Welcome to a new year of barely keeping up with things. We’ve personally thrust ourselves into another round of “Let’s See What We Can Manage to Accomplish Today” and so far it’s working. We’ve managed to eat a bowl of cereal, put on some socks, and go back to bed, not exactly in that order. Fortunately, our bed is beneath our desk at the shop so we ARE HERE to sell you books, if it’s books you need. Glorious, word-filled books. Is there a better thing in this world than books? Apart from cereal, socks and beds, of course.
On the membership news front, we have to admit, we’ve had to experiment with the structure we use. During the pandemic, Patreon was a life saver, and most of you members began your support then. We could not have gotten through it without you. After lockdowns ended, we decided to shift away from Patreon to managing our own memberships so we could integrate them more smoothly with our in-shop system (book credit, etc), and we got a lot of feedback from you. We tried an annual membership, and then we tried a monthly one. You’ve been very patient as we switched back and forth, forth and back.
Now, we are making what we hope will be our final and forever switch to a simple Annual Membership. As our website is a home-brewed collection of apps and dongles, and we haven’t found a seamless, workless method of SMOOTHLY automating the dang thing, we’re retiring back to the Florida Keys of the traditional bookstore membership system with an annual fee and consistent discount. It really does work much better. Like one click of a button better. As we are NOT numbers people, this just helps keep our little bookshop world sensible and, more importantly, comprehensible.
How are numbers real? Right? Aren’t they just made up things?
See the danger?
(Vanessa contends that money isn’t real at all and the national debt is a political ploy).
Also it’s that time of year where some of our memberships might need renewing. If you’re not completely irritated with our bizarre membership account switches and have the patience of a saint we can easily do that for you. Anyone who is up for renewal will get a PERSONALIZED email written by our very own neurotic web guy Jason, who will surely charm you with his decades-old mix of unaccountably laconic yet optimistic wit. We honestly hold him back from spamming your inbox with his witty observations. NO ONE NEEDS TO HEAR IT JASON!
Fortunately if you’re all caught up (monthly members will be automatically enrolled in the yearly membership) you don’t have to do anything! Just tell Jason to settle down and that his pithy snark is not appreciated. Hopefully these changes will let everyone get back to doing whatever they do, be it sock collecting, cereal, or sleeping in.
All in all we look forward to this new year. You’re getting a bookmobile, a second location, and we’re having a baby. Why do things half-assed, amirite? We’re birthing more than the Fathers of Confederation. Unlike them, we won’t steal your land OR garnish your wages at tax time. Our goals are more important. Books, book lovers, and Honey Nut Cheerios.
Let’s tear 2023 a new bookhole!
Much love,
Jason and Vanessa
