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How-To Tuesday: Different Kinds of Book Covers and When to Use Them

via Etsy

Book covers are awesome. If you haven't wrapped a book since your elementary school days, I'm going to give you some reasons to do it again. 

Before that though, let's briefly talk about kinds of book covers. There are different types for different occasions and personalities, after all. You've got the clear plastic by the roll and plain ol' paper bags (nifty tutorial for that one here!), wrapping paper, bits of newspaper, maps, and all manner of foldable (or knittable!) things to decorate your book with.

And then of course, you've got the pre-made elastic book covers you can buy by the buttload if you aren't a DIY sort of person. The possibilities are endless. But there are, nonetheless, so many fun ways to cover your books. 

Now, hear me out on when's a good time to use book covers.

Posted by Kristina Pino

Seven Literary YouTube Channels You Should Subscribe To

Believe it or not, YouTube is filled with literary content. For those of us who enjoy the added audio and visuals, head on over to YouTube to watch book reviews, learn about classic literature, and fangirl/fanboy about the latest literary adaptation.

Posted by Maria Vicente

A Trip to Sucher & Sons Star Wars Shop

May the Fourth be with you! It’s a sentiment that was used not long after Star Wars first came out in 1977, with the first alleged reference coming from England in 1979 after Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister. An advertisement was released stating "May the Fourth Be with You, Maggie. Congratulations.

It seems like an odd way for this phrase to be recorded for the first time, but I’m sure it had been bandied about before that. It wasn’t until 2011, however, that the first organized celebration of Star Wars Day on May 4th took place in Toronto.

But I’m not here to talk about Star Wars Day in particular. Many people are going to be writing about it and celebrating today. What I would like to share with you is one of the most fascinating and fun places I’ve ever been to, Sucher & Sons Star Wars Shop.

Posted by Brian Morell

How to be Awesome on Free Comic Book Day

Image via NPR

Free Comic Book Day is almost upon us! It occurs on Saturday, May 3rd this year, so now's a great time to talk about how you can be awesome on that day.

The whole point of FCBD is to bring in new (or distanced) fans of any age, while also potentially bringing in new business to local comic book shops. It's also kind of a thank you from the comic shops to the fans in the area for keeping them afloat. It should be a fun (and safe) day for everyone involved. It's the day that, while supplies last, you can walk into a participating comics store and grab select books (this is important – the free books are specifically made for this event) for zero dollars, which is pretty dang sweet.

Of course, any time you've got hordes of people cramming into small spaces for free stuff, things can go south pretty easily. Here are five easy steps to avoid being a jerk:

Posted by Kristina Pino

6 TV Shows That Are Actually Books (& Why You Should Probably Read Them)

Tyrion approves of your plans to do some reading.

Book adaptations are wonderful things. Seeing our favorite characters and settings come to life is a rare occurrence. However, there is a certain charm and authenticity in the written word, which is why you should probably pick up the original books if you watch any of the following TV shows.

Posted by Maria Vicente

Ten Fictional Characters Inspired by Real People

Despite being fictional, literary characters are near and dear to our hearts. But sometimes, those fictional characters turn out to not be so fictional after all. Yes, even famous whales and grumpy Potions professors have ties to living, breathing things. It's art imitating life in the most literal sense. Or rather, art stealing bits of life. Here are ten incredible examples.

Posted by Cassie Rose