Another Walk Around Unicorn Tree Books - Video Tour!

It's been a while since we last took a video tour of the shop (About a year actually!) so today we thought we'd take a stroll around it to see what's changed and share it with those of our friends that can't make it in person into the shop but do visit us here on the blog, and support us through our various internet shopping venues such as www.lincolnbookshop.co.uk, www.lincolnchristianbookshop.co.uk & http://www.hive.co.uk/shop/lincoln/unicorn-tree-books-crafts.
Thank you all and we hope you enjoy your video visit :D

Remember we are here to serve you and we really appreciate your support - go on Shop Local and use an Independent - it's better for all of us when we go local to go global ;-)

So we'll look forward to seeing you, recieving an email from you, chatting on the phone (01522 525557) with you or even facebooking or twittering with you when you come in for your church or personal supplies - or indeed for any other reason too!

Polskie książki teraz dostępny! - Polish books available!

Polskie książki teraz dostępny przy Unicorn Tree Books!

Wielu głównych autorów fikcji i style zarządzili w - inne tytuły mogą być zarządzone na życzenie!

Yes, That's right, Polish books coming to Unicorn Tree Books soon!
Many top fiction authors and styles ordered in - other titles can be ordered on request! 

We are really happy to say that we are now able to source a wide range of books in Polish so that we can better serve our new neighbours and friends here in Lincoln and across Lincolnshire. 

We are committed to really being a bookshop that serves the community we are in, and so getting in Polish books really was an important item on our list of how we can better serve the community. 

We are really happy to have found a supplier in Gardner's Books that also feels that committment and is carrying polish language titles as part of their stock range too, the added benefit here is that these books are also available on www.hive.co.uk - the website that supports independent local bookshops through every sale of a book or ebook download.

The first selection of fiction in Polish will be here in the shop and on the shelves by Wednesday 21st December, with an expanded range to follow in mid January. 
It's hoped the choice should appeal to a broad range of readers with some crime, thriller, romance and childrens books too!

We are starting out with a small selection but as people come in and let us know what they are interested in and as they spread the word we really hope to be able to grow the range and space given to these books to really be able to serve our growing multi-lingual community.

Books can be ordered - just let us know the title you are after and we'll do our best to get it.
Remember you can either pop in to the shop to order in store (and check the shleves to see what we already have in stock) or you can go online to www.hive.co.uk where you can then have them delivered either to your home or arrange to collect them direct from Unicorn Tree Books.


Remember we are here to serve you and we really appreciate your support - go on Shop Local - it's better for all of us when we go local to go global ;-)


So we'll look forward to seeing you, recieving an email from you, chatting on the phone (01522 525557) with you or even facebooking or twittering with you!



Jesteśmy bardzo szczęśliwi z tego,  że jesteśmy teraz w stanie pozyskać szeroki wachlarz książek po polsku, tak abyśmy mogli lepiej służyć naszym nowych sąsiadów i przyjaciół w Lincoln oraz w Lincolnshire

Jesteśmy zajęci się naprawdę będąc księgarnią, która pracuje dla społeczności jesteśmy w, zatem dostając po polsku książki naprawdę był ważną rzeczą na naszej liście z jak lepiej możemy pracować dla społeczności.

Cieszymy się znaleźć w Gardners Books dostawca, który jest zobowiązany do dostarczania książek również po polsku jako część ich pasma towaru. teżdodatkowa korzyść oto to te książki są również dostępne na www.hive.co.uk - serwis internetowy, który podtrzymuje niezależne lokalne księgarnie przez każdą sprzedaż książki albo ebook pobieranie danych.

Pierwsze książki fikcji po polsku będzie tu w sklepie i na półkach przed środą, z rozszerzonym zakresem nastąpić później w styczniu.
Miało nadzieję, że wybór będzie pracować dla szerokiego zakresu czytelników z jakimś kryminałem, romans i childrens książki również!

Startujemy z małym wyborem ale jako ludzie odwiedzać i mówić nam jakich książek oni chcą, i ponieważ oni rozpowszechniają wiadomość o naszym serwisie, naprawdę mamy nadzieję móc rosnąć zakres i przestrzeń daną tym książkom aby naprawdę móc pracować dla naszej rosnącej wielo-językowej społeczności.

Książki można zamawiać - daj nam znać tytuł szukasz, a my dołożymy wszelkich starań, aby je zdobyć.Pamiętaj, możesz wstąpić do sklepu na zamówienie w sklepie (i sprawdzić shleves aby zobaczyć, co mamy już w sprzedaży) lub możesz zobaczyć w Internecie www.hive.co.uk gdzie można je dostarczony do domu lub zorganizować je odebrać bezpośrednio z Książki Unicorn Tree Books.

Pamiętać, że mamy tu obsłużyć cię i dziękuję za twoje wsparcie.
Proszę robić zakupy Lokalny - to jest lepsze na wszystko gdy idziemy do pobliskich sklepów do mieć globalnych rzeczy; -)

Więc nie będziemy móc się doczekać widzenia cię, recieving e-mail od ciebie, gadając przez telefon (01522 525557) z tobą albo nawet facebooking albo świergocząc z tobą!

A meander around the shop!

For those as may not have been able to make it to the shop in person or for a goodly while, here is a few minutes madness as we take a walkaround the shop! Oh but we realise we didn't do the outside of the shop and the sheer wonders to be found out there and in the glass gift cabinet too - still leaves us something else to do on another play day :D
Enjoy the visit!

Part 1:

Part 2:

Of course as great as this is we still really love seeing you in person and servng you directly because we really are here to serve you and we really appreciate your support - Go On Shop Local - it's better for all of us when we go local to go global ;-)

So we'll look forward to seeing you, recieving an email from you, chatting on the phone (01522 525557) with you or even facebooking or twittering with you!

We are 5 Today!

Today is our 5th Birthday, we've seen an awful lot of change in those five years not only in Unicorn Tree Books (& Crafts) but in the economy, in the market and in the booktrade and we are happy to say we are still here and smiling widely!

 We've drunk a lot of Caramel Latte's, shifted a lot of units, re-arranged how many times and seen our minions fledge and go off to found their own businesses - this bookshop boss thinks that's one heck of an achievement and to celebrate is having a venti caramel latte today!

However I know we wouldn't be here still today if it wasn't for all you lovely customers and I want to say the biggest and most heartfelt THANK YOU! to all of you.

You make each day different, fun and, hey, maybe even a little more crazy than it would be even with the bookshop boss in attendance anyway - so thank you.

As a little birthday celebration we are today giving 5% off all books to celebrate the 5 years of trading and we are also giving 1 reward point for every £5 spent instead of the usual £10 

So come in and celebrate with us as we journey forth into our next 5 years of bookshop bosses, minions and cheerful customers, along with coffee, books, crafts and other fun fuelled things!

So there we go 5 years old today so go on come in and browse and treat yourself to a gift from us that will act as a gift to us, because the best gift we can ever have is your custom!

We'll look forward to seeing you, recieving an email from you, chatting on the phone (01522 525557) with you or even facebooking or twittering with you!

It's Independent's Day in Lincoln Central Market - So come support your Indie Retailers here!

PRESS RELEASE from Lincoln Central Market Retailers at Sylvia's Shoes, 2 by 2 Pet Supplies & Unicorn Tree Books.

Independents’ Day 2011 - your high street & Market needs you!

Today is the 4th July 2011 and here in Lincoln as well as across the country, the public have been encouraged to buy at least one item from their local, independent shop to keep the high street alive.

Skillsmart Retail and the National Skills Academy for Retail have teamed up with independent retailers and trade associations around the country to encourage the public to celebrate diversity on the high street & in the Markets and support their local, independent retailers on 4^th July. Retailers downloaded the ‘Your high street needs you!’ poster online, ‘like’ the campaign on Facebook and following it on twitter.

We here in the Markets are all independent businesses and a number of us have been actively promoting today with posters on our stalls, with twitter and facebook posts and in person.

As the Lincoln Echo article on page 2 pointed out times are hard and closures are a reality, Fresh data from Local Data Company’s surveys of 2,700 UK retail destinations (out of a potential 4,400 total UK destinations), highlights that high street vacancy rates have started to rise again. The Local Data Company states that 14.6% of outlets are now vacant. This indicates that approximately 50,000 units are now not currently open to business on the UK high streets, showing just how challenging the situation is on the ground.

'In Lincoln Central Market a number of us are working to promote the fact that the high street and markets are still places of great value despite the percieved thoughts that supermarkets, national chains and of course the internet are where the best bargains are to be had - this isn't always true and independent retailers often sell things at the same or cheaper prices than the large retailers and yet give often more back to the community and local economies, Local independent retailers such as those in the market also supply items often not found elsewhere - our market in Lincoln is such a place with the only independent bookshop in Lincoln that also is now the only Christian Bookshop after two previous such shops closed down, 2 by 2 Pets also is the only city centre pet shop selling things not always found elsewhere, though Raw has closed down Sylvia's Shoes is still here in the market providing shoes as an independent, The Lincoln Stamp Centre is one of only a very few independent stamp collectors businesses still in lincolnshire - so though it may to some seem a 'drab' market hall it is certainly vibrant with unique independent businesses and somewhere perhaps worth checking out and promoting we hope.'

Anne Seaman, Chief Executive of Skillsmart Retail said: “We are delighted to lead this campaign and support small retailers. Raising awareness amongst the public is one of the biggest challenges smaller retailers face and our message is about encouraging the public to use their local high street & Markets and understand how important a diverse retail sector is.

It’s also essential that local retailers understand that to compete today they need to be top of their game. The time for sitting back has passed and action is required: Your high street needs you!”

ENDS

For more local information contact Melanie Carroll - owner of Unicorn Tree Books, Lincoln Central Market on 07789 249228

For more Independents day information: ( http://skillsmartretail.ctml2.com/skillsmartretaillz/WebCapture.aspx?pID=141&t=0 )

Have you seen the new NRSV Bible with the Common Worship Daily Prayer and Readings included!

Now out from HarperCollins It's incredibly good value at only £17.99 a copy and would make a fantastic Confirmation or Ordination present amongst other things, or as just a treat for yourself!

'A new Bible published in partnership with the Church of England and designed especially for Anglicans. It includes Daily Prayer and Readings from the Church of England’s Common Worship.

As well as the full anglicized text of the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translation, this Bible contains a number of features specially designed to make it ideal for members of the Church of England.

It includes Prayer During the Day and Night Prayer, which gives users a short prayer to say during and at the end of their day. It also includes a Lectionary of readings, giving two readings for every day of the year.

Until now, Anglicans needed three different books to go about their daily worship – a Bible, a prayer book, and a lectionary. Now they only need one.'

We can do a wonderful discount on Purchases of 20 Copies should any churches be considering new bibles - 

In fact we are cheaper than Amazon's price on these purchases! 

& Remember if your church is signed up to the partnership scheme you get  to count that to your year end tally too so it works out even cheaper than cheap!!

Contact us to reserve your copies by any of the regular methods - phone (01522 525557), email (unicorntreebooks@aol.com), twitter, facebook or indeed just come in and see us! 

Please remember to support your local independent shops and keep them in your Towns and Cities because sometimes buying online or big brand isn't always cheapest, quickest or best!

Biblefresh - Lincolnshire Bible Festival Today, 30th April!

The biblefresh Bible Festival is on in Lincoln Today - events all up & down the High Street with the Godpod in Cornhill Square, we here at Unicorn Tree Books in Lincoln Central Market are delighted to be the official event bookshop & have free maps & programmes for you, so don't forget to call in first and get one!

We are offering the Biblefresh 'The Big Story' Bible at only £14.99 instead of the RRP of £19.99 (and yes we are even cheaper than Amazon on this offer!!) whilst stocks last to support this great initiative - don't miss out as this is a fantastic offer and a great bible too, oh and there are also lots of other special offers in for the event too!

If you can't make it to Lincoln for this fantastic event but still fancy a wonderful biblefresh 'The Big Story' Bible then contact us to reserve your copy by any of the regular methods - phone (01522 525557), email (unicorntreebooks@aol.com), twitter, facebook.

Oh and just a reminder that you might want to reserve your ticket for the next Lincoln Theological Society Lecture on the 24th May at Bishop Grossteste University College at 7pm too -'Marcion, Heretic or Hero', subtitled 'Can a Christian really read the Old Testament?' The lecture is being given by Rev'd Canon Dr. Stephen Dawes and tickets are only £5, but do get them early ;-)

Ebooks here to stay and we are there too - and in the Lincolnshire Echo!

Lincoln Echo: Saturday, February 26, 2011,

E-books here to stay

A BOOKSELLER from Lincoln is broaching the digital frontier and embracing new "e-books".

Bookshop giants such as Amazon recently reported that sales of downloadable texts have now overtaken paperback books.

And Melanie Carroll, of Unicorn Tree Books in Lincoln Central Market, says with the new digital books here to stay she's partnering with some of her biggest competition to ensure her customers can continue to support the Lincoln economy.

"E-books won't go away, so we can't ignore them," she said.

"This way people can still contribute to the local economy even if they now have a Kindle or e-reader."

Visit www.lincolnbookshop.co.uk to buy ebooks.

Thanks to the Echo and their fab reporters for picking this up as a news story, in the immortal words of the great T - Every little helps!

also just a quick reminder!
Come in and get your tickets from us for the Lincoln Theological Society Lecture at Bishop Grosseteste at 7:30pm on 3rd March -
The Rt Revd. Hon Lord Harries of Pentregarth
(Or Richard Harries as he's known as on his books)
will be talking on
"Allies or Opponents? Secular & Religious Voices in the Public Sphere"

There will be a bookstall provided by us and... tickets (£5) also get you a glass of vino too!

Get your tickets now - we only have a limited number left now!

We are starting a Crafters Exchange here - it's a bit like a crafters swap shop!

Unicorn Tree Crafters Exchange

We are starting a Crafters Exchange here – basically that means that you can bring along an item such as a rubber stamp or punch you no longer use and get a credit for it to use on craft items from us!

So do you have craft items that you loved but now never use?
Or maybe something that came in a set that just isn’t your thing?
Rubber stamps, punches, scissors, embellishments – maybe even packs of cards and books of papers you’ve never touched?
Then how about exchanging them for a discount on something you might use??

Go on think about it, after all in the words of the giants ‘every little bit helps!’ oh and don’t forget to tell others, after all who knows what gems are out there sitting dusty in craft cupboards everywhere!

Now for the not as fun but just as important bit:
Even the art of creative self-expression has to work with some sort of guidelines!
So there are some rules and guidelines to the Crafters Exchange Scheme –

Some of which are pretty obvious like Only items in good condition can be exchanged.

Now we appreciate rubber stamps get inky and that’s fine so long as they are cleaned before you bring them in – also they must make perfect impressions.
Scissors & Punches too must be in perfect condition and cut or punch smoothly and cleanly.
Cards & Papers must be full sets & unused.

Any and all credits given are entirely at our discretion and terms and conditions apply - you can get the full set of these at the shop :)
Please note this is a Credit Scheme only and we do not ever give cash, all credit/exchange vouchers have a nil cash value.

So there we go, another way you can share and save - we think it's a great idea and we hope you do too! So go on tell others and let's see what we can find after all one crafters decoupage is another crafters topper!

Unicorn Tree Books & Crafts. Central Market, Sincil Street, Lincoln. LN5 7ET
T: 01522 525557 E: unicorntreebooks@aol.com Facebook: Unicorn Tree Books
www.cardmakersupplies.co.uk & www.lincolnartistsupplies.co.uk

Last Chance for Christmas & may it be a peaceful one for all

Well here we are the Thursday before Christmas, I wanted to be able to tell you all that we would be staying open late this Thursday along with all the other shops and the Cornhill Market but unfortunately not as Lincoln City Council bods wouldn't allow it without us traders paying for the staffing, even though the staff are already here for the extra hour or so, ahh well, how very sad.
Still don't despair! I'm here till 4pm as usual and will be here tomorrow for your last minute christmas purchases.
I want to take this time to wish all of my blog friends, customers, minion types, suppliers and visitors a really blessed and peaceful Christmas, filled with Joy, love and laughter, enough to last not only through Christmas but all through what's left of this year and well into the next new one and on.
I really appreciate all of you and thank you for your support, smiles and custom - long may we continue to trade and entertain each other.
Merry Christmas to you all!

Praise where it's due

I believe it's important to give praise where its due and so I want to take this space to thank some people for doing a grand job through this last week or so of horrendous weather.

Andy Bradley, the onsite supervisor here at Lincoln Central Market, has worked really hard to keep the market open and trading every day during this nasty weather, despite the fact that many other places closed and he could have taken that option as many others did. Instead he thought first of the traders and their livelihoods and despite it all came in and ensured it was open and heated for us! Thank You Andy and your Team of Paul & Emma.

I would also like to say thanks to Paul Bolden, one of Andy's team.
Last Monday when the place flooded even though Paul wasn't officially at work, when told of the problem by Ben Lockley, offered to come down with him and then worked hard to finally stop the flood that had been going on for quite a long while by this point. He then acted as a really good and concerned member of the Lincoln Central Market team and family and stayed on in his own personal time to help clear up the spill.

Now if only there were more like Andy & Paul - they are the real credit to my mind and at this time to Lincoln City Council - I am quite sure there are others like them and I only wish I had come across them to date!

If you know of any others who deserve an accolade or even a thanks like this - then do it, say it, post it - you can even put it in the comments here!

Unicorn Tree Books sustains flood damage from Landlords burst pipe.

Phil from the website Christianbookshopblog.org.uk says it so well for me, as of course did the Lincoln Echo:


"DO YOU LIVE in or near Lincoln? If so, please consider contacting the City of Lincoln Council about their failure to take responsibility for a burst pipe that led to flooding, inconvenience, loss of sales and stock damage for their tenants in Lincoln Central Market this week, including our very own Melanie Carroll at Unicorn Tree Books.

Read all about it as reported at thisislincolnshire.co.uk:
Lincolnshire Echo: Market traders angry as council refuses to cover cost of flooding caused by burst pipe

Lincolnshire Echo: Market traders angry as council refuses to cover cost of flooding caused by burst pipe

STALLHOLDERS have reacted with disbelief after the City of Lincoln Council refused to cover the costs of flooding in Lincoln Central Market.

Water cascaded from inside the roof of the Central Snacks café for more than half an hour on Monday morning, and ran “like a river” towards nearby Unicorn Tree Books.

But now traders Barry Reeves and Melanie Carroll say the council has told them to claim on their own insurance as the burst pipe which led to the damage was “not a maintenance issue”.

“The council is trying to wangle its way out of it,” said Mr Reeves, chairman of the Sincil Street Traders Association.

The report continues quoting Mr Reeves as he describes the appalling situation of a leak that simply went on and on pouring water into the marketplace because “the caretakers didn’t know where the stopcock was.” Yet here is the common sense advice that the City of Lincoln Council offers to householders who may be concerned about the possibility of burst pipes in their homes:

Preventing frozen and burst pipes

* Make sure you know where your stop tap is and that it is working.

How can a Council which offers that advice to householders not know where the stopcock is in its own premises — especially when it rents those premises out to other people? Prospective stallholders at Lincoln Central Market are offered the following assurance:

The City of Lincoln Council works in partnership with the regional Business Link service to provide access to all the information, advice and support needed to start, maintain and grow your business.

If you think giving Melanie and other tenants in Lincoln Central Market the brush off instead of helping them to brush up and recover from this flood is an act of negligence, please drop the City of Lincoln Council a line and say:

You made BBC Radio 4′s ‘World at One’ on December 1st when you cancelled the Lincoln Christmas Market because of the bad weather. It was a sensible decision under the circumstances. It would be an even more sensible decision to support the Lincoln Central Market which is there all year round! You have a duty of care towards your tenants to ensure that the space you’re charging them for is fit for purpose — and when accidents happen because of your neglect, the least you should do is cover their costs!

Please take remedial action now for your existing stallholders that will reassure prospective stallholders that you can and will live up to your promise to provide all the support they need to not only start but to maintain and grow their business."

Addendum - I have today added quote marks because it would appear some people who work in certain places didn't realise this was actually a copy of a news article from the 2nd of December from the UK's leading Christian Bookshop Trade blog - www.christianbookshopsblog.org.uk

Steampunk, Fiction and Modding Space Guns!

I'm having great fun this week here in the Unicorn Tree!

Not only have we/I been making lovely cards, doing altered art jewellery and modding goggles since our 'In The Style of... Steampunk, Victoriana & Grunge Collage' days, but yesterday I decided in honour of 'The Asylum Steampunk Weekend Convivial' that's on up at The Lawns this weekend (of which we from here will be attending in Costume as we stand a bookstall for Quirk Publishing!) that goggles weren't enough and I needed to make a space gun or two using some of the altered art principles I've been playing with!

Cue looking at anything with goggles of wonder instead of eyes! Everything is potentially something else with altered art, yes even old coke bottles and plastic book & plate stands!
Of course this was also a fantastic idea for a short story or writing cue exercise too!

So that's what we've done, come in and see the amazing stylistic future guns of 2130 & 2149, used respectively by the Airship Corps and Pirate/Bucaneer Fraternities.
Read the short overview wackipedia style histories of 'Munitions & The Cola Corps' - and overall just let your imagination go and dare to be a little bit silly, it's an amazingly freeing experience, thats why as we all know I do it all the while whilst the minions look on in amazement (horror?Pity?fear?).

So see you in the shop soon, and remember mines the caramel latte and you can bring whatever you like to drink too!

Faith, Books & Facebook - The script I really should have used on The Reading Room on Siren 107.3fm

On Sunday 1st of August I was a contributor to the wonderful radio show, The Reading Room, on Siren 107.3fm. It is a fantastic radio show on the first sunday of every month at 10am - 12noon and then repeated on the following Tuesday starting at 7pm.
It is an excellent production by Paul and Jonny on books, reading, literature, writing and all manner of things to do with Books & Writing and has some fantastically good music in it too - I really do recommend it.
Paul foolishly has allowed me to be a regular contributor to it so far and this month I did a rather good job at fumbling live on air! I had a script and should have stuck to it but I didn't, bad me!
Still it's not as bad as it could have been and I hope one day Paul & Jonny will trust me to go back and do some more spots on air - I'll even buy them coffee and spring for syrup ;0)
Anyway here is the script I had, I share it here for your enjoyment and edification *grin*.

During the last month I've been reading a few books that look at the idea of facebook, social networking and how we relate to each other and how faith interacts with these ideas. After all I am all about books, faith and social networking - which despite what some may think is not so sad or so unusual. In fact facebook and yes, even twitter, are excellent communication mediums for sharing about all manner of ideas including faith and not least about books, about writing and can really help contribute to the society of the literate, and this despite what Lynne Truss seemed to be concerned about towards the end of her book - Eats, Shoots and Leaves.

Social networking via the internet, because lets remember that though when we use that phrase these days we seem always to be talking about the internet it is a phrase that also describes something that we can and do undertake offline as well! So anyway Social Networking via the internet has the potential and ability to expand and grow our outlook, our outreach and the communities in which we interact, or that's the theory at least. Now all of this it has to be said sounds like something we used to do in our physical and loca; communities and not least in our faith communities, so hows that working?
Hows the move to virtual, to a disembodied medium over a more phyiscal medium really working in this setting, in the traditional faith setting, thats the question that authors Jesse Rice and Dwight Friedman have both decided to look at in their books.

Jesse Rice's 'The Church of Facebook' published by David C Cook begins by addressing our need for connection with others and then goes on to look at why though facebook and twitter give us a form of connection in the end they just dont fulfill our more basic needs for contact - real contact - despite the length our 'contact' lists may be.
In the book he gives a great synopsis of the history and development of our socially networked internet and talks about how it has grown from our needs and wants, but he also points out how it can be a place of shallow depth and interaction that in some ways rather than satisfying actaully leaves one more empty, or feeling more lonely and isolated and then needing more of it to assuage these feelings - for me this made me think of the addiction cycle and tied in to why we succumb to and talk of facebook addiction etc. This is where the need for real community comes into play, says Rice, real human and physical contact can help fill the lonely spots and here is where faith can play an active and real part, faith should after all be about personal contact, outreach and growth - about more than just touching in through an update, but about real interaction. This is what Community and real connectedness is about.
Having said all this though 'The Church of Facebook' does not dismiss social networking, no instead it sys it can be a positive thing - a way to work and grow our connectedness but only if we move beyond the shallowness of much of the interaction and instead anchor it in the reality of our lives, only if we are honest and open and resist the temptation to hide in urbanity and surface socialisation - only then can there really be a church on facebook.
It is an excellent book and worth looking at even if your not really interested in the faith angle as such because it's looking at the idea of Community more than anything and as the subtitle says, 'How the hyperconnected are redefining community'.

Dwight Friesen's book, 'Thy Kingdom Connected' and published by Baker Books looks at a similar theme, that of networked communities, however this book does come with a bit of a warning because although facebook is mentioned in the subtitle of 'What the church can learn from facebook, the internet and other networks' this book isn't really about facebook or social networking online, thats just a nice marketing play to make the book more appealing to a larger audience! This book is really looking at Network Theory and relating this to how he, Friesen, believes the church should work.
Network theory at it's most basic is the idea that has adherents in many fields of study and holds we are connected in all manner of ways by links, nodes and cluster groups. It's an interesting idea and so is the underlying content of this book, however it's not an easy book to wade through and has a very technical feel to it. Being full of venn and cluster link diagrams doesn't really help as it just adds to the feel of being some sort of science manual. That said though if you want a book that really opens up the idea of the network theory and it's correlation to, connectivity to and implications for the church and what it could be, then this is that book and probably a very good one too as it does have some very interesting idea's of how things could work better and more integrative across the church.

On the whole though, 'The Church of Facebook' does cover much of the same idea and in a way thats much more accessable, fun, practical and that really addresses the reality of our internet, facebook, twitter linked and socially networking lives.

For me with both these books what we are really looking at is why we have moved ourselves online? Thats what we need to look at, to address, why are we so willing to pass up our actual phyiscal community for our online community? Is it just convenience - an anytime easy time thing? probably not given we hook into these things even whilst working or roaming the streets - So how do we address this?
We buy online instead of in our local shops, we email, msn, twitter, text and facebook chat as opposed to over the phone or in the real, why is this? How do we, or even do we want to, become more real in the virtual world? How do we deepen ourselves in and through the disembodied medium so we become more involved in the real community around us? Is social networking really increasing our social lives or is it just in reality shrinking them, it, us?
Something to consider and these books are both good starters in that process.
9780736921275/Googling-God
However I want to mention a third book, 'Googling God' by John Cox and published by Harvest House, and this is because this book is about finding God and how we start that experience, possibly by Googling him (or of course you could even Bing him these days! though we don't advise you use a bong although we understand some have tried using such a tool in some cultures, places and times!). From Googling God this then develops out into eventually a personal experience and relationship. Tihis book is great because it's written in such an engaging and personal way by someone who is of our time, a person whose had experience changing continents, changing lives, going through divorce, heartache and upheaval, who uses modern technology and isnt afraid of sharing the personal experiences of doubt, trauma and pain to get across his message. A person who is willing to share more than just the surface niceties and nonsense, but open up about the life drama's experienced in an open and honest way.
But what I like most about this book is how it feels like a book thats incorporating our internet experience into the very body and feel of it, it reads how googling hopping feels - short interesting on topic sections with jumps to quotes and idea's on a theme, quick flits elsewhere and then back onto the next engaging section. It reads like you are googling God and John Cox and that in iteself is really engaging and shows just how much books, the internet and faith can work together, adapt each other and grow to the better for it - and that is a great thing to witness.

Now remember all these books are available at Unicorn Tree Books, so why not call in to see us and pick up your copy, you can even come back and chat about it with me! or of course you can go to our online shop at www.lincolnchristianbookshop.co.uk or www.lincolnbookshop.co.uk and get a copy there.
So come in and stock up soon - we'll look forward to seeing you, recieving an email from you, chatting on the phone (01522 525557) with you or even facebooking or twittering with you!

Think Local Not Amazon - but to help we'll try to match Amazon prices!

Just to let you all know - we are putting up a sign in the shop saying:

We Will Try to Match Amazon's Prices on Bulk Orders so Please think of us first and support your Local Indie Shop.
You can also support us online too - www.lincolnbookshop.co.uk & www.lincolnchristianbookshop.co.uk - where you will get Amazon prices ...everytime, so please bookmark these sites and use them for your purchases - Every little bit helps :0)

Think Local, Buy Local, Be Local - Don't let our local business become a thing of the past!

Now as you know we really are committed to you all and want to support you in the best way we can!

We set up the Church and Community Partnership Scheme to really work with and support the local communities, because we want to give to the local community, we want to be part of that community actively and integrally.

We host events, buy tables, run classes, start groups and make blogs because we want to be involved with our community.

We know how hard it is to always get into the shop so we have set up ways for you to shop online with us, so you can still go local to go global.

In fact we want to be part of the community - an integral, fulfilling and active part of the community.

We hope you want us to be part of the community as well!

To this end then we need your help - we need you to support us too because being a small local indie business is getting harder and harder, So please use us whenever you can - you know we will go that extra mile for you!

And Yes, as you know and we have always admitted - all the things we do such as above are not completely self sacrificing, they are as much for our benefit as yours - but then thats what community is all about, working together for the betterment of both, of all!

So please, here are some posters - 
can you perhaps print one out and stick it up somewhere visable:

church, school, Dr's Surgery, community hall, house window, car window
(all right the last two are unlikely but really how cool would that be - how cool would you be to do that, to really show full out grass roots support!).

Can you tell people about us please, real people you see and know, share the knowledge of us and that we are here, perhaps on your own blog or facebook pages you could include links to our website(s) or even to this post, or use the poster on your blog!

Perhaps in your emails in the signature section you could include one of our links? Recommend us on your twitter stream?

Please support us - shop with us and share with us and share us with others.

let's be community minded and share news with our community - wherever and whoever they may be.

And you know if there is something you want sharing, something you want spreading to the community then let us know, bring us a poster to put up in the shop, send us a note to blog or twitter about, let us know about your links too!

You see if we think local, buy local and be local the whole community and economy naturally and vigorously grows strong and healthy and vibrant! All we have to do is start sharing and spreading the message, start thinking of each other as part of the whole - the community.

So go on, stick up a poster, add a link and use the shop and the sites!

It makes sense!

Now remember, when you come in to have a chat, share the news, or as you bring a poster to put up or leaflets to hand out, mine's a caramel latte and you can have whatever you want too! oh and if I recall right I think the minions mostly drink hot chocolate - see how community minded I am, I even remember the minions!

The websites are:

www.lincolnbookshop.co.uk

www.lincolnchristianbookshop.co.uk

www.jigsawsandmore.co.uk

www.cardmakersupplies.co.uk

www.centralmarketlincoln.co.uk

www.christianbookshopuk.co.uk

You can join us on twitter: @unicorntreebks

Friend us on Facebook, or join our facebook group

Please think local, buy local, be local and support us where you can, just use the websites and pass on the info wherever you can - and in return we'll try to be the best we can for you, just let us know what you want and need and how we in turn can help you, our community and our friends.

Can't resist this - it's fantastic really, at the end just change the one word 'America' to 'Britain'! and remember  I'd love to see you in the shop soon :0)

Online Shopping - we know you do it but now do it with us!

Sad news all around for the booktrade, Borders gone as from this week, Wesley Owen Christian Bookshops pretty much gone, 26 into administration this week, then Waterstones admitting a major profit downturn, the furor earlier in the year with Oxfam killing off Secondhand bookshops - yes indeed one might think it really was the end of real bookshops!
But you know what, it's not - it's just a changing time and these all have to be gone through.
Now the big blame being placed out there is on Supermarkets and Internet Shops
(and yes it does make it harder when publishers etc do give them such massive discounts as to allow them to half price the books, this then makes the supermarket/internet price a better price than normal bookshops can actaully buy them from the publishers and wholesalers for in the first instance! madness but is this the supermarkets/internet shops fault or the publishers, there's something to think about!).
So anyway I can't actually do anything about this conundrum except raise the issue that when you buy from a non-local national or multi-national that less of your spend actaully goes back into your local community, so there we go issue raised.
Now though what I can do is try to make it easier for you to support a local bookshop business whilst going where you want to go anyway - ie onto the internet for what is admittedly a style of selling that is going nowhere fast!
So Here we go, please use these sites:
www.lincolnbookshop.co.uk for all books and more needs! This is an Amazon Ashop so you will be getting all you want from one of the big players that I often can't compete with, however by going to them this way you will be helping support me via their affiliate scheme.
Now lets be perfectly honest here - I would much prefer you actaully came in and purchased from me directly, but as your probably not going to in this instance, at least this way you are still helping support a local business for the times when you do come in to see what the book look like! :0)
Now if it's jigsaws and games you want then please use: www.jigsawsandmore.co.uk
and if it's Christian & Religious Books then please use: www.lincolnchristianbookshop.co.uk
Now on the Christian Books side, if you want church supplies and stationary then that's not online but you can just email us your order at unicorntreebooks@aol.com and we will get it for you and phone you for the payment details we need!

It really is just that easy, of course you can also twitter the order to us at anytime, we are @unicorntreebks or you can facebook us: Unicorn Tree Books Group or friend me

Now please do me a favour and post all these website details all over the place for me! link to them and try to help out your Local(ish) Bookshop business, cause you know we live to serve you!
So Go Local to Go Global, local communities supporting local businesses build a better world and support a healthy global economy and network – really!

Oh and if you are popping in in person then I wouldn't mind if you felt like sharing a caramel latte with me, you bring it i'll drink it - those cyber ones just don't seem to taste as good or quench the thirst nearly so well!


http://www.bookdepository.co.uk?a_aid=unicorntreebooks

Craft Sessions Have Started! The White Table is in Action!

Now as some of you may remember back in september I posted about our new big white table (here's a reminder for you!):
'Thursday, September 24, 2009
A Round Up, Some Questions and a new white table!
So whats new in your friendly bookshop?
Well the newest edition, as of today, is a white table in the middle of the shop!
Now as you may know we don't have a seperate room where we can hold regular events like reading groups, book discussions or craft classes, though we really want to hold them!'

Well that Big White table has already seen one fantastic author event - that worked really well and had the shop buzzing and heaving at the seems at one point, I'm looking forward to doing more author events, so if you have any idea's then shout out!

But now that Big White Table in the middle of the shop has seen 2 craft sessions take place, with more booked and arranged.

The first one was a Thursday Morning lesson on embellishment idea's for cards and lasted for 2 hours, and yes it was great - the people attending the class loved the class (and have rebooked for this weeks thursday session too, so it must have been good!!) and the browsers seemed to have no problems looking at their books and occasionally glancing over at the table too with considering glances, so who knows maybe some new crafters are in the making!

The Second session was on Friday and that was a 1hour 15 minute beginners taster on quick christmas cards. Again it went well, we can tell by how much the participants purchased to take home and practice with :0)

So anyway if anyone else is interested you can come in or contact us to see what's on or arrange a one to one session!

We think that a one to one session might make a good christmas gift idea for the crafter who has everything else, so yes you can come in and buy a gift voucher for a session to give to someone else!

So there we go, that big white table is not just a blank space, but is now an active community space and I am loving that!
(though I do believe that despite the cards advertising my favourite coffee house - Angel Coffee - it has not yet seen enough cups of take out caramel latte grace its top, I am sure though in time that will be rectified as loyal minions gift me with coffee, time and their presence in the shop ;0)

So we still need to get a monthly reading group going round the table, but perhaps we should leave that for after Christmas!

Oh and hey what about a Lent Study Group round the table?
Anyone interested in that come Lent, We can do it at a Lunchtime slot and either share food at the table or offer up a Lent Fast and donate our lunch moneys to a charity of the groups choice! Think about it and tell others and get back to me with your thoughts!

Ok that's it from me for now, see you in the shop tomorrow (even though it is my day off!) and remember should you want coffee and a chat, well mines a caramel latte :0)

Nursery Crimes, oops I mean Nursery Rhymes! Children In Need Appeal - Friday 20th November!

Pudsey Bear Day cometh!
aka Children In Need Appeal - Friday 20th November!

We are thinking Nursery Crimes, oops! I mean Nursery Rhymes as the days theme in the shop!
It's Literary and as were a book & craft shop it just makes sense! Fun and adventures will abound!
All the staff will be dressing up as Nursery Rhyme characters (guess who we are and make a donation if you are wrong & we'll make one if you are right!).
There will be make & take and craft lesson sessions for a donation to the pudsey appeal for children in need, and no I'm not thinking of Mrs Hubbards GrandKids or that Shoe Ladies kids, though you know their cupboards are bare and it's a tight squeeze for a family living in something the size of a shoe!!
Nursery Rhymes really tell some social stories and for a donation we'll even tell you some tall tales and stories too!
What do you think, sound like fun? well then spread the word around and don't forget to come on down on the 20th November.

Ahoy and Avast me hearties were having some impish good fun on Saturday 19th September!

Just to let you all know that tomorrow (Saturday) we are having a fun filled day at the PirateShop Unicorn Tree Books and you and any children you may know are all invited to drift by, drop anchor and visit.

A wonderful children's author - Sue Hampton - will be joining us all day to sign copies, read and talk about her brilliant new children's book 'The Lincoln Imp'. A book about learning to deal with change with a very local character at it's centre!

However the fun doesn't stop there because with it being International Talk Like a Pirate Day we of the Pirateshop are going to have some impish fun and are going to be dressing up a little like pirates and having fun with all the rest of the landlubbers as we regale you with pirate talk (crib sheets available in shop for you scurvy lot who don't know the language).
So bring the sprogs down and don't be lily-livered about it, as you wont want to miss out on the booty we have commandeered for you! Eyepatches will be given out and there may well be stickered polly's and possibly paper planks to walk or other mayhem for the gentlefolk of fortune who visit!

We look forward to seeing you there and please pass this onto any facebook/twitter/blog friends or others you know in the area or who have children and might want some small burst of fun!

Cheers

Melanie
ps feel free to bring me a caramel latte to bribe and save any future keelhauling as may result from under caffeinated landlocked pirateshop captains!