Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The Pace Publishing Company and the Wren’s Nest Publishing Company
Posted by: lain // Category: Baby Pictures, Birds of a feather, Historic Preservation, Marketing Tricks, Shameless Promotion, Storytelling, Wren's Nest Publishing Co. // 11:49 am
This morning I gave a talk at my high school about the Wren’s Nest Publishing Company.
I was a little nervous. I’ve never spoken in front of that big an audience before. Plus, they were way outside my usual target demographic (namely: Stately Dames, ages 72 - 86).
To make the Wren’s Nest a little more relevant to the students of Pace Academy, I brought out the big guns. My published works from the Pace Publishing Company, circa 1989, were included in the presentation.
I’ve included one of the better works below. Enjoy.
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(The End)
If this does not inspire students to contribute to the Wren’s Nest Publishing Company, I do not know what will.
Comments: 1Atlanta Magazine, Patrick Burns, and the Wren’s Nest: Spooktacular, Kinda
Posted by: Amelia // Category: Atlanta, Ghosts!, Hunting!, Mystery and Suspense, Shameless Promotion // 3:35 pm
The October issue of Atlanta Magazine features an article on paranormal investigator Patrick Burns, of Haunting Evidence fame.
(The article may look a little daunting online–my recommendation would be to pick up an actual, real-life copy. The design of Atlanta Magazine is quite impressive.)
You’re probably saying to yourself, “Geez, Amelia. All magazines feature some gimmicky spooktacular article in October. Why do I care about this one?”
Well I’ll tell you why, impatient reader. The Wren’s Nest is totally featured!
The Wren’s Nest hosted Patrick in late June. Kimberly Turner, journalist and Regator co-inventor, tagged along for a long, uneventful night at the Nest.
The most exciting moment probably came when Lain played audio from a different ghost hunting group. Turn up your volume and listen-
“Come Here”
Creepy, no?
That said, there really wasn’t much more to report past that point–aside from the beautiful print Patrick gave us. Ta da!
Apparently he dabbles in infrared photography. (It looks way better in person. Lain and I… do not dabble in photography.)
Overall, I think this makes our place of business cooler than your place of business, even if I am scared to be here by myself.
Comments: 4Kingsized Rocked Our Fundraiser
Posted by: lain // Category: Atlanta, Burritos and Other Fine Foods, Fundraising, Gussying up, Inappropriate Beer Drinking, Kingsized, Marketing Tricks, Shameless Promotion // 6:12 pm
Big Mike Geier and the rest of Kingsized played a heck of a show at the Wren’s Nest on Saturday.
I’m still recovering. But I did manage to post a few pictures of the party. Check ‘em out here.
Did you take any pictures? Seriously, I’d love to see ‘em since I was so busy running around all night. Just upload your pictures to the Wren’s Nest Facebook Page.
Big thanks to our volunteers (Laura, Nicole, Greg and Christina, Lauren and Catherine, my mom, my sister), our staff, and the folks who had a great time, which was everyone. Thank you, everyone.
Comments: 1Brer Rabbit’s Poorly-Timed Campaign for Atlanta’s Olympic Mascot
Posted by: lain // Category: Atlanta, Brer Rabbit, Celebrity Requests, Failed Attempts at Looking Reputable, Olympic Mascots, Shameless Promotion, Trickery // 2:22 pm
Yesterday I stumbled across some Olympic propaganda from 1995 — a few boxes of bumper stickers and books suggesting that Brer Rabbit should be Atlanta’s Olympic Mascot.
These were published well after the actual mascot was chosen. Izzy (né WhatIzIt) was, let’s say, not the most popular choice.
Here’s the bumper sticker–
And the book–
To be fair, anything would have been better than Izzy. Even I knew that as a nine year-old, and trust me — I was not a very bright nine year-old.
The book does make a pretty good case for Brer Rabbit–
“I mighta known you’d have a fit about the blue fuzzball,” said Brer Buzzard. “So have most of the rest of the folks. But it seems like what happened is that, when it came to the pickin’ of the mascot, the big guys in charge didn’t do their homework.”
“Don’t they know that we come from a proud tradition?” Brer Rabbit said. “Why, I can trace my own line back to Anansi and the great trickster heroes of Africa! Brer Fox ‘n Brer Bear ‘n the other critters, they go ‘way back too! Why, there’s trickster stories told about critters like us in just about every country in the world!”
“…don’t they know that the ordinary folks around here are proud of us? We kinda remind the people of Atlanta of themselves ’cause we’ve got the local sassy spirit ‘n quick wits! Whoever it was that decided to choose that blue thing, it was folks that don’t event know us!”
“They thought they knew who you were,” said Brer Buzzard. “They thought you and the other critters were stereotypes.”
“Whaddya mean stereotypes?” said Brer Rabbit. “We come from the real history of Atlanta. What’s that dumb lookin’ blue gizmo got for a history?”
Not much! Though given the reputation of the Atlanta Games, Izzy was perhaps the most appropriate mascot.
The final image in the book is particularly inspiring–
We’re totally going to start selling the book and the bumper sticker in the gift shop. Believe it or not, the campaign for nothing left us with a few extras.
Comments: 9Brer Rabbit and Friends at the Center for Puppetry Arts
Posted by: lain // Category: Atlanta, Birds of a feather, Brer Rabbit, Center for Puppetry Arts, Gussying up, Shameless Promotion, Sing Songery, Storytelling, What Would JCH Do? // 11:55 am
Thirty years ago, the Center for Puppetry Arts opened its doors and became the first puppetry center in the United States. Brer Rabbit and Friends was the very first show.
This month the Center is celebrating their 30th season with — you guessed it — Brer Rabbit and Friends. Pretty neat.
We invited the puppeteers over for a photo shoot at the Wren’s Nest to promote the show. It opens September 30th. You should go.
Note the Wren’s Nest admission sign from circa 1938: Adults, 26¢ and Children, 10¢.
Was a quarter not enough? Two bits weren’t going to get the job done? Greedy.
It’s cool that the puppeteers chose to take pictures on this part of the porch.
Joel Chandler Harris penned many of the Brer Rabbit stories in the exact same spot.
Close enough.
Since I’m on a deal making kick — if you see Brer Rabbit and Friends at the Center for Puppetry Arts, hang on to your ticket stub, bring it to the Wren’s Nest, and get a tour of the house for a mere 26¢ one dollar.
For tickets, check out Brer Rabbit and Friends at the Center for Puppetry Arts.
Comments: 3Regator Launch Party Makes Us Feel Cool For Being Nerdy
Posted by: Amelia // Category: Awkward Introductions, Birds of a feather, Inappropriate Beer Drinking, Shameless Promotion // 1:58 pm
I don’t know if you heard, but Lain and I write a blog. Some people even like it.
And lucky for us, some of the people who like it started a new website called Regator, which basically collects awesomeness from the whole wide internet and then says, “Hey! Read this why dontcha!”*
(Photo courtesy of ohsnapkid.com. More photos from the event here!)
That’s Lain and me with Regator’s mascot, Reg (note: Lain and I both minored in posing). Regator hosted a launch party at Paste Magazine offices in Decatur and invited bloggers who they like. That’s my understanding, anyhow.
In truth, all I know is they sent the invite to Lain for the both of us, but then only my nametag was printed. Success!
The night was full of awkward introductions (example: “I read your blog all the time and just think you’re the coolest… err, I mean, nice to meet you!) and open bar advantage-taking, so everything pretty much evened out.
Awkward adoration aside, it really was neat to meet the faces behind the words. The Asian Cajuns were delightful as always, About Town’s Elizabeth is a real live nice person, and the ladies from Dad’s Garage and Out of Hand theater were a treat. Though you might know them from their “work” at “Google.”
Thanks to the Regator team for hosting this delightful soiree, and hi to everyone we met! Sorry I don’t remember your names! Free drinks!
* Lain adds, “Regator is like Google Reader meets Digg, and their baby is adorable, quick, and easy to use. If you’re into that sort of thing.”
Comments: 7Microsoft’s New Commercials With Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld
Posted by: lain // Category: Birds of a feather, Burritos and Other Fine Foods, Celebrity Requests, Shameless Promotion // 2:18 pm
Microsoft and house museums share the same problem. They’re (perceived as) boring. Super boring.
Unlike most house museums however, Microsoft has some pretty deep pockets. They addressed the problem by hiring the same firm that brought back the King from Burger King.
And behold! They made Bill Gates funny! With impeccable timing!
I suppose you could say that Microsoft’s Seinfeld commercials are a little bit like the Wren’s Nest blog–a little awkward, sometimes confusing, oddly funny, and a direct response to a problem (of being branded a snoozefest) outside of our control.
Oh, but ours cost $300 million less. …and reaches approximately 300 million fewer people.
Thanks, Epicenter.
Comments: 2Ditching the Nest in Favor of the Fest
Posted by: Amelia // Category: Decatur Book Festival, Events, Shameless Promotion, Storytelling // 7:17 am
Lain and I will be at the Decatur Book Festival all day Saturday and Sunday.
We’ll spend the daylight hours being gregarious and talkative, and the nighttime being exhausted from behaving so far outside of our comfort zones.
(Smiling through the pain last year.)
Please come enjoy the festival, say hi at our tent (on Ponce), and take advantage of the best yearly opportunity to feel smart and literary while drinking beer.
If you don’t know what’s going on, take a look over at Paste Magazine’s new blog, Local:Atlanta. They gave Lain (along with Baby Got Books, Wordsmiths Books, and Laurel Snyder) the opportunity to tell you what to do with yourself. Take it from Paste! Who took it from Lain! Among others!
More fun: our storytellers will have the main children’s stage Saturday at 2pm. Huzzah! They’ll also be sprinkled throughout the festival both days, performing here and there.
But most importantly, please visit us on Sunday from 2 - 5pm at Several Dancer’s Core on the square. There we’ll be hosting a coffee house-themed literary salon to honor Vernacular, our teen-produced literary journal.
Readings, musical performances, and much, much more await you.
Well, not much more, but the Editors would surely appreciate your support.
Thanks, and see you there!
Comments: 0The Wren’s Nest’s Fall Concert: Kingsized
Posted by: Amelia // Category: Events, Fundraising, Kingsized, Ladies Night, Shameless Promotion // 7:43 am
What are you doing on Saturday, September 27th?
Having Taqueria del Sol for dinner? Enjoying a rolicking good time with your friends? Contributing to a good cause? Jamming like you’ve never jammed before?
How about doing all of the above in ONE PLACE?! No, it doesn’t involve witchcraft.
It’s the Wren’s Nest’s annual fundraising concert!
We’re pleased as punch that the legendary Kingsized will be blowing the roof off our open-air amphitheater, and that sweet, sweet Taqueria del Sol will be providing the sustenance. Will I ever tire of their tacos? All signs points to: nope, not ever.
You can buy your tickets ($60 per person; dinner and swell times included) here at the Wren’s Nest or via credit card over the phone (404-753-7735). We’re working to set up ticket purchasing online, too. You’ll be the first to know when that happens, promise.
September 27th is rapidly approaching (see: what?!), so buy your tickets now! Or, if you must, tomorrow.
Comments: 1The Decatur Book Festival: Our Shortcomings and Our Triumphs
Posted by: Amelia // Category: Decatur Book Festival, High School Hijinx, Shameless Promotion, Wren's Nest Publishing Co. // 1:27 pm
As you all hopefully know, the Decatur Book Festival is this weekend. First and foremost, yippee!
Just as in the past two years, the Wren’s Nest will have a booth at the Festival, so you should totally drop by. I believe we’ll be by Church St. on Ponce de Leon. Our booth will be the white one.
Last year Lain drank beer while making Outdoorsman Matt do all the talking.
Things should be similar this year.
Also similar to last year: we will be selling the product of The Wren’s Nest Publishing Co.’s hard work. This year it’s called Vernacular.
(Note: This outstanding cover was done by a whippersnapper named Zach who totally needs work. Interested? Email him here: zach@craftymice.com)
To review, Vernacular:
- is comprised totally of artwork and written pieces by Atlanta-area teenagers
- was edited fully by six teenagers who worked on the journal throughout the summer
- is the only publication created by and for the Decatur Book Festival
- sells for $5, and 100% of proceeds go to ensuring we can do the program in 2009
- is totally awesome, and buying it counts as your good deed for the day
So far so good, right? We’ve got a booth on a street everyone can find, our literary magazine came together beautifully, and you’re coming by to say hello and buy things. What could be better?
Well, it would be nice if we had books to sell at the book festival.
Due to our immense and overwhelming popularity (and some guy named Joel Chandler Harris), we’ve been having a lot of trouble keeping some of our most popular books in stock. It seems like we’re ordering them every few days, yet we’re constantly running out.
The worst culprit is this guy:
(This may literally be the last copy we have.)
We’ve currently got about a million copies back-ordered, but we’re not sure if they’ll make it in time for the festival. Cross your fingers for us!
Comments: 2