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Articles by Kevin Coolidge
The end of a chapter: From My Shelf Books & Gifts announces closing
Wellsboro, Pa. — Grab your tissues, Wellsboro, and maybe a sturdy canvas tote bag. After years of fueling the region’s imagination, From My Shelf Books & Gifts on East Avenue is closing its doors. The iconic independent bookstore is entering its final chapter, leaving a book-shaped hole in the heart of Tioga County.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: 'The People of the Book'
I’m leafing through a used book, and to my wonder, a check falls out. Made payable to the Tolrevo Clinic for just over $2,000! The name in the upper left corner identifies the check as belonging to one Sarah of Baltimore, Md. I silently whistle: I bet Sarah was frantic to have misplaced that check! The date reveals that the check was written in May of 1993, so this has certainly been long-cancelled, an expensive “bookmark” that Sarah evidently never found.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: 'Malice Domestic'
When people in publishing or film think of conventions, nicknamed "Cons", they usually think of crazy science-fiction fans — 30- and 40-year-old guys dressed in Star Trek uniforms, or teen girls dressed in elaborate costumes from Japanese comics. The public have been exposed to this in episodes of the popular TV show, "The Big Bang Theory." There is another fan base, however, that people don't think of as being passionate enough to show up for huge conventions like Comicons — mystery lovers.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Shh, it's a secret
A secret, nothing is more compelling, and I just had to know this jealously guarded information hoarded by the wealthy, happy and successful. Rhonda Byrne, New Age guru, is the author of the bestseller, The Secret. You want to know her secret? Your positive thoughts act as powerful magnets that attract wealth, health and happiness. Fleeting negative thoughts are responsible for your bad attitude, your crappy ’78 Pinto, and that overwhelming credit card balance.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: 'Life As We Knew It'
There are so many disaster movies and post-apocalyptic books that deal with asteroids hitting the Earth that I never thought much about the quite possible scenario of a large, dense asteroid hitting our moon. After all, asteroids hit the moon fairly often.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Elf on the Shelf
Who is behind the popular Christmas tradition of “The Elf on the Shelf”? If you thought it was just Santa Claus and the folks at the North Pole, you would be missing an even more inspirational part of the story. The story behind the story of "The Elf on the Shelf" takes us not to the cold reaches of the Arctic Circle, but to the balmy suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Santa's little snitch
He knows when you’ve been sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. That’s more than a little disturbing. How does he know? Satellites? Spyware? Wire tapping? Rats with cameras?
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Sex advice with Dr. Tatiana
What do you get when you cross a biology textbook, a Dr. Ruth show, a Dear Abby column, and a “Far Side” cartoon? Well, the offspring might be a brilliantly original book named “Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice to All Creation.” This collection answers the desperate questions from species as varied as the Australian redback spider to the Louisiana black vulture with Dr. Tatiana’s practical, reassuring, detailed explanations. It seems the worry on everyone’s mind is, “Am I normal?” Move over, Dr. Phil.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Christmas book shopping
HO, HO, HO! Boy, do I feel like I've been run over by a herd of reindeer — move over Grandma. I can't believe I got into a drinking contest with the Santa at the company Christmas party. I can usually hold my eggnog pretty well, but that old man could really slug 'em down. I guess that belly that shook like a bowl full of jelly didn't come from eating Mrs. Claus’s sugar cookies. Well, time to drag my butt out of bed and have a hair of the deer that plowed me over, and do some Christmas shopping.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: The Cow Pie Chronicles
Nothing beat a slice of my grandma’s lemon Bundt cake and cold glass of milk. My grandma would send me down to the barn to fill the glass bottle. Nothing beats farm fresh milk. The dairy farm in Coolidge Hollow has been in the family for five generations. I spent many a Sunday afternoon plinking at rats, making hay forts, and jumping out of hay mows. I enjoyed visiting the cows, and seeing the milk pour into the stainless steel vat. I just had to be careful of the cow pies.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Jazz, the Blues, and Jesus
Define the universe and give three examples. That’s the punch line to a joke I recently heard. The “funny” preamble is this: On the day of the final exam in Philosophy, the professor will hand you the dreaded blank blue book, point to the above question written on the blackboard, and say, “You have one hour.” I have to say, I feel a little like I’m in the same position trying to write a review on Donald Miller’s book, “Blue Like Jazz”.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: The Underground Economy
“Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society.” — The IRS “I have seen taxes more than double during my relatively short time on Earth. A corresponding doubling of civility has not occurred.” — Ragnar I was watching the news today, and everyone is worried about the economy and inflation. Money doesn’t go as far as even last Christmas. I’m just a guy who works hard to make ends meet, wishing my disposable income wasn’t so disposable.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Shelf Life
I love books, writers, wannabe writers, young moms and dads, nerdy kids, teachers, librarians, first graders clutching Junie B.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Day by Day Armageddon
Screw Armageddon, this is Hell. — Unknown survivor All UPMC Health System flu clinics have been canceled until further notice. What the? I can’t even turn on the TV without hearing some scary swine flu story. Okay, I get it. Flu shots are good; the flu is bad. But the “must have” accessory of the season, the flu shot, isn’t to be had anywhere. I’m assured that production is being ramped up. There is nothing to worry about… I get a call from the Don Gill Elementary School.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Madeleine L’Engle
Celebrated author Madeleine L’Engle touched the hearts and minds of children and adults across many generations, an achievement recognized by the many awards she received, including the 1963 Newbery for “A Wrinkle in Time”. Guides to children’s literature laud her as one of the most important contributors to the genre in this century (St. James Guide to Children’s Writers; New York Times Book Review).
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Scat
Drilling for natural gas and oil. The protection of state forests and parks. Fathers who are in the National Guard as part-time soldiers, called up to serve in Iraq or Afghanistan. The worries of families left behind. The hope of maybe, one day, seeing an elusive animal in the wild land nearby — the panther, the puma, the cougar. When I picked up Carl Hiaasen’s young adult novel, Scat, I had no idea the storyline would be so relevant to my town of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, and people I know.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Heart-Shaped Box
Every month I receive a small box of ARCs — Advance Reader Copies. These ARCs are early copies of books soon-to-be-published, most of them as yet uncorrected, the prose might still a little rough around the edges, the grammar not yet made to walk the copy editor’s strict line. The publishers send these ARCs out, hoping to garner interest, entice potential readers, line up pre-orders, and rev up the buzz for this new book.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: The Monsters of Templeton
The Monsters of Templeton, by Lauren Groff, is everything that makes writers like me jealous, even while I’m happily lapping up the pages. What is there to Monsters that paints me green? Though several of her short stories have been published in well-known literary magazines, The Monsters of Templeton is Groff’s first novel.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: The Coroner's Lunch
I enjoy a good mystery, and I’m always looking for my next one. My wife reads more mysteries than I do, and she njoyed The Coroner’s Lunch and suggested I give it a read. Upon reading the description of The Coroner’s Lunch by Colin Cotterill, I was less than excited. I enjoy historical fiction. I admit that I’m a reluctant reader of things set in Southeast Asia.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Riptide
I feel firmly committed to telling readers about Barbara Hale-Seubert’s book, Riptide: Struggling with and Resurfacing from a Daughter’s Eating Disorder, though it is an emotionally difficult task. Luckily for the reader, this book is much easier to read than it may be to discuss. Tackling these painful issues, however, is precisely what makes Barb’s book so powerful and necessary.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: My Life in France
It’s no longer en vogue to be a Francophile; these days, France is more likely to be the punchline for a joke about military history or about culture snobs than it is to be the focus of an article singing her praises. My wife, however, will always have a soft spot in her heart for the French language, as well as for the food, film, art, poetry, travel… You get the point. I bought My Life in France for her. Published in 2006, this lovely memoir was written near the end of Julia’s life.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Stand Up and Garden
Do you love the idea of knowing where your food comes from, what chemicals were (or more importantly, WEREN’T) involved in the process of walking off your porch steps to gather fresh, tasty ingredients for your dinner? I daresay most people will say, "yes!!" to this, or, more likely, "yes, but…" Many of us love the idea of gardening, of fresh produce, of growing at least some of our own food.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Pretty in ink
In the gym, practicing massage, on the factory floor, I’ve seen my share of tattoos over the years, but they are more popular than ever. A friend of mine in the health care industry has noticed too. She’s noticed that the biggest difference in the last ten years of taking patient histories is the number of patients with more than one tattoo, especially women.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: The Next Full Moon
Folklore, popular beliefs, and everyday anecdotes abound concerning the effects of the full moon. People swear more babies are born; ambulance drivers, EMTs, and police are busier; animals yowl restlessly; and everyone is subject to “lunacy” in one form or another. Books and movies continually reinvent the story of the werewolf — tormented by the return of the full moon, ravaging the community around him.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: The Widow of the South
The Widow of the South was a real woman, a fact I did not realize when I chose the book of the same title to read for a book club selection. Carrie McGavock did, in fact, exist, and as she and the cemetery of Confederate soldiers she tended on the land of her family’s former plantation, her reputation grew. People all over the still-healing nation came to know her devotion to one of the largest private military cemeteries ever built.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Wynken, Blynken, & Nod
Wellsboro, Pennsylvania is a quaint hamlet that feels as if it were plucked from the shores of New England and plopped in the hills of northcentral Pennsylvania. I call it home. Wellsboro, the small county seat of Tioga County, has what you expect for a town out of time: quiet streets, charming little shops, and even a town square that the local residents call “The Green.” In the middle of that little town square sits a statue of three children in a wooden shoe.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Your guide to world domination
The universe strives for balance. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. I should know. I’m a man of science. I’m not angry. I’m not even mad. I am, however, a little miffed about certain stereotypes. I don’t spend all my time dilation in a secret laboratory, hidden away from the continuum. I enjoy taking evening constitutionals through the Whitechapel District circa 1888, and observing Deimos and Phobos struggling against the dark embrace of night.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: 'Axe in Hand'
I love to read. I love to learn. I hated school. I couldn’t wait until the end of the school year where I could turn in my school books and enjoy summer vacation. I could stay up later, catch up on my reading, and not have to drag myself out of bed in the morning. I enjoyed not having to be at a certain place at a certain time, but I wasn’t without responsibilities. My job during summer break was to split and stack a tri-axle load of wood, approximately seven to eight cords.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Historic tales of the Pennsylvania Wilds
I live in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, just shy of a mile from where I was born. I’ve read that white-tailed deer usually spend their entire lives within the square mile in which they are born. Ha, I’m not a deer, and I’m not dead yet. I knew those thieving deer snatching apples from my neighbor’s tree looked strangely familiar. My family has lived in the wilds of Pennsylvania for generations. It’s in my blood. I’ve lived in other places. I dipped my paws into higher education in northern Wisconsin.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: 'Under the Dome'
Reminder voicemail: “Keep me posted on the Linda Stager and the Wynken, Blynken & Nodbook event coming up.” Sorry, Diane … an invisible, unbreakable force field just sealed off the town of Chester’s Mill, Maine, in this book I’m reading… let me just find out what happens to the people initially injure... A reminder email telling me sales tax is due soon.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Monsters of New York
“Kasey, is Shackleton’s Endurance in memoir or history?” “It’s in biography and memoir. I just saw it there yesterday.” “It’s not there. Did you remember to leave out a bowl of milk for the bibliofiends?” “I did right before we closed up last night, but I think the cats drank it before we left.” It can be hard to know where every book is in a bookstore.
Wellsboro store to host Bigfoot hunt
Wellsboro, Pa. — For the sixth year in a row, From My Shelf Books & Gifts in Wellsboro, the local bookstore owned by author Kevin Coolidge, is hosting a Totally Ninja Raccoons scavenger hunt at 25 Wellsboro-area businesses. This year’s hunt has a twist. Instead of searching for the three Totally Ninja Raccoon brothers, youth and adults are asked to help the raccoon brothers find Bigfoot at participating businesses.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Once upon a time
Throwing things away; I hate it. What if I need it in 10 years? I usually just stash it away for future use, but sooner or later, I can’t find anything. I was recently pawing through my desk for a paperclip, and came across an article I had clipped and saved. It was an article the Williamsport Sun-Gazette had run on the world of children's literature and bookstores in our area.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: The Red Pyramid
All the school kids so sick of books… When the buzzer rings (oh way oh) They’re walkin’ like an Egyptian… — “Walk Like An Egyptian”, performed by The Bangles, lyrics by Liam Sternberg Well, folks, summer vacation is here! The kids always think they’re so sick of school, but the first time they say they complain they’re bored, tell them to walk like an Egyptian — right into their local bookstore or library.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: M*A*S*H
I’m getting up in years. When I grow my beard out, it’s more salt than pepper. People I went to school with have grandchildren. My parents are gone, and the television shows I watch are off the air — or in syndication — and many of the actors have made their final call. I recently read the headline: “Loretta Swit a.k.a. ‘Hot Lips’ of TV’s M*A*S*H Dies at 87.” She won two Emmy Awards for her sympathetic portrayal of an Army major on the hit TV show and had a long career in TV and theater.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Jean Craighead George
There is a small patch of fur that keeps tickling my nose as it blows in the Arctic winds, but that doesn’t matter, because I am snuggled in tight against my wolf brothers and sisters, and our pile is warm. For once, my belly is completely full because Amaroq brought down a caribou bull today and we have all been able to eat our fill.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: 'Tales of the Weird!'
Nothing ever happens? Things seem pretty ordinary? Take a closer look and things might start to look a little bizarre. Think about it. Your brain is the only organ aware of its own existence, and right now might be taking a power nap, without your permission. Your nose has the ability to sniff out the opposite sex. Your hair can tell scientists if you are a morning person or a night owl. Aren’t you glad your liver isn’t capable of remembering what you did last weekend?
The Blue Collar Bookseller: All of the above
So many books, so little time — it’s hard to choose just one. So, I didn’t. Lately, I’ve been reading young adult novels, and I’m going to share my recent favorites. I enjoy a good zombie novel. Why? Face it. Deep down I’d love to see the world end. Wouldn’t you? Relax. It’s a natural instinct to crave chaos. Breathe in. Breathe out. Watch the empire expand; watch it crumble into dust. Grab the best parking spot.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Well Met
My wife was going through some used books at the bookstore. Our store, From My Shelf Books & Gifts, has a trade-in program. Customers can bring in gently used books to get store credit. Every used book gets checked for torn pages, underlining, and overall condition. Often we find photos, old lottery tickets, pressed flowers, grocery lists, but sadly no hundred dollar bills. We both read a lot; it’s one reason we started the store. We had so many books, we didn’t have room for all of them.
I love to read. I read for many reasons. I read to stay informed. I read to learn. I read to be exposed to new ideas and different cultures, and I read for entertainment and escape. I read almost every day. Sometimes just a little; other times, I’ll read for several hours before bed. I will read long into the night because I need to know the Hobbits make it to Mordor, but I’ll share a secret with you…I don’t always like what I read. That’s right.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Love and Murder
“There's some illogical part of me that still believes if you want Superman to show up, first there's got to be someone worth saving.” Jodi Picoult I’ve always loved comics. I love the swiftness of the narrative, how the action and the graphics grab you and suck you into the story. I remember discovering Superman, Batman, and my favorite, Spiderman. I remember the excitement of getting a new issue every week.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Into the blue
“Where no man has gone before…” This quote is from the opening credits of Star Trek. I grew up watching the original series, and I credit it with my love of space and science fiction. It fueled my imagination and my love of reading. There were a myriad of novels expanding the series, and I read them voraciously. The universe of Star Trek was full of action, science, and equality. Star Trek had television’s first interracial kiss*.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: An underground education
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Sigh, just another 98 times and then I have to go home and start my history homework. I guess my teacher didn’t like some of my more creative answers to the exam. What does she know? She is totally oblivious to Area 51, Tesla’s death ray, or that Hitler’s Brain is hooked up to a supercomputer and is the president of Brazil. I love reading, but she makes history so boring.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: A tale told plainly
William Alexis Stone (April 18, 1846 – March 1, 1929) became the 22nd Governor of Pennsylvania, from 1899 to 1903. He was born right here in Tioga County, just outside Wellsboro in Delmar Township. In The Tale of a Plain Man, this man of humble origin writes of his experiences. His earliest memory was being hustled out of his bed early in the morning by his brothers to see Santa Claus as he galloped over the hill.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: 'Harvester of Eyes'
You may know Kevin Coolidge as a bookseller and a local writer, but he’s also an amateur actor with his own IMBD page. Kevin has appeared in several low-budget horror movies produced by Polonia Bros Entertainment out of Wellsboro, Pa. Mark Polonia has been making movies since the 1980’s, mostly low-budget horror movies with titles such as Cocaine Shark, Pandasaurus, Doll Shark, and Bride of the Werewolf. These films won’t be winning any Oscars, but they will entertain you.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Walking With Spring
The doughboy, the G.I, the grunt, the modern day land warrior, the men who combat the enemy-You may fly over a land; you may bomb it, pulverize it and wipe it clean of life-but if you desire to defend it, protect it and keep it-there’s never been anything but boots on the ground. All wars are different, and all wars are the same. They all have a price.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: A Viking we will go
I don't watch much TV. I'm busy working, reading, and writing. I do enjoy storytelling in all its forms, and thus I do follow some TV shows. The History Channel gets a lot of grief, most of it earned. It seems like everything is ancient aliens. So, when a friend told me that he was watching a show called Vikings, and that it was on the History Channel, I wasn't very excited. I loved reading about vikings when I was younger. Oh, who am I kidding? I still do. There's some good fantasy fiction out there.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Silent book club
Saturday nights were a big deal when I was younger. Cruising town, catching up with friends, drinking a few beers. I loved Saturday nights out, but I was never big into the bar scene. I like a good beer, but the background noise is too much of a distraction to conversation I’m older now. I still love my Saturday nights, but I prefer a quiet night at home watching a movie with my wife, and reading a good book.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Duncan delivers
Let me tell you about a fantastic writer you’re probably not reading. If you’re a librarian or a high school teacher, then I know you’re familiar with her. She’s been nominated for hundreds of awards for Young Adult fiction, including the Margaret A. Edwards Award for a Distinguished Body of Work for Young Adults, from the American Library Association and the School Library Journal. Unfortunately, those accolades are not something most of us hear about.
The Blue Collar Bookseller: Demon Trapper's Daughter
The great thing about working in a bookstore is that I get to read a lot. The downside is that I often feel I have to read a lot. I start a book series so that I can give an informed opinion, but if the series isn't finished, or if my backlog is too high, I end up leaving a series unfinished. I don't do this to a series that really catches me. There are lots of good books out there, but a book that keeps me up even after I should turn off the light is not as common as it once was.
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