By Katharine Brown

Hello fellow bookworms! May is our anniversary month and, on May 23, we will have been open for 4 years. Can you believe we've been here that long?! While we're sad that we can't have a big party, we have a few fun things planned for later this month. Keep your eye on our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for the latest updates! 

We've been holed up like hobbits for what feels like forever and it seems that there will be more second breakfasts ahead of us. But don't despair! Foggy Pine Books is always here for you. Even if we can't host events or chat with you while you browse, we are finding ways to keep your mind busy and sharp and hold boredom at bay. Take a peek below for reviews, quizzes, articles, and book suggestions we've been tracking down for you. And drop a comment to let us know what you're doing to have fun on the home front.​

To start, masks are required for anyone in the store for a personal shopping appointment. This is for everyone's safety and there are no exceptions. Also, guests will be required to wash their hands immediately upon entering the store. Then, they will take a seat somewhere they feel comfortable and a bookseller will sit and talk with them about what kind of books they're looking for. Then, the bookseller will go pull books that they recommend for guests to review. Browsing is allowed but only booksellers are allowed to remove books from the shelves. Finally, appointments are limited to two people at once and can only be booked for an hour at a time. If you need more time to shop, please email us to set up your appointment.

Before and after each shopper, the store will be sanitized, as well as any items that may have been touched previously by another customer. Finally, our staff will wear masks at all times.

These may seem like extreme measures but we are committed to safety for our guests & our staff. Each step of the process has been thought through to ensure that we are reducing contact as much as possible. If you have questions or concerns about any of this, please don't hesitate to reach out to us!

This month, we are excited to introduce you to our newest venture. We know this year has been trying, for all of us in the community. We also know that the escape and comfort a book offers is something many of us are taking advantage of during social distancing. In order to be sure this pastime is something that is available to all members of our community, regardless of means, we have started Free Books for Boone. Through this program, we will provide free books to those in Watauga County who are unable to buy their own. Just fill out a short application stating your interests, books you've liked before, and your personal information so we can pick the perfect book for you. We're also accepting financial and book donations from members of the community who would like to help us keep the program going. You can learn more about that here. Have questions? Send us an email at: bookseller@foggypinebooks.com.

​Finding yourself pacing the floor, desperate for something to do? What about organizing your bookshelves? Our brilliant intern Elly has gathered up some popular (read: staff) ideas about how to set up your shelves. Check out her post here and let us know how your shelves are organized (or not). Can't wait to read more? Elly has written engaging posts on other topics too. Try Mythology, Up & Coming Books of 2020, or her report on the upcoming Netflix original, Sandman, which is based on the popular graphic novel series.

Ready to try something new? You've got to get your hands on one of the IndieNext or Okra Picks for 2020! Okra Pick books have been chosen by SIBA Indie Bookstores as the books they are most excited to handsell to customers, books that inspire conversation and broaden horizons. IndieNext titles are similar, but feature recommendations from booksellers across the country. Click on the photos below to be taken to the full lists and find the perfect title for you!

And for those of us who just love to browse, spend some time looking through these beautiful catalogs from Ingram, featured below. Give us a call when you find that perfect title & we'll get it to you as quickly as possible!

Can't wait for your mystery box or your new orders? Need something book related to read right now? Check out these articles, quizzes, and various sundry we've been enjoying the last few weeks. 

Just a reminder, we are still holding our book clubs at the end of the month. You can join us via Google Meet to share all your thoughts and feelings on our May titles. Find the link to join, information, and details about our Fantasy/Science Fiction title here and our Foggy Pine Book Club pick here.​ Silent Book Club has also moved online so we hope to see you there!

Stay safe and cozy, we will see you soon. Read on!

by Katharine Brown

Hello fellow bookworms! Spring is here with grey mornings, soggy afternoons, and chilly evenings but don't you worry, we have some great opportunities to keep you from getting bored as we wait for the sunshine. We have our monthly book clubs, an open mic, author events and more. Or, if you'd rather stay inside and snuggle up with a good book, check out our staff picks and new releases. There's something for everyone at Foggy Pine Books!

We are always excited to be partnering again with Out of Your Mind, a local, non-profit mental health community, to bring you Foggy Minds Open Mic! This open mic will provide a space for our local high school students and extended community to creatively express themselves and socialize with other artists! Musicians, poets, comedians, and magicians are welcome. Foggy Minds Open Mic will take place every second Monday of the month from 5:30-7:00pm at Foggy Pine Books. Our next meeting is Monday, March 9th, TODAY, and we hope to see you there. You can learn more and RSVP here on our Facebook page.

We are continuing to host Silent Book Club and have meetings twice a month, the second Tuesday @ 1pm and the third Saturday @ 6pm. Getting involved is simple. Just show up with the book you’re currently reading, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and read for an hour curled up in one of our chairs or couches. When you're finished, you can chat with other members in the conference room or you can head out. No pressure. If you're interested in a more traditional book club, our Foggy Pine Book Club meets on the last Saturday of the month @ 7:30pm and a Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Club that meets the last Thursday of the month @ 6:30pm. Check out this month's selections on the book club blogs where you can read author interviews, book reviews, and more.

Come join us for a community event featuring local author Meredith Leigh and Blue Ridge Women In Agriculture (BRWIA) in celebration of the second edition release of Ms. Leigh's book, The Ethical Meat Handbook. Foggy Pine Books will host a conversation between Ms. Leigh and BRWIA on assuming responsibility for the food on your fork, integrating animals into your garden or homestead, and the economics and parameters for responsible meat production. For more information or to RSVP check out our Facebook event.

Last month, we introduced you to Elly, our new professional writing intern. She has been hard at work researching literary news, writing reviews, and crafting blog posts. If you've read The Golden Compass you'll love her take on the award-winning YA book and, if you're a Gaiman fan (and who isn't?) you'll be over the moon when you read her piece about The Sandman. Take a peek, leave a comment, and let her know what you think!

As you know, we have partnered with Libro.fm to bring you the hottest new audiobooks at great prices that support your local indie bookstore (that's us!). They have everything you want to listen to, including a Foggy Pine Books Staff Picks list and a playlist for Women's History Month. Want to earn two free book credits? Switch from Audible & use the code SWITCH when you sign up to get your free credits! We want to reward you for choosing your local indie bookstore.

We do have a bit of housekeeping to cover when it comes to parking. We know how difficult it is to find parking on King St. but, with the amount of downtown traffic, we are having to enforce our customers-only parking policy more strictly. The 6 spaces marked by 3 signs on the Turchin Center side of the lot and the handicapped parking space are for Foggy Pine customers currently in the store ONLY. You may not leave your car & walk elsewhere. If you do this, we will have you towed, at your expense, according to the signs posted clearly in our lot. If your car has been towed, you may pick it up from Bill's Garage. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Take a peek at what we're reading behind the scenes this month. As always, if you've read any of these titles, we'd love to chat with you about them!

Before we wrap up this post, we have some sneak-peeks at events coming soon that we know you'll be as excited about as we are. April 25th is Independent Bookstore Day and we have lots of exciting things planned to celebrate. Keep your eyes peeled for a blog post detailing all the discounts, giveaways, and other surprises we have in store! Then, in May, we are thrilled to bring author Brian Panowich to Foggy Pine Books to launch his new book, Hard Cash Valley. Finally, keep your eyes peeled for an announcement later this week about a new series of low stress social events. If you’re an introvert, new in town, or just want to socialize in a casual, task-oriented environment, these events will be perfect for you. More details will be forthcoming so make sure you’re signed up for our newsletter! We can't wait to see you all there!

​Read on!

February is here and no matter how you feel about Valentine's Day (😍/🤮), we know you'll agree that everyone wants to feel loved. You have certainly made that feeling real for us this year as we were honored to receive the Startup Business of the Year award from the Boone Chamber of Commerce. We know this award is directly related to community nominations and we literally could not have done any of this without you so thank you, from the bottom of our hearts! We are grateful to be part of such a generous and open-minded community of book lovers and we look forward to serving you for many years.

If you're a lover of Valentine's Day, be sure to come by the store for our First Friday Art Crawl, Friday, February 7th, and create your own love notes to distribute to your favorite people. We will have a Valentine's craft station, free wine (with valid ID), and a great giveaway!  Plus, if you make a shelf-talker for a book in our store, you get a coupon for 20% off ONE BOOK.

Not sure which book to purchase with your 20% off? Why not snag one of our new releases? There are several new titles available this month and you're sure to find something you love. You can choose from the following: A Black Women's History of the United States by Daina Ramey Barry, Belle Révolte by Linsey Miller, How to Live on 24 Hours a Day by Arnold Bennett, When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald, The Third Rainbow Girl by Emma Copley Eisenberg, and Highfire  by Eoin Colfer.

Watching a show or texting with a friend and the name of a great new book comes up? Afraid you won't remember the title when you finally make it to the store? Jump online and order it while you're thinking about it! You can have it shipped directly to your home or order it for in-store pick-up.

When you're ready to recommend your new book to a friend, you can use Libro.fm's new service, Bookstore Link, to be sure those you love are supporting your local bookstore. Bookstore Link connects readers to their local independent bookstore for online book purchases. When you follow a link to a book on Bookstore Link, you'll choose your local independent bookstore and be connected directly to our website to complete your transaction. This ensures that Foggy Pine Books, not Amazon, is making book sales. It's a win for all of us!

Not only does Libro.fm provide thousands of DRM-free audiobooks and independent bookstore support via Bookstore Link, they also offer FREE ALC's (Advanced Listening Copies) for all teachers and librarians. That's right! If you are a teacher or librarian, you can sign-up and download the books everyone else is waiting to read! Get started here! 

Wondering what titles you can expect in your ALC's? Chances are, some of our most popular upcoming pre-orders will be available! These include: Heartstopper by Alice Oseman, If It Bleeds by Stephen King, Conjure Women by Afia Atakora, The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickles, Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi (Book 3 of the Pandava Series), and Stormsong by C.L. Polk. If you're wanting to get your hands on a hard copy of these titles you'll be happy to know that all pre-orders are marked 15% off the cover price. So browse away and, when you're ready to order, head over to the website to choose your favorite one(s)!

If you've been by lately, maybe for a book club or author event, you may have noticed a new face around the store. We would like to formally introduce y'all to Elly Murray, our newest staff member. Elly is interning with Foggy Pine Books as she pursues her professional writing degree at App State. She is writing content for the blog and newsletter and, closer to the end of the semester, will be doing an intern takeover of all our social media. Keep your eyes peeled for her exciting, literary content and be sure to give her a wave if you see her around the store!

Speaking of book clubs and author events, we are excited to be hosting/co-hosting a ton of amazing events in February. First up is Story Slam at Noble Kava on Saturday, February 8th at 7pm. Come out and tell your true, 5 minute story on the theme "Moral Dilemma". Not ready to share your own story? Come listen and enjoy this welcoming and supportive community storytelling event. Foggy Pine Books also hosts a monthly open mic in partnership with Out of Your Mind, a local, non-profit mental health community. We'll be meeting on Feb. 10 at 5:30pm at the bookstore. This open mic provides a space for our local high school students (& extended community) to creatively express themselves and socialize with other artists. Musicians, poets, comedians, dancers, and magicians are welcome!

We are, once again, hosting a TRIO Live event on February 18th at 7pm. TRIO is a testament to the way words, music and art can come together around the power of a single story. We will be hosting the following authors/songwriters/visual artists this year and we hope you'll join us for this free event brought to you by Working Title Farm and check out some of the books, music, and art promoted by TRIO: PJ Brunson, Mark Bumgarner, Kay and Patrick Crouch, Eric Erdman, Radney Foster, Joanie Gardner, Jim Hamilton (The Last Entry), Caleb Johnson (Treeborne), Liz McKay, Dale Neal (Appalachian Book of the Dead), Bobbie Pyron (Stay), Kimberly J. Simms (Lindy Lee: Songs on Mill Hill), Shari Smith (I Am A Town), and Terry H. Watkins (Darling Girl).

On the 20th we are thrilled to offer a reading/signing/Q&A session with Lees-McRae professor Scott Huffard for his new book, Engines of Redemption. In his book, Huffard examines the rapid growth, systematization, and consolidation of the southern railroad network, demonstrating how economic and political elites used the symbolic power of the railroad to proclaim a New South had risen. The railroad was more than just an economic engine of growth; it was a powerful symbol of capitalism’s advance. Come by the store at 6:30 to learn more!

Our book clubs will meet as usual this month. Silent Book Club will be meeting February 11th @ 1pm and February 15th @ 6pm. Bring any book you're currently enjoying for an hour of quiet reading in the company of other book lovers. If you want to discuss what you're reading afterwards, the conference room is available for discussion. If you want to read and leave, you can do that too! Whatever makes you comfortable.

Our Fantasy/Sci-Fi Book Club will meet on the 27th @ 6:30pm to discuss Monstress, by Marjorie Liu and Foggy Pine Book Club will meet on the 29th @ 7:30pm to talk about My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithewaite. We'll share wine & conversation as we discuss the books. These book clubs are open to anyone & we want to hear what you thought about the book, even if you didn't finish it. Book club is an excellent way to meet fellow book nerds in your community!

For more information on book clubs, author events, and featured events, check our our Facbook page or online calendar.

Take a peek at what we're reading behind the scenes this month. As always, if you've read any of these titles, we'd love to chat with you about them!

And last, but not least, our labor of love is finally ready to share with you! We have been fine-tuning our local consignment page and we are beyond excited to announce that it is open for submissions! If you are an author who lives in NC full time, who is independently published, and whose book is not published via CreateSpace, which is an Amazon-owned company, we would love to talk with you about stocking your book in-store. Please read our FAQ here and, if you think your book would be a good fit for the store, fill out the application and we will be in touch!

And that's a wrap for February. We can't wait to see you around the store for an event or just to chat about what you're reading. You can find more information about any of our events or readings on our Facebook page. Read on!

Well, it was harder than it should have been but we made it through 2019! Hugs, high fives, and hurrahs all around! If you're anything like us, 2019 made you take stock of your convictions and priorities. It galvanized you to be the change you want to see in the world. It motivated you to dive into this mess called life and do the right thing. We are so honored to be moving into this new year with passion and purpose alongside people like you.
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As you know, Foggy Pine Books is committed to providing opportunities for giving back, both in our local and global communities. If you've been staying abreast of the news, the fires in Australia are a countrywide catastrophe. Over 18 million acres of land have been burned and half a billion animals are injured, displaced, or deceased. When faced with such widespread destruction, it is hard to determine how we can be helpful, especially from so far away. But every little bit helps and that is why all proceeds of your purchase of a book from our environmental display will be donated to benefit WIRES and The New South Wales Rural Fire Service. Together, we can make a difference for the global community.

We all know that lasting change begins with ourselves. One of the best ways to effect change is to experience new things so we can look at our situation with fresh perspective. Luckily for us book worms, reading can aid us in that pursuit! It's truly amazing that just by sitting down with a good book, we can improve our capacity to understand other individuals and social situations. If you are ready to broaden your horizons, why not join our 2020 Foggy Pine Books Reading Challenge? You can find the challenge here or in the store. If you need a few suggestion, check out this list that Mary pulled together and don't forget to join our other readers via our Facebook group.

And even more good news - it just so happens that our Foggy Pine Book Club read for January will check a book off our reading challenge for you (you're welcome 😊)! Hope in the Dark is a collection of essays about remaining hopeful in a dark political climate. You can read all about this month's book pick (as well as browse past picks) here. And if you'd rather just escape from it all, take a peek at our Fantasy/Science Fiction pick, The Girl in the Tower, the sequel to Katherine Arden's bestseller The Bear and the Nightingale. You can read reviews, interviews, and find links to buy your very own copy here. We update these blogs each month so keep your eyes peeled for upcoming reads!

​It's a new year, so why not throw in a new read? We have some amazing titles coming to the store soon and you're sure to find something you'll love. We will have All the Great Territories, a new book of poetry by local professor & author, Matthew Wimberley; signed copies of Untamed by Glennon Doyle; and the third installment of the Nevermoor series (and staff pick), Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow. Remember, you can get 15% off the cover price when you pre-order any upcoming titles.

If one of your resolutions is to utilize your time more effectively, you're not alone and we've got your back! Can't sit down for an uninterrupted hour to get some serious reading done? Why not listen to a book while driving, running, or cleaning? You're not bored and the boring stuff still gets done - it's a win-win! Check out the incredible titles you want to read at Libro.fm, follow the simple steps to download, and plug into a great story. The best part? You can listen across all your devices because every download is DRM-free!

If you're still wanting to add a few titles to your TBR or you haven't found one yet to tickle your fancy, take a peek at what we're reading in store this month.

A few final reminders as you head into the rest of your day. We have a beautiful, shiny site all ready for your online orders. It only takes a few minutes to set up an account and you can order your books directly to your home or to pick up in store. If you're not able to find something online, don't hesitate to contact the store and let us find it for you.

Finally, if you haven't had a chance to check out our Silent Book Club you should come by next Tuesday, January 14 @ 1pm OR next Saturday January 18 @ 6pm. All you have to do is bring your current read, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and curl up in one of our chairs or couches with your book to read for an hour. Optional discussion group will follow and snacks and drinks are provided. We hope to see you then! You can learn more about upcoming events on our Events page or come grab a monthly event calendar at the store!

Read on!

Hello fellow bookworms! As we head into the next few weeks, many of us are looking for ways to give back out of our abundance. We are excited to share with you an opportunity to do just that this holiday season. We have set up a donation program to benefit OASIS by providing books for all their littlest clients during the holidays. Get 25% off any children's or YA book that is purchased for donation and Foggy Pine Books will match that with a book donated for an adult. Together, we can spread the joy of reading and be sure that no one is without a gift this season!

While you're here picking out the perfect donation title, don't forget to snag a copy of our beautiful holiday catalog. Filled to the brim with lovely books and great gift-giving ideas, you're sure to find something for the reader on your list. Can't swing by the store but still want to shop? Browse from the comfort of your couch on our brand new website. That's right - we've been hard at work and we finally get to share our online store with you! We can't wait to hear what you think!

There are a few other changes ahead as we move toward the end of the year and the calendars start filling up. The Swap Shop is ending in December and will no longer be accepting donations. All items will still be available for $1 per item or $5 for a bag. Swing by and take a peek - you never know what you will find! We have also decided, after a show of hands, to change the meeting time for the Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Club. The club will meet on Thursdays at 6 pm starting January 2020. If you're not already part of a book club, we would love to have you try us on for size!

Not ready to commit to monthly book club meetings? An author visit may be just what the doctor ordered. We have local author Jim Hamilton in the store this month, doing a reading from his debut novel, The Last Entry. Come by this Friday and see what all the buzz is about!

We will be closed for Thanksgiving to allow our staff time to visit with family & friends. We'll be open our regular hours on Black Friday & Small Business Saturday. Come see us first thing Saturday and be entered to win one of THREE amazing giveaways - a set of books, a $30 gift card, or a canvas totebag! If you're one of the first ten purchasing customers, you will get 25% off your total order. Can't make it in first thing? We are also offering 10% off all books purchased between 5-9 pm. All purchases entitle you to a free, warm cup of coffee/tea/cider/cocoa and some Jane cuddles. So many reasons to shop local!

Looking for things to do this month? In addition to today's author visit, we have quite a few things events to join in this month. We have two regular book clubs that meet once a month to discuss our shared read. You can learn more about them here. The inaugural meeting of the brand new Silent Book Club is November 12th at 1pm. Learn more about that here. It's also NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and we're holding 4 more write-ins this month. Come write with us and get free coffee & snacks then, during the last write-in, we'll have cake to celebrate your writing all month! There's always a lot happening at Foggy Pine Books so keep an eye on our calendar & we hope to see you at an event.

November is shaping up to be a busy month but that doesn't mean we've taken a break from reading over here at the store. Check out our staff picks and let us know what's on your list this month! Hint: You can click each cover to buy online from our new store!