Meet Alex: Graphic designer, DVD collector, literary enthusiast

Recently, my iPod nano decided to up and die on me. Apparently, Apple products are not invincible, despite what their employees and devoted fans imply. It’s impossible for me to work out (or live, for that matter) without music. So the same day, I went to Fry’s Electronics to grab a replacement.

If you’ve ever been to Fry’s on a weekend, you’ve pretty much entered my own personal hell. It’s hot, it’s crowded, people are eating snacks in line, and 9 times out of 10 there’s a screaming kid within earshot. Unless you’re a total masochist, do yourself a favor and go on a weekday during your lunch.

I spotted Alex Gutierrez holding a stack of DVD’s while waiting in line for a cashier and did my best not to stare. Unfortunately that can be difficult when someone is directly in front of you and you’re trying to avoid impulse buys on surrounding shelves. I’m sure someone somewhere needs a Pillow Pet and Almond Roca, just not me. While trying not to burn a hole in his back, two things specifically caught my eye. “The Crow” on Blu Ray (don’t ask) and a beat up copy of ‘Story of the Eye’ by Georges Bataille poking out of the back pocket of his jeans. Wasn’t Bataille’s work banned? I couldn’t help myself…

When i was in art school, we had to read Concerning the Spiritual in Art by Wassily Kandinsky for a studio class. It completely changed how i approached and looked at art. Kandinsky was an amazing painter, but i really had no appreciation for him until i read that book. It’s his manifesto. He placed huge significance on these four elements: Line, Color, Composition, and Form. Which can be applied just as easily to abstract or figurative work.

Denis Johnson, particularly from his book, Jesus’ Son. The way he describes situations with an almost dream-like timeline is very relatable to how my memory works. He can find beauty in a totally insignificant “normal” situation. The narrator has a tendency to make terrible decisions without malicious intent. Sort of absent minded, but on some kind of weird road to enlightenment.

Hopefully heaven or reincarnation. or something cool. if there’s nothing, then it’s sort of like, what’s the point. i feel like art and creativity are proof that we’re more than just hollow organisms. like, i feel like we have souls, and when our bodies die, our soul moves on. i dunno, i’m not religious, it’s just something i’ve always felt was real.

No, i’m a terrible writer. maybe not terrible, but definitely not good enough to pursue it.

Sal Paradise in On The Road, probably. The thought of road tripping across America, to Mexico, etc… especially around that time period (late 40s, early 50s) would be incredible.

I’ve been back and forth from Orange County to Los Angeles County this week and have witnessed various “Occupy (insert city name here)” groups setting up shop on college campuses, in parks, etc. Seeing people give up their personal time on week nights and weekends to support a cause has always fascinated me. I’ve never thought of myself as a terrible person (at least I hope I’m not), but I’m kind of selfish with my “free” time. So with that in mind, I tip my hat to all the dedicated volunteers, selflessly standing up for a cause they believe in.

My fascination continued when I read about the closure of the Preston Library in Wembely, London. Yea, yea, I know. Other libraries are closing too. But this one struck a chord with me.  Locals have joined forces in an effort to preserve what once was by erecting a “pop-up” library in its place. Geraldine Cooke is one of the many volunteers working hard to maintain their makeshift stand. Her parents campaigned to establish the Preston Library back in 1937, so it seemed only fitting for her to follow in their passionate footsteps. The stand is nothing fancy to look at, but patrons don’t seem to mind. Books are being donated by the stack, and volunteers are making themselves available to assist wherever they can.

About thirty minutes North West of Wembely, another stand alone library popped up. This one took up shop across from a local Starbucks near St. Paul’s Cathedral. Ashley Bignall is a care worker in south London who saw a need and made a move. His pop-up library “Starbooks” doesn’t offer desks, table lamps or free internet, but the people visiting his stand aren’t bothered. As with Wembely, donations are in abundance and patrons are in good spirits. We sure hope it stays that way.

Geraldine-Cooke

Ashley Bignall

If Iceland’s beauty as a country is a reflection of their literature, then their motto “Sagenhaftes Island” (English translation “Fabulous Iceland”) holds true. This year the Frankfurt book fair, held at the Frankfurt Trade Fair (Germany), introduced Iceland as the guest of honor with a focus on Icelandic literature. Well played, guys.

Book publishing representatives and multimedia companies from across the globe are drawn to the fair each year for a variety of reasons. Primarily for networking and negotiating publishing rights and licensing fees. Authors, librarians, illustrators, film producers, translators (the list goes on and on) all play an active role in the fair and are key components to this event.

Our very own Tim Machier (Head of Business Development and Coordination Int) represented BookRix this year and took the time to answer my questions about his experience at the event.

Everyone is different. To you, what was your favorite part of the fair?

My favorite part [of the fair] was two things: The host country Iceland with its beautiful hall and booths. In addition, all the book people from all over the world. It was so nice to meet and network with everyone.

As you said, people travel from all over to attend this annual event. Tell us about the people you met.

I met a lot of people from the US and of course from Germany. It was a pleasure to talk to our BookRix Users who visited our Booth.  There were famous authors like Jussi Adler Olsen, Charlotte Roche or Reinhold Messner who was the first guy in the world to climb Mount Everest. Last but not least, I met a lot of friends who also work in the publishing industry (Online and traditional of course).

Sounds awesome! How did people react to BookRix? What was the overall feel?

Well here in Germany the digitalization of books is not as advanced as it is in the USA. The Market is on the move and therefore a lot of “traditional” publishers and people feel that eBooks are dangerous for printed books. But overall most of them predict that eBooks and companies like BookRix will dominate the market in the next few years. Besides that we received a lot of positive feedback from authors, writers and readers concerning our upcoming author services in Germany and USA.

What we’re some of the highlights? (speakers, guest appearances, book signings, etc)

For me, the highlights were hearing from the producer of Harry Potter, Roland Emmerich (Director of 2012 etc.), who attended the publishing conference this year. Besides that, there were a lot of German TV-Stars and famous authors visited the book fair for book signings or interviews.

Thanks for sharing, Tim!

Tim & Jussie Adler Olsen

Tim & Charlotte Roche

Tim & Reinhold Messner

You know that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you’re comfortable with something? Whether it’s a restaurant, a bar, a nature hike, or an author you can always rely on for good material, consistency is key. Its nice to rely on things, and sometimes having the ‘same old, same old’ just feels right. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? Well…

We’re not gonna come out and say that our previous text editor on BookRix.com wasn’t awesome. Ok, wait. Let’s just say it was so-so. Good for what it was, but in need of some fine tuning. Our members wouldn’t describe it as “phenomenal”  and they wouldn’t exactly brag to their friends about how awesome it was. I think what we’re trying to say here, nicely of course, is that our previous text editor left room (a lot of room, actually) for improvement. So we took it upon ourselves to fine tune it. Introducing….. (drum roll please!) BookRix’s advanced text editor!

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Creating a book with the updated advancements should be a breeze. You can format text, add images, insert page breaks or new chapters in an easy to use, streamlined fashion. We know change can be scary. But this minor facelift is going to make your lives easier. We promise! Not convinced? Check out our how-to guide here. We’re confident you’re gonna dig it. Give it a try and let us know what you think.

If any of you have ever frequented LAX airport, you’ll understand my pain. It’s crowded, it’s hot (at least it is every time I’ve been there), kids are screaming, and the overhead speakers shouting out flight updates make my brain hurt. Needless to say, when my friend asked if I could pick him up from the airport I wasn’t thrilled at the opportunity, but agreed because he’s awesome and would do it for me. As luck would have it, his flight was delayed 40 minutes due to bad weather. Yay for me.

$7 bought me a snack sized bag of trailmix and a Reeses peanut butter cup. Walking out of the store, I saw a tall, white haired woman in uniform take a seat in the only secluded area of the airport and I decided this was my best bet. She pulled a Kindle out of her bag, put on her glasses, and let out a sigh. Five seconds later, she returned the Kindle to her bag. I guess I was staring because she met my gaze and clarified: “dead battery”. Her tone was so full of disappointment that I couldn’t bring myself to pull the Bret Easton Ellis book out of my bag and crack open the first chapter. Instead I offered up my unopened Reeses and struck up a conversation with Rachel. (She wouldn’t agree to a photo)

1. What book has been the biggest influence in your life?

Eloise. Is that odd? When I first read it with my mother, we both laughed ourselves silly. Over the years, I came to realize that my mom bought the book for me not just because it was about a wonderfully imaginative free spirited girl, but because she hoped it would instill in me a belief that growing older doesn’t have to be a bore. Be a character and make no apologies.

2. What author and/or character do you identify with most?

Gloria Steinem. I can’t begin to explain why. Perhaps I see her as “Eloise” all grown up. I’m not sure

3. What do you think happens to you when you die?

[chuckles] That’s a pretty heavy question to ask someone you’ve just met. I’m quite certain that when I die, I’ll cease to exist. No frills there.

4. Have you ever penned anything yourself? And if so what’s the recurring theme?

I’ve written a few short stories. I rarely write about the same subject, but the theme is consistent. Irony is always around you.

5. If you had to re-live your life as a character in a book, what book/character would it be?

Lotty Wilkins in “The Enchanted April” by Elizabeth Von Arnim

It’s difficult not to take things personally when you receive negative feedback in reference to something you’ve written. Typically the book writing journey starts off with a feeling of inspiration. You can’t wait to write! You go through the ups and downs of your creative flow. You analyze, over-analyze, and then re-analyze the over-analyzing. You write, re-write, drastically modify and then re-think your original vision. Sure there’s the exception to every rule, but for the most part, the book writing process is a roller-coaster of highs and lows. So the question is: What happens when your book (your baby) is met with negativity? Knife meets heart.

It’s easy to say, “don’t let it get you down”. But in all seriousness…Don’t let the opinions of others knock your spirit. Constructive feedback can be great, but an unfavorable review of your book shouldn’t leave you searching for a noose. Remember why you wrote that book and take into account how accomplished you felt once it was completed. If you’re still feeling like a Sad Sally, find solace in knowing that even the best writers have received less than favorable reviews. Don’t believe me? Read a few below:

Dorothy Parker gave her two cents on Benito Mussolini’s “The Cardinal’s Mistress”: “This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force.”

Graham’s Lady Magazine said of Wuthering Heights: “How a human being could have attempted such a book as the present without committing suicide before he had finished a dozen chapters, is a mystery. It is a compound of vulgar depravity and unnatural horrors.”

The Boston Globe had this to say of Herman Melville’s “Pierre”: “The amount of utter trash in the volume is almost infinite — trash of conception­, execution, dialogue and sentiment”

Bottom line, words can hurt. But don’t let ‘em nuke your spirit or your next masterpiece. Keep calm and carry on!