverDrive website for more information. Once you have a library card, you have access to so many digital platforms of information! These include OverDrive / Libby, Recorded Books / RB Digital, Flipster, Hoopla Digital, and more (depending on your library)! From audio books, to eBooks, to movies, to comics and graphic novels, there are a variety of options online that can allow you to leave your home, without actually leaving.

• If you are looking to support independent booksellers, look no more! If you cannot find a particular book in a bookstore close to you, try bookshop.org, a website that was created to help financially support local, independent bookstores. You can find specific stores on their map, or help contribute to an earnings pool that will be evenly distributed among independent bookstores. You can even sign up to be an affiliate if you are an author, website, magazine, a fellow booklover, etc.! If you are an affiliate, you will receive 10% commission on every sale and a matching 10% to independent bookstores. Check out their FAQs if you have questions!

• If you are looking for something new to read with your children, or are a child at heart, take a moment to read The Book of Hopes, a collection of stories, poems, essays, and pictures from more than 100 children's authors and illustrators. It is free to read online only at the present, with an anticipated published book in the fall by Bloomsbury Children's Books. 

I hope that you are all doing well and have found ways of reading among the anxiety. I myself have finally started reading again this past weekend. It was a pleasant feeling to be lost in a world that has nothing to do with a pandemic. I wish you all well and hope that with the warmer weather, we can all get lost in a book!

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Gift of William T. Evans, 1890

Summer Days and Late Night Reading

Happy Summer!

Back are the days of reading by the beach, underneath a canopy of leaves, or hiding inside near a fan or basking in air conditioning. With summer comes all the festivals, outdoor activities, and traveling plans!

I visited one festival this past month - Printers Row Lit Fest. Hosted in Chicago by the Near South Planning Board, this festival occurs once a year to celebrate books for book lovers of all kinds. There are many different groups that attend - and it changes a bit year by year. Typically, those who attend and have stands are book related groups in the area (i.e. Chicago Public Library), both small and large bookstores (think hipster bookstores and those like Half Price Books), authors of all genres, and more. Basically, it is a community of people who join together to create a book celebration of sorts that spans an entire weekend and a few blocks on the iconic Printers Row area in the southern loop of downtown Chicago. You can meet authors, listen to poetry readings, buy book binding supplies, look for new or antique books, have your child/sibling/cousin/etc. sit and listen to story time, or just wander around and enjoy what the day will bring.

Printers Row Lit Fest 2019 (c) Once Upon A Book Blog(ger)

I was able to meet Kate Collins here in the past. She is an awesome mystery author from Indiana who writes the Flower Shop Mystery Series. Speaking of which, her first three books have been made into three Hallmark Movies! How cool is that? I wrote about the series earlier in my blog, check out the post here.

If you are an author in the surrounding area, you can participate in the Printers Row Lit Fest, as well. You should contact the staff via email for future participation. You can find the details here.

Speaking of books into movies, I was told to read Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel by a fellow bookworm friend of mine. It was an interesting dystopian novel, and it will soon be an interesting dystopian 10 episode limited series! It that it will air on WarnerMedia's upcoming streaming platform. There are so many platforms to keep up with lately, it is hard to keep track of what book-tp-movie or book-to-tv-show plays on next. I will have to keep my eyes out for this show, though...

Also, if you are in the New York area this week, July 1st and July 2nd specifically, there is a display by The New York Public Library that allows you to view the original, rare copy of The Declaration of Independence in Thomas Jefferson's own hand! This display will be hosted for two days only, and is located at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue. If you cannot make the trip over, you can also view images online via the library website here.

What is new with you, fellow bookworms? I have been reading, but not as much as I should have been. Hopefully, with the holiday around the corner, I can catch up with some of the items I want to share with you guys! Let me know what you're doing for the summer in the comments. For my American readers, Happy Independence Day! For my everywhere-else readers, Happy Summer! :)

Welcome Spring!

Happy Spring, my fellow bookworms!

There's been much happening in the world of literature lately, hasn't it? Netflix is continuing to release all the YA book-to-film adaptions our heart can desire. The latest novel from Tahereh Mafi, A Very Large Expanse of the Sea, a story about a 16 year old Muslim girl who continues in the face of perseverance post-9/11, is going to become a movie. For those die-hard fans who love The Princess Bride, there is going to be a Disney Broadway musical! Inconceivable!

Also, has anyone tried an in-person escape room yet? They're very fun (at least to me). Book Riot has a list of some Harry Potter themed escape rooms that will be sure to bring some magic into your life!

And for those who like to visit a good book fair now and again, the blog kotobee has released a list of the International Book Fairs for 2019, with sites ranging from the U.S. to Poland, Germany, Turkey, and more! Check out the timeline infographic below:

(c) kotobee blog 2019, www.kotobee.com

What is a book or book-to-film adaptation you are looking forward to this upcoming spring and summer? Let me know in the comments!