Hold Your Horses

First things first: discounts on books! Did you realize that participating in Borders Rewards is free and gets you all kinds of great deals? Perhaps you did, perhaps I am the last schmuck on earth who wasn't taking advantage of the oodles of goodies being a "member" offers, but in case this is still rather secret info, I thought I should share!

Now, I tend to be one of those people who politely but immediately refuses any sort of promotional offer that cashiers are required to ask about--signing up for a store credit card, paying some kind of up-front fee for the promise of discounts later--but two days ago was different. The check-out boy at Borders (who, btdubs, had Justin Bieber hair and looked about 12) captivated me with his sales pitch, aka he mentioned in a monotone voice that becoming a member was free and simply required an email. "What's that?" I said, "Free?" Believe you me, as an unemployed person, my ears are especially sensitive these days to words like "free," even if they are mumbled by a kid with a mop for hair. So I gave this Bieber look-alike my email and in return got a super snazzy Kroger-esque key card that gets me $5 off my next purchase for registering, free shipping on orders of $25 or more, and sundry other discounts and coupons. Woohoo!

In case you are interested (because I was), this posting on The Loyalty Truth Blog gets into more detail about future plans for Borders Rewards and how it differs from the Barnes+Noble equivalent, which requires an annual membership fee.

And now second things second: I was discussing my burgeoning blog with my better half, Vince, and he mentioned that if I really want my loyal reader(s) to have a chance to participate in the book-a-week challenge, then I should give ya'll a little more notice about what I'll be reading--that way you have a chance to pick it up at the bookstore or library. So, another drum roll please! Next week's reading selection is: All the Pretty Horses, by Cormac McCarthy.

Now, I am a little timorous about reading McCarthy--No Country for Old Men (the 2007 Coen Brothers' film based on a McCarthy novel of the same name) was super intense and I've been forewarned that McCarthy's writing can be brusque, even cruel--but after all part of why I'm doing this challenge is to read those significant authors I've been putting off. Also, I've been assured by a reliable source that if I'm going to read one McCarthy, this book is it. So get your hands on a copy, because we're off to the races with this one next Wednesday!