Dark and Stormy Book Swap

Reader Beware, You're In for a Scare!!!!


With World Book Night being such a blast this year at Arcadia, we've decided to do it all again, with a spooky themed book swap to celebrate Halloween.

Bring your favourite scary stories, vampire thrillers, werewolf chillers or witchy fiction.

Whether you love Point Horrors, are enthralled by the weird creepy world or Stephen King, or love your True Blood, all book tastes will be catered for as ever. I'll be filling up the Travelling Suitcase Library with as many scary stories as I can lay my hands on.

Arcadia will be serving Spooky Snacks on the menu to compliment the evening from 5-8, and the book swap will probably go on till about 9 ish.

We'll see you there! Wednesday 31 October from 5-9 ish,
Arcadia Ale and Wine Bar, Arndale Centre, Headingley

Arcadia does not allow anyone wearing fancy dress in the pub, this isn't cos they're mean, its a licencing thing, so please please please don't come in fancy dress cos you won't get served or be able to swap any books!

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Hearty Words @ Love Arts Festival

Reading is proven to improve mental health, heck reading probably improves your disgestion that's how good for you it is. Trying to make people happy is a big thing for the Travelling Suitcase Library and that's why I'm really pleased to help promote Leeds Libraries #heartywords project, that aims to share those books that make your heart sing around Leeds.

Leeds Libraries and Love Arts Festival are starting a conversation to unearth the books that mean the most to people in Leeds. They are inviting you to thinkabout which reads have uplifted, soothed, inspired, challenged or moved you and to talk about them.

One of the best bits about a book swap is the talking (and often laughter) that goes with it. We would love to know what makes specific books special toyou and why you would share them with someone else.

To get involved,  join the debate on Twitter #heartywords, post your thoughts on the Leeds Libraries  Facebook Page  www.facebook.com/leedslibraries and look out for special postcards in libraries, on mobile libraries and at Love Arts festival events.

The industrious librarians will be collecting your choice of book (and it can be any genre, any type) and creating a longlist in November to see whether people share some of the same choices. In December, they will shortlist and produce book displays with copies in library branches across the city. Visit your local library to see if your book is included.

My personal books that always cheer me up I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith and Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. I'm looking forward to finding out everyone elses.

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Guilty Pleasures Book Swap @ Dock Street Market

The Travelling Suitcase Library Presents...

The Guilty Pleasure Book Swap
Dock Street Market, Dock Street
Wednesday 29 August 6-8 pm ish
NO "proper" BOOKS ALLOWED*

JACKIE COLLINS, BABYSITTER'S CLUB, POINT HORROR, ANDY MCGUNS, SWEET VALLEY HIGH, CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE, SCI-FI NONSENCE, MISERYOGRAPHIES, CELEB BOLLOCKS, DRAGONS!, ETC ETC ETC

• Beats ‘n’ Books with @Decknologist and his ‘wax’
• ‘Worst Cover’ competition-bring your favourite ‘worst’ sci-fi, fantasy or romance cover and win CAKE
• Meet other lovers of good old fashioned trash in a non-judgemental, social space!
T: @BookElfLeeds or E: bookelfleeds@gmail.com for more info

*“But Jess, surely by using this phrase you are further perpetrating the myth that there is a divide between what it literary and what is read for pleasure, further othering reading as an acceptable social activity, playing into the hands of the snobbish elite that want to create a “literarti” that only serves the few”. Yeah, probably. Come to the book swap.

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Recommended Reads at the Ryedale Book Festival

On Saturday 20 October I am extremely chuffed to announce I will be hosting a 'Recommended Reads' session at the Ryedale Book Festival, in Malton.

The aim of the session is to talk about a range of books that I love, from Cold Comfort Farm to Game of Thrones, and encourage others to talk about their favourite books, in an open, safe and non-judgemental environment.

Although reading as a hobby is bigger than ever, there are book clubs galore and Lit Fests popping up all over the shop, talking about the books you love, rather than the books you've been told to read, can be quite a scary experience-what if no one else likes it? What if you say the wrong thing?

This workshop will try to end your fears! There are no 'wrong' books, and if you just want to come along and learn a bit more about why reading is so important, and gain some inspiration from others then you can!

The workshop is from 2 pm and is held in the Milton Rooms. Tickets will be available from the 1 September, you can find more information by ringing the Malton Tourist Information Centre on 01653 600 048. Or find more information by visiting www.ryedalebookfestival.com

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Disclaimer...

In a recent article in the Yorkshire Evening Post, it says I work at Keighley College. I have to say that I don't work at Keighley College, I work at Leeds City College, Keighley Campus.

Sorry about any confusion!

Jess

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Guilty Pleasure @ Dock Street Market

 The Travelling Suitcase Library Presents...
The Guilty Pleasure Book Swap

Dock Street Market, Dock Street
Wednesday 13th June 7-9 pm ish

NO "proper" BOOKS ALLOWED*

JACKIE COLLINS, BABYSITTER'S CLUB, POINT HORROR, ANDY MCGUNS, SWEET VALLEY HIGH, CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE, SCI-FI NONSENCE, MISERYOGRAPHIES, CELEB BOLLOCKS, DRAGONS!, ETC ETC ETC

• Beats ‘n’ Books with @Decknologist and his ‘wax’


• ‘Worst Cover’ competition-bring your favourite ‘worst’ sci-fi, fantasy or romance cover and win CAKE

• Meet other lovers of good old fashioned trash in a non-judgemental, social space!

T: @BookElfLeeds or E: bookelfleeds@gmail.com for more info

 
 
*“But Jess, surely by using this phrase you are further perpetrating the myth that there is a divide between what it literary and what is read for pleasure, further othering reading as an acceptable social activity, playing into the hands of the snobbish elite that want to create a “literarti” that only serves the few”.  Yeah, probably. Come to the book swap.

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World Book Night at Arcadia

(I have taken photos. Just as soon as I can figure how to get them onto my computer, this piece will include photos...)

World Book Night is fast becoming My Favourite Night Of The Year. After we stormed it last year at Arcadia, I was incredibly nervous about doing it all over again this year. For one thing, the event is a lot BIGGER (which is of course fantastic) and a lot more events were happening all over Leeds, so the competition was intense. Also, how the hell was I supposed to promote an event on a Monday????

Of course all my fears were unfounded because it turns out that people just chuffing love books, and more importantly love booze and books, so a jam packed pub enjoyed a heady night of both.

Oh yes, and there was a buffet.

We started out with a table full of The Player of Games by Iain M Banks, donated by my gorgeous and wonderful friend Matt who was a bloody rock throughout, and was happy to talk about the wonder of reading and introduce the concept of the Travelling Suitcase Library whilst I was busy flapping around put bits of cheese on sticks. I was giving away one of my favourite books I Capture The Castle by Dodie. Later in the evening the lovely Gemma donated her book, Touching The Void. Gemma is a climber herself and had already given some to her climbing friends, a great idea and I hope it goes well!

Then the lovely L donated her copies of Let The Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist (who I was very excited to discover has a new book out!!! I love his writing, even though it is terrifying!).

And there were so many more! I was flitting about all over the pub for most of the evening (we managed to take it all over, even so far as making the quiz upstairs do a book round! Thanks Will!) and so didn't even get to properly meet some of the givers, but thank you to all who contributed copies of How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff, Misery by Stephen King, Notes From a Small Island by Bill Bryson, even more Player of Games, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. We gave away an estimated 200 World Book Night Books in the end. Thanks especially to the Leeds Library Service who turned up promoting their event The Big Bookend in June (of which more later...) and let me rant about the promotion of reading for pleasure by librarians for a while...bliss! It was lovely to meet every single one of you.

On the other side of the room, a marvellous thing was happening. Not only was tonight a World Book Night event, but the Travelling Suitcase Library was propping up the bar too in its own quiet unassuming way. Fisticusfts were breaking out over the massive range of books being swapped, as people turned up with a bag full, and took two away. About 300 books must have been passed through that suitcase, which is looking a little battered, by the end of the night!

Again, it was marvellous to have such interesting conversations with such a range of people about books-I especially loved the couple arguing over Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and whether Jane Eyre was a horror already or not. I also got to do my favourite thing in the world and mock ridiculous scifi covers with the lovely Leigh of The Good Stuff blog. Oh and drink heavily. The Ram Tam was delicious, Arcadia, thank you.

There was such a range of people at the event! Regulars, locals, students, Buns and Roses WI ladies who made me feel very unstylish, The Yorkshire Rad Fat Society (all power to you!), scifi nerds who got to geekgasm over the lack of a spaceship on a cover, vintage lovelies squealing over who they want to be more, Topaz or Cassandra (Topaz, always Topaz), sporty types, booky types, not-so-booky types. Every single one left with a pile of books. My quote of the night has to go to my friend Chris, who saw a book from the Travelling Suitcase Library, read the 'grrrr guns' cover, and said 'it's by a Marine! That's going in MY pocket'.

THANK YOUS

To Jane and Alex from http://www.forbookssake.net/ for a lovely afternoon in Cafe164, and for Sara for letting me do a book swap there.
To Arcadia, for once again proving that it's not just a pub, it's a family. Tom, Pyke and Sarah you guys were STARS and BRILLIANT, and Rhian, thank you xx
To L, C and C, for listening to my every more nervous rants, and appreciating my buffet efforts. I love you guys and I really hope you enjoy your holiday books!
To J, L, W, L, L, H and A, for the giggles and for ignoring me when I'd had a few!
The Barbara and the Leeds Libraries, you rock beyond measure.
To L and D, thank you for the cake and congratulations!
To K for Lifts and Dips (recipe PLEASE)
To M for everything xxx
And to everyone who turned out on a Wet Monday Night, to celebrate reading for pleasure! Thank you!

Jess xxx

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World Book Night @ Arcadia

The Travelling Suitcase Library Presents…

A World Book Night Party!
At Arcadia
Monday 23 April from 7 pm

We will be giving away books from the World Book Night selection, as well as the HUGE Travelling Suitcase Library.

Got books to donate/swap?
Registered as a book giver?
Please feel free to join us!

Email: bookelfleeds@gmail.com Tweet: @BookElfLeeds
#WBN #worldbooknight #ArcadiaWBN

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TSL @ TJ's

I've been invited to have a bookswap at the Oblong fundraiser this Friday 16 March, at TJ's in Woodhouse. The event will be going on all night, and includes local bands, DJs and circus acts. It's £3 in, and all goes towards the community centre in Woodhouse, that provides courses and activities for the local community.

I'll be honest, my basic plan is to bring the suitcase, dump it in the corner with a big sign saying FREE BOOKS on it and drink heavily, but anyone fancying finding me and having a long and involved conversation about the reemergence of the hero in YA fiction, whilst buying me double gins, is more that welcome to do so!

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Book Swap at a Clothes Swap....

...what a delightful scheme!

The gorgeous and lovely people at the incredible Plus Sized Clothes Swap have kindly invited the Travelling Suitcase Library to have a book swap at the event.

Taking place in Wharf Chambers (behind the Corn Exchange) on Sunday 25 March from 1-5 pm ish, this event will include alterations and skills sharing work shops, a library of fat positive and body positive books and zines for you to peruse and cakes and tea for munching.
It's £1 entry and, having been to the previous clothes swap in the Pack Horse back in November, I can guarantee its a worthy day out. I swapped stuff that I didn't wear anymore for some gorgeous things, including a pair of jeans and a pair of shoes I'm wearing as I type this!

Masculine and feminine clothing is all on, and this is a body positive space. The Travelling Suitcase Library doesn't like people who don't do body positivity so I ask anyone wanting to come to be massively respectful of that.

So bring your books, and your boots!

xxx

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World Book Night and the Travelling Suitcase Library

It's been a quiet few months for the Travelling Suitcase Library, which I'm really sorry for. Personal events have meant I've been all over the place the beginning of this year, but we're back on track now and know that you all have thousands of books simply begging to be swapped!

World Book Night is on the 23 April (I know, it's a Monday...) this year and I'm really chuffed to have been chosen as a giver. I've got LOADS of plans for the Night in conjunction with my old friends at Arcadia Bar, but more of that later....first of all a small plug for the events during the day...

In conjunction with For Books' Sake, the website celebrating writing by and for women, and Leeds' loveliest purveyor of fine brownies, Cafe164, the Travelling Suitcase Library will be hosting a good old fashioned Book Swap on the afternoon of 23 April from 2pm onwards. Bring your tomes for a cup of tea, a lovely cake and a chat about why reading rocks.

Then, from 6pm, recruit your cleverest cohorts and come to the first ever Leeds edition of the For Books' Sake Quiz, complete with cake, booze and prizes at Cafe 164. The quiz will be World Book Night themed. You can book your team in advance my emailing sara@cafe164.com

I'll be blogging later will my full (very full) diary of events for the day, but the afternoon book swap promises to be a real treat, and I can't wait! My Suitcase is literally BURSTING with books waiting to be swapped so BRING YOUR TOMES!!!!

Happy reading!
Jess xxx

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