Category Archives: Events

Time for a Steamy Romance Cover Contest!

The Romance Cover Contest of the Year is another tradition from East Side Books we would not dream of leaving behind. For the past six years, you all have helped pick some sensational, steamy, colorful, humorous, sweet, and occasionally romantic, covers to win this coveted title. Customer’s ask all the time what exactly we mean by the “best” cover, and those qualities can all play a role, plus a heavy dose of that intangible “Oh my goodness” factor. Your vote can reflect whatever cover, from our little pile of choices for the year, just makes you shake your head and smile. Blushing is optional.

Contest Fine Print – You may vote every time you come in the store or once per day on-line by leaving a comment below. Winners of a $25 gift certificate will be randomly drawn from all entries at the end of February and notified by phone or email. You are only “judging” the cover, you do NOT have to have read the book, and we won’t make you read the book, but of course you may after the contest ends and the book goes back on sale! All votes are tallied to determine the winning cover – which is not necessarily the one chosen by the Gift Certificate winner. The winning book gets nothing but the notoriety. The rest of us get plenty of smiles.

Your choices for 2015 reflect a captivity theme. Apparently, based on the popularity of Fifty Shades of Grey and the number of related romance novels, captivity is romantic. Pirates are romantic, despite a little reality check that says pirates would undoubtedly smell awful. Well how would I know? In any case, these choices will surely make you shake your head, and you will also appreciate the decade spanning appeal of a good pirate story, and um, oh yes, a Viking.

Here are the 2015 contenders:

#1 The Golden Hawk by Frank Yerby is not a typical romance novel, more of a historical fiction work. But who could deny this cover fits our theme for the year?

#3 uses a false front cover to hide this steamy picture of the Viking who was the captive in this story….well it does offer a twist. Please, please, note those Viking boots! Surrender My Love by Johanna Lindsey

#4 is so very sweet, but apparently Miss Ravenhurst is not all she appears! The Piratical Miss Ravenhurst by Louise Allen

#5 Fern Michaels’ earlier style was, well, wow! Captive Embraces.

#2 is by the perennial entry Stephanie Laurens. Captain Jack’s Woman, enough said.

Tree Prize Winners for 2014

January 3, 2015Contest/Survey, EventsDiane

We have so much to be grateful for in 2014, especially our supportive customers. So to show our appreciation and to honor the season and source of all this paper, we have been offering tickets since early December for a lovely Blue Spruce tree. With help from two kind young men (also excited readers)

These two excellent readers helped pick the winning tickets for both tree contests this year. Thanks boys!

we drew a winning ticket on the last day of the year. Congratulations to Suzanne Pfeil! Hopefully her yard will be graced for years to come with this beautiful tree. If you did not win this year, stop by Chalfant Big Trees where this one came from for a great selection. I have a couple spots in my yard to fill….

We also have two winners for our favorite Storybook Tree Contest. Each year we ask customers to come up with a list of children’s books that relate to our tree ornaments, and it is just the most fun watching families work on this together and reading what titles people come up with to go with our ornaments! Tara and Tulie are the lucky winners of $25 gift certificates, which should keep them stocked in more kids books and maybe a little ice cream!

Thank you all for playing along! Happy New Year.

Not One but TWO Tree Contests for Christmas!

December 1, 2014Contest/Survey, EventsDiane

Here in our cozy book store, we are quite partial to trees on so many levels, from our favorite artists’ renditions of local trees to the trees outside the window, to, of course, the raw material for the lovely books on the shelves. So for the holidays, we celebrate trees again this year with TWO contests.

The Storybook Tree has become a tradition, and I love adding relevant ornaments. All you have to do to enter is come up with ten children’s stories (or nursery rhymes, poems, or in a pinch, movies) that relate to the ornaments on the tree. Easy. There are no right or wrong answers, and in fact I enjoy seeing what springs to mind for some people. It is really fun for multigenerational groups too! We’ll draw the lucky winners from the entries on the last day of the year, and you can enter every time you come in, so your chances are great!

The second tree contest is BIGGER and better too! With every $25 in purchases you receive an entry ticket for a lovely 4″ Blue Spruce from Chalfant Big Trees. Or you can purchase chances for $5 each. You could have the perfect Christmas tree in your yard for years to come if you win this one! We will hold that drawing on the last day of the year too, and will deliver it to you if you are in the general Bishopy area. I’m working on some bookish decorations too, we’ll see how that turns out, but in either case it is a gorgeous $150 tree, so don’t miss out on this drawing.

Plaid Friday & Cider Monday

November 20, 2014Events, SalesDiane

Yes I am shamelessly “borrowing” these ideas from other bookstores, but I think they are okay with it…

Don’t get sucked into the dismal, quagmire of Black Friday shopping- what a terrible idea anyway! Makes you think of the Stockmarket Crash and other catasrophic events. I know braving the crowds in a mall would be catastrophic for MY holiday mood. Now Plaid Friday is much more colorful, diverse, and just plain interesting, just like shopping in our local bookstores, right? And Cyber Monday? Why bother when you can enjoy Cider Monday at Range & River Books. We’ll serve hot spiced cider all day, offer up some special deals, and even gift wrap!

The Cider Monday idea comes from the well named Toadstool Booksops in New Hampshire. Here is what the owner, Willard Williams, says about the shopping event, which I cannot put any better:

Shoppers are promised cider, smiling servers that will not crash, personal service and advice, the opportunity to touch and try before adding to the cart (err… armful), no logins or passwords, payment in cash if desired, and always free freight. Simply take your purchases home with you, no charge.

Locally owned stores everywhere are invited to join in this year’s celebrations.

Templeton’s Carnival 2014 – The Show Must Go On

The good thing about dressing like a gypsy is that no one notices your clothes inside out, and the good thing about throwing a crazy spooky Halloween party is that no one really notices when things are a little crazy. So Templeton’s Carnival was just a little extra crazy, but the 60 plus extra cute kids and their tolerant families did not seem to mind! Ghost Story Party 2014 is in the books so to speak, and our first children’s event in the new store and third store event in a month….well what can you say. Even my pictures are, um, crazy.

If it needs explaining, Templeton is the rat in Charlotte’s Web who over enjoys the State Fair Carnival. Our version had some Halloween twists, and Halloween stories too of course, plus a gypsy fortuneteller, carnival games, a pig pen with missing pig, clowns, and a few rats and spiders distantly related to Charlotte and Templeton. I don’t think there were any nightmares afterwards!

I truly appreciate my staff and extra helpers who are all such good sports, as well as all of the families who show up to make it fun. Thank you!!

Here are some pictures, hopefully I dig up some more with AJ as a web minding Wilbur’s pig pen!

Lindsey and her monarch daughter Sarah enjoy some treats!

Sarah doesn't mind sharing popcorn with this rat, but touch it? No way! — Sarah doesn’t mind sharing popcorn with this rat, but touch it? No way!

Thanks Jen, and don't mind the rat in there. — Thanks Jen, and don’t mind the rat in there.

I hope George Washington has his sword handy, that Clown has a very spooky look in his eyes.... — I hope George Washington has his sword handy, that Clown has a very spooky look in his eyes….

Gypsy Erin was surrounded all night by folks (of all ages) wanting to know the mysteries of the future!

Well some carnies are cuter than others! These two were a big help, and clearly enthusiastic.

Our wages are not that bad, but Courtney will "Work for Books", unless she runs off to join the circus. Or maybe Disneyworld... — Our wages are not that bad, but Courtney will “Work for Books”, unless she runs off to join the circus. Or maybe Disneyworld…

Lord Cornwallis and George Washington mostly put battles aside to enjoy the carnival!

Does a ghost HAVE a future? This one is trying to find out!

Step Right Up for some carnival games, just as hard as the real ones.

Anything I write may incriminate me, but they are cute right? Thanks for being a good sport Colton.

Pirate Fairy and the Firefighter have arrived!

Emma is such a great help - not everyone can run a Clown Face game with style and humor! — Emma is such a great help – not everyone can run a Clown Face game with style and humor!

Speaking of style - how cute is this Scarlett! — Speaking of style – how cute is this Scarlett!

This was the best witch hat I've seen! And some of the most loyal customers! — This was the best witch hat I’ve seen! And some of the most loyal customers!

Pretzels, apple pie, hot dogs, popcorn and spider eggs, typical fair food.

Thanks to these two, Dani and supercrafter Clara, many fairgoers made chalk and glue spider webs. That's Terrific to quote Charlotte. — Thanks to these two, Dani and supercrafter Clara, many fairgoers made chalk and glue spider webs. That’s Terrific to quote Charlotte.

Awesome job by Sam and Celica helping kids build spider webs!

What can I say, some 4Hers just never want to give up and leave the fair.

Great Fun at the Grand Opening!

Our artist Bob Miller grabbing some of his favorite molasses cookies.

Courtney serving up some ice cream to a happy family!

Dad found a book.

Our front row view of our first Main St. Parade – the Fall Colors Car Show!

Mrs. Brockman entering what turned out to be a winning door prize ticket!

Heather Freeman with her family at the Grand Opening

Our salvaged ice cream chairs, ready for customers!

Cutest ice cream fan of the day – actually working in her reading dragon apron!

Kaylie sharing her talent with beautiful piano music during Open House.

Kaylie on piano

Kayla got a work out scooping cups and cones for the Grand Opening!

Our newest installation of Robert Miller’s art – these are some of my favorites so far…

More beautiful flowers – thank you Wyoming! You can also admire the amazing slab of Jeffrey Pine in our counter – thanks Paul Sarten!

Bishop band Rearview Mirror rocked the store for this Grand Opening – awesome!

Our Elizabeth w product table – it smells SO good!

Katie and Sarah in official store capacity.

Newly painted blue pillars

Rearview Mirror band at Grand Opening – Brad Rockwell singing

Grand Opening Open House

September 29, 2014Events, SalesDiane

Please come celebrate the new store and our big move with us! Saturday afternoon and evening we’ll have party food, some music, door prizes, sales, and other fun stuff. Visit with your friends, or stake a spot on the front porch to watch the classic cars parade! Most of the boxes will be unpacked, the ice cream will be ready, and coffee will be brewing, all we need is you here to celebrate!

October 4, from 2 to 8:00 Open House. Please note a revised schedule – we’ll have the local group Rearview Mirror between 2 and 4:00!!! Questions? 760-873-6882

Please be Patient!

July 21, 2014Events, SalesDiane

The good news – Renovations have started at the new Main Street location for Range and River Books. The bad news is that we may experience various levels of chaos in the meanwhile before we are settled in. Please, please be patient for a few weeks as we scurry around to be ready. I will keep the existing store open as much as possible, and we are already posting 30% off sales throughout the store. We will NOT do any more special orders until we are settled in the new store. I really apologize but I think the potential for poor follow through or lost paperwork is just too high. We also will not accept books for credit in August, but we generally do not anyway.

We will probably have to close both store for a week to transfer the shelves and books, which will be the biggest disruption. I will switch over to the new website as of August 1, which may or may not cause confusion. If anyone has questions or problems, please be sure to speak to me (Diane) or leave me a message and I will get back to you.

I am apprehensive looking at the logistics, but fully believe the end result will be worth it! New local products, treats, comfortable seating, foot traffic, and plenty of books will be all for the good. With your patience and support, I know it will be worth the effort!

Mule Days Book Signing with Author Cynthia Attar, The Mule Companion

May 15, 2014EventsDiane

We are pleased to announce another Mule Days event for you, a fun booksigning with Washington author Cynthia Attar. She will bring her popular book The Mule Companion, A Guide to Understanding the Mule with her to sign on Saturday, May 24 immediately following the parade (park on the East Side of Main Street!!) We’ll have some refreshments and the air conditioning on if it is hot, so please stop by for a visit!

This book has been in publication for the past 20 years, with the most recent edition published in 2009. Here’s a quote from the author on her book:

“This book was the first one I wrote. I am a mule lover and spent a chunk of my adulthood training horses and mules. This book is what I learned through the “school of hard knocks” working with mules. In this book you will find comprehensive information about training, caring for, breeding mules and more. Written in a down-home style, this is a MUST for all mule enthusiasts and future mule owners.”

Ms. Attar is a psychic medium for pets and people, so is sure to have a unique perspective on mule training. Her bio states:

Cynthia Attar, previously a mule trainer-schooled by the mule itself, learned how the mule mind works. Using this information, she obtained amazing results without force, fear, or pain. With a deep love for mules, Cynthia now empowers others to understand these long-eared equines, and aims to show how great mules truly are and to show the bond that mules and their people share. Currently as one who communicates with all animals, and aids in their healing, Cynthia resides in Washington State with her animal friends. She continues to write and share her passions with the world.

I’m looking forward to meeting her and seeing all of you! Please call or email if you have questions or want to reserve a copy of The Mule Companion.

Leprechaun Party and Storytime Photos 2014

March 25, 2014EventsDiane

Such an enthusiastic group at the Leprechaun Party this year! Kids and adults seemed to enjoy the stories, crafts and games, although I brought home waaaay too many treats!

As always, these parties wouldn’t work at all without the wonderful help from a whole crew. Since I want to read stories, I truly rely on these folks to keep the rest of the party rolling. I especially want to thank Jen for putting in the long- hours day and her organizing skills. Thanks to our neighbor Chris for rescuing our photography efforts, all errors and other omissions are strictly ours! Also a huge thank you to lovely Autumn for helping shelve in preparation, and sharing one last party before she graduates and is off to college. (Remember that first Books and Barnyard event? You will be so missed here Autumn, but of course we are thrilled for you too ).

In the leprechaun assistant department, thank you AJ for being so helpful, flexible and patient, Carson for extraordinary leprechaun trickery, Emma and Clara for unbound enthusiasm and craftiness, of course Rachel and Matt for stopping for a visit and helping to clean up, and Katie for treat preparation, treasure coordination, and crew recruitment! As our eighth leprechaun event wrapped up, it was hard not to get nostalgic, so many kids have grown up now attending and then helping out. Eight years is a long time in a childhood and so many of my helpers have grown up…big sigh, but thank you for sharing these fun times and some silliness.

Here are some photos, hopefully a few more to come.