Competition time for tickets to the Pickering Traction Engine Rally!

Competition time! 

I have 2 half price tickets to the Pickering Traction Engine Rally and Music Festival 

going on between 4-7th August!

So I'm going to give them to someone who can use them 

(Bah-working! I say - otherwise I'd be using them and you lot wouldn't get a look in!)

Now as there may be more than two of you who want them let's make this fun!

To enter the competition you need to go over to our facebook page:

www.facebook.com/UnicornTreeBooks

Like the page if you haven't already and on there

I want you to tell me what Fiction Genre would best be at home at a steam/traction engine rally 

and why you think so!

Share the competition with friends and at the end of next week we'll get the topper down 

and put all the entries in it and see who the lucky winners are!

Good Luck and tell others!

So there we go that’s the bookshop boss done being generous and having competition fun for now – time for a vanilla syrup flavoured coffee I think – nothing like a bit of a change of pace now and again! 
So anyway don't forget to come in, browse and, we hope, 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!

Unicorn Tree Books, Central Market, Lincoln. LN5 7ET
www.lincolnbookshop.co.uk
www.lincolnchristianbookshop.co.uk

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 )

Walter Wangerin's 'The Book of God - The Bible as a Novel' published by Lion - It's going FREE to someone!

I have a copy of Walter Wangerin's 'The Book of God - The Bible as a Novel' 

published by Lion - It's going FREE to someone!

The winner was Sarah Fereday who suggested Michael Palin writes about the Israelites escape from Egypt and journey through the Wilderness! - Congratulations Sarah and thanks to Mrs Jenkins for picking the name out of the steampunk topper!

To be in with a chance of it being you all you have to do is
go to our facebook page, LIKE it, and then on that page

 
tell us which well known author would you get to write which Bible story & why!
Yes, you can do more than one story and author!

Then on Monday I'll put them in the steampunk hat & get the first unsuspecting customer to pick out the winner of the book!

Go on join the fun and tell others about it too - after all it is Independent Bookshop Week and it's a free competition too!

Christian Resources Together Trade Retreat

It has been my great pleasure to escape the confines of the wonderful Unicorn Tree these last couple of days (minions of old were conscripted in to fill the empty seat of the wonderul bookshop boss - I am informed the shop still stands ready for my great return tomorrow - remember i'll be the one sipping on the caramel flavour nectar of the coffee bean!) and go to the Christian Resources Together retreat which is a meeting together of Christian retailers and suppliers/publishers. 

It is a wonderful time for keeping informed, social chats, networking and friend making and inbetween the coffee breaks there are even some rather good seminars, talks and useful training type things.

I was extremely flattered to be invited to contribute a  little something to a wonderfully entitled session being given by the great Eddie Olliffe on 'Albatross, Dodo or Jewel - is there still a place on the high street for Christian bookshops to shine!'

I did say to one of the other people also asked to contribute thoughts, the rather clever Steve Mitchell, that sandwiched between Him, Eddie and the very insightful Andrew Lacey, it was obvious I was to be comedic value - God having a rather grand humour decided to prove that one right and as I took my stage debut I promptly fell up it into a rather full slapstick faceplant! ahh well luckily my ego is such it provided an ample cushion and I picked myself up, dusted off and started all over again!

The following piece is a much longer version of what I said (much, much longer and what I said was too long for the squeezed time space given - mea culpe, Eddie).

It's not necessarily of great interest to all you lovely shoppers but it does perhaps give you a feel for the things facing a lowly bookshop boss these days, and not just this bookshop boss but many others and their cheerful minions too - so please do try to think of us here in the shops and when you can please buy local and support your indie businesses as we really do need you all more than ever these days!

Anyway see you in the shop soon, and don't forget mines a caramel latte if you feel like stopping by to chat :-)

How can our trade best communicate the good news in an increasingly post retail era and to a progressively digital era.

Just the kind of question I always loved when studying! So falling back on academic principles I’m going to break the question down into sections!

So first off then: how can our trade communicate the good news.

(For me this raises two main questions that need considering first off,

the simple one of – how do we communicate the good news already?

Then: how do we ourselves experience or define that good news or indeed what the good news is.

You see much of our answer to the bigger question as a whole depends on the answers we give to these questions and how we predicate our response to the questions and issues in relation to being an albatross, dodo or jewel I think.)

My response to the question of good news issues can be summed up in the fact that we are the good news not the books we sell, the books are tools but we are the witness, the living proof and so therefore it is our actions in the heart of the community, our local community, that actually communicates the good news and not the books/music/gifts we sell.

(This is really quite a freeing idea if we properly embrace it …

Think being sent out and not needing two coats etc, think about being the witness by the sharing of verbal word, attitude and action and not by written books or arcane wwjd codes! Think radical hospitality as just a few ways this works.)

So ok that’s a great theory or spiritually fulfilling outlook but in practice our job is actually to sell Christian product and to be a solvent venture while doing it or we aren’t in our trade or in business! So how do we reconcile these things – turn the theory to practical expression when the way we’ve done it before doesn’t seem to be working so well anymore?

Is it coffee shops, more secularisation and hiding our light under a bushel, a little bit of abramic selling out or peter like denial to survive?

No and Yes.

Yes – we widen our outreach to where it should be – the wider community, that’s the wider secular community and not just the churched community, after all that’s where the good news needs to be if we are talking of us communicating it! Because surely those in the churches already have it (though they might need a bit of re-education and a reminder on occasion).

So is this selling out?  Shouldn’t be, but ask yourself what your local community needs, is it really another coffee shop sandwiched in between the others on the high streets? Or could it do with a general bookshop/stationers, toy shop, health food store, secondhand bookshop to fill the library decrease gap, haberdashery or hardware store etc etc etc

All these things are not in anyway in conflict with Christian books and do nothing to lessen the communicating of the Good News – however there is not a reason to my mind for the Christian Books to be shunted to the back of the shop to make room for these others things so as to make the shop more acceptable to the secular shoppers, instead they should work together in tandem so that the buyers/browsers of one interact with the buyers/browsers of the other and in so doing act as witnesses together and build up the community as a whole and show clearly that being a Christian is not an extreme sport for the minority or radicalised but is instead something normal, real and liveable (and in so doing make the questions askable and the witness real) – the good news communicated through people that’s the original model after all.

Does this potential broadening of our retail offer and widening of our customer base dilute or alter our message? No!

Does this lessen our trade focus and offer? Not really – after all TMD for example aren’t lessened by the range of items they distribute, nor are Kevin Mayhew as they broaden their offerings either.

Does this broadening make us viable – possibly is the only answer here because the factors are many that determine viability but it’s certainly stands a chance of improving viability if done right!

(So does changing the focus, broadening the base make us an albatross, dodo, or jewel –as we  try to communicate the good news, well I think that really depends on how we see that good news and answer those first two questions.)

Ok ‘ in an increasingly Post Retail Era’?

I don’t think so. In fact I would go on to say that we now consume more than ever before, we buy more for less and use less for more! But it’s mostly all retail orientated still, yes people are all about cheaper and easier but not about not buying! The venue may have changed but the game of consumerism hasn’t!

But our shops are struggling, our sales are dropping like the proverbial stone in a mill pond, yes but that’s not because people aren’t buying it’s just they aren’t buying from us sadly.

(So is that due to us being retail dodo’s then – old fashioned, ugly, twee and outdated albatross shops? Or buried jewels hidden in sunken treasure chests?  )

Are we avoided because of how we look or act, what we stock or don’t or where we are situated in other words?

Possibly so.

There is for me a consideration we all need to look at and think on and that’s the fact that we in many ways over the years have managed to ghettoise ourselves to some extent, we have isolated ourselves on the desert island of being ‘Christian’ bookshops and by default and accident inferred we only serve Christians and that’s who we are there for etc

In some cases we have even gone one step further and not only infer we only serve Christians but in fact we only serve ‘Our type’ of Christian! We sometimes forget how easy it is to become trapped in our pride and prejudice and in turn become bastions of bigotry  - ‘ I am of Apollos, I am of Paul’ and when we do this we become our own downfall as we stop communicating the good news fully outwards.

I know this sounds really harsh and believe me I’m not casting stones as I’m not without sin but I do believe it is something we need to give real thought to as we outreach out – radical hospitality means talking the log out of our eye so we can use the wood to build bridges, inroads of communication and community centres.

The truth is if we open our doors wider there are lots of people out there shopping and browsing daily – it is still a national pastime.

However they aren’t using us and it’s not just because the doors are too narrow and people like playing at shop the net night and ebay gambling, it is however down to wanting more for less and I’m sorry to say there isn’t much we can do about this – it’s a producers and publishers fix, -  because while they give in and sell their  product at prices that allow their product to be devalued to such an extent that consumer mindset is full price is a rip off (and then don’t play with a fair trade ethos at heart by allowing independents the sort of terms that would ensure a more level playing field so that we can compete on price) well this seems like something we can’t beat doesn’t it.

But is it? I think we can and should campaign, shout and educate both in trade and in the secular arena – buy local campaigns, being honest in name, shame and explain tactics and finally at the end of the day if it is cheaper from Amazon then buy it from there! Of course then tell your supplier/publisher what you are doing and why – (also point out that though that may make their figures look good if they extrapolate the sheer numbers of indie customers doing that currently and then work out the outcome when those indies finally go under what the final impact to them may be maybe they’ll see that working with us is better for all, especially as there isn’t a bookshop in the country, secular or Christian, that doesn’t daily see customers come in to browse and choose books and then say to their friends or ebook/download tool _ I’ll get it from Amazon now I’ve seen it! So how many end sales lost will that really be??) Yes this is a double edged sword I’m playing with here but sometimes ‘I count my losses as gain’

So talking of Amazon what about this increasingly progressively digital generation!

First off perhaps we need to stop blaming the internet for our problems – after all the internet is just an inanimate object, a tool – it’s people that buy and that use the internet! If we are going to ascribe blame (and really should this be a blame game?) then let’s ascribe it correctly.

Wouldn’t it be better to stop seeing Amazon, Eden etc etc as the enemy and instead see them as a colleague the way we do each other – yes maybe not a best friend after all if you are on my back doorstep you are my competitor but not my enemy, we can still be friends and collegues – that same holds with internet shops, indeed they can in some cases even be an admirable ally!

Marketplace, A-shops, ebay, affiliate schemes etc all can be a radical tool in shop survival – after all in the immortal words of another big boy – every little bit helps.

We use the tools at our disposal and should thank god for them instead of bemoaning them and wailing lamentations of doom.

In this progressively digital generation there are still people out there that don’t want kindles and ebooks, that still enjoy the sensation of a real book and it’s ability to be shared with others, still people that like going in bookshops and so the rumours of the books demise are much exaggerated I think, and so too the end of all high street and independent bookshops!

However we can’t and mustn’t deny kindles and ebooks and other downloadable materials, so I advocate that here is the time we use our online competition as ally! An affiliate percentage is better than nothing while we petition our trade partners to work with us in finding a solution we can use well, be it a Christian offering like Gardners Hive, or a shop based scheme for digital download cards or cloud & app based download offerings etc. I’m not sure of the solution but I am sure we need to be working on it right now and together.

So yes it’s an increasingly digital generation but we can still be at the heart of it if we use the tools available to us.  Websites can be done cheaply – very cheaply and no one should be without one, if only for the avenue of online advertising it can open up!

Something worth remembering is that this digital generation want to be part of a community! Facebook, twitter, blogging and social networking are all proof of the want to be part of a community – yes it’s different than before but it’s still a want to be part of something more – we can be part of that something more, we can still be aprt of that community.

Lets not forget as well that the digital generation, regardless of their age, are still coming into town on Saturdays, they still want to see live bands, meet up with each other, go to the cinema, out for food, attend conventions and other events or group meetings, see their fave authors and interact with them etc – this all still leaves the door wide open for us – but probably only if we’ve widened the door for them first.

Books are not dead, our trade is not dead but it may be that they are being redefined – and to answer Eddies larger question (which I wasn’t asked to do!) yes we can still shine as jewels set in an ephod breastplate made from gold tested in the refiners fire.

Melanie Carroll

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 ;-)

Bible Fresh Bible Festival & a Marcion Heretic!

Hello and welcome to Holy Week!

Just a quick update to tell you all that the Biblefresh Bible Festival is on Saturday 30th of April all day along the High Street Churches and with the GodPod in Cornhill Square - oh and we are the official bookshop for the event - we even get a lovely mention on the back of the programme!

Talking of programmes and maps for the event - you can pick one up in here right now to help you plan the day.

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.

Okay next heads up is of course for the Next Lincoln Theological Society Lecture on the 24th May at Bishop Grossteste University College at 7pm.
'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 should be really interesting indeed, after all there's nothing like a good bit of heresy to get the tongues going!

We will be there again with a bookstall which will include Stephen Dawes books - and again there will likely be an offer on his works (amongst others!) as well as the chance to get them signed at the bookstall after the lecture.

Now you can get your tickets from us here in the shop in advance of the event and we really do suggest you come and get them early given how full the last lecture was and the capacity of the lecture hall - after all you wouldn't want to stand all through the lecture would you!

The tickets are a bargain at only £5.00 for which you also get a glass of wine (and very nice wine it was too last time!) and are available now.

Contact us to get your tickets by any of the regular methods - phone (01522 525557), email (unicorntreebooks@aol.com), twitter, facebook or indeed when you come in and see us for your books or as part of the Biblefresh Bible Festival visit! to get your ticket for this fantastic event.

See you soon :-)

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!

"Allies or Opponents? Secular & Religious Voices in the Public Sphere" - Get your tickets from us for the Lincoln Theological Society Lecture

Tickets are available 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!

Honestly this should be a fantastic lecture and fire up lots of debate and talking points as it's an incredibly topical subject touching as it does the faith and politics issue and also addressing the secularisation of society to the exclusion of faith debate currently raging - I'm really looking forward to it!

Pre-order your copies of Richard Harries newest books:
'Faith in Politics? Rediscovering the Christian Roots of our political values' (DLT £12.95)
and/or
'Issues of Life and Death: Christian Faith and Medical Intervention' (SPCK £10.99)
and get a 10% Discount on the books and 2 Free Reward Points on one of our Reward Cards when you collect the books on the night ;-)
Contact us to reserve your copies by any of the regular methods - phone (01522 525557), email (unicorntreebooks@aol.com), twitter, facebook or indeed when you come in and see us to get your ticket for this fantastic event!

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

Something Inside So Strong With Lyrics

This seems to sum some things up that are going on - stay strong my friends - even when faced with adversity and unkindness!

Ebooks, Website Updates and a Fantastic Product of the Future!

Wow - Been busy recently - not only re-arranging the shop to make yet more space (honestly this place is like a tardis, always more space to be found, you never know what you might find in it and time in it seems to move in funny ways!) but also refreshing the shops websites too!

Yes the digital age is here, no use pretending it's not and ignoring it, which wouldn't work anyway as some of us have been reading ebooks for much longer than Kindles and the like have existed, pda's & now phones are a much better multi tool anyway, however that doesn't stop me buying the real things too! So it's a much better idea just to get on and go with it - so that's what we've done!

Now on our online shop sites of www.lincolnbookshop.co.uk & www.lincolnchristianbookshop.co.uk you will find a new page entitled 'Ebooks, Audio Books & Mp3 Offers' for your delight and delectation, this means even if you have gone 100% Digital you can still support us here locally!

It really is better to Go Local to Go Global - and yes this includes even in the cybersphere!
Local Community and Businesses puts more into the Local Economy, so by going Local you keep your Local area healthier and lots of healthy local areas and economies make a healthy world!

So please do use the sites and maybe put a favourites on them so you go to them everytime you want to make a purchase (Books, Ebooks, Cds, DVDs, Mp3s & lots more too!) each sale through the sites help keep us here and you don't lose out at all as our shop sites always match Amazon price, or other big name online shops!

Don't forget we are not just active online but in the real world too!

Remember that one of our favourite things is to actually see you in person, so please do come visit the shop too!

If you are members of the Community Partnership Scheme then tell your groups about these fantastic prices because if they come in to the shop itself and buy themselves copies of physical product then this will count towards your Schemes total! If you aren't signed up to Scheme then it would be well worth it - it's open to any community group or initiative regardless of size!

Just to let you know these are not the only bargains, come in store and see whats on offer at the minute - 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!

Anyway see you in the shop soon - if it's the real one remember i'm likely the one behind the counter sipping on the Caramal latte - and yes the counter has moved, we moved it to the centre of the shop at the end of September ;-) I'll provide pictures of the new look shop for all the blog watchers once I've finished this new crop of re-arranging!

Ohh and I nearly forgot about the Fantastic product of the Future! Here you go, it really is a fantastic product and I'm wholeheartedly endorsing it:

Happy New Vat Rate! Keep the New Year Cheer!

Happy New Vat Rate!
However as we don't like to bring the New Year down in feel already we have decided to carry the VAT Increase on all current stock ourselves and not change any prices to you, our lovely customers.
So ok it's not much - but it is a little thing we can do to help customers & churches at the start of this New Year!

So that's no increase on Candles, Cards, Gifts, Music, DVD's, Jigsaws, Art & Craft Supplies & Stationary - and of course there never was an increase on books as they are zero rated anyway.

Being honest though when we get new stock in on new increased prices from our suppliers we might have to change some prices - especially as January typically is when the prices from suppliers tend to go up anyway.

So there we go keep on having a Happy New Year and keep your smile going into the year! Oh and don't forget we have our New year Sale on in shop too - so not only haven't prices gone up but they have also gone down on a whole lot of things too!

So see you in the shop soon, I'm going to be the one with the large latte, caramel flavoured of course, to see me smiling through the sale and the new year!

Happy New Year to All of You

I'm taking this time to wish you all, customers, minion types, friends, suppliers, blog readers etc. etc. etc. a very fond and real wish for a Happy and Prosperous New Year.
The old year is nearly over now - it has not been without it's troubles, worries and pains, however more important to remember is that it has not been without its joys, its laughs and its gains, and these surely must count for more in the end balance sheet.
The New Year is just on the horizon with its stories still to tell and reveal, there will of course be some sad and hard times but my prayer and hope for all of us is that these will in the end be more than balanced by the times of Joy, laughter and growth we will experience in the coming days and months ahead.
I shall look forward to seeing you and relating to you all in the coming year and hope that you will come in and bring others, bring friends and that together we can make 2011 a year of true sharing, a year of community and a year of growth for us all.
Have a good New Year celebration and I'll see you Next Year - I'll of course be the one with the Caramel Latte in hand! See you in the shop soon!

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

Advent-Hanukah Celebration -Lincoln Council of Christians & Jews - Tickets Available from Unicorn Tree Books

Advent-Hanukah Celebration -Lincoln Council of Christians & Jews - Tickets Available from Unicorn Tree Books


Faiths unite for festival
JEWS and Christians are coming together next month to celebrate two important festivals from each faith.
Following the success of a similar event in 2008, the Lincoln and District branch of the Council of Christians and Jews is organising a celebration of the Christian season of Advent and the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

The event will be held on Wednesday, December 8, at 6.30pm at the Chapter House of Lincoln Cathedral.
The festivals are not connected, but share common features.
The North Hykeham and District Choral Society and children from the Ellison Boulters Primary School in Scothern are taking part. Chairman of Lincoln CCJ, Steve Griffiths said: "Not only will it encourage spiritual dialogue between Jews and Christians, which is the central purpose of CCJ, but it will further strengthen the close ties between the cathedral and the local Jewish community. "We are enormously encouraged by the commitment of civic and church leaders."

Entrance to the celebration is ticket only, but tickets are free and are available now from Jews' Court, Steep Hill, and Unicorn Tree Books, 35-40 Central Market, Sincil Street, Lincoln.

(As Reported in the Lincoln Echo on Saturday 13th November 2010)

This year I am hoping to be able to keep 2 tickets for me, as I really wanted to go last year but the last person in wanted 3 so I kindly sacrificed my own 2 for them! I'm really hoping not to have to do it this year as everyone kept telling me after how beautiful the celebration was - So do stop in and get your tickets so you don't miss something truly wonderful

Book Signing - Childrens Author & Illustrator Jasper Cooper in UTB with his Artwork & Books on Saturday 20th November at 12noon

Jasper Cooper is the author and illustrator of The Kingdom of Gems trilogy, a Children's Fantasy Adventure Trilogy.

He has visited many schools leaving behind a legacy of inspired children and enthusiastic teachers and is now bringing his display and talents to Unicorn Tree Books & Crafts on Saturday 20th November between 12noon and 2PM when he will be showing some of his original artwork as well as signing copies of his wonderful books!

It will be a great time for Children and Adults so come and meet this wonderful author and illustrator here at Unicorn Tree Books & Crafts - your local independent and community bookshop.

Oh and we appreciate for some of you this might not be exactly your thing but go on do us a favour and tell someone who might like it!

'The Glass Prison - Jasper Cooper

The Dark Wizard Troubler is close to possessing the powerful Candara Gems and the kingdom seems lost to his evil spell. Amalek and Seph have survived their dangerous journey to acquire magical help from the great Wizard Elzaphan.
However, along with the group of courageous animals, including Joog the owl, they must return to face the evil wizard...'

Book Signing by Claire Kinton - All proceeds to Help for Heroes & SSAFA

Book Signing by Claire Kinton author of 'Dead Game' - All proceeds to Help for Heroes & SSAFA
13 November · 12:00 - 14:30 at Unicorn Tree Books, Central Market, Sincil Street, Lincoln. LN5 7ET

Unicorn Tree Books is proud to be hosting a book signing by Claire Kinton, author of Dead Game on Saturday 13th November.
This is the Saturday before Remembrence Sunday and given the subject matter of the book we are happy to say we will be donating all profits from the sale of this book at the signing to Help for Heroes and SSAFA - so please support us and come meet Claire and get your copy of this wonderful book signed on Saturday 13th November between 12noon - 2:30pm.

Dead Game - Claire Kinton
'When Lance Corporal Archie Fletcher’s plane plummets into the Persian Gulf during the Second Gulf War, even his wild imagination could never have primed him for the adventure he must now undertake. With guardian angels, a cursed centaur and mythical saints, Archie battles his way through a feral land called 'Transit'. But 'Dead Game is no easy feat. The fantasy will sweep you away to a parallel world where you will follow Archie’s fateful story full of courageous imagination - confirming that knowing deep within us all that the adventure of life must go on.'

Please come and join us for this free event and tell others about it too!

Minions leave to start own Businesses!

Sorry there's not been much blogging for a few weeks but this bookshop boss is feeling a little hardworked and a tad lost as all the minions have gone! and no it wasn't because i'm an evil world domination planning furniture moving Brain, it's because both my minions have grown up under my loving tutelage (stop sniggering you there off screen at http://www.lincoln-counselling.co.uk/) and gone off to be their own bosses and torture, erm I of course mean recruit! their own legion of minions who in time will desert them and leave them to do all the furniture re-arranging!

Now as we all know the Eunice Minion left to be the boss of '2 by 2 Pets' here in Lincoln Central Market when my own popz retired from it ( then it was known as Al's Pets) and she purchased it, it's nice to see her with her own part time minions & conscripts now.

But in September the Allison Minion also left, she graduated from her 4 years of study to be a top notch counsellor and left to start her own practice, which she officially opened the doors of on 4th October! You can find out all about it by visiting her website: http://www.lincoln-counselling.co.uk/ and we are pretty certain she will do famously and we hope if any of you ever need a counsellor you'd look her up.

So there we go, that's the story of my missing minions, still to come though is the story of my big, all alone (but with the brilliant help of Materialise It Mark for carpentry skills) shop redesign and re-arrange! There's even going to be pictures for that one!

Ok got to go play with the new coffee machine and make my own caramel latte now (no minions to go fetch so had to buy a machine to enable adequate boss functioning!) however feel free to bring me one when you come in and chat - see you soon!

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!

In the Style of ... Steampunk & Victoriana Grunge Collage Craft Day

If you weren't in town on Saturday you missed out on a treat as we were having a great day doing Craft Demo's and sharing idea's on the idea of being In The Style of Steampunk & Victoriana Grunge Collage!
It was great fun and you can see some of the cool fun stuff in the picture - the modded goggles are still in the shop, and they were great fun to do!
In fact so much fun I'm making another pair soon - Have just ordered the base goggles and hope they will be here very soon.
There are still some very cool packs of clockwork pieces in stock too - though minions keep depleting the stocks, naughty minions!
Anyway it was so much fun that I'm thinking we might have a bit of a go again this Saturday, not as organised as last time, a bit more free flow with a come and play vibe perhaps - we'll see how it goes!
The one thing I do know is that this craft demo and inspiration day was great fun and I think we'll perhaps think of having an 'In The Style Of...' Saturday perhaps once a month - especially once we move the shop around again to give the White Table more prominence at some point this september!
So anyway here's a pic and remember to swing by and see the goggles on display or even come in on Saturday and see if we're up to anything and what idea's you can pick up or add in to the mix!
Oh and feel free to bring a coffee by - as you all know by now I'm sure, mines a Caramel Latte!

Steampunk, The Echo & Me!

Made the Echo on page 3 again http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/news/Author-androids-Anna-Karenina-appear-video-link-Lincoln-festival/article-2529609-detail/article.html- just a small little mention about The Book, Android Karenina, that we are going to be at the The Steampunk Festival/Convivial with - Along of course with other Quirk Classics and books!
Costumes are in planning, well ok I'm planning mine - modding my topper and building my goggles being the creative type I am! - though minions already had outfits as they already had full tickets to the event, including the ball, and do real Victorian (and Tudor!) Re-enactment anyway to go with their punkish attitudes!
The Echo lists it as being in October when in point of fact it is in September - so anyone going along please do call in and visit with us in the literature section there in the Lawns - and of course do call in before the event and share the fun that happens in the shop all the while.
Hey there's an idea maybe later in the month we could have a steampunk craft day and do some in shop modding, make a few pairs of googles, practise paint techniques for the aged look, or even just have fun with some victorian papers & assemblage pieces?
let me know if you're up for that and pass on the news to other.
See you in the shop soon - and remember if you want to bring the coffee I'll provide the chat!

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!

New Christian Marketplace Mini Mag - check it out now online -order In Store for the offers!

The fantastic new Christian Marketplace Mini Mag is here 

- full of fantastic reviews and information on new titles of Books, Music and DVD's. 

There's also some great articles as well!

You can check it out online here (if you do an online newsletter then please do add a link to it here) or come in (or contact us) for the real paper editions of the magazine to give out to your congregations and groups.

Now here at Unicorn Tree Books & Crafts (Lincoln's Christian Bookshop) 

we are giving £5.00 off any order from the magazine over £50.00

If you are an individual that's a great deal - but think about it,  if you are a member of a group or church you could use the magazine and the deal to raise some funds for the church or group whilst promoting christian literacy and good music listening too!

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Publisher Software from YUDU

Common Worship 10th Anniversary & a stunning anniversary present!

Standard Edition's only £7.50 instead of £17.50!

 

Here at Unicorn Tree Books we are also offering extra Discounts for orders of 20+ copies!
This is the perfect time to refresh the pew copies for any C of E Church,

so please pass on the word to your local churches!

 

Bonded Leather Edition's are also available reduced from £40 to £15,

now at that price it might be worth treating yourselves :0) 

 

Of course at such a low price for such a high quality item you could perhaps buy in a stock ready to give as Confirmation or Ordination Gifts! 

The White Edition is also perfect for a Bride or as a Wedding gift!  

Again for higher quantity orders we are able to give an extra discount too!

 

Remember as well if you are members of the Church & Community Partnership Scheme then tell your congregation or groups of these fantastic prices because if they come in and buy themselves copies this will count towards your Schemes total!

 

Just to let you know these are not the only bargains in store at the minute - we also have the Lion Summer & Sunday School Promotion in stock, an activity book promotion running and a rather fantastic Childrens Bible & Book promo running  - all with some great quantity discounts and fun mix n match stocks.

 

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! 

 

Join us on Saturday 15th May at 12noon and Meet Jon Rowlands author of The Ninth Paradox!

Join us on Saturday 15th May at 12noon 

for our contribution to the fun that is The Lincoln Book Festival

We are pleased to host Local Author Jon Rowlands

Jon will be talking about and signing copies of his fantastic debut work - 

' The Ninth Paradox' which is a multi-genre timeshift work!

Tell your friends about it and don't miss it! 

This is a free event and a fantastic chance to talk to a first time Author from Lincoln who can tell you all about the process or writing great fiction and getting published.

READuce, READuse, READcycle at Unicorn Tree Books

READuce, READuse, READcycle

Help save the planet, choose secondhand books - and get them from us :0) 

Because we give you a credit against the ones you bring in to us to use against the others you buy from us!

However you can't always buy a secondhand book; someone has to buy it new first for it to become secondhand and if you want to read that fave authors newest book when it comes out then secondhand just isn't likely to be an option, so you can buy that New Book from us first (because we are cheaper than some!) and then when you bring it back you will get a credit on it too, and if the book was purchased from us first then the credit you get will be higher than if you purchased it elsewhere!

Remember when buying books, New or Secondhand, the greenest option is always to take the bus (or walk or cycle!) down to your local Secondhand and New bookshop like us here at Unicorn Tree Books thus saving the shipping CO2 from buying online, but if you can't find it locally then buying secondhand online is still a good bet so please use us at www.lincolnbookshop.co.uk or www.lincolnchristianbookshop.co.uk where you can find New & Secondhand Books (and lots more) and keep supporting your local shops and community as well as doing your bit for the global community.

 

 Go Local to Go Global, local communities supporting local businesses build a better world and support a healthy global economy and network – and make the world just a little bit greener to boot!

 

So looking forward to seeing you and remember mines a Caramel Latte should you be so inclined, and the minions? Macchiato's or Hot Chocolates I do believe! but even without the essential life giving brews we will look forward to seeing you in the shop soon and chatting about the good book your reading or recommended author of the minute :0)

 

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)