'The circle is now complete' with special guests for Star Wars Day MONDAY at Best of Books



Kimberly and Michael Cross

      "Now, witness the power of this fully armed and operational battle station."-- Quotation from Star Wars' movie

      With the addition of four special guardians of peace, Best of Books is now fully operational and ready for our special Star Wars "May the Fourth Be With You" Day on Monday.

      Michael and Kimberly Cross will be helping us during our Stars Wars Party from 3 to 7 p.m. They are also organizing the Star Wars Scavenger Hunt for prizes starting at 5 p.m. Monday. You may know Michael as the host for KOSU's Morning Edition.

You could win these posters!

      Then Bri-El Mays and his assistant Cal-El Mays, who just returned from the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, Calif., will be leading the Star Wars Jedi Training Camp at 6 p.m. They are also known as Brian and Calvin when they're not training Jedis. They will be giving posters from the celebration, too. Brian Mays of Brian Mays Art also will be offering to sell illustrations of your Jedis.

One of Star Wars displays

       "It's so great to have these dedicated Star Wars' fans helping us with the day and party," said BOB General Manager Elena Hight, who is organizing the event. "It's going to make it even more fun!"
       Best of Books has two storefronts of books and items that will be offered to fans who visit during the day. All Star Wars books and related items will be 20 percent off.
        There also will be free prizes and giveways, too. Penquin/Random House awarded BOB with a special Stars Wars package for the event.
       "We would be honored if you would join us," said Elena, using a quote from one of the movies. "Really, we would! Bring yourself and your Jedis for this event!"
        Here are the times for the events:

• Costume Contest -- Post pictures of your Star Wars costumes to Best of Books' Facebook page at facebook.com/bobinok, and the person who gets the most "likes" wins a Star Wars basket. It will start at 9 a.m. Monday.
• Door prizes will be given throughout the day.

• 11 a.m. to noon: Special Star Wars Story Hour with Craft.
• 3 - 7 p.m.:  Star Wars Party
• 3 p.m.:  Star Wars Crafts for the Younger Jedis.
• 4 p.m.: Star Wars Origami
• 5 p.m.:  Star Wars Scavenger Hunt
• 6 p.m.:  Star Wars Jedi Training Camp with a special trainer and his assistant.

Best of Books' new website is easy for online ordering; orders $50 or more receive free shipping!

STEP No. 1. No. 2 below

           Best of Books recently received an online order for two books from a customer in Indiana. It received another online order from a customer who walked into our store and picked up her book. Both are now easy to do on BOB's website.
            We love to see our customers in the store, but, if you don't live in the metro area or want it delivered to you, you can place an order online. AND, for orders of $50 or more, you receive free shipping, too!







                  It's easy to order or just to browse our large database for your favorite books.
                  Here's how:

             1. Go to Best of Books website at www.bestofbooksok.com and go to the upper-right-hand corner. (See STEP 1.)
              2. Type in the title of the book, author or a keyword to help you search for a book. (See STEP 2.) For a preorder such as "Go Set a Watchman," we will ensure that you receive your order when the book arrives in July 2015.
              3. Click on the "Add to Cart" button. You can continue to shop for other books, too.
              4.  When you're finished, click on the "CHECKOUT" key.

STEP 5

          5. It will ask you for information that you would usually fill out when ordering online. Then it will prompt you to click on give you an option to "CLICK TO CALCULATE SHIPPING." Simply click on the button and choose the option. (See STEP 5.)
            6. Best of Books will then fulfill your order as quickly as possible so you can either pick it up or have it sent to your preferred address.
            One other option for you is to call the store at 405-340-9202 or send an email to bestofbooks@sbcglobal.net, and we'll also take care of your orders. Call us or send an email if you have any questions.





       



 

 

 

 



UPDATED MAY 9: Chris Harrison coming to Best of Books, OCU to debut novel 'The Perfect Letter'!

     
      



 

Chris Harrison will be in Oklahoma May 22



       

         Chris Harrison, the popular host of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette as well as the new host of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, will be coming to Oklahoma and Best of Books to debut his new novel The Perfect Letter on Friday, May 22.

         His appearances also will be used as fund-raisers for the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum and Oklahoma City University.

         Chris will be at Best of Books for a reception starting at 4 p.m. The cost of $50 will allow customers to receive a copy of his book, meet Chris, have the book signed and snap a photo with him. All proceeds from the reception will go to the national memorial and museum. (Call Best of Books at 340-9202 in advance to reserve your spot at the reception and copy of his book because the places will be limited.)

         He will then go to Fassler Hall, 421 NW 10 in Oklahoma City, for a bigger public event in conjunction with Oklahoma City University and starting at 8 p.m. Chris will speak at the free event, and then fans will have the opportunity to buy a book or books that he can sign. (Best of Books will also take preorders for his book.) Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

         Part of the proceeds from the book sales will go to Oklahoma City University. Donations also will be accepted for the bombing memorial.

          "We are thrilled Chris Harrison chose Oklahoma for his new book! We were told he feels deeply about the bombing memorial and Oklahoma City University, where he graduated, so we wanted to do events that benefit both," said Joe Hight, president of Best of Books. "This will give our Edmond customers a chance to see him and help the memorial, as well as for his fans to attend a more public event at OCU."

          Here is more information on Chris and his book:

         

          -- CHRIS HARRISON has been the host of ABC’s hit series The Bachelor since it began in 2002. He’s also the host of The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, and The Miss America Pageant. Chris has had the honor of officiating several Bachelor weddings and has spent his career counseling men and women navigating their journeys to love. He also was recently announced as the host of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire. He lives in Southern California with his two children. This is his first novel.

THE PERFECT LETTER

     As the longtime host of ABC's The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, Chris Harrison has learned a thing or two about romance. Now, in his debut novel, Chris draws on his unique insights and wisdom to explore the exhilarating experience of risking it all in the name of love.    "The truth was something Jake said they should keep, always, between the two of them . . . "    Leigh Merrill had spent ten years running away from her past. A talented young book editor on the fast track at a major publishing house, Leigh had been determined to build a life for herself in New York City--a life far from the hay-filled barns, swimming holes, and rolling hills of her grandfather's horse farm in Texas. And for the most part, she'd succeeded. This new life, one filled with books and parties and romance, was everything she'd dreamt of as a girl. Complete. Happy even, if Leigh considered the future she was building with Joseph, a brilliant, generous man who adored the very ground she walked on. Still, when the invitation arrived asking her to be the keynote speaker at the Austin Writer's Conference, Leigh couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that Texas, with all of its tangled secrets, was calling her home.       Out of reasons to say no to a free trip, Leigh sees the conference as a perfectly timed escape--just a few days away to catch up with old friends, meet a few potential authors, and clear her mind. But Leigh's plans for a quiet retreat quickly dissolve when a stack of deeply personal letters from the past are left in her hotel room. After all these years of running, Leigh has nowhere to hide. In her hands she holds the letters that bare her soul and her secrets, the letters she wrote to one man, the love of her life--Jake. With her past and present crashing in around her, Leigh must decide just how much she's willing to risk for love.      A remarkable debut by a modern-day love expert, The Perfect Letter is a must-read for Bachelor fans, and hopeless romantics, everywhere.



Star Wars fans: 'May the Fourth Be With You' Day and party coming to Best of Books!

      

Star Wars and their fans will be coming to Best of Books in early May with BOB's "May the Fourth Be With You" Day.

 

       The day of activities will include a costume contest, Jedi training and prizes throughout the day on Monday, May 4. There also will be a party from 3 to 6 p.m.
        BOB General Manager Elena Hight organized the event. Penquin/Random House awarded Best of Books with a special party kit and books for the event as a preview for the Star Wars movie that will be released in December. 
         "We want this to be a fun day for Star Wars fans, young and old," she said.
         Plans for the day include:

• Costume Contest -- Post pictures of your Star Wars costumes to Best of Books' Facebook page at facebook.com/bobinok, and the person who gets the most likes gets a Star Wars basket. It will start at 9 a.m. May 4.
• Door prizes will be given throughout the day.

       Besides the start of the costume contest, here are other times for events during the day:

• 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Special Star Wars Story Hour with Craft
• 3 - 6 p.m.:  Star Wars Party
• 3 - 4 p.m.:  Star Wars Craft for the Younger Jedi
• 4 - 5 p.m.: Star Wars Origami
• 5 - 6 p.m.:  Star Wars Scavenger Hunt
• 6 p.m.:  Star Wars Jedi Training Camp with special trainer Bri-El Mays and his assistant Cal-El Mays.

       Go to our website at www.bestofbooksok.com for additional announcements next week.

What do you think? Question sparks Best of Books' quick quest for uplifting children's books

         What books would you recommend for young children in a hospital?
       

 That question was asked when Best of Books brought children's books to Touchmark retirement community in Edmond to help with its book drive for Children's Hospital. BOB also gave residents 20 percent off the books so they could donate new ones to the hospital.

          After the question was asked, we went on a quick quest to find some uplifting children's books that were well-illustrated, well-written, funny or had a feel-good ending. These are among a large number of books that would be good for children.
          Here are eight we would recommend with a brief insight into why we think they are great for young children:
           -- Wherever You Go by Pat Zietlow ($17 hardcover): We can all go on the road filled with adventure.
           -- Berlioz the Bear by Jan Brett ($6.99 paperback): It takes a team to overcome this musical challenge.
           -- Nugget & Fang by Tammi Sauer ($6.99 paperback): A well-told yarn about how the minnows are scared of the friendly shark with big teeth until ... .
           -- Dogzilla by Dav Pilkey ($5.95 paperback): Mousopolis's First Annual Barbecue Cook-Off is invaded by a stinky dog. Hilarious ending!
           -- Field-Trip Fiasco by Julie Danneberg ($6.95 paperback): How can the creative Mrs. Hartwell save the day?
           -- Twister by Darleen Bailey Beard ($8.99 paperback): Captivates until the end, even with a scary subject.
           -- Miss Martin is a Martian by Colleen Murray Fisher ($7.95 paperback): My teacher must be an alien for a number of great reasons.
          -- A Perfectly Messed-Up Story by Patrick McDonnell ($17 hardcover): The Mutts' creator creates a hilarious story that, well, is messed up by someone reading it.

 

           Any other books that you would recommend to answer the question?

         

           

Authors Haught, Anderson, both with state connections, visiting Best of Books this week

        
        Two authors with state connections will be making Oklahoma debuts of their books this week at Best of Books.

         The first will be Robert L. Haught on Tuesday, followed by Mo Anderson on Thursday.
         Former columnist and political aide Haught will be signing his new novel Here's Clare from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Copies of his other two books, including his humor book POTUS Chronicle: Bubba Between the Bushes, also will be available. He will speak at 6 p.m.
          Haught is the former Washington-based editorial writer and columnist for The Oklahoman. He also was a top aide for Henry Bellmon and Dewey Bartlett, among others.
            You can read more about Robert and his books on Best of Books' website.
            Then on Thursday, former Keller Williams CEO Anderson will be at BOB for the Oklahoma debut of A Joy-Filled Life: Lessons of a Tenant Farmer's Daughter who became a CEO.  She will do the signing from 5:30 to 7 p.m. with a talk about her book at 6 p.m.
            Anderson taught music for 14 years before entering real estate. She rose through the ranks until being named president, chief executive officer and partner of Keller Williams Realty in 1995; she remained in that role for seven years. She now serves as vice chairman of the board.
             Her biography and more details about her book are available by clicking on Mo Anderson's signing on Thursday.
             The public is invited to both author events.

Best of Books displaying art from Edmond school

       Central Middle School adds an artistic touch when an author visits students there.
       Art students at the Edmond school most recently created artwork for children's authors Peter Lerangis and Wendelin Van Draanen.
       During BOB's recent Children's Literature Week, both Peter and Wendelin spoke at Central Middle School as well as do a signing and talk at Best of Books. Both were also greeted with artwork that filled the hallways.
       Examples of the artwork are now on display at Best of Books, including one that was recently especially created in honor of Wendelin.
        Angela Smith, an eighth-grader at Central, needed three weeks during her art and library assistant classes to create the artwork now displayed with Wendelin's books in the front area of the children's section. The work is a painting of Wendelin's final Sammy Keyes mystery novel Sammy Keys and the Kiss Goodbye. 
        Caradith Craven, media specialist at Central, said Angela used a photo of Wendelin while the author was at the school in March for a luncheon and presentation to sixth-graders.
         "Angela's love of reading and art came together ... ," Caradith wrote. "for her lovely poster board portrayal of Wendelin waving (as Sammy does) beside the cover of her final Sammy Keyes book."
          Angela is the third student to create artwork now displayed at Best of Books. Sepideh Faramarzi and Starr Gravitt also created artwork of Peter Lerangis and his "Seven Wonders" and "39 Clues" books.
           "Making the poster for Wendelin Van Draanen was a true pleasure.  The way she brings Sammy to life in her books is incredible.  I love all of her books, and having Best of Books display my (work) in their store is unbelievable," Angela said. "I could never in a million years have thought I would get a God-given chance like that.  Thank you Wendelin and Best of Books."

            You can see the artwork at Best of Books or by going to BOB's Facebook page.