Accidental Autographs: How does this even happen?

Yesterday, my friend and I weathered the impending thunderstorm and went out for one of our regular coffee and cupcake outings. She had been telling me that a book that I had recently checked out of the library, read, and loved (specifically, Clockwork Angel) had been spotted at Books-A-Million for the clearance price of $6.97. How could I resist? We decided to make a quick stop and, sure enough, there were three copies left. I found the copy that I thought was in the best shape and happily bought it, along with one more book that I couldn't turn down. Here is where things get surprising. Later that evening, I sat down before bed to admire my new clearance finds. As I carefully peeled off the clearance price sticker, I noticed a small gold sticker a lot like this:

(image found here, at Waxcreative Design)




My response? I'll admit it: I gasped, "squeeeed," and danced around. Then, I second-guessed. Surely this must be some mistake. Why would BAM put an autographed book on clearance? I had never seen such a thing before. No, I'd just check inside to see if there was actually a signature. I found this:

I thought I was going to keel over right then and there. How? Why? If this one is autographed, what does that mean about the remaining two books still sitting on the shelf? I texted my friend (who is a big Cassandra Clare fan) and shared the surprise. Her response was, of course, "What?!?!?" I couldn't have said it better, myself

Coffee shops, tornado shelters, and Books-A-Million, oh, my!

It has been quite the day. My French class was cancelled unexpectedly, so I was able to go to my favorite coffee shop and read until my friend arrived to chat for a bit. I read the first fifty pages of Tyger Tyger while I enjoyed an iced mocha and a Black Sheep cupcake (dark chocolate cupcake with chocolate mousse filling and a dark chocolate ganache). I enjoyed the cupcake and I think I am really going to enjoy the book.

After lunch, I headed out to my second class of the day. It had been an overcast, windy day and it was about to get worse. As soon as I reached the doors to my building, the tornado sirens went off. Then, the building's alert system activated and I was stuck in the stifling, over-crowded basement for an hour and fifteen minutes. Needless to say, my second class was eventually let out early.

The second best part of the day was going to Books-A-Million with a dear friend of mine. We perused the YA and general fiction sections, as well as the clearance tables. I splurged and snagged several that have been on my to-buy list for weeks now. I got five in all, two of which I was thrilled to find on the clearance table. I'll save all of that for another day, though. I've got to have something to post for In My Mailbox on Sunday, after all!

In My Mailbox - March 13, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme from The Story Siren where you can share your new acquisitions. They can come from anywhere: through the mail, via the library, purchased from a store, or downloaded as ebooks. It's up to you!

We took our daughter to the zoo today, so we had the perfect opportunity to take some cookbooks and movies we were no longer using to McKay Used Books, a wonderful used book and media chain in TN. I did very well. I got a voucher for $62.50 trade credit and used all but $0.75 of it! All but 2 movies and 2 books I got for my husband were books for myself. I was so excited by the books I found. Hold onto your hats, because this is going to be a long post!

Purchased at McKay Today

Jane and the Man of the Cloth, Being the Second Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron, purchased for $4.50 trade credit










Jane and the Wandering Eye, Being the Third Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron, purchased for $3.95 trade credit










Jane and the Genius of the Place, Being the Fourth Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron, purchased for $3.95 trade credit










Jane and the Stillroom Maid, Being the Fifth Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron, purchased for $4.50 trade credit










Jane and the Prisoner of the Wool House, Being the Sixth Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron, purchased for $4.50 trade credit










The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff, purchased for $5.25 trade credit









Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange, purchased for $5.00 trade credit










The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen: A Novel by Syrie James, purchased for $3.25 trade credit









Becoming Jane Austen: A Novel by Sheila Kohler, purchased for $2.00 trade credit










Edmund Bertram's Diary: A Novel by Amanda Grange, purchased for $3.00 trade credit









Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One by Sharon Lathan, purchased for $5.00 trade credit










NOOK E-books

Bone Rattler: A Mystery of Colonial America by Eliot Pattison, free download










How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks, free download










Amazon Orders

Elinor & Marianne: A Sequel to Sense and Sensibility by Emma Tennant











The Third Sister by Julia Barrett

Insomnia + Irritation With the Book I'm Reading + Leftover Swagbucks Amazon Gift Card Balance =

late-night online shopping. I've been unable to find any of the books I have on my to-read list for the Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge in either of the libraries here, so I did some digging on B&N.com and Amazon. I struck pay dirt with uber cheap copies of:

The Third Sister by Julia Barrett


and Elinor and Marianne: A Sequel to Sense and Sensibility by Emma Tennant.


As for the rest of my list, I'd better get cracking on earning more Amazon gift cards through Swagbucks and another B&N gift card through MyPoints if I'm going to procure them all by the end of the year. I know I'll have access to the Jane Austen mysteries when we move back to the 'Boro in August, but I'm not so sure about the rest of them.

Speaking of my to-read list, the overall list on Goodreads has reached insanely epic proportions. It would probably take a lifetime for me to read them all, but I'm nothing if not ambitious when it comes to reading. The more the merrier.