Book Deodorizer

One of the most pernicious knids in the last several hundred years of bookselling has been odoriferous books. As all booksellers know, most books stink, but some of them go so far as to smell. It breaks the heart to tear into a lovely milk crate of potentially mortgage- paying volumes only to discover that they have been stored in the back of a disused lavatory along with the owners’ collection of rare molds & spores.

There are many makeshift methods to drive odors out of books, from a dose of sunlight to a good strong coating of Febreze®. But they may work or not work or even damage the invalided book.

So, if you have recently unearthed a nice fat modern first whose mindless half-wit of an owner had a fondness for pellet burning wood stoves and you would like it made more socially acceptable in a reasonable amount of time, I suggest you try my exclusively made Book Deodorizer*. It is made from harmless chemically neutral highly absorbent granules, (with the recent addition of real cedar scent!*) and when put in an air tight container with the convalescent tome it is guaranteed to absorb odor molecules. Length of time necessary for the abrogation of the odor is dictated by the severity of the stench.

Available in either the original clay based or the new biodegradable corn cob-based. There is no risk as each bottle is guaranteed. Hundreds of bottles have been sold over the years with no refunds…as yet.

*We have tried including NO smellum in the product, however since the odor remains in the granules, it gives the distinct impression that nothing is happening; besides cedar is nice and repells bibliovores.

*see: http://www.bookdeodorizer.com

J. Godsey 14 Pleasant St. Methuen, MA 01844

Selling books since 1980 Publisher of Sic, the Book Humor magazine Distributors of “Book Deodorizer” http://www.bookdeodorizer.com

Changes at TitlesDirect.com, Inc.

By: Robin Gutterman robin@titlesdirect.com

Database URLs: http://www.MyOwnBookshop.com and http://www.BookTrakker.com  TitlesDirect.com, Inc., the parent company of MyOwnBookshop.com and the developer of BookTrakker Pro, is pleased to report a number of site changes and recent developments. In the forefront is an announcement concerning SmartSearch, new technology that produces accurate booksearch results.

Introducing SmartSearch Technology TitlesDirect.com has developed new search technology for producing accurate search results. The first implementation of this new technology, coined SmartSearch, is in use on MyOwnBookshop.com’s website and supersedes Advanced Search.

In a recent statement, Robin Gutterman of TitlesDirect.com, Inc., commented, “The accuracy percentages using SmartSearch have far surpassed our original goals. We are confident that SmartSearch provides the most accurate Internet booksearch results to date, opening new dimensions for discerning customers and book collectors. SmartSearch produces highly accurate results even using data previously considered unusable, commonly referred to as “dirty data” by those in the trade. The full scope of its accuracy will become more readily apparent over time as dealers reupload their inventories and refinements are made. This is new technology; we are on new ground. Time will tell how far we can go with it; however, we have a good head start on further refinements.”

MyOwnBookshop.com In other news, MyOwnBookshop.com recently began a new initiative to improve the bottom line for booksellers, streamline book orders, and increase overall site activity. Three significant changes form the base of this altered selling model: the abolishment of fees and commissions on direct orders to dealers; onsite posting of complete bookseller contact information to increase direct orders to dealers; and a new and simple flat fee structure on credit card orders processed by the website.

Fees and commissions on direct-to-dealer orders have been eliminated and website shoppers can view full contact information, as provided, anytime by clicking on Buy From Bookseller. Booksellers lacking their own bookselling websites can take advantage of this opportunity by selling direct to their customers using the MyOwnBookshop.com website.

MyOwnBookshop.com is encouraging booksellers to include their own email addresses, telephone numbers, FAX numbers, and their business website URLs in their onsite contact information.

A simplified fee structure for credit card orders processed by the website became effective November 1, 2003. Briefly stated, the new fee structure, which replaces separate commission and credit card fees, is a flat 16% on site-processed payment with a limit of $50 per order. Chargeback fees on credit card orders processed by MyOwnBookshop.com will not be charged to the bookseller. These cost-cutting measures, coupled with the existing policy of no application and monthly fees, are being implemented to provide an improved and more lucrative selling ground for booksellers.

BookTrakker Pro Automated Internet Bookselling and Inventory Management Software BookTrakker has entered the late-alpha testing stage for its automated Internet bookselling and inventory management software upgrade, BookTrakker Pro Version 3.0. A number of key features and enhancements will debut in this major upgrade to the software, including a quantity field and a speedy shortcut for multiple sales.

In order to provide more value-added services for the book trade, the company is pursuing development of additional software tools for booksellers and collectors. With ISBN Lookup becoming a critical issue for many online booksellers, a stand-alone ISBN Lookup Tool is at the top of the list. The ISBN Lookup Tool would integrate seamlessly with BookTrakker Pro V3.0, as well as 2.0 and 2.1 and can also be used as a stand-alone tool by users of other database programs.

About MyOwnBookshop.com MyOwnBookshop.com is an online marketplace for used and rare books, ephemera, and other unique or unusual items discovered by dealers, and caters to booksellers, collectors and the book buying public. The website is owned and operated by TitlesDirect.com, Inc.

About BookTrakker Pro BookTrakker Pro Software provides automated Internet bookselling and inventory management software for online booksellers, used and rare book dealers and book collectors. BookTrakker offers a no-hassle 30-day Free Trial of the full version of BookTrakker Pro, which provides advanced inventory, wants and contact management and custom catalog creation.

Rozan’s Winter and Night WinsTop 2003 Macavity Mystery Award

Awards for mystery novels and their authors abound! Probably the best known, and most coveted, of those given in the United States are the Edgar All Poe Awards. Chosen by members of the Mystery Writers of America since 1945, they are more commonly known as the “Edgars,”

The Macavity Awards differ from most mystery novel honors in two important respects.

First, readers select the nominees and winners, not a committee or professionals in the field. Each year, members of Mystery Readers International (MRI) nominate and vote for their favorite mysteries in four categories. MRI is the largest mystery fan/reader organization in the world. It is open to all mystery fans, including collectors, critics, editors, publishers and writers. First and foremost, however, all are mystery readers.

Second, the Macavity name obviously is a tad unusual. Most other awards are named for people (Edgar Allan Poe, Agatha Christie, Anthony Boucher, Canadian Crime Writers Arthur Ellis Awards, et al) or bear titles like the Shamus or Dagger Awards, The Macavity Awards, however, are named for the “mystery cat” of T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.

Started by Janet A. Rudolph, Berkeley, California, MRI now has members in all 50 of the United States and 18 foreign countries. Members have been voting to select Macavity winners each year since 1987.

Here is the list of 2003 awards (for books published during 2002) by category, with title, author and publisher. Nominees are also listed in each category.

Best Mystery Novel: Winter and Night by S.J. Rozan (St. Martin’s Minotaur). She beat out serious competition as the list of the other nominees indicates:

• Nine by Jan Burke (Simon & Schuster)

• Savannah Blues by Mary Kay Andrews (Harper Collins)

• City of Bones by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown)

• Jolie Blon’s Bounce by James Lee Burke (Simon & Schuster)

Best First Mystery Novel: In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming (St. Martin’s Minotaur). Other nominees:

• A Valley To Die For by Radine Trees Nehring (St. Kitts Press)

• The Blue Edge of Midnight by Jonathon King (Dutton)

• The Distance by Eddie Muller (Scribner)

• The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Crime Fiction edited by Mike Ashley (Carroll & Graf

• The Art of Noir: The Posters and Graphics from the Classic Era of Film Noir by Eddie Muller (Overlook Press)

• Intent to Sell: Marketing the Genre Novel by Jeff Marks (Deadly Alibi Press)

Best Mystery Short Story: “Voice Mail” by Janet Dawson (Scam and Eggs, Five Star).

Other nominees:

• “Boot Scoot” by Diana Deverell (AHMM, October 2002)

• “The Adventure of the Rara Avis“ by Carolyn Wheat (Murder, My Dear Watson, edited by Martin H. Greenberg, Jon Lellenberg & Daniel Stashower; Carroll & Graf)

• “An Empire’s Reach” by Brendan DuBois (AHMM, Nov 2002)

• “Too Many Cooks” by Marcia Talley (Much Ado About Murder, edited by Anne Perry, Berkley Prime Crime)

• “Bible Belt” by Toni L.P. Kelner (EQMM, June 2002)

Winners in 2002 were:

• Best Mystery Novel: Folly by Laurie R. King (Bantam)

• Best First Mystery Novel: Open Season by C. J. Box (G.P. Putnam’s)

• Best Bio/Critical Mystery Work: Writing the Mystery: A Start to Finish Guide for Both Novice and Professional by G. Miki Hayden (Intrigue)

• Best Mystery Short Story: “The Abbey Ghosts” by Jan Burke (AHMM, Jan 2001)

• Notable nominees and award winners in previous years include:

• Blood Work by Michael Connelly (Best Mystery Novel of 1999)

• Trunk Music by Michael Connelly (1998 Nominee)

• Killing Floor by Lee Child (1998 Nominee)

• Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich (1997 Nominee)

• Under the Beetle’s Cellar by Mary Willis Walker (Best Mystery Novel of 1996)

• The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly (1996 Nominee)

• She Walks These Hills by Sharyn McCrumb (Best Mystery Novel of 1995)

• The Sculptress by Minette Walters (Best Mystery Novel of 1994)

• A Thief of Time by Tony Hillerman (Best Mystery Novel of 1989)