Newsletter from May 5th, 2009
May Events at The Green Toad
May has officially arrived and the weather is bound to turn the corner any time now. It's time for Mother's Day, it's time for graduation, and it's time to explore Main Street. We have plenty of events going on at the shop, and we wouldn't want you to miss out on any of them. Here's a rundown of our May schedule so that you can plan on paying us a visit and enjoying our guests.
May 6th, 2009 7pm
THE BIG READ: Mark Woodhouse, Director of the Center for Mark Twain Studies, will be here to share the history behind Twain's writing. He'll be providing insight into the life and times of Twain and touching on details that are specifically important to the upstate New York area.
May 8th, 2009 7pm
Photographer Richard Duncan will be signing his books on local and regional photography. Some of you might find your family house or property in his collection of landscape photos of Otsego County, Otsego Lake and Cooperstown. His books are available at the shop, as well as at the Farmer's Museum in Cooperstown.
May 9th, 2009 10am
Musician and composer Skip West will be in our shop on Saturday to entertain the masses. He's got plenty of fun planned and some secrets up his sleeves for the kids. Bring the family down for a nice weekend outing and get your groove on with Skip West.
May 14th, 2009 7pm
THE BIG READ: Susan Bernardin, SUNY Oneonta professor, will be speaking. She will be discussing the many faces and the many works of Mark Twain from the classic to the humorous.
May 21st, 2009 7pm
Local author, poet, and man-about-town Irwin Gooen will be sharing his thoughts on poetry, as well as his creative process in general. Irwin attends many of our events at The Green Toad and deserves one of his own for his interpretations of art, life, poetry, music, and performance. Always a joy to have in the shop, he should give us an evening of fun and discourse, along with some life lessons and things to consider for a long time after.
May 22nd, 2009 7pm
Author Deborah Blake will be joining us in the shop to read excerpts from her new book The Goddess is in the Details. Deborah Blake is a Wiccan High Priestess who has been leading her current group, Blue Moon Circle, for three and a half years. She is the author of Circle, Coven and Grove: A Year of Magickal Practice, published by Llewellyn in 2007 and Everyday Witch A to Z: An Amusing, Inspiring & Informative Guide to the Wonderful World of Witchcraft, that came out in September 2008. When not writing, Deborah runs The Artisans' Guild, a cooperative shop she founded with a friend, and works as a jewelry maker, tarot reader, an ordained minister and an Intuitive Energy Healer.
Thanks to everyone for all your support. Don't forget about the Great Green Book Swap this month and keep reading!
Newsletter from May 1st, 2009
Mother's Day Weekend at The Green Toad
We are having a special Mother's Day weekend at The Green Toad to celebrate mothers and all they do. On Friday, May 8th at 7pm we will be welcoming local photographer Richard Duncan into the shop. He'll be signing his books on local photography that capture beautiful scenes in the surrounding area. Some of you might even recognize your house or family property in his landscape images of Oneonta, Cooperstown, and Otsego Lake among other places. These books are full of local history, as well as whimsy and charm. His newest release, Otsego County: It's Towns and Treasures, is the perfect addition to his collection and is sure to be a local favorite. His large full-color books are a wonderful Mother's Day present for the mom (or moms) in your life.
Then, on Saturday, May 9th at 10am, we are inviting the talented musician and composer Skip West to the shop. He's going to be bringing some of his CDs, and he wants to share them with us and with the entire community. Bring the kids down and get ready for a good time because he's bringing fun for everyone!
If you are thinking of a nice Saturday outing with the family, come down to The Green Toad and get your groove on with us. If these two ideas aren't perfect for your Mother's Day gift, then we still have handbags, chimes, candles, jewelry and plenty of other options to choose from. Take some time to look around and you are bound to find something that your mom will love.
Events: Friday, May 8th 7pm
Richard Duncan and his books on local photography
Saturday, May 9th 10am
Skip West and his musical entertainment for the entire family
Thanks for all the support from the community and we hope to see you around the shop.
Newsletter from April 28th, 2009
Ginnah Howard at The Green Toad Bookstore
Ginnah Howard is coming to The Green Toad Bookstore! Author Ginnah Howard is going to be stopping by on April 30th at 7pm to launch her new book Night Navigation. This is her first novel and it is already receiving national acclaim, so we are so happy to have her as our guest at The Green Toad.
She will discuss her novel about a mother and son who have to come together to deal with both death and addiction. A short discussion and book signing will follow the presentation, so get your copy today. See reviews at her website and join us in launching Ginnah's novel.
"Night Navigation is unerring in its grasp of the multiple deceptions of the addictive relationship, the self-deceptions above all. You can't help getting furious at its characters. And you can't help loving them."
- Peter Trachtenberg author of The Book of Calamities
"Starred Review. Harrowing first novel about the uneasy symbiosis of an addict and his mother."
- Kirkus Reviews.
Event Details
Who: Ginnah Howard
What: Book Launch/Discussion/Signing
When: April 30th, 7:00 pm
Where: The Green Toad Bookstore
Why: We love the locals
Thanks for you interest and support. We hope to see you at our upcoming events.
Newsletter from March 27th, 2009
April at The Green Toad Bookstore
Events are springing up everywhere at The Green Toad and we can hardly keep up! March will soon be over, but we are diving head first into April with events right off the bat. As you may know, April is National Poetry Month, and we'll be celebrating by hosting a special poetry event. We aren't forgetting about all the other great forms of writing, though. We've got a touch of everything this month, so don't forget to stay up to date on all our event listings. Visit our website at greentoadbookstore.com to see our schedule any time, any day.
If you would like to join The Green Toad's new book group, feel free to visit the shop and sign up. The group will be meeting on Wednesdays at 11am beginning April 22nd. Facilitated by Justine Wolner-Wise, the weekly meetings should be a nice afternoon fare with a cup of coffee or tea. Bring your friends, share your ideas, take some time for yourself, and enjoy the light discussions. It's something to look forward to this spring and our book group should be a lot of fun. We always keep the community in mind when it comes to our events, so join us at our various and plentiful events. We look forward to seeing you there.
April 3rd 7pm
Night of Noir: Libby Cudmore and Matthew Martin will be reading and discussing their published pieces of crime fiction. They'll walk us through the process of writing and creating crime fiction. Libby will be providing a few copies of Hardboiled magazine for purchase and for signing.
April 4th 11:30am
Kirstin Downey Author Event: Her biography "The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life of Frances Perkins, FDR's Secretary of Labor and His Moral Conscience" came out in early March and is a fascinating work of particular significance during this current and eerily similar point in American history. She'll be providing some insight into the life of the woman who's career gave us the 40-hour work week, minimum wage, and the Social Security program. This is a must-see and an interesting account of financial history in America.
April 9th 7pm
Favorite Poem Project: We are bringing together members of the community to celebrate National Poetry Month. If you have a poem that you'd like to read, we would love to hear it. If you're a policeman who likes Shakespeare's sonnets, we want you here with us. If you are a lawyer who can't get enough of William Carlos Williams, we could all learn a little something about you and about your poem. It doesn't matter what kind of poetry you like, we want you to help us encourage and inspire an appreciation for the arts. Sign up at The Green Toad to read your favorite poem and be a part of the show!
April 11th 2pm
Bill Rosencrans Author Signing: He'll signing from his book "Dakota: A Work in Progress". In the style of John Grogan's "Marley and Me", this book could be the perfect Easter gift. Bill's book always sells out at book events, so make sure you get one. See his website at http://dakotaaworkinprogress.blogspot.com/ and stop by the event for an enjoyable Saturday afternoon. Bill will not be reading from his book, but he will
April 22nd 7pm
Big Read: The Big Read is a reading series that involves the whole community reading the same book and participating in related presentations that are free to the public. All presentations will be held at The Green Toad Bookstore at 198 Main Street. The book selection for this series is "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". The first installment of the Big Read series will begin April 22nd with members of the community reading passages from their favorite Mark Twain works. This event is open to the public on the spot, so there is no need to sign up ahead of time. Just show up at The Green Toad and have fun. If you'd like to participate in the Big Read, purchase the book, or find out more information, contact Foothills Performing Arts Center at 24 Market Street or 431-2080.
April 30th 7pm
Ginnah Howard Author Event: This will be an official book launch for Ginnah's book. She will be reading excerpts from the book, titled "Night Navigation". The book is a fictional story of a woman and her son coping with death and addiction. A short discussion and book signing will follow the presentation. See a synopsis and reviews at this website and join us in launching Ginnah's novel.
We hope to see you and all your friends at the shop, enjoying the events we have planned for the future.
Newsletter from March 20th, 2009
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Read All About It!
Residents of Oneonta Inspired by Favorite Poem Project
On April 9th, 2009 at 7pm, The Green Toad Bookstore will be hosting our first ever Favorite Poem Project. Former U.S. poet laureate Robert Pinsky introduced the idea of the project by encouraging people from his community to read their favorite poem and discuss what the poem meant to them. People from all walks of life came out expressing interest in the project and participated in the event. It turned out to be a huge success and cities all over the country have started their own Favorite Poem Projects. We want to share in the success and give our community a chance to shine. If you have a poem you'd like to read for our event, come down to The Green Toad Bookstore and sign up with your name and the title of your poem. We hope to spark the interest of anyone and everyone in the community who wants to share in the arts and culture of Oneonta.
Newsletter from March 11th, 2009
March Madness at The Green Toad
Dear Friends and Neighbors, March Madness has arrived at The Green Toad, but it's not college basketball that has us giddy with anticipation. Our schedule of community events this month has all our attention here at the shop. There's so much to choose from, so why bother choosing? Come to all of them, if you like, and spend some quality time with friends while learning something new from our various guests. Thanks to the Benson Agency and Prudential Fox Properties, the Real Estate Tips and Tricks Series is already in motion and gathering steam. That means we can get back into the swing of things. Trivia, poetry, author signings, an adventurous slide show and excerpts from a local history play are all on the calendar.
March 12th, 2009 7pm
Trivia Night is back! It's not just ladies' night this time, but I dare you men to come and take on the women. Bring your smarty-pants hat and come get your knowledge on at The Green Toad. I'm sure there are plenty of people who want to challenge you and your team and put your buried brain cells to the test.
March 14th, 2009 2pm
Author Event with Marilou Trask-Curtin. She will read excerpts from her book "In My Grandfather's House" and share homegrown stories of the past and present.
March 15th, 2009 6pm
Sneak peek of the play "Little Eva" based on Niles Eggelston's book "Eva Coo Murderess". Actors will be reading excerpts and discussing the play with members of the community.
March 19th, 2009 7pm
Open poetry night for anyone and everyone. We love to see local writers come out and share their work with the community. We encourage all types of poetry from all types of people, so don't be afraid to speak out.
March 26th, 2009 7pm
Author Event with Marjorie Kellogg. She will be reading from her science fiction book "Lear's Daughters" and discussing the science and the fiction behind environmentalism and global warming.
March 27th, 2009 7pm
Author Event with Connor Gifford. He will talk about his book "America According to Connor Gifford" and give a unique look into American history as you've never heard it before. 100% of the proceeds from this event will benefit the Springbrook pre-school program.
March 29th, 2009 3pm
Author Event with Erik Schlimmer. He'll share tips about hiking and adventuring all over the state and share a slide show with snapshots of trips that he's taken in the area.
Coming up on April 9th, we will be celebrating National Poetry Month by hosting our very own Favorite Poem Project. We are taking volunteers for the event and welcoming anyone and everyone to come sign up. Since there is limited time for the event, we will be choosing presenters by raffle. Just give us your name and your poem and before you know it, you have the spotlight at our event. If you have a favorite poem that you'd like to share, sign up at The Green Toad and be a part of our special event celebrating both poetry and community. We hope to see you around the shop and enjoying the events and programs that we have arranged.
Newsletter from February 20, 2009
The Green Toad's First Tips and Tricks Series
You are cordially invited to attend The Green Toad Bookstore's first Tips and Tricks Series beginning February 25th. We are hosting this event as a way to provide help and information to a broader audience. Not only that, all of the presentations will be done by members of the community for members of the community. Feel free to stop by and ask for any other details and we hope to see you around the shop.
REAL ESTATE TIPS AND TRICKS SERIES:
Get ready for spring with our workshops for buying and selling homes. You can talk to professionals and get the inside track on updated information in the housing market.
February 25th, 2009 7pm
Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Realtor. Presented by Prudential Fox Properties.
March 4th, 2009 7pm
Real Estate 101 for Sellers. Presented by Benson Agency.
March 11th, 2009 7pm
Making Sense of the Housing Market. Presented by Prudential Fox Properties.
March 18th, 2009 7pm
Tips for First-Time Buyers. Presented by Benson Agency.
Enjoy!
Newsletter from February 6, 2009
February News at The Green Toad
Since February is Black History Month we are celebrating by displaying a wide selection of books about African American history and African American authors, as well as a series of books that Barack Obama read during his most influential years (so far). Why not pick up a book by Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, Zora Neale Hurston or Toni Morrison? Celebrate diversity, learn something new about the Civil Rights Movement or the Emancipation Proclamation.
Even though February is a short month, we are making sure to fit as many events as we can into 28 days. Keep an eye out for updates and events on our website at greentoadbookstore.com. Here's what is happening on our calendar this month:
February 14th, 2009 1pm-2pm
Duet Liza and AJ will be performing live folk and jazz music for Valentine's Day. Bring your valentine and fall in love with books. Also, don't forget about our Saturday morning storytelling for children. Bring your children down and get them engaged our interactive and lively environment.
February 19th, 2009 7pm-9pm
Open Poetry Night for anyone interested in sharing some of their work. The first time around was great fun and this time we would like you there for it.
February 28th, 2009 2pm-4pm
Author event with Irving Wesley Hall. He'll be reading excerpts from his book "The Einstein Sisters Bag the Flying Monkey" and holding a discussion on topics both political and satirical.
We are currently in the process of creating an after-school literacy program for children that will cover the basics of reading and comprehension. The students will attend sessions grouped by grade level (K-3rd and 4th-6th) held by volunteers from the Hartwick childhood education program. It will be both entertaining and informative for everybody. Ask at the shop for details and since space is limited, you'll want to be first to sign up your child. We would love to see everyone at our special events and we hope that you are as excited as we are about the future of the shop. Our goal is to bring people together in the spirit of community and create an environment that is warm and inviting for anyone and everyone who wants a place where they can get away.
Newsletter from January 5, 2009
January Events at the Green Toad
The forecast for January looks cold, but we have events planned to keep you busy and warm during the winter season. Bring your family and friends down to the shop and enjoy our evening entertainment.
January 21st, 2009 12pm
Our very own Michele Pondolfino will be arrested and locked up at the Holiday Inn to raise money for the efforts of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. She'll need some help from members of the community to raise bail money to get herself out of jail. If you'd like to donate to the cause and help the MDA, you can go to Michele's personal account on the MDA website at www.joinmda.org/2009otsegocountylockup/michele.
January 22nd, 2009 7:30pm
Open Mic Poetry Night at the Green Toad for anyone who wants to enjoy local talent. Participation is not required, but everyone is welcome to share in the arts. You can come to read or come to listen, but either way you can show your appreciation.
January, 24th, 2009 7:00pm
Since our first author event was so successful, we're doing it all over again. Join Vivian Swift, author of "When Wanderers Cease to Roam", when she shows all of us how to create our very own art journals. She will be signing copies of her book, sharing stories and getting to know the local community. Come down for a warm winter outing, bring your family and plan on having a great time. Visit her website at www.vivianswift.net for some thoughtful ideas and wonderful illustrations.
January 29th, 2009 7:30pm
Book-Lover's Trivia Night is going to be an exciting and fun-filled night for everyone. It's ladies only, but we certainly know how to have a good time. Bring a team or come alone and join one. All the trivia is book-related, so find a team with experts on all subjects and you are sure to take home the prize. Good luck! If you have any questions, feel free to contact Claire at 433-8898 or claire@greentoadbookstore.com.
Newsletter from December 9, 2008
December at the Green Toad Bookstore
December at the Green Toad means that it's time to hunker down in a cozy chair to relax, browse a wide selection of titles, and enjoy seasonal storytime on Saturday mornings. It's the season for giving, and we have plenty of things to give from books to puzzles and journals to sketchbooks. When it comes to the holidays, we have something for everyone. Stop by the shop to see what amazing things we have for gifting. Don't forget that we can special order books to arrive before Christmas morning. The days are ticking down, so don't wait too long.
If you missed the event for Tom Travisano and his new book, don't worry because we have plans to host more nights just like that one. Tom's reading and signing was a wonderful way to celebrate a belated ribbon-cutting for the shop, and it was a big success. His book Words in Air: The Complete Correspondence Between Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell is still available for purchase at the shop along with his first book Elizabeth Bishop: Her Artistic Development. We are also special ordering copies of Elizabeth Bishop: Poems, Prose, and Letters and Robert Lowell's Collected Poems for anyone interested.
Coming Up:
Saturday, December 13th, we have invited Mrs. Claus to come and share some wonderful holiday stories beginning at 10am-12pm for all ages. She'll be here to spread holiday joy and remind us what the spirit of Christmas is all about.
Sunday, December 14th, the Judaic Sisterhood will be hosting a Book Fair for the Jewish community at 10am with carefully selected titles featuring Jewish authors and themes. There will be books for all ages and everyone is welcome to come down and browse the selection.
We welcome any and all holiday spirit in the shop to warm our hearts and brighten our winter days. There are big plans in the works for events, so keep an eye open for events that are happening this month and in the future.
Newsletter from November 2, 2008
Thank you to everyone who came down to celebrate with us on opening day. We had a wonderful time meeting and greeting members of the community and finally opening up for business. The construction on Main Street piqued the interest of many people over the past few weeks and now we are proud to officially be a part of downtown Oneonta. There are big plans in store for the shop and we look forward to hearing your suggestions and getting your feedback. Whether your interest is in book clubs, bestsellers, children's stories, or just a comfortable place to sit and read the newspaper, we welcome you into The Green Toad bookstore and we hope you enjoy your stay. Happy browsing...