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Books You May Have Missed: Newsletter – January 2009

Sunday, January 4th, 2009

Check out these books, currently available to request right now! These come highly recommended by the PaperBackSwap Team.

MemoirBetween a Rock and a Hard Place is one of the most extraordinary survival stories ever told. Aron Ralston’s searing account of his six days trapped in one of the most remote spots in America, and how one inspired act of bravery brought him home, will stay with you long after you have finished the book.
Contemporary FictionLight on Snow Walking through new-fallen snow in the forest near their home, twelve year old Nicky Dillon and her father come upon something inconceivable: there, in the pristine winter scene, an abandoned infant wails… A brilliant and beautiful contemporary novel about love and memory from the author of the bestselling novels All He Ever Wanted and The Pilot’s Wife.
How-to … This book sets down some clean-up guidelines even pack rats can live with!  How to Conquer Clutter covers everything alphabetically and can get you started on that New Year’s resolution of finally getting organized.
Classic Literature… The Country of the Pointed Firs and Other StoriesA female writer looking for seclusion and inspiration in the coastal town of Dunnet Landing, Maine…this remarkable volume weaves a colorful and moving tapestry of the grand complexities, joys, and beauties of life.

General Fiction…Peace Like a River…Eleven-year-old Reuben Land has reason to believe in miracles. Along with his sister and father, Reuben finds himself on a cross-country search for his outlaw older brother … Their journey unfolds like a revelation, and its conclusion shows how family, love, and faith can stand up to the most terrifying of enemies.

Member of the Month – January 2009

Friday, January 2nd, 2009

JJO

We have gotten SO many reports about Jacquelyn’s kindness and helpfulness as a Tour Guide. She has done so much to help new (and even not-so-new) members navigate the site, and they write in spontaneously to let us know. Some of the comments we have gotten:

“Somehow I got stuck putting my wish list on a vacation hold, though I have no plans to go anywhere any time soon (unfortunately). I could not find a way of removing the hold, so … I contacted a Tour Guide. She was very, very nice and competent and I’d like to mention her by name: Jacquelyn O. (JJO)”

“Due to the hurricane, I was out of electricity for 9 days. It just got up tonight, and I found that books had been ordered and eventually cancelled due to my not responding….[Jacquelyn’s] answer sure took care of a lot of questions I have for now and for the future!! She is terrific.”

“I’m not very computer-savvy…I was feeling a little intimidated, but Jacquelyn helped me get started and now I feel at home.  She is really wonderful – give her a gold star!”

I’m sure I asked her questions she has answered many times before, but she didn’t act like that was the case…She seemed really glad to help me and was very friendly…”

Jacquelyn, you have really made an impression on the members who ask you for help – you are a behind-the-scenes angel and a true PBS Ambassador!  We thank you for all of your help and kindness Guiding other members.  You are our Member of the Month for January.  Congratulations!

If you have any nominations for Member of the Month, submit them to us here.  Your nomination will not “expire”–anyone you nominate will have a chance at getting Member of the Month if enough nominations accumulate over time. Each month the person who has the most votes accumulated when the Newsletter goes to press gets to be Member of the Month and gets a newsletter mention and a nifty MoM icon to wear on profile and forum posts with pride.  So go for it! Tell us who’s helped you in the Forums, who’s been a great swapper, who in your opinion is a credit to PBS.  We are keeping a list of all the nominated members.  Who knows–one of them might be YOU!

TIPS & TRICKS: Newsletter – December 2008

Friday, December 5th, 2008

Gift Books…It’s not too late to request books to give for presents!  Remember that you can buy new versions of any book using the Buy it New button on any book listing, to click through to Amazon and purchase a new copy there.   You can also send one of your books on your bookshelf to a friend, using the Send to a Friend feature…  Don’t forget that your book credits can also be used on SwapaCD.com and at SwapaDVD.com if you have CDs or DVDs on your shopping list…read about how to transfer credits between your accounts at the different sites here.

Friends of PBS… Newsletter – December 2008

Friday, December 5th, 2008

We have been asked so many times for a way to “give back” to the club – so we made this feature available for members who want to donate to PBS.  It really helps us to donate credits back to the club!  You can donate money too – who doesn’t like money?  🙂   Every bit helps!   If you donate 3 credits or more, you get a nifty badge to wear on your profile and forum posts – the badge color reflects your contribution: silver, gold, diamond!  Donations are cumulative, so if you donate more than once your donations will be combined to determine the type of badge you get. You can read more about this feature here, and you can donate here.

Books You May Have Missed: Newsletter – December 2008

Thursday, December 4th, 2008

Check out these books, currently available to request right now! These come highly recommended by the PaperBackSwap Team.

Historical FictionSnow Flower and the Secret Fan is a brilliantly realistic journey back to an era of Chinese history that is as deeply moving as it is sorrowful. With the period detail and deep resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha, this lyrical and emotionally charged novel delves into one of the most mysterious of human relationships: female friendship.
Paranormal RomanceJust Like Heaven…What do you do when you find a stranger in your closet, particularly when she’s surprised that you can even see her — and she can disappear and reappear at whim? What if she then tells you that her body is actually in a coma on the other side of town?
Biographies and Memoirs… A gripping memoir that reads like a political thriller–a heartrending account in the face of extreme deprivation and the courage with which one family faced its fate, Stolen Lives is an unforgettable story of one woman’s journey to freedom.
Mysteries and Thrillers… Special Circumstances…Introducing an electrifying new voice in legal fiction–in a phenomenal thriller unlike anything you’ve read before…Debut author Sheldon Siegel bursts into the legal arena with a riveting courtroom drama, exposing the world of big-time law firms and lawyers in a sharp-witted, wonderfully sardonic page-turner of a novel…

Fantasy… Carpe Demon: The Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom…Lots of women put their careers aside once the kids come along. Kate Connor, for instance, hadn’t hunted a demon in ages,  when one crashed into the Connor house, intent on killing her.  Now Kate has to clean up the mess in her kitchen, dispose of a dead demon, and pull together a dinner party…

Member of the Month – December 2008

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008

mannythepoolshark

“Manny” is well-known to anyone who frequents the forums.  She’s “a girl, dammit” – as her blinkie says.  We have been getting nominations for Chris for a long time.  Some of the nominating comments:

“…Highly intelligent with an off the wall sense of humor and a good heart, this gal is always interesting and fun to follow…”

“She’s always very nice to everyone. Oh, and she writes letters and sends them snail mail on homemade stationary to several people. She’s one cool chick!”

“She is consistently kind and levelheaded, and always helpful when possible….”

“Chris has helped many members with her image tutorial. She’s always kind and helpful … She hosts fun swaps! She’s thoughtful, writing notes to members on her handmade paper, sending surprise books and hot cocoa and just an all-around nice person! She makes PBS a great place to hang out!”

Chris, you are a wonderful pool shark!  You are our Member of the Month for December. Congratulations!

If you have any nominations for Member of the Month,
submit them to us here.  Your nomination will not “expire”–anyone you nominate will have a chance at getting Member of the Month if enough nominations accumulate over time. Each month the person who has the most votes accumulated when the Newsletter goes to press gets to be Member of the Month and gets a newsletter mention and a nifty MoM icon to wear on profile and forum posts with pride.  So go for it! Tell us who’s helped you in the Forums, who’s been a great swapper, who in your opinion is a credit to PBS.  We are keeping a list of all the nominated members.  Who knows–one of them might be YOU!

DEAR LIBRARIAN: Newsletter – December 2008

Monday, December 1st, 2008

Dear Librarian-I love Printed Postage!  Can’t believe I ever did without it.  My printer ran out of ink though and I had already downloaded the wrapper with postage – couldn’t print it.  I have put new cartridges in my printer – will I be re-charged when I reprint the wrapper?  – Nervous in Newton

Dear  Newt,

Nope! You won’t be re-charged.  If you ever need to reprint a wrapper for any reason, just start over by clicking Print Wrapper on the request, be sure that you choose the postage option on the Wrapper Settings page, and print.  You can confirm that you are not re-charged by looking in your Money Registry, linked from the top of your My Account main page.
Dear Librarian- I posted a book incorrectly – I used the hardcover listing when I had the paperback, and the ISBNs were the same so I was confused – and now I need to refund the credit.  Is there an easy way to do this?  -Careless in Coventry

Dear Carrie,

Yes, you can just go to the swap in your Transaction Archive (linked from your My Account main page) and click the Request Details link on the right, then scroll down a little on the details page and click the Give Refund button.

We are sorry you had this confusion when posting your book – because publishers sometimes re-use ISBNs and it is necessary for all books to match the listings used to post them (ISBN, title, author and booktype must all match), it is really important to double-check the booktype on the listing preview before clicking to post the book.

If you’re careful to use only listings that match the books you have (see How to Post a Book and Solutions to Common Book Posting Problems, both accessible from the Need Help? tab on the upper right of the Post Books page), you won’t have this problem again!

COMING SOON:

  • The year 2009!   Are you ready?  What are your New Year’s Resolutions?