Looking for Something a Little Out There This Holiday Season?

...Come to Vroman's. Yes, we are a bookstore, and yes, books make great gifts (It really says something that even though I get a big discount on books and occasionally have books sent to me for free I'm still asking for some books this Christmas), but if you think we're about nothing else, you, good reader, would be mistaken.

This holiday season, we're branching out and selling a few truly extraordinary gifts for that mysterious "person who has everything." As I think these gifts are pretty amazing, I thought I'd highlight a few of them here on the blog. For a complete list of extraordinary gifts, click here and here.

A Trip for 2 to the Texas Book Festival in Austin, TX
The Texas Book Festival attracts authors and readers from around the world and brings them together in the Capitol for a weekend of literary events, readings, and happenings. And when I say Capitol, I mean Capitol, as many of the events are held in the Texas State Capitol Building. Now that is cool.

Our package includes:

Round-trip airfare for 2 from Los Angeles to Austin, TX
Three nights at the Sheraton in Downtown Austin
All-inclusive admission to the Texas State History museum (Includes IMAX and Texas Spirit Theater)
Dinner for Two at Lambert's Restaurant (Seriously, click on that link. Does that place not look awesome?)
Admission to the Texas Book Festival is free
Price: $4,200

The Oxford English Dictionary (20 Vol. set in 5 boxes)
A few years ago, when I was working in a different independent bookstore in LA, a country music and acting star came into the store and asked if we had the Oxford English Dictionary (He called it the OED, so you knew he was serious). I showed him the little two volume set we had for sale near the back counter. "No," he said. "I want the real deal. The 20 volume set." Turns out we had one down in the basement. He shelled out the $1200 (he was buying it as a gift for an actress friend of his) pulled up around the back of the store, threw the boxes into the bed of his beat up pickup truck, and drove off.

Now you can be that country music star. The Oxford English Dictionary will stop publishing its famous multi-volume print edition, so now is the time to get one.
Price: $1195

Editing Services from Edan Lepucki
If you're a fiction writer, you know that good, honest criticism is hard to come by. That's why Vroman's is offering the critical services of Edan Lepucki, author, writing instructor, and graduate of the famed University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. For $150, Ms. Lepucki will read your short story, give you line-by-line criticism, and sit down with you for a one-on-one critique. For $1000, Edan will work with you extensively on your novel: we're talking multiple meetings and extensive written critiques. If you're looking for a gift for an aspiring writer this season, this is what you ought to get.

Trip to Book Expo America in New York City
BookExpo America is the industry's premier trade show. Held annually, this is an invaluable opportunity to get a sneak peek inside the world of bookselling at the biggest national bookselling event of the year.

Our package includes:

*Roundtrip Airfare for 2 (includes car services into the city)
*Hotel (Thurs Night to Monday Morning)
*3-Day Pass to BEA for 2 (where you'll have somebody from Vroman's showing you around)
*Tickets to attend Saturday’s Book and Author luncheon, Sunday’s Book and Author Breakfast,
and the Saturday night fundraiser
*Participate in the Algonquin Roundtable Walking tour or Greenwich Village Literary Pub Crawl
*Dinner for two at Le Bernardin & signed copy of Eric Ripert's book, On the Line.
Price: $4350

Dream Job
Spend a day behind the scenes at Vroman's Bookstore. You can sit in on a book buyer's meeting with publisher's sales rep. You can recommend books on the sales floor and write shelf talkers in praise of your favorite books. You can work an author signing or book event, hanging out with the author before the event begins, and helping to run the show once it starts. (I guess this means I'm living the dream, since I do all this stuff, and they actually pay me for it).
Price: $100

Trip to Pulitzer prize winning author Larry McMurtry’s Archer City, TX
Few places are as book-lover friendly as Archer City, TX. Home to Larry McMurtry, the town boasts two world class antiquarian bookstores, as well as the famous Royal Theater (featured in the film The Last Picture Show).

Our package includes:

* Roundtrip airfare for 2
* Two nights at the Lonesome Dove Inn (breakfast included)
* Tickets to the Late Week Lazy Boy Supper Club at the Royal Theater (dinner and show)
* Appointment at Three Dog Books (+ 20% off coupon)
Price: $3000

Space Adventure Orbital Spaceflight
Yes, you read that correctly. Vroman's Bookstore is, to my knowledge, the only bookstore in the world that can send you into space. The Orbital Spaceflight is, forgive me, an out of this world gift (I'm ducking now). For the low, low, bargain basement price of $35-45 million, we will fly you to Russia where you'll board a Soyuz rocket, fly to the International Space Station, and spend the next ten days orbiting the earth with scientists aboard the Space Station.

Again, these are just a few of the amazing gifts we're offering this holiday season. And if you don't have $3000 lying around this year, we've still got a whole lot of books, and they make pretty great gifts, too. If you'd like to purchase any of these gifts, just give us a call at (626) 449-5320. We'll be happy to fit you for your cosmonaut suit.