I’m living (part of) my dreams.

in Random Crap

So Nowhere Bookshop is still not open to the public because of the plague but instead of being sad about that I’m focusing on the positives, because honestly, there are quite a few…

From last night:

And this morning:

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I was never in a real book club. No one asked me to be in one and that was for the best bc I’m a bit hermity and I don’t like to leave my house. But I always wanted to be in one and I hoped that at least a few people would join The Fantastic Strangelings Book Club when I started it even though it’s all just online and there are no deadlines on reading the books. There are now a few thousand members, which I can’t even wrap my head around. We’ve had Q&As with authors and did ridiculous and wonderful zoom meetings with @bitchesgottaeat and @thissielomas. This month I picked a book (so dark and distracting…I think you’ll love it) but the publisher wasn’t really prepared to have sold an unexpected few thousand extra books (which is a wonderful problem to have) right out of the gate but they were so excited that they created a special printing just for us…and when you look inside, this is what you see. It’s probably dumb but I cried when I got my copy today. I’m still hermity and I still am too anxious to join a book club that meets in real life but we’ve created our own bizarre community that is lovely, and fun and is making a real difference to authors during a time when it’s harder to be an author. It’s also sustaining @nowherebookshop and our team even when we can’t open our doors. All this to say, I’m feeling pretty fucking lucky all things considered.

A post shared by Jenny Lawson (@thebloggess) on

So thank you, whether you’re an official member of the Fantastic Strangelings or an honorary one.

I super crazy love you.

********

Shit I made in my shop (Named “EIGHT POUNDS OF UNCUT COCAINE” so that your credit card bill will be more interesting.):

Shit-you-may-or-may-not-want-to-see:

This week’s wrap-up is brought to you by StoryWorth, who I super love.  It makes an amazing Father’s Day gift and it’s one of the best gifts I’ve ever given my parents. From them:” These days it’s more important than ever to stay in touch with your loved ones. If your phone calls with family are starting to sound repetitive, StoryWorth is a great way to prompt meaningful conversations. Once a week for a year, they’ll receive an email with a question about their life. All they have to do is reply with a story, which is forwarded to you and any other family members you invite. After a year, their stories are bound in a beautiful keepsake book your family will cherish!”  For real, I’ve done it for both my parents and it is fantastic.  Plus it’s a really good distraction.  Click here and you’ll get $10 off.  

51 thoughts on “I’m living (part of) my dreams.”

Read comments below or add one.

  3. The honor is mine. This is the PERFECT book club because when my quarantine house of people felt too claustrophobic I could dive into the book(s) and raise a hand to their chatter, “Sorry, book club.” And the books have been amazing – things I might not have chosen. It was time to get out of my comfort zone from within my comfort zone. The virtual author meetings have been FANTASTIC (Elizabeth runs a tight ship – resources galore) and I have ordered books off the NBS link instead of Amazon to support your shop. The only thing missing is a members-only tshirt which I’m sure is a pain to figure out and might exclude people who are honorary. We can’t have that exclusion stuff in this book club unless you are a hater, to my delight none of which have appeared in this Bloggess Tribe. I don’t like leaving my house but I want to get on a plane and walk in the shop once it’s open. That’s how empowering you are. Xoxo

  4. Have you read “Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?” by Caitlin Daughty? She is an undertaker who makes really cool videos also.

  5. Can’t wait for the new book! Is there a link where we can watch the last zoom meeting?

  7. The bookstore is GORGEOUS!

    If you haven’t ordered “Sharks In the Time of Saviors,” I so highly recommend it. It’s an exquisite read!

  8. OK, seriously awesome. I have books signed by authors for me but never have I had a book signed by a publisher! This book is NEVER leaving me. Ready to move to San Antonio except for the house and the husband part..they will never leave MN, but we _could_visit.

  9. OH MY! I decided to brave a “real” bookclub at the very same time that I joined yours and after one meeting I was kicked out…so grateful that I won’t be thrown out of your club.

  10. It made me cry , too❣️ Happy tears because it is such a sweet gesture.

  11. Jenny! Jenny! Jenny!
    This is so awesome!!! I love how you can see the book covers. It drives me nuts trying to choose books just by spines alone.
    I’ve told my husband that we’re going to Texas when the Plague is over. He just looked at me like I’m nuts. Then I explained that we need to visit your bookstore. He just looked at me like I’m nuts. He does that a lot, to be honest.
    Can’t wait to get my special Fantastic Strangelings copy this week!!! I’ll probably cry for you too when I open it. 🙂

  13. Omfg this is awesome. I’m so happy for you!!!!!! I can’t wait till you open and I can take a road trip to see the store. I’m in Cali and am so looking forward to driving to see the store even tho I hate driving luv ya Bella

  16. Hmm, can I order this book with its imprint as a gift for my wonderful son who lives in Austin? Or not?

  17. Jenny, you cast a spell over everyone … even the publishers. This is beyond awesome.

  22. I love the progress you’ve made in the bookstore. Look at how far you’ve come! And isn’t it nice that you can hide out in your very own bookstore all to yourself.

    On another note….
    The “this is old, but still awesome” “guy on a buffalo” video…. I was so upset. I know you just thought it was funny, and didn’t realize how offensive it was so so many levels. But …..buffalos are wild animals and not domesticated and should never be ridden. The guy dressed as a cowboy who has a guy dressed up as a Native American stereotype shooting at him so the cowboy hits him over the head is incredibly racist and violent stereotyping of the Native American experience which often depicts the indigenous people as the aggressor when it is Europeans who invaded, displaced and systematically infected Native people with smallpox, purposefully gave them alcohol when they knew indigenous people had no tolerance to it, and murdered thousands and thousands of Native tribes, drove them off their ancestral lands, and forced them to live in ever shrinking reservations. To this day, Native people are being denied the right to vote, been forced to allow pipelines to go through their reservations, had their water sources polluted, don’t have running water or electricity on some reservations, have been denied the right to own land, have had their sacred spaces destroyed for developers and tourist attractions, had hazardous waste buried in them, had them mined under for mineral rights. This video is one of the worst examples of white privilege and arrogance and entitlement I’ve seen in a long time.
    I’m sure you didn’t realize the damage and pain this sort of imagery creates, but it’s time to be more sensitive to how much “harmless fun” this sort of nonsense causes to all of us as a society.
    I hope you will think more carefully in the future about what links you post in the future and view it from the thought of “is this a stereotype?” “Does this exploit anyone or any being?”
    I know you will be mortified when you realize this, but I know it wasn’t intentional on your part, and I still love you. Systemic racism and discrimination very sneaky in it’s use of popular culture and imagery to reinforce a belief system that it supports. We are all touched by its poison and unthinkingly are delighted by its entertainment value. We have to think more critically about what we read and what we view.

  24. @Heather Feather – Thank you for saying what I was trying to figure out how to say.

  26. I have a Rory faces mask, but I want a Nowhere bookshop face mask, like the cat sculpture wears.

  28. Still holding out hope you’ll consider adding a second book club for those of us who can’t handle creepy non-fiction, or creepy fiction that’s creeping too close to reality. (Aliens and time travel? Scary but safe. Pandemics and true crime? Hell to the no!)

  31. The store looks amazing! I hope to visit one day.
    Also, want to buy a pair of all those socks on display! 😁

  34. OMG that’s an actual dream come true to be locked in the bookstore alone!

  35. Is the special imprint for June’s book or July’s? Because my June book did not have it — which would have been fine if I hadn’t been expecting it…

  36. Like Disneyland only better. High on my list of best places ever. Bookstore, Lego store, Music/video store, Coffee store. Porsche dealership.

  37. Dear Jenny and The Strangeling Community,
    My dearest friend has followed this blog for seven years and recently started sharing links to her favorite posts. I was completely hooked when I read “This is Exactly Why I Wanted a Bookstore. I read all the posts (and the comments) about the creation of Nowhere Bookshop.
    Who knew there were so many people who feel and think as I do? Magical Bookstores made real! Delightfully Wacky Happenings! Whimsy! I feel as though I have found my long lost tribe.
    Since having a bookstore exactly like Nowhere Bookshop is my own fantasy, I bought myself one of your baseball shirts and a pin to express my support. I love them both, and will wear them proudly.
    The pin is Is gorgeous, and of excellent quality. There’s a pottery studio in Minneapolis that provides the souvenir drink ware for the Georgia Renaissance Festival, and I have collected their mugs and chalices for years. Each mug has a scrimshaw style medallion with artwork debossed on it. The pin design would look absolutely marvelous! If I had a bookshop cafe, this is where I’d get my coffee and beer mugs. https://greyfoxpottery.com/

    Jenny, your bookshop will definitely be a destination for a Girlfriend reunion, Can’t wait!
    Proud to be an Honorary Strangeling.

  38. I’m kicking myself now because I canceled my Strangeling subscription to save up money thanks to COVID and now I wish I hadn’t because a special edition books is so awesome!! Damn you COVID and expenses!!

  39. I was having a totally crappy day – then the mail arrived…my book arrived – a book printed just for me – Thank You for bring a smile to my day

  42. This was my first month of being a Strangeling and I have to think I picked the perfect month. I just spent the entire day reading They Did Bad Things cover-to-cover, in one sitting. It’s been a long time since I did that for an unknown author, and even longer for one outside my usual genre. So brava to Ms. Lorry for writing a phenomenal work, and brava to you, Jenny, for picking it. Can’t wait for next month!

  51. Who knew there were so many people who feel and think as I do? Magical Bookstores made real! Delightfully Wacky Happenings! Whimsy! I feel as though I have found my long lost tribe.
    Since having a bookstore exactly like Nowhere Bookshop is my own fantasy, I bought myself one of your baseball shirts and a pin to express my support. I love them both, and will wear them proudly.http://www.ceramic-mug.cn/

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